Tag: Flight Restaurant & Wine Bar

Categories
Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Local Eateries Named Among 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America

CREDIT: Southern Social / Facebook

Southern Social / Facebook

OpenTable — an online restaurant-reservation service — announced today its annual list of the 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America. Among them: Downtown’s Flight Restaurant & Wine Bar and Southern Social in Germantown.

The list, which includes restaurants across 31 states, is based on OpenTable diner reviews, collected between December 1st, 2018, and November 30th, 2019, of more than 30,000 U.S. restaurants.

Establishments with a minimum overall score — including diner rating, user clout, total number of reviews, and regional overall rating — were considered, according to OpenTable. Those that qualified were then “scored and sorted, according to the percentage of reviews for which ‘romantic’ was selected as a special feature.”

In this year’s roundup, which is presented alphabetically rather than in any numerically rated order, Illinois had the highest number of restaurants (12). Flight and Southern Social are the only eateries in the state of Tennessee to receive the distinction.

“We craft this list every year to help diners looking for inspiration for the most popular date night of the year,” Jessica Jensen, senior vice president of marketing at OpenTable, said in a press release. “Whether it’s a special night with your significant other, a girl’s night out, or your first outing with someone new, these restaurants have passed the test of setting the table for exceptional ambience and an incredible meal.”

To see the full list of recognized restaurants, go to opentable.com.

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

Wining, Dining

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

The entrance to Flight Restaurant & Wine Bar on South Main is hard to miss.

Venture around the corner onto Monroe Avenue, however, and you may not notice a small enclave in the building.

Inside the notch is what looks like a grungy, steel service door. Through the door and down a set of stairs sits a banquet space, the rebranded Wine Cellar, operated as a subsidiary of the restaurant. It’s replete with several large wooden wine racks, tile floors, and the type of low lighting that makes the place feel like old Southern money.

Flight has operated the space for years, offering private dining, but converted it to the Wine Cellar last summer. Ownership since has remade the kitchen, expanded the banquet menu, and hired Melissa Nichopoulos as the banquet coordinator.

“We feel like we’re ready to expose the room more,” co-owner Russ Graham says.

In addition to an extensive wine menu and hors d’oeuvres, the banquet space offers a popular flight concept that parallels the restaurant’s offerings. For $59 per person, guests can choose one of three pre-selected entrées. Choice is a primary draw for the Wine Cellar banquet experience, both for the layout of the room and the menu, which can be altered upon request.

“[Nichopoulos] is trying to find out what’s important to you and how can we make this work for you. People really enjoy choices, and we’re here to offer that to you,” co-owner Tom Powers says.

As he spoke, the staff set up the room for a gathering of Nike executives. The space hosts celebrations of all kinds, including wedding ceremonies and can also handle DJs or bands.

Justin Fox Burks

“The room is extremely versatile and flexible. A smaller party is not eaten up by the size of the room,” Graham says. “You can have a 15- to 20-person party, and it feels intimate, but you can also seat 100 people, and it works.”

The space originally served as the packing and shipping hub for Brodnax Jewelers, which opened the building in 1916. A historical plaque claims Brodnax “at one time sold more Rolex watches than any other retailer in the world.”

The corner of the Wine Cellar still holds an old-timey safe, nearly a century old, with two thick, heavy plated doors.

The history is a great conversation piece, but the staff maintains that the Wine Cellar’s flexible dining experience delivering quality taste and good service is the real draw.

39 S. Main (598-3992)
flightmemphis.com

In an ongoing effort to modernize Gold Strike Casino Resort and upgrade it to the level of the MGM Resort property in Las Vegas, the casino opened TEN10 Wine & Whiskey Bar last month in Tunica.

Management converted what they describe as an “old and tired” lounge called L.A. Bar, using bright colors and sleek lines that would make George Jetson feel at home.

“We just wanted to create a nice place for our guests to come, relax, and enjoy their favorite wine, their favorite whiskey in a nice, modern setting,” says Elizabeth Slade, the resort’s public relations manager.

