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  • Post #31 - April 4th, 2013, 8:05 am
    Post #31 - April 4th, 2013, 8:05 am Post #31 - April 4th, 2013, 8:05 am
    c8w wrote:...but am currently constrained - stuck with non-foodies, on a trip to Atlanta, passing Nashville maybe 9/10pm one way, returning Sunday. And the non-foodies will refuse to detour more than 0.5-1.0 mile off the highway for food


    Prince's Hot Chicken appears to be a easy shot, maybe a mile from I-24. We got there once right as they were closing (around 10-10:30 midweek?) and that turned out to be a perfect time since there wasn't a line. I'd definitely call ahead, though, to make sure they're open and to see if you can possibly place your order ahead of time.
  • Post #32 - April 4th, 2013, 9:53 am
    Post #32 - April 4th, 2013, 9:53 am Post #32 - April 4th, 2013, 9:53 am
    When we were in Nashville our Musician friends took us to the Family Wash for pint and pie night -$10 for a delicious shepherds pie and a pint of whatever-
    very local place- they usually have music but it was like the day after Xmas....

    We also went to a really good Irish restaurant (a theme?) called McNamara's

    For our Xmas eve dinner we went to a Cajun restaurant run by a chef refugee from Katrina. called Chappy's I am not going to post their info.
    Food was highly overpriced and completely underflavored. I am 10x the cook that place is... I could not recommend it to anyone. very disappointing, and what was worse was our friends drove into town to join us there.

    The Family Wash
    2038 Greenwood Ave.,Nashville, TN 37206
    615-226-6070
    http://familywash.com/

    McNamara's Irish Pub and Restaurant.
    2740 Old Lebanon Road
    Nashville, Tennessee 37214
    http://www.mcnamarasirishpub.com/

    Went to a great BBQ place on the way thru Paducah KY - Kountry Kastle BBQ
    "If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home."
    ~James Michener
  • Post #33 - April 4th, 2013, 11:09 am
    Post #33 - April 4th, 2013, 11:09 am Post #33 - April 4th, 2013, 11:09 am
    Patterson House. Make a reservation. Otherwise, that late on a weekend, your options are limited. The hot chicken places stay open late, but the non-food obsessed might question the choice. Martin's BBQ further south is a great "non-foodie" option - seems corporate (like a BBQ Portillo's) but wood-cooks whole hog - closes at 9 or 10.
  • Post #34 - August 19th, 2014, 9:37 am
    Post #34 - August 19th, 2014, 9:37 am Post #34 - August 19th, 2014, 9:37 am
    One last weekend trip with the Fam. before Shay starts school on Weds. - Was thinking Lake of the Ozarks, but switched it up to Nashville. Glad I did.

    An easy 7 hour drive found us in town in time for our lunch reservation at the Capitol Grille in the Hermitage Hotel.

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    Not the chain - Capitol Grille is farm to table, they have their own farms(Double H) where they get veg. and beef. This was probably our best meal of the trip. You can order off the Oak Bar Menu - where you can get such specialties as a Hunters Platter, and the Smoked bologna sandwich. Off the lunch menu in the Capitol Grille we also had the burger which they source from their farm. As good as each dish was the Sweet Onion bisque was fantastic... Served with a mini brie grilled cheese. Top notch. I didnt bother with pics of the food as the room was dark. Style was reminicent of the Pump Room back in the day.

    Capitol Grille
    231 6th Ave.
    Nashville, TN.

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    http://www.capitolgrillenashville.com/food.aspx

    Knew we HAD to hit Prince's as they were only gonna be open 1 day I was there. Cant be the Fried Chicken Chief without trying the local legend.. Dropped in for some carryout. Place was pretty packed on a Sat. afternoon.

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    Went with a 1/2 Mild - ive got nothing to prove re: eating the hottest of the hot... and a piece of caramel cake on e of the ladies was selling in the shop. I am a sucker for caramel cake - dig how it can be found in some places in the hood.

    The chicken... fantastic. well cooked, crunchy, and the dry spice is great. Easily makes my top 5 fried chicken spots I have been to(none are in Chicago btw.. :lol: ):

    If you dont like fried chicken there is something wrong with you:
    Image

    Prince's Hot Chicken Shack
    123 Ewing Dr. # 3
    Nashville, TN


    Vangie wanted bbq, gotta say I wasnt excited at first, but after doing some research of Nashville proper I found a couple spots to try. Glad I did. Had some of the best BB ribs and pork I have been served. Saturday night we grabbed an table outside at Peg Leg Porker, a newish BBQ spot been around since 2013 I believe.

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    Enjoyed everything we had here. Ribs were great. - both styles I preferred the sauced - juicier.. dry were bold and good as well. Ribs had the perfect tug, not fall off the bone at all.

    pork rinds:

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    Pimento cheese and crackers:

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    1/2 wet:

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    1/2 Dry:

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    Peg Leg Porker
    903 Gleaves
    Nashville, TN

    http://peglegporker.com/

    The next day after the farmers market - fantastic beefsteak tomatoes and corn on the cob - We went down to Nolensville to Martin's BBQ - Place did remind me of Portillos a little bit - the building design, etc.

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    That said their bbq was as good as Peg Leg, Vangie thought better -

    1/2 wet:

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    1/2 dry:

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    PP sandwich:

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    both types of ribs were money:

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    Martin's BBQ
    7238 Nolensville RD.
    Nolensville, TN.

    http://www.martinsbbqjoint.com/

    Gotta say Nashville BBQ impressed.

    Spent some time down on Broadway, I enjoy neon, and also a bologna sandwich.. Roberts Western World is the place to be:

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    They offer a griddled bologna sandwich here that is great, maybe one of the best I have had. At $3.75 it is a steal. Heres the pic - dark spot - take it or leave it.:

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    I enjoyed my visit to Roberts, friendly staff, cold beer and a great sandwich.

    Roberts Western World
    416 Broadway
    Nashville, TN.

    http://robertswesternworld.com/about/ht-grill/

    Sunday dinner we hit up Urban Grub, another farm to table spot where they cure their own meats in house, etc. Went with some chargrilled oysters - surprsingly really good, a board with some housemade meats and cheese - ok - (the board we got at Capitol Grille was much better. Also enjoyed some shrimp and grits and the steak Frites. Good service, nice location. Pretty decent food.

    Urban Grub
    2506 12th Ave
    Nashville, TN.

    http://urbangrub.net/

    Some random neon:

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    REally enjoyed Nashville, friendly town. While the drive down took 7 hours, coming back I took a few detours and ended up with close to 13 hours on the road - Calling it practice for my Green Thanksgiving this year in Denver... On the way back we shot over to Silers Old Time BBQ in Henderson, TN. one of the few places open on Monday:

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    limited menu, but got their pulled pork - just like all the other bbq on this trip - really good, nice smoke flavor, tender, etc.

    Like $5:

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    Id like to go back and try more items - bologna, ribs, etc.

    Silers Old Time BBQ
    6060 Tennessee 100
    Henderson, TN.

    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Silers-O ... 3351249142

    Wanted to go to Liz's - closed - nice lady talked to her on Sunday. Pic upthread might look sunny, but it started to pour. couldnt get through Jackson, TN. to visit Lathams and another spot in Humboldt, TN. I think a drive through this area on a Sat. would yield many, many options.

