Department of long stories department: I really enjoy and respect blogs that are started with a specific goal and timeline in mind, so that they can tell their story and bring it to a close. One of these is Chattaburger. Over the spring and summer of last year, three guys picked seventeen of the best-known burger joints in and around the Scenic City, visited and wrote up each, and brought their blog to a satisfying, planned finale. That is a million times better than what often happens to blogs. Most of us hobbyists reach a sad conclusion where there’s a six-month gap in posting, and then the final entry is one that says “Sorry I’ve been away, life has been soooooo busy, but I’ve got a lot more to say and will be back with more soon!” That was in 2012. Continue reading “Tremont Tavern, Chattanooga TN”
Category: tennessee
Mad Donna’s, Nashville TN (CLOSED)
In the early 2000s, our friend Tory drove this wonderful clunker of a car that filled the air with toxic fumes and which she called Answers. I was in Nashville to visit her and she took me to supper at the celebrated Radio Cafe. This seems to have been in late 2003; the Cafe was closed for a couple of years but reopened around that time. I remember having a wonderful evening and seeing some live music. I also remember, when she started Answers’ engine at the end of the evening, the emissions-failing schlepcar instantly killed the bush that we’d parked next to. She took the regular ribbing over Answers being such a threat to our environment with good humor. Answers has since gone to that big junkyard in the sky. Antarctica thanks her. Continue reading “Mad Donna’s, Nashville TN (CLOSED)”
Mary’s Old Fashioned Pit Bar-B-Que, Nashville TN
Nashville does not have a reputation as a barbecue destination, but a few years back, a competition team called Ulika BBQ decided to document the slow-smoking traditions of middle Tennessee and prove the world a little wrong. I ran across their very lengthy investigation, “Exploring Nashville Barbecue,” a couple of years ago when I was looking for additional information about Slick Pig in Murfreesboro. Fascinated, I have reread the whole shebang six or seven times. It is becoming a little less accurate as time goes on – the bulk of it was written six years ago – but it’s just remarkably entertaining and full of detail. You could cover hot chicken in Nashville over one indulgent weekend. Barbecue would take a lot more work. They have also covered Memphis, and done a fine job, but dozens of people have done Memphis barbecue fairly well. Nobody else has put in the work that they’ve done for Nashville. Continue reading “Mary’s Old Fashioned Pit Bar-B-Que, Nashville TN”
Rosepepper Cantina, Nashville TN
This is Marie, contributing an article about a meal we had at the Rosepepper Cantina in Nashville. We were up visiting some old (but nevertheless very youthful!) friends, Brooke and Tory, and this place seemed to be the right kind of place for us all to meet and hang out for a bit. Rosepepper Cantina has been winning prizes in Nashville for their food and margaritas for over a decade since setting up shop in 2001 and leading the development of this very trendy neighborhood.. They call their food Sonoran-style Mexican, and it’s not as hot as some Mexican places. I prefer flavorful meals to sweaty-forehead sinus-clearing food, so it was perfect for me. While we didn’t have any of the drinks, we can definitely vouch for the food being excellent. Continue reading “Rosepepper Cantina, Nashville TN”
Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, Nashville TN
We arrived in Nashville a little more than half an hour behind schedule. Then we pulled into Hattie B’s and realized we’d be even further behind. Sometimes, I think I prefer it when we just get there when we get there. Continue reading “Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, Nashville TN”
Big Marv’s BBQ, Decherd TN
A couple of years ago, we were going to Scottsboro for the ladies to shop for electronics and I looked for something to eat while they were occupied. I found a place called Big Marv’s, drove over there, had my mind blown by the amazing food, and raved about it. Big Marv picked up some other fans on the strength of our story. Vincent and Helen, who drive back and forth between Huntsville and Atlanta a whole heck of a lot, found themselves making frequent detours to Scottsboro for pulled pork and ribs. And then he was gone, back to Tennessee. Helen fumed. Continue reading “Big Marv’s BBQ, Decherd TN”
Shrimp Boats: The Story of a Shipwreck and its Survivors
(Second edition, Sept, 2015)
One of the most fun elements of our hobby has been researching long-lost southeastern restaurant chains. It’s comparatively easy to get a little backstory about a single business, but the story can become much more convoluted and fascinating when we’re digging into the past for little traces of what’s left when something distinctive and fun is trying to vanish. We’ve enjoyed learning about the story of Zesto in Atlanta and Columbia, and really loved tracking down what we found about Kay’s, Kay’s Kastles, and Ice Castle. Continue reading “Shrimp Boats: The Story of a Shipwreck and its Survivors”
Marie, Let's Eat! 