Flyte of Fancy

Ah restaurant week, that magical time where diners can enjoy tasting menus at reasonable prices and reservations can be hard to come by. A temporary switch from value to volume, letting everyone win. This week, I’m back in music city, and restaurant reviews along with personal suggestions steered me toward Flyte World Dining.

The restaurant is set up in a large rectangle, with one side hosting the bar, the other the dining room, split by the entrance. The interior is dark and industrial, with candles dotting every table, no open windows, and exposed, painted-over ductwork.

Once again dining with a co-worker, we both ordered the restaurant week menu, of course, ordering different dishes to taste the largest swath of food we could. Our first course was roasted beets presented in two varieties: golden and candy cane. The golden beets were soft, but their pink and white partners were shaved thin and tasted a little more raw. Pieces of rye added a nutty crunch while a blueberry puree, swiped across the plate, added a sweet component. The other first course, a carrot soup, was topped with bacon and crème fraiche and was velvety and rich. The bright orange color showing the freshness of the carrots.

Our entrees were trout and steak. The steak was cooked to a juicy medium, sliced on the bias, and laid atop a bed of charred onion soup, faro, and topped with a parsley crumble. The soup had rich earthy tones, with flavors of caramelized onion, mushroom, garlic, dark and umami. The faro maintained its toothsomeness despite the soup saturation. Soak the steak in the soup for the win. The trout was served whole, skin-on. The flesh was soft and yielding, and the skin was flaky and not fishy at all. The pepita crumble on top added a salty, nutty crunch to the fish. Below, braised cabbage, with a slight crispness remaining, was seasoned with turmeric and sherry for a lighter vegetable side.

Our dessert was cheesecake, served in a small dome rather than a slice. It was topped with a peach jam, chunky and sweet, and finished with a brazil nut crumble. The nuts tasted roasted prior to being pulverized, giving both a toasty note and a crunch to the dessert. The cheesecake itself was soft and light, with the texture of whipped cream cheese that just came out of the fridge.

For about $30 per person, Flyte puts on a nice tasting menu. I personally preferred the carrot soup and the steak to the other options, but try for yourself.