Saint Stephen – Nashville, TN

Continuing my Germantown food tour brought me to Saint Stephen. This restaurant had an outside courtyard all set up with picnic tables. Since it was a pretty afternoon that is where the group sat.

They started us off with one of their cocktails – Cumberland Blues. This was their version of a Moscow Mule. They used a mint and cucumber vodka as the base. It was sweet and refreshing.

The first thing they brought out was a salad. This was a fresh salad loaded with celery, kidney beans, and avocado. It was a unique blend of ingredients tossed with a Balsamic vinaigrette. The celery added crunch and the beans and avocado added two different types of creaminess.

The next food item that got passed around the table was the mac and cheese. This was a true southern, homemade treat. It was extremely creamy, blended with several different cheeses. This was the ultimate comfort food. I could have eaten the whole pan, but I did have to share it with the table.

The last dish out is something unique to Saint Stephen. It is their fried chicken skins. They basically have taken the best part of fried chicken and made a dish out of it. The seasoning on the breading had a slight peppery taste. There was an awesome crispiness to each piece. These are totally unhealthy but definitely something worth indulging on.

We got one last cocktail before leaving. They brought out their Big Bad Chef. This is their version of an Old Fashioned. The taste was just a little smokier because of the ingredients. They used a smoked simple syrup, a burnt orange, and Corsiar bourbon. This is from a local distillery in Nashville.

This was another fun stop on the tour. I want to go back and try a few more items off their menu. Check them out at www.saintstephennash.com

Enjoy!

T

312 Pizza – Nashville, TN

While hanging out at Bearded Iris Brewing, there was a special delivery from 312 Pizza in Germantown. They serve up local Chicago pizza because the owners are originally from there.

Today they brought over their Hot Chicken pizza. The hot chicken topping is a nod to the chicken dish made famous in Nashville. The chicken had a great heat that was calmed down from the creamy cheese that was melted on top. The crust was crispy with a slight sweetness.

It was a great atmosphere to get to enjoy this pizza. The next time I am in Nashville I would want to stop by the actual restaurant to see what all they have to offer.

Check out their website at www.312pizzaco.com

Enjoy!

T

Bearded Iris Brewing – Nashville, TN

The second stop on my food tour of Germantown, In Nashville, was Bearded Iris Brewing. This is a local cult brewery that is known for their IPA’s.

They have a very artsy feel on the inside. There are several interesting pieces of art hanging on the walls made by local artist. Many of them were for sale.

I got my hand stamped after I got carded, so I was ready to go.

I ordered a glass of the Mood Ring. This was a double IPA. It had a light hoppy taste that was supposed to have essences of pineapple. However, I did not taste any pineapple. The beer was still refreshing and went well with the pizza they were serving from a local pizza restaurant.

Bearded Iris had a fun atmosphere. It was a perfect place to hang out with friends. Check them out at www.beardedirisbrewing.com

Enjoy!

T

Butchertown Hall – Nashville, TN

I had a fun trip to Nashville, Tennessee recently. I got to experience a couple of new places in the Germantown area on a walking food tour. Germantown is one of the many areas in Nashville that has seen a resurgence over the last several years.

The first stop that I made on my food tour was to Butchertown Hall. This is a BBQ joint that has an upscale, rustic vibe.

It’s beautifully decorated inside and you can smell the smokers as soon as you walk in. Because I was with this food tour, we had special tables set up on their outside patio. It was a fantastic private experience.

Before we started eating, we were greeted by their sous chef, David; he explained to us what we would be tasting and drinking, plus how the meat was prepared. This little talk, while it seems simple, really helped enhance the entire experience.

We started off with some house made cocktails. The first was a Margarita. This did not taste like your run of the mill margarita. They used fresh lime juice and combier along with tequila. It tasted extremely fresh and did not have that overly sweet, sugary flavor.