The venue boasts an extensive list of about 60 whiskeys, scotch blends, and wines. It includes Jim Beam White Label, Noah’s Mill small-batch bourbon, American Honey (a flavored whiskey made by Wild Turkey), Elk Cove Pinot Noir, and Clos Pegase Chardonnay.

TEN10, named for the resort’s address, will offer an alternating, complimentary wine or whiskey tasting the first Thursday of each month, with free food and a 2-ounce pour.

The music in the lounge is a “chill-out” instrumental blend, according to executive director of food and beverage Anthony Caratozzolo.

The resort also includes a stage bar, but the ultralounge provides a mellow setting that management hopes will include live music from a saxophone or piano player.

“We’ve actually gotten that younger demographic to sit down and enjoy some cocktails and some wines. But it’s more of a relaxed setting,” Caratozzolo says.

Almost every piece of the property has been touched up or remodeled in some way, including Chicago Steakhouse, Buffet Americana, and a smoke-free gambling area on the second floor.

The resort staged a country Christmas trivia show in December and will welcome a Cirque-style show this summer in an effort to appeal to families and offer more events.

“We’re taking slow steps. We’ve still got a long ways to go, though,” Caratozzolo says.

“I’m new to this area, but Tunica has a dated feel. The casinos are very old school. What gaming used to be. We’re trying to transform and align ourselves with our Vegas property.

“With gaming opening up in many areas surrounding us, we need to transform more to a resort than a casino.”

1010 Casino Center Drive in Tunica, Mississippi (888-245-7529
goldstrike.com

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

Nighttime Nosh

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

A burger or a plate of fried chicken is never too far out of reach when you’re cruising around downtown Memphis after hours. And we wouldn’t have it any other way. But if it’s late and you’re searching for something more refined, you have to be a little more savvy.

Flight Restaurant and Wine Bar is making that search easier with their late-night menu. The curated selection of small plates is designed to be paired with their wines and is served in a more upscale environment than the average bar.

“The whole idea was that if you’re staying in a hotel around here or if you don’t want to go fight the bar crowds, it’s a quieter, more elegant place to hang out,” chef Joshua Perkins says, “a place that people in their 30s and 40s can go after normal business hours and get a drink without having their hands stamped. You can buy a big bottle of wine and sit and eat dark chocolate, rather than get a slider and a beer.”

Though they’ve had a late night menu since before Perkins took over the helm at Flight a year ago, he changed the focus of the menu last month, from a scaled-down version of the dinner menu, to one specifically designed for late-night eaters.

“We had a version of our regular menu, but I realized there’s not really a need for that,” Perkins says. “The [late-night] menu is a little more user friendly now and a lot lighter than it was before.”

The late-night menu includes small plates of tuna wonton tacos, charcuterie, crab gratin, and hand-dipped chocolates. The price points have come down, more in line with restaurant’s lunch menu than dinner menu. Flight’s late-night menu is available Monday through Wednesday from 10 to 11 p.m. and Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m., although Perkins says they aim to please, so if you find something on the late-night menu and want it at lunchtime, don’t be afraid to request it.

Flight Restaurant and Wine Bar, 39 S. Main (521-8005) flightmemphis.com

Already on Beale and need a place to hide out from the crowds? Head to the supper club tucked away on top of the new Jerry Lee Lewis Cafe and Honky Tonk. This little spot called the Twelve Bar so named for a staple chord progression of the blues.

With hours limited to dinner on Fridays and Saturdays, the Twelve Bar is pouring classic cocktails and serving up an elegant menu, for a change of pace from the old country favorites of “The Killer” served downstairs.

“The cafe downstairs serves the kind of food Jerry Lee Lewis grew up eating,” says Alston Meeks, a self-described impresario behind Twelve Bar. “Chicken and sausage gumbo, fried pickles, burgers, and stuff. Upstairs, we have things like Crabmeat Justine, Oysters Rockefeller and Bienville, and a bone-in ribeye.”

Though it’s been open since January, owner Bud Chittom says the Twelve Bar concept is still coming into its own, and as such, it has yet to garner much attention. “It’s open to the public, but we’re most interested in bringing in Memphis people and Memphis music,” he says.

