Barn 8 – Goshen, KY

Barn 8 is a beautiful old horse barn that has been converted into a Farm-to-Table restaurant.

It is located at Hermitage Farm just outside of Louisville, Kentucky.

The interior of the restaurant is unique. You can still see the stalls that were used for the horses. Some have been converted into gift shops and tables have been set up in others for a more intimate dinner setting.

The walls are decorated with barrels from all the great Kentucky distilleries.

Towards the back of the barn is where you will find the bar. This quiet spot is great for enjoying a glass of wine or a glass of bourbon before dinner.

As soon as we sat down, we ordered the Cast Iron Cornbread. This is because it takes about 15 minutes for it to be made. When it came out it was so hot, the brown butter melted instantly as it was placed on a piece. The corn bread was sweet, and the butter added a nice salty element.

The Burrata and Prosciutto was ordered as an appetizer for the table. When the burrata mozzarella was cut into, the soft curd and cream just poured out.  The thinly sliced prosciutto had a salty taste that paired well with the creamy burrata.

I ordered the Spaghetti Limone for my dinner. The homemade pasta was tender and cooked perfectly. It was tossed with preserved lemon, shallots, black lemon, garlic, and parmigiano. I never had black lemon before. It offered a sweet and tart flavor. The garlic aroma shined through each bite of pasta. Overall, the dish felt light and fresh.

I also got to try the Tortellini. This was a homemade spinach pasta that was stuffed with cheese. They served it with a butter sauce and peas. It was a simple sauce, but it was rich in flavor.

For dessert we started with the Banana Cheesecake. This cheesecake was served in a peanut-cashew crust, with cherry Chantilly cream, and a peanut-cashew crunch. There was cherry ice cream along with cherry coulis and ruby chocolate.  The cheesecake was very soft, not the firm NY style that I am used to. I really enjoyed the cherry ice cream that was homemade and extremely creamy.

The other dessert we ordered was the Tiramisu. This lady fingers were soaked with coffee and chocolate. They were layered with chocolate and raspberry mascarpone filling, and raspberry shrub caramel. This had an amazing flavor of coffee with a hint of richness from the chocolate. The mascarpone filling was extremely creamy.

Once you have finished dinner, take a stroll on the grounds of the farm. They have a wonder Art Walk that follows along the Little Sinking Creek behind the garden. Walk on a boardwalk through trees that are completely lite up and have video projections shining on them. There is music playing that helps to make this a tranquil experience. The photos do not do this luminescent art justice. It is a must see in person.

If you are in the Louisville area, take a drive over to Barn 8 for a fantastic meal. They will not be disappointed. Check them out at www.hermitagefarm.com/food-bourbon/barn8-restaurant

Enjoy!

T

Blood Brothers Texas BBQ – Bellaire, TX

When I think of food from Texas, barbeque definitely comes to mind. When I went to Blood Brothers Texas BBQ I got a little more than what I was expecting. This is a fusion restaurant combining traditional bbq with an Asian flare.

Their menu is extensive, so I would recommend looking at it on your phone before you get there. When you walk in you head right up to the counter and order.

The starter sampler plate is a great way to try a few different bbq options. We got brisket, sausage, and pork belly. There was great smokey flavor to the meat. The brisket was juicy, and the sausage had a nice pepper taste. The pork belly was crispy on the outside and melted in my mouth.

The Mac & Cheese was the perfect side dish for bbq. It was extremely creamy with all the cheese that was used. On a cold day, it was the best comfort food.

And bbq would not be complete without coleslaw. They made it fresh. It had a crunchy texture. It was both sweet and tangy at the same time.

Another thing that stood out to me was their condiment bar. They offered everything from pickles and jalapenos to pickled onions. You definitely need to make a stop here in case you want to add anything to your dishes that you order.

The Jerk Pulled Pork Tacos are a must try, especially if you like spicy food. The pulled pork was smoked and jerked. It was tender and juicy. They served it with a mango slaw on top which added a sweet crunch. It was all wrapped up in Jamaican curry tortilla, which was extremely unique. The tacos came with pineapple salsa on the side. It was sweet but also surprisingly spicy.

If you want to try something really special order the Smoked Brisket & Gai Lan Chow Fun. This combines my love for bbq with my love for Chinese chow fun. It really is the perfect fusion dish. They stir fry thick rice noodles, bean sprouts, Chinese broccoli, and 44 Farms brisket (www.44farms.com) . There was a fantastic smoky taste to the noodles from how they cooked it in the pan. The brisket had beautiful bark on the outside. The meat was tender and juicy. The bean spouts gave the dish a little crunch but did not take away any of the flavors. The broccoli had a slight bitterness. It was a very satisfying dish.

If you want something unique in the BBQ world, then head to Blood Brother’s Texas BBQ. Check out their website at www.bloodbrosbbq.com

Enjoy!

