Prince's Hot Chicken - Southern, Nashville

5055 Broadway, Stall # 2268, Nashville TN 37203
Parking: paid parking lots and street parking
Hours: Sun-Thurs 10:30am-10pm, Fri-Sat 10:30am-Midnight

Last Visited: August 10, 2023

Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ 

The origins of hot chicken are often attributed to the legend of Thornton Prince, a ladies' man that stepped out on his girlfriend one day and when she found out, she crafted her revenge.  The Sunday fried chicken dinner she was cooking would be doused with hot spice, and instead of the revenge she had hoped for, he wanted more.   

Located in the Assembly Food Hall, Level 2 South, you'll find Prince's Hot Chicken amidst many choices of Nashville fare.  From the street level, this is a bit hidden, but once you navigate the space, it's not hard to locate the line of folks excited to enjoy the original hot chicken.  

After having a number of days of barbecue and other fried chicken dinners, I opted for a salad with mild chicken tenders. One thing you should know is that the Assembly Hall doesn't offer the full range of chicken dishes (like leg quarters or breast quarters) that Prince's Hot Chicken South offers, but you can still get wings and tenders.  This operation seems like they limited the menu purposely to address the crowds.

- Fried Chicken Salad - This came with two tenders (choose your own spicy level) and the salad contained spring mix, grated cheese, a few cucumber slices, and grape tomatoes. Choose your own dressing. It's a hearty portion and the greens are fresh.  The salad appears pre-packed and waits in the window while your chicken is being prepared.  The tenders are white meat and while juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside, the amount of oil on the paper wrapping the tenders was a bit unappetizing.  The good thing is that the chicken is served separate from the salad.  Compared to another famous fried chicken spot, it seemed inferior, but okay.  $12

While it was fresh and tasted fine, I thought the mild was still a bit too mild, and I would choose medium heat next time.  Given the limited menu, I probably would head to Prince's Hot Chicken South so I could compare them against their competition better by ordering a friend leg quarter instead.  Service was okay, but nothing special - not extra friendly, but not bad either. 
Overall, it was just an okay experience.   

Easy Rider - Southern, Petaluma

190 Kentucky St, Petaluma CA 94952
(707) 774-6233
Parking: street parking
Hours: Mon-Fri 5pm-9pm; Sat-Sun 10am-1:30pm, 5pm-9pm
www.easyriderpetaluma.com

Last Visited: May 6, 2023

Food: 3 to 4 stars

Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars

Service: 4 to 5 stars

Price: $$$

Petaluma's food scene is pretty happening for a small town - Italian is a staple and while there is a good variety of everything else, there hasn't really been a southern comfort food spot in Sonoma County, so it's fun to see a new place take this location.

Enter Easy Rider and you'll see their full bar.  Tables tend to be a bit tight in terms of space - for example, we sat in the booth across from the bar and if you happen to be a little larger, this would have been uncomfortable, but overall, they have made it cozy and rustic, using up every counter and corner that you can find.

The restaurant was packed on a Saturday night by 6pm, so reservations are definitely recommended.  If you live locally, consider the three course prix fixe menu for $44 - a terrific deal when most of their entrees are in the high $30 range.  Brunch is available on the weekends.  If you have to wait, there seems to be an abundance of drink choices to try.  

Ashley, our server, was very positive and had such a pleasant attitude.  She was not fazed at all by our declaration that we would share all of the entrees and made sure the bussers didn't take our plates away after the appetizer.  I really appreciated her service and attention to detail. 

- Hushpuppies - For our starter, we chose the bacon and cheddar hushpuppies which are served with a sweet strawberry and japaleno jam.  The hushpuppies exterior are a bit dark in color, but the inside is bright yellow and the flavor of the bacon and salt from the cheddar definitely comes out.  There were six in total.  The jam could be more jammy/thick, and the strawberry was definitely more prominent the jalapeno, but that was fine for our table since we can't tolerate a ton of spice anyways. Solid, but I would have preferred the oil to be fresher so that the presentation could be golden brown.  $13.75

- Braised Short rib - This was easily the best dish of the night.  The short rib is super tender and flavorful.  You don't even need a knife.  The potato puree is covered with gravy and topped with the meat, so you can't go wrong there.  The short rib was topped with some fried shallots, chopped parsley, and a horseradish cream.  While the menu mentions turnip and mushrooms, I think with our splitting all of the entrees that I missed getting these ingredients. They certainly weren't overwhelming.  In any case, I could easily eat this dish again.  The horseradish cream is pretty mild, so I wouldn't have minded if the horseradish flavor was stronger here.  Four stars. $37 

