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Local Faves: Shipley Do-Nuts

March 26th, 2010

I have a confession to make: I have never actually been into a Shipley’s Do-Nuts myself.  I am, however, lucky enough to work in a place where Fridays are Donut Fridays and everyone takes a turn bringing them in. When it’s my week, I go for easy (and on the way) and have to hit up a Dunkin’ Donuts (which is good, but it ain’t Shipley’s).

When it’s his Friday, Jeremy, my friend and king of Donut Fridays, always brings Shipley’s to the office. Today he brought in about two dozen delectable donuts, and for that, I thank him.

Today, my donut was cinnamon-sugar and it was perfect, cakey magnificence.

Shipley’s is indigenous to the South, I believe, so if there’s one in the area where you are, it might be worth a special trip if you’re in the mood.

http://www.shipleydonuts.ws

Local Faves: Thai Taste

March 6th, 2010

Okay: when I’m craving Pad Thai, I mean really craving it, I need to know that what I get will satisfy the craving. There are lots of places in town that make a Pad Thai of some description but most seem to fall short.  The concoctions I’ve found around town are often too sweet or too fishy, and sometimes, not spicy enough!

Thai Taste makes a Pad Thai that is right close to perfection for me. Just enough garlic and spiciness, a spot-on noodle-to-peanuts ratio, and plenty of sprouts and green onions.  I also like mine HOT. Not “Native Thai,” burn your face off hot, but close to it.

Thai Taste has recently come under new management, so the menu has changed a bit, but their Pad Thai is the business. It’s the kind of dish that tastes so good you have to remind yourself that there are at LEAST three servings in the styrofoam container and you really shouldn’t eat the whole thing stop eating it and put the rest in the fridge just put it in the fridge!

Tonight, I ate my Pad Thai accompanied by a Blue Moon Seasonal beer, “Rising Moon,” a delectable mix of Blue Moon flavor plus kaffir lime leaves and lime peel. It was an insanely perfect compliment to the Thai food.

Overall, a lovely dinner.  And I’m glad to be blogging about food again.

Find Thai Taste on Google Maps

Local Faves: Samurai Sushi

November 24th, 2009

It doesn’t look like much from the outside: just a hole-in-the-wall sushi place. A big sign declares OPEN (or not) and there’s a line out the door (or not), but the quality and taste can’t be beat: it’s some of the best sushi I’ve had anywhere, even counting our trip out to San Francisco where we ate at Sebo (that was freakin’ amazing but it’s hard to get things like fluke and butterfish in a landlocked state).

Since we are in a landlocked state, our sushi options are few and far between. Well, perhaps that isn’t accurate: there are sushi options but you just don’t know if you can trust them. Sad-looking “California Rolls” found on Chinese buffets, quite frankly, scare me a bit. Wait: so does being at a Chinese buffet.

Moving on.

A good friend of mine from work (thanks, Julie Z.) took me to Samurai for the first time and in my mind, there is no other sushi place in Nashville.  Yan Choo and his team of sushi chefs make amazing rolls and nigiri, as well as serving up some very tasty miso soup and salads. The rice here is always consistent and delicious (a problem I’ve seen at some would-be “good” sushi places: crunchy rice-middles) and the cuts of fish are generous and skillful, the textures excellent.

My favorites are the spicy scallop (a mix of chopped scallop, chilis, salmon roe and green onion) or the hamachi (yellowtail), and The Playboy Roll, shrimp tempura with avocado, spicy tuna, spicy mayo and crunchies on top.  Husband always goes for the unagi (freshwater eel) and tamago (egg omelette). Purists who don’t go for saucy fusion rolls will be happy with the sashimi or nigiri: and there are more traditional rolls here, too: Rainbow Rolls and simple California Rolls are consistently delicious.

Not to be missed.

Find Samurai Sushi on Google Maps

Local Faves: Joey’s House of Pizza

November 17th, 2009

My husband Evan grew up in New Jersey and as a Jersey boy, he never knew “bad pizza.” Pizza Hut and Dominos were necessary evils spawned of the nation’s desire for carb delivery on demand, but the places that really cleaned up and lasted in his hometown of Red Bank, NJ were “good pizza places.” Quite simply, “bad pizza places” couldn’t survive in a community comprised of pizza connoisseurs.

