Tag: Picosos

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

Smoked Chicken at Picosos

Francisco Rivera and Martha Resendiz (Photo: Michael Donahue)

Picosos means spicy in Spanish, says Francisco Rivera.

But his restaurant, which goes by that name, could easily be called pollo al carbon because smoked grilled chicken is the signature item.

“They’re marinated whole chickens,” says Rivera, 24, who owns Picosos with his mother, Martha Resendiz. “We slice them down the middle and we marinate them in guajillo sauce. It’s a dry chili. And we rehydrate it in water and blend it and strain it. So, it gives it a really red, vibrant color. We marinate them a few hours before we cook them.

“We just salt them as they’re cooking. We have a big smoker. So, we probably do about 20 chickens at a time in the smoker. And they’re in there for about two hours.”

Actually, charcoal-grilled chicken would be the exact translation of pollo al carbon, Rivera says. “We actually bring our charcoal from Mexico. That kind of changes things a little bit.”

They get the charcoal, or carbón, from a small distributor in Monterrey. “They bring us whole charcoal — like lump charcoal — in big pieces. It’s very nice. It burns for a long time and gives the food a nice taste. I want to say they bring it to us every three weeks. And they bring us probably about 400 pounds.”

Grilled chickens are available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. “They go from 10:30 until probably about 4. They run out about 4 or 5. It’s actually better if you call [901-323-7003] and say you want one. And give us time for you to pick it up. We’ll set it aside for you. That’s what most people do.”

The good news for grilled chicken lovers is Rivera is planning to open a daily buffet bar in the next two to three months. “The smoked chickens will be part of the buffet and probably will come with chorizo, rice, beans. And then an open salad bar.”

His dad, the late Oscar Rivera, began doing smoked chickens in his hometown of Querétaro, Mexico, Rivera says. “He’d probably been doing it for about 15 years before we got here.”

Oscar continued to do the chickens after they moved to Memphis, and he opened his first restaurant, Chilitos, in Mike’s Express, a gas station on Macon Road, in 2006. “We got to Memphis in 2005. And it was just my parents looking for us to have a better life.”

When he was about 7 years old, Francisco began helping after his family opened its next restaurant, called Los Picosos, at another address on Summer Avenue. By the time he was 13, he was helping prep and manage the grill, which included smoking chickens. And when he was 17, Francisco was helping his dad run the kitchen in their current location at 3937 Summer.

“I love being in the kitchen. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been around it so long, but it’s something I really enjoy.”

Francisco never went to culinary school. “I just kind of learned while I worked. Since I really enjoyed it, I’d always be watching videos on cooking and things like that. Just kind of learning as I went.”

Picosos sells a lot more than grilled chicken. “We sell a lot of carnitas. That’s fried pork. Like pulled pork. And we make those every day.

“Another thing we sell are these big trays of meat. They’re called parrilladas. They’re enough to feed 10 people. This comes with all five of the meats we sell: carnitas, barbacoa, chicken, steak, and marinated pork.”

The type of food they sell is not “from a certain region.” But, he says, “We’ve tried to keep it as authentic as possible. It’s more like what you would find in small stands in Mexico. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s street food, but it’s closer to street food than what other places would be. We sell things called sopes, gorditas, tacos.”

Picosos also does a lot of catering, Francisco says. “Just last week we did a catering job for 600 people.”

Categories
Cover Feature News

Taco Time! Eleven Memphians Share Their Favorite Local Tacos

CREDIT: Jesse Davis

Ah, tacos. Who doesn’t love ’em? A hard shell or a soft corn or flour tortilla can be the perfect, handheld vessel for any number of fillings. With the simplest of ingredients (black beans, lettuce, tomatoes) to the more unique (lamb, goat), local restaurants are making some damn-good, flavor-packed delights. We’ve asked a few folks to share their favorites. Read on, and you’ll see why every day can be Taco Tuesday in Memphis.

Fried Fish and Shrimp Tacos at Elena’s Taco Shop

Kim Vodicka — poet

This is tough because, though I love the tacos at pretty much any hole-in-the-wall restaurant or busted-ass taco truck on Summer Avenue, I wanna say Elena’s is my fave just because it stands out the most. It’s a totally different thing because it’s beach tacos, but like wow the fried fish and shrimp are excellent, especially if you get decadent and combine the two on one taco.

Jesse Davis

Their tacos remind me of the ones I had on tour in San Diego a few years ago, which were exceptional.

Maybe the best part of the whole thing is they have, like, 17,000 sauces to choose from. Pre-virus, they would set the sauces out on their own little buffet-like setup, and that’s really what made me fall madly in love. I am a fool for some sauce.

Elena’s Taco Shop is at 6105 Summer Avenue; 417-7915

Justin Fox Burks

Juan’s Tacos with Black Beans at Global Café

Justin Fox Burks — cookbook author, food blogger, photographer

There’s no magic tricks, no smoke, and no mirrors involved in this straightforward dish, and with just five ingredients, there’s nowhere to hide. Juan’s Tacos ($8.95 for four vegan tacos) feature perfectly seasoned vegan black beans inside a double layer of super-soft corn tortillas. These stellar tacos are topped with spicy house-made tomatillo salsa, red onion, and fresh cilantro. Ask them to add avocado because … avocado.

Don’t sleep on the fried plantains and a side of rice to round out your meal. If you want something “wow” to wash it all down, you can’t beat The Messy MangoRita (also a Juan specialty), which features a whole dang mango doused in hot sauce as a garnish. And hey, it’s all vegan, too!

