The rest of the world may go up, down, or
sideways - the McCabe Pub just sits there saying welcome home. Thanks for always being there for all of us.
FIFTH ANNUAL MCCABE PUB CRAWFISH BOIL: Great Food, Great Cause
—Bill Purcell, Mayor of Nashville, 1999–2007
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tence. “I resisted as long as I could,” explains Jo. “And the chicken livers are one of our biggest sellers, along with our fried baloney sandwiches.” They also attend events like the National Restaurant Association Convention in Chicago to see what’s trending. Burgers remain the most popular menu item—they’re char-grilled instead of flat-grilled—and Anderson’s aforementioned red dazzler remains the most popular cocktail. (He also makes an excellent hot-buttered rum in the winter and jalepeño margarita in the summer.) Which brings us to another key to McCabe Pub’s success: long-term staff. “We’re very fortunate to have retained a core group of employees,” says Stefanie, pointing out individuals like Anderson [30 years], Ava Pearson [server, 24 years], Ernie Fleming [kitchen, 30 years], and Ken Gray, who retired recently after 27 years as nighttime bar manager. “We’ve created an environment where everyone wants to come work and have a good time while they’re here,” explains Jo. “That enthusiasm is contagious and captures our customers.” “I call it the ‘circle of life’,” Katie says. “And when one part’s missing, the circle isn’t complete. It takes everyone to make it work. Our philosophy has always been to do what we do as best we can; when you have a product you all believe in, and keep it consistent, you have a winning recipe for success.” “We stay true to our roots and continue to evolve in small ways,” Stefanie says. “We’re bringing in the next generation of customers, and tapping into the new Nashvillians who appreciate the establishments that made Nashville Nashville.” Perhaps Jo summarizes it best: “We’re here. We’re keeping up. We have a great patio.” Smiling, she adds, “And plenty of free parking.” VI
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McCabe Pub is open Monday–Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. (kitchen closes at 10:00 p.m.), and is closed on Sundays. Constant Eater is dedicated to discovering the West Side’s best
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he fifth annual McCabe Pub Crawfish Boil will crank up at 3:00 p.m. on May 6th to benefit the LAM Foundation, a non-profit global leader in the fight against lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a rare lung disease that usually strikes women during the prime of their lives. Currently, there is no cure. Tickets are $35 and include crawfish with all the fixings and three drink tickets. All net proceeds will go to the LAM Foundation, and LAMplify will match all donations. In the past four years, this event has raised a total of $80,000. This rain-or-shine event lasts until 8:00 p.m., and promises great music, great food, and helps a great cause. This disease has a personal connection with the McCabe Pub family. In 2010, Stefanie Dean Brown was diagnosed with LAM when a tumor on one of her kidneys (characteristic of the disease) hemorrhaged. “I was quickly diagnosed, but I was also 32 weeks pregnant,” she recalls. “And it almost killed me and my son.” Her son, who has cerebral palsy, remained in the NICU for 3 months. “He is my guardian angel; without him, I would have never known that I had it.” Join them on May 6th and while you’re there, raise your glass to McCabe Pub—here’s to 35 more great years!
breakfasts, lunches, dinners and cocktails . . . in the name of fair reporting and satisfied tummies, of course.
April–May 2017 | 372WN.com
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