Blue Heaven

Written by Melissa Mahanes / Photos by Frances Blount and Courtesy of Conrad Nashville

Blue Aster, The Conrad Hotel Nashville’s signature restaurant, is tucked into the corner of the stunning lobby in the new midtown Broadwest Development. The chic setting was designed by awardwinning design firm Champalimaud of New York. Blue lacquered walls, leather banquettes mixed with contemporary textiles, custom light fixtures and warm wood accents fuse modern luxury with natural simplicity.

Blue Aster takes guests on a culinary journey through the regional flavors of Tennessee. The restaurant’s seasonal menus focus heavily on a farm-to-table approach, sourcing most of the ingredients from local and regional purveyors and farms, along with a selection of fresh seafood and a variety of local ranch steaks. Blue Aster serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.

Las Vegas-based and James Beard Award-nominated hospitality industry veterans and husband-wife business partners Elizabeth Blau and Kim Canteenwalla bring new culinary energy to Nashville. The duo met while he was Executive Chef of the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. From there, the pair spent time touring the region and said they developed a shared love for the south, its flavors and traditions.

Executive Chef Dwayne Edwards offers 30 years of experience and formerly served as Executive Chef at multiple Ritz-Carlton hotel locations throughout the country. Jean-Christophe LeVarrat, the Director of Food and Beverage, brings 35 years of experience from his time at the Beverly Hills Hotel and Hotel Casa del Mar, and most recently at Shutters on the Beach Hotel in Santa Monica, California.

Blue Aster’s menu emphasizes seafood but has something for everyone. The raw bar has a seasonal selection of East & West Coast Oysters, a Chilled Seafood Platter, Scallop Ceviche, and an unbelievable Regiis Caviar presentation in a birdcage served with corn johnny cakes and all the traditional caviar accompaniments of crème fraîche, minced onions and egg yolks.

The Hopewell Farms Heirloom Tomatoes & Burrata were exceptional for appetizers, and the Summer Corn Soup full of lobster and charred corn was delicious. The Little Gem Caesar boasts crispy capers, a tangy classic dressing and fried grit croutons. Finally, the Creekstone Farms Steak Tartare was beautifully seasoned and served with crisp and delicate waffle chips and a quail egg.

The Grill program features fresh selections of fish and heritage Angus beef and is served with chimichurri, bearnaise, house steak sauce or green peppercorn sauces. Sides of Belgian fries with truffle aioli, roasted heirloom carrots, or a southern-inspired mac and cheese with pimento cheese and saltine cracker crust made delicious pairings.

Composed entrées ranged from the roasted Cauliflower Steak to a creamy King Crab pasta with melted leeks, sugar snap peas, chives and a generous amount of King Crab. The Elysian Farms Lamb Chops & Merguez served with crispy grits and chestnut mushrooms won the family’s “clean plate club” prize.

The hummingbird cake and decadent chocolate layer cake for dessert were tied for the best tasting and most beautifully presented sweets enjoyed in quite some time.

The Lunch Menu shares some of the same items on the dinner menu and adds a Tennessee Burger, Griddled Cheese Sandwich, Fish & Chips, a Fire Roasted Steak Salad and a tempting Lobster Caesar.

The Breakfast Menu has traditional savory breakfast items and tempting sweet selections of Blueberry Pie Pancakes and a Pan Roll French Toast. In addition, avocado toast, freshsqueezed juices from Urban Juicery, and freshly baked pastries will suit every palate. A Brunch Menu is coming soon with “Brunch & Bubbles.”

The Lounge at Blue Aster, Conrad Nashville’s Lobby Bar, will serve classic and Southern cocktails, wine, and small plates alongside a luxurious high tea service. In addition, the Lounge offers a variety of international brews, scones, pastries and tea sandwiches.

Thistle & Rye was not yet open at publication time, but according to their press release: “Thistle & Rye, the Conrad Nashville’s third-floor beverage-focused spot, will offer live music, an indoor-outdoor bar, a spacious patio, and small plates—all with plenty of views overlooking downtown Nashville. The menu draws inspiration from Blau and Canteenwalla’s extensive travels, offering international street market foods like sugar cane shrimp skewers, bao buns, and pomegranate-glazed lamb kofta, some classics like lobster rolls and Nashville hot chicken sliders. In addition, hotel guests can visit the Pool Deck at Conrad Nashville, which draws from the menu at Thistle & Rye and will have gelato, boozy ice pops, and batched cocktails.”

Blue Aster / The Conrad Nashville / 1620 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203 / (615) 327-8005. Hours: Breakfast: Monday-Sunday 7:00am to 11:00am, Lunch: Monday-Sunday 11:00am to 2:30pm, Dinner: Sunday-Thursday 5:00pm to 10:00pm, Friday and Saturday 5:00pm to 10:30pm / Lounge Hours: Sunday-Thursday 10:30am to 12:00am, Friday and Saturday 10:30am to 1:00am. Reservations available on OpenTable and blueasternashville.com