The second cocktail that they provided us was a Foxglove. This was vodka, fresh grapefruit juice, lemon juice, pineapple juice, and a touch of sage. This drink had a sweet, tart taste because of all the acidic juices. It also was refreshing. It really paired well with the smoky BBQ.

The brisket was fantastic. It was the best brisket I have ever had. It was so tender it fell apart as soon as I picked it up with a fork. It was also extremely juicy. I did not use any BBQ sauce on the meat because of how juicy it was and because of the intense smoky flavor. It also had a great outer layer of bark.

The other BBQ they served was their pulled pork. They drizzled a mustard on top. It was a sweet mustard that complemented the tangy BBQ sauce and smoky taste. The pork was not as juicy as the brisket, but it was still moist, and had plenty of bark throughout. They also served soft tortilla shells on the side. I thought this was really interesting. I was able to make a pulled pork taco.

The side dishes they served with the BBQ were their roasted brussels sprouts. They were roasted in a mini cast iron pan, so it allowed them to get crispier. The slight bitterness was calmed down because of the smokiness that came from the roasting. It was the perfect side for the BBQ.

The food tour made a great decision to have us stop at the Butchertown Hall first. There is a lot more to try on the regular menu. I would definitely want to go back to enjoy some additional dishes.

Check out their website at www.butchertownhall.com

Enjoy!

T

Shake Shack – New York, NY

Shake Shack is a fast food chain that started in New York and is growing across the country. When I was in New York I made sure to stop by the original location in Madison Park. It was not far from the famous Flat Iron Building.

It was a beautiful day which is a good thing. The original location being in the park, all the seating was outside. The did have lots of tables and chairs, so there was plenty of room for everyone. I got there right before the line got to long for lunch.

I went up to the window to order the “Classic Shack Burger”. This is a single patty cheeseburger. Once I got my bag I could not wait to dig in.

The bun was soft and doughy. The burger meat was tender and juicy. The meat was so fresh it melted in my mouth. The American cheese added a wonderful creaminess. The lettuce added a crispiness and the juicy tomatoes added a freshness.

The cheeseburger was just enough for a quick lunch on the go. I am glad I got to go to the original location. Shake Shack does make a fantastic burger.

You can see all their locations at www.shakeshack.com

Enjoy!

T

Bond 45 – New York, NY

I never realized how many restaurants are around the theater district in New York. That is where I fond Bond 45, an Italian restaurant.

The place was packed full. It was a good thing that I made a reservation earlier in the day. As soon as I sat down I was brought freshly made bread. It had a buttery taste and there were a few pieces of green olives throughout. It was great to snack on as I looked over the menu.

They had a couple of unique cocktails on the menu. I went for the Bond Cup. This namesake cocktail used pineapple infused vodka, passion fruit, and lime juice. The presentation was beautiful with the accent of a pretty flower and a slice of dried pineapple.

The drink was sweet and had an overall tropical feel. It was good but probably not the best choice to pair with savory Italian dishes I ordered for dinner.

I ordered the vegetable Ribollita soup to start off with. This savory broth was loaded with vegetables like carrots, potatoes, spinach, and white beans. While the flavor was excellent, the carrots and potatoes were a little overcooked. They were pretty soft.

For my dinner I ordered the Chicken Piccata Milanese. The chicken was pounded out to be super thin. It had a thick layer of seasoned breadcrumbs that were extra crispy. They made a lemon-parsley butter sauce that was loaded with braised artichokes and capers.

The sauce was salty. It went well with the chicken, but I think there was a bite too much of the sauce. The chicken was tender and still managed to be moist even though it was really thin.

Bond 45 was a nice place to grab dinner before going to see show. I would go back so that I could try one of their pasta dishes. Their serving sizes are large so make sure to go with an appetite.

Check out their website at www.bond45.com

Enjoy!

T

Haru Sushi – New York, NY

There are a ton of restaurants in the theater district of New York. Across the street from the lyric theatre (where the Harry Potter play is preforming) I found Haru Sushi.

