It’s time for breakfast in the South. What is one of the first things to come to mind? Fresh made biscuits of course. And this is exactly what I found in Germantown, Tennessee (just outside of Memphis) at Rise.
There was a line out the door that I could see as soon as I pulled up. I thought it might be from social distancing, but not, the line was truly that long.
As I was waiting in line, I looked over their menu to determine what I was going to order.
Since it was breakfast time, I ordered the Country Ham Biscuit.
There was no egg on this biscuit. It was just thick slices of ham on a fluffy biscuit. The ham was salty and had a smokey taste. The biscuit was large and sweet tasting. It complemented the ham. It was a simple combination which is what I was looking for.
Because I went lighter on my breakfast biscuit I had plenty of room for some dessert biscuits. I started off with the Glazed Blueberry Biscuit. The fresh fluffy biscuit was loaded with plump, juicy blueberries. There was a little sugar glaze on top of the biscuit. This helped settle down the sourness of the blueberries. This was a cross between a donut and a muffin. It was sweet like a donut and fluffier than a muffin.
The other sweet dessert I ordered was the Biscuit Beignets.
The order came with four. They were covered in powdered sugar. They took the biscuits and fried them up. They were heavier than a traditional beignet. It was doughy and the sweetness of the powdered sugar worked well with the flavor of the dough.
Rise really does have “The Best Dang Biscuits & Donuts”.
I enjoyed all the items I tired. I cannot wait to visit again in order to try something different. Check out their menu at www.risebiscuitschicken.com
I was lucky to get to visit Memphis recently. It had been years since I had visited. So much had changed, so much growth. There were many new restaurants I was having a difficult time choosing one to try.
After looking over the different cuisine offerings, I set my eyes on Red Hook Cajun Seafood. They are a New Orleans style place, offering a wide range of seafood, po’ boys, oysters, and NOLA favorites.
The atmosphere was fun inside the restaurant. It was a great place to bring a family.
I started off with a half dozen of their chargrilled oysters. These are my favorite and I have written about these many, many times.
The oysters were tender. The slight briny taste was masked by the flavor of the garlic and parmesan cheese. They used a lot of cheese which added great saltiness but also a creaminess. They were hot when they came out, so if you order them, make sure to let them cool off before you touch the shells.
On this cold Memphis evening, I thought a bowl of gumbo would help warm me up. This gumbo had a little of everything, peppers, sausage, some shrimp, and rice. The flavor was fantastic. There was a rich savory taste with a hint of salt. The shrimp and the sausage were very tender. The rice helped thicken up the gumbo.
For my dinner I went for one of their seafood boils. Each boil came with corn on the cob and potatoes. The seafood choices were endless, everything from the traditional shrimp and crawfish to crab, lobster, or mussels. I was feeling traditional, so I went for the crawfish.
The boil came out in an interesting way. All the crawfish, corn, and potatoes were sizzling in a giant plastic bag. This helped keep it really hot and prevented too much of a mess before it got to the table.
I made sure to keep on the gloves and the bib. I knew I would end up being messy. I cut open the bag and let all of the ingredients fall onto the metal tray. Then I dug in. The crawfish were seasoned wonderfully. They were juicy and the meat was so tender. These were large crawfish too so there was a lot of meat. The potatoes soaked up a ton of the seasoning flavor. The corn on the cob added a nice, sweet element.
I cannot believe I finished this whole thing by myself. I am glad I wore the gloves because my hands got dirty. Now I would not smell like the boil for the rest of the evening.
I really enjoyed the seafood at Red Hook. I would go back and try one of their other boils. Check their menu out at www.redhookseafood.com
The mountains in Eastern Tennessee are absolutely beautiful. I was visiting Johnson City and the campus of East Tennessee State University. While driving around I came across a local donut shop not far from the campus. Daylight Donuts was calling my name.
When I walked in, I could smell the sweet donuts in the air. I could not wait to get my hands on one. To my surprise, they also had kolaches that they made fresh. I would never have expected to find these in Tennessee.
I ordered a sausage, jalapeno, and cheese kolache. They warmed it up for me. The cheese that oozed out was nice and crispy. When I took a bite, I could taste the sweetness of the yeast roll. The sausage had a slight heat from the jalapeno, nothing overwhelming. The creaminess of the cheese helped calm down any sign of spice.
