Rolf And Daughters

It’s 5:30 pm on a Monday night and Rolf and Daughters, whose doors have just opened, has a full bar and a half-full dining room. The rest will fill up within a mere half hour. Mighty impressive a sight for a restaurant that’s been going 8 years, let alone in a city with as many dining options as Nashville.

Though by the calmness in the air, it appears to simply be par for the course. So, what is Chef Philip Krajeck and the team inside 700 Taylor Street doing so right? This is a question I ponder, as I peer over the rim of my cocktail glass containing a gin martini with unexpected notes of flowers and fennel pollen and do a cruddy job at containing my glee.

Honestly, the answer is: everything. And, talking with Philip, it’s because they had a clear vision right out of the gate. “The goal from the beginning was – and still is - to make a place that people felt comfortable coming to regularly, you know? We’re trying to appeal to as broad of a demographic as possible. So, not a super precious experience,” he says, with his cheerful smile. “It’s a little bit rowdier, it’s a little bit more fun - more relaxed, but at the same time, everything we do has the same technical base, knowledge, and curation like the best high-end restaurants.” And that’s the exact impression you get.

The menu is put together with approachable verbiage, an emphasis on sharing multiple plates, and comfy prices. Each yummy dish speaks of the moment and manages the elusive balance between nuanced, on trend, progressive cuisine, while not alienating any customers. On top of all that, the staff is friendly, un-bothered, heartbreakingly knowledgeable, and excited about what they get to serve to their guests.

Rolf and Daughters has it all. Tucked within their succinct motto (“Small. Fun. Focused. Seasonal.”) is a dedication to hand made bread, butter, and pasta (do NOT miss their signature cecamariti, a pasta made from scraps of sourdough starter), a passion for creating varieties of pickles, misos, ferments, and oils, and a firm belief in whole-animal cooking. There’s also a quality knowledge of cocktails, providing whimsically named list with something for everyone, and a clear belief in the versatility and food-friendliness of old-world wines.

In his lovingly humble style, Chef Philip sums up the restaurant perfectly: “We just wanted to create something that felt unique to Nashville. That had an opinion about food and how it was sourced and how it was put on a plate. An opinion about cocktails; an opinion about wine. And over time, we’ve refined those opinions.”

And as I spear another joyously tangy roasted carrot glistening with beef fat and chili hot sauce and smothered in French sorrel béarnaise, I, along with the others in the dining room, agree with them.