    Enjoy
    Last edited by jimswside on August 19th, 2014, 1:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
  • Post #35 - August 19th, 2014, 12:08 pm
    Post #35 - August 19th, 2014, 12:08 pm Post #35 - August 19th, 2014, 12:08 pm
    Thanks for the trip report, Jim! I like Nashville. That Peg-Leg Porker sign reminded me of something: do you know the joke about the pig with three wooden legs? It's a long joke so I'll save it til next time I see you.

    I smiled to see your picture of the Boots neon sign. Went there with a group of people late one night and saw a pretty big-name country singer (solo guitarist) there once. Wish I could remember who it was, but it's been about 25 years. Still remember the place vividly though.

    I also smiled reading about your meal at Prince's because, by coincidence, this morning I was listening to the latest episode of The Splendid Table (available on the splendidtable.org website) and heard Jane and Michael Stern talking about Nashville-style hot fried chicken and Prince's in particular. On the subject of other great fried chicken places around the country, they mentioned that there were several along the Illinois River Valley and made special mention of Rip's in Ladd. Someone's reading your stuff, Grub Seeker!

    Here's a link to that bit of the show and the audio: http://www.splendidtable.org/story/6-re ... re-winners
    "Your swimming suit matches your eyes, you hold your nose before diving, loving you has made me bananas!"
  • Post #36 - August 19th, 2014, 12:36 pm
    Post #36 - August 19th, 2014, 12:36 pm Post #36 - August 19th, 2014, 12:36 pm
    Katie wrote:Thanks for the trip report, Jim! I like Nashville. That Peg-Leg Porker sign reminded me of something: do you know the joke about the pig with three wooden legs? It's a long joke so I'll save it til next time I see you.

    I smiled to see your picture of the Boots neon sign. Went there with a group of people late one night and saw a pretty big-name country singer (solo guitarist) there once. Wish I could remember who it was, but it's been about 25 years. Still remember the place vividly though.

    I also smiled reading about your meal at Prince's because, by coincidence, this morning I was listening to the latest episode of The Splendid Table (available on the splendidtable.org website) and heard Jane and Michael Stern talking about Nashville-style hot fried chicken and Prince's in particular. On the subject of other great fried chicken places around the country, they mentioned that there were several along the Illinois River Valley and made special mention of Rip's in Ladd. Someone's reading your stuff, Grub Seeker!

    Here's a link to that bit of the show and the audio: http://www.splendidtable.org/story/6-re ... re-winners



    thanks Katie, I believe Peg Leg Porker is in reference to the owner who has 1 leg.. Id like to hear your joke. Perhaps at the picnic if we head in.

    I had to hit Prince's, I try to go as many of the legendary chicken spots I can - Prince's lived up to the hype like most of classics do. thanks for the link.
  • Post #37 - August 19th, 2014, 6:51 pm
    Post #37 - August 19th, 2014, 6:51 pm Post #37 - August 19th, 2014, 6:51 pm
    Great stuff as usual Jim! Thanks for sharing.
  • Post #38 - August 20th, 2014, 8:01 am
    Post #38 - August 20th, 2014, 8:01 am Post #38 - August 20th, 2014, 8:01 am
    thanks BR, wish I had more time in Nash, only hit about 1/2 of my list.

    Here is one I almost forgot to post about. I had read about a spot that was cooking up crabs that had some later hours - 11pm - folks that know me know I have a thing for crabs... So, Sat night on the way back to the hotel we rolled over to Seafood Sensations - similar hood to that of Prince's.

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    Place was busy with carryout customers & some folks eating in at around 1000 pm. I wanted some dungeness crabs but they were out, instead went with 2 snow crab dinners to go.. @ $11/ each not bad - about 3/4 lb. crab each order - potatoes, etc. All of it drenched in garlic butter...

    Took these styro containers back to the hotel and chowed. - crab was pretty good, freshly prepared(not waterlogged), and nice sized legs. - not coastal eating but im not planning any trips to alaska so its all i got :D

    Heard they also have cheesesteaks from time to time as the owners are from PHilly.

    Another interesting (to me) tid bit - this spot used to be the location of Steve Mcnairs restaurant - Gridiron 9 that was closed soon after he was killed.

    Seafood Sensations
    2719 Jefferson St. Suite E
    Nashville, TN.

    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Seafood- ... 5326850843
  • Post #39 - January 2nd, 2015, 1:08 pm
    Post #39 - January 2nd, 2015, 1:08 pm Post #39 - January 2nd, 2015, 1:08 pm
    Thanks to all here and elsewhere for the many great recs for our recent Nashville trip. It was quick but action packed and with a few food highlights that might be helpful.

    We arrived late Monday afternoon and left early Wed. morning with a bowl game in the middle so we only actually had 3.25 meals but I think we did rather well. On Monday, after a long drive and a couple of hours walking around the beautiful Vanderbilt campus, we decided to go with our family's easiest go-to--Pizza. Found recs for De Sano's in a few places--and we really enjoyed it. High end ingredients (read somewhere that they source the sausage from Chicago) and a couple of 900 degree ovens resulted in some very good pizza served up really fast. Boys split a pepperoni--which I hate--but this was pretty delicious--cut in strips, very bacon-like in texture. SO & I split a sausage and onion--sausage reminded me of Barnaby's--well seasoned chunks judiciously applied. Crust was Neapolitan style but without the soggy center. Sauce was savory all the way and applied sparingly. We also split a spinach salad with roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh buffalo mozzarella--delicious. Added points for a condiment bar up by the action (the pizza prep and cook area is open to the long, dining hall style room) that included fresh chopped garlic, homemade chili oil, good balsamic and EVOO, freshly ground pepper and good parm for the taking.

    Tuesday morning we wanted a hearty breakfast to start the day and settled on Noshville--jewish deli meets southern fried hospitality. Very respectable deli food--I had a nova platter with lox spread (my choice amongst 6 different cream cheese options) for about $12. Boys all had Challah French toast that was cut about 3 inches thick and yet still tasted light and airy. I dislike French toast but couldn't stop stealing bites from their plates. Highlight of Noshville for me was the complimentary pickle "barrel" (in this case, more like a pickle bar) featuring some very nice half sours.

    Pickles.JPG


    We changed up our plan for dinner that night at the last minute--everyone wanted something casual so we decided on Party Fowl--a new hot chicken spot down the street from our hotel in the Gulch. Good call--we really enjoyed it. Started with an order of potato chips fried to order in bacon fat-- I managed to taste ONE chip before the boys devoured them. They each had a burger that was juicy and well seasoned, SO had some kind of chicken dish with vegetables that I didn't bother trying and I had a half chicken, hot, with a wedge salad. Chicken was fantastic--no idea why the Chicago "hot chicken" places are covering their offerings in pasty glop but I was happy to discover that at least the Party Fowl version was not--just well seasoned, perfectly fried and moist. A skillet of very good mac & cheese for the table and a couple of orders of beignets for the boys for dessert and everyone left full and happy. Good beer selection as well.

    Party Fowl Nashville Hot.JPG


    .25 meal was a run through the drive-thru at Nashville Biscuit house for a ham, egg & cheese biscuit for me and a few plain biscuits for the boys for the trip. Very good. I'm sure it would've been better if we'd eaten in but the road was calling!



    Service everywhere we went was excellent. Looking forward to returning when we have more time--there's a lot to enjoy here!

