Tag: DeJavu

Categories
Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

DejaVu Closed

“I can’t do it anymore,” says chef Gary Williams.

A sign posted on the windows of downtown DejaVu read, “Happy New Years. Closed Until Further Notice. Sorry & Thank you.”

Williams says business had been dead. “It was beating me down,” he says. He’s closed the spot for good.

BUT, it’s not all bad news. Williams says some folks are working to get him back into the Florida street location — the spot where it began years ago. He’s shooting to be back open in late February or early March.

“You know me,” Williams says. “I’ll be back.”

Categories
Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

The Latest from DeJaVu, Kimbal Musk, other news

* A DeJaVu in Midtown? 

Not exactly, says chef/owner Gary Williams. 

The Renaissance, an event venue at 1588 Madison, is now serving Williams’ Creole fare, but it is not, says Williams, an extension of the DeJaVu brand. 

The DeJaVu food truck is, however, part of the brand. Williams says the truck is ready to go and is waiting to make its debut. 

“Get out the way,” he says. “We’re coming.” 

• Did you read the story at Eater, “Why Kimbal Musk Is Opening a $5-And-Under Restaurant Concept”?

It was um … 

“This is a park [Shelby Farms where the Kitchen will be] that’s meant for all of Memphis and the population of the city lies across the income spectrum — it’s not located in a wealthy part of town,” says Musk.

and er … 

“When we look at the restaurants that serve most people in Memphis, it’s places like McDonald’s and other fast food joints,” he says. 

(just like every city in America). 

Those quibbles aside, what was interesting is the $5-and-under idea, which, according to the story will be tested out in Memphis at the Kitchenette.

The Kitchenette, at Shelby Farms, will be the grab-and-go off-shoot of the Kitchen. 

But says a spokesperson for the Kitchen, “The articles about Kimbal’s $5 restaurant are not correct. The Kitchen at Shelby Farms Park will have a sister grab ‘n go cafe in the Visitor’s Center called Kitchenette. It will feature items on the menu that visitors can eat at the Visitors Center or they can “grab ‘n go” to the park. Sandwiches, salads, coffee, etc. The information about $5 pricing is not accurate.

“Our Next Door concept opening in Crosstown Concourse will have simple, real food at affordable prices that are in-line with casual dining restaurants such as Chilis or TGI Fridays.”

The Kitchen holds a grand opening fund-raiser on August 13th.  

• Wine in grocery stores starting today. First 50 people to purchase wine at Kroger get a corkscrew. 

• The Memphis Food & Wine Festival has been announced for October. 

The event, to be held at the Botanic Garden, will be hosted by Jose Gutierrez and will feature Jean-Georges Vongerichten (huge!). 

Cuisine will be from 28 chefs, both local and nationally known.

Tickets are $200 per person, with prices to go up to $250 September 15th. 

• The Memphis Caribbean Jerk Festival is July 16th at the Water Tower Pavilion on Broad. Expect all kinds of Caribbean dishes — from jerk to veggies and more. There will also be a domino tournament. 

* Why the hell not? 
 
(I liked ’em.)

Categories
Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Scoops Parlor and MBRW

My coworker and I decided to check out Scoops Parlor during Memphis Black Restaurant Week. So did a lot of people.

The creamery/creperie is located inside the old Rizzo’s Diner spot at 106 G.E. Patterson in the historic South Main district. With only a handful of tables, it was easily packed to the gills for lunch.

We both opted for the MBRW two-course lunch special for $15, wherein we could choose either an appetizer/entree combo or an entree/dessert combo. We were both on good behavior and went with the appetizer/entree combo, each choosing the Mushroom Asparagus Crepe, which came with Buttery Sweet Potato Mash, and a Scoops House Salad with Ranch dressing. The dessert options they offered included either the Apple Cinnamon Crepe or the Strawberry Lemonade Cake with a scoop of Vanilla Bean Gelato, and we could have had a Scoop o’ Cheddar Broccoli Soup for the app or the Pulled Pork Crepe with Homestyle Slaw. Sometimes you just have to be low-key.

The crepe was delicious. The pancake was cooked to the right consistency, fluffy yet thin yet a little firm, and the mushroom, asparagus, and cheese filling was just what I was looking for. Their regular menu comes with various drizzling choices, and the chef chose a butter sauce to dribble on the mushroom and asparagus crepe. With the sweet potato mash, who really needed dessert. 

Memphis Black Restaurant Week ran March 7-13th and was created by Cynthia Daniels in an effort to create awareness of and support minority-owned restaurants in Memphis. Other participating restaurants included DeJaVu (we ran into Chef Gary at Scoops) at 51 S. Main, Evergreen Grill at 6661 Winchester, the HM Dessert Lounge at 1586 Madison, the Bistro at 2945 Millbranch, Onix at 412 S. Main, the Office @ Uptown at 594 N. Second, and Mot & Ed’s at 1354 Madison. 

