Culaccino: Franklin, TN

Down I-65 to the quaint town of Franklin, TN is literally the CUTEST little southern square to ever exist. Just 20 or so minutes south of Nashville (yes, I know my local people know and love Franklin) is a glimpse at a historic, farm trendy town. I was invited to preview Culaccino before it’s grand opening, AKA the best perk of being a food blogger.

Culaccino : The Italian word for the mark left on the table by a cold glass.

I’m sorry… but did I totally capture a culaccino in this pic??? Genuinely excited because I didn’t know what this word meant until now. Post dinner. I love it.

Anyways, the menu felt so inventive but still so authentic… probably because that’s exactly what it is. Homemade pastas, wood fired pizzas, wine on tap… When I die, I’m hoping some act of the universe let’s their ravioli be my last meal.

Here’s all that we ate:

Fresh bread and RICOTTA CHEESE for dipping is the freebie app. Heck yes.

We ordered the octopus as our app app. And wow, you’ve never had octopus until this one. Not chewy at all, PERFECTLY charred. Comes with potato, green beans, caper, taggiasca olives, black garlic. The black garlic is fermented and stowed away, then turns into the sweet saucy goodness.

Just another glimpse at this STUNNNING space. I mean, can you feel the romance? Mama mia.

Excuse me while I introduce you to our main courses.

The SEPPIA CANESTRI: snow crab, stewed leeks, san marzano tomato, urchin butter, chive mollica. Perfect for anyone looking for more of that seaside Italian. Truthfully, I was already getting pretty full, so this light and herby pasta was exactly what I was looking for. And can confirm, reheats wonderfully for lunch the next day.

The RAVIOLI: veal shoulder, bone marrow, robiola, butter sauce, sangiovese reduction, sorrel. Holy crap y’all. Might be the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth. I don’t even know how to describe it. Low key just got a tad faint thinking about it. Though if I were to try, the butter sauce mixed with the red wine reduction was a straight up orgasm to the mouth. Plus BONE MARROW making it all jelly and juicy and different all wrapped into one shining star of a ravioli? Hold my wine. I’m going in.