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New To Nashville: Lucky Bastard Saloon And Nashville Hot Chicken Shack

By on August 23, 2020 in Eat & Drink, Food & Drinks, Music, The Latest

Hot chicken at Nashville Hot Chicken Shack on rooftop of Lucky Bastard Saloon. Photo credit: Isaac Lord

It has been a tumultuous time this summer for businesses on Nashville’s Broadway strip, causing a questionable future for most of downtown’s restaurants and bars.

Located in the former Bailey’s Sports Grille building at 408 Broadway, Lucky Bastard Saloon continues to breathe some encouraging new life downtown with exceptional live music and food!

Upon arriving, we were impressed with the spaciousness and table distancing measures taken into account.  Nashville Hot Chicken Shack (located on the rooftop) was what we came to experience, but the energy of the live music was a refreshing reminder of what this city is all about.

Hot chicken is not meant to be fancy or complicated and that is exactly what the menu reflects.  We started with the Nashville Beer Queso and some fried pickle spears, with full intent of collaborating the two.  The pickles were packed with crisp, crunchy freshness and the queso was incredible, spiked with roasted green chiles, tomatoes, chipotle peppers and beer. Topped with habanero hot sauce and fresh cilantro, served with a side of tortilla chips.The ultimate test though, dipping the pickles in the queso….You have to try it!!

We decided to try the mildest and the hottest of the tenders.  With an array of sides to choose from, we ordered the black-eyed-pea salad, fries and the hot mac-n-cheese.  The chicken was not miserably hot, but definitely packs its own punch.  Both the mild and hot tenders were moist, delicious and breaded to perfection.

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With a diverse enough menu that includes building your own burger, catfish and one entree called the Nashville Hangover (a waffle topped with Nashville Hot Chicken tenders, and two fried eggs sunny side up. Served with a side of pecan honey butter and syrup) even if you are not a fan of hot chicken, there are still quite a few options to choose from.

The service was spot on and we enjoyed our first Friday night downtown in months! Thank you to the Lucky Bastard Saloon and Nashville Hot Chicken Shack for taking such great care of us!

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Michelin Star Chef Chris Anderson Brings His Signature Restaurant, WESTEND, To The Hutton Hotel

By on November 26, 2017 in Eat & Drink, The Latest, Things To Do

An exciting, new restaurant, WESTEND, is set to open at the end of November inside Nashville’s Hutton Hotel.

This new establish to Nashville’s burgeoning culinary scene is to be the signature restaurant of famed Michelin star Chef Chris Anderson.

We had the pleasure of talking to & sampling some of Chef Chris Anderson’s creations at the 2017 Music City Food + Wine Festival in September and, most recently, last weekend at Nashville Lifestyle’s BRUNCH AND BLOODYS event at the Union Station Hotel. With both, we found that his culinary creations were not only skillfully & creatively-presented to appeal visually to consumers, but combine a variety of flavors and seasonings that create a taste explosion in one’s mouth that would appeal to discriminating palettes and foodies everywhere.

Anderson carries quite the resume as he makes his way to Nashville by way of Chicago and Palm Springs after spending time developing his talents in the kitchens of 3 Michelin-starred Chicago heavy hitter, Alinea, as well as the now defunct L2O & Moto. Most recently, he was the executive chef at the SO•PA Restaurant at L’Horizon Resort & Spa in Palm Springs.

The North Carolina native intends to combine some of his favorites from his home state to fuse into favorite flavorings that are uniquely-Nashville. Think hot crab, for instance, a twist on hot chicken; a favorite of Nashvillians made famous by Prince’s Chicken many years ago and crab meat, a delicacy of North Carolina. He likes to call it “progressively Southern cuisine”. We can’t wait to see what all he comes up with!

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It’s The Perfect Time Of Year To Order From Edible Arrangements

By on November 13, 2017 in Eat & Drink, Food & Drinks, The Latest

It is the perfect time of year to order an Edible Arrangements’ fruit & chocolate arrangement!

Just take a look at these photos! Fruit, chocolate, AND beautiful!! This will brighten ANYONE’S day this holiday season.  Who DOESN’T like fruit & chocolate?! Our favorite is the Salted Caramel Harvest Bouquet with Orange Swizzle Berries which is $82 & just perfection for the fall.