    DeSano Pizza Bakery
    115 16th Ave S
    Nashville, TN 37203
    615.953.1168
    http://www.desanopizza.it/

    Noshville
    1918 Broadway
    Nashville, TN 37203
    615.329.6674 (NOSH)
    http://www.noshville.com/

    Party Fowl
    719 8th Ave S
    Nashville, TN 37203
    Phone number (615) 624-8255
    http://partyfowlnashville.com/

    Nashville Biscuit House
    805 Gallatin Ave, Nashville, TN
    (615) 228-4504
    http://www.nashvillebiscuithouse.com/
    "Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." Miles Kington
  • Post #40 - March 3rd, 2015, 10:13 am
    Post #40 - March 3rd, 2015, 10:13 am Post #40 - March 3rd, 2015, 10:13 am
    I'm here in Nashville right now - so far this thread has been a great resource. Loveless Cafe was fun, Bolton's Hot Chicken was cool - Hattie B's was really good chicken, today I have Prince's and Party Fowl on my short list. I'll report back, with pics...
    I love comfortable food, and comfortable restaurants.
    http://pitbarbq.com
    http://thebudlong.com
    http://denveraf.com
  • Post #41 - March 3rd, 2015, 11:00 am
    Post #41 - March 3rd, 2015, 11:00 am Post #41 - March 3rd, 2015, 11:00 am
    rubbbqco wrote:I'm here in Nashville right now - so far this thread has been a great resource. Loveless Cafe was fun, Bolton's Hot Chicken was cool - Hattie B's was really good chicken, today I have Prince's and Party Fowl on my short list. I'll report back, with pics...


    I know I'm a bit of a broken record on this thread, but you gotta go to Arnolds!
    Think Yiddish, Dress British - Advice of Evil Ronnie to me.
  • Post #42 - March 3rd, 2015, 11:25 am
    Post #42 - March 3rd, 2015, 11:25 am Post #42 - March 3rd, 2015, 11:25 am
    Vital Information wrote:
    rubbbqco wrote:I'm here in Nashville right now - so far this thread has been a great resource. Loveless Cafe was fun, Bolton's Hot Chicken was cool - Hattie B's was really good chicken, today I have Prince's and Party Fowl on my short list. I'll report back, with pics...


    I know I'm a bit of a broken record on this thread, but you gotta go to Arnolds!


    Ditto in a strong way.
  • Post #43 - March 3rd, 2015, 12:19 pm
    Post #43 - March 3rd, 2015, 12:19 pm Post #43 - March 3rd, 2015, 12:19 pm
    Yeah. One bad thing about Arnold's is how it shines a light on how terrible most "meat & 3" places are among the few still hanging on in the South (at least by comparison to Arnold's). Arnold's pretty much makes the best version of everything on the line. Great place to calibrate your meter for basic stuff like banana pudding and collards.
  • Post #44 - March 3rd, 2015, 1:15 pm
    Post #44 - March 3rd, 2015, 1:15 pm Post #44 - March 3rd, 2015, 1:15 pm
    I ate very well in Nashville, but Arnold's is the place I most want to go back to. Everything on that plate was best-of-type.

    In another thread Rene G wrote:I can't imagine being within 100 miles and not stopping in. Best meat 'n' three I've been to, without question.

    Arnold's roast beef, mac & cheese, greens, fried green tomatoes
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  • Post #45 - March 5th, 2015, 7:07 am
    Post #45 - March 5th, 2015, 7:07 am Post #45 - March 5th, 2015, 7:07 am
    I am so thrilled to report the best meal in Nashville we've had is at a wonderful place called Biscuit Love. These guys started as food truck, and grew into a beautiful space in "The Gulch" neighborhood (River East of Nashville - lots of mid-rise condos and modern architecture).

    Along with their biscuits (which I thought were good, but not the highlight of the meal), they have a well-rounded menu including a "Ham Bar" - a selection of regionally cured hams. I shot a few iPhone photos, but am going back today with my camera to get some good shots - will post here later.

    They served a pastry called a "Bonut" - a little fried ball of biscuit dough - piped full of a lemon mascarpone custard. This was a life-changing pastry. Other highlights - The yogurt was fantastic - great texture, topped with blueberry compote. The oats were thoughtful, cooked properly and dressed with brown sugar glaze and walnuts. The grits were southern, in the best way...The hams (we tried 4) were a delicacy in a way I've never enjoyed ham before. They were served with pre-civil war biscuits (no leavening agents) - very interesting and tasty. Everything was top notch. Space is clean, Karl (owner) was as friendly as they come - very accommodating and happy to be at work. I dreamt of this place last night.

    We've sampled a lot of food in our 5 days here - 1/2 dozen versions of "Hot Chicken", biscuits, meat & 3's, 7 BBQ joints (I'll try to post more about these culinary adventures when I'm back), and a dinner at Sean Brock's Award winning Husk - "Biscuit Love" was by far the best meal I've had here. I am going back there right now! :)
    Last edited by rubbbqco on March 5th, 2015, 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
    I love comfortable food, and comfortable restaurants.
    http://pitbarbq.com
    http://thebudlong.com
    http://denveraf.com
  • Post #46 - March 9th, 2015, 7:51 am
    Post #46 - March 9th, 2015, 7:51 am Post #46 - March 9th, 2015, 7:51 am
    I have returned triumphant from a lovely trip to Nashville. I am full of hot chicken, hot biscuits, and memories of cold toes as the tundra moved south with us for a week. Other than the weather being mostly below freezing (including a rare 2 inches of snow (every restaurant in the city closed for a day due to this "blizzard")), Nashville was a great city to visit - and a really easy drive from Chicago (+/-7 hours).

    Top 5 meals (in this order):
    Biscuit Love (new spot, evolution of a food truck - really amazing EVERYTHING including a "Ham Bar" locally cured ham sliced fresh to order and served with pre-civil war biscuits, stone ground mustard, and house-made apple jam)
    Martin's BBQ (Served whole hog fresh off the pit by Pat Martin)
    Arnold's (Charming meat & 3)
    Hattie B's (Best Hot Chicken in Nashville)
    Loveless Cafe (classic southern charm, great biscuits & waitresses that call you "honey")

    Other notable mentions from my trip: (not in order, they were all about the same)
    Lockeland Table - great local spot, farm-to-table
    Pinewood Social (great food, could do without the crowd/atmosphere) really great design, modern "vintage" bowling lanes, good food, stuffy staff
    Bolton's Chicken & Fish - divey and charming, good hot chicken
    Edley's BBQ - neighborhood BBQ, better than many in Chicago - but average for the South
    Peg Leg Porkers (BBQ)
    Jack's BBQ - (not the one on Broadway)
    Husk - letdown, I really love "Heritage" by Sean Brock and had looked forward to the experience - unfortunately, it was a lot of presentation without the follow-through on flavor
    Prince's (charming, the inventor of hot chicken - but not as good as the modern version, using good birds - Hattie B's)

    So many places (I am still full - I've eaten apples for meals since I returned), I may write up a couple in more detail - but here are some pics:

    Biscuit Love:
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    "Bonut" - fried biscuit dough filled with lemon mascarpone served over blueberry compote...this pastry was revolutionary
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    "Ham Bar" a selection of 4 "Regionally Cured" hams - shaved to order.. really fun, a little pricey @ $12/selection, but a fun new invention

    Hattie B's
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    Here's a closeup - this was really good Hot Chicken. They are using a good bird to start, which makes a huge difference. In my testing, the cheap birds have too much extra cartilage and muscle - not as "clean" of a bite..


