Chopbiscuit on the road Dining Review: Cock of the Walk - Nashville, TN

Dining guest, "The handly probably had a cock on the top; things that were contrived to turn seem anciently to have had that form, whatever was the reason. Waiter says, because it used to be constructed in forma crit[ae] galli, i.e., in the form of a cock's comb."

..... A conversation overheard while dining at the Cock of the Walk.

Welcome to another delightful inspection of some of the USA's most frequented saloons, dining halls and high end bistro's. One of us is on the road virtually every week and have the opportunity to dine all over the country at some of the finest institutions and loathsome watering holes known to man. Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, some deity would permit us to be pirates and savage our nutriment.

I like eating. It fascinates me. I sit and look at the food for hours. I often eat while laying down in my hotel room with a bib in my lap and my outlook calendar open. Eating is my tweeting, except it's much cooler. Food is often made into the celebrity of carnage, which makes us appear to be pompous and scarce in regards to the act of eating itself. You eat because you fuel. I eat because I'm hungry. I eat because it's my job. I go out to these establishments to consume their lineups.

I then judge it.

Cock of the Walk
Nashville, TN 37214

This restaurant is located near the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and is a favorite of the locals. If you like fish (fried), the way most landlocked Midwesterner's, you will love this joint. It's got every country star from Hank Williams to Joe Diffy up on the wall for your viewing enjoyment. *wink*

What I absorbed

My group ingested the pot of white beans, fried onion rings, and fried dill pickles for our appetizer. The cute-bubbly waitress then pulled out fresh cornbread in a skillet then tossed it 20 feet in the air prior to slicing it on the table for us. It was very Ringling Brothers, without the little people in face paint running around.

Our main dish was the classic, fried catfish and flatboat shrimp. The light breading was perfect and the catfish had that smoky note that makes it a great catch. It's a simple concept with simple amenities that make this a great joint. To top it off, they served me my Shiner bock in a tin can. Three thumbs up for that one-I felt like I was out camping with confederate soldiers, in a good way.

I enjoyed the aura of the restaurant and would definitely recommend it to any body that enjoys the visuals that accompanies the country western vibe. 

Chop Biscuit on the road - Chicago Dining Review

G'day ladies and Gents. I'm currently out in the Windy city for a work project and unfortunately didn't have the opportunity to make it into downtown to chomp  at any of my favorite places in Chi town. Ultimately, due to time constraints we had to stay out in the suburbs and stopped by the local Kona Grill from some sushi. All I can say is, meh.

 Kona Grill  is a company based in Scottsdale, AZ that owns and operates 25 restaurants, the newest one opened in Baltimore, MD^. It was founded in 1999. Its restaurants have won over 50 awards, including Best New Restaurant, Best Sushi and Best Happy Hour. They serves dishes including pasta, pizza and sushi.

We started out with some decent calamari and a few kirin drafts, my default tap beer at most faux Asian restaurants. The calamari had decent breading and was light and fluffy with a nice salted spice. I also was intrigued by their promotion of a Apple and brie flat breads with fresh fig. Again, meh. The apples had zero tartness and the figs didn't necessarily help the flavor out much. The sushi was our next course and the rice had a rubbery texture and chewiness that ultimately again, void of the freshness you expect from your high quality sushi.

I've been to a few Kong Grills prior and have had some decent experiences trying out some of their standard fare. I've never really had a great sushi experience there and recommend you don't verge onto the sashimi menu either. Lively environment and great staff definitely made up for the mediocre food experience.