Hillbilly Tea

Having just spent a week driving and eating my way down US-23 (Paintsville, Prestonsburg, Pikeville), I'd be interested to see if this concept restaurant would make it "back home." My restaurant dining experience was along the lines of Po'Folks, and that's how the people seemed to like it.

A friend of mine went last week and loved it and posted some lovely photos on Facebook. I'm anxious to try it!

Okay, I'm just going to say it, and then everyone can berate me: I am really put off by the name.

"Hillbilly is a term referring to people who dwell in rural, mountainous areas of the United States, primarily Appalachia. Due to its strongly stereotypical connotations, the term is frequently considered derogatory, and so is usually offensive to those Americans of Appalachian heritage".

OK...so riddle me this (anyone)...Why is it other ethnic persons and/or socio-economic classes enjoy protection via the PC police from racial and ethnic slurs but poor (primarily white) folks from Appalachia get a restaurant named after 'em. Does anyone think a name like Spic Pasta or Ni**** Soul Food would fly ?

Don't get me wrong, I use the word "Hillbilly" quite often usually when referring to my ignorant mouth breathing hill-jack cousins down in east TN but I certainly wouldn't consider naming a restaurant in their honor a polite gesture.

Okay, I'm just going to say it, and then everyone can berate me: I am really put off by the name.

"Hillbilly is a term referring to people who dwell in rural, mountainous areas of the United States, primarily Appalachia. Due to its strongly stereotypical connotations, the term is frequently considered derogatory, and so is usually offensive to those Americans of Appalachian heritage".

OK...so riddle me this (anyone)...Why is it other ethnic persons and/or socio-economic classes enjoy protection via the PC police from racial and ethnic slurs but poor (primarily white) folks from Appalachia get a restaurant named after 'em. Does anyone think a name like Spic Pasta or Ni**** Soul Food would fly ?

Don't get me wrong, I use the word "Hillbilly" quite often usually when referring to my ignorant mouth breathing hill-jack cousins down in east TN but I certainly wouldn't consider naming a restaurant in their honor a polite gesture.

My Hazard roots aren't offened at all because the name clearly isn't being used in a derogatory fashion. It actually seems to be celebrating the best parts of the food culture.

As to the remainder of your point, the "PC police" will have to speak for themselves.

My wife and I visted a week or so after they first opened. They were having a special dinner tasting menu, related to the run of Wicked at the Kentucky Center.

The ambience that they are going for has more of an urban edge. The food is Hillbilly influenced, but is not down home cooking by any stretch. More like, if grandma ran away from home and went goth. That's what it felt like to me.

The various teas offered with each course were tasty and interesting. The various tidbits were hit and miss, but worthy of future vists. We haven't been able to return because they don't normally have evening hours.

We haven't been able to return because they don't normally have evening hours.

According to the website, they do now, at least on weekends.

monday - friday 11am - 4pm
saturday 9am - 9pm
sunday 9am - 9pm

Spic Pasta

Is that a new fusion place going in by the arena?

When I first heard about Hillbilly Tea and realized its name was meant in a kind of gritty, twisty, ironic way, I was excited. When I found out the chef was a Hungarian who came from Teaism in DC and loved and respected Appalachian ingredients, and that the co-proprietor was an African-American entrepreneur who had been at Proof, I was more excited and intrigued. And when we went there and were greeted with open, friendly service and delicious, adventurous food, I was delighted. I really wanted people to know about this place. I want it to thrive. I was really happy when I read Marty Rosen's rave review...

So I have to say that the mostly closed, testy conversation here disappoints me... Bad name! We hate hillbillies! We love hillbillies! We ARE hillbillies! We're NOT hillbillies! This isn't hillbilly food! Really? That's the reaction?

