Categories
Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Guess Where I’m Eating Contest 80

Pizza!!!!

The first person to correctly ID where I’m eating wins a fabulous prize. 

To enter, submit your answer to me via email at ellis@memphisflyer.com

The answer to GWIE 79 is the chargrilled oysters at Pearl’s Oyster House, and the winner is … Brittney Block! 

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 & CountrySouthern 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

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

Pearl’s starts afresh; DejaVu to open second location.

When Joe’s Crab Shack closed its downtown location in 2006, Pearl’s Oyster House on South Main quickly stepped in to fill the void.

But, as new manager and chef KC Lambert tells it, service and quality slowly declined over time. Loyal patrons visited less and less. Lambert, who joined the restaurant last summer, is on a mission to restore Pearl’s status as a quality seafood and Creole restaurant on South Main.

“A lot of people kept coming in, hoping it would get better, and it just didn’t,” Lambert says. “We’re trying to take it back where it needs to be. Consistency, great service every time, no exceptions, a great product at a very fair price, and showing some loyalty to our customers.”

Lambert brings to Pearl’s a career of hotel and resort experience that he has already used to book more banquets and dinners in the downstairs event space — which comes with its own separate bathrooms, pool tables, and a full bar. He’s also revamped the menu, refining their seafood options.

“We’re a full-on seafood restaurant now,” he says. “It’s not just oysters, shrimp, and crab legs. It’s fresh fish. We have corvina, snapper, grouper, tuna, swordfish, halibut. Whatever’s being caught.”

Pearl’s has a Sunday brunch now, complete with seafood twists on brunch staples, like a blackened catfish Benedict, a chargrilled-oyster omelet, and crab cakes topped with a poached egg and Creole hollandaise.

A new lunch menu with lower prices and additions like the vegetarian po’boy (marinated grilled zucchini, squash, peppers, and onions served on a hoagie) are other ways Lambert hopes to lure former fans and new faces to Pearl’s.

“It’s about making portion sizes meet fair price points,” Lambert says.

Lunch prices range from $5.99 to $9.99, and dinner from $7.99 to $17.99.

Longtime patrons shouldn’t worry about missing their favorites. Lambert isn’t touching classics like the chargrilled oysters, doused with garlic chipotle butter, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, and set ablaze on the open grill behind the bar.

“I just focus a lot on cooking techniques,” Lambert says. “Searing correctly, sauteeing correctly, grilling correctly, baking correctly. I think that’s what’s made the difference in our food in the last few months. We really focus on quality products cooked with the proper techniques.”

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

pearlsoysterhouse.com

Come this May, if you drive from 936 Florida Street to 51 South Main, you’ll experience a bit of DejaVu.

Cajun/Creole restaurant DejaVu is expanding, maintaining its original location on Florida Street and opening a second spot next door to Flight in the heart of downtown. The target date for opening this second restaurant is May 1st.

“We needed a larger location, and we wanted to have more visibility in the area,” owner and chef Gary Williams says.

They’ll have a full bar and the same Creole soul menu — including plenty of vegetarian and vegan options — that fans are accustomed to at the Florida Street location. But Williams says they will also have space to expand their offerings, adding items like beignets and coffee and chicory.

“We’re going to be more visible, get more foot traffic,” Williams says. “And we’re going to bring the same great taste we’re doing here to downtown.”

DejaVu, 936 Florida (942-1400)

dejavurestaurant.org

Categories
Cover Feature News

Barbecurious!

Memphis has long been host to the biggest barbecue act around — balancing gritty kitchen smarts with a sweet disposition and a slow-cooking way of life.

No doubt you’ve seen the main event: pork ribs crusted with salty, spicy rub and doused with sweet, smoky sauce; sandwiches piled high with tender pulled pork, dripping with tangy sauce and creamy slaw.

But there are other attractions in town — some you won’t find in a typical tourist guide or brochure. The fact is, Memphians will barbecue just about anything. Read on for a peek at some of Memphis’ uniquely delicious twists on barbecue basics. From cultural crossovers to barbecue beer — behold, the barbecuriosities!

