My trip to Nashville was fairly short in the whole scheme of things. I arrived on Thursday night and was back home by mid-afternoon on Saturday. Caroline was so excited to see me that she elected to stay at Mimi and Bops’ house and help them finish cleaning their garage instead of riding to the airport with P to pick me up. I’ve never felt so loved.
The LifeWay Women’s Forum was great. Sophie picked me up from the airport and we arrived just in time to hear Travis lead worship. We saw a couple of sweet friends, ate some delicious tomato basil soup and grilled cheese sandwiches (shout out to the chef), and called it a night because we were both exhausted.
We headed over to conference the next morning to teach our sessions and tried to mentally prepare ourselves because we’d been told that they were going to put us on the live webcast around 2:00 p.m. to do some “witty banter”. Live. Witty banter.
Adding to the stress was the memory of the last time they asked Sophie and I to do some “witty banter” after a Living Proof Live event in San Antonio or as we like to refer to it “Remember the Alamodome”. It was the most painful eight minutes of my life as we struggled to come up with even ONE THING to talk about and ended up discussing how we slept the night before which is always a riveting topic. The silence was deafening but you could hear every woman in that place saying a silent “Bless their hearts”.
But for some reason they thought it would be a good idea to give us another try and we spent all morning throwing out potential topics we could revert to if we got desperate. Our list consisted of Thanksgiving foods, Christmas shopping, hair and the dress that Priscilla Shirer had on that morning. And because we are extra nerdy and obsessive, we also had a super secret list o’ conversation topics that we didn’t share with each other so we could create the illusion of spontaneous conversation if times got hard.
Fortunately we ended up getting to interview the delightful and talented Kelly Minter about her new Bible study on Ruth. I think it went pretty well although I did have a moment of desperation and panic where I asked her about her favorite Thanksgiving food. It was turkey by the way, which I find fascinating because you don’t really hear anyone talk about how much they love turkey at the Thanksgiving meal. Personally, I could just get rid of the turkey altogether and just carb load on the dressing and broccoli-rice casserole. And the pies.
And then eat a whole bowl of whipping cream.
Anyway, after our portion of the live webcast was over, we went back to the hotel to recuperate. I had a raging headache (probably from concentrating so hard on my list of super secret conversation topics) and just needed to lie down for awhile. Eventually Sophie called my room and we decided to venture out in search of dinner.
If you’ve read this blog for any length of time then you know where this is heading.
We drove towards the Vanderbilt campus in search of nourishment but we were both totally indifferent about what we wanted to eat. Then all of a sudden we spotted the San Antonio Taco Company and we were powerless to resist. We were compelled to carry on our time honored tradition of eating the most mediocre Mexican food that the Southern United States has to offer. It’s like a sickness.
Exhibit A: Huevos Rancheros in Woodstock, Georgia
Exhibit B: Restaurant with a rat on the sign in Charlotte, North Carolina
But I thought this time might be different because the restaurant had San Antonio in its name. I felt that it lent an air of credibility.
After one bite of the guacamole (and I use that term loosely), I immediately regretted our decision. Yet, I pressed on and finished eating my beef fajita taco.
Later that night I was talking to P on the phone and said, “I don’t feel so good”.
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“Well, Sophie and I ate at this Mexican restaurant and the food wasn’t very good.”
“Why do you do that to yourself? I can’t even feel sorry for you.”
“But it was called the San Antonio Taco Company! I figured it might be good, but I think the city of San Antonio should sue them for defamation of character.”
“I think you have only yourself to blame. Anyone who actually lives in San Antonio should know better than to eat at a restaurant in Tennessee called the San Antonio Taco Company.”
He is a fount of sympathy.
By the time I made it home on Saturday I was in dire need of real Mexican food to cleanse the memory from my palate so we picked up dinner from Teka Molina and all was well.
Now I’m just glad that I’m home to stay for a while. I’ve traveled about once a month for the last four months and I’m ready for a break. It’s not that airline travel isn’t glamorous, I mean where else do you get the opportunity to take off your tall black boots and reveal to the world that you’re wearing white tube socks with your black leggings? It will just be nice to unpack my Ziploc full of 3 oz. toiletries and enjoy my people.
