Tapas Restaurant Antica to Replace Myridia in Fifth & Main Development in East Nashville

Myridia, a bar and lounge located in East Nashville's Fifth & Main mixed-use development, is getting ready to shift gears and become Antica, a new tapas restaurant. Vis-a-Vis, the newly formed restaurant group behind the project, includes partners Chris Stowe, Kaz Hishida and Ash Johnson. Stowe is currently with Green Apple Restaurant Group, and has served as wine director and manager for their local concepts, Jackson's and the now-shuttered Rumba. Hishida is the owner of Myridia and has owned and run other restaurants in the past. And Johnson is a veteran bartender, having worked at Holland House and Virago, among others.

Stowe tells Eater that he was inspired to make the concept, which he had been tinkering with for a number of years, a reality by his visits to Italy to see his sister and brother-in-law (who is Italian).

Just seeing and experiencing how they eat, we could really learn a lot from Southern Europe on how to spend our leisure time. We want Antica to be very relaxed, somewhere you want to spend time. But we don't want to sacrifice the quality of food and drink. The menu will lean more Mediterranean than anything else, so you'll see some traditional Spanish, some Italian, but then probably some dishes inspired by what we have right here in our backyard. We'll be coloring outside the lines a bit.

Stowe says that changes to the space will be aesthetic, with plans to replace the lighting, as well as wrap the bar top in copper. The restaurant will feature a variety of seating, including recessed booths, tables, high tops and bar seating, with a total of about 80 seats.

Running the kitchen will be Christian Dye, whose past experience includes working as executive chef at Holland House, and most recently as sous chef at Kayne Prime. Travis Archer, a veteran of LA's bar scene, will act as bar manager, which will have a focus on amaros, vermouths and Italian cordials, as well as feature house-made bitters. They are shooting for a November opening.
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