Meat and Three Restaurants Blog

Amy's Diner in Old Hickory, TN is closed

2007-09-07T11:57:00.000-05:00

A friend and I went to have lunch over at Amy's Diner in Old Hickory, Tennessee, and it was closed. Must have happened pretty recently - I passed by there not too long ago and there were several cars in the parking lot.

There is a new meat-and-three that has opened in its place now, called Ma & Pa's Kettle [http://www.meatandthree.com/tn/maandpaskettle/]. I have not been there yet, so I don't know anything about it. I called to confirm that they do serve a meat and three (and a meat and two, and meat and one), and was politely invited to come for a visit, which I will do at some point.

If you get over there and check it out, shoot me a note and give me some details: info@meatandthree.com. I would appreciate that!

As always, if you know of a meat and three restaurant, diner, or cafe that is not on this site yet, please contact me with some details - at the very least, the contact information. I will check it out.

Phil Roberson (mn3guy)
MEATandTHREE.com

Waited way too long to go

2007-08-29T21:13:00.000-05:00

I am embarrassed to say it, having lived in Nashville as long as I have. It was not done intentionally. I am not even sure why it was done. It just sort of happened that way.

I am sure I'm not the only one, but for a guy who is in my situation, it is almost inexcusable and I hate to have to admit this to you. I mean, can you imagine if the person who started Hallmark Greeting Cards never sent an anniversary card to his wife? Or, what if you heard that Sam Walton never visited the WalMart in Bentonville, Arkansas? Wouldn't that seem a little bit odd to you?

Make no mistake, I don’t put myself in the same league as Sam Walton (don’t earn quite that amount …yet, and I am still breathing), but I have done something – rather, “not” done something – that might seem just as odd as one of those examples. Keep in mind that I created a web site called MEATandTHREE.com [http://www.meatandthree.com].

Since coming to Nashville to attend college in the early 80’s (okay, 1980), I have never been to Arnold’s Country Kitchen [http://www.meatandthree.com/tn/arnoldscountrykitchen/]. Not one time. Not for lunch. Not for breakfast. Not once. I have been by there several times. Have taken pictures of the place. Even submitted an article about it.

I have also had quite a number of people who have told me I need to go: family members… people I have worked with…folks I have gone to church with…parents of a kid who played ball with my kid. You know the drill. And yet, all these years it has been one of those places I had just not been to – for whatever reason. Kind of strange, huh.

You know where this is going, don’t you! A few days ago, a friend and I made our way over to 8^th Avenue, just below where it splits with Lafayette Street, a couple or three blocks from the I-40/I-65 overpass. We pulled into the parking lot, found a spot in the overflow section, and hurried in. It was about 11:15 on Friday when we arrived, and not a moment too soon. The line moved pretty quickly as we made selections from several meat options and a variety of vegetable choices, but that line soon flowed out the door. And, let me tell ya, it was one of those hot, heat-wave days when a person did not want to be standing outside!

If you have read any of my blog articles, you know that I don’t do actual food reviews. I’ll tell you what I eat, and what the person(s) along with me choose to eat, but I leave it to you to make your own decision. Every person has their own opinions, like and dislikes – so I give you some information about the particular “meat and three”, relay a bit of its story sometimes, and challenge you to try it out for yourself. See what “you” think about it. See how daring you are.

Some meat and three restaurants are not necessarily in the best sections of town, you know. Of course, perception plays into that “best section of town” thing, doesn’t it?! But, don’t let fear of the unknown or the unfamiliar keep you from visiting one of these most American institutions!

I think people really miss out on some awesome food as well as some wonderful opportunities to rub shoulders with a myriad of personalities from all walks of life when they never visit a "meat-n-three". Arnold’s is no exception. There was absolutely just about every type of person you would think of seeing. Probably somebody famous, too, and I am not just talking about all the celebrities on the walls.

Arnold’s was a whole lot of what you think of, when you think of one of those great places that serves the kind of home-cooked food that you remember from “back in the day”. It’s definitely a place that you should not wait over 27 years to go visit (actually, I’m not sure when they started – maybe someone can enlighten me). As a matter of fact, you should go sooner rather than later. Maybe tomorrow if you are in town. Just look for the bright red building with a whole lot of cars in the parking lot.