Since I was originally there for donuts, I made sure to grab two. The first one was the maple donut. This was a yeast donut that was light and fluffy. The maple icing was sweet and full of fresh maple flavor. It was perfect on a cool morning with a cup of coffee.
The second donut I shared. I was starting to get full. This was also a yeast donut and I selected the chocolate icing with multi-colored sprinkles. The icing had an awesome chocolate taste and the sprinkles gave it a nice crunch.
These donuts were very satisfying and the kolache was a great surprise. The staff at Daylight Donuts was great. They were really friendly. If you are in Johnson City check them out. Grab a donut or a dozen.
Several years ago I visited the original location of 55 South in downtown Franklin, Tennessee. Since that time they have opened up two more locations. I was looking forward to checking out their Brentwood location.
What I remembered about 55 South is they have influences from New Orleans in their dishes. They have chargrilled oysters on the menu, which can be found all over New Orleans. Plus these are one of my favorite dishes. Their oysters were topped with garlic-lemon butter and parmesan cheese. There was a nice salty taste from the cheese. The lemon in the butter gave it a nice zing.
The parmesan cheese was cooked to be a little crispy. I enjoyed picking it off of the oyster shells. The grilled toast they provided helped me soak up the extra garlic butter.
The other dish I ordered was the Garlic Parmesan Crab Fries. These were fresh, crispy French fries that were tossed in garlic butter. Then they smothered the fries in lemon mayo and lump crabmeat. These fries were addicting. The garlic flavor shined through and paired perfectly with the tangy taste from the lemon mayo. The crabmeat added sweetness. They used a generous amount of crabmeat. They did a great job combining all of these ingredients to make a unique dish that was very satisfying.
I really enjoyed the food as 55 South. There were several new dishes on the menu since my previous visit. I cannot wait to come back and try some other things.
It has been a while since I have written about any restaurants. This terrible pandemic has limited so many things for everyone. Traveling and getting to experience new foods has been what I missed most. As places started opening back up, I have been excited to get out there. There are so many great restaurants to try and they need our help now more than ever.
So, I am doing my part and I want to kick it off by writing about a brunch I enjoyed at The Rutledge, in Franklin, Tennessee.
To help get me back into the swing of things, I ordered a mimosa. This was a classic orange juice mimosa at a great price. The juice was fresh and had a nice sweetness to it.
They have a great number of dishes to choose from. However, there was no doubt in my mind what I was going to order – Nashville Hot Chicken. They had a few options when it came to hot chicken. I went for the Hot Chicken Biscuits. I thought this would be a great brunch option.
They did offer hot chicken sandwiches. A friend at the table ordered that. I thought I would share a picture of that dish.
Back to my hot chicken biscuits. The chicken pieces were smaller but fit perfectly on the biscuits. The biscuits were freshly made, and they were light and fluffy. The chicken itself was spicy when I first took a bite, then it slowly mellows out. The chicken was drizzled with honey. This added a nice, sweet element to the spiciness. The honey was also wonderful on the biscuit.
Because the biscuit was so fluffy it did fall apart as I was picking it up. Plus having the honey made it slightly sticky. But even through all of that, I really enjoyed the flavor and eating this dish.
Since this was a brunch dish, it came with a side of breakfast potatoes. They had a nice crispiness. There was a little seasoning on them as well. They gave a generous portion too.
One of the side dishes at the table that I wanted to try was the Roasted Brussel Sprouts. These came out with a nice char on them, which made them crispy. There was also a great glaze on them that added a sweetness to the slight bitter taste of the actual Brussel sprout.
I also wanted to share with you another dish that was ordered during the visit, the French toast with bacon. For a traditional breakfast dish this was beautifully presented on the plate. And I was told the French toast was sweet and moist. The powdered sugar was a nice touch that added a little extra sweetness.
It was so nice to be able to get out there and travel again. I was so happy to help a local restaurant. I know they need it. If you are in the Nashville area, head a little south to Franklin and check out The Rutledge. Cheers!
There is a food truck in Nashville called Hoss’ Loaded Burgers. They became so successful that they finally were able to open their first Brick & Mortar location.
All their burgers are stuffed, their take on the “Juicy Lucy” that you will find up in Minneapolis.
You order at the counter when you enter the restaurant. Then they make it all fresh to order and bring it to your table.
I ordered The Hoss. The fresh beef patties were stuffed with cheddar cheese. Then the burger was topped with crispy bacon, a hickory smoke BBQ sauce, cilantro, and onion straws.
