Nashville / Seattle / Portland - Advice + Recommendations!

[MJ5150]

Again, I wasn't talking about actual grapefruit, just a citrus hop profile.

I dunno. I think you're talking about grapefruit beer.
It's ok, I quite like it. The Ruby Redbird from Shiner is excellent. I'm down for a good Radler/Shandy anytime too.

-Mike

 

[Passinwind]

I dunno. I think you're talking about grapefruit beer.
It's ok, I quite like it. The Ruby Redbird from Shiner is excellent. I'm down for a good Radler/Shandy anytime too.

One local joint did have an actual grapefruit beer or cider on tap for a while...a pretty short while actually. They went back to Boulder Shake Chocolate Porter for that tap and started getting my money again occasionally.

Never been a big fan of anything from Shiner, but I'm always happy to try something new and maybe be surprised. And of course sometimes anything cold and carbonated qualifies as "good enough", at least in what passes for my world.

 

[MJ5150]

One local joint did have an actual grapefruit beer or cider on tap for a while...a pretty short while actually. They went back to Boulder Shake Chocolate Porter for that tap and started getting my money again occasionally.

Never been a big fan of anything from Shiner, but I'm always happy to try something new and maybe be surprised. And of course sometimes anything cold and carbonated qualifies as "good enough", at least in what passes for my world.

For the best Shiner experience in Washington, I recommended going to the Smokin Oak in Vancouver.
Authentic Texas BBQ with Shiner Bock on tap.

-Mike

 

[Passinwind]

For the best Shiner experience in Washington, I recommended going to the Smokin Oak in Vancouver.
Authentic Texas BBQ with Shiner Bock on tap.

Cool, thanks. My wife's brother lives in Houston, so we'll probably also get down there again eventually.

 

[MJ5150]

Cool, thanks. My wife's brother lives in Houston, so we'll probably also get down there again eventually.

Awesome.
Be sure and check out the brewery tour. In the tasting room, they have the most amazing strawberry lemonade. Made from scratch everyday.
Don't forget to stop at Buc-ee's.

-Mike

 

[AboutSweetSue]

Nobody knows disgusting till you've tried a cucumber beer. Only time I've ever gagged on a beer, subsequently poured it out.

 

[Stan_da_man]

I hate cucumber but in a beer? Double yuk.

 

[mrpackerguy]

Lived in Nashville 6 years. If you like history, the Hermitage is interesting and generally well done as is the State Capitol building downtown. Opryland Hotel is a bit of a tourist trap but we always enjoyed walking around there. Graceland is 4hrs west; Smoky Mountain National Park is 4hrs east.

 

[Stan_da_man]

I'm stopping in Louisville for half a day on the drive down to Nashville - if I wanted to get bourbon, which store would have the best choice and/or best prices?

 

[Stinsok]

Downtown Nashville (Broadway Avenue and areas nearby) is nothing but a tourist trap. Think Times Square + a bunch of crummy cover bands.

East Nashville and Green Hills neighborhoods are more enjoyable, but aside from a handful of great guitar stores, they don't offer much that's unique to Nashville.

Also, parking costs are outrageous in the downtown area! A visit to Gruhn's would be cool.

 

[Stan_da_man]

For Seattle, hit up a Dick's Drive In. They've been in Seattle since the 50's and make a great burger with greasy skin on fries. All they have on the menu are hamburgers, fries, milkshakes, ice cream by the scoop, and beverages. Only one location has seating, the others are just a counter to order and go or stand around and eat with the locals. Who knows, you might see Macklemore, Sir Mix A Lot, or even Jerry Cantrell there.
If you like whiskey, I recommend Radiator in Pike Place Market. Amazing whiskey collection and good food.
13 Coins is a Seattle chain with good food and they're open 24 hours. Way better than Denny's, and each location is decorated with lots of cool Seattle history.
Cupcake Royale makes some really good cupcakes, espresso shakes, and bacon crack cookies which are sugar cookies cooked in bacon grease with bits of bacon in them.
Tofully in Chinatown if you like Korean food, and Dim Sum King while you're in the hood. Best dim sum in town served in a no nonsense diner. If you want the higher end dining experience with your dim sum, Din Tai Fung in the Pacific Place shopping center is your ticket.
Stay out of Starbucks. Slate is the best coffee joint in Seattle, but Uptown Espresso and Caffe Ladro are great too.
On the way to Portland, check out the Smokin Oak in Vancouver (yes, there is a Vancouver in Washington State too) for authentic Texas bar b que. They even have Shiner Bock on tap.
I could go on and on, but there's other Seattle folks who can contribute too.

