Bar Otaku
8-Course Japanese Meets Southern Dinner Series
This year, restaurateur Sarah Gavigan decided to transform her Gulch eatery Little Octopus into Bar Otaku, a sister restaurant to her popular Otaku Ramen. Bar Otaku was inspired by Japan’s traditional izakayas, those casual pubs where people gather after work for food, drinks, and companionship. Gavigan returned to her native Tennessee in 2012, after almost 20 years in L.A., and found, to her horror, that Nashville was ramen-less. Setting out to rectify that situation, she discovered that the city sits on almost the exact same latitude as Tokyo, yielding many of the same vegetables and similar flavors. Drawing on local produce and meats, Bar Otaku is turning out soul-satisfying dishes like lotus root chips, fried chicken, pork belly, vegetable curry, and so much more. Edible Nashville calls Bar Otaku “a captivating establishment…The vibe is happy, the food playful, delicious, and perfectly balanced on the line between authentic and new", while Eater Nashville has included it as one of Nashville's 38 Essential Restaurants for 2019. We will be taking over the restaurant for the evening, and Sarah Gavigan will be on hand to share her story and answer your questions.
About the Host:
Sarah Gavigan
Executive Chef & Owner
Chef Gavigan returned to her native Tennessee in 2012 after two decades in Los Angeles' TV and film scene. Back home, she threw herself into mastering the art of Japanese cuisine, a labor of love that has now resulted in arguably Nashville's most celebrated Japanese restaurants: Otaku Ramen (2015) and Bar Otaku (2019), both now named to Eater's 38 Essential Restaurants List for 2019.
The Lineup
All savory courses will be served family-style. Dessert will be portioned individually.
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Tamago
deviled eggs with double yolk, kewpie, and bonito
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Duo of Japanese Salads
mizuna, nori, toasted barley, seaweed | vinegared cucumber salad
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Tuna Sashimi
with miso vinegar, shiso oil, and crispy garlic
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Okonomiyaki
cabbage pancake with country ham, bonito, and kewpie mayo
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Wagyu Meatballs
with bourbon miso
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Daigaku-imo
roasted sweet potato with tamari, honey, and black sesame
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Tonkatsu
panko-crusted pork cutlet with lemon
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Matcha Ice Cream Sandwiches
with pecan chocolate cookies
Bar Otaku
505 12th Ave S
Nashville, TN 37203
Event FAQs
- Do I have to bring printed tickets to the event?
- No tickets are needed.
- What must I bring to the event?
- Please make sure to bring a government-issued photo ID.
- Do guests need to be of a certain age to attend this event?
- Yes. All attendees must be 21+ to gain entry.
- What is the event ticket cancellation/refund policy?
- Tickets to our events are non-refundable. However, for emergency requests, we may allow members to transfer their tickets to friends, provided the guest ticket surcharge of $25 is paid when transferring a member ticket to a non-member. All ticket transfer requests (as well as the guest ticket surcharge) must be sent to us prior to the event. Any guests who have not paid the guest ticket surcharge will not be allowed entry.
- What does the ticket price cover?
- The ticket price covers the full cost of the meal.
- Can I bring guests/non-members to this event?
- Yep! For this event, guest tickets are $75 + tax & tip, and you can bring up to 3 guests. Please note, guests are not allowed to attend unaccompanied by a member.
