Nashville is home to regional specialty "hot chicken," the hot-as-hell fried chicken that I couldn't get enough of. And Prince's Hot Chicken Shack is the originator.

"Prince's Hot Chicken Shack is a restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee, known for its hot chicken. The business was started in 1945 by James Thornton Prince, and in 1980 ownership was passed to his great-niece André Prince Jeffries. While impossible to verify, the development of hot chicken is reportedly accidental. Prince was purportedly a womanizer, and after a particularly late night his girlfriend at the time cooked him a fried chicken breakfast with hot pepper as revenge. Prince, however, liked the taste so much that he and his brothers created their own recipe and opened the Bar-B-Que Chicken Shack. The café was originally located at 28th Ave and Jefferson St, but moved to its Ewing Dr location in 1988."

We traveled to a part of town that wasn't as built up as the other tourist heavy areas that we had been frequenting. It was more quiet, a bit more downtrodden and just a bit slower. We arrived at the strip mall that houses Prince's, and the lot was so full of cars, we couldn't find an open spot in which to park. We ended up parking across the street and (I think) getting yelled at. Oops.

When we walked inside the restaurant, people lined the walls and booths, either eating or waiting for their to-go orders. I wasn't quite sure where to go - scared to cut anybody in line - but someone gently nudged me to the back of the building. I let a few people go ahead of me as I figured out what I wanted. I also noticed at this point that Brittany and I were the only white people in the entire restaurant, and I remembered reading a piece about this place on NPR where whites used to enter through the back door. And then I wondered if I had messed up. I didn't.

A woman peddling desserts set up a table just before the window where you order, and a menu was hung up on that wall. We got drinks out of the vending machine, which was next to photos of people crying from how hot the chicken is, while waiting. It was the first time I had ever seen Peach Minute Maid.

I ended up ordering a single MILD white meat breast quarter (cash only), and I thought we'd have to wait like everyone else. But the lady said there wasn't any sense in us waiting for a single piece, so after a few minutes at the window, she handed over this brown paper bag. We headed out - hoping our car wasn't towed.

I tried to pick at the chicken breast while we were driving back toward Brittany's apartment. I had heard it was gonna be hot, but I didn't even expect this. First off, it was temperature hot. Like, straight outta the kitchen, right from the fryer, hot-on-my-hands hot. Second of all, the spice level is un-freaking-real. I took a small bite and felt a small fire ignite in my throat. The grease grazed my cheek, which started to burn. Mild is no joke, folks. It's really damn hot. It's just the breading, though. The chicken breast meat itself isn't spicy. But, the taste is so good. I don't love crazy hot stuff, but the flavor was still delicious (or I'm just starting to like hot stuff). That paired with the peach Minute Maid to help cool my mouth off made for a really, really good meal. Just prepare for your mouth to never feel the same again.

Grade: A

Everywhere we went around town, we saw these Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Co. bars. While this shop wasn't originally in the plans, once we saw how integrated into the local food culture they were, we made a stop.

They make lots of cool goodies, but the dark chocolate bars in these super cool wrappers are what I kept seeing everywhere. They have the 75% Cacao Southern Artisan Chocolate Bar, 67% Cacao Southern Artisan Chocolate Bar, Mexican Style Chocolate with cinnamon chili, Salt & Pepper Chocolate Bar, Cacao Nib Chocolate Bar, Sea Salt Chocolate Bar, Chocolate Coffee Bar, Buttermilk White Chocolate Bar, and Salt & Pepper Buttermilk White Chocolate Bar.

There were sample dishes near the bars, and the Mexican Chocolate one was interesting. The white chocolate ones were my favorites. I got a present to bring back home.

There were also Duck Fat Caramels (mmmgnhhhh) and Sea Salt & Vinegar Caramels (which I bought a couple of and devoured).

This shop is super cool. They do tours, and this shop even, surprisingly, sells their chocolate in two spots in West Virginia. It's darker chocolate, so if that's your favorite, this would be right up your alley. The caramels were very rich and delicious. But, local, handmade and very cool. Check it out if you're in the area.

On my first attempt to visit Tennessee Brew Works, they were closed for a private event (I discovered after walking inside...and being told 'nah.'). So, my first impression wasn't the best.

We returned the following night to try our luck once again. Makeshift parking nearby was all taken up, and this large building was filled to the brim with people.