Order yours TODAY from Edible Arrangements at: www.ediblearrangements.com

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The BACON EGGS AND KEGS Festival A Success In Its First Year, Sells Out In Advance

By on October 23, 2017 in Eat & Drink, Food & Drinks, Special Events, The Latest

The inaugural BACON EGGS AND KEGS festival held the weekend before last at First Tennessee Park was a real crowdpleaser for Nashvillians, selling out a day before the event.

It was a beautiful fall day in Nashville as a crowd lined up and streamed in through the gates anxiously-anticipating the brunch festival.

Festival goers were given mini plastic mugs to fill and treated to all-you-can-drink craft beer from various local companies, fruity hard cider offered by local makers, mimosas made with either grapefruit or orange juice, Irish cream coffee served hot or cold, tasty boozy root beer floats, and a 30-foot long bloody mary bar sponsored by Tito’s Handmade Vodka featuring a smorgasbord of items to add to your large cup the staff fixed for you in spicy or regular bloody mary mix.  It was basically a brunch on sticks, if you pleased.  I know I indulged and thoroughly enjoyed it as you could add 5 extra items of your choice beyond the various flavors of rim seasoning, celery, and olive that came with each cup.  Unfortunately, the line got too long as those in attendance discovered the fabulousness of the huge bloody mary bar that featured boiled shrimp, bacon, boiled eggs, fried cheese sticks, chicken, pickles, olives, and much more to add to your drink as you pleased.  Needless to say, it was quite the hit and never could get that second round.  Oh, well, probably did not need another anyway, plenty of other tasty drinks to try all around.

Food was not included in the ticket price, but various enticing dining options of bunch items were available for purchase from several food trucks present offering generous dishes priced from $3 to $9 for everything from savory breakfast scrambles, bacon in a cup, shrimp & grits to waffles.

Festival goers could also participate in several fun activities to enjoy the day at the park by playing putt-putt golf, ping pong, giant jinga, cornhole, a huge bouncy house or find a comfy chair and/or table scattered all around the park to bask in the sunlight or find shade, too.

The festival planners who held the very first BACON EGGS AND KEGS festival in Seattle has already announced after the sell out of the event that it will return next year to Nashville.

It was a well-organized and fun event.  Hope to be able to partake in it next year.  Maybe next time I’ll brave the long line that is bound to form again to get that 2nd bloody mary from the awesome 30-foot bloody mary bar that is the hallmark of this festival.  Until then, cheers!

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Hopdoddy Burger Bar Opens Oct. 23 In Hillsboro Village

By on October 12, 2017 in Eat, Eat & Drink, Food & Drinks, In The Press

1805 21st Ave. South

Nashville, TN 37212

Open:

Monday – Thursday and Sunday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Friday – Saturday: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

hopdoddy.com • @hopdoddy

Hopdoddy Burger Bar, a creative, from-scratch burger and beer joint with a fun neighborhood vibe, opens its first Tennessee location in Nashville on Monday, Oct. 23. The unique burger joint will bring its hand-crafted burgers, hand-cut Kennebec fries, handspun milkshakes and full bar to Hillsboro Village.

 

Hopdoddy Burger Bar’s menu consists of a variety of burgers made with freshly ground proteins like American grass-fed Kobe beef, sushi-grade ahi tuna, turkey and bison. Buns at Hopdoddy are baked from scratch in-house daily and range from traditional challah buns to whole wheat buns, and even gluten-free buns. In addition to burgers, Hopdoddy Burger Bar serves farm fresh salads and handcrafted milkshakes.

 

ON TAP AT HOPDODDY BURGER BAR

Hopdoddy Burger Bar takes its bar program seriously. From local breweries like Honky Tonk Brewing Co., Little Harpeth and Mantra Artisan Ales, beer lovers can expect their Nashville favorites on the menu and a knowledgeable staff to guide pairings. Hopdoddy Burger Bar’s full bar includes signature cocktails and margaritas, regional spirits, house-made liqueurs and freshly squeezed juices.

 

Starting November 2, Pint Nights at Hopdoddy will feature your local favorites with specials, giveaways and more! Stay tuned to Hopdoddy Burger Bar’s Nashville Facebook page for more information.

 

WE LIVE HERE, WE GIVE HERE

Hopdoddy Burger Bar is dedicated to supporting partners in each location’s respective neighborhood. For the Nashville location, Hopdoddy Burger Bar is honored to provide support to the W.O. Smith Music School through its Goodnight for a Good Cause program which donates $1 of each Goodnight Burger to the organization. Founded in Nashville in 1984, the W.O. Smith Music School aims to transform lives through music by offering affordable, quality music instruction to children from low-income families. Hopdoddy looks forward to helping enrich children’s lives through music with the support of their Nashville neighbors and community.