Korean Barbecue at DWJ Korean Grill and Sushi Bar

Memphis barbecue purists probably won’t allow that what DWJ Korean Grill and Sushi Bar serves is actually barbecue. DWJ’s ‘cue is cooked over a gas flame right at your table — no wood or charcoal involved — and for some sticklers, that’s a deal-breaker. But when it comes to flavor and spice, Korean barbecue, like the best Memphis-style preparations, really delivers.

Barbecue pork bellies — which should really appeal to pig-centric Memphians — come to the table coated in a flavorful red chili sauce and laden with mushrooms and onions. DWJ’s barbecue short ribs are thinly sliced and not nearly as sweet as Korean ribs can be, which is a good thing. Lightly marinated in minced garlic and sesame oil, the ribs are served with plenty of condiments and can be piled onto lettuce leaves with a blob of rice, a schmear of bean paste, some fresh green chili slices, and thinly shaved chunks of garlic and eaten like a wrap. Too much fuss? Just grab your chopsticks and eat them right off the grill. — Chris Davis

DWJ Korean Grill and Sushi Bar, 3750 Hacks Cross, 746-8057

Lamb Riblets at the Rendezvous

This is counterprogramming at its finest. Who on earth would go to the world-famous Rendezvous and order lamb? I would and did. The serving consists of six or seven chunky, two-rib sections coated with Rendezvous dry rub. The lamb meat is much thicker than the Rendezvous’ pork ribs — plump, even — and pulls off the bone easily. It’s got a fine, tender, chewy consistency with a slight, lamb-y aftertaste. I added Rendezvous sauce to the rub and greatly enjoyed these off-the-beaten-path riblets.

The price is $18.75, the same as a full order of pork ribs, and the lamb riblets come with the same sides: slaw, beans, and a roll. I can eat a full order of pork ribs, but I couldn’t finish these — too much meat for one sitting. So, I took some home to enjoy the next day. Verdict: not baaahed at all. — Bruce VanWyngarden

Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous,

52 South Second, 523-2746

Char-Grilled Oysters at Pearl’s Oyster House

Fishermen scour the rocky coastline and sandy ocean floor to bring these pale, watery creatures to Memphis, so Memphis does what we do best: We barbecue them.

I’m not a great oyster aficionado, but I love the char-grilled oysters at Pearl’s. And what’s not to love? Oysters on the half-shell are sauced with a tangy, barbecuey, chipotle-garlic blend, then sprinkled with shaved Parmesan cheese. The little morsels are then shoved under a charbroiler long enough that the cheese gets browned to a chewy, crispy texture and the sauce is bubbling. A half-dozen, served on a rock-salt platter with a little spinach, also crispy and grilled, will set you back $9.99. But go for a dozen at $19.99. It’s seafood — how bad for you can it be? And these things are delicious. — Bruce VanWyngarden

Pearl’s Oyster House, 299 South Main, 522-9070

Cornish Game Hen at Cozy Corner

For 30 years, Cozy Corner, a tiny barbecue shack on North Parkway just east of Danny Thomas, has done things just a little bit differently from Memphis’ other pig palaces. Take, for instance, the most perfect thing on Cozy Corner’s menu: the barbecued Cornish game hen. So what if Cornish hens aren’t exotic game birds? And who cares if they aren’t always hens? These young chickens are Cozy Corner’s elegant, personal-sized twist on good old-fashioned barbecue chicken.

The Corner’s hens are cooked dry with a tasty spice rub until the skin is a beautiful mahogany color and the rich, smoky flavor goes all the way to the bone. They are served wet, with a thin, sweet-and-sour sauce that can be ordered mild or spicy but which might be more correctly labeled spicy and spicier. At $11 without sides, it may seem a little pricey, but it’s worth every penny. — Chris Davis

Cozy Corner, 745 North Parkway, 527-9158

BBQ Beer at Jack Magoo’s

While beer cocktails may be considered eclectic to the light-beer-drinkin’ masses, they’re not terribly uncommon. The British black and tan — half pale ale, half porter or stout — and the German Radler — half pilsner, half lemonade or soda — started showing up in pubs and biergardens close to a century ago and deserve their place in the world of beer. But the skeptics aren’t completely off the mark, with drinks like Jack Magoo’s BBQ beer out there.

A mix of Bud Light, Bloody Mary mix, Cattleman’s BBQ sauce, and olives garnishing, BBQ beer tastes more like a Bloody Mary than anything else. Its tomato, Worcestershire sauce, and peppery heat mixed with subtle, sweet barbecue notes make for a compelling combination. For those of you who enjoy a good Bloody Mary but are looking for an interesting take on the cocktail, this might be right up your alley — especially at a mere $2. — Andrew Caldwell

Jack Magoo’s Sports Bar and Grill, 2583 Broad, 746-9612

BBQ Tofu Burrito at R.P. Tracks

R.P. Tracks claims its barbecue tofu is “world famous.” And while international prominence might be a stretch, their deep-fried, ‘cue-covered bean curd is at least locally famous. It’s perhaps best known for its starring role in Tracks’ BBQ Tofu Nachos (tofu, black beans, tomatoes, cheese, and sour cream atop a bed of seasoned tortilla chips). But the BBQ Tofu Burrito may actually be the best tofu-to-mouth delivery method. The same toppings from those nachos are stuffed into a massive tortilla wrap (available in a white flour, wheat, sun-dried tomato basil, or spinach tortilla) topped with cheese (optional for vegans) and black olives. It’s a little hefty for lifting, so a fork (and maybe a to-go box) is recommended. Of course, you won’t miss out on those perfectly seasoned chips by skipping out on nachos. They’re served as a side item with Tracks’ signature garlicky tomato salsa. — Bianca Phillips

R.P. Tracks, 3547 Walker, 327-1471

Barbecue Brunswick Stew at the Germantown Commissary

Brunswick stew being served at a barbecue joint may only be considered sideshow in Memphis, the Mid-South, and the Delta. But in many other barbecue capitals in the South, Brunswick stew topped with pulled pork is a staple. Its recipe varies, and where the stew originated is up for debate, with folks from Georgia, Virginia, and North Carolina vying for the honor.

The hearty soup offered at the Germantown Commissary comes chock-a-block full of stewed tomatoes, green beans, corn, and lima beans, and the restaurant’s signature hickory-smoked pulled pork makes a big island in the middle. You can get a bowl for $5.50 — a generous portion that’s a meal — or as a side dish for $2.50. Crumble in some of the slab of cornbread provided to lend some sweetness to the spicy endeavor. — Greg Akers

The Germantown Commissary, 2290 Germantown Road, 754-5540

The Original Barbecue Pizza at Coletta’s

Eating barbecue pizza in the “Elvis Room” at the original Coletta’s on South Parkway is a singular Memphis experience. The “we can turn anything into barbecue” ethos we celebrate in this issue was arguably born in second-generation owner Horest Coletta’s kitchen in the 1950s. The basic concept — a sturdy, medium-crust cheese pizza topped with smoked pork and barbecue sauce — has become fairly common, especially with chicken, and has probably been improved on. But this where it began. And the atmosphere can’t be beat. The wood paneling and checkerboard tablecloths transport you back to the era of the barbecue pizza’s creation, while the Elvis paraphernalia framed along the walls — which includes the front page of The Commercial Appeal from the day after his death and appears as if it’s been unchanged for decades — pays proper tribute to a former regular who may himself have been among the first to savor this quintessentially Memphis creation. — Chris Herrington

Coletta’s, 1063 South Parkway, 948-7652

Barbecue Portobello Sandwich at Central BBQ

In the beginning there was tofu.

Central BBQ, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and is on the verge of opening a third location, has well established that barbecue is indeed central with its award-winning ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, and hot wings. From the start, says owner Craig Blondis, they knew they wanted to offer diners a vegetarian option. They tried a barbecue tofu sandwich, but they couldn’t figure out how to keep the tofu from falling apart, so they switched to the heartier Portobello mushroom.

The Portobello is marinated in a mix of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, thyme, and garlic and then grilled. The sandwich is topped with smoked Gouda, slaw, and the restaurant’s mild barbecue sauce.