I’m the Chubby Vegetarian, and I approve this taco.

Global Café is at 1350 Concourse Avenue, Suite 157; 512-6890

El Mero Taco/Facebook

Fried Chicken Taco at El Mero Taco

Cristina McCarter — owner, City Tasting Tours

My favorite taco is the fried chicken taco from El Mero Taco. It’s the combo of juicy fried chicken and that damn queso with that pop of fresh jalapeño pepper for me. It’s tacos like that that I will randomly crave. You know it’s good if you drive to the ‘Dova for it. But they are in my neighborhood a lot, too. So I’ll grab a six pack of beer while picking up my tacos and brisket quesadilla. Now I want a taco!

El Mero Taco is at 8100 Macon Station #102, Cordova, or elmerotaco.com/foodtruck; 308-1661

Enrique Reyes with the asada taco from La Guadalupana

Asada Taco at La Guadalupana

Enrique Reyes — Mexican wrestling promoter

The asada taco at La Guadalupana Mexican restaurant is Enrique Reyes’ favorite taco when he and his wife go out to eat.

“La Guadalapuna is my favorite restaurant,” says Reyes, who organizes La Lucha Libre wrestling matches in Memphis, as well as makes the colorful masks worn by wrestlers. “The food is so delicious there.”

He likes to eat at home. “My girl cooks for me, but when she doesn’t cook, I go straight to La Guadalupana … once a week, something like that.”

Carne asada, Mexican steak, is his favorite dish there, but if Reyes orders a taco, it’s the asada taco, which is “just steak and onions and cilantro.” He puts guacamole on top, “’cause that makes the difference in the flavor.”

Asked how many he eats at a time, Reyes says, “Really, only four. You order with guacamole, it makes it a little bigger. I don’t eat too much. I’m good with four tacos.”

And Reyes doesn’t use any utensils when he eats tacos. “Just pick it up like a real Mexican. You never eat tacos with a fork.” — Michael Donahue

La Guadalupana is at 4818 Summer Avenue; 685-6857

Colin Butler

Al Pastor Taco at Picosos

Colin Butler — DJ for Big Ass Truck, radio DJ on WYXR at Crosstown Concourse

I’m partial to the tacos al pastor at Picosos. Pastor, I think it means “shepherd’s style.” Basically, they grill that pork on a spit, like gyro meat, and they slice it off. It’s based on lamb shawarma brought by Lebanese immigrants to Mexico. So some of the spices used in al pastor include coriander, hot pepper corns, cumin, chiles, garlic. They marinate the meat in that and then they pile it up on a spit and it rotates and cooks.

They hand-make their own corn tortillas there. And they use double tortillas. They stuff that full of meat, and then use chopped onion, cilantro, and jalapeño, which is typical for street tacos.

Between the homemade tortillas, doubled, the flavor of the meat, and the fresh toppings, to me, they’re the best tacos in town. It comes with your typical red salsa, a badass salsa verde, and more of a smoky, kind of chili-based sauce. They’ll give you all three if you ask for them.

It’s super simple. They’ll give you a small bowl of limes, too. And I always ask for crema, like sour cream but different. I like the way the sour cream contrasts with the more acidic stuff.

Picosos is at 3937 Summer Avenue; 323-7003

Katrina Coleman

Chorizo Taco at Tacos El Gordo

Katrina Coleman — comedian

I haven’t left my house much, lately. Working from home, I depend on my husband to bring treasures from the Outside. One day, he came home with five street tacos from Tacos El Gordo. The beef and chicken were good, but Memphis, THE CHORIZO.

On Madison, the lot of the Marathon has an orange box on wheels. I been sleepin’ on it.

Grilled corn tortillas filled with meat, onions, and cilantro. Served with cucumber and carrot slices that are pickled so lightly, it seems as if they heard of the concept once in a dream. The red chile sauce is good, but the green will light you up like Montag himself decided you were obscene. The sausage inside is perfectly seasoned. Tossed on the grill with the onions, the texture of the tortilla and minimal crisp of the meat makes such a delightful chewing experience that one might consider that no other food has ever been good.

If you haven’t been, I have to say: WAKE UP, SHEEPLE. Treat yourself to the only chorizo ever to be perfect.

Tacos El Gordo is at 1675 Madison Avenue; 801-0936

Bianca Phillips

Black Bean Tacos at Evelyn & Olive

Black Bean Tacos at Evelyn & Olive

Bianca Phillips — communications coordinator, Crosstown Arts

This year has been a wild one, and if there was ever a time to make sure you’re putting the cleanest, most wholesome food into your body, it’s now. Greasy comfort food may be calling, but whole-food, plant-based options will provide the nutrition you need to keep your immune system strong.

Lucky for you, the black bean tacos at Evelyn & Olive are both healthy and comforting. They’re like the taco equivalent of a grandma hug, which you can’t get right now thanks to social distancing, so accept a hug in the form of a vegan taco instead. Two crispy taco shells are generously stuffed with seasoned black beans, sautéed tofu, crunchy cabbage slaw, and sweet-and-tangy kiwi salsa. They’re served with sides of fluffy Jamaican rice and peas and cool, refreshing cucumber-tomato salad.

Evelyn & Olive is open for dine-in or takeout, and when you order to-go, they thoughtfully package all the taco components separately so you can avoid the dreaded soggy takeout taco. Build your own tacos at home, queue up Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds,” and enjoy with a stiff Jamaican rum punch for maximum comfort effect.