I will add this, but I don't want it to become the conversation. (Let's talk about the FOOD, people!) The people of Appalachia are the last group in the country it is okay to reduce to the Other, to laugh at and despise, to openly ridicule (Watch John Stewart, whom I love otherwise), to ignore. These people suffer from bad education, geographic and cultural isolation, the poisoning of mind and body by their coal company employers, from stultifying religion, from a history of neglect and hatred.

Listen to Ashley Judd's recent address to the National Press Corps in which she embraces her 'hillbilly' origins and name. Read Silas House.

Listen.

And go try Hillbilly Tea. Enjoy.

When I first heard about Hillbilly Tea and realized its name was meant in a kind of gritty, twisty, ironic way, I was excited. When I found out the chef was a Hungarian who came from Teaism in DC and loved and respected Appalachian ingredients, and that the co-proprietor was an African-American entrepreneur who had been at Proof, I was more excited and intrigued. And when we went there and were greeted with open, friendly service and delicious, adventurous food, I was delighted. I really wanted people to know about this place. I want it to thrive. I was really happy when I read Marty Rosen's rave review...

So I have to say that the mostly closed, testy conversation here disappoints me... Bad name! We hate hillbillies! We love hillbillies! We ARE hillbillies! We're NOT hillbillies! This isn't hillbilly food! Really? That's the reaction?

I will add this, but I don't want it to become the conversation. (Let's talk about the FOOD, people!) The people of Appalachia are the last group in the country it is okay to reduce to the Other, to laugh at and despise, to openly ridicule (Watch John Stewart, whom I love otherwise), to ignore. These people suffer from bad education, geographic and cultural isolation, the poisoning of mind and body by their coal company employers, from stultifying religion, from a history of neglect and hatred.

Listen to Ashley Judd's recent address to the National Press Corps in which she embraces her 'hillbilly' origins and name. Read Silas House.

Listen.

And go try Hillbilly Tea. Enjoy.

Yes....a much more literate and well composed post than I could write. Plus you've actually tasted the food!

Yes....a much more literate and well composed post than I could write. Plus you've actually tasted the food!

Yep, that was prurrty dern good post.

I will add this, but I don't want it to become the conversation. (Let's talk about the FOOD, people!) The people of Appalachia are the last group in the country it is okay to reduce to the Other, to laugh at and despise, to openly ridicule (Watch John Stewart, whom I love otherwise), to ignore. These people suffer from bad education, geographic and cultural isolation, the poisoning of mind and body by their coal company employers, from stultifying religion, from a history of neglect and hatred.

Well said.

If the reaction on the forum is any indication, the restaurant's name gives them something that mere customers can't buy: Buzz.

[Robin Garr]

We went today. It's an interesting mix of hillbilly and upscale. Ball canning jars for iced tea. Quality antique silverware, wrapped up in napkins secured with wooden clothespins. Daisies in tasteful bud vases, and barbecued tofu. I'll reserve a full report for LEO, but long story short, I think it was very good, but maybe I'm not quite as smitten as Marty seemed to be.

Never mind the "hillbilly" thing. I started it as a joke, and it didn't really keep me away, although it does put me off a little. This is not a judgement against country folks, but I do get a little tense about people in Louisville, a reasonably urbane community, embracing a Southern and country culture that is not really a part of our city's deeper heritage.

'nuff said! It was a pretty good place, and I'll say nice things about it.

Never mind the "hillbilly" thing. I started it as a joke, and it didn't really keep me away, although it does put me off a little. This is not a judgement against country folks, but I do get a little tense about people in Louisville, a reasonably urbane community, embracing a Southern and country culture that is not really a part of our city's deeper heritage.

Well said Robin. Furthermore, there's plenty of ways for the proprietors to represent in name what they are going for w/o calling on what is generally considered a derogative term.

This is not a judgement against country folks, but I do get a little tense about people in Louisville, a reasonably urbane community, embracing a Southern and country culture that is not really a part of our city's deeper heritage.

Agree, Louisville is much more than Southern and country culture, but it brings in the dollars. Give me my Asian and Latin American any day.