Categories
Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Pink Diva Cupcakery Opening New Location

Last Sunday, Cassi Conyers of Pink Diva Cupcakery invited friends and customers to the DeJaVu on Florida. She was going to make an announcement. 

Only the DeJaVu on Florida is no longer a DeJaVu. It’s the future site of Pink Diva Cupcakery. 

But, let’s back up a bit … 

Conyers, who had been operating the vegan cupcake bakery out of Midtown Crossing Grill, says she had recently been approached by someone about opening a place in Collierville. Some friends weren’t too supportive of the move, but she loved the space. Her mind was reeling. 

She made a decision … to eat tacos. 

She went to the DeJaVu on South Main to get the tacos and was approached by Chef Gary Williams, who asked what was going on. She told him about the place in Collierville. According to Conyers, Williams said, “I’ll just give you [the place on] Florida Street. I believe in you. I’m going to give you a chance.” 

So now, Conyers has been busy with getting the place in shape (painting pink over the purple, among the tasks). She hopes to be open by mid-August. 

The space still has all the DeJaVu cooking equipment, which includes a deep fryer. She plans on having donuts on Saturday.

She also plans to take advantage of the DeJaVu buffet set-up by offering vegan items for dinner and lunch.  

Those who can’t wait until August for their Pink Diva cupcake fix can get them at the Cash Saver on Madison. 

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

Bar Guide

Alchemy

Game Days at Alchemy Memphis: Happy Hour with $1 off domestic beers and discounts on featured items from our specialty cocktail list. The game isn’t over until we say it is!

940 S. Cooper • 726-4444 alchemymemphis.com

Bardog Tavern

Ignore the cold in our cozy downtown bar, but don’t ignore the cold beer! $2.50 Buds and Bud Lights, $3 Yuengling drafts during every Tiger and Grizzlies game. The sound is on on the upstairs and downstairs TVs, including the 60-inch HDTV in the Underdog Room. Open for those brunch games starting at 11 a.m., Saturdays and Sundays.

73 Monroe • 275-8752 • bardog.com

Belle Diner 

Looking for a great new place to eat and have drinks before the game? Look no further than one of downtown’s newest restaurants, Belle Diner. With decades of bringing Memphis great food, the team of Roger Sapp, David Johnson, and Joe Ferguson have teamed up to bring an upscale Southern diner to downtown Memphis. Come in Game Day and try any appetizer prepared by Chef Johnson for only $8 and $1 off all drinks.

117 Union • 433-9851 facebook.com/BelleDinerMemphisTN

Blind Bear Speakeasy

Game Day specials start one hour before and last throughout every Griz and Tiger game: $2.50 Miller Lite, Miller High Life, and Coors Light bottles and $4 24-oz. Coors Light Griz cans! While you’re here, check out the new menus by Chef David Scott Walker, and be sure to mark your calendar for Bean’s Birthday Bash on October 25th and our Halloween Party on October 31st.

119 S. Main • 417-8435 blindbearmemphis.com

Celtic Crossing

Join us Monday nights at Celtic Crossing for the ultimate Game Day, featuring football, giant board games (Jenga, Cards Against Humanity, and lots more), and beer. Beginning Mondays at 5 p.m., all drafts are just $3.

903 S. Cooper • 274-5151 celticcrossingmemphis.com

Central BBQ

When Memphians want great barbecue and fun times, they head to their nearest Central BBQ location. Before Tiger and Grizzlies home games, visit the newest location just minutes away from the Forum and try one of our many draft beers featuring local microbreweries. For away games, come celebrate with other fans at the Summer or downtown locations, where there are plenty of large HDTVs.

4375 Summer • 767-4672


147 E. Butler • 672-7760


2249 Central • 272-9377


cbqmemphis.com

The Cove

The Cove offers too vast an array of expertly hand-crafted cocktails to single out just one as our “signature” concoction, but Town & Country, Southern Living, and Urban Spoon proclaim our authentic Sazerac as the perfect accompaniment to a sultry summer evening. For more outstanding cocktail options, see thecovememphis.com. Come by the Cove after games for the best late-night eats and treats! 

2559 Broad • 730-0719


thecovememphis.com

Dan McGuinness

Dan McGuinness is your Game Day HQ with great specials for both college and pros: $3 pints and $9 pitchers of McGuinness Pub Ale, $11 buckets of longnecks. On Mondays, it’s 2-for-1 domestic beers and $3.95 burgers and fries.

4698 Spottswood • 761-3711 danmcguinnesspub.com

Dejavu Restaurant

Let the good times roll before and after Grizzlies and Tiger basketball games! The newest location at 51 S. Main is four minutes from FedExForum and is filled with all the extras you would expect in New Orleans. Check out the new bar and try some award-winning soul food and vegan/vegetarian cuisine. 