Evelyn & Olive is at 630 Madison Avenue; 748-5422

Julie Ray

Goat Taco at La Guadalupana

Noelia Garcia — associate artistic director at New Ballet Ensemble and School

Happy goats perform dramatic joyous dances to the glee of onlookers — much like the fancy footwork of a Spanish dancer. Perhaps the secret to Noelia Garcia’s dance superpowers is the $2.75 goat taco at La Guadalupana.

Garcia is the associate artistic director at New Ballet Ensemble and School who studied Spanish dance and flamenco at the Institut del Theatre i Dansa de Barcelona. She lived and worked in Spain, performed throughout Europe, in China, Israel, and the Philippines, and was a founding member of Barcelona’s Increpacion Danza company before landing in Memphis nearly 20 years ago. Her favorite taco is a heaping pile of perfectly seasoned goat meat on two soft corn tortillas topped with onions and cilantro. The meat of this beast has the tender juicy texture of a pot roast with a delightful tangy taste.

Try it. Ewe’ll like it. — Julie Ray

La Guadalupana is at 4818 Summer and 8075 Cordova Road; 685-6857

Laura Jean Hocking

Al Pastor Taco at El Burrito Express

Al Pastor Taco at El Burrito Express

Laura Jean Hocking — filmmaker

“For so long, I thought tacos only had hard shells, and had cheese and sour cream in them,” says filmmaker Laura Jean Hocking. “But a street taco, or a food truck taco, is all about the quality of the protein. It’s this little showcase for meat or chicken or fish with accents, instead of gloppy, Americanized crap all over it.”

Hocking’s favorite Memphis taco truck is El Burrito Express. Ubalto Guzman started the business six years ago. “I used to be a contractor,” he says. “We moved from California to Memphis to get into the food business. This is a family business. It’s me and my wife, son, and daughter.”

Laura Jean Hocking

An El Burrito Express taco plate includes five tacos with your choice of meat. Hocking’s favorite is al pastor, marinated pork said to descend from shawarma brought to Mexico by 19th century Lebanese immigrants.

“I like al pastor because I’m a big pineapple fan. I love the subtleness of the pineapple in pastor. It’s very savory and juicy. It’s a new discovery for me. I had never had pastor until we went to L.A. in September 2019. Generally, I’m a pescatarian, but when I run into meat products that are very good, like a Soul Burger or some Bar-B-Q Shop glazed ribs, I’ll have them. Now, pastor is on the list because life is short.” — Chris McCoy

El Burrito Express is at 1675 Madison Avenue; 428-9626

Samuel X. Cicci

Smoked Brisket Taco at Elwood’s Shack

Cara Greenstein — food and lifestyle blogger

Stretching or, as I would argue, elevating the definition of a “taco,” Elwood’s Shack delivers a singular sensation you simply can’t miss on its menu: the smoked brisket taco.

Upon placing in the pizza oven, a single flour tortilla puffs into a pillowy yet crispy foundation for an unconventional combination of delicate field greens (no shredded iceberg to be found here), sliced avocado, pico de gallo, shredded mozzarella, and creamy horseradish. A generous portion of smoked brisket, a perfected in-house recipe that takes center stage across Elwood’s menu, brings this open-faced phenomenon back to its barbecue Memphis roots.

If you ask how many tacos come in an order at the counter, don’t be underwhelmed when they tell you “one.” One taco from the Shack is just right.

Elwood’s Shack is at 4523 Summer Avenue; 761-9898

Jon W. Sparks

Barbacoa Lamb Taco at Tortilleria La Unica

The workers of R.E. Michel Company — HVAC distributors

Tortilleria La Unica recently moved across the street to its new home at 5015 Summer in a one-time Wendy’s. It still has the Mexican fare that made it popular, particularly among the working people out in that area. Among those is the crew at R.E. Michel Company, a distributor of HVAC equipment. One of the bunch is Dave Godbout, a self-described Destroyer of Tacos who is particularly fond of La Unica’s offerings. A recent lunch spread at the warehouse had half a dozen varieties from chicken to beef to lamb to pork.

“It’s a perfect combination of food,” Godbout says. “You’ve got salsa with tomatoes that has lycopene in it. You’ve got cilantro, which is good for detoxifying. You got a little bit of fat, a little bit of protein, a lot of carbs. It’s the perfect street food, and especially in our area, it’s the most readily available food you can get.”

“I love tacos, Americanized, authentic, it doesn’t matter,” says manager James Hoffman. “I didn’t even like cilantro until I got older and now I love it more and more. And we do a lot of business in the Hispanic community and they send us tacos from their local taco truck all the time. Man, this lamb taco is really good!” — Jon W. Sparks

Tortilleria La Unica is at 5015 Summer Avenue; 685-0097

Categories
Cover Feature News

The Bird’s the Word

Over the weekend, a man was arrested for stabbing a gas station worker over “bad chicken.” Now we’re not ones to condone violence —no stabbing! — but people around these parts have certain expectations that their chicken is going to be good.

This issue is all about good chicken. Plenty of words have been written about Gus’s and Uncle Lou’s, so we decided to explore Memphis’ other chicken avenues. We guarantee that you’ll be hungry after reading this.

The Smoked Chicken Debris PoBoy
@ The Dirty Crow Inn

If heaven ain’t a lot like The Dirty Crow Inn, I don’t want to go. (I checked, and it’s fine to rip off Bocephus when you’re talking chicken. “He wouldn’t mind,” is what the rule book says.)

I’d heard tell of a chicken Philly sandwich at the Inn. It’s a special sometimes, the bar man told me, but not part of the regular menu. At that low moment, a ray of hope cut those rainy clouds — the word “debris.”

The Inn keepers have called it the “Chicken Debris PoBoy” online, but the Dirty Crow menu said, “smoked chicken debris” sandwich. To me, debris is debris any way you cut it (or don’t, I guess). And I’ve seen it swimming in the serving pan at Mother’s, the famed New Orleans restaurant that invented debris (the term anyway).

My sandwich at the Dirty Crow was every bit a po’boy, beautifully smoked chicken bathed in an earthy brown gravy riding two light (and lightly toasted) pieces of French bread from Gambino’s, that fine and famed New Orleans bakery.

Sometimes “smoked” menu items, even in Memphis, don’t taste that way. The Crow’s chicken debris sandwich does not leave you guessing. Its smoke flavor is present but delicate, the way it ought to be. It blends seamlessly with that gravy and a nice dose of melted cheese that pulls away in a pizza-commercial string as you pull the sandwich from your mouth.

The place is heaven for dive-bar aficionados (like me). The food makes it a before-you-die destination for all Memphians. — Toby Sells

Dirty Crow Inn, 855 Kentucky, 207-5111, facebook.com/thedirtycrowinn

Fried Chicken @ Cash Saver

Sometimes, you just gotta have fried chicken. Last week, I was so desperate I went to the KFC drive-thru and ordered a box. “Thlbetwtyminawtfcxx” came back over the microphone.

“What?”

“Thlbetwtyminawtfcxx”

“What?”

After several attempts, the fellow managed to get the message to me: “There will be a 20-minute wait for chicken.” Right. At a chicken restaurant. So …

I’ve been hearing about Cash Saver’s fried chicken for more than a year now. Midtowners who I know and trust have said to me, “That fried chicken is the real deal. And cheap!” Some said it was the best in town. I don’t know about that, but I’m here to tell you, they were right about it being very good. And very cheap.

Fried Chicken at Cash Saver

I ordered two breasts and two thighs. Total cost? $5.19.

The pieces were very large, crispy on the outside and perfectly moist on the inside. The flavor of the skin was savory, lightly seasoned but with a little bite. In short, great fried chicken — the real deal. Highly recommended. I’ll be back for more. — Bruce VanWyngarden

Cash Saver, 1620 Madison, 272-0171, memphiscashsaver.com

Romaine Salad with Chicken Skins @ Hog & Hominy

Anytime I see someone slip off and discard the skin from an otherwise perfect piece of fried or baked chicken (but especially fried), I inwardly pray for their poor soul and wonder who it was that set you down a path of self-deprivation.

It’s not only that they are missing out on some heart-healthy unsaturated fats, it’s that they might still fall victim to this woefully false myth that this is something you have to do to make your chicken healthy enough to consume (spoiler, it’s not).

Well, someone at Hog & Hominy decided, “Screw that, we’re devoting a dish solely to chicken skins.” And just to round it out, lest the consumer grew up under the anti-skin mythology, that someone decided to build their chicken dermis homage on a bed of Romaine lettuce.

The result is an unexpectedly cohesive salad, misleadingly and simply titled, “Romaine.” The chicken skins used are more akin to a pork rind rather than the double-breaded crunchiness of most fried chicken pieces. These puffy morsels are strewn atop a decent portion of lettuce, which is in turn covered in snowy Parmesan and drizzled with pecorino vinaigrette.

Justin Fox Burks

Romaine Salad with Chicken Skins at Hog & Hominy

The skins are lightly seasoned so the vinaigrette can come in and work its magic by introducing a low level of spice and tang, two flavors that pair surprisingly well with the fried fat essence of the skins. The Romaine lettuce does what Romaine was put on this earth to do, namely, trick us into thinking we’re consuming something mega-healthy when we are not. And, of course, it’s the perfect semi-crunchy vehicle that supports the crispiness of the skins.

Be warned, though, this is not the type of salad loaded down with auxiliary vegetables and croutons. It’s not going to fill you up. But it will deliver piquancy worthy of what I have determined to be the greatest part of the chicken.

— Micaela Watts

Hog & Hominy, 707 W. Brookhaven,
207-7396, hogandhominy.com

Chicken Tamales from Tacqueria La Guadalupana food truck

Tamales were among the earliest food imports from south of the border to make it onto Norde Americano menus, and they remain a staple, whether in supermarket cans or on restaurant tables. Something of a debate rages as to whether the meat base in those wraparound masa cylinders should be beef or pork, but there is a third possibility — chicken — and a good place to sample it is from the Tacqueria La Guadalupana food truck that sets up daily on the north side of the shopping-center lot where Cordova Road intersects with Germantown Parkway — in an area that is more multi-ethnic than you might imagine. (The internationally focused Cordova Farmers Market is the big-box anchor on the lot.)

The La Guadalupana truck offers numerous cooked-while-you-wait specialties, several involving chicken. Order tamales, and what you get, for a mere $7.99, is three YUGE tamales, each with a generous and succulently breaded tortilla coating, within which is packed none of that minced mystery-meat filling you get at so many places, but steamed and tender morsels of freshly carved, fresh-off-the-bone-looking chicken meat. Two sauces are available as condiments, the green one appears to mix guacamole with chili; the red one (maybe laced with habanero) is scalding hot.