    Loveless Cafe - the smoker/ Pit Room was a surprise. Awesome old school hickory burning smoker outside of the restaurant - talked with George the Pitmaster for awhile, he's been cooking their BBQ for 20 years plus. They have a special on Thursdays: Watermelon Ribs. They smoke St. Louis Ribs for 4-5 hours, then finish them in roasting pans covered with chunks of watermelon... Breaks a lot of rules for BBQ, but I thought it sounded interesting... We planned a visit for thursday, but that was the day of the "Blizzard" and even Loveless was closed "Due to extreme weather"..
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    Party Fowl (Modern Hot Chicken, was pretty good - not as good as Hattie B's)
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    Fried Chicken skins - better than Husk's, but not "meaty" enough.. We'll have these on the menu at "The Budlong" and I'm happy to report they are delicious served with honey and hot sauce

    "Hot Chicken" - wasn't really all that spicy, I thought it was average

    Martin's BBQ - they cook a whole hog every day (and they serve top notch brisket cooked with all wood in a Backwoods)
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    Spudnuts (snuck this one in, it's from our test kitchen for "The Budlong"):
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    Burger at Pinewood Social:
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    Really good beef - served with "secret" sauce. I love Big Mac sauce - it's much better when served on a good burger..
    Pot Roast Hash at Pinewood Social:
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    Bolton's Chicken & Fish:
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    Their spice coating was dry - made you choke on some bites as it went straight into your lungs - interesting bird..

    Prince's Hot Chicken - I order Mild, Hot, and Xtra Hot for myself
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    the line at open, I was 2nd in line - took about 45 minutes to get my order - which made no sense to me as there was 1 order in front of me - but who am I to judge? :)

    Just poking fun at these Southerners, this is what we found on almost every business (including chains and restaurants) after the 2-3 inches of snow (and temps around 30 degrees):
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    All in all, it was a great trip. Lots of fried chicken & Biscuit research, lots of food - awesome BBQ Conference (I'll write a separate thread - but the highlight (of the conference) was the $3000/slab Wagyu brought over by the Japanese BBQ Association for grilling/sampling)
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    Nashville - thanks for all of the fun, I'll be back!!
    I love comfortable food, and comfortable restaurants.
    http://pitbarbq.com
    http://thebudlong.com
    http://denveraf.com
  • Post #47 - March 22nd, 2015, 8:45 pm
    Post #47 - March 22nd, 2015, 8:45 pm Post #47 - March 22nd, 2015, 8:45 pm
    I've been going to Nashville annually for the past 5-6 years, some of my favorites include...

    Jack's Bbq - It may not be as good as it was years ago, but the smell and it being right off broadway make it a win. I always get the ribs and they are solid, the sides may be lacking a bit, but the smell makes up for it.

    Monells- Make sure you dont intend to go out afterwards as you will need to loosen up the belt. I dont believe I saw a mention of it in this thread, and I am surprised. It is a shared table, pass the food around with strangers, type of southern place. Everything is fantastic.

    Peg Leg porker - Newish BBQ place in an interesting setting (you order your food from one counter, and on the opposite side of the building is the bar), but the ribs and pulled pork were both outstanding. I will be sure to make it a point to stop here next time.

    Husk- When I was in Charleston I was not able to get a reservation, so I was thrilled to make it here. The house was the definition of southern charm, and downstairs was a very nice open kitchen. The pimento cheese cakes and the shrimp and grits appetizers were both amazing. My pork dish was equally amazing. Very happy with the experience

    Hattie B's -Alot has been said, be prepared to wait, but it is worth it. If you dont want to eat a ton, you can split the larger meals, and just get another side to save you some $.

    Crema- Nice little coffee shop just outside of downtown. They have perhaps served me one of the best lattes I've had in my life.
    Last edited by long101 on March 23rd, 2015, 1:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
  • Post #48 - March 23rd, 2015, 7:05 am
    Post #48 - March 23rd, 2015, 7:05 am Post #48 - March 23rd, 2015, 7:05 am
    Peg Leg porker - Newish BBQ place in an interesting setting (you order your food from one counter, and on the opposite side of the building is the bar), but the ribs and brisket were both outstanding.


    Not nit-picking your post, but they don't serve brisket at Peg Leg. You describe the joint correctly, so I assume we're talking about the same place, but I asked Carey (owner) about it and he said it's just not their thing (brisket). I also enjoyed their ribs, and they do whole hog cooking' on the outdoor pit in the summer, which I would go back for...
    I love comfortable food, and comfortable restaurants.
    http://pitbarbq.com
    http://thebudlong.com
    http://denveraf.com
  • Post #49 - March 23rd, 2015, 1:51 pm
    Post #49 - March 23rd, 2015, 1:51 pm Post #49 - March 23rd, 2015, 1:51 pm
    rubbbqco wrote:
    Peg Leg porker - Newish BBQ place in an interesting setting (you order your food from one counter, and on the opposite side of the building is the bar), but the ribs and brisket were both outstanding.


    Not nit-picking your post, but they don't serve brisket at Peg Leg. You describe the joint correctly, so I assume we're talking about the same place, but I asked Carey (owner) about it and he said it's just not their thing (brisket). I also enjoyed their ribs, and they do whole hog cooking' on the outdoor pit in the summer, which I would go back for...


    Thanks for calling that out. When I was writing this for the life of me couldn't remember if I had pulled pork or brisket to accompany my ribs. Given that I always get brisket when I go to BBQ joints, I went with brisket. Apparently I guessed wrong :)
  • Post #50 - April 8th, 2015, 3:18 pm
    Post #50 - April 8th, 2015, 3:18 pm Post #50 - April 8th, 2015, 3:18 pm
    I spent a few days in Nashville recently. Thanks to all the LTHers that posted on this thread before me...it made my trip much more enjoyable. Here's where my wife and I went -- My iPhone camera focus busted recently :cry: , so the food pics are all blurry...I'll spare you from those.

    Shortly after arriving at our hotel in the West End, we walked to The Gulch (West Loop-ish IMHO, with a touch of Wicker Park) to check out Arnold's. It was even better than we expected. Off to a great start...thanks LTHers.

    IMG_5499.JPG The smokers...


    We tried 2 meats...the roast beef and the brisket. Don't miss the roast beef. As for sides, we loved the greens, mashed potatoes,
    dressing and the fried okra. Don't miss the desserts...I loved the spicy chocolate pie. This joint is legit.

    Like the rest of Nashville, construction is nearby.
    IMG_5509.JPG Front of Arnold's


    IMG_5502.JPG Just a cafeteria...the line was efficient and the place was hopping.


    For reference, here's the daily menu...

    IMG_5510.jpg Daily menu.



    To prevent a food coma, we walked to the downtown area. We stopped in the Union Station Hotel (a former train station) because it looked cool.

    IMG_5511.jpg Union Station Hotel clock tower


    IMG_5516.jpg 50+ foot high stained glass barrel vaulted ceiling


    We worked off a couple of the "threes" from Arnold's and checked out the downtown. A stop into the Robert's Western World honky tonk was enjoyable. It was a much less commercial music venue than many of the other spots which were teeming with bachelor and bachelorette parties. See what I mean:

    IMG_5548.JPG

    IMG_5554.jpg


    And whenever there's a bachelor party, there's always some of this...which seems sacrilegious in this part of the country:

    IMG_5517.JPG


    After we spent some time downtown, we trekked to the East Nashville. This is where the hipsters (and uber drivers) live. I hit a few spots, but was generally unimpressed with their hipster part of town. I spend a lot of time in Logan (and Portland)...The Nashville food scene is burgeoning, so this neighborhood may take some time.

    While waiting for Holland House to open, we checked out Mas Taco...