Now, having said all that, making a big deal about it ... can you believe there is "another" venerable Nashville meat-and-three institution that I have not visited?

Stay tuned…

Phil Roberson (mn3guy)

MEATandTHREE.com (Home)
MEATandTHREE.com (USA page)
MEATandTHREE.com (Photo Gallery)

Niki's West and the Birmingham Zoo

2007-08-25T13:45:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, one of my daughters, Kathryn, "decided" that we were all going to head down to Birmingham for a day trip. With some snacks and drinks packed, iPods and books at the ready, and a fiance and friend-boy along for the ride, seven of us piled into the van and headed south to "The Magic City".

There were a few reasons that Kathryn wanted to make this little trip. One was probably just to get away for a day. That's always a good reason, right? Two, Scott had never been Dreamland, a BBQ place that the family loves to visit. We have been several times and love to eat there. This one is near the UAB campus. Of course, the original Dreamland in Tuscaloosa is where you gotta go, but we just did not have that much time. That will be another trip. All that is served in the Tuscalooa store is ribs, white bread, sauce, banana pudding and drinks. Man, my mouth is watering even as I write this.

The third reason was to visit the Birmingham Zoo. We had never been there and had not been to a zoo in a while, so it sounded a good option. Fourth, shopping. Yes, I have two teenage daughters and a wife. What more can I say? At least I had some male moral support on this trip.

Well, I had a surprise of my own up my sleeve. A few years ago, after a University of Alabama A-Day football game, I had visited Niki's West, a meat-and-three not too far off Exit 262/Finley Blvd., with my son, father, aunt and uncle. Even though on this trip we were going to arrive at Niki's at lunch time, I knew the meal would be worth the potential long wait.

The line was pretty long - probably 50 or so folks when we got there - but moved amazingly fast. We waited "maybe" ten minutes before picking up our trays and silverware. The men and women who worked the steam table didn't hold anything back and were courteously adept at pushing people through in a friendly, fun way.

With a boatload of meat and veggie choices, it wasn't hard for each of us to find something that we liked. And, liked we did. All seven of us chose a different meat and a lot of different vegetables. The cornbread and rolls, and the sweet tea - well, this native Birmingham guy was feeling right at home.

One tip: if you have a party of 7 or more, make sure you heed the sign and let a hostess know about your party. That way, they can go ahead and reserve a table for you as you are going through the line. Otherwise, your wait for a table could be a bit longer.

If you are headed to Birmingham, you should give this place some thought. I know there are quite a few meat and three restaurants there, but this one is not likely to disappoint and would be a great introduction to meat and threes, if this is your first time.

The rest of the day was just about perfect, except for being quite warm and muggy. The zoo featured some entertaining animals, although there were a few of the exhibits that were closed.
If you are interested, I took quite a few photos and have posted a number of them on one of my Flickr Photo Sets. This guy to the left, though, was one of my favorites - he was quite a character.

Yes, we did spend some time at the mall, although not as much time as I would have thought. And, yes, this meat-and-three guy did take the group over to the Birmingham version of Dreamland for the evening meal. I am a big ribs fan and have come to love Dreamland's version, and I was not alone.

We were all very well satisfied, which made the drive home kind of lonely for me. They were all snoozing their well-fed little selves while I was left alone in my thoughts. That can be a pretty dangerous thing sometimes, just ask my family. But, that night's version was pretty good: pondering the blessings of a fun day with family and friends, and thinking about where we ought to go on our next little jaunt.

Can anyone say, "ROAD TRIP!"

My Meat and Three Definition

2007-08-02T16:36:00.001-05:00

Saw a blog post earlier today - http://www.michellesmiles.com/?p=115 - where Michelle wondered aloud about the term, "meat and three". I entered a comment to provide her with some thoughts on the subject.

That got me to thinking that maybe it would make sense to include my definition on this blog, given the fact that I am the one who created the MEATandTHREE.com web site. While I do have a page on the site that provides my "official" definition of a "meat and three": http://www.meatandthree.com/definition.html, you can read it here, too.

meat and three n.

A menu option consisting of one meat and three sides. The sides are often vegetables, although other foods may be included in the list of available sides. Either a roll or a piece of cornbread is almost always included with the meal, and a drink is sometimes included in the "meat-and-three" price. The drink is usually "sweet tea".

