Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Conversation Bites Restaurants I'm Ashamed I Haven't Tried
Posted by Alexis on Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 5:46 AM
Prince's is a Nashville landmark. I am a Nashville native who lives on the East Side and who loves to eat, especially chicken. I'm not sure if it's because I'm afraid of the hot chicken, or if it's because I hardly ever find myself on Dickerson Road. No one has ever asked me to join them to make the trek, either. And even though it seems like everyone else in Nashville has eaten at Prince's, I never get the feeling that they eat there regularly. Excuses aside, I'm still pretty mortified about it. So I think one of my New Year's resolutions in 2012 will be to visit all the Nashville restaurants that I'm ashamed I haven't tried yet. Here is my running list:
Prince's Hot Chicken — See above.
High tea at the Hermitage Hotel — I love tea. I love the Hermitage Hotel. I have no excuse for this oversight.
Macke's — I've read and heard good things about this place and never think to try it.
The Catbird Seat — It's obvious that this is an experience anyone who loves food should have. I guess I'm waiting for a special occasion to drop that kind of dough.
Gojo — I have been a little afraid to try Ethiopian food in Nashville as I'm worried it won't measure up to the local spots I used to frequent when I lived in West Philadelphia.
Manna Korean Restaurant — I drive by this place every day and have never been in.
Table 3 — Again, have heard nothing but good things. I wasn't a big fan of the place that was in this location before, so that may (unjustly) have something to do with my avoidance.
The Mad Platter — This place has been around forever, has always been highly regarded, and is less than a mile from where I work. Again, no excuse here. Does anyone know if they are still doing the happy hour thing?
Brown's Diner — I've always been charmed by the old streetcar, and always stare at it when I am sitting at the light at 21st and Blair. I think the smoking situation turned me off for years, and once it went nonsmoking, I always forgot about it as a burger option.
So go ahead, give me a good beating. I deserve it.
Are any of you nearly as guilty of sins as unspeakable as mine? Which places are you ashamed to admit you've never tried?
Comments (27)
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Based on your previous whines, it is unlikely that you will ever set foot in Prince's based on the decor and economic demographic of the neighborhood. Pack a CCW if you do go.
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I'm about to lose any foodie cred I ever had with the following confessions:
I haven't been to Prince's either. And although I live mere blocks away from it, I have never been to Bolton's.
I have been to Macke's, but I haven't been to big sister MacK & Kate's. Nor have I done the Italian feast at Mangia Nashville. Haven't steeled myself for the Sam's Sushi experience, either.
Let's see, what else? Haven't been to Red Pony, although I have hit up McConnell's other two Franklin spots. And I have lived in Nashville for 22 years, but I have never made it out to the Omni Hut.
From your list, Manna is surprisingly terrific. Finally made it there about 6 months ago. Mad Platter, if you can't make it for dinner, is a really great lunch place, too.
Bolton's! Tayst! Suzy Wong's House of Yum! (maybe more like places I want to try, but totally ashamed of myself for not getting there yet!)
I finally made my way through my shame list: http://www.nashvillescene.com/bites/archiv…
My current Albatrosses (albotri?) are Wild Cow and Silly Goose. I need to just camp out in that neighborhood for a lunch and a dinner. Any advice on where to drink between meals?
And Alexis, I live a block from Brown's, so I'll gladly accompany you for that burger. It's a good one!
Kayne Prime, Tavern (honey badger don't park in Midtown), Catbird. Haven't eaten at Capitol Grille in 3 years. Hey shut up--there's been a recession on.
This is a good one, Alexis! I've been to Prince's way too much for my own good. But my shame list: Capitol Grille, Table 3, Miel, and Merchants
They key to any Prince's visit is to call ahead with your order. That way you aren't stuck waiting and waiting and waiting on your order. I'd also suggest starting with the Mild.
Bites meetup at Prince's? I'm down.
ps. Gojo and Brown's are on my 'to dine' list.
I'm also ashamed to say that I've never been to Prince's. Just yesterday I was thinking that I should make a trip a week or two before my due date as a way to perhaps induce labor.
my list is full of places i wouldn't dare bring small children, and since date nights are infrequent, it's a bit longer than i'd like: Tayst, Margot, City House, Kayne Prime, Flyte, Miel, Capitol Grille (dinner).
This reminds me of that game English professors play where they try to outdo each other with famous books they've never read. As I recall, first prize is you're fired!
Anyway, Chris: You could just walk across the street for a drink at Eastland Cafe -- they've got a good happy hour.
I, too, am down with a Bites meet-up at Prince's.
I guess I need to give Manna another shot.