    At best, this is Big Star without the beverage program. Its a small-ish shack with an outdoor space. Supposedly people queue for hours to get there hands on the tacos or elotes. Coming from Chicago, this isn't worth the hype. After a couple tacos and a terrible horchata, Holland House opened.

    IMG_5520.JPG Mas Taco


    Holland House is a cool space and boasted a promising bar. Unfortunately, the cocktails and Za'atar fries were middling. The service wasn't too friendly either. It wasn't unfriendly, but we were sitting at the relatively empty bar at 4 PM and there wasn't a ton of attention from the bartender.

    IMG_0961.JPG Holland House


    We walked several blocks away to No. 308, a "newer" dive bar - think a lighter Slippery Slope without the dancing. Super friendly service, but the cocktails were a tad rough.

    IMG_5523.jpg No. 308


    Enough for East Nashville, we headed back to The Gulch to try to locate 404 Kitchen (a little internet humor for those still reading). I don't have any good photos of this spot. It is small - about 50 seats and it is attached to a 4 room hotel and reminds me of a Land & Sea project. Those considering staying there should keep in mind that there's a shitton of construction nearby, so it may not be the as cool as the photos look online. This meal was definitely a highlight of the trip. Keep an eye on chef Matt Bolus - his perspective reminded me of chef Virant, though with a more Southern influence.


    The following day I checked out Hattie B's in the West End. It is well documented on this thread, but I'll add a couple notes. I was unimpressed with the sides, but really enjoyed the chicken. I haven't been to Prince's, so I don't have much to which to compare. As for spice level (they offer 6 options), I tried the medium (4th hottest) and damn hot (2nd hottest). I don't have a spice tolerance commensurate with many LTHers (ATK papaya salads can kick my ass), so for reference, I think next time I'd opt for the Hot (3rd hottest). I could probably work my way up to the damn hot though. This place has a definite Parson's feel (or should I say that Parson's has a Hattie B's feel?).

    IMG_5531.JPG Hattie B's West End


    I headed over to Peg Leg Porker, which we saw when we were at Arnold's. I had enough room to try a pulled pork sandwich. I wasn't that impressed.

    IMG_5544.JPG Peg Leg Porker


    ...perhaps I should have skipped BBQ in Nashville...I wonder why I kept thinking about 'que:

    IMG_5564.jpg


    Later that afternoon, we took a Segway tour. This was a lot of fun. I'd highly recommend it as a way to see the city, while being entertained riding a Segway.

    Here's a shot of the capital...just before my first Segway thunderstorm:

    IMG_5558.jpg Capital


    I also saw some entertaining garbage cans in Printer's Alley...

    IMG_5653.jpg Johnny Cash

    IMG_5655.jpg B.B. King

    IMG_5648.jpg Recycle Bin (cans only)


    I headed up to Germantown to check out Rolf and Daughters, which locals kept raving about. I only had an hour to stay, and was disappointed to leave. I'll definitely check this place out next time. Great cocktails, great vibe, great bites. I was trying to compare the menu to a Chicago place and all I could come up with was a mashup between The Publican and The Bristol (perhaps Nightwood?).

    IMG_5581.JPG R.A.D.


    We headed across town to a navy blue house which is the location of The Patterson House and The Catbird Seat. Patterson House was the first stop. Behind this door...

    IMG_5540.JPG Patterson House entrance


    ...is a library/waiting area. Once you cross the velvet curtains (think The Violet Hour), you enter the large cocktail bar. I knew that some of the DNA of this place was from The Violet Hour...other than the velvet curtain, the menu is similar and similarly broken out by spirit. There are some differences though. The bar is large and square. The space is loud too (relative to TVH). I enjoyed my brief stay too. The drinks were spot-on and the bartender was friendly and knowledgeable. I had heard some service horror stories about the place, but didn't experience them.

    We headed outside and down the stairs by this sign...

    IMG_5542.JPG


    Beyond the door was a small waiting room which housed a couple chairs, some Champagne, and elevator and a sign that said to "wait here". We did and shortly thereafter a hostess exited the elevator, poured us some Champagne and escorted us up to this dining room...

    IMG_5633.JPG Post-service pic of The Catbird Seat


    Almost all of the 32 seats overlook the "U"-shaped kitchen. The twelve-or-so course menu had a decent start and ended strongly. Here's the menu...excuse the photo quality...

    IMG_5632.jpg


    I enjoyed The Catbird Seat, but I'm not raving about it. It probably would have been a more interesting/exciting/ground breaking experience had I not been to intimate high-end spots like El Ideas, Elizabeth, L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon. I don't think it is worth scheduling your trip to Nashville based upon your ability to score a reservation here. However, it was a very good value (~ $380 total for 2 people w/1 pairing!) and the service was great.

    The next day we (and seemingly the rest of Nashville) went to Biscuit Love for brunch. We tried a variety of their biscuit sandwiches and thought they were very good to excellent. This is what the now-closed Endgrain should have been - just a compact menu of breakfast and lunch biscuit sandwiches made with high-quality ingredients.

    IMG_5637.JPG


    Our last dinner was at Husk. It is located in the former mayor's house. Here's a photo shortly before the tornado warning sirens went off.

    IMG_5675.jpg Husk


    The interior isn't quite as charming as the exterior looks. The bar is downstairs, next to this closet of goodies...

    IMG_5662.jpg


    I enjoyed my short time at the bar. The upstairs dining room was weirdly decorated. Thought the space is newer, it looked very early nineties. Weird. It was still comfortable though. Of all the dinner places we tried, this seemed the most southern. We tried a charcuterie dish, an elaborate vegetable medley - think a five small vegetable dishes on a large plate, some catfish and others. It was a very good meal and a good sendoff.

    Mentions:

    Arnolds Country Kitchen
    605 8th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203
    (615) 256-4455

    Mas Tacos Por Favor
    732 Mcferrin Avenue, Nashville, TN 37206
    (615) 543-6271

    Holland House Bar and Refuge
    935 W Eastland Ave, Nashville, TN 37206
    (615) 262-4190

    No. 308
    407 Gallatin Ave, Nashville, TN 37206
    (615) 650-7344

    The 404 Kitchen
    404 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203
    (615) 251-1404

    Hattie B's Hot Chicken
    112 19th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203
    (615) 678-4794

    Peg Leg Porker
    903 Gleaves St, Nashville, TN 37203
    (615) 829-6023

    Rolf and Daughters
    700 Taylor St, Nashville, TN 37208
    (615) 866-9897

    The Patterson House
    1711 Division St, Nashville, TN 37203
    (615) 636-7724

    The Catbird Seat
    1711 Division St, Nashville, TN 37203
    (615) 810-8200

    Biscuit Love
    316 11th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203
    (615) 490-9584

    Husk
    37 Rutledge St, Nashville, TN 37210
    (615) 256-6565

    Non-food

    Union Station Hotel
    1400 Fort Negley Blvd, Nashville, TN 37203
    (615) 242-7301

    Robert's Western World
    416 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
    (615) 244-9552

    Segway of Nashville Tours
    300 Commerce St, Nashville, TN 37201
    (615) 244-0555


    Thanks again to everyone else who contributed to the thread to help make our trip enjoyable.

    -matt
  • Post #51 - April 9th, 2015, 8:12 pm
    Post #51 - April 9th, 2015, 8:12 pm Post #51 - April 9th, 2015, 8:12 pm
    milz50 wrote:
    I enjoyed The Catbird Seat, but I'm not raving about it. It probably would have been a more interesting/exciting/ground breaking experience had I not been to intimate high-end spots like El Ideas, Elizabeth, L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon. I don't think it is worth scheduling your trip to Nashville based upon your ability to score a reservation here. However, it was a very good value (~ $380 total for 2 people w/1 pairing!) and the service was great.