A dining establishment offering meals consisting of one meat and three vegetables.

Any cafe, restaurant, or diner (usually non-chain), generally in Southern locales and generally owned by single proprietors, that provides food at reasonable prices to all types of clientele from blue collar to business professionals and politicians, with a typical plate that consists of one meat, at least three vegetables (sometimes two), and either a home-made biscuit, roll or cornbread. A drink, such as Sweet Tea, is often included in the "Meat and Three" price. Daily specials and combo's can be found on typical laminated menu's; on chalkboards hanging on the wall; or even on plain handwritten or copied pieces of paper. Business hours can start early, where the "Meat and Three" also offers breakfast, and can go to an early-afternoon close just after the lunch crowd; while some stay open from early in the morning until late in the evening; and others are open for just a few hours during lunch.

--Plural. meat and threes. --Alternate forms. meat-and-three; meat-n-three; meat'n'three.

Well, that's it. I am sure it could probably be "tightened up" a bit, but I think you probably get the idea. There are tons of these great little places. So, get out there and try one today!

October 2006 HistoryBlog articles

2007-08-01T15:00:00.000-05:00

Click any of the links below to go to the entry on HistoryBlog.MEATandTHREE.com, my old blog.

Phil Roberson (mn3guy)

MEATandTHREE.com (Home)
MEATandTHREE.com (USA page)
MEATandTHREE.com (Photo Gallery)

November 2006 HistoryBlog articles

2007-08-01T14:27:00.000-05:00

Click any of the links below to go to the entry on HistoryBlog.MEATandTHREE.com, my old blog.

Thanks!
Phil Roberson (mn3guy)

MEATandTHREE.com (Home)
MEATandTHREE.com (USA page)
MEATandTHREE.com (Photo Gallery)

December 2006 HistoryBlog articles

2007-07-31T15:40:00.000-05:00

Check out the December 2006 articles that were posted on HistoryBlog.MEATandTHREE.com. Clicking on one of the links in the list below will take you over to that original article.

Thanks!

Phil Roberson (mn3guy)

MEATandTHREE.com (Home)
MEATandTHREE.com (USA page)
MEATandTHREE.com (Photo Gallery)

January and February 2007 HistoryBlog articles

2007-07-31T14:20:00.000-05:00

Please see the list of blog posts from January and February 2007 on our former blog, HistoryBlog.MEATandTHREE.com. Click on any of the links below to go to the particular blog article.

Phil Roberson (mn3guy)

MEATandTHREE.com (Home)
MEATandTHREE.com (USA page)
MEATandTHREE.com (Photo Gallery)

March 2007 HistoryBlog articles

2007-07-31T11:35:00.000-05:00

Take a look at some of the March 2007 articles that were posted on HistoryBlog.MEATandTHREE.com. Most were randomly selected during the month, but one was a blurb about a Nashville meat-n-three restaurant that was featured on the Fine Living Channel.

Take care, and come back to see us!

Phil Roberson (mn3guy)

MEATandTHREE.com (Home)
MEATandTHREE.com (USA page)
MEATandTHREE.com (Photo Gallery)

April 2007 HistoryBlog articles

2007-07-30T23:51:00.000-05:00

Here are the HistoryBlog articles that were posted during the month of April 2007. Click on the link below to go directly to the article you are interested in.

During the month, I randomly selected restaurants from my MEATandTHREE.com web site and posted them in an article, to help provide some additional traffic to each restaurant's page. I also had several visits to Middle Tennessee meat-and-three restaurants and wrote about those visits in separate blog posts.

Carson's Country Cooking in Greenville, SC

The New York Restaurant in Copperhill, TN

Lunch at Grassland Soda Shop in Franklin, TN

Louie's Restaurant in Paris, KY

Lloyd's Restaurant in Birmingham, Alabama

Bell and Sons Cafeteria in Winston Salem, NC

Jeff's Family Restaurant is new in Murfreesboro, TN

Weaver D's in Athens, Georgia

Lunch visit to White House Cafe

DayBreak Diner in Anderson, SC

Southern Kitchen in Charleston, WV

Lunch at 2 Country Hot Spot in Hendersonville, TN

New Meat and Three in Madison, TN

Threadgill's Home Cookin' in Austin, TX

Niki's West in Birmingham, AL

White House Cafe in White House, TN

Lunch visit to Jay's Family Restaurant in Nashville, TN

Hub Restaurant in Rocky Mount, Virginia

Jim's Family Restaurant in Summerville, Georgia

Bon Ton Mini Mart in Henderson, Kentucky

Nanny's Country Kitchen in Hattiesburg, Mississippi

4 Dice Restaurant in Fordyce, Arkansas

Box Car Cafe in Woodruff, SC

Daisy's Diner in Montgomery, Alabama

Thanks for visiting.