The burger bun was soft. It allowed me to get a great grip on the burger. The meat was extremely juicy. When I took a bite the melted cheddar cheese poured out. It made the burger even juicier. The bacon was not super crispy, but it added a salty element. The BBQ sauce was sweet and went well with the seasoning that was on the burger. The onion straws were a subtle touch that added a crunchy texture. It was the perfect size burger.
And what goes best with the cheeseburger? French fries of course. They offer a couple of different variations of fries. I went for the queso and bacon loaded fries. The crispy fries were covered all over with creamy queso. They made sure it was not just a top layer of cheese. The crumbled bacon added a salty and smokey taste. These were messy fries and needed to be eaten with a fork.
Hoss’ Loaded Burgers was a great spot for lunch. I am so glad they have a free-standing restaurant now. Check them out a www.hossburgers.com
If anyone has read my blog throughout the years, then it is known that I love hot chicken. When I am visiting Nashville, I must get hot chicken at least once. With restaurants slowly opening from the pandemic, I was able to try a new place for hot chicken called Party Fowl.
I started off by ordering a cold, refreshing “adult” cherry slushie. It was sweet and delicious. It was a great way to start knowing my mouth would probably be on fire the rest of the meal.
We started with a few appetizers to share around the table. The Fowl Balls were a creative New Orleans style dirty rice ball. They were deep fried and served with a white BBQ sauce. These were not spicy. They were full f rice flavor from the Cajun seasoning. The white BBQ sauce was creamy, but I thought it took away from the flavor of the rice ball.
The other starter was the Hot Chicken Poutine. Now if I were to go back, I would actually order this as my meal. They use crispy French fries and cover them with cheese curds and chicken gravy. Then they top it with hot chicken. They chop up chicken tenders for this and I was able to select the heat level, so I went with medium.
The flavor combination of the spicy chicken with the salty gravy and creamy cheese paired so perfectly together. The medium heat of the chicken was a lot spicier than I was expecting. It does not hit you right away, it kind of creeps up on you. Eventually it mellows out but not without drinking some water and eating a few French fries.
So, when it was time to order my hot chicken plate, I went for the medium spice. I knew that would be spicy enough. I got the hot chicken and beignets. It is basically my dinner and dessert on the same plate.
The chicken was fantastic. It was crispy and spicy. The heat was the right amount to make my nose run but not lose my sense of taste. The chicken was plump and juicy as well. The slice of Texas toast was soaking up the grease from the chicken as well as the spice. I did not dare eat that.
I also must talk about the side I chose, the mac and cheese. It was homemade with creamy cheese and a crispy top layer of cheese. It is the perfect side with hot chicken. I also feel that the creamy cheese helps calm down the spice.
They also have homemade potato chips. They cook these up in bacon grease. They are light and crispy with a slight hint of bacon flavor.
The beignets were the perfect addition to this plate. The fluffy fried dough was covered in a bourbon glaze and topped with powered sugar. It was the complete juxtaposition to the chicken. The bourbon glaze was sweet and tasted perfectly with the semi-sweet dough.
The next time you are in Nashville, you need to check out Party Fowl for their hot chicken. You will not leave disappointed. Check out their website at www.partyfowl.com
Who doesn’t love freshly made pie? That is what I said to myself when I passed by Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop in Franklin, Tennessee. I thought this would be a great treat for later in the afternoon.
They had many flavor options to choose from, plus different sizes for each pie. Since I wanted to try a few of their flavors I went for their 4” pies. I was able to get a 4 pack. It was the perfect size to try and share.
The first one was the Buttermilk. This was a creamy custard pie. It is very popular throughout the South. The custard was smooth and not too sweet. This was a good thing because the crust tasted a lot like a sugar cookie.
The second pie was the Peanut Butter Cream. This pie was amazing. The filling was smooth and fluffy. It was full of peanut butter flavor. With the whip cream and chocolate drizzle on top it reminded me of a candy bar.
The CoconutCream pie reminded me of the one my mom use to make. The meringue on top was the perfect firmness with the slight amount of browning. When I cut into the topping it revealed the creamy coconut filling. It was the consistency of pudding. It was sweet and full of coconut flavor.
The final pie I got was the KeyLime. The filling was tart but not as tart as the pies from Key West. It was extremely creamy and paired well with the whip cream topping.
