Friday, February 6, 2009
Restaurants As Good as You Don't Exactly Remember
Posted by Nicki Wood on Fri, Feb 6, 2009 at 10:24 AM
Of all the quotes falsely attributed to Churchill, I bet I can guess your favorite. "Traditions of the Royal Navy? The only traditions of the Royal Navy are rum, sodomy and the lash." Yeah, mine too, on account of what it says about people's attachment to so-called tradition.
And now let's discuss Browns' Diner. Been nearly a decade since I visited but I'm thinking about it lately. I've been researching Nashville streetcar lines (who doesn't?), and Brown's Diner, the old part, is one of the two remaining streetcars in Nashville (the other being the Nashville Trolley Company trolley). Blair Boulevard at 21st Avenue was the end of that streetcar line.
The menu hasn't changed. Daphne the fantastic server with the photographic memory -- unchanged. The crowd: even Daphne says it hasn't changed, except that Big Fella hadn't been there in 7 years, and there are more kids since they went smoke-free.
The food: only thing that's changed is that tortilla chips have replaced Fritos in the Frito chili pie. I can't say I support this innovation -- the greasy Fritos were an important part of the flavor profile of the Frito pie.
I understand tradition. I love neighborhood eateries, especially those so near you can knee-crawl home if needed. The graffiti in the toilets was legendary. There's not a better server in town than Daphne. You can't beat the price. But people: explain in detail the continued devotion to Browns.
(Props to ceeelcee for the great headline. He's got a million of 'em.)
Comments (4)
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What is that in the photo - a pair of Atkins Diet cheeseburgers? LOL.
Brown's and Rotier's are two places that, as a lifelong Nashvillian who is the son of a lifelong Nashvillian, I was raised on. Both were frequent destinations before or after a Vandy game, and it was always instilled in me, by family and by others, that these two places served the best hamburgers in Nashville. And maybe at one time they did, but as I have gotten older and eaten more hamburgers, I have realized that the burgers at both of these places are very average. What does hold up over time, however, is the atmosphere, and I still cherish that in both of these places and visit occasionally if the mood strikes me.
I think it's very similar to what you have with the Rendezvous in Memphis. Are the ribs really that great? No, not usually, but the history and the atmosphere make it an institution. And history and atmosphere can go a long way towards covering for mediocre food.
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We love Daphne. She often has started our order before we're seated. The food is authentic, and we're treated like neighbors. Can't ask for more!