-Mike

Could you recommend any good seafood places?

 

[MJ5150]

Could you recommend any good seafood places?

Ivar's
Duke's
Rockcreek
Taylor Shellfish

-Mike

 

[roller]

Gruhn's current location is great... way nicer than their last couple of stops.

And it blows me away those guys will let you pull anything off the wall... on your own... without supervision. I've been to many stores with waaaaay lower caliber inventory and have their staff act like a bunch of Nazis, not letting you touch anything without permission.

Kudos to Gruhn's.

Also, parking costs are outrageous in the downtown area! A visit to Gruhn's would be cool.

 

[Stan_da_man]

Black Rabbit is a cool place. Tennessee Brew Works is my favorite brewery (2 for 1 drafts on Wednesday night, 6-8). The Lovelace Cafe is an excellent restaurant for traditional southern foods. The Flying Saucer has an enormous beer selection.

The Basement, Exit/In, Marathon, Acme Feed and Seed, The Ryman....all great venues, but there are dozens more all around the area that cater to all different types of music.

I've lived in Nashville and in the vicinity of it all my life, 34 years, and I can say that there is a ridiculous amount of things to do. If you'd like to know any specifics, feel free to ask.

Outside of Lovelace, what food places are real southern in feel? Really want to get a taste of the south whilst I'm down there.

 

[MJ5150]

Outside of Lovelace, what food places are real southern in feel? Really want to get a taste of the south whilst I'm down there.

Get yourself some boiled peanuts and have a meal at Waffle House.

-Mike

 

[AboutSweetSue]

Outside of Lovelace, what food places are real southern in feel? Really want to get a taste of the south whilst I'm down there.

Southern food is easy to nail. It's really not complicated, minus the proper frying of meats. When I think of Southern atmosphere, I imagine old wood floors and walls (creaky and sloping), a minimal, poor, utilitarian atmosphere, a wood burning fire place with the smell mixing with fried foods, and, most importantly, communal eating. Enjoying the company of others while sharing food is at the core of it. I honestly can't think of a place that replicates that (Cracker Barrel tries, and gets close, but it's just too big now). So, Southern food and the atmosphere focus on community and food. Those two things are most important anyway.

Arnold's Country Kitchen isn't fancy by any stretch of the imagination (think cafeteria). But, their food tastes like my wife's grandmother's cooking. Her grandmother, who is now in her mid 80s, grew up in a log cabin here in TN. She learned to cook from her mother and so on, and it's what I assume is authentic Southern food. Lots of fat, lots of calories, but it is good.

Then there is Monell's. Monell's has communal seating, it's in an old Victorian house, and their food is highly rated. Atmosphere wise, it's going to be close, but the Victorian house ruins it for me.

For Nashville hot chicken, go to Prince's if you want the original. Fried chicken is a Southern staple, so you should check out this hot chicken craze that's going on around here. Party Fowl and Hattie Bs are two popular spots. Hattie Bs is very tourist oriented, but their hot chicken is no joke.

Puckett's Grocery. It's also a live music venue. I've been there a dozen times, and it is reliably good with an excellent beer selection. It does feel Southern in atmosphere.

And, lastly, Cracker Barrel. It's a massive chain spread all across the South and probably elsewhere for all I know. Regardless, I can attest that their food is traditional southern cooking. They really try to nail that atmosphere that I'm talking about, but it still feels very much like a restaurant.

 

[AboutSweetSue]

Get yourself some boiled peanuts and have a meal at Waffle House.

-Mike

Yeah, I should of just said to get yourself a tub of lard and a spoon, go sit on a hill overlooking a cornfield.

 

[Stan_da_man]

Any Portland winery's anyone could recommend?

 

[Passinwind]

Any Portland winery's anyone could recommend?

I can get you some wine bar recommendations for in town, but for actual wineries you should really go to either the Willamette Valley or the Gorge. Neither is a long drive from downtown and both have many great options. Do you have a particular style preference?

 

[Stan_da_man]

I can get you some wine bar recommendations for in town, but for actual wineries you should really go to either the Willamette Valley or the Gorge. Neither is a long drive from downtown and both have many great options. Do you have a particular style preference?

Probably red. Though sparkling white is also good too...