Author: Stacey Greenberg

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Food & Wine Food & Drink

Let Them Eat Pie

CREDIT: by Justin Fox Burks

Ivory Winfield was a beautician for 31 years — a beautician famous for her tasty sweet-potato pie. Everyone was always asking her to bake them pies and cakes. So three years ago, she sold her house and used half of the money to convert her beauty salon in Orange Mound into Grandma’s Desserts, Etc.

“I knew I knew more about cooking than I did about doing hair,” Winfield says.

Grandma’s is pick-up and delivery only. The sweet-potato pie is Grandma’s number-one item, selling more than 100 at Thanksgiving. Other pies on the menu — ranging in price from $11 to $35 — include pecan, honey walnut, chess, and turtle cheesecake. Cupcakes are $12 a dozen (try the Italian cream), and among the options for cakes ($22 to $35) are red velvet, German chocolate, and caramel.

The “Etc.” is an important part of Grandma’s. Winfield offers jalapeno cornbread, lasagna, dressing, and other non-dessert items, selling from $5 to $40.

Winfield opened Grandma’s for her family.

“She wanted to leave a legacy for her grandkids,” says Elnora Johnson, one of Winfield’s five children. Elnora, along with her three sisters, splits her time between baking and doing hair at the family-owned Chaparral Salon on Winchester. Elnora laughs and says, “We were all doing hair, and then we just got thrown into Grandma’s Desserts.”

by Justin Fox Burks

Winfield’s 12 grandkids, ranging in age from 5 to 41, also help out. “Some are in college and some have other jobs, but they all work here at one time or another,” Winfield says. The older kids mastered the recipes while growing up, and the others are learning. Those who don’t cook help out in other ways. Winfield’s 5-year-old granddaughter often helps by sweeping the floor. “She wears a cap just like the rest of us,” Winfield says proudly.

Ryan Johnson, Elnora’s 18-year-old son, had been taking phone orders and washing dishes for the past three years when he was recently promoted. “I made my first sweet-potato pie about two weeks ago,” he boasts. Ryan explains that one day there were no dishes to do so he offered to cut the pies. (His grandma has a special way of cutting them.) Winfield was impressed. Since then, she’s let him try a few of her easier recipes.

“I don’t cook fancy,” Winfield says. “I cook regular, old-fashioned food just like my mama did 50 years ago.” All of the recipes used at Grandma’s Desserts are Winfield’s or her mother’s.

Elnora credits the bakery’s success to word-of-mouth and their booth at the Memphis Farmers Market downtown, where they sell a variety of cakes and pies by the slice, brownies, cookies, and an assortment of other delights. “We did great,” Elnora says. “It’s really helped business.”

Winfield says she feels confident that her family could carry on without her. But she’s not going anywhere just yet. “She’s very active,” says Elnora. “She does more than I do.”

Winfield still does hair at least one day a week and also sits with elderly people at night. But her favorite thing to do is to cook. Being surrounded by family makes it even more enjoyable. “When we’re all cooking, I tell everyone to turn off their cell phones and let the [business] phone ring,” she says.

Don’t worry, though: Winfield says they always check their messages.

Grandma’s Desserts, Etc.

3108 Park (458-2197 or 292-7990)

grandmasdesserts.com

by Justin Fox Burks

‘I don’t cook fancy. I cook regular.’ says Ivory Winfield.

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

Any Way You Slice It

CREDIT: by Justin Fox Burks

What makes pizza taste so good? Is it the crust, the sauce, the toppings? It’s all of these things — and sometimes it’s none of them. But pizza just tastes better in a place with a good vibe or funky atmosphere.

Don’t take my word for it — go see for yourself.

A Slice of … Egypt

New York Pizza & Sub is located to the right of the Lowe’s parking lot on Perkins near Summer in a small, nondescript building with a few picnic tables out front. Inside, the tiny dining area is sparsely furnished with patio furniture, a large TV, and a stereo.

Salah, the owner and sole employee of New York Pizza & Sub, can be found in the kitchen. His lively personality more than makes up for the lack of décor. A native of Egypt, Salah has been making pizzas for 18 years, the first seven of which were in New York.

Walking into New York Pizza & Sub can be a bit disorienting. It feels more like a friend’s house — a friend who really likes to talk and makes great pizza.

And what about the pizza? Expect the standard New York style: thin and chewy with a nice crusty handle, light tomato sauce, gooey cheese, and sold by the slice.

