Tag: Nashville

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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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

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.

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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.

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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

Nashville is synonymous for Country Music and Hot Chicken. Over the last several years Hot Chicken has been popping up all over the country. However, it is my opinion, if you want the best you have to go where is all started. And where it all started is at Prince’s Hot Chicken.

This place got its name from Thorton Prince – the father of hot chicken. According to the history on their website, this wonderful delicacy was created in the Great Depression as a punishment to Thorton because he was not being faithful to the special woman in his life.

Princes has two locations now in Nashville, plus a food truck that will pop up at different events around town. I visited their newest location.

  

They are always busy with a constant flow of people coming in and out. The one trick I learned was to call ahead with you order. This way you will not have to wait too long when you arrive.

I was so excited to get my hands on my chicken. I ordered the quarter white with a wing. From a heat level, I ordered the medium. Do not be misled, Prince’s medium is still very hot. I still started sweating and got sniffles in my nose.

The heat does not hit you right away. It takes a few seconds and then it creeps up. The breading has awesome crunch. It really seals in the moisture of the chicken. The white meat was so juicy as soon as I bit in.

The hot chicken is served on top of two slices of white bread. This white bread acts as a sponge and soaks up all the drippings from the chicken. If you are really brave you can eat the bread. I only could have a little because it was so spicy.

Everything is a-la-cart at Prince’s. They have several sides to choose from. The French fries are a nice filler. They help calm the heat in my mouth between bites.

The special treat are the baked beans. These are not typical BBQ beans. These beans are super sweet and the sauce is extremely thick. These beans are more like a dessert because of all the brown sugar. These also helped cut down on some of the heat in my mouth.

There are many places around Nashville for hot chicken. It is extremely necessary that everyone check out Princes to experience the original. Check out their website for their location and the days they are open. http://princeshotchicken.com/

Enjoy!

T

A road trip to Nashville, that is what popped into my head. I love the city and I missed it. There are so many things to do. I love walking up and down Broadway, watching all the people and mesmerized by the neon lights.

I checked out a restaurant that was a little off Broadway called City Tap. It was an easy walk. As soon as I got close to the entrance I could smell their brick oven pizza. The aroma filled the air.

The restaurant was beautiful inside.

    

I decided to sit at the high top tables in the bar area. They had a huge nice screen TV over the bar and the best view was from the table.

Since I was visiting City Tap on a Sunday I got to enjoy their brunch menu. One of their brunch offerings was a carafe of sparkling sangria.

This extremely tall carafe was filled with sparkling wine, spiced Malbec syrup, and loaded with fresh raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. It was not too sweet. The sparkling wine was more on the brut side. The fresh fruit added a lot of the sweetness. The blueberries were the sweetest I have ever had.

To go along with my sangria I ordered their Really Big Pretzel. They were NOT kidding about the size. This pretzel was 10 pounds of sweet dough.

The pretzel was soft on the inside. They had salted the outside to help balance the flavor. It came with a maple-bourbon mustard. The mustard was slightly sweet and had large mustard seeds that added texture. There was also a white ale cheddar sauce. The cheese was slightly creamy and had a little tangy aftertaste.

My server Logan recommended I try the Charred Brussels Sprouts. The sprouts were extra flakey and the leaves were crispy. I had never had sprouts quite like this before. It turns out that after they were sautéed, the brussels sprouts were then dropped in the fryer. That is how the leaves got that crispy.

There were a few pomegranate seeds on top. They added sweetness. The brussels sprouts were also tossed in a white miso sauce. It added a rich flavor. It was a little overwhelming because it was a little too much.

By this point I had finished the sangria. I wanted to try another cocktail. I went for The Whitehead Tart.

This concoction blended Papas Pilar Blonde rum, lime juice, grapefruit juice, black raspberry liqueur, and simple syrup. This drink was served in a gimlet glass which felt fancy to me. I do not get many cocktails served like this. These blended flavors were not overly sweet and slightly tart. It was actually deliciously smooth. It was also accented with a very sweet blueberry.

I ordered one last thing while I was there. I wanted to make sure I tried one of their brick oven pizzas. They offered some classic combinations like sausage and mushroom but I was intrigued to try the Prosciutto and Fig.

