Nashville for a newbie....

Dear Jelly Roll: How’s the traffic?

Jelly Roll on Instagram: "Don’t we all love traffic"

 

Jesus, that's awful. No, I never got in a fistfight at Satco.

Gold Rush, Exit/In, though...

 

I'm 3-for-3. AND Brown's Diner. Damn I was a hoodlum.

 

Haha. I tackled the bouncer at Gold Rush after he threw my fake ID over my shoulder into the street. Thankfully my friends got me outta there before the reinforcements arrived. Later, it was the first place I had a drink when I turned 21.

 

Garth Brooks is opening a honky tonk in Nashville, will they serve Bud Light?, he was asked.

"“And yes, we’re going to serve every brand of beer,” he said. “We just are. It’s not our decision to make. Our thing is this, if you (are let) into this house, love on another. If you’re an (expletive) hole, there are plenty of other places on lower Broadway.”

 

Party on, Garth!

Listened to this CD the other day. It perfectly captures East Nashville as it was:

Josh Rouse's musically Impressionistic portrait of Nashville reveals the soul of the city without mentioning one landmark.

 

I'll be there for the NHL Draft in two weeks, staying at the Grand Hyatt. The popular joints on Broadway will be a total gong show, looking for recommendations for good spots in the area for drinking, music and eats (barbecue especially) that won't be overrun with hordes of tourists or NHL types. Merci!

 

I know in summer it sounds insane, but the chili at Rippey's on the corner of Broadway (across from Tootsie's) always has been good. Cold beers, bowl of chili. Or, a cheeseburger.

I don't know anything about bars on Broadway. Someone may mention Puckett's on Church; I've been a couple of times and thought it was passable, but nothing that blew my socks off. IMO the one in Franklin 20 miles south of downtown is better, as are other places in Franklin.

Should you want to venture out from downtown:

Monell's in the Germantown area north of downtown is a family-style pass-around restaurant. Fried chicken, pork chops, all the vegetables, tea that gives you diabetes, deserts that rock, and all you can eat. Lunch is similar. Breakfast is eggs, grits, country ham, bacon, biscuits, gravy, all the stuff that will give your cardiac specialist the hives and twitches.

Hattie B's Hot Chicken is west of downtown (will need to Uber) and worth a stop if you want to give that a try.

I'm a fan of the San Antonio Taco Company, which is on 21st Ave S and Scarritt Place. Have only been a few times but it's always been solid. Vanderbilt U is across the street should you want to stroll the campus.

Should you want to venture to Franklin (20+ miles south, via Uber), I'd highly recommend the Cask & Cow in downtown on 4th Ave. just off Main. Great steaks and fish, solid sides, excellent cheeseburgers, great selection of wine and boubons. If you wanted to get out of the downtown mess, IMO it would be a good getaway. Definitely call for reservations.

Also in Franklin is Puckett's, the original, which I prefer much more over the one in Nashville. Why? Dunno. It's just always seemed better in Franklin. They often have live music here, too, sometimes with "OMG, is that ...?" kind of guests. Pop into Kilwins for ice cream.

Should you want some suggestions for Indian, Thai, etc., I'd be glad to ask friends in Nashville for ideas.

As for barbecue, I'm sure there is a good spot or two in Nashville. I don't know of any. I'd probably try to get out of town into some two-bit backwoods area where you'd see a flag or two, Jimmy Ray spittin' Copenhagen out by the firebox that's been burning continuously since 1948 and someone calling you "Hon" when you ask for tea after she brings the menu.

 

It'll be right in the heart of crazy on Broadway, but Jack's BBQ is a fine place for lunch.
The Pharmacy Burger Parlor across the river in East Nashville is good.

 

I mentioned this before, but one of my best drinking sessions was some dive on Music Row. $2 tallboys in a place packed at noon. They were a little standoffish, but warmed up.

 

The best BBQ in the area is just across the border from Red Boiling Springs in Kentucky. Probably not reachable by Uber.

 

Red Boiling Springs isn’t reachable by pony express.

Once upon a time there was a restaurant called Roiter’s that served delicious burgers on French bread. It is no more, but there is now a concession stand for it on the main level at Preds games. No idea if it will be open for the draft or not.