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As a native Tennessean who lived in Nashville for 5 years while in grad school at Vanderbilt, it is simply not a breakfast unless you go to the Loveless Motel. It is on the outskirts of west Nashville. Bobby Flay did a throwdown with the woman there that makes the biscuits. No lie, these are some of the best biscuits ever! I do miss the Loveless Motel since I left Nashville.

The Pancake Pantry in Hillsborough Village is good too. Classic breakfast. Get there early because there is almost always a line.

Since I have lived in Charleston for 9 years now, I can tell you the best places to go to and the places to avoid.

How about the avoid places first.

Hyman's - probably the most overrated restaurant in South Carolina. The food is good but not that good. There is always a wait there. In fact, I know that they make it such that there is always a wait there. Locals simply don't eat there. There have been rumors for a long time there was a keychain you could show if you were a local and supposedly you would get in faster.

Jestine's - again it is good food but there are so many other places that are better. Bourdain ate there too and liked it but it is so overhyped it just isn't worth the hassle.

The Wreck - this is a restaurant in Mt. Pleasant. It used to be basically locals only (in fact if you would call them, they would only give you vague directions about how to get there. You basically had to "know somebody" to get there.) Now, it is overpriced fried seafood and a tourist trap. Once it starting getting publicity in Southern Living, few locals eat there anymore. My parents always want to go there when they visit but my wife and I always try to convince them otherwise.

Now for the good places.

SNOB - fantastic!

Magnolia's is good but I much prefer High Cotton (which is conveniently located across the street from SNOB) High Cotton is lowcountry food with a twist. It is definitely one of my top three favs in Chas.

If you like French food, La Fourchette is fantastic. 39 Rue de Jean (which is just around the corner from La Fourchette) is good too but for a French brasserie, it really bothers me that they serve sushi! La Fourchette is a classic bistro. It is tiny, loud and the food is simply amazing. Their pommes frites are the best in the city because they use the almighty duck fat to fry the fries in.

Coast is right next to 39 Rue de Jean and is a great seafood place. Hank's is good too but I like Coast better. I highly recommend just about any of the ceviches at Coast.

If you want to go all out, McCrady's is the place. The chef is kind of into the molecular gastronomy movement but he doesn't overdo it.

Have fun eating in Chucktown!

The Loveless Cafe is good, but a bit overrated IMO. I've heard good things about the Pfunky Griddle, but never ate there.

There's also Noshville, which bills itself as an authentic New York style deli. The food is good but a bit overpriced. They have a few locations, I believe the Green Hills one has the best celebrity sighting potential (eggs with a side of Carrie Underwood anyone?).

My personal fave is Waffle House. No lie. Basic breakfast food, it's good, there's plenty of it, and it's cheap. And they make the best darned hashbrowns.

I live in Nashville and if you are looking for a real Nashville tradition...check out Pancake Pantry on 21st (near Vanderbilt University). Get there early cause there is always a line and almost always a famous face or two on the weekends!!

I agree with HunterAngler. Spike could've come up with some other way to prepare the scallops. That's how you become Top Chef - by being flexible and innovative. Spike was just too arrogant.

There is nothing wrong with frozen scallops -- you just can't then sear them the way Spike wanted to. He should have seen the product, known the issue and made ceviche out of them, or quenelles, or a tartare, a souffle -- anything the added water won't really affect that horribly. His judgment failed him not only on choosing a limiting ingredient, but on what he chose to do with that ingredient once the choice was made...

I totally read somewhere that they were planted too but I'm confused whether Rick Tramonto knew about the planting or if Top Chef just added them in. It was rather sketchy but Spike should not have used frozen. It does suck though that he didn't really have the choice to change his mind (since he had to announce what he was using).

Hillary
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