Edley's
pulled pork sandwich
There has been so much change in the 12th Ave South area over the past dozen years. When we first moved here, there was a really sad and scary daycare center, a carwash that never really worked and was more about unsavory people hanging out near it at night, a convenient store where flatbed truck driving "contractor" types would buy a suitcase full of beer at 7 a.m. and various gunshots heard now and again. Then, Laurell's moved into a brick building on the north side of the 12th Ave S commerce area. Laurell's was ahead of its time. I would stop in to get etouffee or other take out containers for dinner at home. Laurell's had really good oyster and New Orlean's inspired food when there wasn't anything else like it in Nashville. It was a sad day in 1999 when Laurell's just could not make a go of it in the old neighborhood. Laurell's was awesome and I still think fondly of Laurell's, but because the area was just a bit burnt out at the time, and no new development or neighborhood clean up was coming in, Laurell's just couldn't hold up the neighborhood on her own. I still wish we had Laurell's on the street, but maybe someday Laurell's will be reborn in this now healthy neighborhood.
Now, over a dozen years later on the street, there are some very popular restaurants, coffee shops, and some very interesting shops to walk into. A dozen years and a dozen+ stores later, 12th Ave S is now a destination. We haven't heard gunshots in years, and haven't seen unsavory characters loitering at the carwash, well because the defunct carwash is gone. The scary daycare center is also gone. One business that has been around forever was Harb's Rug Shop, and my neighbor, a real old timer family from the turn of the previous century, considered Harb's as a staple of our neighborhood and always thought Harb's would be around forever. It was a big surprise to all the old timer neighbors when Harb's closed its 12th Ave S store front and started building out Edley's. We were afraid, rumors were flying that the Harb Howell's sold out, starting a crappy chain BBQ joint, going to have a sports bar bbq in there with a lot of whooping and hollering, etc. We just don't need another place with SUV road hogging @ssholes clogging up our street while double parking to go to Edley's. Even on pre-opening day, Edley's staff invited neighborhood and special guests for an evening at Edley's and it was disgusting with Qdob@ food being offered, not Edley's bbq. "What did the Howell's do?" we all asked because they were starting out far behind the 8 ball and none of were impressed.
Well, luckily time did tell, and Edley's IS NOT A CHAIN (rumors were untrue!!), has good pork BBQ, good BBQ wings, and has become a favorite hangout for many people of us in the 'hood. My pal from a few blocks away, him and and his family are there every afternoon after church. Other neighbors and I have these happy conversations about Edley's and we all like the pulled pork and wings! The price point is right for us. The problem I have (it isn't really a problem) is that Edley's serves too many wings in one order, and it is too much for me to eat. We haven't quite found the side that we love yet, and we might not. I didn't love the collards because it was too spicy hot and cayenne peppery. I didn't love the baked beans, but I don't hate them. The mac and cheese was dry, grainy and gummy (like the cheese sauce broke into a cottage cheese lumpy thing and the whey water was adsorbed by the noodles making the dish dry) every time I've gone at lunch and dinner. It is house made mac and cheese, not food distributor, which is a big plus, but the recipe does not hold up to a warmer/steam table waiting to be served. If I ever get the nerve, I may ask them to re-think the mac and cheese to be able to sit on in a warmer before being served. Or, maybe serve a cheesey potato instead, that can hold up to a warming table. I still have a bunch of other sides to taste, and will likely find at least one that wows me, or at least be my go-to side. The room is really comfortable, and is going to be a great place to go with the roll top doors wide open during a nice spring or fall day. We like the bar too. So you have to go to the food line for food, and bar line for bar, but if you don't want the bar, you don't have to stand in that line. That save time for everyone. If you want only the bar, that is cool too.
During football season, I will see you and my neighbors at Edley's! That is if we can find a seat.
Now, over a dozen years later on the street, there are some very popular restaurants, coffee shops, and some very interesting shops to walk into. A dozen years and a dozen+ stores later, 12th Ave S is now a destination. We haven't heard gunshots in years, and haven't seen unsavory characters loitering at the carwash, well because the defunct carwash is gone. The scary daycare center is also gone. One business that has been around forever was Harb's Rug Shop, and my neighbor, a real old timer family from the turn of the previous century, considered Harb's as a staple of our neighborhood and always thought Harb's would be around forever. It was a big surprise to all the old timer neighbors when Harb's closed its 12th Ave S store front and started building out Edley's. We were afraid, rumors were flying that the Harb Howell's sold out, starting a crappy chain BBQ joint, going to have a sports bar bbq in there with a lot of whooping and hollering, etc. We just don't need another place with SUV road hogging @ssholes clogging up our street while double parking to go to Edley's. Even on pre-opening day, Edley's staff invited neighborhood and special guests for an evening at Edley's and it was disgusting with Qdob@ food being offered, not Edley's bbq. "What did the Howell's do?" we all asked because they were starting out far behind the 8 ball and none of were impressed.
Well, luckily time did tell, and Edley's IS NOT A CHAIN (rumors were untrue!!), has good pork BBQ, good BBQ wings, and has become a favorite hangout for many people of us in the 'hood. My pal from a few blocks away, him and and his family are there every afternoon after church. Other neighbors and I have these happy conversations about Edley's and we all like the pulled pork and wings! The price point is right for us. The problem I have (it isn't really a problem) is that Edley's serves too many wings in one order, and it is too much for me to eat. We haven't quite found the side that we love yet, and we might not. I didn't love the collards because it was too spicy hot and cayenne peppery. I didn't love the baked beans, but I don't hate them. The mac and cheese was dry, grainy and gummy (like the cheese sauce broke into a cottage cheese lumpy thing and the whey water was adsorbed by the noodles making the dish dry) every time I've gone at lunch and dinner. It is house made mac and cheese, not food distributor, which is a big plus, but the recipe does not hold up to a warmer/steam table waiting to be served. If I ever get the nerve, I may ask them to re-think the mac and cheese to be able to sit on in a warmer before being served. Or, maybe serve a cheesey potato instead, that can hold up to a warming table. I still have a bunch of other sides to taste, and will likely find at least one that wows me, or at least be my go-to side. The room is really comfortable, and is going to be a great place to go with the roll top doors wide open during a nice spring or fall day. We like the bar too. So you have to go to the food line for food, and bar line for bar, but if you don't want the bar, you don't have to stand in that line. That save time for everyone. If you want only the bar, that is cool too.
During football season, I will see you and my neighbors at Edley's! That is if we can find a seat.
1 Comments:
This is a great story, Lannae! And I hope that Edley's continues to develop into an even better place. While good BBQ is essential, a really good side is a significant distinguishing feature, I think. Good luck in your quest there :-)
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