What We’re Eating, Summer 2015 Edition
You might not know it, but here at the Vanderbilt Office of Undergraduate Admissions, we take food seriously. What would you expect from a university whose home town has been rated the Tastiest City in the South by Bon Appetit Magazine? This summer we’ve been expanding our culinary horizons both on- and off-campus with outings to some of Vanderbilt’s yummiest dining halls and Nashville’s most delectable restaurants. Here’s what we’ve been enjoying lately:
- Biscuit Love. After achieving enormous success as a food truck, the folks behind Biscuit Love expanded into a full service restaurant in The Gulch, one of downtown Nashville’s most vibrant neighborhoods (about 5 minutes from Vanderbilt’s campus). Biscuit Love serves a selection of Southern favorites, but with a name like theirs, the star of the show has gotta be the biscuits.
The East Nasty is a good dish to start with if it’s your first time here. Also, #Bonuts! http://t.co/o4rlLBQsIJ pic.twitter.com/zl8LCjKLEH
— Biscuit Love (@BiscuitLoveNash) July 3, 2015
- Flip Burger. The brainchild of celebrity chef Richard Blais (of Bravo’s “Top Chef” fame), Flip Burger has locations in Atlanta, Birmingham, and now Nashville. The menu offers a wide range of creative burger options and some of Nashville’s best French fries. The biggest hit for our office, however, were the incredible milkshakes.
Summer relief! A photo posted by FLIP burger boutique (@flipburgerboutiques) on Jun 30, 2015 at 6:33am PDT
- The Kitchen at Kissam. The Kitchen at Kissam is one of Vanderbilt’s newest dining options. Connected to Warren and Moore Colleges, the Kitchen at Kissam serves hot, prepared meals and offers a market for various other foodstuffs. With Rand Dining Hall undergoing renovations this summer, the Kitchen at Kissam is a go-to option for OUA staff who have quickly become regulars.
- Hattie B’s. Nashville’s culinary claim to fame is hot chicken, super spicy fried chicken served on white bread with pickles. With a location just steps from campus, Hattie B’s is a favorite among Vanderbilt students, faculty, and staff. Our office’s annual summer pot-luck lunch featured Hattie B’s as the main course (with lots of tasty sides and desserts made from scratch by OUA staff).
- Bobby’s Dairy Dip. This drive-up diner is a Nashville institution. Chocolate-dipped cones are the main attraction, but don’t forget the rest of the menu, including burgers, corn dogs, and sweet potato fries.
- The Commons Dining Center. Each summer OUA hosts numerous PreVU events for rising high-school seniors, which feature a lunch at The Commons Dining Center as a part of the day-long comprehensive look at Vanderbilt and college admissions. How good is the food at The Commons? So good that visitors have been taking to Twitter and Instagram to share photos of their Commons meals with the #prevu2015 hashtag.
And this is just the beginning. We already have outings planned for The Pharmacy and the Nashville Farmers Market (with its host of dining establishments) later this summer. Where are your favorite Nashville restaurants? Let us know in the comments!