Eating Nashville: Bestia Mare boasts big city flavor and style in Middle Tennessee

Wisconsin-raised chef Frank Pullara moved to Middle Tennessee in 2020, and he's since made his mark in Franklin. First he opened the upscale yet approachable Italian restaurant Culaccino in downtown Franklin. He followed that in fall 2023 with Bestia Mare (pronounced BEEST-ee-uh MA-ray), a coastal Italian restaurant focused on seafood.

Early reviews suggested that Pullara had a hit on his hands. Yet, we wondered how deft of a hand a Midwest-raised chef who lives in Middle Tennessee could have with a seafood-heavy menu.

Brad: I got psyched as soon as I walked up to the place. Every seat was filled — on a Tuesday night! The tables buzzed with conversations and exclamations as servers brought out out gorgeous plate after gorgeous plate. My head was on a swivel.

The one tiny bummer. My buddy and I were seated at a tiny two-top that was sandwiched in between two big parties. Like many upscale, buzzy spots in the Nashville area, Bestia Mare packs some of its tables so close together that you can feel like you're part of the party seated next to you.

Mack: There was plenty of space where my date and I were seated on a busy Saturday night. We had great views of the oyster bar, which prompted me to immediately order up Totten Inlets, Spinney Creeks, Chelsea Gems, Kusshis and Wellfleets. They were expertly prepared. Nothing starts off a seafood meal worse than poorly shucked, gritty oysters. These were pristine. But it's worth noting that, although oysters in general have gotten pricey these days, the Kusshi and Chelsea Gem oysters were nearly $6 each.

They went perfectly with the Oh Captain! My Captain, Bestia Mare's take on a dry martini with basil and peppercorn-infused vodka, slightly garlicky olive oil and a hit of salinity.

Brad: Well, no surprise you got the better table, Mack! I knew I should've gone with you. Mackensy, I know you went for the big ol' ribeye, but the only beef my friend and I had was the carpaccio starter, which was exquisite. That super thin layer of tender, beef with the perfect blend of lemon, shallots, and fresh parm, with a unique touch of anchovy aioli. Bravo!

Mack: Well, first things first. To follow the oysters we ordered the kale salad with anchovies. I love anchovies, but while this salad was good, it wasn't memorable. It's a kale salad, I suppose.

We fared much better on the cauliflower soup, with its tender butter-poached lobster, crisp guanciale and finish of chive oil and onion ash. It also seemed priced a bit high at nearly $20, but, like the oysters, lobster is a luxury item you should expect to pay for. My only problem here was that it was underseasoned. Finishing salt would have pushed this dish from very good to excellent.

We also loved a dish of agnolotti with a reduced tomato sauce, a generous portion of gorgeous crab and sweet corn and corn shoots. It seemed completely out of season, which makes me think customers have threatened to revolt if it goes away. I can see why, honestly.

Brad: Sooooooo, about the agnolotti.... I will not be among the revolters if it goes away. For me, the least interesting dish and the only disappointment of the night. The texture was kinda mushy, and I thought it was bland. Far more interesting and vibrant — the linguini with clams and pancetta. There was some heat from chilis that gave it the perfect kick. What entrees did you love, Mack?

Mack: That Allen Brothers ribeye you mentioned. It was huge and should be for the $155 price tag. But it would be enough for a table of four to split if other dishes were being passed around as well. The grill cook absolutely nailed the sear, flavor and temperature we requested. Yes, we had an outstanding steak at a seafood place and I'm thrilled about it.

Brad: That's no surprise, given that most other dishes were excellent. The scallops are the best I've ever had, incredibly fresh, perfectly cooked and complemented nicely by the other elements of the dish — forbidden black rice (exotic sounding, ain't it?), celery root crema, charred scallion, n'duja, butter sauce and marcona. We ate every morsel.

There were more subtle flavors in the beautiful baked snapper entree, served Mediterranean style with tomato, caper, lemon and scallion. We also thoroughly enjoyed the slices of zucchini and squash under the fish.

Even the caramelized Brussels sprouts rocked, served with an awesome balance of savory and sweet, and I particularly loved charred, slightly crunchy radicchio served with it.

Mack: On top of all of the excellent food, the service was stellar. All of the meal's special touches were spot on, from the espresso we ordered before our cocktails to the crisp butter-baked saltines served with the oysters. The restaurant's design was gorgeous, modern and airy. Bestia Mare is an impressive big-city-worthy effort from Pullara.

Brad: Worth the drive for Nashvillians, especially if you're a seafood lover. If this were in Davidson County, it very likely would be top 10 in our annual list of Nashville's best 25 restaurants list, which we have historically limited to Music City proper.

If you go

What: Bestia Mare is a seafood-focused restaurant with an excellent beverage menu. It's open for lunch and dinner.

Where: 99 E Main St ste 190, Franklin, Tennessee

More: www.bestiamaretn.com

Have a place you think the dining dynamic duo should go? Find Mackensy at mlunsford@tennessean.com and Brad at brad@tennessean.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Bestia Mare review: What we found out sampling seafood in Franklin, TN