One of my best friends lived in Nashville until recently, so I've been fortunate to visit the city a few times.



My last trip was short, but it was still packed full of food adventures - like Dozen Bakery.



We believe that putting the best into something yields the greatest result. We believe in QUALITY, so we choose to support vendors, farmers and artisans who believe in supporting the local community and who consistently deliver us the finest, freshest ingredients available. We value EDUCATION, teaching skills and encouraging curiosity about processes, ingredients and food. And we APPRECIATE our place in the tradition of bakers and craftspeople who work with their hands, recognizing that we work in a larger community of people seeking to support sustainable business practices. We value our work, ourselves and those we work alongside, as we strive for perfection while putting our unique selves into everything we make and do, day after day. Dozen Bakery was never intended to make it this long. Originally, it was started as a holiday cookie pop-up business that would exist for the last three months of 2009. Thanks to strong word-of-mouth popularity, some good press, and building a great team, Dozen continues to this day. We now have a bakery in Wedgewood-Houston, and sell to other local businesses and restaurants.



I ordered the radish tartine here, along with cucumber gazpacho and a little pastry.



To be honest, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. And, I wasn't excited by the flavor of the cucumber-gazpacho. It just didn't do much for me - not enough flavor or balance for me. 



But the radish tartine was one of those meals I look back on fondly. It's essentially a thick piece of crusty bread topped with herby whipped feta, herb salad and some pickled radishes that just blew my mind. It's really simple in concept, but every single element delivered. And, it was absolutely gorgeous. I've not yet tried to recreate this, but I do think about it often when I'm in the mood for something fresh and light, yet filling. It was tough for the pastry to compete with that - but I love ending on a sweet note so it was appreciated, as well. 



Grade: A

ACE Adventure Resort is a very popular spot in Oak Hill where people visit to go whitewater rafting, ziplining or play on the inflatables in the water park. Me? Of course one of my main goals when visiting was to see the food options.



Lakeside Eatery at the Lost Paddle serves both breakfast and dinner. The dinner menu has a few of my favorite dishes - like shrimp & grits, mac & cheese, chicken & waffles. Maybe I just like meals that have an ampersand in the middle?



I went with the lobster mac & cheese, which had spinach, roasted red pepper, smoked gouda and cavatappi pasta. I think it would be tough to ruin this dish - creamy and rich and just super comforting. I would not have hated some sort of crunchy component for texture here. But, all around still a tasty dish.



Oh, and they also have a slushy stand - perfect for summer.



Grade: A

Have you been to the corner of Ruffner and Washington in downtown Charleston? 



To be honest, it's not an area I spend much time in, nor does it have the best reputation. 



But new folks have revitalized the area that I formerly knew as the East End Bazaar into the new "B.K.S. The Pa'Teo," which stands for Best Kept Secret. 



There are a couple vendors there, including the first one I tried: Carol's Soul to Soul. After seeing Carol Hines post in a local Facebook group, I friended her so I could keep up with where she's cooking. That's what led me here.



Carol's Soul to Soul serves up soul food that changes regularly - but you'll often see fish, fries, wings, burgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders, BBQ, mac & cheese, greens and more. I went with two favs: a cheeseburger and baked mac & cheese. 



This was like good, straightforward backyard cookout food. A solid, reliable burger. A solid, reliable pile of mac made for a tasty, filling lunch.

Grade: A

You don't have to tell me twice about a new ice cream shop.



The Frozen Barn in Oak Hill serves hand-dipped ice cream from Ashby's Sterling Ice Cream. 



They carry about 24 flavors at a time, and if I had my way, I'd try them all.



Instead, though, they do have an option where you can get five mini scoops all in one boat. Yes, please.



As per usual, I couldn't decide between fruity or chocolately, but with 5 scoops, I could do both. 



My least favorite was the anniversary cake because I just kept thinking I was eating Play-Doh. 



The Sea Turtle ended up being my favorite - no surprise there. Give me caramel any day, and I'm happy.



Have you been?



Which flavor is your fav?



Grade: A

A little while ago, I visited Smoke House BBQ in Glenville. They described themselves as "Family style restaurant with Southern Pit Style Smoked BBQ, home made sides, home made sauces and dressings, Burgers, Hotdogs, Wings, Grill Chicken & more!" 



It was a busy weekend, so I ordered to go: a pulled pork sandwich and a side of corn nuggets. The pulled pork sandwich was fine - a few fatty bits that I avoided, but fine overall. The corn nuggets were fun - not something you see on every menu. Plus they're a bit sweet and fried and also a savory, so you can't really go wrong. Overall, a decent meal.

Grade: B