- Shrimp n grits - Four shrimp are served with four slices of andouille sausage cut on the bias and grilled.  The grits are topped with sauce creole and there is a small spoonful's worth of trinity pickles on the side.  The shrimp is tender and not overcooked and the sauce has a kick - so if you don't like spicy food, you should skip this one.  The grits are just the right texture.  For this price, I think another couple of shrimp would make it a better value.  Good, but the sauce can be a touch overpowering and possibly affected every dish I ate after this one. $33.50

- Berkshire pork chop - I was pleasantly surprised at how juicy this pork chop was when I cut into it.  It's thick and meaty - maybe it's brined.  With all of the other dishes, my palate might have been a bit distorted by the time I ate this, but the pork chop could be a bit saltier.  The cheesy grits don't have as much of a cheesy taste as just a regular grits taste.  The collards are slightly sweet because of the apple butter.  This was just okay, but the meat was done nicely.  If you want mild flavors, choose this one. $34.50

- Southern fried chicken dinner - This was my second favorite dish of the night.  Four pieces of chicken are breaded with a cornmeal crust and fried.  I think they probably brine the meat because I've never had a fried chicken breast this size that is this juicy.  The meat is served drizzled with calabrian chili honey and there is bacon truffle gravy on the side.  Mac and cheese and collard greens also come with the chicken.  The calabrian chili is not very noticeable, but the sweetness of the honey makes for a terrific bite with this thick crust.  Similar comment as above when it comes to the color being a bit on the dark side.  Nevertheless, the gravy makes it better, although I could taste the bacon more than the truffle.  Actually, had the menu not said truffle, I can't say I would have even noticed that was part of the ingredient list, but again, it could have been that creole sauce from the shrimp and grits dish that made it less noticeable.  The mac and cheese is awesome - even if you're not ordering the chicken, I wonder if you can get that as a side (it's not on the menu as a side dish).  Collard greens are ok - nothing to write home about here.  The sides make this a really good value. $35.50

The food and service make Easy Rider worth a visit.  In my opinion, there is a lot of good flavors going on, but some ingredients could be highlighted even more.  I'm really glad I shared the entrees so I didn't feel stuck with any one because depending on what you order, as noted, some flavors are mild while others may be too strong.  

The menu offers sandwiches and other sides as well as lighter fare.  The staff was all around friendly and made the evening enjoyable.  It's a fun atmosphere for drinks or night out with friends.  Note that they also charge a living wage surcharge on your dine in bill.

Chef Gator's Rustic Burger & His Creole Friends

5 Petaluma Blvd South, Petaluma CA 94952
(707) 658-1845
Parking: in parking lot
https://www.gatorscreolefriends.com/

Last Visited: June 7, 2018

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

Cousin Jimmy, a local Petaluma food enthusiast, suggested that I try out this new joint. It's been open for a few months now.

Chef Gator was a contestant on Guy Fieri's grocery games and recently had a food truck with similar fare in Petaluma.  Photos from his Food Network episodes are on display in one wall.  The room has a casual feel with bright colors, seating at the bar, regular tables, and high top tables.  Order at the counter and get a number, then wait for food to be delivered to you.

- Gator's Chicken and Waffles - 2 piece leg & thigh, southern fried, served with peach cobbler butter and maple syrup.  It's as good as it sounds.  The waffle is crispy on the outside and soft in the center.  The chicken is well seasoned, crispy, and golden brown - the portion is hearty and the balance of crunchy with sweet is perfect.  The peach cobbler butter is a pleasant surprise.  Very good.  This dish would get four stars. $12.99

- Smoked Chicken & Cajun Sausage Jambalaya - While there's no photo here, the half order is quite large and sufficient for a small eater.  The jambalaya is thick and well-seasoned.  Tasty and a good deal.  Half order $6.99, Full order $12.99

- Rustic Cheese Burger with Fries - Grass fed beef patty on shredded lettuce, tomatoes, caramelized onions, creole mustard aioli, and choice of cheese.  Chef Gator informed us that the buns are made daily and seemed particularly proud of their rosemary flavoring.  The bun could hold up slightly better - near the last few bites, it seemed slightly soft.  The fries were crispy and also lightly seasoned.  My burger patty seemed to be denser in one section than another, but this didn't seem to be the case with the other burgers.  Otherwise, it was pretty good.  $7.75 a la carte, $10.75 with regular fries

Chef Gator came and chatted with us and shared that he'll soon be battling Bobby Flay on Beat Bobby Flay and is also working on other tv appearances.  I appreciated his friendly demeanor and down to earth spirit.  The staff was friendly, but when it comes to service, there is still room for improvement.  Their computer system seemed to have glitches - one of our three burgers didn't arrive with the rest of the meal and I had to remind them that I had ordered it.  Also, while they were good to inform us that the chicken and waffles may take more time and that they were holding on to all the dishes so that everything would arrive together, when it did come, one of the servers slid a burger across the table (and past three people) in order to get it to the right person. The other server walked her items around to the appropriate person.

