We arrived in Nashville at dusk after taking a 4.5 hour off-the-beaten-path drive from Birmingham, Alabama, which we had driven after walking all around Birmingham for a couple hours exploring the city that looks like it still exists in 1967.  Anyway, we were tired, hungry, and ready to start exploring another city.  After relaxing in our hip, modern, worth-your-visit boutique Hotel Indigo in downtown Nashville for an hour or so, drinking some wine we had purchased in New Orleans just in case everything was closed in Birmingham when we arrived there the night before (always thinking ahead…).

Dinner was an absolute success that evening at Merchant’s, and we were so full and tired afterwards that we really just wanted to have a glass of wine in our room (since it was so nice and spacious) and go to bed early.  We decided to walk a little hoping to stumble upon a liquor store.  We walked and walked and walked for at least an hour and found absolutely nothing.  We definitely weren’t in New Orleans any longer!  What a lesson learned that evening.  There is nowhere to buy alcohol in downtown Nashville.

The next day, during a 6 hour walk-a-thon of the city, we finally stumbled upon Midtown Wine and Spirits (1610 Church Street).  It felt like a celebratory moment!  We just like to have a bottle of wine in the room with us.  Is that crazy?

We walked in and there was a Jack Daniel’s display of single barrel whiskey.  We had just learned all about single barrel whiskey from Chris McMillian at Bar UnCommon in New Orleans and I suggested we buy a bottle.  Kevin was somewhat interested, but then, you have to pack it, so it is definitely a commitment with airline luggage weight restrictions.

And then… Kevin saw the date this whiskey was bottled: 10.11.2010.  That’s his birthday.  We had to get it.

This whiskey is especially cool because the distinguished palates of Midtown Wine and Spirits actually go to Jack Daniel’s every year and taste some of the single barrels that have not been mixed with other barrels (hence the name “Single Barrel”).  They decide which one they like most and Jack Daniel’s bottles the entire barrel for them to sell at their store.  

The box informs us that “the barrels chosen for single barrel come from the uppermost floors of the barrelhouses that dot the the hills surrounding the distillery.  The extremes in temperature these floors experience during the year result in barrels which yield whiskey of uncommon smoothness, aroma, and flavor with notes of vanilla, toasted oak, and caramel.  Once chosen, the whiskey is bottled a single barrel at a time, never mixing it with whiskey from other barrels.”

We still haven’t opened it.  This one is for special occasions.

Where are we going to eat?  That is the million dollar question every time we travel.  Walking down Broadway in Nashville, TN, we were not enticed to eat anywhere.  Not to sound like food-snobby northerners (or Coloradans… even worse, Boulderites!), but our dining options in downtown Nashville didn’t look too good.  We didn’t want bar food.  We had made a poor choice for lunch that day in Birmingham, Alabama (and that is all I will say about that), and were looking for something made from scratch, on the healthy side, and hip.  As we approached Merchant’s, we glanced inside, walked past, stopped, and said, “Wow.That looks like the perfect place for us tonight.”

Merchants has an upstairs and downstairs- two separate establishments sharing the same finer-dining philosophy. We decided to dine at Merchant’s Downstairs to enjoy a more casual dinner.  The menu is uniquely quirky- just some narrow sheets of paper clipped at the top.  But those photocopied sheets reveal dishes that are thoughtfully created by and for modern foodies ready to break away from the heavy, greasy fare available at most Nashville establishments in the downtown area.

And let’s not forget the cocktails. You know I love cocktails…

We started off with two cocktails featuring absinthe- The Savoy Hotel Special No. 1 (above) and the Mad Hatter (below).  Both were quite complex- sweet, but not too sweet, savory, and a slightly bitter finish with each sip. 

We split a spinach salad.  I got snap happy with my hipstamatic app, so I know this salad does not look amazing, but it sure did taste good.  Especially for a veggie lover like me who is trying so very hard to find veggies on menus here in the south.  Spinach, goat cheese, kalamata olives, red onion, and tomato.  What’s not to love? And, one thing I particularly appreciated was that there was no problem splitting the salad.  Our waitress had it split in the kitchen and served on two plates.  Thank you so much for that.

The duck fat fried tater tots were not something I chose to order (that was my companion’s decision), but I had no problem eating half of them.  Tater tots are no longer just some nasty frozen food that I refuse to go near.  Make some in house and fry them in duck fat.  Merchants has a great idea here.  The only complaint I can muster is that the serving of tots is so huge we both could only eat half of our sandwiches… but, the other halves were perfect for breakfast the next day, so it worked out quite nicely.

I ordered a roasted turkey sandwich that came with cranberry spread on some light, crunchy bread.  It was exactly what I needed.  I couldn’t stop eating the sweet potato fries and the BBQ dipping sauce that came with them.  I definitely over-ate and realized it would be hard to walk out of the place.  Kevin had a fried green tomato BLT and absolutely loved it.  Restaurant chefs out there- if you are reading this, pay close attention: a fried green tomato BLT is a fantastic idea.  Fantastic!  Kevin also over-ate and we came to a good solution…

We ordered a couple more drinks to help digest.  Good idea.

I ordered a Negroni- I liked that is had Campari.

Kevin ordered a Tom Collins.

I couldn’t help but snap a few photos of the place.

It has such an original character with black and white floors, chairs, tables, etc.

We enjoyed our meal at Merchant’s so much that we returned the next day for a few more cocktails, two salads, and their fish tacos.  Again, we really appreciated that they divided the fish tacos and served them on two plates for us to share.  Merchant’s has been a highlight of our southern road trip.  I’d like to check out the more formal dining of Merchant’s upstairs the next time I’m in Nashville.  If you’ve been there, I’d love to know what you think.

I never really thought I’d find myself in Mobile, Alabama, but, we passed right through it on our drive from New Orleans to Birmingham. Mobile is a gulf-coast city and has an old, authentic downtown that is worth checking out for a bit of history. While you’re there, grab some lunch where the locals eat- Wintzell’s Oyster House.

Wintzell’s is the most unique restaurant I have ever seen.

The entire place- literally wall-to-wall- is covered with funny little sayings. You could spend days reading the truisms on the wall. Advice about love, life, etc. Pretty funny.

So, on your next southern road trip, look for a Wintzell’s rather than a Waffle House. There are a number of locations. Not as many as there are Waffle House locations, but I don’t even want to start talking about that. Really… I don’t even want to start. I’d rather end on a positive note: Wintzell’s Oyster House is southern experience not to be missed.

On our quest for original cocktails in New Orleans, we were pleased to discover Bar UnCommon with the illustrious mixologist Chris McMillian (one of the founders of The Museum of the American Cocktail) and his friendly (and foodie) wife Laura. We walked up to the incredibly modern illuminated glass bar and were greeted by Chris. He asked what types of spirits we like and went to work making the best Old Fashioned I’d ever had the pleasure of tasting.

I am currently interested in Rye whisky and it was an interesting coincidence that while sitting there sipping an Old Fashioned, a small group at the other side of the bar had inquired about the differences between bourbon, scotch, and rye. It became clear that Chris McMillian has tomes worth of knowledge on spirits and cocktails and we it felt as if we were attending one of his Tales of the Cocktail classes.

We also got our first taste of a Pimm’s Cup. We have a new summer time party drink here and I’m going to watch Chris on You Tube give his mixology lessons for these drinks.

So, if you’re not in New Orleans for the frozen carnival-like smoothies on Bourbon Street, but prefer to discover some history behind the cocktail and the intricate flavor combinations and sensations that a master mixologist can create, head over to Bar UnCommon, say hi to Chris and Lauren, sit back, relax, and enjoy their creations.