    Thanks for the feedback on catbird. We debated going last year, and were debating making a reservation for our trip this year. We were comparing it to EL Ideas as well, and I dont think it could top it. I can't recall the exact cost of El, but I think it was in the same ballpark
  • Post #52 - May 5th, 2015, 12:50 pm
    Post #52 - May 5th, 2015, 12:50 pm Post #52 - May 5th, 2015, 12:50 pm
    PIGMON wrote:The big surprise on my Tennessee road trip last summer was Bolton's Spicy Chicken & Fish:

    Bolton's Spicy Chicken & Fish
    624 Main St
    Nashville, TN 37206
    (615) 254-8015


    whoa boy, the extra hot chicken sandwich at Bolton's had me whistling, painful yet so good.

    The morning prior I went to the Nashville Biscuit House for breakfast: http://www.nashvillebiscuithouse.com/
    The chicken or sausage biscuits were not good, both meats were pre-formed/pre-cooked junk but the country ham biscuits were to die for. Sure wish we could get country ham in the Chicago area.
    -
    I did absolutely nothing and it was everything I thought it could be.
  • Post #53 - May 6th, 2015, 9:25 am
    Post #53 - May 6th, 2015, 9:25 am Post #53 - May 6th, 2015, 9:25 am
    jimswside wrote:Spent some time down on Broadway, I enjoy neon, and also a bologna sandwich.. Roberts Western World is the place to be:
    They offer a griddled bologna sandwich here that is great, maybe one of the best I have had. At $3.75 it is a steal. Heres the pic - dark spot - take it or leave it.:

    Image

    I enjoyed my visit to Roberts, friendly staff, cold beer and a great sandwich.

    Roberts Western World
    416 Broadway
    Nashville, TN.

    http://robertswesternworld.com/about/ht-grill/


    the griddled bologna sandwich was fantastic, I had two of them, great atmosphere & music at Robert's, I loved it.


    I also had a rental car & did some driving out east of Nashville, did a bit of walking at Hermitage Park. At the marina I stumbled across Papa Turney's BBQ. Dry rub BBQ (sauce on side if you want it). While I prefer the coarse grind links, the link here was very good. Also the dry rub ribs were tasty & tender with just enough bite. Sadly it was not busy season so they were out of their gumbo, rib tips, brisket. If looking to get out of the downtown area, I urge you to visit this park area and Papa Turney's: http://papaturneysbbq.com/

    --
    I did absolutely nothing and it was everything I thought it could be.
  • Post #54 - June 22nd, 2015, 10:03 am
    Post #54 - June 22nd, 2015, 10:03 am Post #54 - June 22nd, 2015, 10:03 am
    Took a ride down to Nashville this past Memorial Day weekend and had a good time. This was my second trip and I will admit that the atmospheres of each trip were very different, the first one upthread being a bachelor party and this most recent one being a trip with the lady. Still the same as far as activities go but aside from a quick stroll down Broadway one afternoon and then a quick drink at a live music venue the next night, we stayed away from the drunken festivities. Nashville is the the bachelorette capitol of the country or at least it seems that way once you get there. There's also tons of construction going on in the building of apartments and hotels. Some people compare it to Austin but other than the live music and fast urban development similarities I never really felt it. I want to go back to Austin but I don't need to go back to Nashville. Unfortunately we didn't get in until Friday afternoon and because Monday was Memorial Day Arnold's was closed when we pulled up. Major buzzkill yo. I was looking forward to a return visit but it just wasn't meant to be.

    Image
    What happens in Nashvegas, stays in Nashvegas
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Image
    Hattie B's Hot Chicken

    First stop was going to have to be the hugely popular Hattie B's. I've heard about it on here and elsewhere and she was told by a work colleague that it was a must and we're both fans of fried chicken so we rolled over upon arrival. Line was out the door but it was a Friday and seeing as how there was only a few people outside we figured this might be the shortest it got that weekend.

    stevez wrote:
    rubbbqco wrote:I'd say Hattie B's is the best example of "new" Nashville hot chicken.


    That could very well be true in Nashville, but I'd be remiss if I didn't give a shout out to Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack in Asheville, NC as the best "New" Nashville Hot Chicken I've ever tasted. I can't wait to compare it to Hattie B's the next time I'm in Nashville.


    Speaking for me and me only, the best hot chicken I've had remains that from Rocky's. Hattie B's was a bit of letdown. The wait certainly wasn't worth it and the service came with I don't give a sh!t attitude. By no means was the final product bad but it just didn't have that oomph that places like Rocky's and some other spots I tried this trip did. If this was my first introduction into hot chicken I might be a little bit more enthusiastic about it but I just didn't think it was all that it's been cracked up to be. Definitely social media driven. Good but not great and the sides were the same way. Still, don't stay away, decide for yourself, maybe it was an off day.

    Image
    Hot Chicken at Hattie B's
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Image
    400 Degrees Hot Chicken

    Getting right into the question most readers are asking "what was better than Hattie B's" we head over to a random food court that houses a few generic chain restaurants like Quizno's and J. Gumbo's. So looking in from the outside it doesn't seem like there's a damn thing worth your time until you step inside and spy a stand sporting Hot Chicken on it's menu. I heard good things about 400 Degrees and it's owner and neither disappointed. Owner Aqui Hines works most of the magic with the help of another employee in their small space with just two fryers so make sure to order ahead if you're in a hurry. If not you can enjoy the company of Nashville's Hot Chicken Queen.

    Image
    The Frying Station

    As followers of his thread know, when it comes to hot chicken mild is hot and hot is hell. I like heat but I don't want it to hurt anymore than a few seconds afterward nor to takeover the entire flavor profile of a dish. This versions spicing was perfect. The heat may have lasted 10-15 seconds but much like Rocky's I found the flavors to be finger licking good. They do a double spicing technique that includes both the seasoning of the bird before frying and the dipping of it into hot sauce once it comes out of the fryer. The sauce glues itself to the crust and forms magic. The reason I know I liked this one the most was because I wanted it again the next day but unfortunately they're closed on Sunday's.

    Image
    Hot Chicken (200 Degrees)
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Image
    Pepperfire Hot Chicken

    This little walk-up shack with a few tables is another locals favorite I wanted to check out. Known for their hot chicken and a signature dish called the 'Royale with Cheese' which is deep fried grilled cheese topped with three hot chicken tenders. I was tempted by the sandwich but a bird with bones will always win out. And win it did. Another excellent option with heavy hits of cumin coming after the heat. I thought it was good enough for second place on this trip.

    Image
    Hot Chicken at Pepperfire
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    Image
    Helen's Hot Chicken

    Last place finisher of the four was this spot hiding in a strip mall located in a residential area away from the other spots. I guess they have or had a foodstand because I originally went to the address for that location but the lot was empty. The inside of the restaurant would be empty when I stopped in though they were just closing as I was the last customer of the day. The wings were just ok, a little bit greasy and not as crispy as they could have been. They were touting this homemade drink mixing mango juice with sweet tea and it was pretty damn good but must of been filled with sugar.

