Bad Idea in Nashville shifts to American classics

Bad Idea in East Nashville now serves chicken nuggets with caviar.

The restaurant has changed its menu direction after parting ways with former chef Colby Rasavong in November 2025. Rasavong had built the kitchen around Lao cuisine, which helped earn the restaurant a spot on The New York Times' top 50 list in 2024. Owner Alex Burch also won a Michelin sommelier award in 2025 for his wine expertise.

Before the recent changes, Bad Idea operated for about two years in the Five Points neighborhood. It opened in 2023 and closed in early 2025 after Rasavong left. The restaurant had a unique identity but struggled to become a neighborhood staple. Burch noted that the strong flavors and heat of the Lao menu made wine pairing difficult.

David Breeden took over the kitchen after Rasavong left. Breeden spent decades at national landmarks such as The French Laundry and Per Se. He focused on iconic American dishes, particularly steak and seafood with Southern influences. In July, chef Logan King assumed leadership of the kitchen. King previously worked under Thomas Keller at establishments including The French Laundry, Bouchon, and Surf Club.

The new menu features pimento cheese, caviar, and chicken nuggets. The pimento cheese is an herbed creamy blend topped with reduced chiles and served with buttery saltines. Small plates include squash, root vegetables, and crucifers framed by onions, leeks, and cheese. The restaurant also serves agnolotti pasta dressed with miso, hamachi, and head-on prawns cooked over an open flame.

Burch built the restaurant around its wine cellar and continues to curate the selection. The menu offers entrées for steak, fish, chicken, or vegetarian diets. These dishes use French techniques on simple American staples like butter emulsions, peas, carrots, and turnips. The undersized kitchen is prone to pacing challenges, which encourages diners to focus on sipping wine.

Diners can order half-glass pours to taste wines from four continents. A meal with three or four half-pours across 90 minutes leads to dessert. The dessert menu includes a dense s'mores torte topped with toasted marshmallow fluff. A table can enjoy four courses plus a diverse wine tour for under $90 per person. The space remains airy and cozy, offering a celebratory dinner experience without sticker shock.