Even though some of them would rather clean the garage than meet me at the airport.
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I just read Sophie’s blog, and I’ve been reading both of yours for awhile, just never commented. Anyways, I read her blog and she mentioned the mexican food and Nashville, and my first thought drifted to SATco-that’s what the Nashvillians call it. See, I’m from So Cal and SATco has nothing on authentic mexican food, I really don’t see what the hype is of that place. I’ve been there at least twice with some friends while visiting Nashville. I guess it’s just a cool hanging, let’s all go to “SATco” Anyways, sorry you got sick, my friend had an interesting experience with tacos there years ago…but that’s another story.
Hope you have a great day.
we are spoiled here in socal- we have awesome mexican food- it’s one of the reasons I moved here (that and the endless summer)…
growing up in indiana, we did NOT have good mexican food- which is why i know the difference!
fyi…should you ever find yourself in London don’t go for the Mexican food. Lots and lots of great food there but Mexican-no.
You’re welcome.
I have so been there with the kids so excited to see me that they barely look up when I walk in the room.. just wait til she’s a teenager! Only you can make me laugh at 6:30 in the morning..
No good Mexican in upstate NY, either. We rely on the chains….
Have a great day re-connecting with your people, and welcome back!!
Oh my friend I am so sorry that SATCO let you down! I used to work at Vanderbilt hospital and I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spent on their deck eating chicken tacos and cheese dip. I’m not a fan of guacamole of any kind but I have had dreams about the cheese dip at SATCO. It makes my mouth water just to think about it! I live in Japan now and I believe I should win the prize for the place in the world with the worst mexican food! But, I am going home for Christmas and one of the places on my “MUST GO TO” list is SATCO. Hope your feeling better! And if you’re ever back in Nashville and want to try another mexican food venue, Las Palmas is delicious.
When you visit us here in the Southern US, don’t eat Mexican food. Eat Barbeque. You can’t go wrong with BBQ around here!!
What we in the Southeastern US call Mexican food is really Taco Bell with table service!! But every town has a barbeque joint that knows how to do it right! I thought I didn’t like guacamole, until 5 years ago when I went to Mexico for the first time! Even as wonderful as the memory is of those thickly cut chips and guacamole from Playa Mujeres, Mexico is, I dare not order it here!! I just long for the next time I cross the border!
I am starting to wonder if I only know mediocre Mexican food. I live in Alabama. I am thinking I should visit San Antonio just for the food…
Three things:
1. There is now a Chuy’s in Franklin, Tennessee, which is about 20 minutes south of downtown. There is no longer a reason to torture yourself with SATC and other Tex-Mex unpleasantness in the Nashville area.
2. Don’t trust those people who tell you that BBQ is the way to go in the south. When they say “bbq,” they mean “meat that is drowning in so much sauce you won’t be able to tell that the meat itself has no flavor.” Also, they seem to think that pork is the basis of a good bbq dinner.
3. There are these wonderful clear plastic cosmetic bags now. So you can keep your lipsticks in them full time AND not have to worry about the TSA’s beloved ziplocks.
The next time Lifeway has an event in the tiniest town in the remotest corner of north Alabama give me a shout. I’ll take you and Sophie to Mario’s. Hands down THE BEST guacamole you’ve ever had in your life. It’s all chunky and full of pico.. None of that puree stuff.
dear dear big mama, learn your mexican food lesson! I live in TN and it’s a barren wasteland for the true mexican food lover! You should have eaten at Tin Angel!
Okay- well I hope that wasn’t my fault- we love SATCO, but I have to admit, I’ve only been to Dallas for football games forever ago when my uncle was a Cowboy, and we never ate Mexican. So I have to say, I might not know anything about Mexican food- but in my defense, they aren’t known for their guacamole. Anyway- hope you at least enjoyed the weather on the deck and the diet coke. If you’re ever back in town I can tell you about the best hamburger you’ll ever eat- seriously, who can mess up a hamburger?
Aww I so could have steered you in the right direction, grasshopper. And to think you and Sophie drove right past the Mellow Mushroom to go to SATC. My husband is getting his M.Div at Vandy and he says the only thing the SATC is known for is cheap beer.
