Sopapillas is a New Mexican restaurant in Franklin, Tennessee that somehow slipped past my radar until today. They've been open for almost 3 years -- at the corner of Franklin Road and Moore's Lane. The owner is Steve Dale (the bass guitarist for Little Big Town), who "brings to the south a taste of what he grew up on in New Mexico and Arizona." Hubby and I have driven past Sopapilla's (and a handful of other restaurants in that shopping center) numerous times saying, "We should stop in … [Read more...]

I'm originally from Florida, where finding an excellent seafood restaurant is like finding an awesome honky tonk bar in downtown Nashville. They are literally everywhere. If you reverse the scenario, Florida is not known for its honky tonk bars. Nor is Tennessee known for its seafood restaurants. What has made it challenging is this: I have a seafood-loving family landlocked in Middle Tennessee. I'm not saying there aren't any seafood restaurants here, I'm just saying that they are few … [Read more...]

Did you know that we have a city right here in Tennessee named after Benjamin Franklin? I'm talking about the city of Franklin. It was founded on October 26, 1779. It's also the location of one of the Civil War's bloodiest battles. The Civil War ravaged Franklin Tennessee economically, and it took 120 years for it to bounce back. Today, Franklin is one of the wealthiest cities in the United States (per the 2010 Census). It is a blend of southern hospitality and big city charm. A … [Read more...]

We went to Mangia Nashville for the first time last weekend. It's an Italian restaurant that came highly recommended by a friend of ours. He had the time of his life there a couple months earlier when friends invited him to a surprise birthday party there. He has been back twice since then. Based on his experience and our experience and the reviews I've seen from others -- adult birthday parties are a popular occurrence at Mangia Nashville. But we weren't celebrating any birthdays when … [Read more...]