New York Pizza & Sub, 4523 Summer (761-7771)

Nautical

The Cove is the perfect place to enjoy an old-fashioned cocktail, suck down a few oysters, watch a movie you’ve never heard of, and smoke ’em if you got ’em. The nautical interior that once filled Anderton’s definitely sets the Cove apart from other late-night bars. It’s cozy, cool, and full of surprises.

In addition to oysters and other light fare, the Cove has a small selection of pizzas on the menu. The most notable is Jim’s Ultimate Oyster Pizza. Yes, oyster pizza. The crisp crust is topped with a spinach Rockefeller sauce, marinated artichokes, goat cheese, bacon, and half a dozen freshly shucked oysters. Like the bar itself, this pizza offers a new twist on an old favorite. Best of all, you can enjoy your pizza with a shot of absinthe or a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon.

The Cove, 2559 Broad (730-0719)

Elvis-style

by Justin Fox Burks

A wall of Elvis at Broadway Pizza

Broadway Pizza has two dining rooms, a jukebox, a few big TVs, a Ms. Pac-Man, a racing-car game, a stuffed-animal-grabber game, a ’70s-style candy vending machine, and a couple hundred pictures of Elvis. Minus the flat-screen TVs, it feels like 1977 inside. (I consider this a plus.)

The menu offers many pizzas with unique toppings for people interested in taking a walk on the wild side (e.g., the chili and taco pizzas) as well as the standard fare for those who like to keep things simple. Whether you go crazy or play it safe, you can rest assured that each pizza is going to taste pretty damn good, arrive cut in squares, and be accompanied by a bowl of pepperoncinis and green olives.

Broadway Pizza, 2581 Broad (454-7930)

R.I.P. (Rest in Pizza)

Top Five Pizza Places that Will Be
Forever Missed

5) Chicago Pizza Factory — Remember when the Chicago Pizza Factory was a bustling restaurant and not a sad, empty building?

4) Shakey’s — The perfect place to celebrate after a soccer game. I can still hear the sound of my cleats on the floor as I run to the front to grab a pizza.

3) Pierotti’s — The standard meeting place for my philosophy class study group. I always scored the last piece of the group’s communal pie. My friend swears there were Gummi Bears on the buffet.

2) Squash Blossom — I could never convince my mom that pizza was actually healthy, but the Squash Blossom kitchen crew changed all that.

1) Pat’s — Getting buzzed in, wondering if Mrs. Pat was asleep or dead, giant hunks of meat toppings, roaches, a pool table, beer, open all night … how did this place ever go out of business?

by Justin Fox Burks

A Broadway pizza

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

That’s Italian

In August 2007, I found a flyer on my door tempting me with a 20 percent discount at a new Italian restaurant called Bruno’s on Madison near Cleveland. It was on my list of “places to go” for over a year before I finally went for lunch with two friends recently. The minute I walked inside I thought, Why did it take me so long to come here?

The small dining area is a sunny yellow and is adorned with simple, rustic paintings. The tables are covered with white butcher paper, and each table has a small glass with crayons. What Bruno’s lacks in curb appeal, it more than makes up for in atmosphere, taste, value, and service.

Bruno is Kent Bruno Russell, a 25-year veteran of the restaurant industry. He worked in management at Burger King, Steak & Ale, Olive Garden, and On the Border before finally realizing his dream of owning his own Italian restaurant. “Ever since I was 12 years old, I’ve told people that I was going to open an Italian restaurant,” Russell says.

Bruno’s, like Russell, is laid-back and welcoming — a perfect fit for Midtown. “It suits me,” says Russell, who bought a “big, old Midtown house” 11 years ago. When looking for the perfect spot for his restaurant, Russell considered several buildings in Midtown, but for one reason or another, they didn’t work out. While getting gas at the Circle K across the street, Russell noticed a “For Rent” sign in the window of the former Madison Country Kitchen. “I called the next day, and the rest is history,” he says.

Although the area around Cleveland and Madison is best known for its Vietnamese restaurants, the neighborhood has embraced his Italian fare. Medical Center employees fill the dining room at lunch, and local residents filter in for dinner. The atmosphere in the evening is very relaxed. The lights are turned down low, jazz floats from the speakers, and candles dot the tables.

As manager (and kitchen manager) of several restaurants, Russell had to know how to make every dish on the menu. This on-the-job training is what gave him the expertise and confidence to create original recipes. “I messed around with ingredients in my kitchen at home and perfected my recipes,” he says. Russell decided to start with the basics at Bruno’s and go from there. Most recently, he added garlic chicken and garlic shrimp to the menu.