Also, there is now a Chuy’s in Franklin (right outside of Nashville). I would have no idea of its goodness if it weren’t for you.
Lastly… (long winded this morning!) I watched some of the live stream Friday morning during Priscilla’s session. It took all of about 5 seconds before I started looking for the Kleenex. I believe that moment she was talking about supernatural ability in our natural places. It hit my heart!
I’m going to clean my garage now
Oh, now – this Southern Belle may need to throw down my gloves with the comments on here dissin the sacred BBQ. Don’t mess with that Carolina Pork! All that sauce isn’t to cover up the tasteless meat, it’s to make your mouth water so you have to come back for more!
And BTW, never go for the yellow mustard BBQ in some parts of the Carolinas. The red is where it is at.
1992 BBQ Queen, I still have my crown and sash thank-you-very-much.
Can’t go wrong with Teka! Hope you got a guacamole cup (:
So I’m evening thinking “Bless Your Heart” about the restaurant choice. I mean, you were in Memphis, which I find ironic to even point out is FAMOUS for its ribs…dry ribs, wet ribs, you name it, you got it. Now, I’m not the biggest fan of ribs, so I understand your hesitation, but I figured when in Rome…and let me tell you, those people can make ribs! It is the only city in the world that I will partake in the eating of ribs. Next time, you gotta try it.
This also reminds me of a story of when I first worked at D&T and went on an extended business trip with a co-worker that had never left the great state of Texas, and we landed ourselves in Mystic, Connecticut. (You know the Julia Roberts movie “Mystic Pizza.”) Anyway, after a couple of weeks, she was really having Mexican food withdrawals. One night, we were in an ITALIAN restaurant in CONNECTICUT and she shrieked with delight. They had a section on the menu titled “Mexican Food.” Yes, she went there, and I don’t think it was many days later that she made her way back to Texas still sick.
Oh, and be wary of cajun food restaurants in small country towns in East Texas. I tried one and though it was supposed to be cajun food, the chef appeared to be a hispanic woman…named Olga? Unless you consider rice & rotel as jambalaya, you might be disappointed.
I have never experienced Mexican food west of Alabama, so I lack knowledge on what is and what is not good Mexican food. I do however have a friend who was born and raised in Houston and when she came to my town for college, she informed us that our idea of “Mexican food” was the most disgusting thing she had ever eaten in her life! Many times a group would go out to eat at our local Las Palmas and she would either not go or go and just eat chips and salsa. So, I kind of think that was what happened to you. You are just spoiled by authenticity, LOL.
My husband and I went to graduate school at Vanderbilt and every Thursday night had dinner at Satco…kind of like a Thursday shout out to our Texas ties. SATCO is across the street from the business school and my husband and his MBA friends went there like 12 times a week.
Then we moved back to Texas.
And I felt badly that all those nice people in Tennessee actually thought that SATCO was good Mexican food.
It was a fun atmosphere though … and that counts for a little something, right?
PS O’Charleys which is right there too has THE BEST rolls in the world. Tennessee people can do rolls … just not Mexican.
It was great to get to meet you and Sophie in Nashville. Enjoyed your session too and appreciated the chat after with your good tips!
Big Mama, Big Mama…you would do well to listen to P.
This IS Tennessee. We don’t do Mexican well, good ol’ country cookin’ and Jack Daniel’s is our forte, order those next time and you’ll be a happy girl
I went to “Real Mexico” this weekend in South Carolina. Yum, yum, yum! Of course, my knowledge of “real” Mexican food is pretty limited.
Sister, why do you torture yourself so? I feel so bad that you and Sophie are traumatized by your 8 minutes of witty banter in the Alamodome. When I was a new employee at LPM, LifeWay came to Houston to tape Believing God every week at our Tues. night Bible study. My job was to stand on stage and make the ladies laugh so that they could get them on film doing that. It was HORRIBLE and I’m still traumatized by the fact that they made me do that.
I’m sitting at my desk at work observing a moment of silence for you and the bad Mexican food.
There’s really nothing worse.