    Image
    Hot Chicken and a bottle of Hella Mango from Helen's
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    Image
    Saint Anejo

    We took a walk around an area with lots of buildings going up and came across a stretch where there were quite a few new school bars and restaurants. The outdoor patio and bar at Saint Anejo were packed so we stopped in for a drink which also turned into a bite to eat. I couldn't resist the hot chicken tacos which made for great fusion food. The warm fluffy tortillas were made on site and the crispy hot chicken inside of them was cooked just right. I also enjoyed my Mezcal Old Fashioned and the friendly service of a nice lady from the Quad Cities region.

    Image
    Hot Chicken Tacos
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Image
    Acme Feed & Seed

    Good food options on Broadway aren't all that abundant but theres a new place at the end of it called Acme Feed & Seed and they've got some love for bringing the street some food you don't have to be hammered to enjoy. The guy behind it is a well known restauranteur in the area and is making his mark with this spacy three story restaurant with a huge music stage on the first floor and a large deck on top. The hot chicken sandwich was excellent. Butter toasted white bread paired with a crispy and tender hot chicken breast and plenty of pickles. If you have to eat on Broadway street and don't want a fried bologna sandwich I'd head here. It's not life changing but it is comforting.

    Image
    Hot Chicken Sandwich
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Image Image
    Party Fowl - We stopped in here for a drink and I had already put down a couple orders of hot chicken so I just didn't have it in me to try theirs but a snack of boudin balls were good. Drinks sounded just ok but most places were that way so I stuck with beer half the time. I'm becoming a cocktail snob. Haha.
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Image
    City House

    This relatively new Germantown restaurant provided our best overall experience as far as everything goes. The drinks, the food, and the service, were all wonderful. We sat at one of the bars and chatted it up with one of the guys behind it. This was a late nite stop for some cocktails that turned into a pizza eating session as well. The Belly Ham pizza was one of the best wood fired pies I've ate. They even cut it in squares, not that it needed to be. I'd for sure go back here if I ever make it back into town.

    Image
    Belly Ham Pizza with an Egg added on
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Image
    Hermitage Cafe

    This diner is an institution that's been feeding Nashville's late night hunger going on 25 years. Its just off Broadway and very popular with the late night crowd as they open for breakfast and lunch on normal diner hours than close and reopen again at 10pm. Foodwise its about what you'd expect. Good greasy stuff to soak up the booze. The burger was fine but the fried bologna sandwich was better.

    Image
    Cheeseburger and Fried Bologna Sandwich
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Image
    Pinewood Social

    I liked the looks of this place upthread and really liked what I saw on their site so it was in the books. We stopped in Sunday morning during brunch hours but they have this weird thing where theres a different menu for the outside area. So we just sat at the main bar. The place is located in what seems to be an old warehouse district so the size of the space is huge. They got a coffee shop, a bar, a bowling alley, tons of tables as well as lounge areas and the aforementioned outdoor patios. Both the food and drinks did not disappoint. I really liked the breakfast tacos made with bacon and green chile stew with pork and thought the drinks were good enough to go back to if they were in Chicago, a city loaded with worthy options. The service and overall attitude of the bartenders was also excellent.

    Image
    Breakfast Tacos
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Image
    Epice

    Taking a quick break from Southern Eats we went to this popular bistro sporting a modern Lebanese menu. Located in a very nice part of the city it's lined up with all sorts of other little bars, restaurants and boutique shops. The lunch menu sported a variety of sandwiches and we tried the 'Samak' which was a fresh grilled fish filet and also the 'Makanik' which was made with spiced ground sirloin sausage mixed with a pomegranate molasses. I'm usually not a big fan of most fruit mixed meat but this was an addictive sandwich. The fish was also pleasant and both came with a side of salad and cilantro roasted potatoes. Good spot.

    Image
    Samak Sandwich

    Image
    Makanik Sandwich
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Image
    Nashville Farmers Market - I must say the Farmers Market was below average at best, they just switched to growers only but the best thing going was the peaches from the popular Georgia Peach Truck. Maybe it's all downhill when you're a frequent summertime shopper at the Dane County Farmers Market because I've been to the supposedly good ones in farm friendly cities like Austin, Asheville, San Francisco and none have matched Madison.
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    I should mention a few things about the drinks, it's one of the main reasons people visit the town. If you want more than a Budweiser in a plastic cup you don't have to look to far. The best Happy Hour as far as beer goes can be found at The Sutler Saloon. It's everyday and drafts are just $2.50 and they have all the good local micro-brewed stuff for you to choose from. They got cocktails too. I liked the beers I was trying around town from Jackalope Brewing enough to visit the brewery for a cold one, it's right next door to Party Fowl. Nice 1-2 punch.

    Image
    Jackalope Brewing Company

    This time around I much preferred the drinks at Patterson House to Holland House, the former being one of the better bars in the country. We also went to the popular cocktail bar called Bar No. 308 and enjoyed it although it was packed and the bartenders were stressed because of it. Embers Ski Lodge was recently opened and it's supposed to be a Northwest style cocktail bar that focuses on Asian eats. We didn't eat but the cocktails on the patio were pretty good but nothing to get extremely excited about. Then again we all have the type of drinks we like so it's best to see for yourself.

    Image
    Embers Ski Lodge
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Image
    Thunderbird

    I stopped into Craft Brewed Bottle Shop and Tasting Room to buy some six packs to take home and came across this food truck slanging smoked chicken wings outside. It was a welcome break from the hot chicken. Perfect with an ice cold beer.

    Image
    Smoked Wings
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Image
    Dino's Bar

    Dino's touts itself as "Nashville's Oldest Dive Bar" and I can verify the dive bar part. Located next door to Bar No. 308 I was intrigued by the sign and then when I saw the interior and the flattop grill sitting right there I knew where I was eating before we headed back to the hotel. They're loved for their cheap ice cold beer, delicious burgers and also some live music. It's a dump in every sense of the definition but the hipsters made those cool so it's all good in the hood. That said the hipsters know a good burger because this one was every bit as good as any I've had of late. It was simple, but it was fresh beef cooked until just juicy and it hit really the spot right then and there.

    Image
    Cheeseburger
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Image
    Biscuit Love

    We wanted to stop into here on Sunday but the line was too long to wait it out. Expect one should you go because we went back Monday before leaving town and there was still a line. However there is a first come first serve policy at the bar and we went on in and waited for all of 1 minute before two seats became available. I'd be doing the guy behind the bar from Alabama a favor by not calling him out. Apparently he thought it was still 1942 or something and while not saying anything directly he made it clear he didn't want us there. Nice as could be to the everyone else sitting there but nothing except one word here or there to us. However the rest of the house was pleasant and he was tipped accordingly. It took quite a bit of restraint to keep my mouth shut.

    Image
    Bonuts Deep Fried Biscuit Dough filled with Blueberry Compote

    The bonuts were good but I wasn't ecstatic over them, then again I'm not a big morning sweets guy. But I thought they'd be both a little hotter and also softer. I got the Biscuits with Country Ham and Sausage Gravy and it was satisfying although I'm not sure I'd say the same if I waited an hour for it.

    Image
    Biscuits with Country Ham and Sausage Gravy
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    Image
    Husk

    Had to do a dinner at Husk as thats the spot she wanted to try, and I certainly wasn't opposed. Good thing because otherwise I would've missed out on an excellent meal and maybe my two favorite bites of this trip, along with the hot chicken from 400 Degrees anyway. The patio was an option and it was beautiful outside so we rolled with that. The cocktails here were almost as good as the food, as was the service.