I walked in and they were really busy but I was fortunate to get a table pretty quickly. I made sure I ordered my cocktail as soon as my waitress came to the table. I was excited to try the Berries and Bubbles. This was Prosecco, Svedka raspberry vodka, and strawberry puree. It was not as sweet as I thought it would be. The strawberry actually made it slightly tart.

Since I was at a Japanese restaurant I made sure to order the miso soup. I always make sure to try this classic comfort food. It was pretty standard, tofu, seaweed, and scallions in a salty broth. I always wish restaurants would put more tofu in the soup. It adds a ton of texture without affecting the taste.

I made sure to order some sushi while I was there too. I went with the simple Spicy Tuna Nigiri. The tuna was extremely fresh; it melted in my mouth as soon as I took a bite. It was not as spicy as I expected it to be. That was a little disappointing, but I simply added more wasabi to it myself.

The Eel Avocado Roll was made perfectly. The eel had great flavor and they put a generous amount of the eel sauce on top. That is my favorite part of an eel role. The avocado added a great creamy texture to the roll.

The Umami Fried Rice came out last and it was really hot. I needed to wait a little while for it to cool off. This fried rice had chopped up pieces of grilled chicken, scrambled egg, and fresh vegetables. All items were cooked in a garlic butter sauce. This rice was not that salty; it was actually a little sweet. The rice was not as full of flavor as I expected it to have. I was a little disappointed with that. However, the chicken was good in the rice.

They had a seasonal dessert on the menu that I made sure to order. It was the Yuzu Meringue Tart. They made homemade Yuzu custard. Yuzu us a Japanese citrus fruit. They put the custard in a homemade sugar cookie tart shell. Then a marshmallow meringue was placed on top and toasted till it had a little brown hue. Finally, they placed the tart on top of pomegranate ginger sauce.

The custard was sweet and creamy. The cookie crust was also sweet. The pomegranate sauce toned down that sweetness by adding in a sour element. It was a great dessert and a good way to end a meal that leaned more salty.

Check out Haru Sushi if you are in the area. They got busy so you may want to make a reservation. Check them out at www.harusushi.com

Enjoy!

T

Sangria 46 – New York, NY

I’m back in New York. When it comes to food, every time I visit New York I pretend like I have never been there before. This allows me to keep an open mind when it comes to restaurants. I want to always try something new, especially in a city that is always changing.

Neighborhood restaurants are the best to visit. To me they put the most love into their food. That is why I wanted to visit Sangria 46. It is a local Spanish restaurant that I knew would be as authentic as if I was in Spain.

I was greeted as soon as I walked in. It was a really nice feeling. When I sat down they brought me chips and homemade salsa right away. It was great to be able to munch on something as I looked over the menu.

Since I was at a place called sangria naturally I needed to order a sangria. I was thrilled to see that there was a Cava sangria on the menu. This is a true Spanish sangria that was blended with Cava (Spanish version of Champagne) brandy, triple sec, and fresh strawberries and peaches.

I decided not to mess around and just ordered a small pitcher. It was the perfect amount of sweetness. I always enjoy the bubbles that the Cava has. I knew this would go with anything that I ordered to eat.

Rather than getting a full dinner, I settled on ordering a few tapas. I figured that would be enough to fill me up. I started off with the Croquetas de Yucca. Yucca is very similar to potato, very starchy. They mashed it up just like mashed potatoes and mixed in cheese. Then they breaded and deep fried them. They were crunchy on the outside and very creamy on the inside.

The Empanadas Argentina came out next. The flakey pastry was stuffed with meat and then baked up till crispy. I ordered one beef and one chicken. Both had a savory taste. They used a generous amount of filling in these savory turnovers.

The final tapa I ordered was the Vieiras con Tocino. These are broiled scallops wrapped in bacon. The bacon was perfectly crisp and added a crunch and salty taste. This paired wonderfully with the sweet, tender scallops. The scallops also came in a garlic sauce with chucks of fresh garlic and peas. The peas added additional sweetness. The garlic stepped up the flavor to be a little more intense.

