Rex "@R" H.'s Profile

Very neighborhood-feeling (translation: microscopic) restaurant introduced to me by friends who, well, live in the neighborhood. First hint: While it says "Mexican," it's not what you're expecting (it will be better, I promise).

Two words: roasted corn. Well, not just two words as I can't contain myself: The roasted corn is very thinly coated with spices and cotija cheese, which tastes like parmesan's cousin from Mexico -- the cousin with a little more zing. The sweetness of the corn blended with the sharpness of the cheese make for a combo-bueno.

I've eaten there a couple of times in the small dining space you enter from the side. There is a room downstairs and a diner-like serving area on the street level. It's a tight fit wherever, but it's fun and friendly.

If you're looking for an informal (and quick) spot that has great food, it's a great spot to try.

Okay, I'll skip the donut review. You either love them or you're like, from somewhere else or something. So this isn't a review of the donuts.

It's a review of the chocolate ice cream.

I don't know if all Krispy Kremes have yanked out part of the front of their stores and replaced them with something that serves ice cream and coffee, but this location has.

And I don't know if other people like chocolate ice cream that is soft serve and tastes like the chocolate ice cream you remember being on a fudge-sicle, but I do.

And this is that kind of chocolate ice cream.

I've just eaten it in a cone, but there's this big poster showing it being served on the top of a donut. As much as I like both, I'm a purist when it comes to decadent sweets I shouldn't be eating. I like them each straight.

Warning: If you *do* like the kind of soft chocolate ice cream that tastes like a fudge-sicle, then this ice cream is addictive as crack. So don't try it, unless you've taken up marathon running or something that allows you to eat all the ice cream you want.

But, then again, if something like a massive slug of calories bothered you, you probably wouldn't be at a Krispy Kreme anyway.

Over the years, Prince's has gone from being an obscure tiny dive in a part of town you've never been to before to being a very famous tiny dive in a part of town you've never been to before.

If you're visiting Nashville from out of town, the restaurant will not be convenient to any place you are staying or are hanging out. But as you can tell from these reviews, it's going to be worth the expensive cab ride.

Another thing you can tell from the reviews that's true: This place is all about the chicken. It comes in three versions: plain, medium and hot. Don't order the hot. I promise. You'll die. The first time I went there (before there were long lines), I asked for the hot. The lady at the window (it's inside, but there's a window into the kitchen where you order) said, "Have you ever eaten here?" When I said "no," she said, "You don't want the hot." I ordered the medium at her insistence. I'm glad I did.

Over the years, as my taste buds have withered, I can handle the heat, but I still advise you to get the medium.

I haven't been in quite some time, so the reviews about the long lines give me pause. It's certainly a unique experience and I recommend it. But I'm not sure I'd devote several hours of a short trip to Nashville to it.

Special link: In September, 2010, Blake Farmer, a reporter for Nashville Public Radio station, WPLN, did this story about Nashville's hot chicken tradition and its growing popularity:  http://wpln.org/?p=20350

This is right down the street from my office, so I eat there often. The fish taco and lime chicken are my favorites. Indeed, they are all I ever eat. Nice shaded outside eating area with enough room inside to escape heat or cold when necessary.  Order at the register and the food is delivered to your table. Staff is friendly and quick on refills and other requests.

Compared to the parade of eateries that have been at this location over the years, I think Local Taco will have a great, long run.

Like others, the fact that Jim 'n Nick is "a chain" -- and a barbecue chain, at that -- would lead me to expect something very different. Barbecue is like those localize weather anomalies called "microclimates" in places like California where it can be 45 and foggy in San Francisco and 80 degrees and blue sky in San Jose.

What's good barbecue in one southern city can be quite strange to those another place. In reality, this is a Birmingham restaurant. But all of the barbecue and other meats are slow cooked in pits on location, so the food is very "authentic."

It's a big, roomy place and they turn tables efficiently, but you won't feel rushed.

It's family friendly, but also has a sizable bar area, as well.

I recommend the pulled pork (ask for them to include a little "outside meat" -- the charred, burned part -- to give yourself a pit-cooked experience). However, the chicken and ribs are great, as well. Biggest surprise is the beef brisket which, while it wouldn't please a someone raised in Texas, is a pretty good imitation of what they call barbecue down there.

The collards are good and they have them on the menu all the time. On Fridays, they have blackeyed peas.

Surprise treat: They serve their soft drinks, tea and lemonade with flaked ice, which is rare these days. Their ice and home-style lemonade makes for a great Arnold Palmer.

This is my neighborhood sports bar, but despite the name, it's more restaurant than sports bar. Actually, come to think of it, the name "Sportsman's" doesn't reflect the "family" type place it is around 5-7 p.m. each night.

While I'm not necessarily recommending it for visitors from out of town, it's easily the spot I frequent the most. And unlike some places where I always order the same thing, I enjoy lots of Sportsman staples: the blackened chicken salad is a favorite, but once in a while I'll go for their very good burger.

The nightly specials are good and "comfortable" food -- especially the catfish. The staff is very friendly and efficient. And the bar area seems to have a very "everyone knows your name" friendly vibe.

Before Nashville banned smoking in restaurants, it was a very smokey place, but that's become a welcomed distant memory. However, for smokers, there's an outside bar, eating area. Not very much ambiance, but the folks out there don't seem to mind.

If you are visiting from out of town, I think the most unique and "southern" thing they have is barbecue served with cornbread. At one time, the barbecue was from Whitts, which will provide you with a Middle-Tennessee style barbecue (if there is such a thing) and the cornbread is served in "cakes," which means "like a pancake." Quite good, but I don't really order it as I enjoy my barbecue moments elsewhere.

One of the growing number of chief-owned restaurants in Nashville. And definitely among the best. The setting is a wonderful surprise as its space is an old meat market set behind a 1950s era ice cream spot -- and Nashville icon -- called Bobby's Dairy Dip (if Miel's deserts weren't so great, I'd recommend having a dipped cone after dinner.) I agree with the other positive reviews here (and I just don't get the negative ones). However, I'll add that during the mid-summer to early fall, the restaurant is featuring organic food from its own garden -- as fresh as it gets. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. It's all wonderful.

There's a reason the line is so long to get in. Hearty, well prepared and fresh breakfast. Nothing fancy. Just good, home-cooked-like breakfast staples. I've been eating at the Pancake Pantry for 30 years and one of the reasons it's so popular is the consistency -- little changes. It's hard to mess with perfection.

A note about those lines: They move fast -- especially if you are a party of two.