Generally speaking, the menu looks good, but I would recommend the chicken and waffles for a real treat.

Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen - Southern, Berkeley

Best: Pecan Pie, Shrimp Po' Boy

2261 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley CA 94704
(510) 548-6900
Parking: street parking
Hours: Mon 5:30pm - 9pm, Tues-Thurs and Sun 11:30am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am-10pm
http://angelineskitchen.com/

Last Visited: April 24, 2010

Food: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

Although I have frequently traveled to Berkeley during the last few years, I never knew about Angeline's until I saw an episode of Check Please. Founded by the late Robert Volberg in 2006, Angeline's was the result of a desire to bring New Orleans flavor to the Bay Area. Chef Brandon Dubea, originally from Baton Rouge, leads the way with authentic southern dishes.

The television show touted the shrimp po' boy, so of course, that was something I absolutely had to try. This weekend evening, the wait was tremendous - more than an hour, but we were excited to give it a try, and stood outside with the rest of the people waiting for our turn. You may want to bring a book. They do, however, take a limited number of reservations.

- Hush Puppies - It's a little hard to see in this photo, but cornmeal fritters are served with honey butter. The hush puppies are sweet and not dry - a good way to start the meal with a little southern flare. The honey butter is light and fluffy - wish I could take it home. Good. $4.95

- Shrimp Po' Boy - Lettuce, tomato, pickle, creole mustard, mayo, and hot sauce accompany lightly battered shrimp. I liked the crunchiness and freshness that the lettuce gave to the sandwich and the hot sauce provided the perfect kick. It's served with a choice of potato salad or a side salad. We selected the potato salad which was made with red potatoes, creole dressing, and green onions and topped with a little bit of chopped parsley. The sandwich is delicious - I could eat this every time I go for a visit. The potato salad on the other hand was worth skipping - although there is spice to the dressing, I found the salad fairly bland and would not recommend ordering it for a side dish alone. In the future, I might try the side salad option instead. Great sandwich that I would definitely give a thumbs up for ordering again. If you prefer, for another dollar, you can get an oyster po' boy instead. $11.95

- Buttermilk Fried Chicken - Boneless breast is served with ginger
vanilla sweet potato mash, tasso ham gravy, and Blue Lake green beans with parmesan. While I didn't actually try the chicken (another member of our party ordered it), I did try the sweet potatoes. They're delicious! More like dessert than a side, but I could eat a plate of them. If you're one of those people whom doesn't like their food to touch, you should probably let the staff know because as you can see from the photo, a lot of it blends together. The beans are more tender than I prefer, but they're okay. $15.95

- Crawfish Etoufee over Rice - This is served with Blue Lake green beans with parmesan. See previous comment about the beans. The crawfish etoufee is good, but I don't know how authentic it is. If you like to eat bite after bite of tender meat, then you'll probably like this dish. I wouldn't have minded if the level of spice was just a little greater. A healthy portion too. Good. $13.95

- Pecan Pie with bourbon vanilla whipped cream - Normally, I don't order dessert, but the guests on Check Please kept insisting that one must save room for dessert. The price is a little steep, but the pecan pie is incredible. Bite after bite of melt in your mouth pecans with butter, eggs, and sugar - it's definitely homemade. And that whipped cream is so light and fluffy that it's no wonder this dessert is so popular. It's made it to my list of Sesame Tea Favorites. $6.95

Other offerings include muffaletta, gumbo, beignets, swamp water (half lemonade, half iced tea), jambalaya, crab cakes, and BBQ baby back ribs. I would probably go for another po' boy and the beignets next (yes, I have no qualms about planning my next meal here).

It was a bit shocking to go to the website and learn of Robert's death. I remember him greeting us and bringing us to our table. I also remember him checking out my phone because he was considering getting a new phone. He had a friendly and easy way about him that I'm sure helped attract many customers back to Angeline's. I think you'll still find that friendliness there in the atmosphere and the food, and you absolutely must save room for some pecan pie.