That sentence would have been better if I was talking about calzones (”community comprised of calzone connoisseurs”) but alas, we’re talkin’ about pizza.

Anyway: I was born and raised in the South, never lived above the Mason-Dixon, and grew up eating all manner of different kinds of pizza (none of it, according to Husband was “good”).  Pizza Hut, Pizza Inn, Domino’s, Little Caesar’s, and the dreaded Cici’s pizza buffet were all on the roster.  And oh, woe unto ye if you mention Cici’s with a tone of anything but disdain in our household: Husband will let you have it.

So as long as we’ve been together (almost 6.5 years), we have lived in the South, a place with a nearly palpable deficit of “good pizza” anywhere to be found.  We’ve tried the odd place here in Nashville only to find establishments putting up a valiant effort but not quite hitting the mark.

Enter Joey’s House of Pizza in Brentwood.

It was as if the stars and gods and what have you all teamed up to bring “good pizza” to the Nashville area, and by proxy my dear husband.  The Macca family (lead by The Joey) bustle behind the counter and huge wall of ovens, taking orders, tossing dough, laughing and shouting around mealtimes.  The pizza slices are mammoth, with cheese and all the toppings you can dream up available on demand by the slice.  You can also get Italian dishes like chicken parmesan or lasagne, as well as salad and (mmmm) tiramisu.

Joey’s enjoys huge crowds at lunch (it’s situated in a strip mall near to a few dozen office buildings in Brentwood), and from the moment they open at 11 to around 2pm they are slammed.  But don’t think you can go late to miss the crowds: you might miss out on your favorite pizza roll!  Dinner time is considerably lighter, but don’t wait too late: they’re only open until 6:30 Monday through Wednesday.  Thursday and Friday, they stay open a little later (until 8:30pm) but no dice on the weekends: they’re closed.

It’s well worth braving the crowd at lunch if you’re close, or if you have time in the evening to call in a pizza order and pick it up.

I highly recommend The White Pizza or a Chicken Parm Roll (strips of chicken parmesan wrapped in pizza dough and baked), and their cheese slices can’t be beat.

Find Joey’s House of Pizza on Google Maps
www.joeyshouseofpizza.com

Local Faves: The Perch

November 7th, 2009

I’ve been to The Perch three or four times on a Saturday morning for crepes and coffee.  I’m not sure that Brentwood knew it needed a creperie but someone figured it out.  This spot is always busy on weekends, and would that my commute took me in its direction, it would be the spot I’d stop for coffee most mornings (in lieu of Dunkin’ Donuts…but that’s another post!).

This morning we slept in (it’s been a nutty month for both Husband and myself) and made our way late morning to The Perch.  It’s always humming with activity, with all the employees milling around with customers, making coffee, and swirling crepe batter on griddles.  The vibe is comfortable and friendly and we love the food and drink.

Espresso drinks range from standard (lattes, mochas and americanos) to the fancy (”Black and White Winter” a dark chocolate, white chocolate and mint, or “The Eiffel Tower” vanilla and hazelnut) and coffee sizes are a comfortable Small, Medium, and Large. No fancy nomenclature here.

The crepes are much the same, with the menu divided into sweet and savory selections.  For the sweet side, you have your French favorites like powdered sugar and lemon juice and indulgent noshes like a Nutella-filled crepe. If you’re in a savory mood, you can pick from crepes filled with cheeses and meats as well as vegetables.

This morning we were in a sweet mood and Husband and I chose cinnamon-sugar crepes. I had a latte and he went the an Eiffel Tower latte.  Since they were so busy, we got to sit for a bit smack dab in front of the griddles, sipping our lattes and watching other orders be prepared, our mouths watering.

When the crepes came they were perfect: chewy and eggy with just enough sugar and cinnamon: I’m not one for overly sweet crepes and usually go for a savory option like their Havarti, bacon and baby spinach crepe.

Stop by the Perch on a Saturday and see what looks good to you. They’d probably also love to see you on a weekday, too, if you’re in the area.

Find The Perch on Google Maps
www.theperchtn.com