Russell wanted his dishes to be simple and well-balanced and have a good aroma. He is especially proud of his lasagna and boasts that it is 10 times better than any lasagna at big-name chain restaurants. The lunch and dinner menus are the same, but portion sizes are a bit bigger and the prices are a bit higher at dinner. Monday through Friday, Bruno’s offers a lunch special that includes a choice of lasagna, beef or cheese ravioli, chicken parmigiana, manicotti, or sandwich and a side salad or soup for $6.99. Whether you go for lunch or dinner, don’t miss dessert. One of Russell’s customers, Katy Berry, delivers delicious treats to the restaurant such as a white chocolate mousse cake.

Longtime friends and family make up the backbone of Bruno’s staff. Russell’s son, Addison, 22, who got his start at Napoleon Yates downtown (which is owned by Russell’s father-in-law) works in the kitchen.

“Addison can really rock-and-roll in the kitchen,” Russell says with a laugh. “He’s already bragging that he’s better than me.”

In the front of the house is another star, waitress Mike Stokes. Russell worked with Stokes at Olive Garden and happened to run into her two weeks before opening. “I told her what I was up to, and she said she wanted to be a part of it,” Russell says.

Russell knows that good service makes all of the difference. “I want my customers to walk out the door thinking about their next visit,” he says.

I, for one, can’t wait.

Bruno’s Italian Restaurant, 1354 Madison (726-0770)

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

Stick a Fork in It

CREDIT: by Justin Fox Burks

A lot of green people can be annoying,” says Margot McNeeley. “I don’t want to be that person,” she laughs. “I’m here to help the people who already want to make changes.”

McNeeley is the founder of Project Green Fork, a nonprofit, collaborative community initiative created to assist Memphis restaurant owners in reducing waste, lowering overhead, and decreasing their environmental impact.

McNeeley came to Memphis in 1990 to open the Bookstar in Poplar Plaza and fell in love with the city. “I really appreciated the personal touch that goes along with everything here,” she says. That personal touch is what McNeeley, now a yoga instructor, plans to bring to the area restaurant industry through Project Green Fork.

McNeeley’s interest in a more environmentally sustainable restaurant industry stems from a single fact: Approximately one-and-a-half pounds of trash are produced for each restaurant meal served. As someone who likes to eat out, McNeeley found this statistic to be a little disturbing. “Styrofoam to-go containers, no recycling options … all of the unnecessary waste started to make me a little nuts,” she says. After discovering that 95 percent of restaurant waste can be recycled or composted, McNeeley decided to stop complaining and do something about it. She laughs as she says, “I thought, How hard can this be?”

Project Green Fork will employ a four-pronged approach to greening local restaurants: recycling, composting, energy-efficiency, and sustainable products. For each area of participation, restaurants will receive a certificate with up to four green forks to display in their window. McNeeley will personally visit restaurants and assess their needs. “It’s not a one-size-fits-all deal,” she says. “Not every restaurant has the same capabilities.”

As McNeeley finalizes the details of Project Green Fork, she has signed on Tsunami in Cooper-Young as a “test” restaurant.

Colleen Couch-Smith, part owner of Tsunami, says she and her husband chef Ben Smith really wanted to green their business but didn’t have the time or resources to do it alone. They turned to the Green Restaurant Association but found it to be impersonal. “They give you five steps to complete and then give you a sheet of paper. While it’s a great start, we needed more guidance,” Couch-Smith says.

Together, the Smiths and McNeeley identified several areas in which to reduce Tsunami’s environmental impact. They set up a composting system in the kitchen, mapped out an area for a container garden, and started searching for cost-effective to-go containers that are either biodegradable or made from recycled products.

McNeeley is also utilizing the free energy audits offered by Memphis, Light, Gas & Water. (Full disclosure: I am employed by MLGW.) Restaurants use the most electricity in the retail sector and consume 300,000 gallons of water (per location) per year. MLGW’s Commercial Energy Advisors make site visits and can offer restaurants detailed information on their consumption and advice on low- and no-cost steps to make facilities operate more efficiently and reliably.

McNeeley hopes to reduce restaurants’ financial burden in tackling larger issues, such as upgrading HVAC systems, by securing funding from environmental agencies. “We have such an old building, and greening it will cost a lot of money — money that we don’t have to spend on a building that is not ours,” Couch-Smith says.

Right now, the main stumbling block for Project Green Fork is finding a way for restaurants like Tsunami to recycle their glass, plastic, aluminum, paper, and cardboard. While the city offers these services to residents, it does not offer it to restaurants. In fact, McNeeley is finding it difficult to even get a few extra recycling bins so that Tsunami can collect their own recyclables and take them to the nearby drop-off center at First Congregational Church. “What I need is someone to make the recycling piece work,” she says. “Please, call me and tell me you can hook me up!”

