Month: October 2015

Noshville – Nashville, TN

Who would expect to find an authentic New York delicatessen in Nashville. But  as soon as you pull up to the restaurant you are greeted by the Statue of Liberty.

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Noshville is a great place to go for breakfast. However, make sure you don’t get there too late because they do not serve breakfast all day.

They have a large breakfast menu. I went with classic scrambled eggs. All of their egg and omelette dishes come with your choice of a side. I would recommend trying their silver dollar potato cakes. They are like hash browns but with more flavor. They are crispy on the outside and inside the seasoned potatoes are creamy. It reminds me of a potato au gratin.

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If you are not hungry for breakfast they also have a full menu for lunch and dinner. You can get anything from matzo ball soup to a Reuben sandwich.  Check the out at: www.noshville.com

Enjoy!

T

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Pizzeria Luigi – San Diego, CA

Who doesn’t love pizza by the slice! You can try different combinations instead of having to commit to just one. The choices are right in front of you when you walk through their door and it smells so wonderful. I counted at least 12 choices in the case.

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I went for 2 slices: the supreme (a traditional flavor) and the artichoke (a unique flavor). The crust was perfect – not too thick and it had a sweet taste to it.

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I knew that I had to try one of their pasta dishes while I was there. I went with a classic – spaghetti and meatballs. The plate was covered in meatballs. They were fantastic, moist and full of flavor. Their sauce was the perfect complement to the dish.

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If you need a pizza fix make sure you check out Pizzeria Luigi. Visit their website: www.pizzerialuigi.com

Enjoy!

T

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Harold’s Restaurant – Gaffney, SC

This restaurant began back in 1932. I had heard about this place on the Food Network show Diners, Drive-ins, & Dives. I was on my way to Charlotte, NC when I drove through Gaffney and decided to stop for lunch.  Gaffney is known as the “Peach Capital of South Carolina”. You know you are there when you see the water tower that looks like a peach.

The restaurant has the classic diner look with the old fashion counter tops and stools that overlook the kitchen. It is a little piece of history.

They has two world famous items on their menu – their hot dog  or their chili burger – both sounded great but I decided to try the burger. It was extremely messy to eat because the loaded up on the chili. It was the perfect size burger for me to finish the whole thing.

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You can see their entire menu at www.haroldsrestaurant.com

Enjoy!

T

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Tailgating – Gainesville, FL

So there I was walking down University Avenue and I smell of BBQ was in the air. Across the street in a parking lot, I saw the jumbo smoker. They were serving freshly smoked pulled pork.

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I knew I had to get some before they ran out. They started so early in the morning in order to get the bark on the pork just perfect. I wish I could have just had the pieces of bark. The sandwich I got was great and went so well with my beer before the game.

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Enjoy!

T

Beale Street – Memphis, TN

There are many fun things to do when you are in Memphis. One place you have to visit is Beale Street, which runs from the Mississippi River all the way to East Street. It is really fun to go there at night because the street block off  so you can walk up and down without having to worry about cars.

There are plenty of places to explore from shopping for a souvenir to checking out so great places to eat.  To plan your visit, make sure to visit www.bealestreet.com

If you are in the mood to listen to live blue’s check out BB King’s Blues’s Club            (www.bbkings.com/memphis).

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If you want to try a famous burger, then you must stop by Dyer’s Burgers. They have been around since 1912.

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The burgers are fried in a special grease that has been around since they started. And their milk shakes……YUMMY!!!!!!

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You can read all about their history at: www.dyersonbeale.com

Enjoy!

T

Gus’s Fried Chicken – Memphis, TN

After hanging out, listening to live music on Beale Street, I certainly got hungry. Since I was in downtown Memphis I had to go to Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken.  It was crowded when I got there and I had the choice of getting my chicken to go, but part of the fun is eating there, so it was worth the wait.

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The fried chicken at Gus’s is a family recipe in the traditional Tennessee style Hot Chicken and their recipe is definitely spicy.  What makes their chicken even better is that it is made fresh to order – this way it’s still hot and juicy when they bring it to your table. It might take a little longer to get your order but it is completely worth it.

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While you wait for your chicken make sure to try the fried green tomatoes (a southern classic) and the fried pickles. They are perfect for sharing.

They have several locations now in many states including Arkansas, Mississippi, Georgia, and Texas.  Make sure to check out their website at: www.gusfriedchicken.com to find the location closest to you.

Enjoy!

T

Seattle Aquarium – Seattle, WA

Seattle has so many things to and see. Head down to Pier 59 to visit the Seattle Aquarium. I love visiting aquariums in different cities. Knowing that I was in the Pacific North West, I knew I had to see what wondrous sea creatures they had.

If you time it right, when you enter the aquarium you can see their live dive show. It is great to see dives interacting with the fish.

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They have great tropical exhibits with many different tropical fish.

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They have a fun outdoor sea otter exhibit. They also have an entire section devoted to Puget Sound Fish, which is specific to the area.

Make sure to check out their website to see their hours of operation. www.seattleaquarium.org

Enjoy!

T

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The Crab Pot – Seattle, WA

Seattle is an extremely fun city to visit. There are so many different things to do and so many different food options to choose from. One thing I knew I had to try was fresh Pacific Northwest Seafood. I headed down to Pier 57 to The Crab Pot.

This place was busy both inside and out. If you don’t feel like sitting down to eat, The Crab Pot has a walk-up window to take food out, which is perfect for those folks on the go.

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I wanted to go inside and give my feet a rest from all the walking. Just watching everyone it looked like the most popular item on the menu were the namesake crab pots – specifically “The Westport”, which is a giant pot of steamed crab legs, shrimp, clams, mussels, sausage, corn on the cob, and potatoes. The servers bring it to the tables and just dump it all out and everyone just goes to town.

Unfortunately I wan not hungry enough for all that food, so I ordered a big bowl of their homemade crab bisque. It was creamy and had nice big chunks of crab meat.

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I definitely plan on going back with a larger appetite so I can actually try the crab pot.  Visit their website: www.thecrabpotseattle.com

Enjoy!

T

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Green Mesquite BBQ – Austin, TX

Texas and BBQ go hand in hand just like Wisconsin and cheese. Austin has several fantastic BBQ options to choose from. For my taste-buds today I chose Green Mesquite BBQ. You know the place is authentic when you smell the smoker from the parking lot.

I made sure I showed up with an appetite. I had to try their wings because they are smoked not fried. It was a great change from the typical wings you find in other restaurants.

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For my main course I decided to go crazy and try the pulled pork, the traditional type BBQ dish from the Carolina’s. I was curious how it would taste prepared the Texas way. The pork was very tender and retained its moisture. The smokey flavor was in every bite of the pork that it really didn’t need any BBQ sauce – but you can’t help but put the homemade sauce all over the meat.

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When I go back again I am making sure I try the brisket because it looked so mouth watering. Check them out at: www.greenmesquite.net

Enjoy!

T

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The Swamp Restaurant – Gainesville, FL

Tailgating the a fun thing to do during college football season. But every now and then it’s fun to go out and have someone else do the cooking.  When I am visiting Gainesville for a football game at my alma-mater I always have fun when I got to The Swamp Restaurant.

Getting there early is a must in order to get a table, otherwise it is standing room only. This applies to before the game as well as after. While you are waiting to go over to the stadium, you can catch up on all the other college football games going on around the country.

I really enjoy their wings when I visit. They have a few different flavors to try so you are not stuck with just one. They have a full bar, but it wouldn’t feel like college unless you get a bucket of beer.

If you are in town for a football game or just passing through check them out. Visit their website at: www.swamprestaurant.com

Enjoy!

T

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