This thin crust pizza did not have traditional pizza sauce on it. There was a layer of stilton blue cheese and fontina with parma prosciutto on top. There were swirls of orange-fig jam all around the cheese. Piled in the center was arugula and shaved parmesan cheese.

With all the cheeses and prosciutto on this pizza there was a salt, savory taste. The arugula added an earthy flavor with a hint of pepper. The orange-fig jam was a welcomed sweet note to the pizza. This sweetness actually pulled the entire flavor profile together. It was a sweet/savory delight.

I ended up being at City Tap for a few hours. I really enjoyed my visit. I would definitely want to go back because Logan (my server) was telling me about all the daily specials that they have each week.

If you are interested in getting away from the crowds on Broadway check out City Tap. You can view all their food and cocktail menus at http://www.nashville.citytap.com/

Enjoy!

T

I was visiting Nashville again and I had a craving for hot chicken. I wanted to go to a place I had not tried before. Bolton’s popped up on my list. They have been cooking up their hot chicken since 1999.

I went for the breast quarter plate. I went lite mild heat on the chicken because I was not sure of the intensity. I also got a choice of two sides, which they had tons to choose from. I went with the mac n’ cheese and the green beans. Both are the perfect pairing with hot chicken.

The chicken had great crunch on the outside and the meat was juicy on the inside. When I took my first bite I could feel the heat on my lips. This is why I went with the lite mild heat, it was just enough without going overboard.

After eating several more bites the tingle from the heat calmed down. It was the first time I actually got use to the heat. Next time I visit I think I will be able to step up my heat level.

The mac n’ cheese was creamy and that helped calm some of the heat from the chicken. The green beans added a nice salty element to the dish.

I definitely want to go back to Bolton’s because they also have fish on the menu. I would love to see if they could make a hot fish for me to try.

Add Bolton’s to your hot chicken check list. Visit their website at www.boltonsspicy.com

Enjoy!

T

Driving through the Germantown neighborhood in Nashville, I would never have expected to see a cupcake shop intermingled with homes.

It was later in the day so I was afraid they would not have any cupcakes left. Lucky for me they still had a few left.

I patiently waited in line as I decided which cupcake to order. It smelled so good in the shop. The gentleman in front of me in line says he visits The Cupcake Collection all the time and gave me his top choices. They offer classic flavors as well as premium choices like coconut crème and peanut butter mousse. If you really want something unique then their specialty cupcakes, like Butterfinger and Italian wedding cake, are for you.

I chose two classic flavors – carrot cake and red velvet. The carrot cake was light and moist with wonderful chopped carrots throughout. The cream cheese icing was perfect; it was smooth and creamy. Their icing was not overly sweet. Sometimes cupcake icing can be extra sweet which can ruin the taste of the actual cake. Theirs is perfect!

The red velvet cupcake also used the same cream cheese icing. The cake was also moist and fluffy. They have the perfect ratio of cake to icing.

It was a wonderful treat to get to try these homemade cupcakes. They are also the best priced gourmet cupcakes I have seen, almost half the price of other shops.

If you are in the Germantown area of Nashville, make sure to pick up a cupcake or a dozen from The Cupcake Collection. Check out their flavors at www.thecupcakecollection.com

Enjoy!

T

 

I was watching a recent episode of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives on the Food Network and they featured a place in Nashville called Phat Bites. It’s located across the street from McNamara’s Irish Pub that I have previously written about. Phat Bites is an old garage that has been turned into a fun and busy sandwich shop. I decided to take a drive to Nashville and visit for lunch.

The décor is very eclectic inside. There are mix and match chairs and tables; there’s an old Chinese restaurant sign on the wall. Local graffiti artists have crated unique pieces of artwork on the walls.

  

The have an extensive menu of sandwiches and salads to choose from. For a salad I started with the Long Life salad because that is what I watched them make on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. It is a kale salad with assorted beans and walnuts covered in a tangy homemade dressing. It is one of their most popular salads and they were almost out of it when I was there.