Getting a buy-in from a number of restaurants could make the recycling end more profitable for an entrepreneur or the city. The Smiths agree.

“I met with a very sweet man who is willing to pick up our cardboard. It would be a much more lucrative stop for him if all of the nearby restaurants had their cardboard ready for him to pick up instead of just our minuscule stack,” Couch-Smith explains.

McNeeley recently made a presentation on Project Green Fork to the Memphis Restaurant Association, which garnered a lot of interest. “I had so many questions and did so much talking that I was hoarse by the end of the meeting,” she says.

However, a truly sustainable restaurant industry will require the efforts of both restaurant owners and diners. McNeeley, who takes her own reusable to-go container to restaurants, says, “We all really need to stop thinking of everything as so convenient and start doing our part.”

For more information on Project Green Fork,
contact Margot McNeeley at 292-1700 or
napoleon99@mindspring.com.

projectgreenfork.org

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

All Together Now

CREDIT: by Justin Fox Burks

Sharing is good — at least that’s what Mama always said — and there’s no better place to share than at the dinner table, especially when dining out or trying something new.

Shabu Shabu at Edo

Japanese restaurants are often associated with raw food — specifically sushi. However, shabu shabu, a Japanese take on the hot pot, is cooked right at the table, allowing you to appreciate its freshness.

Shabu shabu is an onomatopoeic name conjured from the sound of something swishing around in water, such as handwashed clothes. Once the pot of broth is boiling, use your chopsticks to simulate this action, swishing around the beef and vegetables in the broth until they are cooked. Once the meat and vegetables have been eaten, leftover broth can be combined with rice to make soup.

Shabu shabu is a great dish to share with friends and adds excitement to the meal. At Edo, shabu shabu can be ordered for one or two people ($19.99 or $29.99). However, the large platter of thinly sliced, uncooked beef, cubed tofu, clear shirataki noodles, cabbage, enoki mushrooms, onions, and scallions, two bowls of steamed rice, and dipping sauces meant for two is plenty for up to four people.

Edo Japanese Restaurant, 4792 Summer (767-7096)

Dinner at Abyssinia

Dining in Ethiopia is characterized by the ritual of breaking injera (bread made from teff flour) and eating several items from a communal plate. Gather around one of Abyssinia’s colorfully woven basket tables with a group of friends and try the yebeg tibes (stir-fried lamb), yedoro key wot (spicy chicken stew that comes with homemade cottage cheese), or one of their delicious seafood or vegetarian options. Entrées are served with a variety of vegetables on top of a large piece of injera, the spongy, crepe-like flat bread with a decidedly tangy taste. A basket of injera accompanying the large plate is to be torn and used to scoop up bites of food, spongy side down. (So fun you may never want to use a fork again.) Once the food is gone, it’s time to eat the bottom injera, which should be soaked with flavorful sauces and spices.

It is said that people who eat from the same plate will never betray one another. One trip to Abyssinia and you’ll see why.

Abyssinia Restaurant, 2600 Poplar (321-0082)

The Sasquatch at Big Foot Lodge

Not surprisingly, everything is big at the Big Foot Lodge. By now, many Memphians have heard of the Sasquatch Burger Challenge in which a diner can have the $21.99 Sasquatch Burger (consisting of four pounds of beef, two pounds of bun, and one-and-a-half pounds of fixin’s) free of charge, as well as a little fame, if he or she can eat it in under an hour. To date, only four people have managed to defeat the Sasquatch. Of these four, one was top-ranked competitive eater Joey Chestnut, who did it in an unfathomable seven minutes and 36 seconds.

If $21.99 seems too high a price to pay, try splitting the Sasquatch with three other people. Glance around the restaurant and you’ll soon see just how many people do this. Whether it’s for the novelty or because it simply makes good economic sense (a half-pound burger costs $6.49 — you do the math), this is the way to go. There are plenty of fries for everyone, but you’ll have to fight for the pickle.

Keep in mind the Sasquatch takes 40 minutes to cook, contains 12,387 calories, and 266.8 grams of fat, so you might want to skip the 34-ounce beer.

Big Foot Lodge, 97 S. Second (578-9800)

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

How Do You Eat That?