— Jackson Baker

Taqueria La Guadalupana at the corner of Cordova Road and Germantown Parkway

Wood Roasted Half Chicken @
The Kitchen Bistro

Served in a round ceramic casserole the color of red clay, the Kitchen’s wood-roasted chicken earns it $29 price tag with looks, smarts, and personality. First, cornbread panzanella sets the dish with a seasonal cacophony of tomatoes, onions, and olives. Next comes the chicken, brined, flattened, and wood-roasted to a deep and rustic char. And what swirls on top with magical brushstrokes of taste and color? The dressing, a pesto of sorts made with garlic, olive oil, lemon, and anchovies. “You don’t want to eat the chicken and think the chicken tastes like fish,” explains head Chef Dennis Phelps. “You want to eat the chicken and think the chicken tastes delicious.” — Pamela Denney

Justin Fox Burks

Wood Roasted Half Chicken at the Kitchen Bistro

The Kitchen Bistro, 415 Great View Drive East, 729-9009, thekitchen.com

General Tso’s Chicken @ Mulan

It’s a conundrum every office has had to face as they order takeout lunch: What’s the deal with General Tso’s Chicken? Who was the eponymous military man? What’s his connection with poultry? How do you even pronounce it?

If these questions have ever prompted debate at your workplace, take heart. The answers are out there, in the form of Ian Cheney and Jennifer Lee’s 2014 documentary The Search for General Tso. It’s a fascinating look into the ways immigrant communities adapt to American life that also tells you everything you need to know about the sweet and spicy Hunan-style dish which, it turns out, is virtually unknown in China.

The first two things I noticed about the General Tso’s Chicken at Mulan is that the garnish contained a glowing LED and a dearth of broccoli on the plate. Many Chinese restaurants include plentiful broccoli with the stir-fried dark meat, and the florets come in handy for sopping up the sauce that gives the dish its deep red color. But once I bit into the succulent chunks of chicken, I realized the vegetable would have been a distraction from the main show. Each morsel was just a little crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. It was outstanding. I got the standard spice level for scientific purposes, so the sweetness and heat were finely balanced. But if you like it spicy, they’ll be more than happy to oblige.

Chris McCoy

Mulan General Tso’s Chicken

For the record, the Chinese character transliterated as “Tso” or “Zho” means “left.” It’s a syllable that English does not contain, but it is roughly pronounced as “jowh.” However, to avoid confusion with your server, you should probably just go with “so.” — Chris McCoy

Mulan, 2149 Young, 347-3965 mulanmidtown.net

Chicken and waffles @
The HM Dessert Lounge

I’m aware of no other restaurant in Memphis where one can dine surrounded by paintings of the late, great Prince hung on purple walls. I discovered the promised land, and it’s named HM Dessert Lounge. The restaurant’s focus is in its name, with one exception: chicken and waffles.

The chicken is dipped in double honey hot sauce, Jamaican jerk sauce, or spicy peach glaze. It’s then paired with a regular, cornbread, honey butter biscuit, blueberry, sweet potato, or a maple bacon waffle. Options, indeed.

Justin Fox Burks

Chicken and waffles at The HM Dessert Lounge

I settled on four chicken breasts bathed in double hot honey sauce and coupled with a maple bacon encrusted waffle — $12 well spent. Sticky as it is, the hot honey sauce slides from the chicken and blends with the maple syrup, creating a sweet and spicy combination that brings magic to a dish which otherwise would have been too obvious. The chicken isn’t flaky but smooth, and each piece shines beneath the sauce. Slice the waffle, cut the chicken, and fork ’em together. Sauce and syrup united, the waffle coats the chicken, and bacon bits provide a necessary crunch.— Joshua Cannon

The HM Dessert Lounge,

1586 Madison, 290-2099,

facebook.com/fashionablysweetlounge

Smoke Chicken @ Picosos

There are fewer words in the English language sadder than, “Sorry, not today.” Especially if those words are spoken with genuine disappointment in a Mexican accent at Picosos, a terrific little south-of-the-border diner on Summer Avenue. The restaurant’s “Smoke Chicken” is an old-Memphis-meets-old-Mexico delicacy that sells fast, is only available on the weekends, and so succulent and good it’s worth heading out early to get your order in before the Saturday lunch crowd arrives. Served with rice and refried beans and topped with a handful of french fries, the meal is exactly what it sounds like — a quarter, half, or whole chicken covered with a heady-not-hot spice rub that’s a little on the salty side and slow-smoked to barbecue-lover’s perfection. It’s tempting to just wolf the whole thing down, but advisable to savor every spicy, smoky, chickeny bite. — Chris Davis

Smoke Chicken at Picosos

Picosos, 3937 Summer, 323-7003

The Family Chicken Dinner @ SuperLo

It was a snobby Midtowner’s dilemma.

Our Target basket was full. The kids were getting pissy. We were all hungry, but the grown-ups didn’t want to make lunch.

“But there’s nothing to eat in East Memphis,” we whined without saying a word.

Wheeling through the parking lot, my wife caught a scent on the wind. “Oh my god, somebody’s fried chicken smells GOOD!” she said. We both whirled, like castaways searching the skies for a rescue plane.

The only thing that made sense was the deli counter of the Target-adjacent SuperLo. We’d been there infrequently, but I thought I remembered a big deli case. I remembered correctly.

The star of the SuperLo show was a fried chicken dinner, perfect for a Sunday lunch. Plenty of dark-brown-fried breasts and thighs lined a warming tray. But we wanted the eight-piece meal and the case offerings would not do for our wonderful deli helper.