Phil Roberson (mn3guy)

MEATandTHREE.com (Home)
MEATandTHREE.com (USA page)
MEATandTHREE.com (Photo Gallery)

May and June 2007 HistoryBlog articles

2007-07-30T22:47:00.000-05:00

Since MEATandTHREE.com's blog is now being hosted on Google's "Blogger" as of 7/29/07, I thought it would be a good idea to create a "path" to the old "HistoryBlog.MEATandTHREE.com" articles. Take a look at the posts below for ones which might be of interest. You can click each one individually to get to the post itself.

July 2007 Articles:

07/19/07 - Adams, TN Schoolhouse Cafeteria and Tea Room

May 2007 Articles:

05/29/07 - Lunch at the Copper Kettle Cafe in Nashville, TN
05/18/07 - Take a Kid to a Meat and Three Restaurant
05/18/07 - Lunch at Sylvan Park in Nashville, TN - times three
05/16/07 - Carol's Place in Nashville, TN for lunch
05/16/07 - Lunch visit to K and F Cafe in Madison, TN
05/16/07 - Grassland Soda Shop in Franklin, TN is closed
05/14/07 - Walkers Cafeteria in Birmingham, AL
05/04/07 - Providing feedback to Meat and Three owners
05/04/07 - Mary's Kitchen at Elm Lake Golf Course in Columbus, MS

Meat and Three Restaurant Photos Needed

2007-07-30T02:46:00.000-05:00

Do you have any photos of meat and three restaurants, diners and/or cafes that you are willing to share?

I am really needing to add to the Photo Gallery page on my MEATandTHREE.com web site. Would love to be out traveling more and taking a lot more meat and three pictures, but that is just not happening right now.

Of course, you would receive full credit on each photo when I post them up on the site. They would probably find their way onto a blog entry at some point, as well. It would be a great help in continuing my quest to bring the meat-and-three dining genre more into the forefront. There are so many of these great little places all over the country, and I want more and more people to be exposed to them ... really, from all over the world.

The photos are a great tool for people that travel out to unfamiliar meat and threes, and they can also be quite interesting just to leaf through. No two meat and threes are alike (which is a very good thing) in appearance or ambiance, and rarely the same in food offerings, even when two or three are owned by the same person. This is one of the things that makes the "meat-n-three" so attractive to so many diners, and keeps people like me on the trail for new ones.

I would really appreciate hearing from you about any photos, past or present, that you could share with the rest of us. If you will contact me (see my profile), we can discuss (via email) the best way to get your photos to me. Digital is really the easiest and best option, if at all possible. I can scan actual photos, too, but prefer not to go this route as there is some cost to this option for both sides.

Oh, one more thing: I am only looking for photos of actual meat-and-three restaurants, per my definition (serves a one meat and three sides/vegetables menu choice; or a meat and two). You can read a more detailed definition on the MEATandTHREE.com site (click here). If you have any doubts, go ahead and contact me and we'll sort it out.

Thanks a ton!

Phil Roberson (mn3guy)

MEATandTHREE.com (Home)
MEATandTHREE.com (USA page)
MEATandTHREE.com (Photo Gallery)

Do you Squidoo?

2007-07-30T01:47:00.001-05:00

Squidoo is one of those community networking-type sites that seems to be gaining a lot of ground these days. I learned about the site late one night, and got a little bit addicted.

"What do you do on Squidoo?" You create "lenses" for whatever subject that you want to create a lens for.

"What's a lens?", you may ask? Well, a lens is basically a personal web page that you can create, adding various modules full of your own content, links, photos, Amazon or eBay products (on which you can earn commissions), surveys or polls, guest comments, etc.