The space has hosted some private parties — including Morgan Freeman’s birthday party in May. Eventually, Meeks says they will probably add a membership component, keeping it even more under wraps than it already is.

“It’s kind of a hidden place,” says Meeks. “It’s like a private retreat that still overlooks Beale Street.”

Twelve Bar’s chef is Andrew Armstrong, who was trained in New Orleans and has worked at Restaurant Iris and Fuel Cafe. He says the supper club concept is one he’s still getting used to himself, but it’s well-suited to the small kitchen and staff of this upstart venture.

“The idea is small plates that are filling but not expensive,” Armstrong says. “There are only about 16 menu items, but I think every item is something special and everyone can find something they like. The kitchen is so small and I’m the only one up there, that I wanted to start with something small.”

Twelve Bar, 310 Beale (473-8144)

Categories
Best of Memphis Special Sections

Best of Food & Drink

CREDIT: Alex Harrison

Alex Harrison

Buttery tikka masala, tender tandoori, spicy vegetable dishes, and all other manner of Indian specialties are served at Midtown institution India Palace in its airy, comfortable Poplar Avenue location.

We’ll admit we find it adorable when, in the “Best Chef” category,
you write in “My Wife,” “My Husband,” or, better yet, “My Mom.” (The
answer “Your Mom’s House” for “Best Romantic Restaurant” is not so
cute.) Chef Boyardee didn’t stand a chance with only two votes for
“Best Chef,” but at least he’s got bragging rights over Mrs. Winner
who, despite the name and the chicken and biscuits, got only one
vote.

Justin Fox Burks

Kelly English, Restaurant Iris, 1st place: ‘Best Chef’

Best Chef

1. Kelly English, Restaurant Iris

2. Erling Jensen, Erling Jensen the Restaurant

3. John Bragg, Circa

Last October, Food & Wine magazine named Kelly English
one of the Top 10 “Best New Chefs” for 2009. That was quite the honor.
Now Flyer readers have vaulted English to the top spot for the
first time.

Best Lunch

1. Huey’s

2. Soul Fish

3. Lenny’s

Hey, you know all those other restaurants that were in the running
for “Best Lunch” in Memphis? Stick a toothpick in ’em. They’re done.
Huey’s gets the nod for lunch nosh this year.

Best Breakfast

1. Brother Juniper’s

2. Blue Plate Cafe

3. Bryant’s Breakfast

Oh Brother, Wherefore Art Chow? Sorry. Brother J. has won “Best
Breakfast” many times, and it’s because they offer delicious,
innovative, homemade food in an eclectic space crammed with interesting
people, especially on weekend mornings.

Best Romantic Restaurant

1. Paulette’s

2. Le Chardonnay Wine Bar & Bistro

3. The Melting Pot

Maybe it’s the desserts. Or maybe the soft tinkling of the ivories.
Or maybe just the wonderful menu, nice wine list, and warm ambience.
Paulette’s is a classic.

Best Sunday Brunch

1. Owen Brennan’s Restaurant

2. Boscos Squared

3. Peabody Skyway — tie —

Beauty Shop

Owen Brennan’s sits at the cusp of Germantown and East Memphis, but
it draws Memphians from all over for its New Orleans-themed Sunday
brunch: the best in town for 2009.

Best Wine List

1. Le Chardonnay Wine Bar & Bistro

2. Texas de Brazil

3. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse

Le Chardonnay moved across Madison Avenue a couple years ago, but it
has retained its dark, ski-lodge-y charm, its extensive wine list, and
first place for “Best Wine List” in your hearts.

Best Steak

1. Folk’s Folly Prime Steak House

2. Ruth’s Chris Steak House

3. The Butcher Shop

Folk’s Folly valets meet you at the curb. Once inside, you hear
sweet piano-bar stylings and the sound of cold drinks and cocktail
chatter. But who are we kidding? It’s all about the steak here, and
Folk’s Folly’s steaks sizzle!