    Image
    Country Ham Sliders

    I don't have to say anything about the sliders featuring Cheerwine Glazed Belly Ham, Pickled Onion, Cucumber, Smoked Duke's Mayo, and a House Fried Rind on a Homemade Parker House Roll except that you cant get much more Southern than that. I've never been to Charleston but the shrimp and grits here were so good we had to order another round, fitting since Husk has a location there. The waiter explained the grits are made by some local guy and they're the best in the business. When mixed with mushrooms, a runny egg and whatever other magic they put into this dish it was an item that just might make into my 'best of' list at years end. See ya next time.

    Image
    Shrimp and Grits
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Hattie B's Hot Chicken
    112 19th Ave S
    Nashville, TN 37203
    (615) 678-4794

    400 Degrees Hot Chicken
    319 Peabody St
    Nashville, TN 37210
    (615) 244-4467

    Pepperfire Hot Chicken
    2821 Gallatin Pike
    Nashville, TN 37216
    (615) 582-4824

    Helen's Hot Chicken
    1222 Rosa L Parks Blvd
    Nashville, TN 37208
    (615) 484-7460

    Saint Anejo
    1120 McGavock St
    Nashville, TN 37203
    (615) 736-5301

    Acme Feed & Seed
    101 Broadway
    Nashville, TN 37201
    (615) 915-0888

    Party Fowl
    719 8th Ave S
    Nashville, TN 37203
    (615) 624-8255

    City House
    1222 4th Ave N
    Nashville, TN 37210
    (615) 736-5838

    Hermitage Cafe
    71 Hermitage Ave
    Nashville, TN 37210
    (615) 254-8871

    Pinewood Social
    33 Peabody St
    Nashville, TN 37210
    (615) 751-8111

    Epice
    2902 12th Ave S
    Nashville, TN 37204
    (615) 720-6765

    Nashville Farmers Market
    900 Rosa L Parks Blvd
    Nashville, TN 37208
    (615) 880-2001

    Jackalope Brewing Company
    701 8th Ave S
    Nashville, TN 37203
    (615) 873-4313

    Embers Ski Lodge
    2410 12th Ave S
    Nashville, TN 37204
    (615) 866-5652

    Thunderbird
    2502 Franklin Pike
    Nashville, TN 37204
    (615) 601-2750

    Dino's Bar
    411 Gallatin Ave
    Nashville, TN 37206
    (615) 226-3566

    Biscuit Love
    316 11th Ave S
    Nashville, TN 37203
    (615) 490-9584

    Husk
    37 Rutledge St
    Nashville, TN 37210
    (615) 256-6565
  • Post #55 - September 19th, 2016, 6:46 am
    Post #55 - September 19th, 2016, 6:46 am Post #55 - September 19th, 2016, 6:46 am
    Just returned from a one night flyby to hear a group at the refurbished Ryman Auditorium.

    King's Market
    Lao Thai. Next to a Dollar store off of I-24 and Antioch Pike a few minutes south of downtown, inside a packed to the rafters Lao Thai Kmer supermarket. Five dishes were very good to excellent; spice levels in accordance with how you like it. Tom Yum Soup Seafood, Dry Sukiyaki (egg, bean thread noodles, meat, vegetables), Tiger Tear Beef salad, Papaya Salad, house made Issan Sausage. Get ready for this: all in $47.50 including a large sticky rice. Would gladly reorder everything. They open at 9AM--and it was all my wife could do to keep us from a return visit for breakfast the next morning.

    Rolf and Daughters.
    We had originally planned to hit a few happy hours before the show, but then found out a day before that the main act didn't come on until 8:45--so as a result of an audible at the line of scrimmage had to search out a nearby dinner option. Between the two (City House) and Rolf and Daughters, Rolf won out.

    It's small plates, no salad option, craft cocktails, a menu impossible to navigate without extensive Q&A. We decided to go for as much of the show as we could take. Excellent heirloom tomato salad, 'Straciatella'--not Italian egg drop soup but rather strands of fresh mozzarella curd, addictive beluga lentils and perfectly cooked fork sized pieces of squid. All preceded by an excellent craft cocktail, a fair bar poured drink and a glass of a decent Provence Rose.

    If we had stopped there we would still be jonesing for everything we had eaten. Alas. Blowfish tails were two panko encrusted tails with an artisanal cucumber salad. The cukes were great, however, the blowfish tails had that telltale end of life whiff of ammonia. Squid ink linguine with clams was intensely salted. One of us liked it the other not. A $25 Brook Trout was a 2-1/2" by 5" plank of overcooked filet with none of the flakiness inherent to the fish when its fresh. My fault, perhaps, as I assumed at that price point it was a whole fish with head and bones so didn't even think to ask about the dish. I made a point of telling the waitress that the fish was neither fresh nor well prepared; then ordered the lamb sausage in its place. The lamb was ok--but paled in comparison to King's Market's Issan Sausage just a few hours before.

    Dessert from the new pastry chef was a deconstructed Tres Leche Cake. One of us liked it, the other felt it that the non-layered cake component was raw.

    Check with the trout removed was $163. We were there almost two hours. At 7:30 when we left, the room's 100 or so seats were packed and the Thursday night noise level was over 95db, i.e. you couldn't talk across the table without leaning in and shouting--which was too bad because the soundtrack of 'R&B' and soul was terrific.

    Can't wait to return to King's.

    Would return to Rolf and Daughters but only under duress. Be glad you have Avec--similar noise levels, but Nashville can't hold a candle to the Second City.
    Chicago is my spiritual chow home
  • Post #56 - May 11th, 2018, 8:12 am
    Post #56 - May 11th, 2018, 8:12 am Post #56 - May 11th, 2018, 8:12 am
    Going on maiden voyage next week. Da Beef has some good ones to consider. Will be staying downtown not too far from Bridgestone Arena. Any updates or places of interest on top of these? Thanks.
  • Post #57 - May 11th, 2018, 8:51 am
    Post #57 - May 11th, 2018, 8:51 am Post #57 - May 11th, 2018, 8:51 am
    I've spent lots of time in Nashville and would second the above recommendations for City House, Husk, and Biscuit Love. Some others I've enjoyed, sorted by neighborhood:

    Germantown: 5th & Taylor,
    Henrietta Red

    Downtown: Chauhan Ale and Masala House (Indian, with a southern twist)
    Kayne Prime (steakhouse)
    Martin's Bar-B-que

    Sobro: Crema (for coffee or a light breakfast)

    East Nashville: Lockeland Table - personal favorite, casual with great cocktails and food

    12 South: Josephine

    Hope this helps! The Nashville restaurant scene is always changing, as there are lots of places opening up all the time.
  • Post #58 - May 11th, 2018, 10:59 am
    Post #58 - May 11th, 2018, 10:59 am Post #58 - May 11th, 2018, 10:59 am
    I was in Nashville in early March and heartily second kimzy's recommendations of Husk, Crema and Martin's BBQ. All were great.

    There's also a very cool exhibition of Nick Cave "soundsuits" at the Frist Art Museum a block from the arena.
  • Post #59 - May 11th, 2018, 12:19 pm
    Post #59 - May 11th, 2018, 12:19 pm Post #59 - May 11th, 2018, 12:19 pm
    I ate at the much hyped Miller Union last night. I was underwhelmed, to say the least. It's not worth the fight for a reservation, IMHO.
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #60 - May 11th, 2018, 1:03 pm
    Post #60 - May 11th, 2018, 1:03 pm Post #60 - May 11th, 2018, 1:03 pm
    Piling on for Biscuit Love, had a delicious early lunch there on a day when we did a lot of walking. We also ate a nice meal at Silo, I'd recommend that.

    Silo
    http://www.silotn.com/
    1121 5th Ave

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