"E3 is a different sort of steakhouse than you usually find in Nashville. Sure, there are excellent NY strips and ribeyes, but the vegetables are better than any cut of meat in the house. Also, E3’s rare and hard-to-find whiskey collection is reason alone to stop by. First things first: Don’t neglect the deceptively basic-sounding salads and vegetables, because that’s where E3 really shines. The salads are large, colorful, and layered with multiple textures, and the sizeable plant-based sides incorporate flavors that provide depth and dimension. But because this is a steakhouse, you can (and should) order the impressively large tomahawk ribeye or the bacon-wrapped Kansas City strip from the owner’s ranch. photo credit: Eliza Kennard photo credit: Eliza Kennard photo credit: Eliza Kennard The atmosphere is like what would happen if a gastropub and an upscale steakhouse shack up after a night on Broadway. Which is kind of the perfect place to enjoy some whiskey. There's a finely tuned array of Wellers, Willets, and Old Foresters that whiskey nerds (and people who just like a good rye cocktail) can appreciate. If you prefer your booze torched to a delicious crisp, the bananas foster cheesecake that’s flambeed tableside is a fantastic way to end the night. Food Rundown E3 Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates Bacon and dates are the prom king and queen of appetizer pairings. And E3 uses a thick-cut slab of bacon to embrace a Medjool date that’s accompanied by maple-soaked figs, goat cheese, and pistachio mascarpone. There’s a lot happening here, but the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. photo credit: Eliza Kennard Beets & Arugula The bitterness of the arugula in this salad is tempered by the sweetness of the roasted beets. For texture, there’s a nice crunch from the pistachios and the soft, tanginess of goat cheese. Honey-Glazed Carrots These carrots are thick-cut, tender, and slicked with honey, which really punches up the natural sweetness in a subtle way. Garlic & Parmesan Whipped Potatoes Creamy and rich without being too filling, the whipped potatoes get a sharp pop of flavor from the parmesan and garlic. photo credit: Eliza Kennard Seasonal Wild Mushrooms The type of mushrooms may vary by season, but you can count on a simple preparation—there aren’t any heavy sauces or seasonings here—that puts the focus on the meaty shrooms. E3 Tableside Tomahawk Ribeye Nothing grabs a table’s attention like a beautifully rendered tomahawk with its primitive-as-hell bone protruding from the beef like a caveman’s handlebar. This one is thick, robust, and simply seasoned, with some extra foie gras butter for a nice dose of umami. Bananas Foster Cheesecake This vanilla bean cheesecake with housemade banana bread gets brought to your table and ceremoniously doused with Madeira before being torched for the whole dining room to see. Maybe it’s the pyro in us, but this fiery final act never gets old." - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones
