Tag: Kooky Canuck

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Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Memphis Restaurant Association Awards to Honor Shawn Danko and Pat Taylor

CREDIT: Kooky Canuck/Facebook

Kooky Canuck/Facebook

Shawn Danko has been named Restaurateur of the Year.

This weekend, the 56th annual Memphis Restaurant Association awards will honor Kooky Canuck owner Shawn Danko and Cleaner Solutions owner Pat Taylor.

Danko has been named Restaurateur of the Year, and Taylor is Associate Member of the Year. Both have been deeply involved in the local restaurant scene and are being honored for their commitment to celebrating and lobbying for the Memphis restaurant industry.

Danko, who is originally from Montreal, first came to Memphis to open the Hard Rock Cafe and later the Downtown restaurant Kooky Canuck. He serves on boards for the Memphis Restaurant Association and Memphis Tourism and has been featured on a number of food shows including Man v. Food.

Taylor worked in restaurants for almost 20 years before transitioning to the cleaning and sanitation industry. His company Cleaner Solutions has serviced hundreds of Memphis restaurants with dishwashers and cleaners for roughly 16 years. Taylor has been an active member and sponsor of the Memphis Restaurant Association and says that he is driven by his desire to give back.

The annual celebration is a major fundraiser for the Memphis Restaurant Association, and the awards ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. on Sunday, February 23rd, at the University of Memphis Holiday Inn. Go to memphisrestaurants.com/events for more info.

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Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Kooky Canuck Announces Move

The owners of Kooky Canuck announced they are moving their downtown restaurant after 11 years. 

The restaurant is moving next door, to 87 S. 2nd.  

From the press release: 

The Dankos expect to make the transition to the new location at the end of October. The new restaurant space requires a full build out and Graham Reese Design Group will play a large role in the design. The Dankos plan to keep many of the original lodge elements of the restaurant while giving it a more updated look. There are plans to expand the number of draft beer offerings which will include more local brews and there will be some menu changes along with the addition of a brunch menu on Saturdays and Sundays. The new space will also feature several large doors which open up to Second Street creating a patio-like environment. 

The Dankos will be hosting several large events to launch the new location. 

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Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Kooky Canuck’s Signature S’mores Cocktail

Holy 32 ounces! That’s what you get when you order the Signature S’mores Cocktail ($9.99) at Kooky Canuck. It’s huge! This concoction is made up of chocolate vodka, whipped vodka, milk, and chocolate. There’s even graham cracker dusting on the rim of the glass. Whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and three s’mores decorate the top of the drink with more graham cracker dusting.

First you taste the vodka followed by a light hint of chocolate. Everything is nice and cold. There’s a lot of ice and I liked that a lot. A bit of chocolate with a bit of a zing? I’m in! To no surprise, I couldn’t come CLOSE to finishing this cocktail. How does one person drink this? You need at least three people. For the price, this drink is WELL worth it. My favorite part was grabbing the three s’mores on top and eating them one by one with a little whipped cream and chocolate syrup.

This is a cocktail for Thor!

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Food & Wine Food & Drink

BBQ+

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

Beyond death and taxes, there are two knowns in life: 1) Everything tastes better fried, and 2) barbecue is what Memphis does best.

This is a story about deep-fried barbecue.

A&R Bar-B-Que, named for Andrew & Rose Pollard who founded the restaurant in 1983 as fast-food take-out, has a motto, “Anyone can put the heat to the meat, but only a few can barbeque.” This bold attitude can be tasted across the menu, but the fried barbecue pies take it to a new level.

The barbecue pies are not pretty, but they are tasty. Wrapped with a light and flaky pastry crust, they are definitely hearty enough to be a meal. The filling is generously packed inside the pastry, and it isn’t unusual to get two pies for the price of one because the first one burst open while being fried. The chunky but bite-sized meat is heavily coated in sweet barbecue sauce (unless you order hot) and definitely takes center stage.

Available only at the original location in Whitehaven, the barbecue pies are made to order. Choose from beef, pork, or turkey; hot or mild sauce; and even add cheese if you like. The cost is $5.45.

For more traditional pie lovers, A&R serves apple, peach, and sweet potato fried pies at all of their locations.

A&R Bar-B-Que aandrbbq.com

The Stuffed Truck, which hit the streets last spring, was a combination of owner and chef Derek King’s three loves — fiancée Hannah Bailey, food, and business. The menu, designed to “stuff” its customers, is American fusion with a focus on gourmet burgers and empanadas. Empanadas are made by folding dough or bread around stuffing, which usually consists of a variety of meat. Among the stuffed offerings is a barbecue empanada with slow-smoked, pulled pork coated in King’s own barbecue sauce and topped with fresh-made coleslaw. The result is a tangy and perfectly crisp hand-held meal.The only menu item more popular than the barbecue empanada is the slow-roasted pork carnitas empanada stuffed with slow-roasted, spicy shredded pork, lime juice, fresh cilantro, and chili powder.