It is free to set up a lens, and you can set up lots of them. I saw a person today who has set up over 60 of them.

I immediately created one for Meat and Three restaurants, of course (http://www.squidoo.com/meatandthreerestaurants/). Once there, you can check out some of my other lenses, some of which are about meat and threes and some are not. You can also get to the Lens of the Day (LOTD), view the current Top 100 lenses, or browse through the various categories to find ones that interest you.

However, please do not forget about your favorite meat and three blog. Make sure you bookmark either this blog or my main web site, MEATandTHREE.com and come back to visit me.

It was quite easy to create the first lens and does not really take much time, if you have an idea of what your subject is and already have some content. It's really easy to play around with, experimenting with different looks and modules, so that you can get the look you want. My mum (no, I am not English - have just always wanted to say that in print or in a radio interview or something) has created several, so I know you can do it. She is not necessarily a web programming queen ... yet.

If you have heard the buzz about Squidoo already and want to start your own page, click on this link to get started. When you have your page(s) done, shoot me a comment on this entry. I'd like to take a look at it.

Here is one of the Squidoo link buttons:

If you have any questions about how I did something on one of my Squidoo lenses, just ask me. I'm still leaning, too, but I'll try to help.

Have a great week!

Phil Roberson (mn3guy)
MEATandTHREE.com (Home)
MEATandTHREE.com (USA page)
MEATandTHREE.com (Photo Gallery)

Southern Living 2007 Readers' Choice Awards

2007-07-30T01:35:00.000-05:00

You may not have seen anything yet about the Southern Living 2007 Readers' Choice Awards, but you should check it out for a couple of reasons.

First, there is a great prize that you could possibly win: a weekend trip for two to Kiawah Island, South Carolina ($4,700 value). The trip includes a stay at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort, golf, tennis, spa visit, a meal certificate, and a carriage tour of Charleston. Just enter the contest for a chance to win. You can click this link to go right to the entry page.

Second, there is a section at the bottom of the entry form for entrants to record their "Southern Favorites". One of those 'favorites' is the category, "Family Restaurants", and the recommendation says the following: "no chains; only those with one location, please".

This is an open invitation for me, you and many others to do their part in making sure that a meat and three restaurant is the winner. Makes sense to me, and I hope you agree. If you are a real champion of the "meat and three", I hope you will take part in this contest and vote for your favorite, email friends and family who also love them, and maybe post this entry on your blog or write your own similar post to help get the word out.

Sure, there are plenty of great single location restaurants here in the South, and many of them are not meat and threes. However, there are some mighty good meat and threes that could really be contenders. I (selfishly) am hoping that a meat-and-three restaurant will come out on top, which will help these great places to get even more publicity and recognition than they are already getting.

Some say they are a dying breed, but I am seeing and hearing about more and more of them almost every day. My goal is to really get the word out about these wonderful places. I want this genre of dining to find its way into more of the mainstream. It certainly would not hurt the effort, were a meat and three restaurant to achieve the top place in a contest such as this Southern Living one.

So, please don't leave this message without linking over to the contest and voting (click here to go right to the entry form). Also, brainstorm with me about other ways to get more meat and three lovers to vote for their favorite: comment on this post with your ideas; email me personally (see my profile) if you've got an idea you want to "chat about" privately; or create radio and tv promotions for all major markets in the U.S. (just kidding, I guess, unless your name is Donald Trump or Oprah). Of course, Oprah is from Nashville, you know, and Nashville is really the mecca of meat and threes. Hmmm...maybe I'm on to something there.

In any event, thank you for reading, and thanks for your interest in "meat and threes".

Don't forget to vote!

Phil Roberson (mn3guy)
MEATandTHREE.com (Home)
MEATandTHREE.com (USA page)
MEATandTHREE.com (Photo Gallery)

New blog for MEATandTHREE.com

2007-07-30T00:24:00.000-05:00

This entry is really a test post, to make sure that the blog entries are showing up on the new blog. The old blog articles through 7/29/07, at http://historyblog.meatandthree.com (opens new browser), are still available. These will remain as is, will be referenced, at times, and may end up on this blogger.com format eventually. Going forward, I want to see how this new blog format works. I would appreciate your feedback.

Thanks, and stay tuned.

Phil Roberson (mn3guy)