I am so glad I got to try several of the pies. The 4” were the perfect size.
I was finally back in Nashville, which is one of my favorite places. This visit I wanted to make sure that I got some hot chicken. I love hot chicken and there are many great places to get some all around Nashville. I decided to try some place different. I headed over to Big Shake’s Hot Chicken.
I got there just in time because the line started backing up behind me. I wanted to make sure I ordered some chicken with heat but was afraid to go too hot. Since this was my first time here I went for the “Stop Drop N Roll”. This was supposed to be medium heat.
While I waited for my chicken to come out I looked over their “Wall of Flame”. It turns out that the Travel Channel tv show Man vs. Food filmed an episode here. I thought that was pretty cool.
They called my number and brought my food to my table. The moment of truth had arrived. Could I handle their “Stop Drop N Roll”?
I took a bite. The first thing I noticed was how crispy the breading was. Then I noticed how juicy the chicken was. It was not till I swallowed that the heat hit me. It was an initial kick that slowly dissipated. It was the right amount of spiciness for my first time trying it. The next time I visit I would want to try something a little hotter.
A side dish also accompanied my hot chicken. There were a
few things to choose from, including mac and cheese. I decided to try Big
Shake’s beans. I was expecting these to be bbq baked beans. These were not what
I thought. They were a savory bean. It reminded me more of a soup because of
the sauce it was in. There was only a slight hint of smokiness.
I am really glad I tried another hot chicken restaurant. Big Shake’s is definitely going into my hot chicken rotation for my visits to the Nashville area.
I went to a unique place in Nashville called The Listening Room Café. This was a restaurant where you get to enjoy a meal while listening to musicians / songwriters from the industry tell their stories. It was an interesting concept that made perfect sense in the Music City.
The day I visited I was going to see the Warren Brothers.
They are singer / songwriter siblings, Brett and Brad Warren. They have written
songs for the most famous of famous country singers.
While I waited to go into the theater area, I got myself a glass of Merlot. They have a nice bar area to sit and relax before the main attraction. I got to walk around and look at different pictures on the wall.
Inside the main area was a stage and tables all lined up facing the stage. The crowd got situated at the tables and the wait staff came over to get our drinks orders.
I started with the Dolly Sangria. I can only assume this was named after country music legend, Dolly Parton. This sangria used white wine, cocchi torino (a Vermouth), and cocchi Americano (an aromatized sweet wine). With all the ingredients this was a sweet sangria. They did not put any fruit in this, but it was refreshing on its own.
They started bringing out the food. They served it all family style. We had no problem passing everything around the table. I started off with the Caesar salad. It was a classic salad. They chopped up their lettuce well, which made it easier to eat.
The other starter was a homemade buffalo chicken dip. The chicken was shredded and tossed completely in the sauce. It had an awesome tang to it and had a creamy texture. They served it with tortilla chips which added a nice crunch. However, I enjoyed eating the chicken by itself.
Before the main dishes came out I orders a different cocktail to try. I went for the Carly’s “Hide the Wine Sangria”. This was red wine with a blended with lime, lemon, orange, and peach juices. Despite all the juices, this sangria was not as sweet as I expected.
The main dishes started coming out. I got to enjoy pulled pork along with roasted potatoes and brussels sprouts.
The pork did not have BBQ sauce on it. A few people asked
for some on the side. I decided to enjoy it plain. The pork was moist and had a
great smoky flavor. There were also some nice pieces of bark mixed throughout
the meat.
The roasted potatoes were tender red potatoes. The
seasoning they cooked them in was savory, while the potatoes themselves were
sweet. The brussels sprouts were charred well to create a smoky taste as well.
While we were eating the Warren Brothers came out. They stared telling stories about where they were from and how they got started in the business.
Between the stories they played some of the songs that they helped create. One of the last songs they sang was “Red Solo Cup”. I was surprised to learn that they were the ones that wrote that song. It was fun hearing everyone in the audience start singing.
While we were listening to their stories, the desserts came out. It was a plate of assorted cheesecakes. The cheesecake was creamy and had a great taste. The plain was my favorite because all I could taste was the cake. The other ones that had toppings were good too, just overpowered by the toppings.
At the end of the show the Warren Brothers took pictures with every person in the audience. They were the nicest people.
The Listening Room Café was a fun experience that I would
go back to. Every show would be a different experience. I have never seen a
venue like this before in any of my travels.
