Tag: Mac’s Burgers

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Food & Wine Food & Drink

Chewing Over the Food News of 2015

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

In looking over 2015, one thing stood out: brand expansion. Aldo’s Pizza Pies, with its swell rooftop patio, and City Market (grab and go!) came to Cooper-Young. Fino’s opened a second restaurant in East Memphis (yay sandwiches!), and Mediterranean mainstay Casablanca returned to Midtown. Both Bedrock Eats & Sweets, the paleo eatery, and the all-vegan Pink Diva Cupcakery and Cuisine got places to call their own.

Justin Fox Burks

Bedrock Eats & Sweets

Ermyias Shiberou, owner of Stickem food truck, opened Blue Nile Ethiopian Kitchen on Madison in Midtown, next to the Bar-B-Q Shop. Stickem’s awesome kabobs are on the menu, and the lentil sandwich is terrific. Reverb Coffee got into the food-truck game, and Relevant Roasters opened its own coffee bar. Tamp & Tap Triad was unveiled in East Memphis.

Justin Fox Burks

Blue Nile Ethiopian Kitchen

Last year, all the action was in Overton Square. This year, one could argue, it’s South Main. The new location of Rizzo’s, after much delay, opened in March. Don’t worry, the Lobster Pronto Pups are still on the menu. The great and always-packed Maciel’s offers downtowners tacos, tortas, and more. South Main Sushi & Grill took over the Grawemeyer’s space, and there’s Ray’z World Famous Dr. Bar-b-que a few blocks north. The hipsteriffic 387 Pantry is a small, curated market with locally sourced goods like Dr. Bean’s coffee and Hanna Farm grits and cornmeal.

Justin Fox Burks

Ray’z World Famous Dr. Bar-b-que

Also new to downtown is the build-your-own tacos and burritos and nachos joint Burrito Blues (mmmm, nachos) and the Cuban and Mexican restaurant Sabrosura (try the Cuban sandwich). Jeff Johnson’s latest venture Agave Maria, with its masterful decor and endless tequila menu, opened on Union. Recommendation: the cheesy mushroom and poblano enchilada. In April, Bass Pro finally opened in the Pyramid. Uncle Buck’s, the underwater-themed restaurant with a bowling alley, offers a little something for everyone. Up top, the Lookout has one of the best views in the city.

Germantown got all the grocery stores. There’s the 1,000,000-square-foot Kroger that opened. (Actually, it’s only 100,000 square feet, but to put it in perspective, the Union Kroger is 36,000 square feet). It has a juice bar and a Corky’s BBQ kiosk. The healthy-food-at-a-discount grocer, Sprouts, after opening Lakeland, introduced its second store in Germantown. Whole Foods opened its second Memphis-area store in Germantown, too. It features a charcuterie cave, a fresh pasta station, made-fresh savory and sweet crepes, and Korean street food from Kei Jei Kitchens. (I think about the steamed bao sliders all the time.) And, in September, there was news, which seems completely unfair depending on your zip code, that the first area Trader Joe’s would open in Germantown sometime in 2016.

Breakfast for dinner? Breakfast for lunch? Breakfast for breakfast? Whenever! Another Broken Egg, a chain, opened in East Memphis. Order one of their scrambled skillets and their beignet biscuits and you’ll feel like you’ve been hit by a bus, but in the best way possible. Also in the breakfast-whenever game is the colorful, pancake-centric Staks. You can even make your own pancakes, if you’re so inclined. They also offer soups, salads, and sandwiches (including the Memphis Hot Brown).

And, and, and … There’s Mac’s Burgers with a menu filled with gourmet mac-and-cheese and burgers. Coffeehouse/gift shop City & State opened on Broad. 3 Angels Diner made way for Maximo’s on Broad. Encore Cafe offers wraps, smoothies, and salads, plus a place for Cozy Corner while it gets its building ready. Crazy Italians is owned by real-live Italians and features a menu of affordable, classic dishes like spaghetti alla carbonara. I Love Juice Bar features juices, smoothies, and essential oil shots. Mardi Gras, in Crosstown, has gotten great word-of-mouth for its Cajun fare. Diners can tour the U.S.A. at Heritage Tavern & Kitchen, which has a menu of regional favorites. Healthy, tastefully done meals are Julles Posh Food‘s focus. Ditto for LYFE Kitchen, where there’s no fryer, and it’s not missed at all.

Finally, two words: Cheesecake Factory.

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Food & Wine Food & Drink

Now open: Heritage Tavern & Kitchen and Mac’s Burgers.

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

Some men wear their hearts on their sleeves. Mike Miller wears his underneath. When he rolls up the sleeves of his blue seersucker oxford, he reveals a full-color tattoo that covers most of his right arm: a bald eagle wreathed in a billowing American flag, its talons clutching a scroll that reads, “In God We Trust.”

“I consider myself a patriot,” he confesses. “My country’s very important to me. I want to celebrate our culture, but also our culinary history.”

Since 2005, Miller has been the owner and GM at Patrick’s, a home-cooking restaurant on Park. Now he has he opened a new restaurant, Heritage Tavern & Kitchen, in the Regalia Shopping Center in East Memphis. The idea is to celebrate American heritage by cooking affordable dishes from several different parts of the country.

From the Northeast, there are clam chowder and lobster rolls. From the Southwest, there are carnitas tamales and shrimp-stuffed jalapeños. Want to know where the zucchini fries come from? Heritage makes it easy — the menu is overlaid on a map of the United States, each dish appearing over its home region.

Justin Fox Burks

Alder Smoked Salmon dish

The portions are big, and the food is hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kind of stuff. Maybe my favorite was the Alder Smoked Salmon ($19). Quite often, restaurants overdo the smoke flavor in smoked fish, so it ends up tasting like a campfire log. But Heritage does it right — the alder wood doesn’t take over, which allows the rich flavor of the salmon to speak for itself. Also recommended: the Lobster Roll ($19) and the Deviled Eggs ($6), served with yummy candied bacon.

Justin Fox Burks

The food works well in the space: a bright-white, vaulted room that reminded me of an old parish church in New England. There are barn doors, sepia photographs, and an array of American flags, old and new. The most interesting, based on a political cartoon by Benjamin Franklin, features a snake chopped up into bits, with the caption “Join or Die.”

I guess I’ll join? In any case, the décor seems to connect with diners, who had crowded the lunch service on a recent Monday. Miller says it’s not about kitsch. He’s paying homage to the country that has given him such opportunities. He’s been in the restaurant business since age 14, when he started as a dishwasher. Now he owns his own place.

“The idea that we, as Americans, can go out and make things for ourselves,” Miller reflects, “and reap the rewards of that labor — I think that makes us unique among all the countries of the world. I think it’s a beautiful experiment.”

When it comes to burger joints … how do I say this? You don’t want a bunch of skinny guys running them. Fortunately for you, Barron Brown ain’t skinny. For 16 years, he’s been the area director of TJ Mulligan’s, the same guys who brought you LBOE in Overton Square. Last year, Brown’s team took fourth place at Best Memphis Burger Fest, and honestly? He’s still a little sore about it.

“We probably could have took first,” he opines, “but there was some confusion about when the judging was. That burger must have sat out for about 30 minutes before they tasted it.”

Brown is the general manager of Mac’s Burgers, which recently opened near Target on Colonial. It occupies the front room of Dan McGuinness Irish Pub and has the same owners. So why the switcheroo? Brown says this new concept reflects a shift in consumer tastes: Irish food is out, gourmet burgers are in.

I can’t really speak to consumer tastes, but my own taste buds are definitely happy about the change. When it comes to burgers, Brown and his buddies from Mulligan’s and LBOE are the best in town.

Take the Burning Love ($9.50). Now I’m gonna tell you what’s on it, and it’s gonna sound weird. But trust me — it’s really freaking good. Grilled jalapeños, red and green peppers, onions, pepper jack cheese, reaper hot sauce, garlic cream cheese, and a fresh-ground, grass-fed beef patty from Charlie’s Meat Market.

From the fat guy’s lips to God’s ears.

Mac’s other specialty is gourmet mac and cheese, of which they offer no fewer than 12 varieties. Order The Trio ($12.95), which allows you to sample three different kinds, and definitely include the Mushroom Mac in your lineup. The goat cheese and scallions set it off very nicely.

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Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Mac’s Burger’s Loaded Egg Rolls

Mac’s Burgers opened up last month in East Memphis, and I finally checked it out. Since it’s Memphis’ very first gourmet mac and cheese bar, I had to try something with macaroni and cheese. Cue their loaded egg rolls ($7.95)!

Mac’s Burgers loaded egg rolls are spring roll wrappers filled with loaded macaroni and cheese. Each roll is completely fried and served with roasted pepper ranch dipping sauce. One spring roll is huge and was all I needed. This appetizer is very filling. I loved how crunchy the spring rolls were, and depending on your taste preference, you can have two different experiences. 

Without the dipping sauce, the loaded egg rolls are creamy and cheesy. The pasta is big, soft, and you can taste the noodles. The egg rolls as a whole are rich. I even tasted cream cheese, chives and bits of bacon. With the roasted pepper ranch dipping sauce, the dish becomes spicy. It looked like there were bits of jalapenos in the sauce and it added a nice kick to the creaminess of the egg rolls. I went back and forth between dipping and not dipping. These loaded egg rolls won’t disappoint all the mac and cheese lovers out there!

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Food & Wine Food & Drink

The Drinks of Summer

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

It’s that time of year when no one wants to admit that it’s too hot to sit on a patio and drink all day. Enter the drinks of summer.

Jameson Slushie

Slider Inn has an amazing patio — now with misters — and the absolute best way to enjoy it is with a Jameson Slushie (or two). The slushie consists of Barritt’s Ginger Beer, house-made lemonade, delicious Jameson Irish Whiskey, and bitters. Depending on the glass situation, it either gets served in a branded Mason jar or a pint glass. (The latter is obviously the better deal.) At $9 a pop, Slider is selling upwards of 300 each week — the hotter the weather, the higher the sales. They are very drinkable, probably too drinkable. I can’t imagine summer without them. I won’t!