CREDIT: by Justin Fox Burks

It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma that may or may not come with your choice of two side items. An exotic entrée, a dish you’ve never had before, has you absolutely stumped as to how to go about digging in. Wrap this around that? Eat with your hands or look like a dork with a fork? If you ask the staff, will you lose face? If you don’t, will you lose your lunch?

How do you eat that? Let us tell you.

Ocean Pyramid at Pacific Rim

The Ocean Pyramid is probably one of the prettiest dishes that you will ever eat.

The base of the pyramid consists of short-grain rice and buttery avocado. Layers of raw yellowtail tuna, bluefin tuna, and salmon occupy the middle section, and bright-orange smelt roe and spicy green wasabi tobiko roe fill the top. The entire combination rests on a sea of ponzu sauce (a mixture of soy sauce, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and wasabi).

Take your chopsticks, stab the pyramid in the side so that the entire thing crumbles — and try not to make eye contact with the people sitting at the table next to you who will most certainly look as though you have just defaced the Mona Lisa. Mix everything up and hope that your chopstick skills allow you to eat every last grain of delicious ponzu-soaked rice. (Use a fork, if you must. But under no circumstances use a straw.)

Sekisui Pacific Rim, 4724 Poplar (767-7770)

Chicken and Waffles at Onix

Chicken and … waffles? Together? Is the chicken served on top of the waffle? Or is it served to the side but on the same plate? Are these two items supposed to be eaten together … on the same fork? Or do you alternate between bites of chicken and bites of waffle? Are you supposed to eat them with syrup?

At Onix, you get Buffalo wings with a side of waffles on two separate plates. The staff suggests you take alternate bites. The spiciness of the crispy wings and the sweetness of the crispy waffles perfectly complement each other. By the end of the meal, the combination doesn’t seem any weirder than ordering fried chicken with a side of French fries and ketchup.

Plenty of folks eat chicken and waffles together, with the fried chicken (usually a breast or thigh) right on top of the waffle. In this configuration, it is recommended that you douse the fried chicken with hot sauce and then pour maple syrup over both the chicken and waffle. If this is more your style, try the chicken and waffles at Miss Polly’s on Beale or at Alcenia’s near the Pyramid.

Onix Restaurant, 412 S. Main (552-4609)

Mojarra Frita (Fried Tilapia) at Guadalupana

The etiquette for eating a whole fish is going to vary depending on what kind of restaurant you are in. At a French restaurant, the waiter will most likely de-bone the fish for you tableside. At any other white-tablecloth establishment you will be expected to politely remove the backbone, small bones, head, and tail, and place them on another plate.

It’s much more fun to eat a whole fish at an Asian or Mexican restaurant, where you can use your fingers, crunch the eyeballs, and even suck the head, if you like. With a whole fried tilapia at Guadalupana, the goal is to eat all of the meat in every nook and cranny, including the head and tail, until you are left with nothing but bones.

Using your fingers, start pulling meat from the belly and work your way around however you see fit. Once you eat your way to the spine, it should easily lift out in one piece, revealing the meat below. Save the best for last — the head. The meat inside the cheekbones is considered the silkiest and most succulent.

Eating the meat directly from the bones is perfectly acceptable as is smothering the meat in hot sauce. Guadalupana serves the tilapia with salad and tortillas, should you choose to make your own fish tacos.

Taqueria La Guadalupana, 4818 Summer (685-6857)

Lychees at Viet Hoa

The bright-red, bumpy exterior of the lychee makes it very eye-catching. Inside is a whitish or pink-colored translucent flesh similar to a grape but sweeter. Were it not for the rather large, slightly poisonous seed inside, lychees would be the perfect fruit.

Lychees can be found locally at Asian markets like Viet Hoa. If you see them, buy them right away. (They are picked ripe and can quickly dry out.) The skin should be a vibrant shade of red and tear away easily.

Use your fingernail to cut the skin a little before peeling it completely off. Then bite into the fruit to expose the seed. Remove it and then pop the fruit in your mouth. Close your eyes and enjoy the tropical flavors parading across your tongue.

A slightly more difficult, albeit much more exciting, method involves holding the lychee in your hand, cutting a circle around the stem with a knife, pinching the stem off, and then squeezing until the inside pops into your mouth. Just don’t forget to spit out the seed!

Viet Hoa, 40 N. Cleveland (726-9388)

Categories
We Recommend We Recommend

Danger Ahead

In order to stimulate learning outside of the classroom, Bookstar’s latest children’s book club is based on the best-selling The Dangerous Book for Boys. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve no doubt heard about this charming work by English brothers Conn and Hal Iggulden, which covers basic boyhood skills — like tying a knot or building a go-kart — that may be falling by the wayside in the digital age.