I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't been to Hooter's, Jack-in-the-Box, or Fat Moe's. And it's too late to go to my neighborhood Church's.....they finally closed the damn place.
Miel, Table 3, Virago, Silly Goose, Rosepepper. There've been a lot of Groupon-type deals for Capitol Grille, so we've eaten there a couple of times over the past year.
Interesting article. Did you remove any restaurants from your shame list this year that made you frustrated for not trying them sooner? Any that made you wonder what the hype was all about?
I would love to try Brown's with some people, one of the few places I haven't been where I'd like to go!
Should I be more ashamed to be such a glutton that I'm having a hard time coming up with a list of restaurants I haven't tried? Would love to try Kayne but it's out of my price range, and ditto on Catbird Seat. Hopefully 2012 will bring in some Pleasure Dollars. Haven't yet been to Edley's though looking forward to it. One note to Alexis re: Tobin's advice on Prince's. There's just no point in going to order mild. You might as well go to Popeye's. As Hot Chicken Festival Founder Mayor Bill Purcell repeatedly points out, it's called Hot Chicken. Not Medium Chicken, or Mild Chicken. Order it hot, it won't kill you. Take it with lemonade, and have a piece of milk chocolate tucked away in case of tongue burn. Don't wipe your eyes while eating hot chicken, and be sure to thoroughly wash your hands after eating---before doing anything else. Good advice on calling ahead to order, and remember, weekdays it doesn't open until noon.
Anybody that hasn't been to Edley's is truly missing out. Everything I've tasted there has been marvelous. The grilled cornbread itself is worth the visit and I'd call my favorite side, (so far,) a tie between the baked beans and the vinegary coleslaw. The chicken, the brisket and the rib sandwich are stellar. My new favorite place for sure. Nice folks.
I haven't been to any of those places, either, but I'm not particularly ashamed with the exception of Mad Platter. Oh, and I haven't been to Eastland Cafe. I hear I should really try to remedy that.
Tobin, have you called in an order to Prince's and arrived to find it ready? I've tried twice, and it did no good. Still had to reorder and wait once I got there.
Nope. Just repeating what I've read. Could be that calling ahead is useless.
I am terrified to say this as this is VERY bad. And I trust that you all will forgive me.
I. Have. Never. Been. To. Elliston. Place. Soda. Shop.
Manna -- I love that place!
Mad Platter -- my favorite place in town, if I have a visiting relative who wants to buy.
Prince's -- Beth, if you order the hot, you just may deliver in the parking lot. But, I wouldn't order less. (You *can* get it hotter than their regular hot, but that's not for beginners, for sure.)
My Own Unthinkables ... still haven't made it to Miel. Or Table 7. Or, Bobbie's Dairy Dip! Or Hermitage Cafe. Or the Coney place near Trousdale. Or, I'm afraid, dozens of others. Like Rosario's, sadly.
Prince's will probably ignore the phone. You might get lucky and they'll answer, who knows.
Four or five years ago they took a lunch order for me over the phone and got it right. But since then, I've either had a permanent busy signal, nobody answers, or if I actually reach someone, the same experience as Jack.
Out of date advice, I guess, Tobin.
@Jack & @Tobin, I can confirm that calling Prince's means nothing. It means that if you are lucky & can get their attention, they will then START your called-in order because (and this is what she said), she wants "the chicken to be hot". I just want to eat it in less than 30 minutes. We always take some home and it's great cold later and it does well in the freezer too.
Sounds like I need to check out Manna and Edley's.
Meanwhile, it's a splurge at $15, but Table 3's duck burger (part duck and part kobe) is delightful!
I've eaten at Prince's, Mad Platter, & Brown's. The Baldwins will accompany you to Prince's *anytime. We should totally do lunch at Mad Platter. They do a good soup & salad combo.
*Translation: the 3 hours a day they're open twice a week.
I havent had princes either, but boltons is fabulous. I'm afraid they will suffer the same fate as 400 degrees and go downhill with the move.
Kayne and Catbird are out of my income bracket, but I'd love to give them a whirl. The tea at Savannah tea company is good but the food is awful. I may try a re-do on high tea at The Hermitage. Thanks for the suggestion. (Btw, they are currently doing a venison summer sausage that is ridiculously awesome on The Hunter's Plate).
I thought Browns was pretty gross. Nothing is less appetizing than the white bread stuck to the roof of your mouth phenomenon. I'm anxious to hit The Pharmacy. For my money, it's Gabby's or The Grille at Whole Foods. I mistakenly tried to fix my New Years Day hangover with a burger at The Melrose and it was a funeral in my mouth.