The pastry is sourced from New Orleans, but everything else is completely homemade. Each empanada is gently folded by hand and is a feast for the eyes. You can get one for $5 or two for $8.

Stuffed Truck • stuffedtruck.com • @ GetStuffedTruck

Kooky Canuck, which is best known as the “Home of the 4lb Burger” and corresponding “Kookamunga Challenge,” is also in on the fried-pork action, although in the form of an eggroll. Their signature BBQ eggrolls ($7.99) are described as “an Asian favorite with a Kooky Canuck twist.” The barbecue and slaw are wrapped tight in an eggroll wrapper and fried a golden brown. The result is a crispy, savory sensation. They are perfectly tasty on their own — the dipping sauce is merely a bonus.

Owner Shawn Danko says he and Sean McCarty came up with the concept back in 2004. “We were making Asian Lumpias, or spring rolls, one night when we looked at one another and said, ‘What do you think about adding barbecue pork and coleslaw?'” They did just that, but soon discovered that the spring-roll wrapper was far too delicate for the combination. Thankfully, eggroll wrappers worked just fine.

The eggrolls have been on the menu since day one and sell quite well. “We have emails from around the world asking us to send barbecue eggrolls anyway possible,” Danko says.

Kooky Canuck • 97 S. Second • 578-9800 • kookycanuck.com

The Double J Smokehouse & Saloon has its own take on the barbecue eggroll. Double J’s infused meat is full of rendered fat and has a really strong smoke flavor. They are seriously not kidding about being a smokehouse. The smoked pork eggrolls ($7) are super fat, almost burrito-esque, and bursting with the signature meat and house-made slaw. The accompanying sweet chili sauce is really no match for the smoke, so ask for the regular barbecue sauce instead.

Double J Smokehouse & Saloon • 124 E GE Patterson 347-2648 • doublejsmokehouse.com

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Food & Wine Food & Drink

Beat It

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

When Shawn Danko opened Kooky Canuck, he wanted to include a food challenge to add to the fun nature of the restaurant. He created the Kookamonga Burger, which is four pounds of fresh ground chuck, two pounds of custom-made hamburger bun, and one-and-a-half pounds of lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, and cheese. (Accompanying fries are optional.) Eat the burger in less than 60 minutes, and it’s yours for free.

Anyone who has laid eyes on the burger can see that finishing it is nearly impossible, but that hasn’t stopped 2,895 people from taking the challenge. To date, only eight people have succeeded. One of them, Roger Robinson, who lives in Southaven, has won three times. Patrick Bertoletti, a professional competitive eater, holds the record for fastest time (7 minutes and 15 seconds).

Jason Smith, a 21-year-old sport and leisure management major at the University of Memphis, completed the contest a couple of years ago. The 5’10”, 225-pound Brownsville, Tennessee, native says he’s always been able to eat a lot. “Some guys I hang out with told me about the challenge since I’m not from here,” he says. Sixteen of those guys watched in awe as he ate the entire burger.

“It was real difficult. I had to sit and let things digest for 15 minutes, then all I wanted to do was nap,” Smith says. He didn’t eat anything the next day and hasn’t done any other official challenges since, but he says he’ll still take on anyone who thinks they can out-eat him.

The Kookamonga contest has succeeded in bringing people to the restaurant in droves, and it keeps them talking long after their visits. Due to the contest’s difficulty, it also has attracted a few professional eaters and landed the restaurant a slot on Food Network’s popular Man vs. Food.

The Kooky Canuck added the King Kookamonga contest almost two years ago “just for the heck of it” and to add another dimension to the challenge scenario. The King is a super-sized version of the original, weighing in at 12 pounds. Two people can team up to tackle the King Kookamonga. So far, out of 165 attempts, only a couple of brothers from Texas have defeated the King.

Danko says the size of a person is not a good gauge of potential success. “It’s all about the size of the stomach and a person’s ability to chew for long periods of time,” he says. The majority of attempts have come from men, and the few women who have tried have all failed. “To be able to eat a lot is considered a good thing in the guy’s handbook,” Danko says. “There are some girls who can put some food back, but they don’t necessarily or willingly wear that on their sleeve.”

Terry Bomar, owner of the Pizza Shack and creator of the Shack Attack pizza challenge, agrees that eating contests appeal to men, specifically the male ego. “It’s not like these guys come in alone,” he says. “There’s always a group to cheer them on.”

The Pizza Shack, which celebrated its two-year anniversary on March 1st, has also seen how a food challenge can benefit business. There have been 80 “Shack Attack” attempts but only seven winners. The Shack Attack is a 16-inch pizza piled high with pepperoni, ham, sausage, bacon, shredded steak, pulled pork, red onion, and barbecue sauce. It weighs five-and-a-half pounds, and contestants have one hour to eat it.

Bomar says it took over a year for someone to win, and it’s been great for business.