The Dangerous Boys Club is for boys ages 7 and up and will be held in the children’s area at Bookstar from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, February 2nd, at no charge. Parents are encouraged to browse the store or enjoy some coffee while a facilitator leads the book club activities. The club will continue through July with monthly meetings.

Each meeting will have its own theme relating to sections in the book. The theme for Saturday’s kick-off is “It’s a Secret” and will include coin tricks and code-deciphering. Future themes include “March into Battle,” “A Pirate’s Life for Me,” “Camping & Adventure,” “Nature & Exploring,” and “Happy Birthday, America.”

A book club for girls based on the newly written companion book, The Daring Book for Girls, is slated for the latter part of the year, but maybe truly daring girls could crash the Dangerous Boys Club.

The Wolfchase Barnes & Noble as well as the Collierville Barnes & Noble will also be holding Dangerous Boys Clubs on the same dates as Bookstar. Call for times, as they may vary.

“Dangerous boys club,” Saturday, February 2nd, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Bookstar, 3402 Poplar (323-9332)

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

The Kid Stays in the Picture

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

If you ask someone in Memphis to name a kid-friendly restaurant, they’re likely to mention a fast-food chain, perhaps one that features a singing mouse. While these restaurants clearly cater to kids, not all would agree that they are “kid-friendly.” Children need authentic restaurant experiences so that they don’t associate eating out with screaming, running, and playing video games.

There are a wide variety of kid-friendly restaurants in Memphis that offer excellent service, nutritious food, and a pleasant atmosphere. It is important for parents to dine out with their children in order to expand what kid-friendly means.

The Chicken or the Egg

The kids’ menu, the universal symbol for kid-friendly, is in desperate need of a makeover … or complete removal. Chicken McNuggets were introduced by McDonald’s in 1983, and judging by chicken nuggets’ domination of kids’ menus everywhere, it is hard to remember what kids ate prior to that. Are they on the menu of nearly every restaurant these days because that’s the only thing kids want to eat, or do kids only want to eat them because they are on every kids’ menu?

Stephanie Chockley, a 34-year-old mother of two, says, “My main problem with kids’ menus isn’t the entrée choice — if chicken nuggets can be considered an entrée — but the choice of side items. Why only fries?”

Shannon Dixon, 35, has a 5-year-old son who can read, which can pose another problem. “Max looks for the kids’ menu, and that makes it very difficult for us to get him to try more interesting and healthier things,” she says.

Colleen Couch-Smith, 30, is a mother of three and part owner of Tsunami with her husband Ben Smith. “[Ben and I] try to take our kids out often so that they know how to behave in restaurants and how to eat better food,” she says. “A selection from the kids’ menu can be a life saver, but we usually order an interesting appetizer for them instead.”

Many of today’s parents are not interested in a limited selection of fried and greasy foods for their kids but rather smaller portions of adult dishes. Angela Knipple, 34, the mother of one and a contributor to the local food blog Squirrel Squad Squeaks (squirrel-squad.blogspot.com), says, “Smaller portions allow you to give your child as good a meal as you are eating.”

Parents also need to make their desires known. John Bragg, owner and chef of Circa and father of two, says even though it isn’t written on the menu, smaller portions of adult entrées are available at Circa at reduced prices. Bragg is also more than happy to accommodate special requests. “If I know how to make it, I will,” he says.

Early Bird Gets the Worm

When taking the kids to a fine restaurant, it is important to be respectful of other diners. Do a little research, call ahead with questions, and make an early reservation.

“I don’t think that just because I had a child means I have to be barred from having dinner at a nice restaurant with her,” says longtime foodie and newbie parent Melissa Sweazy, 33. “However, I do believe it requires some etiquette on my part.”

Sweazy is taking a trip to New York next month, where she’ll be getting a chance to mind her and her 6-month-old daughter’s manners at Babbo, Mario Batali’s very nice flagship restaurant. Sweazy chose Babbo after doing research on internet forums and talking with the restaurant’s hostess on the phone. “They provide highchairs and did not hesitate to tell me so. I made a 5:30 p.m. reservation so as not to be there during the rush,” she says.

Couch-Smith agrees that avoiding the dinner rush can make a family’s dinner experience much more enjoyable for everyone. “At Tsunami, we have a family that comes in almost every Wednesday. They have three adorable children, and instead of insisting on plain pasta or chicken fingers, they get an order of risotto. We welcome families who are open-minded and intelligent enough to come in at precisely 5:45 p.m.,” she says.