Best Barbecue

1. Central BBQ

2. Corky’s

3. The Bar-B-Q Shop

Central BBQ takes top honor in what is probably the toughest
category in this poll: “Best Barbecue.” No matter how you spell it
— barbecue, BBQ, Bar-B-Q, whatever — Central’s on top
again.

Best Ribs

1. Charles Vergos’ Rendezvous

2. Central BBQ

3. Corky’s

The Rendezvous is sometimes derided as a place where tourists go to
eat Memphis’ most famous food group (16 barbecued ribs), but the
Flyer‘s poll makes it clear that locals love the Rendezvous as
much as people wearing Elvis T-shirts. And well they should.

Best Burger

BOM 1. Huey’s

2. Earnestine & Hazel’s

3. The Belmont Grill

That “BOM” designation means Huey’s has won “Best Burger” for so
long that it’s not even fair to anybody else in the running. Lots of
places in Memphis make good burgers, but only one takes the top spot,
year after year after year.

Best Hot Wings

1. Buffalo Wild Wings

2. D’Bo’s Buffalo Wings-n-Things

3. Central BBQ

With five Memphis-area locations, 14 sauces (ranging in heat from
“Blazin'” to “Sweet Barbecue”), and TVs set to sports everywhere you
look, Buffalo Wild Wings is leading the city’s wing scene.

Best Fried Chicken

BOM 1. Gus’s Fried Chicken

2. Popeye’s Chicken & Biscuits

3. Jack Pirtle Fried Chicken

If you want to eat lunch at Gus’s, you’d better get there early.
Folks line up for the crispy, smoky, spicy uniqueness that makes Gus’s
fried chicken better than anybody’s in Memphis. Or in the world.

Best Cajun/Creole

1. Bayou Bar & Grill

2. Owen Brennan’s Restaurant

3. Pearl’s Oyster House

The Bayou, like its sister restaurant, Le Chardonnay, hasn’t missed
a beat by moving across Madison. It’s bigger, but it still has a nice
patio, cold beer, stellar gumbo, and lots of other Cajun
delectables.

Justin Fox Burks

Petra, 1st place: ‘Best Mediterranean’

Best Mediterranean

1. Petra

2. Casa Grill

3. Petra Cafe

What’s more Midtown than this: Greek-Korean fusion in a restaurant
housed in a former gas station/garage, with patio seating right next to
the pumps? Spanikopita, moussaka, falafel — Petra is Greek
delicious. And the Korean soups and kimchi are fabulous too.

Best Dessert

1. Paulette’s

2. Beauty Shop

3. Kooky Canuck

Restaurants come and go, but Paulette’s “K-Pie” is a constant. Rich
coffee ice cream in a pecan-coconut crust, topped with whipped cream
and Kahlua, the Midtown institution’s Kahlua-mocha parfait pie is a
classic but not their most popular dessert. That designation apparently
belongs to the restaurant’s hot chocolate crepe. With crème
brûlée, Key lime pie, and other desserts dotting the menu,
Paulette’s is where Memphians go for post-dinner sweets.

Best Italian

1. Ronnie Grisanti & Sons Restaurant (now closed)

2. Pete & Sam’s

3. Bari — tie —

Ciao Bella Italian Grill

Long synonymous with Italian dining in Memphis, Ronnie Grisanti’s
closed its doors in August after a 25-year run at its Chickasaw Oaks
Plaza location on Poplar. But Memphians won’t be without the Grisanti
family’s authentic Tuscan cuisine, which has delighted local diners for
generations. Most of the restaurant’s staff — including Ronnie
himself — will relocate to the family’s Germantown location,
Elfo’s, which will be renamed simply Grisanti’s.

Best Mexican

1. El Porton Mexican Restaurant

2. Happy Mexican

3. Taqueria La Guadalupana

In an increasingly saturated local Mexican food scene, El Porton
maintains the top spot with five area locations, quick, reasonably
price lunches, a diverse menu, a full bar, and happy-hour specials.