Too funny! I was just telling my Father in law who lives in Charlotte about your mexican experience! I was too lazy to go through all you archives to find the post! now I can just forward this to him! What great adventures you have~
I watched the webcast and you & Boo were charming as always! I watched the online chatting going on as you were talking and the people wanted to know where you got your boots, they liked both your and Sophie’s outfits, and they wanted to know if the women standing behind you thought they were at the Today Show! So, no worries…we don’t expect any big theological discussion from you two (and not that you totally couldn’t cut that!)…but all the people really want to hear from you is where you had your last Mexican meal and where you buy your clothes. That “What’s your favorite TG food” question exceeded all our expectations!
You didn’t even have to say the word mexican and I just knew, haha!!!!!!!
LOL! I live in Nashville. I know exactly what you mean about the “guacamole” at SATCO. Nasty stuff.
I am happy to learn I am not the only person who wears white tube socks with her tall black boots.
I totally had to laugh, because I was in Nashville recently, saw San Antonio Taco Co, and thought to myself that no would from San Antonio would possibly eat there(and I currently dont even live in SA).
Why am I now in the mood for Mexican food?? Since I live in Kentucky it would probably be concidered mediocre… but if I’ve never had Mexican food in Texas then I guess I don’t know what I’m missing out on. Although I have never found anything close to the delicious guacamole that we had in Mexico when we were there for our honeymoon. So that gives me a glimpse into what I’m missing out on!! Crap. now I want guacamole from Mexico!
I have to say, I’m with P, you know you can only get great Mexican food from Texas. I don’t even try to go to a Mexican food place when I am in New York. My Texas stomach couldn’t handle it! Glad you made it back safe.
You didn’t like SATCO??? oh dear. I realize that it’s no Pappasito’s or anything, but we love that place. Nashville is home to us even though we are in Houston, did you try their cheese dip, it’s good! We love the atmosphere of it more than anything. you should know though you were hanging out a very hip place, it’s a local favorite and I am sure you were accompanied by many college students since it’s right across from Vanderbilt. Even though you didn’t like it, I will continue to read your blog, cause you make me laugh!
Second time to comment, but the BBQ throwdown drew me in. You can’t beat smoked pork. I’m an AL gal living in TN and the mustard-based (yellow) BBQ in South Carolina is something I dream of each night. I’m just thankful for mauricesbbq.com where we order some each Christmas. Also here in my lil’ TN town turkey BBQ is all the rage.
Who know food could be such a controversial topic? Haha! Now I’m hungry…
You are right. SatCo, as we locals call it, is no good. The food is popular simply due to it’s location right across the street from Vanderbilt.
Next time you are in Nasvegas and get a hankering for some Mexican food, you need to check out Taqueria La Hacienda (http://www.lahaciendainc.com/). It started out at a Tortilleria with a lunch counter and has now expanded into a full-blown restaurant. The food is simple, but excellent… reminds me of the food I enjoyed on a trip to the mountains of Mexico many years ago.
Big Mama…I love you, your post has realy became a daily ritual of mine but I just can not understand something….Why, being from South Texas, do you seek out Mexican food when you travel like you are going to find some better. Like when we travel to the coast we want seafood and the only reason we even eat seafood around home is because we are wanting it so bad and we can’t drive 6 hours to the coast to satisfy that hunger. And, we expect mediocre when we do eat it around here. I just find this characteristic of yours to be…different. lol
The references to “cheese dip” on this blog cause me to despair even more than the belief that decent bbq involves something other than well-smoked meat. No Texan would ever order something called cheese dip. Ever. It’s chili con queso or nothing, and if the restaurant calls it “cheese dip” on the menu, you can be sure it’s not worth eating.
This is so funny. My husband is from KY and we drive through Nashville to get to his parents house and for YEARS I would beg for a taco and couldn’t get anything but Taco Bell on the way or even once we got to KY(not). You couldn’t even find Mexican meal products in Wal-Mart. WalMart … in the last 5yrs. or so, I have seen products in the store, but the resturaunts have A LOT of catching up to do.
Hubby and I have contemplated writing letters to Pappasito’s, Uncle Julio’s or even On the Border to plant a resturaunt smack dab in the middle of highway 65!