 

ABOUT HOPDODDY BURGER BAR:

Founded in 2010, Hopdoddy now has locations in Texas, Arizona, Colorado and California with additional locations opening in 2018. Hopdoddy has been named one of the “The Best Burgers in America” by Food & Wine, garnered the #1 spot two years in a row on Business Insider’s list of “The 50 best burger joints in America” and named one of the “10 Brands to Watch” by CNBC and MSN.

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5 Creepy Halloween Cocktails To Make To Spice Up Your Halloween Festivities

By on October 11, 2017 in Eat & Drink, Food & Drinks, In The Press

Halloween is just around the corner & the award-winning, family-owned distillery of William Grant & Sons has five cocktail concoctions (and one deadly spirit) to complete your Halloween festivities.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Sailor Jerry Candy Apple

2 parts Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum

8 parts warm (real) apple cider

Stir ingredients. Garnish with Cinnamon stick. Serve in desired tempered after dinner glassware.

The special blend of Caribbean rum, natural spices and flavors of Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum is the perfect complement to the warm apple cider on a crisp Halloween night. www.sailorjerry.com

Milagro Ofrenda

2 parts Milagro Reposado

1 part Fresh Mandarin Juice

½ part Fresh Lemon Juice

¼ part Green Cardamom (Orange Blossom) Honey Syrup

½ part Egg White

Put all ingredients into a Boston shaker, add ice and shake until cold. Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass/coupe. Garnish with Edible Marigold.

The award-winning Milagro Tequila ages their Reposado for six months in American oak barrels, four months longer than most other reposados, the result is an inviting balance of oak and agave that creates a robust, balanced and festive cocktail. www.milagrotequila.com

The Bloody Fall

2 parts Reyka Vodka

2 parts Fresh-squeezed Heirloom Tomato Juice

¼ part Lime Juice

2 dashes Worcestershire Sauce

2 dashes Tabasco

Pinch of Celery Salt, Cumin, Salt & Black Pepper

Combine all ingredients into cocktail shaker except and roll back and forth. Serve in Collins glass and garnish with lime wedges, mini peppers and cherry tomatoes on a rosemary skewer.

Enjoy this bloody favorite made with Reyka Vodka, which hails from Iceland and even uses lava rocks as a natural filtration system to create a silky smooth finish. www.reyka.com

We couldn’t help share these frightening cocktails one last time. Both are made with Tullamore D.E.W., the triple distilled blend of three types of Irish whiskey and the world’s second largest Irish whiskey brand. www.tullamoredew.com

 

 

Vampire’s Weakness (a Boulevardier)

1 ¼ part Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey

1 part Campari

1 part Sweet vermouth

Garnish: 1 Bloodied Eyeball – Made using a Lychee, a blueberry and fruit preserves which create the veins.

Pumpkin Fright (Irish Old Fashioned)

2 part Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey

¾ part Bénédictine

2 dashes Angostura bitters

2 dashes Orange bitters

Garnish: Orange slice, Pumpkin Face Garnish

 

Day of the Dead – November 1

 

“Tequila to wake the living, mezcal to wake the dead.” Celebrate the Day of the Dead with the spirit that wakes the dead, Montelobos Mezcal, an artisanal mezcal produced with 100% organically certified agave espadín in Oaxaca, Mexico. www.montelobos.com

 

 The team at William Grant & Sons asks that you please measure responsibly.

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Tupelo Honey: Serving The Best Brunch In Franklin

By on September 11, 2017 in Eat, Eat & Drink, Food & Drinks

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of eating a tasty brunch at Tupelo Honey in Franklin, just outside of Nashville.  It serves a wide selection southern favorites with a delicious, unique twist.

The interior of Tupelo Honey is spacious, comfortable, and clean with modern decor.  Outside there is also a nice-sized porch to enjoy dining on, as well.

Our service was excellent, both attentive and friendly.  She was also kind enough to offer suggestions since it was my first time there.

First off, started the dining experience with homemade, fresh from the oven biscuits with homemade blueberry jam.  The biscuits were fluffy, mouth-watering, and delectable.  The jam was sweet, succulent, and the perfect pairing.