Best Chinese

1. P.F. Chang’s

2. Wang’s Mandarin House

3. A-Tan

National chain P.F. Chang’s became a big local hit when it opened
its lone Memphis location — on Ridgeway in East Memphis — a
few years ago. In P.F. Chang’s large, opulent dining room, patrons can
feast on a diverse array of Chinese classics such as Mongolian beef,
ginger chicken, and spicy dumplings.

Best Thai

1. Bhan Thai

2. Bangkok Alley

3. Jasmine

Located in a large, converted Midtown house (the former home of
restaurant Maison Raji), Bhan Thai offers intensely flavorful Thai
dishes — masaman curry, pad thai, crispy duck, coconut-milk-based
soups, etc. — in an elegant atmosphere full of character, from
its small, intimate dining rooms to its popular patio in the back.

Best Vietnamese

1. Saigon Le

2. Pho Saigon

3. Pho Hoa Binh

This no-frills Midtown eatery has a loyal clientele because of its
focus on the food, which includes authentic Vietnamese specialties
— fresh spring rolls, great pho soups, vermicelli and tofu
dishes, and plenty of vegetarian options.

Best Japanese/Sushi

1. Sekisui

2. Blue Fin

3. Sekisui Pacific Rim

Restaurateur Jimmy Ishii has come to define Japanese cuisine, and
particularly sushi, in Memphis. The local chain is celebrating its 20th
birthday this year, first opening its Humphreys Center flagship
restaurant in 1989 and now covering the city with five locations.

Justin Fox Burks

Soul Fish, 1st place: ‘Best Home Cooking / Soul Food’

Best Home Cooking/Soul Food

1. Soul Fish

2. The Cupboard

3. Blue Plate Café

For exquisite catfish and hush puppies and a big daily selection of
veggies, it’s hard to order anything else off of Soul Fish’s menu. But
try their smoked half-chicken, and you’ll be doubling up on meals to
satisfy all your menu urges.

Best Vegetarian

BOM 1. Whole Foods Market

2. The Cupboard

3. Jasmine

Whole Foods Market, a foodie oasis on Poplar Avenue in East Memphis,
is more than a grocery store. Its large prepared-foods section —
pizzas, sandwiches, salad bar, bakery, coffee and juice bar — and
dining area make it a popular lunch and dinner spot for vegetarians and
health-food enthusiasts, in particular. Whole Foods also offers cooking
classes to help you find interesting things to do with the fresh and
healthy items they sell.

Best Seafood

1. Tsunami

2. Bonefish

3. The Half Shell

The anchor restaurant of Cooper-Young does it again, taking “Best
Seafood” for the millionth year in a row. Scallops, sea bass, mussels,
you name it, Chef Ben Smith and crew deliver a ship full of great taste
in a sophisticated atmosphere.

Best Pizza

BOM 1. Memphis Pizza Cafe

2. Garibaldi’s Pizza

3. Old Venice

Memphis Pizza Café was an instant hit when it opened in 1993
and has since expanded its local pizza empire to five locations, all
serving tasty, crispy pizzas, including such faves as the white-sauce
“alternative” and the zesty Cajun chicken.

Best Deli

1. Fino’s from the Hill

2. Bogie’s Delicatessen

3. Young Avenue Deli

What says Midtown more than the intersection of Madison and McLean?
And what says a great deli sandwich better than Fino’s from the Hill,
on that very Midtown corner? In addition to the popular made-to-order
sandwiches — cold cuts, cheeses, toppings, all on good crusty
bread — Fino’s offers pasta dishes and grocery items. That’s
Italian!

Best Server

1. Jeff Frisby, Restaurant Iris

2. Michele Fields, Calhoun’s Sports Bar

3. Jean Pruett, Bardog — tie —

Brent Skelton, The Kitchen

Jeff Frisby at Restaurant Iris must be doing something right. Last
year, he was named one of the city’s best servers in our Best Of poll.
This year, he’s done it again. Must be that Frisby knows not only how
to serve, he knows what to serve when it comes to vino: He’s Restaurant
Iris’ wine manager. (Factoid: All our winners in this category work in
Memphis’ new or newish restaurant/bars. Good to see Flyer
readers appreciate the city’s evolving food scene.)