“Nuh-uh. Give me two minutes, baby,” the woman said to my wife. “I’m going to make you up some fresh.”

Two minutes later, she filled a white, cardboard service box with two breasts, two thighs, two drummies, and two wings, like a Memphis-style Noah’s Ark. That Ark came with big-ole sides of green beans, mashed potatoes, and four King’s Hawaiian rolls. (They even added two cookies for my son. No charge.)

The chicken was crunchy-crispy on the outside, fork-tender and moist on the inside, warmly spiced, but not too spicy. It was that eye-rolling, soul-feeding, conversation-stopping, back-home-style kind of good. And all of it for about $14.

Who says there’s nothing to eat in East Memphis? — Toby Sells

SuperLo, 4744 Spottswood, 683-6861, superlofoods.com

Fried Buffalo Chicken Slider (add peanut butter) @ The Slider Inn

The first thing you need to know about Slider Inn’s Buffalo Chicken Slider is that you should order it fried. They’ll serve it grilled, but that’s your loss. As is, the sandwich comes with a palm-sized chicken breast drenched in buffalo wing sauce and topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and ranch.

Here’s the second thing you need to know — hidden off the menu, secret but paramount. Ask for peanut butter, and the sandwich will come with a layer of crunchy goodness spread across the bottom bun. The ranch, buffalo sauce, and peanut butter assemble in your mouth upon first bite. It’s manna on the tongue.

For all its glory, there’s no way around it, you’ll smack your way through this mess of a meal. The peanut butter serves as a medium between the milky ranch and hot and tangy buffalo sauce, softening the spice to let the flavors shine.

— Joshua Cannon

The Slider Inn, 2117 Peabody, 725-1155, facebook.com/sliderinn

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Chefs Speak Out

It’s not easy to eat your way through Memphis, one piece of chicken at a time, especially if you’re trying to go veg (I’m at about a week this go around). That’s why I asked some of my favorite chefs in town to serve as my chicken-chowing proxy and name the chicken dishes they go for when they get a break from the grind.

Chef Kelly English, who can do things with chicken that grant him James Beard Semifinalist awards and spots on television and in Bon Appetit, can’t say enough nice things about the magic that happens in the kitchens of Memphis visionary chef Karen Carrier. “I just had my favorite chicken dish ever at the Beauty Shop — Karen’s smoked chicken dish,” English says. He’s referring to the Hickory Grilled Chicken, which comes in a Thai green curry broth with candied garlic chips, pickled red onion, watermelon, Thai basil, mint, cilantro, and corn fritter. “It was fan-frickin’-tastic. It is my favorite chicken dish I’ve ever had at a restaurant.” He may or may not have posted on Facebook that “Karen Carrier is the coolest kid in school.”

Justin Fox Burks

Gary Williams

Chef Gary Williams, of DeJaVu legendari-ness, has done his share of traveling and sharing his New Orleans recipes with A-listers, and points to several restaurants who serve up chicken goodness in Memphis, including Cozy Corner’s Cornish Hen, Uncle Lou’s honey chicken, and HM Dessert Lounge’s ability to take chicken and waffles to the nth degree. “I’m a chicken connoisseur,” he says. But there’s one spot in particular that has his heart. “There’s this little spot called Pho Binh on Madison, and they do this chicken dish that has pineapple and is a little spicy, served over rice. That is one of my favorite places. It’s a gem,” Williams says. — Lesley Young

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Being Pirtle

So what’s it like being a Pirtle? It’s good, say Cordell and Tawanda Pirtle. And as they go over the past, present, and future of Pirtle’s Fried Chicken, a couple approaches and asks for a picture. As they move on, the woman exclaims in a whisper, “Oh my goodness!” “Happens all the time,” Tawanda says.

Cordell is the only child of Jack Pirtle, the founder, with his wife Orva, and the force behind Jack Pirtle’s. Cordell describes his father as an outgoing man, a doer and a creator. Jack opened his first restaurant near the Firestone plant in the 1940s and then hooked up with Colonel Harland Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Jack sold Kentucky Fried Chicken using Sanders’ special seasoning, alongside Pirtle’s burgers and hotdogs.

Cordell says the first contract with Sanders was a single page, double-spaced. Later, when KFC sought a more formalized agreement, Jack decided to move on, eventually phasing out the KFC part of the business.

Justin Fox Burks

Cordell and Tawanda Pirtle

“He couldn’t use the same cooking equipment because it was part of the process for KFC. He built his own cooking equipment, pressurized cookers, and then my mother had a degree from the University of Tennessee in home economics, so she and he together tried different formulas. They went through a lot of different formulas and came up with this and varied it some for the first year as they saw how it did. That started in 1964,” says Cordell.

Pirtle’s seasoning was originally mixed in a device Jack built that looked like a concrete mixer. The recipe is top secret. “That’s what Pirtle’s is known for, that taste that we have,” Tawanda says. “It’s the same seasoning that the gravy is made out of. It’s a huge deal for us. And the spices have to be mixed up for a period of time for all of them to combine correctly.”

Cordell, who started working at Pirtle’s at 13, took over the business in 1979. “It was doing well. We had six stores at the time. When I took it over, I had been a store manager for 17 years. So I had pretty much been there/done that on almost everything,” Cordell says. “When I took it over it was almost more of an organizational change.”

“Your daddy thought you were going to go broke,” Tawanda interjects.

“Precisely,” Cordell agrees, noting his father’s concern over the purchase of expensive cash registers and a centralized warehouse.