Blondis estimates that he sells 30 to 40 of the sandwiches each week. And while he notes that he’s had customers request that the barbecue Portobello sandwich be topped with pork, he says that this one’s for the vegetarians: “It’s for people who don’t eat meat to take part in the experience.” — Susan Ellis

Central BBQ, 2249 Central, 272-9377

BBQ Spaghetti at The Bar-B-Q Shop

If you’re from Memphis, chances are you’re quite familiar with barbecue spaghetti. But outside the Mid-South, this spin on the standard spaghetti side dish is a true novelty. You might think barbecue spaghetti would be a simple concept, merely replacing a traditional Bolognese sauce with barbecue sauce and smoked pork. But, at the BBQ Shop at least, it’s not that simple.

“People think it’s just our sauce and oil,” owner Eric Vernon says, “but it’s not.” Rather, at the Vernon family’s Midtown institution, cooked spaghetti is finished off in a base that’s considerably sweeter than the Shop’s tart sauce and then mixed with an au jus left over from the cooked pork. This infuses the pasta itself with a smoky, sweet flavor entirely unlike the restaurant’s Dancing Pigs sauce, which is added to the top along with a pile of chopped pork. A personal confession: For about three or four bites, I think this is one of the best things ever. But I find it almost too intense for further consumption. It’s perfect for a side. Others have the stamina to make a meal of it. — Chris Herrington

The Bar-B-Q Shop, 1782 Madison, 272-1277

24th Annual ASBEE Kosher BBQ Contest

While the annual Memphis in May barbecue festival was gaining its current international reputation, a parallel local event has also landed a place for itself on the festival map. This one, the annual ASBEE Kosher BBQ Contest, on the sprawling East Memphis grounds of the Anshei Sphard Beth El Emeth Congregation, is held in the fall — at just about that time (October 21st, this year) when fond gustatory memories of the barbecue festival itself may have faded.

Which is to say, the ASBEE event (“the world’s largest,” and maybe the only one of its kind, say the sponsors), while it is genuinely kosher — in that no pork products are served and other dietary restrictions are observed — is open to everyone. As the proprietors put it, “You don’t have to be Jewish or kosher to join us!” 

Competition is usually in three categories, brisket and ribs and beans (yes, beans), with chicken recipes sometimes admitted. Radio legend and longtime Elvis bud George Klein is the emcee, and local celebrities, both Jewish and non-Jewish, serve as judges. A basketball tournament, a pickle-eating contest, and train rides and other frolics for the kiddies complement the eats. Nosh away! — Jackson Baker

1st Annual Cochon Heritage BBQ

When Cochon 555, a sui generis (dare we say, sooey generis?) swine-wine-and-dine event made its first stop in Memphis this year, foodies were beside themselves with joy. So when Cochon founder Brady Lowe announced that the inaugural Cochon Heritage BBQ event would be held in Memphis, we nearly swooned. This Labor Day, chefs, farmers, distillers, wine-makers, and pig-lovers will come together (at a location to be determined) to celebrate the union of heritage pork and whiskey for National Bourbon Month. Tastings, demonstrations, and some good old-fashioned competition will keep festivalgoers entertained while they stuff themselves to the gills with whiskey and pork. Above all, the event is dedicated to bringing heritage breed hogs back into the tradition of barbecue in one of the world’s biggest barbecue cities. — Hannah Sayle

Categories
Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Pearl’s Oyster House

For lunch last Thursday at Pearl’s, once again Coworker A and Coworker B ordered the same thing.

fishatpearls.jpg

They both got the catfish platter. This is what they always get, though Coworker A requests extra tartar sauce, saying that he uses the fish as a conduit for the sauce.

Categories
Best of Memphis Special Sections

Best of Food & Drink

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.

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

Open and Shut Cases

Pearl’s Oyster House opened about a month ago at 299 S. Main in a space that used to be a tattoo shop.

The idea was to import a bit of coastal Florida to Memphis, according to Pearl’s owner Ray Porter. “A lot of people who live in Memphis frequently travel to the Destin beaches and are familiar with the popular seafood restaurants there,” Porter says. “With Pearl’s, I wanted to bring some of that atmosphere to Memphis.”