I saved enough room for dessert. The Limoncello Cake sounded delicious to me and the perfect end to my wonderful meal. The cake was moist and had a fantastic lemon flavor. The icing on the cake was sweet and creamy, which also had a great lemon taste. The flavor of the cake made it so fresh. It helped cleanse my palate from al the savory dishes I enjoyed.

Sangria 46 was a fantastic dining experience. The staff was extremely friendly and took great care of me. The food tasted great and the sangria was perfect. I would recommend everyone check them out if they visit New York City.

Visit their website at www.sangria46nyc.com

Enjoy!

T

The Oyster Pub – Daytona Beach, FL

The Oyster Pub has been serving up fresh oysters and seafood to the Daytona Beach community for over 30 years. They are also a great spot to watch your favorite sporting event on one of their many tv’s.

Whether you are waiting for a table or grabbing a seat at the bar – start your visit with a handful of fresh peanuts from their barrel. But please do not throw the shells on the floor; they provide containers for those.

After eating some salty peanuts, I grabbed a cocktail off their extensive drink menu. I went for The Beach Babe. It was loaded with fresh pineapple and orange juice, grenadine, and two rums – coconut and mango. This was the perfect drink for being at the beach.

  

The main reason I made a stop to The Oyster Pub was because of their chargrilled oysters. They are freshly shucked oysters that are placed on an open flame grill. Then as they are cooking, they are covered in their “secret sauce”.

I absolutely loved watching these oysters being cooked. Watching the flames get larger and higher as they cooked was memorizing.

  

When they poured on the “secret sauce” the flames grew even higher.

  

When the oysters were delivered they were still sizzling. I tried capturing this in the photos but it really did not do it justice.

  

The oysters were huge in size but they were extremely tender. The sauce added a salty taste and creamy texture to the sweet tasting meat. I could tell there was garlic and parmesan cheese on them, however there was still an element that I could not identify. It almost tasted like an Italian dressing. I tried finding it out from my waitress but I was not successful. I guess the “secret” in the sauce is still safe.

  

These are delicious oysters and I would recommend them to everyone. They also have several other options for oysters including raw and steamed. But if oysters are not your thing that is perfectly ok because they have a ton of other seafood options. So if you are in Daytona Beach, stop by The Oyster Pub and see why they have been around for 30 years.

Check out their menu at http://www.oysterpub.com/

Enjoy!

T

 

The Red Top Pit Stop – Lakeland, FL

I have written about The Red Top Pit Stop before. The last time I visited I was there for breakfast. This second visit I was there for lunch. As soon as I got out of the car I could smell their BBQ smoker and it made me so hungry.

Because of that smoker I knew I wanted to try some BBQ. I ventured out of my normal routine. Normally I would order pulled pork if it is on a menu, but this time I went for the chopped beef brisket.

The brisket was chopped up extremely fine. It was piled high onto the bun. When it came out there was no sauce on the meat. I liked this because I got to taste what the beef is like when it comes out of the smoker. The bark from cooking was chopped up with the rest of the meat. That bark carried extra smoky flavor throughout the brisket.

After eating a little of the brisket plain, I put the homemade BBQ sauce on my sandwich. The sauce added a sweetness to the meat. It was a great complement to the smokiness.

I got two of their homemade sides that I knew paired well with BBQ. The first was the mac and cheese. This was great, cheesy goodness. There was a crispy cheese layer. I just needed to add a little extra salt to taste.

The other side was the green beans. They cooked the beans with bacon. This added extra flavor to the beans. This side too needed just an extra pinch of salt for my taste.

I am glad I got to go back to The Red Top Pit Stop. It was just as crowded as my first visit. They are an awesome hidden gem in Lakeland that serves amazing comfort food.

Follow them on Facebook at The Red Top Pit Stop

Enjoy!

T