With such a tempting selection of unique drinks from the bar, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to endulge in one of their special drinks called cherry bomb frosé, an icy and refreshing blend of rosé, mint, lemon, maraschino liqueur, and bourbon cherry juice.  This frozen drink was slightly tart and a terrific concoction.  It was also so pretty, frozen, and pink with a small, artful swirl of darker pink on top, which was maraschino liqueur, served elegantly in a stemmed glass.  Yes, it’s probably what you would call a “girly drink”, just as pretty as it was tasty, and one that I could easily sip on outside on their sizeable porch all day long enjoying the nice, quiet surroundings of the upscale area it is nestled in.

For the main course, I ordered the Tupelo shrimp and grits.  My companion had the Creekstone Farms steak and eggs.  We also shared some of their Shoo Mercy sweet potato pancakes.

The Tupelo shrimp and grits were perfectly seasoned.  Served with an extra side of the flavorful, slightly hot Creole sauce to pour on top to season to taste for more spice.  The shrimp were fresh, nicely-seasoned, and a good size.  The grits, infused with adluh goat cheese, were flavorful and perfectly cooked.  There was also a delicious mixture of chorizo and peperonata in the center.  It was skillfully presented and this savory dish was positively scrumptious from the first bite to the last.

My companion had the Creekstone Farms steak & eggs.  The steak was cooked to perfection, so tender you could cut it easily with just a butter knife.  Served with sides of potato cracklins and maple bourbon bacon jam.  It was tasty, perfectly paired, and mouthwatering.

The Shoo Mercy sweet potato pancakes were hot off the griddle, fluffy, and delightfully-tasty with just the right blend of sweet seasonings.

The menu is priced in the medium range up to low $20s for main dishes.  Not cheap, but not overpriced, either.  Serving portions were generous and all served piping-hot fresh from the kitchen very quickly with attentive, friendly service.

Tupelo Honey is a chain of restaurants across the country serving food all made in a scratch kitchen with a menu that changes with each season and is unique to that location.   This location was opened only 2 years ago.  Located near Cool Springs Mall in Franklin at 2000 Meridian Blvd. on the corner nestled within a new, modern strip mall area.  Brunch is served only on Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 4pm.  Operating hours are Monday to Thursday: 11a – 9p. Friday: 11a – 10p. Saturday: 9a – 10p . Sunday: 9a – 8p.  It was named as best new restaurant in Franklin by Franklin Lifestyle Magazine in 2016.

Menus overseen by Chef Eric Gabrynowicz.  He is a four-time James Beard Award semifinalist, Top Newcomer from Zagat was voted Food and Wine Magazine’s “Peoples Best New Chef- New York.” He brings Tupelo Honey Southern inspired dishes that are simply crafted and made from scratch with responsibly sourced ingredients that bring the best of every season.

Tyler Alford is the chief mixologist.  He was born and raised in North Carolina and attended college in Mississippi, where his love of craft cocktails and mixology blossomed. Tyler honed his knowledge and skill while working at the award-winning Commander’s Palace Restaurant in New Orleans before bringing his passion to Tupelo Honey. He quickly introduced a beverage program focused on local, sustainable and quality products with classic techniques that has continued to earn Tupelo Honey multiple local and national awards for its cocktails rooted in the South.

This restaurant is defintely a new favorite of mine that I thoroughly enjoyed, and one that I will frequent as often as I can when in the Franklin area.  I’m already craving their delicious brunch again after just a couple of days.  It offers the best brunch in town in my opinion between the creative selection of tasty food, drinks, friendly staff, and welcoming atmosphere.  I highly recommend this dining establishment.  Get ready to be pleasantly surprised by such a flavorful, creative menu of southern fare all made from scratch kitchen served fresh and fast.

 

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Ketel One Vodka Celebration: Just In Time For Father’s Day, Arnold Palmer Collectors Bottle And Nashville Connection

By on June 18, 2017 in Eat & Drink, Special Events

Carl Nolet Jr.

For 326 years, the Nolet family has been making their premium Ketel One vodka from their distillery in Schiedam, Holland.

Since arriving in the U.S. in 1983, Carl Nolet engaged and worked with local bartenders in each market to help raise awareness for their vodka, allowing them to act as trusted gatekeepers for the brand.  It’s one of the many reasons Ketel One Vodka is still the most recommended vodka by bartenders in the world because of this personal relationship.