Looking over their list of sandwiches I settled on the Muffaletta. It was loaded with turkey, ham, salami, and provolone cheese. The Focaccia bread was amazing; it was fresh and had a great crunch after they toasted it. On one side of the bread they layered their homemade olive spread. On the other half was a layer of homemade pesto. It was a multi-dimensional sandwich that had amazing chemistry. I did not think I would be able to finish the entire sandwich because it was so big but I just could not put it down.

The sandwich also came with a homemade pickle. Now this is not a typical pickle; just looking at it I could see the fresh dill, however, as soon as I took a bite the flavor hit me. It was tangy and sour; it is really hard to describe but it is a unique take on a pickle so it is a must try.

I visited Phat Bites for lunch but I would check them out in the evenings and on the weekend. It looks like they have live music and entertainment.

Check out the website at: www.phatbites.com

Enjoy!

T

 

Tucked away in a neighborhood outside of Nashville is a little Italian restaurant called Caffe Nonna. Parking could be problematic since they only have a few spots in front. Be prepared to look for some street parking.

I went for lunch and luckily I got there early enough that I did not have to wait for a table. They are small inside so there could be a wait on the weekends.

To start, I shared an appetizer of Mediterranean cheese sticks. These intrigued me because they were not typical fried cheese sticks that you would find at a bar. These were feta and pesto wrapped in phyllo dough and served with tomatoes, olives, capers, and lots of garlic. The dough added crunch but all the flavor came from the saltiness of the feta and the herby flavor from the pesto. I am glad I shared them because they were filling.

I love soups so I had to try theirs. I got a small cup of their homemade white bean soup. It had Swiss chard, pesto, and parmesan cheese in it. The Swiss chard was the flavor that I thought popped out in the soup and it paired nicely with the creaminess of the beans.

Although I was getting full I ended up ordering their chicken salad sandwich. They use huge chunks of fresh chicken mixed with grapes and walnuts and just a hint of fresh basil. The walnuts added a nice crunch to each bite while the grapes contributed the perfect amount of sweetness to the salad. It came on a big hoagie roll but this salad could have easily been enjoyed without the bread.

If you are in the neighborhood check out Caffe Nonna at: http://www.caffenonna.com/

Enjoy!

T

While having dinner at another restaurant I met a nice couple who was originally from New Orleans. They told me about a place in Nashville that serves authentic Cajun food that reminds them of home. It’s called Bro’s Cajun Cuisine. I knew that the next time I was hungry for something with a little extra spice I would have to check them out.

The restaurant is a hole-in-the-wall place that you might actually pass without realizing it. They are very small on the inside but have lots of outdoor seating which tells me that they get busy. I hit them right before the lunch rush because I was able to find a seat inside.

They had daily lunch specials set up just like a meat and 3 place. While the specials sounded good, I had to try their homemade jambalaya.

I got a huge bowl that was filled with sausage and veggies. The rice came on the side but I put it directly into my bowl to make it a little thicker. The jambalaya had a nice kick to it – not too spicy but still made my nose run. The sausage was extremely tender. I bet it would taste awesome just on its own, grilled up.

As I ate, I watched the restaurant fill up and the order line grow out the door. My suspicions were true – this place is a hot spot for lunch. If you are craving a taste of New Orleans then check out Bros Cajun Cuisine at www.broscajuncuisinenashville.com

Enjoy!

T

 

As I tell people visiting Nashville, you have to try hot chicken at one of the many great places around town. I decided to take my own advice and try someplace new – Pepperfire.

Located in the eastern part of the city, Pepperfire offers a unique dining experience. You walk up to the window to order then sit and enjoy the chicken at one of their picnic tables. The chicken is made to order so you will have to wait a few extra minutes to get your chicken but it is well worth it.

They have 7 levels of heat to choose from – no heat all the way to XX Hot! I went for Medium because that is currently the max I can handle. I could not wait to bite into the chicken. It smelled so good. It was extremely juicy, especially since it had just come out of the fryer. It was perfection; perfect crunch, perfect taste, and perfect amount of heat!

What I found out after I finished my chicken is that they have a deep fried “grilled” cheese sandwich called Peppercheese. Just hearing about this I just put Pepperfire back at the top of my list to come visit again.

Plan your visit at www.pepperfirehotchicken.com

Enjoy!

T