Dining out on weeknights and during lunch is another way to expand a family’s fine-dining options. So don’t be afraid to try something new with your kids. With a little forethought, the sky’s the limit and the plate’s nuggetless.

A few kid-friendly spots in Memphis to try:

A-Tan, 3445 Poplar (452-4477)

Beauty Shop, 966 S. Cooper (272-7111)

Boscos Squared, 2120 Madison (432-2222)

Circa, 119 S. Main (522-1488)

Jasmine, 916 S. Cooper (725-0223)

Las Tortugas, 1215 S. Germantown Pkwy. (751-1200)

Pearl’s Oyster House, 299 S. Main (522-9070)

Sakura, 2060 West in Germantown (758-8181)

Sekisui, multiple locations (sekisuiusa.com)

Soul Fish, 862 S. Cooper (725-0722)

Spindini, 383 S. Main (578-2767)

Tsunami, 928 S. Cooper (274-2556)

Umai, 2015 Madison (405-4241)

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

Hooked

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

Legend has it that a Japanese fisherman working the waters of the Baja coast invented the fish taco. In Southern California, fish tacos most often consist of small pieces of batter-coated fried fish (reminiscent of tempura) topped with thinly shredded cabbage and salsa fresca and served in a hot corn or wheat tortilla. As this dish gained popularity on the West Coast, word began to spread across the country, and as a result, one can find fish tacos in one form or another at restaurants everywhere.

In Memphis, there’s a whole school of options.

Boscos Squared

Known for its handcrafted beers and gourmet pizzas, Boscos probably isn’t the first place you might seek a fish taco, but it certainly could be the last — especially if raw tuna is your fish of choice.

The four mini ahi tuna tacos feature chopped sushi tuna, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, and smoky sour cream in a crisp wonton with spicy diablo dipping sauce. The wonton shells perfectly contain the fresh and fiery flavors. Although completely different from the original tempura-inspired fish tacos of Baja, this Asian-influenced creation would surely make that legendary fisherman proud. Billed as an appetizer, the tacos are sure to get any meal off to a great start.

Boscos Squared, 2120 Madison (432-2222)

Café 61

Highway 61, better known as the “Blues Highway” that runs from Canada to New Orleans, is the inspiration for Café 61’s chef/owner, Derk Meitzler. He’s known for creating funky Creole-accented cuisine such as the “King Creole Chop with Crawfish Mac and Cheese Deluxe,” “Derk’s Favorite Shrimp” with sweet-potato grits, and the “Duck and Waffles” with a blueberry-hoisin reduction. Café 61 is a colorful, vibrant, and welcoming place to enjoy a meal.

The fish tacos are made with the fish of the day (salmon on the day I visited) rolled up burrito style in a flour tortilla. They come dressed with lettuce, tomato, and mango salsa with a side of flavorful black-bean/corn salsa.

Café 61, 85 N. Second (523-9351)

Flying Fish

Billed as a “catfish shack,” the Flying Fish offers an extensive menu with a host of seafood dishes at reasonable prices. Fish tacos may seem a little out of place on the menu, but the cooks expertly prepare them.

Customers have a choice of fried catfish or grilled tilapia (for an additional $1). The fish is then served in three hard, corn taco shells and garnished with slaw and a fruity sauce. (A mild pico de gallo is on the side with a healthy offering of rice and black beans.) The combination is fresh, not at all greasy, and quite delightful. The hard shell is a nice touch that makes these fish tacos really stand out.

Flying Fish, 105 S. Second (522-8228)

Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana

Las Tortugas occupies a nondescript bay in one of the million strip malls along Germantown Parkway. If ever there was a reason not to judge a book by its cover, this is it.

Thanks to the owner’s dedication to purchasing the freshest ingredients every day before opening, the fish tacos at Las Tortugas are hard to beat. Customers have a choice of red snapper or tilapia and get to watch as it is prepared behind a glass window. The grilled fish is then wrapped in four separate corn tortillas and dressed with fresh avocado and salsa tayde, an avocado-based spicy green sauce. The flavors and textures combine perfectly, making this the best fish taco in town.

Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana, 1215 S. Germantown Parkway (751-1200)

Café Ole

Café Ole’s “Baja Blackened Grouper Taco” is served in a large whole-wheat tortilla shell. The boldly seasoned medallions of blackened grouper are smothered with cilantro, shredded lettuce, white cheese, and pico de gallo. They come with refried beans — which are nice and spicy — and rice. A nutritious way to cap off an evening spent partying on the patio.

