Dining With Delia Jo

I've never been much for Black Friday, not really into crowds and/or shopping violence. 😬 I'm always just as happy to purchase my gifts these days on Cyber Monday or at local boutique shops or markets throughout the year, and spread out my holiday spending. That didn't really happen this year with the move so I've been hitting up some local businesses around town both in Texas and in Tennessee to make my purchases for friends and family. Naturally I find edible treats to gift myself during this process.

Today is small business Saturday, and I can think of no better way for Dining With Delia Jo to celebrate than by featuring a food-related small business I came across accidentally while we still lived in Dallas. 
Jason and Shea Kramer are the husband/wife chiropractor duo/powerhouse behind Revolution Chiropractic in Far North Dallas. I discovered their practice earlier this year when I was dealing with some severe neck pain. Not only did I experience excellent custome…

Von Elrod's Beer Garden and Sausage House launched with a bang, opening during 2017 Nashville Oktoberfest in Germantown, cranking out German food and beer en masse.

With a selection of expertly crafted sausages, featuring a variety of different meats and even a Vegan offering, Von Elrod's seeks to fill a void in the Music City dining scene.

Appropriately placed in Germantown, right beside the Nashville Sounds Stadium (hello game-day), Von Elrod’s was inspired by one man’s trip to Oktoberfest in Munich nearly 20 years ago. Owner Austin (Elrod) Ray visited Germany as a college grad, and fell in love with the overall atmosphere, the food, and, yes, the beer.

Ray poured years of research into launching his latest venture, a partnership with Chef Jason Brumm. The two had been friends and peers in the Nashville restaurant scene for a number of years, and Von Elrod's was officially born one evening at Ray's home over a couple of beers, when Brumm noted a sausage cookbook on …

Henley is Nashville's modern American brasserie, operating under the creative culinary leadership of James Beard award-winning Executive Chef RJ Cooper. The concept opened a few months back on the ground floor of the Kimpton Aertson Hotel in midtown, and boasts a space with an approachable mix of decor from yesteryear with some of today's fun, contemporary flair. Bette Davis' eyes watch you from above the liquor stocked behind the bar, amid pops of yellow, and mixed textures throughout. Enjoy a cozy private dining area in the back named 'The Snooker', or when weather allows, there's also a small patio outside with seating for about 30 guests.

The stellar bar program at Henley is piloted by Head Bartender Jon Howard, with a focus on southern spirits, including plenty of bourbon/whiskey based cocktails.

To read more about Henley Nashville, click to view my article on Music City Highway. 

Henley is open daily for breakfast from 7am-10am, serves brunch on Sundays f…

Hermitage is a bit of a no-mans-land for local restaurants, as an endless sea of chain restaurants abounds in the area. Luckily, Nadeen’s Hermitage Haven is filling that noticeable void in the east-of-Nashville suburb, boasting elevated American comfort classics and an impressive craft cocktail program.
Owned by Seth Yeargan, alongside husband and wife John and Nadeen Hoffman, the former Pizza-Hut-turned-Mexican-restaurant has now found new life with a large covered patio and cozy interior that was renovated by Seth and John themselves (they even found a stash of circa 1980’s pizza boxes upstairs). The trio had joked for years about opening a Northeast-style diner, until one night in September of 2016 (after a few drinks) they decided to stop talking about it and make it a reality. They even started looking for locations the same night. After a few iterations of fine-tuning their concept, the team opened the doors of Nadeen’s Hermitage Haven in September of 2017 – just one year from…

This weekend I can't wait to check out MADE SOUTH: a fun holiday market in Franklin. The event highlights the best makers, chefs, artisans, and other creators in, y'all guessed it, the south.

This year's event will take place at The Factory in Franklin, November 17-18.

Visit here for more information about the event and to see a list of vendors. A portion of proceeds from the event go to benefit New Hope Academy.

Click here to buy tickets to MADE SOUTH before they sell out! You can also purchase tickets Saturday at the door. 

Let's all raise a glass (or two, or three) to the unveiling of Perry's Steakhouse & Grille's newest private reserve wines! In celebration of the 10th anniversary of their private reserve collection, Perry's has introduced two fantastic new wines whose debut also coincides with the beautiful redesign of their bottle. New wines, new look, and even more importantly... bigger bottles!

Whether you prefer white, red, or all of the above, these new private reserve wines are sure to please. The 2016 Chardonnay is both balanced and complex with hints of tart green apple, French oak, clove, and citrus. It pairs well with seafood, particularly Perry's Bacon Wrapped Scallops and Tempura Fried Lobster Tail with miso butter (both from the appetizer menu). If you're not a fan of scallops, be aware this dish may very well convert you for good. The allure of a perfectly cooked scallop can be life-changing and almost impossible to resist!



If you've got reds on the brain…