I navigated my way through the crowd of people, past the band playing, to the bar to order a "Basil Ryeman," which is a farmhouse ale/saison with thai basil and rye malts. After getting my beer, I snaked my way upstairs to see if it was a) a bit quieter and b) any open place to sit. I finally spotted two empty seats near the end of a long table and made it our home.

This place was BUSY. And very loud. It's less of a tasting room and more of a bar. I tend to go for a bit more of an intimate vibe, so I can learn about the place and the beer. But, it wasn't bad. It wasn't particularly notable, to me. But I was able to leisurely sip on it, enjoying the malt-forward flavor and do a lot of people-watching. Some of which was very, very entertaining. Overall, not bad. Not my favorite. But not bad.

Nashville has a grilled cheese food truck. A GRILLED CHEESE FOOD TRUCK. HAVE I DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN. MAYBE.

As soon as I caught wind of "The Grilled Cheeserie," I stalked their website to find out where they'd be the week I was in Nashville. They were at something called 615 Day (Nashville's area code is 615, so they have a celebration on June 15. Kinda cool). And we followed them there.

This food truck, which serves up gourmet grilled cheese melts, is the brainchild of a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef. So, yes, it's hip and trendy. But it's also really friggin' good.

The Grilled Cheeserie has a few specialty grilled cheeses (fun fact: I used to call these toast 'n' cheese. Just what I grew up calling it. Until I said it outside of my household, and no one knew what I was talking about):

The B&B of Tennessee - $7.50
Buttermilk Cheddar, Heritage Bacon, Georgia Peach Jam on Multigrain Bread

Pimento Mac & Chee - $7.50
Housemade Pimento Cheese with Local Cheddar, Macaroni, Benton's Bacon Bits, Sliced Tomato on Country White Bread

Buffalo South - $7.50
Pepper Jack, Organic Pulled Chicken, Buffalo Sauce, Pickled Celery, Bleu Cheese Aioli on Sourdough Bread

The French Onion - $7.50
Swiss/Gruyère Blend, Onions & Shallots Slow Braised in Organic Beef Broth, Sherry Wine & Fresh Thyme on Rosemary Garlic Bread

If there's one iconic restaurant in Nashville, it's gotta be The Loveless Cafe. Located on Highway 100 just on the fringe of town, The Loveless Cafe serves up legendary biscuits that are quintessential Nashville cuisine.

In 1951, Lon and Annie Loveless began serving [fried chicken and biscuits] out the front door of their home to travelers who passed by on US Highway 100, the then primary route between Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee. Weary travelers found comfort and refuge at the cozy home and in the food the owners served to them while seated at picnic tables in the front yard. As the tiny house became a planned stop for treks along the Trace, Lon and Annie Loveless expanded their private home into the Loveless Motel and Cafe. Lon Loveless built and ran the property’s motel and was responsible for smoking the meats while Annie whipped up batches of her homemade preserves and scratch-made-biscuits - a secret recipe that remains unchanged to this day.

After a bit of a drive, we arrived to this property that houses the restaurant, as well as the hotel, event venue, a few shops and more. But, first, we went to the main restaurant, expecting a lengthy wait. Fortunately, we had no wait and were seated quickly.

Biscuits are immediately brought to the table with sides of peach preserves, strawberry preserves and blackberry preserves. The peach was my favorite, followed closely by the strawberry. Nice hunks of fruit atop a buttery, airy biscuit. Yes, please. And, you can get as many as you want - it's the free appetizer that keeps refilling.

I clearly couldn't get enough biscuits because I also ordered some for my main meal. The "Biscuit Sampler Platter" comes with your choice of four biscuits: Fried Green Tomato & Pimento Cheese, Barbeque, Country Ham, Fried Chicken, Bacon, Sausage or Steak.

I went with a fried green tomato & pimento cheese, BBQ, fried chicken and bacon. And, for my side, I got the hashbrown casserole.

All of these were tasty, though the fried green tomato and pimento cheese took the cake. It was different, and it pleasantly surprised me. Cheesy & fried - what is better? Next would have to be the fried chicken because I just can't get enough fried chicken biscuits in my life. The BBQ was good, not amazing. And the bacon was plain. I should've shoved some of that hashbrown casserole on it. That, by the way, was exactly what I was hoping for. It's your aunt's cheesy ambiguous dish at the family reunion that seems as though it has crack in it. ... Wait, is that just my family, or...?

This place is down-home, comfort breakfast food. Freshly baked biscuits? You got it. Everything with an added slab of butter? Definitely. Rich flavors, kinda hospitality and feeling like you're in your grandma's kitchen? Yep.

Grade: A