Cafe Ole, 2127 Young (274-1504)

Taqueria La Guadalupana

At Guadalupana, fish tacos aren’t actually on the menu, but the mojarra frita (fried tilapia) is served with tortillas, salad, rice, and beans. The crispy flesh, the chunks of meat clinging to the bones, and the silky meat lurking behind the cheekbone can all be tucked in a tortilla with some salad and spicy El Yucateco chile habanero sauce to create one hell of a taco. Everyone should experience the thrill of eating an entire fish, head and all.

Taqueria La Guadalupana, 4818 Summer
(685-6857)

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

Extreme Makeover

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

For now, Umai, Ken Lumpkin’s new restaurant featuring French/Japanese cuisine, is perhaps better known as “the restaurant in the old On Teur spot on Madison.”

Once inside Umai, however, visitors will find it hard to believe the building once housed the original Harry’s. They’ll immediately notice the sleek new décor, defined by an open cooking area enclosed by a handcrafted red-cedar and bamboo bar. Gone is the plastic-covered porch, thanks to one of Lumpkin’s friends, local woodworker and conservationist Scott Banbury. In its place is a free-standing timber-frame shed — constructed of wood recovered after Hurricane Elvis — that provides plenty of extra seating. A brightly colored mural by local graffiti artists and delicate glass light fixtures provide the finishing touches to the interior.

“I thought I could slap paint on and go, but the building was in worse shape than I thought,” Lumpkin says.

The attention to detail extends beyond Umai’s furnishings. Lumpkin says he purposely printed his menu on a plain sheet of paper because he plans on changing it often depending on the freshest fish, fruits, and vegetables available.

“I take a French technique and insert Japanese ingredients or take a Japanese technique and insert French ingredients,” Lumpkin explains. “Like with the spinach gyoza: I do a French-style mushroom duxelles but substitute sake for white wine and use soy sauce instead of cream.”

In addition to the spinach gyoza, other menu items include lobster dumplings wrapped in cabbage, pan-seared salmon with mushrooms and black rice, and pistachio-encrusted grouper atop tourne potatoes and carrots with a demi-glace and butternut chutney. For Sunday brunch, Umai offers comfort food with a Japanese bent. The “Steak-n-Eggs” is made with grilled flank steak and is served with two eggs any style and crispy home fries. The fried-rice omelet comes with lemon-grass barbecue and poached artichokes. “Buddha’s Breakfast” features miso soup, rice, fried tofu, and kimchee.

Umai’s fare is unlike anything else in Memphis. Lumpkin, who started in the restaurant industry by waiting tables while studying journalism in college, began cooking seriously 11 years ago at Chez Philippe, where he worked under Jose Gutierrez. “I always thought Japanese food was artistic, but Chef Jose taught me the whole aspect of fine dining,” Lumpkin says.

In addition to working in several other fine-dining establishments in Memphis — including Aubergine, Buckley’s, Cielo, Dō, Pacific Rim, and Blue Fin — Lumpkin says he learned a lot of techniques from his Japanese mother and that many of his recipes are four generations old. Lumpkin’s uncle’s best friend, a master chef in Japan, has also been influential. “For a while I went to Japan twice a year. I stayed for two or three weeks at a time and just worked for free.”

After heading up several of the city’s best known sushi bars, diners may be surprised to learn that Lumpkin did not include any sushi on the Umai menu. “Once you open a sushi bar, everyone comes in and wants a California roll,” Lumpkin jokes. “Sushi in Memphis is not traditional sushi. Good sushi changes with the seasons, and a good sushi chef develops his own marinade for the rice.” Lumpkin does plan to put in a small sushi bar in the near future, but it won’t feature the typical American-style sushi.

Lumpkin is also interested in providing a special place for vegetarians and vegans. “There isn’t anything on the menu that is specifically vegetarian or vegan,” Lumpkin notes, “but if someone comes in with a special request, I have vegetable stock, soy milk, vegan butter — everything I need. I really enjoy cooking for vegetarians.”

After starting a restaurant with a partner in Hot Springs and later working 15-hour days for someone else, Lumpkin is happy to be on his own. “I still work 12-hour days, but it’s my place. It’s all me,” he says.

Once Umai is established, Lumpkin says he would like to open another restaurant — a late-night noodle shop specializing in noodles, dumplings, and egg rolls. For now, Lumpkin is looking forward to packing Umai’s 52 seats. “I want to stay small,” he says, but after a pause adds, “unless the owner decides to move the Kwik Chek [next door] for some reason.”

Umai (2015 Madison, 405-4241) is open Wednesday and Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.