T

Cilantro – Nashville, TN

Five Points in East Nashville is a great location where lots of unique shops and restaurants are popping up. There is a Mexican restaurant called Cilantro that I highly recommend.

They have a great bar area toward the back on the restaurant. It is decorated beautifully.

They serve ice cold beers, in giant mugs.

They have a selection of margarita flavors to choose from. And they can be ordered in pitchers. So, this is perfect for sharing. We ordered a strawberry margarita pitcher. It was sweet and tart, and very refreshing because it was so cold.

The chips and salsa were constantly flowing. The salsa was freshly made, and you could tell as soon as you tasted it. It was not too spicy but had a nice kick.

The loaded chicken nachos were amazing. It was a huge portion and was perfect for sharing. They used a ton of cheese and the chicken had an amazing grilled flavor.

Cilantro is great, authentic Mexican restaurant to check out when you are in Nashville.

Check them out at www.cilantronashville.com

Enjoy!

T

City Tap – Nashville, TN

Downtown Nashville seems to be growing every day. There are so many restaurants and bars to select from. City Tap is a great place to check out. They have a great bar area to watch you favorite team and a dining room area that is perfect for Sunday brunch.

My visit was for brunch. The table started with mimosas. They do mimosas a little different here. For a set price they bring you a whole bottle of champagne and a selection of juices so that you can make your own. It is great for the table. We go orange and pineapple juice.

We ordered a pepperoni pizza for the table. It is  big enough for sharing. The crust was fluffy and they put on a ton of pepperoni.

The grilled cheese and tomato soup was a classic dish that was so comforting. They used grilled sour dough bread with 3 cheeses: American, cheddar, and pepperjack. The homemade tomato soup was extremely creamy.

The French toast was a beautiful dish, especially if you want breakfast. They used big slices of bread which helped make this dish large. They topped the bread with fresh fruit and whipped cream. It almost made it a dessert. The French toast had a nice, sweet taste.

City Tap is a great place. They get really busy on the weekends so I would recommend making a reservation.

Check out their website at www.citytap.com

Enjoy!

T

Lancaster Brewing Company – Lancaster, PA

I was in Lancaster, Pennsylvania recently for a wedding. The area is absolutely beautiful. So much beautiful farmland.

While we were there, we wanted to check out one of their local breweries, Lancaster Brewing Company. It was a rainy day, so it was the perfect day for a brewery.

They had a nice selection of beers to choose from. I did try a sour beer, which was great. But what I was really intrigued by was how the bartender mixed different beers. She made a Chocolate covered strawberry. This combined their Double Chocolate Milk Stout and their Strawberry Wheat. It really tasted like a chocolate strawberry.

I also tried her combination of the Strawberry Wheat and the Fresh Roasted Peanut Butter Ale. This was just like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It was great. I have never seen this done before, but I am definitely going to do this at other breweries in the future.

They had a big selection of menu items to choose from, including a special Oktoberfest menu. I started off with the Kartoffelsuppe. This is a German potato soup. They used local bratwurst, potatoes, cabbage, and sweet onions. This soup was very light. The flavor of the bratwurst was amazing, it helped add extra flavor to the soup. The onions did add sweetness and the potatoes helped to add texture. It was perfect to eat on a rainy day. I could have eaten another bowl.

I had to try the Fried Pierogies. These were handmade, which helped make these so special. These were potato pierogies which are my favorite. They placed them on top of sour cream and topped them off with a caramelized onion and bacon combination. The onions and bacon were sweet. It was not what I was expecting. It was something different that complemented the creamy potato.

The last thing that was ordered was the Braided Soft Pretzel. They called this Philly style. It was served with a cheddar ale sauce and coarse grain mustard for dipping. The pretzel was soft and had a slight sweet taste to it. The cheddar sauce was amazing.

Lancaster Brewing Company was a great place to visit. They were very crowded. If you do not feel like sitting at the bar they have plenty of dining room space.

If you are in Lancaster then add this brewery to your list of must visit.

Check out their website at www.lancasterbrewing.com

Enjoy!

T

Beiler’s Doughnuts – Lancaster, PA

Do you love doughnuts? How about freshly made, unique flavored doughnuts? Then you must visit Beiler’s Doughnuts in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

This family-owned shop uses a family recipe and they hand roll their doughnuts every day. You can watch them make them right there in the shop.

They have a large selection to choose from. They have all the classics you would be looking for. Plus several special flavors like:

  • Nutella Cream
  • Peanut Butter Chocolate
  • Salted Caramel
  • Oero Cream
  • Key Lime
  • Pumpkin Cream
  • Tripple Chocolate

I enjoyed a pumpkin cream and the triple chocolate. They were amazing. And the size of the doughnuts were very generous. A dozen is perfect to share with the whole family (or possibly two).

Checked them out at www.beilersdoughnuts.com

Enjoy!

T