To V Modern or Not To V Modern

The Nashville scene is bumping these days, and V Modern Italian has quickly become one of the hottest new Italian restaurants in town, especially buzzing on Friday and Saturday nights.

Nestled off Division Street, right in the heart of The Gulch—a vibrant and trendy area near downtown Nashville. There has been a great deal of hype surrounding V Modern Italian, so I had to scope it out.

Italian is one of my favorite cuisines; I've dined at countless Italian eateries, particularly in Boston's iconic North End, and so I'm generally hard to impress. Let's see how V Modern measures up.

It was 8:00 p.m. on a Saturday, so as you might imagine, it was hoppin'. People were mingling everywhere, checking in for their tables, and there was a constant flow of patrons and servers coming and going. The outdoor seating wraps around the corner of the building, making it feel alive and inviting, although the hostess stand right at the door did create a bit of congestion. Not gonna lie, the scene was a little hectic from the start.

I was super excited to check in for my reservation, made months in advance, so I can't help but feel a little let down when my party and I were seated at a high-top in the bar area.

The restaurant's décor and ambiance were striking, offering a chic modernity and a touch of tradition. With plush velvet seating in rich navy blues and golds, a marble top bar with gold trim right in the center that draws you in as you step inside. I also enjoyed the plants around the bar and throughout the restaurant, including the tree in the dining area.

Despite the crowd, the upbeat music created a perfect backdrop of energy. I had anticipated some lackluster service based on previous reviews; however, that was not my experience. Our server, Kendell, greeted us with a big smile. He was not just charming but genuinely attentive, asking if we had any food allergies, offering us a choice between tap or sparkling water, and delightfully discussing specials and drink options while suggesting his favorite dishes.

For starters, we couldn't resist ordering the meatballs and the focaccia tartufata small plates. The meatballs were beautifully seasoned and incredibly tender. The marinara was pretty standard, but the focaccia? It's worth writing home about! This bread was soft and pillowy— slathered in garlic butter and topped with grated Parmesan, it was heavenly! The delicious truffle crema served alongside was a perfect complement, striking the right balance without being overpowering. My only complaint is that there is not enough bread!

Meatballs at V Modern Italian

Focaccia Tartufata at V Modern Italian

Next up, we dove into pizzas and two pasta dishes: the Alfredo di Stefano and the Ragu Bolognese. The gentlemen at our table went for the Sweet Hot Italian and the Carnivora pizzas. The Sweet Hot was a 13-inch pie with "spicy sopressata sausage, chili-infused honey, olive oil, fior di latte mozzarella, red onion, chili threads, parmesan cheese, rosemary, and thyme," and our server suggested adding pepperoni, which put it over the top. The flavors went so well together, I will indeed order these toppings on a pizza pie again. The Carnivora was speckled with, as you glean from the name, meats; "crushed meatballs, sopressata sausage, bacon crisps, rustic tomato sauce, fior di latte mozzarella, chili flakes, red onion, rosemary, thyme, and parmesan." This pizza was also pretty pleasing; the flavors were on point. My only critique? The doneness of the pizzas. I asked our server to have our pizza baked well done, and he told us that they are already baked to a char and very crisp. However, when the pizzas arrived, they were not crisp. In fact, they were soft in the center and quite limp. If you like crisp crust, maybe push a little harder on the bake.

Now, onto the pasta.

I'll preface this with I have high expectations when it comes to Italian food, but also, we should all have high standards for our dining experiences, especially with the cost of eating out these days. I expect the food at any restaurant to be worth every penny.

The pasta was not.

Alfredo at V Modern Italian

The Alfredo dish was decent. It consisted of reginette pasta with a creamy alfredo sauce, roasted tomatoes, and embellishments, and while the pasta was cooked to perfection—perfectly al dente—the sauce needed just a touch more salt for my taste. My friend, however, very much enjoyed it.

Now, the Ragu Bolognese I ordered was

"Bolognese" at V Modern

supposed to consist of "slow-cooked beef ragu" over pasta, finished with Parmesan foam & cracked pepper. I don't enjoy being too hard on a dish, but this dish seriously missed the mark for me. A proper ragu bolognese is a rich, comforting meat sauce (usually ground beef and pancetta) simmered for hours and bursting with flavors, not leaving you searching for the beef. I know that restaurants like to put their spin on dishes, and often it can be a fun affair. However, in this case, it was a miss (as in missing beef). There wasn't much sauce draping the pasta, and what little meat there was tasted like sausage, not the comforting, classic beef flavor I was hoping for. Also, unlike the Alfredo dish, the pasta was overcooked, almost mushy. Finally, I don't feel the dish needed the Parmesan foam, it just looked fun and sounded fancy, and only really added a slight saltiness to the dish, which was fine.

Lastly, we ordered the almond cake, a delightful sponge-like cake with honey mascarpone, amaretto glaze, and crunchy almond topping.

Delicious Almond Cake at V Modern

A little before 9:00 p.m., servers passed around a "Pedro" shot for patrons to take along with everyone in the restaurant to the "Pedro" song. Shortly after 9:00, the lights went down and the servers began running around the bar and dining room, twirling their towels above their heads to the beat. Then, upon hearing "Pedro," everyone drank their shot. It was a fun, uplifting, and morale-boosting experience for diners and staff alike.

Overall, the experience was enjoyable. The food was fair, but I'm not sure not worth the prices we paid. I'd say if you are looking for a fun night out at a "higher-end" restaurant with crowds, bumping music, and okay food, then V Modern is your spot.

V Modern Italian – Nashville