Pirtle’s didn’t go broke. There are now eight stores. They get approached a lot about franchising — about three times a week, says Tawanda.

They’ve resisted franchising, as they want to work out the best deal for them and the franchisee. While none of their kids (he’s got three, she’s got two) have shown any interest in the business, they’re hoping that one of their grandkids or great-grandchildren will sign on and take on franchising.

As for the future, they’re considering more stores. They’ve thought about opening a Jack Pirtle’s Cafe.

Cordell is 72 and retired. Sort of.

“I tell everybody they’ve got the tired part right,” he says, laughing. “But, no, as far as being totally retired, when you’re involved in a business your entire life and you’ve grown up in it and you know all the people, you really can’t just simply say, I’m done. It’s always there. It’s always on your mind.” — Susan Ellis

…

Chicken

Playlist

Oblivians — “Call the Police”

We’ll kick this thing off with an instant classic from the Oblivians. This track was on the band’s last album Desperation. Listen close for the chicken reference.

The Meters — “Chicken Strut”

One of the best Meters songs happens to have some squawking in it, but I would include this in any playlist because the Meters rule, plain and simple.

Those Darlins — “The Whole Damn Thing”

Before Those Darlins went all Fleetwood Mac on us, this was arguably their most popular song. This simple tune about eating a whole chicken was catchy enough to get the band some notoriety and is worth revisiting while raiding the fridge.

Hasil Adkins —
“Chicken Walk”

If you haven’t heard Hasil Adkins before, do yourself a HUGE favor and track down the album Out to Hunch.

Charles Mingus —
“Eat That Chicken”

A classic from jazz legend Charles Mingus.

Project Pat — “Chicken Head”

Hell yeah I included this song in this playlist. Project Pat for life.

Billy Swan — “I Can Help”

By now you’re going to need some help getting out of that chicken coma. Let this classic from Billy Swan get you moving again.

Rufus Thomas —
“Do the Funky Chicken”

A classic from Rufus Thomas. The live footage on YouTube of his performing this song is amazing and should be played on a big screen at every chicken restaurant from now on.

Patrick Hernandez —
“Born to Be Alive”

We’ll close this thing out with a toast to any vegetarians or vegans who picked up the Chicken Issue. If you believe that all animals are born to be alive, dance around with your fake chicken nuggets to this obscure ’70s classic.

— Chris Shaw

Categories
Cover Feature News

Hangover Helpers: 18 ways (we think) to get through the morning after.

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

Your head is pounding. Your skin is pale (or maybe even kind of greenish). Your hands are shaking. Your throat is on fire from all those cigarettes you chain-smoked last night. Or least the cigarettes you think you smoked last night. You’re just now realizing that you don’t remember much of last night. Oh god, what if you said something embarrassing to your boss? Or danced naked on a bar? And speaking of naked, where are your pants? And wait, where are you? This definitely isn’t your house.

We’ve all been there. It’s the hangover from hell, and summer is the prime time to be so afflicted. It’s the season of backyard barbecues, picnics, summer concerts, and trips to the lake. Much beer, wine, and vodka will be consumed, and you’ll more than likely experience your fair share of hangovers.

But if there’s one thing the Flyer team knows all about, it’s hangovers. And we’re here to offer our expert advice on beating the brown bottle flu or the vodka virus or whatever catchy, alliterative name you choose. Here’s our handy guide to the best hangover cures, foods for soaking up last night’s booze, and cocktails for a little hair of the dog. — Bianca Phillips

IV Hangover Therapy

“I need to get a hangover,” I tell the bartender. “It’s for work.”

I’m at the New Daisy Theatre’s Big Star Room. It’s the Daisy’s 74th birthday party, and George Clinton, accompanied by the current iteration of Parliament Funkadelic, is about to take the stage. I figure there’s a high probability of feeling good tonight and feeling bad tomorrow. The bartender nods and pours me a Jameson.

Any alcoholic beverage can produce a hangover when consumed immoderately, but dark distilled liquors are particularly potent. The goal of fermentation is to produce ethanol, the magical compound which produces the desired effects of mood elevation and lowered inhibitions. But thanks to one of organic chemistry’s great ironies, as your liver works to clear the ethanol from your system, one of the byproducts is acetaldehyde, a compound which inflames any tissue it touches. It also has a pleasant, fruity odor and is present alongside ethanol in dark liquors such as the Irish whiskey being poured over a glass of ice in front of me.

I’m not sure how many Jamesons I have had as I dance and catch up with old friends, but my difficulty in navigating my iPhone to call Uber at the end of the night indicates that there were several more than was prudent. But it was for work.

My headache awakens me the next morning. The blood vessels dilated by the decaying ethanol are struggling to return to normal, causing migraine­-like pain. I only had a small plate of nachos last night, and my stomach is in no mood to accept anything new. My mouth tastes vaguely of cat pee. I drink what little coffee I can keep down and head for Atlas Men’s Health at the corner of Madison and McLean.

Justin Fox Burks

Flyer film editor Chris McCoy gets IV hangover therapy.

“The reason people get hangovers is mostly dehydration,” says Anna Harnish, a physician’s assistant who also works at the St. Francis ER. Alcohol is a diuretic, which is why club bathrooms smell so horrible and why you wake up the next day with cotton mouth. Generations of medical students have treated the hangover’s debilitating effects by nicking a bag of saline solution from the supply closet and rehydrating intravenously. Some of those former med students decided to monitize the secret hangover cure.

