University of Tennessee Athletics
Inside The T - Great Year At The Plate
December 05, 2014 | General
By Brian Rice
UTSports.com
I love food. Perhaps my favorite part about road trips with any sport is getting to try famous local places everywhere we go, both in-conference and out of conference.
When I travel with Lady Vol softball as their play-by-play guy, we almost always share team meals together. And while there are plenty of stops at chain resturants along the way, we have taken the time to sample at least one local place everywhere we go.
That has given me a pretty good knowledge base for return trips with teams, like football, where the staff is on its own for meals once we arrive. I usually tweet my Friday night meals, so plenty of people have suggested a ranking or a recap of the season in food, so that's exactly what you get today.
Trip 1 - Norman, Oklahoma
Thanks to softball trips, I've become quite the expert on food in the greater Oklahoma City area. We stayed in Norman at the very same hotel as when we had been there for the super regional this spring, so I knew exactly where I wanted to go. Our group included our VFL Films staff and Grantland.com writer Holly Anderson, so the pressure was high to deliver.
I turned to Ted's Café Escondido.
When in Oklahoma, there's no place I'd rather eat. Glad to introduce the group.
A photo posted by Brian Rice (@briancrice) on
Ted's starts you with the usual chips, but the queso and three types of salsa are free, as are warm tortillas. After your meal, there are complimentary sopapillas. That's fried dough, topped with brown sugar and honey.
A fellow member of our group, Sam Thomas from VFL Films had been there before during our 2013 WCWS. Actually, we went three times that week. No photos of the food from that night, but if you're in OKC, the Chicken Crema Enchiladas and Steak Fajitas receive my highest recommendation.
Trip 2 - Athens, Georgia
This one is going to disappoint everyone, but because of broadcasting soccer the night before and the noon kickoff, the only meal I ate in Athens was in the press box. But it was the best press box meal of the year, highlighted by the chocolate pecan pie, of which I had two pieces.
Trip 3 - Memphis, Tennessee
For the Ole Miss game, we stayed in Memphis. My research for places near our hotel started and finished with one place when I realized that we were two miles from the original Corky's.
This trip was the media relations staff dinner, where our crew that covers football on a daily basis went out together. Shout-out to the Marriott shuttle driver that saved us the walk, although I probably needed the exercise after what we ate.
Now, I fully realize that everyone that has been there has a favorite local BBQ place in Memphis. It's what the city does best and there are dozens of amazing places. I've sampled plenty of them and find it hard to anoint a favorite. But a plate like this is hard to beat:
You're looking at the two-meat combo. Dry-rub ribs, pulled pork, fries and mac and cheese in place of slaw. I don't hate slaw, but when you have the chance to eat mac and cheese, you take that chance. Add a slice of key lime pie, and I took at least eight months off my life.
Foodie side note: The Grove at Ole Miss is the most delicious-smelling place I have ever been. Thousands of people grilling all types of meat. It gets its reputation for the sights, but you stay for the smell.
Trip 4 - Columbia, South Carolina
I have friends in Columbia, so I've been a lot of places there. My usual spot is Rockaway Athletic Club, which has the most amazing pimento cheese fries on the planet. But this trip, I told my friend I wanted to try someplace I had never been, so she suggested Pawley's Front Porch, a burger place that was once on Todd Blackledge's Taste of the Town feature he used to run on ESPN.
I've never disagreed with Todd on a food place. Ever. So this leap of faith had me expecting something amazing. And Pawley's delivered.
Yep, good call. pic.twitter.com/MkTsAdbCXf
-- Brian Rice (@briancrice) October 31, 2014
That's the Isle of Palms Burger, fresh blended pimento cheese made with cheddar and pepper jack, jalapeno-coated bacon on top of a seasoned burger.
The food adventure wasn't done in Columbia, though. Lunch the next day was an incredible chicken croissant from Croissants and Crepes in downtown Columbia and the press box at Williams-Brice Stadium served red velvet cake before the game AND fresh Rice Krispies Treats at halftime.
Trip 5 - Nashville, Tennessee
It was a one-day trip to Nashville for me, but with the location of Vanderbilt Stadium, there was only one place I was headed: Rotier's.
Rotier's has been a Nashville staple since 1946, and you see what a classic it is once you get inside. Please excuse the Vandy fans walking by:
A Nashville classic just across from Vanderbilt Stadium. pic.twitter.com/Haje82S2Zn
-- Brian Rice (@briancrice) November 29, 2014
A member of the family was a Lady Vol basketball manger in the early 2000's, so there is a Pat Summitt display right inside the door. It made me feel right at home just across the street from enemy territory.
They have many famous items, but the most well-known is the "Burger on French," which, as the name suggests, is a burger served on a French roll. It's worth the drive.
It was a fantastic year at the plate, one that surely took years off my life and required plenty of gym hours to make up for. Can't wait to do it all again, but only after I make the tour of whatever city we end up bowling in.
Brian Rice is a writer for UTSports.com. Questions, comments and story suggestions are always welcome via Twitter at @briancrice.