“We gave away seven pizzas to our winners but sold the other 73,” he says, adding that people are not broken up when they lose because the pizza is so tasty. Winners not only get a free pizza, they get a $20 gift certificate and their picture on the wall by the register and on Facebook. The current record for the challenge is 26 minutes. (No professional eaters have taken the challenge.)

Buoyed by the success of the Shack Attack, Bomar recently added the Enfuego challenge, which is more mental and has a higher success rate. (So far, four out of 28 have prevailed.) The Enfuego is a 12-inch pizza made with a mix of chili peppers, including ghost chilis — the third hottest in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

Bomar orders the peppers dehydrated and makes the sauce himself. He says that according to the Scoville scale, which is used to measure the spiciness of peppers, his pizza has anywhere from 6 to 7 million units. (By comparison, a typical jalapeno has 1,000 to 5,000 units.) The Enfuego is a half-hour challenge, and contestants can have all the water they want and one emergency four-ounce shot of milk.

A couple of downtown eateries — Bar None and Ferraro’s Pizzeria and Pub — are hoping that adding a food challenge to their menus will be good for business too.

In the six weeks that it’s been open, Bar None has had 30 people try the Big Burger and Half-Yard Challenge. “It may not be the biggest challenge burger, but it is the best,” says Andrea Bragg, the restaurant’s spokesperson. It includes a one-pound burger of in-house ground tenderloin beef on a custom-made bun with all the trimmings (homemade pickled onions, homemade Dijon mayo, farmhouse cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes, etc.). Also included in the challenge are a pound of hand-cut fries and a half-yard of ale (two pints). The winner gets his (no women have stepped up to the plate!) photo on Facebook, a Bar None T-shirt, and a photo on the wall. The food is also comp’ed, but not the beer, due to state regulations. So far, three people have successfully completed the challenge, which has no time limit.

Ferraro’s Pizzeria and Pub in the Pinch District recently introduced the “U Can’t Do It” 28-inch pizza challenge. Eat one pizza with your choice of toppings in an hour, and you’ll get your picture on the wall, a hat, and a T-shirt. At press time, no one has managed to win yet, so you could be the first.

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

Two at Five

We opened in a blaze of fire,” says Celtic Crossing owner and Ireland native D.J. Naylor, admitting that he wasn’t quite sure in 2005 if they were ready to operate. But despite a suffering economy, Cooper-Young’s Irish pub has managed to create and maintain a loyal following over the last five years.

“In all aspects, it’s been a project of growth,” Naylor says, adding that the pub has made significant improvements each year, from expanding the menu to renovating the restrooms. “If people are going to keep coming as regulars,” he says, “they need to see that their money is being used to make progress.”

The pub has been successful largely due to its devotion to traditional Irish fare, offering patrons a multicultural experience from corned beef boxty to bangers n’ mash and shepherd’s pie. And though there have been some unexpected turns — like the pub’s becoming a haven for soccer fans at game time — it’s remained true to their roots. “It’s about the food, and it’s about the music,” Naylor says. “It’s about having a good time and maintaining that authenticity.”

Celtic Crossing will celebrate its fifth anniversary with the four-day Oyster Festival, featuring a scotch tasting, oysters imported from Ireland, and local music along with the Prodigals, an Irish four-piece from New York. The fun starts Thursday, June 3rd. Visit celticcrossingmemphis.com for more information.

Celtic Crossing, 903 S. Cooper (274-5151)

celticcrossingmemphis.com

You might remember Shawn and Lana Danko‘s downtown restaurant by its original name, Big Foot Lodge. Though trademarking issues forced the 2008 switch to Kooky Canuck, the restaurant’s essence has remained the same.

“The new name fits us much better,” Lana Danko says. “My husband’s Canadian and a little crazy.”

That playful spirit is apparent in the restaurant, which offers eclectic favorites like poutine, a Canadian classic that combines french fries and gravy, and the daunting seven-and-a-half pound Kookamonga burger.

When they started in 2005, the couple wanted to create an experience that they hadn’t found since moving south of the border. “We wanted people to come in and feel like they weren’t in Memphis,” Danko says. A lodge-like atmosphere was exactly what they were looking for, and by combining Canadian fare with classics such as burgers and barbecue, backed up the ambience with a consistently good menu. “Our goal is to make different food and a lot of it for the price,” Danko says. “Everything’s made in-house and fresh, and we use local vendors and recipes from friends and family.”

Danko credits that welcoming atmosphere along with the unique experience their restaurant provides with keeping numbers up in a down economy.

“People are still going out to eat. They’re just thinking through their choices more,” she says. And with a newly trademarked name, plans to extend their retail line, and the beginnings of a few franchises, Kooky Canuck looks to keep expanding from here. “We’re always tasting new food, adding new items to the menu,” Danko says. “We’ve got a lot of things in the works.”

To celebrate their anniversary, Kooky Canuck will thank their regular customers with a private anniversary party on June 16th and will be giving away a $25 gift card every day this month on their website. Find more information at kookycanuck.com.

Kooky Canuck, 97 S. Second (578-9800)

kookycanuck.com

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.