51 S. Main • 505-0212


dejavurestaurant.org 

Happy Mexican

Join us before, after, or during the game to watch with us! Happy Mexican has a Happy Hour for its award-winning margaritas Tuesday through Sunday 3 to 7 p.m. on the lime flavor only. Special pricing includes small for $4.25, medium for $6.99, or large for $8.99.

385 S. Second • 529-9991


6080 Primacy Parkway • 683-0000


7935 Winchester • 751-5353


happymexican.com

Hard Rock Café Memphis

Stop by Hard Rock Café Memphis on Friday Game Days for a Hard Rocking Happy Hour! Now featuring a new Happy Hour every Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. with a special “Bar Bites” menu. $2 domestic drafts; $3 import drafts; and $4 margaritas (bar area only).

315 Beale • 529-0007

Local Gastropub

Local has specials going on just about whenever there’s a game to watch. Happy Hour is Monday through Friday 4 to 7 p.m. Game Day specials run Monday (starting at 6:30 p.m.), Saturday (11 a.m.-6:30 p.m.), and Sunday (11 a.m.-11 p.m.) and include domestic beer buckets, five for $10, $25 table taps of draft, and small-plate food specials. Tuesday is half-off bottles of wine from 7 to 11 p.m. Wednesday is Pint Night with $2 off pints. Thursday is Ladies Night with $5 “tini’s” and tier-one wines. Join us Sunday for late-night Happy Hour starting at 11:30 p.m.

95 Main • 473-9573


2126 Madison in Overton Square


725-1845 • localgastropub.com

Los Comales Mexican Restaurant

Watch the game while enjoying our authentic Mexican food and unique drinks. Buy one margarita and get a second half-off every Monday and Thursday, and get $5 off any order over $20 when you mention our ad in the Flyer!

2860 S. Perkins • 369-0528 loscomalesrestaurant.com

Molly’s La Casita

Molly’s has the ultimate Game Day drink. It’s our first-place award-winning margarita (Memphis Flyer readers poll 2013). Be sure to try our new low-calorie Nectar Girl Margarita if you are trying to watch your darling figure. Molly’s has an ice-cold one ready for you that is sure to please.

2006 Madison • 726-1873 mollyslacasita.com

Mulan Asian Bistro

Sports and sushi are a great combination! Enjoy Mulan Asian Bistro’s Happy Hour for sushi and drinks from 3 to 6 p.m. daily. Try the Mulan Martini for only $7.95.

2149 Young • 347-3965


2059 S. Houston Levee • 850-5288


mulanbistro.net

Newby’s

Newby’s has all your Game Day specials. Monday is Ghost River $10 Beer Bust. On Tuesday, we have $2 burgers and beer. On Whiskey Wednesdays, it’s $3 whiskey drinks. The Always Happy Hour is $1 off bottle beers and mixed drinks every day ’til 9 p.m. Start early and stay late at Newby’s.

535 S. Highland • 452-8408 newbysmemphis.com

Paula and Raiford’s Disco

Come party after the game at Memphis’ best dance club! Paula and Raiford’s Disco is your one-stop shop for fun in downtown Memphis. Enjoy music, drinks, and dancing every Friday and Saturday night just minutes from FedExForum.

14 S. Second • 521-2494


paularaifords.com

Pearl’s Oyster House

Come watch the game with us! Happy Hour is Monday through Friday, 4 to 7 p.m. There are daily draft beer specials as well. Try the famous chargrilled oysters, only $1 each on Wednesdays. Pearl’s also features daily fresh fish specials and free parking too.

299 S. Main • 522-9070 pearlsoysterhouse.com

The Pumping Station

We have just the right stuff to enjoy your games every week. Friday Beer Busts: $3, Ghost River and Blue Moon $8. Sunday Beer Busts: PBR $5 and Ghost River and Blue Moon $9. Happy Hour specials all week long.

1382 Poplar • 272-7600 pumpingstationmemphis.com

The Slider Inn

Wow! During every Tiger and Grizzlies game, get your Bud and Bud Light longnecks for only $2.50. Come enjoy our great atmosphere and our heated deck this winter, complete with outdoor TV. It’s perfect for catching up with your Midtown friends. Who loves you, baby? We do.

2117 Peabody • 725-1155


thesliderinn.com

Tamp & Tap

Offering hand-poured coffees, sandwiches, and local beers all close to FedExForum, Tamp & Tap gives Game Day specials of 10 percent off your food purchase with the same-day ticket or stub.

122 Gayoso (Second and Main)


207-1053 • tampandtap.com

facebook.com/TampTap @tampandtap on Twitter