Oh, boooo
I’m not looking forward to the day that my oldest would rather clean the garage than see me. Maybe she was just playing hard to get.
I was at the Gaylord in Nashville a few months ago, and my friend wanted Taco Bell for dinner (blech). We used her GPS, and it took us to a liquor store that clearly used to be a Taco Bell. Now that’s unfortunate.
Tube socks with tall boots sounds clever to me…I just may try it….
I looked for you and Boomama around here on Friday. I don’t really know anything but southern mexican food. Next time you come to town go to the Perfect Pig in White Bluff for some perfect BBG and side dishes. You will not be sorry and you will not want to eat Mexican in Tn ever again. Love you. BB
don’t do this to Satco!! We Tennesseans love that place…never had their guacamole, but i heart their soft tacos & ohhhh the chips & queso! it’s probably because you Texas folk are used to something a little more “real” when it comes to Mexican, but that’s truly one of my favorite places, and by the length of the line most days, i know i’m not the only one.
Sorry SATCO let you down! The queso is my favorite and the reason I went there every Tuesday during the 5 years I worked at Vanderbilt. I have to say that my husband calls it RATCO which I try to ignore…
I’m the worst packer on the planet so i’m glad you’re home for awhile. Packing makes me nervous.
And…the mexican food fiasco is all me. Do it every time too. Never learn. Never will.
Glad you are back. I’m totally searching for that coat you know. You were totally cool.
I’ve just realized that a person’s preference for Mexican food is about the best judge of character there is. I don’t think I could be friends with someone who thinks that SATCO has good Mexican food. Poor dears, they just haven’t had good Mexican food yet.
It’s kind of like the scene in “When Harry Met Sally” when Harry tries to explain to Sally that she really hadn’t experienced great sex yet. Well, not quite the same. But you get the point.
recently a friend and I checked out a place in our area called Margaritas. When the waitress ask what we wanted to drink, I ordered a frozen Margarita. She then informed me they didn’t serve alcohol. The diet coke was ok but the chicken chimichanga was way below par in my book!
My daughter works at Vanderbilt and has lived in Nashville for almost 5 years now and goes to Las Palmas at least, once sometimes twice and occasionally three times a week! Next time you are there, you must find them. They have several locations.
Wow…I work at LifeWay and SATCO is one of the go-to places for my friends and I. Of course…according to my husband, I don’t have a discriminating palate. If it’s wrapped in a tortilla and has some salsa on the side – I call it Mexican.
First time commenter, and Native Nashvillian here (it’s a proper noun, ’cause there aren’t many of us left):
For the record…SatCo does not make my little-big Southern city proud. With so many great restaurants here in Nashvegas, I’m so sorry you guys ended up in one of the worst. Please don’t hold it against us!
Ewwww. That’s like eating at Taco Bueno (which should be blown off the face of the earth, pronto). Uck.
I laughed out loud at the tube sock/legging/boot visual. HEE HEE HEE!!
I too have had bad Mexican food in Georgia. Those poor people don’t know what they are missing. But they do rock some grits.
Oh, if I only had the chance to elaborate on Big Mama’s apparently cast iron stomach, I would do so. But, sometimes even she oversteps her boundaries. However, I love her anyway—even if I do sometimes wonder if they switched babies on me at the hospital. She looks too much like me to deny her, however!
Just had to chime in that you definitely want to eat at Las Palmas if you’re looking for Mexican food in Nashville!
Now, now…..I ? my bar-b-que…..ummmm good!
I’m a Vandy grad who spent many an hour on the deck at SATCo. You just didn’t order right – their cheese dip with fresh tortillas? Heaven. Anything else I couldn’t tell you about b/c I never ordered it.
Oh – and whoever said O’Charley’s had good rolls has CLEARLY never been to the Cooker. Good rolls and the biggest cups of sweet tea ever!
Next time you travel somewhere you’ll have to ask for dining suggestions in advance!
About 11 years ago, I was traveling in Europe with some girlfriends, and while in Paris we saw a restaurant called “Indiana Tex-Mex”.
Riiiight.
We didn’t even cross the street to look at the menu. Because, Mexican food in Paris? Where apparently they think Indiana might know about it?
PSSH!
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