Kyle Dreier - Mr. Critical

Another Wednesday night out for me. I find that I’m using this as an excuse to increase the size of my box. I’m venturing out and enjoying what I find on the other side of my comfort zone. Tonight while driving down Main Street in Franklin just past the county building I almost drove right by a place that has caught my eye many times. This time I stopped and am I every glad I did.

This is my new favorite Mexican food venue. Adela (I think I have that right) was very sweet and we spoke broken languages to each other … my Spanish and her English were about on the same level. Then I met Benjamin who apparently is responsible for the very tasty fare.

While the menu is rather adventurous for me I stuck with the Chicken Quesadilla. It was so big I had to bring half of it home.

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I’m so happy I allowed myself to actually stop and enjoy what I’ve been missing all these years of driving by. I’ll definitely be back, but this time with my muchachos.

-Kyle

Who would have known that such a neat little pizza joint would be tucked in a nondescript strip shopping center in the Bellevue area. So, Jeff McMahon and I embark, and indulge.

Is this “Sir Pizza?” Would you buy pizza from this guy?
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What is it with me and plates?

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Sir McMahon. Would you eat pizza with this guy?
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A good looking pie … and mug.

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The obligatory “hold it up as close as you can to the camera lens” shot.

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This was a great place for pizza. What a pleasant surprise. And, it goes without saying, I always enjoy food and fellowship with Sir McMahon.

- Kyle Dreier

Another fun Wednesday night out. This time with David, a friend from our church community group, to do some camera geek talk. I could ramble on for hours about f-stops and ISO and … but I won’t bore you. Sitting in the Sportsman Grill was a good test for low-light photography.

Meet David … professional photographer in the making.

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David contemplating the menu and me shooting my water with no ice.

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I think next time I’ll get what David had.

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Wise choice David. Tortilla Soup.

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Still playing with his camera while his soup approaches room temperature.

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All I can think of is a line from Fletch. “You know that look.”

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That pretty much wrapped up our evening. Good food. Good company. Poor lighting. Always good shooting.

- Kyle Dreier

Here’s to another “Wednesday Night Out.” Yes, this is my night to just get out and do what every I please – within in reason, of course. On tonight’s agenda … fish-n-chips from McCreary’s in downtown Franklin.

Little did I know (and little did three unsuspecting gentlemen know) that I wouldn’t be dining alone tonight. McCreary’s is a small quaint place where you can’t help but rub elbows with people you don’t know. Thanks to the willingness of these three gents I was able to tag along on their table for four.

Even on a cold evening there was a wait.

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Getting started. Nothing stopping the feeding fest.

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Cheese fry, up close and personal, and a Canadian.
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“it is finished” – the book of John.

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Just getting started on this mammoth ham and cheese.

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My anticipated fish-n-chips.

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Yes, it is finished.

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My favorite beer. Hefe-Weizen. Finished.

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A nice dinner with three complete strangers. An encounter with yet another Canadian. Last week a Canadian in an Italian place – this week a Canadian in an Irish place. Seems like we should maybe be protected our northern borders. I’m kidding.
Now the question is “Where to next Wednesday night?”

- Kyle Dreier

Back in 1998 when Amy and I moved to the Nashville area Gil and Johanna Towery (our neighbors at the time) introduced us to Pizza Perfect in the Hillsboro Village area. Tonight it was time to check in our how perfect the pizza there still is, so Jeff Wolfe and I partook of the perfect pizza.

The Fantasy pizza was my half and Jeff got the BBQ Chicken. That plus plenty of local flavor makes for a nice night out. Thanks for Fred and Dave for putting up with a camera happy Mr. Critical.

Pans ready for action.

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I find pleasure in the mundane.

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Straws awaiting their calling.

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Choices. Good choices.

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Friendly services. Refreshing.

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Found what I’m looking for … pizza …

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Perfect.

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Say “ah” and “cheese.”

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Jeff, ready to “wolfe” down some pizza.

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Fred fixated on a hockey game.

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Fred’s friend Dave from Canada wondering about this camera happy American.

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All is good. And the Pizza was Perfect, as promised.

- Kyle Dreier

I knew this place was old but I didn’t know just how old until I asked. 1938 is when Elliston Place opened their doors for business. When Amy and I left Dallas to move to the Nashville area in 1998 John Harrison gave us a list of the top 10 things to do in Nashville. He grew up in the area and on that list was Key Lime pie from Elliston’s.

Tonight, however, it was a cheeseburger and fries for me. Don’t let the lack of modern lustre scare you. This place is a landmark and any absent polish is simply part of the great character in this place.

This neon sign is a very familiar image along Elliston Avenue.

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Ah … air conditioning.

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Don’t forget the music store next door.

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A good sport. When I asked if he was the owner he quickly said “Just call me the cook.”

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No need for air conditioning tonight. Hot chocolate was my desire.

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Oh how I wish neat details like this were in today’s new restaurants.

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It’s hard to beat a burger like this.

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I love the fact that I can go in and listen to the Bee Gee’s and Dr. Hook … if I wanted.

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Take this as a compliment to the cook.

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Certainly a nice gesture. I shall be back.

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My only regret is that I didn’t leave room for pie, or a malt.

- Kyle Dreier

Is there a minimum criteria for what should be a pleasant culinary experience. I’m talking about graham crackers. If cardboard is the bar that is set for generic graham crackers then I’ve found the closest thing to that measure.

Feel free to pity me and my lack of understanding when with great anticipation I sat down with a 2 inch stack of Kroger brand graham crackers, a talk cold glass of low fat milk (like that’s going to make any difference in this particular sitting) and a remote control only to learn that this particular variety of graham cracker is by far the most inferior version of itself. (Is that a run on sentence, or what!?)

Let me just say that texture, or lack thereof, was just the beginning. There are certain things I can tolerate and was willing to do so in this situation. However, when it came to putting the tensile strength of these grahams to the test it was overly apparent that these grahams didn’t cut the mustard, or the milk.

What’s my expectation of a graham cracker when introduced to a pool of milk? For one, I expect the graham cracker, when combined with two or three of its kinfolk, to have the strength to withstand a 3-5 second dunk without any casualties. The absorption rate is as important as the strength to sustain the added weight. I contend that the Kroger brand of graham cracker is as effective as washing dishes with a Kleenex.

So, the question now is this … what is the better graham cracker. If memory serves me correctly Nabisco. But, this will have to be researched further.

- Kyle Dreier