Best Service

1. Chick-Fil-A

2. Texas de Brazil

3. Houston’s

Drive-thru or in-store, the crew behind the counter at any of
Memphis’ Chick-Fil-A locations have it down pat: your order in your
hands — fast. More amazing (and given the volume of business),
they do it, hands down, with the friendliest service in town.

Justin Fox Burks

Chick-Fil-A, 1st place: ‘Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant’

Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant

1. Chick-Fil-A

2. Chuck E. Cheese

3. Huey’s

We forgot to mention (see “Best Service”) that the crew at
Chick-Fil-A must have nerves of steel. As a new winner in the
kid-friendly restaurant category, these folks have what it takes when
children combine with fast food. Call it grace under pressure.

Best Local Late-Night Dining

1. Huey’s

2. Earnestine & Hazel’s

3. Young Avenue Deli

And we mean late. We’re talking, at several of Huey’s
multiple locations, a kitchen that’s open until 2 a.m. Don’t deny it.
At that hour and after some damage, what your body’s craving is a
burger and onion rings.

Best Place for People-Watching

1. Flying Saucer

2. Young Avenue Deli

3. Celtic Crossing

The corner of Beale and Second: The wide-open windows at downtown’s
Flyer Saucer aren’t there for no reason. Whether you’re in the
restaurant or passing on the sidewalk, this place was tailor-made for
people-watching. Evidence: During the Memphis Music and Heritage
Festival a few weekends ago, the place was jamming, inside and out.

Best Patio

1. Celtic Crossing

2. Boscos Squared

3. Cafe Olé

In a word: trivia. Celtic’s popular Wednesday-night tournament this
past summer had the patio packed. Any night, any season, though, will
do for a Guinness and some major hanging-out in Cooper-Young. Bonus
attraction: On this patio, you’re only a few steps from the scene on
the street.

Best Local Place That Delivers

1. Garibaldi’s Pizza

2. Young Avenue Deli

3. Camy’s

Another new winner in our Best Of poll: Garibaldi’s Pizza —
established 30 years ago by owner Mike Garibaldi — has three
locations for handmade pizzas, pastas, salads, wings, sandwiches,
sweets, and more. Garibaldi’s caters to not only what you’re hungry
for, according to readers, it really delivers.

Justin Fox Burks

Muddy’s Bake Shop, 1st place: ‘Best Bakery’

Best Bakery

1. Muddy’s Bake Shop

2. La Baguette

3. Fresh Market

Again: a new winner. And, according to Muddy’s website, if you’re
rude, whiny, impatient, or otherwise unpleasant, forget stepping inside
this bakeshop. If you’re green-minded and egg-headed (Muddy’s uses eggs
from cage-free, free-range hens), you’re welcome! Plus, who’s to argue
with a cupcake called “Prozac?”

Best Local Coffeehouse

1. High Point Coffee (now closed)

2. Otherlands

3. Café Eclectic — tie —

Republic Coffee

High Point Coffee just closed. (It’s the economy, stupid.) But
Otherlands, Cafe Eclectic, and Republic Coffee — the hotshots
rounding out your picks for best local coffeehouse — havestill
got their vibe going and the caffeine coming.

Best Restaurant

1. Restaurant Iris

2. Tsunami

3. Huey’s

Iris: It’s in the eye of the beholder. Restaurant Iris, “Best
Restaurant,” according to Memphians who value fine dining. In the space
of a year, nationally recognized chef Kelly English has succeeded in
turning Restaurant Iris into the city’s go-to address for exceptional
French-Creole-inspired cuisine. Doesn’t hurt that the restaurant also
features first-rate service in an intimate, romantic atmosphere.

Best New Restaurant

1. Flight

2. Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen

3. Overton Park Pizze Stone

The interior’s gorgeous, but it’s the food at Flight that has
Flyer readers hooked — and voting. Flight’s “flights”
— a trio of tastings from the entrée, dessert, and wine
menus — make it a wonderful way to sample what’s cooking in the
kitchen. What’s on your table: small plates but great taste. Or you
want regular-size portions? No problem. You can order that way too.