On South Main, the coastal atmosphere translates into a laid-back restaurant that offers two bars, a patio in the back, a room for private events, live music on Friday and Saturday nights, and Cajun-influenced fare. However, Porter wants to make sure people don’t mistake his oyster house for a Cajun restaurant. “We don’t want to be a Cajun restaurant,” he says. “But a lot of the dishes from the Florida Panhandle are Cajun-influenced, and we want to re-create that experience in our food.”

Kelly Miller (most recently of PF Chang’s China Bistro) and Steve Hornecker (formerly of Owen Brennan’s) are in charge of Pearl’s kitchen and produce straightforward, popular seafood dishes. Appetizers include boiled Gulf shrimp, Louisiana crab cakes, shrimp and grits, crab claws and crawfish tails. Oysters are prepared eight ways (from raw to Rockefeller) and range in price from $4.95 to $9.50 for a half-dozen. Also on the menu are Louisiana seafood gumbo, shrimp and crawfish étouffée, five different po-boy sandwiches, and seafood entrées featuring trout, salmon, catfish, lobster, and more.

Pearl’s opens at 11 a.m. Monday through Saturday. It is closed on Sundays.

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

Marena’s Gerani on Overton Park Avenue is open for business.

Rumors about the closing of the neighborhood restaurant have been circulating since the beginning of the year, but Mortez Gerani, Marena’s owner, says the restaurant will stay open at least until the end of the year. “Yes, I have heard that people say our restaurant is closed and that’s not very good for business,” Gerani says. “Marena’s is open.”

In early 2000, Gerani took over the restaurant from Rena and Jack Franklin who had operated the eatery for 10 years, serving Mediterranean-influenced cuisine. Gerani maintained that focus and is planning to open another restaurant in East Memphis on Brookhaven Circle (next to the Windjammer Restaurant and Lounge) before the year is over. Gerani isn’t sure what’s going to happen with Marena’s after the new place opens.

The East Memphis restaurant will feature a downstairs bar and casual dining area called Marciano, which will offer small plates of northern Italian and Mediterranean food. An upstairs fine-dining spot called Gerani Restaurant will offer the same fare.

Marena’s Gerani serves dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 5:45 to 9:30 p.m.

Marena’s Gerani, 1545 Overton Park Avenue (278-9774)

Gary Garland’s restaurant Garland’s on Brookhaven Circle closed in early May and is now up for grabs: real estate, equipment, pots and pans — the whole shebang for $500,000.

Garland, whose primary business is real estate, has always been drawn to the downtown area but was coaxed to East Memphis by the late Indian/French chef Raji Jallepalli, who was opening a new restaurant in Midtown. “When Raji offered us her place out east five-and-a-half years ago, we felt it was a great opportunity, and it was,” Garland says. “But now that I’m involved as managing partner at Spindini on South Main, I have the best of both worlds: a great restaurant downtown.”

Garland doesn’t foresee moving Garland’s downtown. Garland’s executive chef Michael Grogan is now the pastry chef at Erling Jensen.

It appears that Interim in East Memphis won’t be as short-lived as owner Fred Carl originally suggested when the restaurant rose out of the former Wally Joe earlier this year. Carl’s intentions have shifted from wanting to sell the restaurant to finding partners for the business.

In fact, Interim, together with Erling Jensen, Lucchesi’s, Busters, and several corporate sponsors, will be part of the “Taste of East,” Blue Streak’s third annual wine tasting and silent auction benefiting the Jubilee Schools of Memphis. Blue Streak is a local nonprofit organization that raises money to send inner-city kids to Catholic schools.

“Taste of East” is Friday, June 9th, at 6 p.m. at Regions Bank (6200 Poplar). Tickets are $50. For more information and to order tickets visit www.bssf.net or call 326-0691.

Brooks Museum members have spoken, and they want more time. Starting June 7th, the museum and the Brushmark will offer extended hours on Thursdays. The restaurant as well as the museum will then be open until 8 p.m. every Thursday.

“We’re really just going with the flow,” says Brushmark’s executive chef Wally Joe. “I don’t think the Brushmark has ever offered dinner [beyond special events], so we’re testing the water.” Because of the rather unusual schedule, Joe plans to have a new menu every week to reflect seasonal foods.

The Brushmark 1934 Poplar (544-6225)