Recently, Carl Nolet, Jr., 11th generation of the family of distillers behind the premium vodka, came to Nashville for a special event at Kayne Prime celebrating our elite community of bartenders and distributors.

What makes Ketel One different from other vodka brands available? Their rich family heritage of making vodka has been passed down through 11 generations of fathers and sons enabling them to really know the process of making vodka with a very hands on approach. They go to the Meditaranian, Carribean, Brazil, and Florida to find the best growers, making sure it’s the best fruit they can grow for their products. They use their own family recipe that after 326 years has been thoroughly time-tested rather than buy the alcohol like a lot of other brands from a rectifier. The family painstakenly takes care of every detail that goes into making their vodka with the full distillation process done completely under their roof. The result is an unsurpassed product made with pride from rich family tradition with a distinctively smoothe flavor compared to other vodka brands.

Orange mule served at celebration in a kettle.

If you want to see the process for yourself, you can take a virtual reality tour by going to: vr.ketelone.com

Ketel One has always worked with people in the trade.  As Nolet describes, his grandfather and his father both said they “wore out their shoes” as they pounded the pavement making those personal connections with the trade industry. They have formed very close ties to the United States Bartenders Guild with branches in each city, Nashville being no different.  Jonathan Howard, one of our locals, who is going to be opening a Kimpton Hotel in Nashville soon, was just in California where Nolet lives now, and Ketel One is working closely with him through World Class that hosts yearly competitions to find the best bartenders in the world.

Ketel One just launched their special Arnold Palmer collector’s edition bottle to honor the golf legend due to their close friendship through the years and to help continue his legacy by donating $100,000 to Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation, hosting charitable golf tournaments, working with country clubs where their innitiative is to put a day together to remember Palmer raising money for the late golf legend’s foundation, and featuring a bottle for sale with Arnold Palmer’s signature available now through his birthday on September 8th, 2017.

With Father’s Day today, how does Carl Nolet, Jr. plan to celebrate? As the father of 7 kids ranging in ages from 8-22, you can probably envision a big celebration underway, but he plans to celebrate it very lowkey as he flies back to his home in California to be with his family enjoying a couple of kettles in the sand and let the day be about simply relaxing.

For much more information about Ketel One’s history and drink recipes, be sure to visit their site at: www.ketelone.com.

Don’t forget to include Ketel One vodka in your Father’s Day plans and in celebrations for National Martini day tomorrow. As always, drink responsibily. Cheers!

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Sweet Tunes, Summertime Memories Made & Tennessee Whisky At George Dickel And BMI’s 1st Porch Sessions With Maddie & Tae

By on May 13, 2017 in Eat & Drink, Music, Special Events

It couldn’t have been a better start for George Dickel & BMI’s Porch Sessions concert series with clear skies and 70 degree weather in the picturesque setting of George Dickel’s Distillery in Cascade Hollow near Tullahoma, TN.

The appreciative crowd enthusiastically clapped and danced along to the music by the harmonious duo, Maddie & Tae.

If you missed the concert this time, don’t worry, there are more to come.  Stay tuned for announcements of future shows at Cascade Hollow for a refreshing, fun-filled afternoon with George Dickel & BMI for other epic Porch Sessions’ concerts all summer long.

About George Dickel

Born 40 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, George A. Dickel was an established Nashville merchant when he entered the whisky business. Dickel grew his reputation for selling the smoothest, most mellow spirits in the region. Thus, Geo. A. Dickel & Co. was born and when the Cascade Hollow Distillery opened in 1878 in neighboring Coffee County, George Dickel bought a large share. George Dickel followed in the Scottish tradition of spelling whisky without an “e.”

George Dickel preferred whisky made in the winter months more than summer months because he felt it made the whisky taste smoother, so the company began advertising their Geo. A. Dickel’s Cascade Tennessee Whisky as “Mellow as Moonlight.” This is why our whisky is chilled before undergoing the charcoal-mellow filtration known as the Lincoln County Process. This extra step smooths out the flavor and we’re still the only Tennessee distillery to do it.

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Chauhan Ale & Masala House: A Unique Dining Experience

By on January 7, 2017 in Eat & Drink, Food & Drinks, The Latest

Two years ago, renowned Chef Manet Chauhan brought her vision of creating a unique dining experience to Nashville with opening Chauhan Ale & Masala House offering traditional Indian cuisine infused with traditional Southern fare.  What you get is uniquely Nashville. Continue Reading →

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