Justin Fox Burks

Slider Inn’s Jameson Slushie

Frozen Lemonades

The newly opened Mac’s Burgers, which is out east in part of the former Dan McGuinness, is also selling freshly squeezed frozen lemonades — some with alcohol, some without. The virgin options include blueberry, strawberry, mango, peach, pomegranate, and pineapple — all made with freshly puréed fruit. Their spiked varieties ($8 to $11) include a Jameson Slush (sounds familiar!), Arnold Palmer Freeze (Tito’s Vodka, lemonade, and iced tea), and Frozen Bellinis (peach lemonade with an inverted champagne split).

Boozy Milkshakes

Staying cool downtown requires a boozy milkshake. Oshi has six to choose from, and they are also available without alcohol, but where’s the fun in that? Even the most lactose intolerant would be foolish to pass up the Kentucky Head Hunter. It’s made with bourbon, apple brandy, vanilla ice cream, and bacon dust. Yes, bacon dust! It mostly tastes like frosty bourbon, which is awesome if you consider how much bourbon it takes to outshine the ice cream. Other popular shakes are the Malt Shoppe (vanilla ice cream, malted milk balls, bourbon) and the Godzilla (crème de menthe, Godiva white chocolate, vanilla ice cream, Oreo pieces). They’re $10 a pop, $6 without booze.

Beer Floats

Beer drinkers need not feel left out. Hammer & Ale is serving beer floats ($6). Genius, right? There’s only one flavor of ice cream — vanilla — but the choice of beer is up to you. (There are 24 to choose from, however, a dark or a sweet beer is recommended.) So far the most popular picks are the Gotta Get Up To Get Down Coffee Milk Stout from Wiseacre and the Illusive Traveler Grapefruit Shandy. Now that they serve food, you could have a beer float for dessert or just have one as a treat between regular beers. (Mexican soda and ginger beer are also available for teetotalers.)

Justin Fox Burks

Hammer & Ale beer float with Wiseacre’s Gotta Get up to Get Down.

Coffee Soda

And because we need a different kind of buzz on occasion, City & State is now offering house-made carbonated coffee sodas. Say it with me: coffee soda. The first, the Hampliner, is a carbonated iced coffee with pomegranate syrup, fresh lime, and maraschino cherries to top it off ($4.75). The second, the Purist, is carbonated iced coffee with simple syrup, lime juice, and lime slice for garnish ($4). The Hampliner is rich but not too sweet. It feels decadent, which is what summer is all about. Beware, the Purist may give you a grown-up feeling since you’ll pat yourself on the back for being so smart and ordering it.

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Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

A Visit to Mac’s Burgers

I spontaneously took the day off from work on Monday and found myself at Mac’s Burgers sometime around 1 p.m.

The occasion called for day drinking .. 

This is the Mac Jack Lemonade ($8). I could smell the booze even before the drink was set on the table and thought maybe this isn’t such a good idea after all. (It was a great idea!) Made with Mac’s house-made frozen lemonade, this is made for summer. Delicious and refreshing. 

Other drinks include a Frozen Bellini and the Arnold Palmer Freeze (!).

Mac’s bills itself as a gourmet mac n’ cheese and burger bar. There are 15 burgers and 12 mac n’ cheese selections.

David Chang wrote a great Burger Manifesto, in which he says “My ideal burger is bun, cheese, burger” — except when it isn’t. I admire Mac’s creativity in the burger field (same folks own LBOE). There’s a burger topped with hot dogs, one dressed in Fritos and bacon, and one, of course, with mac n’ cheese. The most-straightforward burger has a mere three toppings: two types of cheese and butter. 

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I ordered the Southern Bell ($9.25), which is topped with pimento cheese and fried green tomatoes. All burgers can be ordered with single, double, or triple patties. They offer as substitute a spicy black bean burger and turkey burger. 

I’m pretty sure this is the same black bean patty they use at LBOE, which I like a lot, but it didn’t quite work with the particular burger I chose. The spiciness of this patty demands to be star of this show, and this ended up being literally a mess and a mess of flavors. Maybe I’ll try the Old School next time. 

I’m a mac n’ cheese fan (who isn’t?), so I ordered it as a side. There is no just plain ol’ mac n’ cheese; like with the burgers, Mac’s pushes it. You can get it with fried chicken, blackened chicken, garlic chicken, grilled chicken, brats, hot dogs, Philly steak, pulled pork, and shrimp … whew!

  
I ordered the Veggie ($8.95, for full dish), and I will say that Mac’s does mac n’ cheese really well. The sauce was very rich, almost buttery (maybe a bit much for a day creeping up to a 107 heat index) and I loved the spinach. 

The decor at Mac’s is nondescript, making a point that this joint is about the eating and the drinking. You get plenty of space for the latter, as there is a huge wraparound bar — leftover from Dan McGuinness, I’m guessing.