“It’s very popular in Vegas,” Harnish says. “They have buses that go around called Hangover Heaven. But you pay a Vegas price there.”

Hangover Heaven can run upwards of $200. Atlas Men’s Health offers two options for Saturday morning detox: $75 gets you the basic treatment of one liter of saline solution doped with vitamin B, medications for nausea and indigestion, and ketorolac tromethamine, a strong, anti­-inflammatory drug in the same chemical family as ibuprofen. For $100, you get the Eraser, which adds a proprietary vitamin cocktail to the mix.

In the interest of science, I opt for the baseline treatment. It takes about 40 minutes for the bag’s contents to empty into my parched veins. The ketorolac kicker, which Harnish administers about halfway through, makes short work of my headache. By the time it’s over, I’m feeling good as new. Science. It works, people.

— Chris McCoy

Hair of the Dog

Okay, you’ve got the hangover. One of the more ingenious remedies is that which goes by the name of “hair of the dog that bit you.” In a manner somewhat akin to the principle of the vaccine, drink something alcoholic to still the agonies that come from having drunk too much.

The Medical Daily website positions itself among the skeptics. The idea of drinking more to offset the effects of a previous day’s drinking binge “sounds so counterintuitive … that’s because it is; drinking more alcohol will only make your hangover worse.”

The article goes on to attribute those familiar morning-after miseries essentially to “methanol toxicity,” which is what happens “when we ferment and distill ethanol, which makes up most of the alcohol we consume.” And we learn from an article in the U.K. periodical The Daily Mail that “[i]n high doses methanol can make people go blind or even die because the body converts it to formaldehyde.”

Formaldehyde? The antique expression “getting pickled” is closer than we thought to the heart of the case.

The site recommends as a hangover remedy the consumption of “Pedialyte, long known for its use among children.” Now, really, is Pedialyte that much more appealing than methanol and formaldehyde?

Much more like it are three familiar (and alcoholic) remedies freely available locally — the Bloody Mary, the mimosa, and the michelada.

Here’s how the friendly folks at the bar of the Bahama Breeze in Wolfchase do it. For the Bloody Mary, two ounces of either vodka or tequila, with Bloody Mary mix, and garnished by lemon, lime wedges, and celery stalk as your taste requires. The mimosa is basically orange or pineapple juice and champagne.

Bartenders Jessica Tyler and Michelle Dickson of Bahama Breeze with a freshly garnished (and sampled) Bloody Mary.

At the Abuelo, across the road on Highway 64, there are three varieties of michelada: the Gato, the Tradicional, and the Roja. The last named is the most ordered. Ingredients include a salted rim, abundant ice cubes, lemon wedges, dashes of Worcestershire and/or Tabasco sauces (optional), Bloody Mary mix or plain tomato juice, and beer.

Do they work? Well, all these contain healthy juice nutrients, salt (helpful against dehydration), and a good stimulus to the bedraggled senses. Probably a safe amount of methanol. And they all beat hell out of Pedialyte. — Jackson Baker

Hangover Food

Some hangovers are so bad that just the thought of eating makes your stomach turn. Others, though, turn you into a ravenous monster with a craving for fries. With chili on top. And cheese. Maybe some gravy. Oooh, and what about bacon?

We’ve sampled our way around town through our various hangovers, and we have a few suggestions for dishes guaranteed to keep your hangover at bay.

— Bianca Phillips

Oshi

Loaded Fries and the Sake to Me Milkshake at Oshi

You’ve overindulged. But now is not the time to be a quitter. Oh no, honey, it’s time to lean in. That means cheese fries. Oshi’s loaded fries are doused in a creamy cheese sauce and sprinkled with scallions and bacon and are satisfying in every way. What Oshi has going for it over the other places with cheese fries is those signature boozy milkshakes. Try the Sake to Me with coconut sake, vanilla vodka, vanilla ice cream, and toasted coconut. It’s something made in dreams. You don’t deserve it at all, but that makes it only sweeter.

— Susan Ellis

I Love Juice Bar

Juices at I Love Juice Bar

That closing round of shots seemed harmless enough last night, but this morning it feels fatal. Your hands shake, your eyes ache, your stomach’s on spin cycle, and it appears a litter of kittens has taken up residence on your tongue. Here’s what you do: Be kind to yourself. Forego the greasy heap of food you so desperately want, and detox with a juice.

I Love Juice Bar’s pretty, garnet-red We Got the Beet has beets, carrots, apples, ginger, and lemon, with the beets working to detoxify your liver and the ginger settling your stomach. The Fresh Greens has cucumber to rehydrate and spinach for vitamin C. — SE

Picosos

Tacos Alambre at Picosos

When I wake up in the afternoon broken, with itchy teeth, a pounding headache, and the acrid smell of a man who had too good a time the night before, there’s really only one dining option that can fix me. I’ll soon be in my car, squinting behind dark sunglasses, and motoring down Summer, on my way to Picosos for a steaming platter of meaty comfort called “alambre.”

Alambres are a little bit like Mexico City’s answer to the Philly cheese steak sandwich, only way more decadent. Small chunks of beef, pork, or chicken — or a combination thereof — are grilled with onion, crispy bacon, and bell pepper, then smothered in cheese, and served on a platter next to a ridiculously tall, lumberjack stack of tortillas. Picosos’ warm, butter-yellow tortillas are hearty, more durable than most, and a key part of this surefire remedy for the brown bottle flu. — Chris Davis

Eclectic Highland

The Waffold at Café Eclectic Highland

Why is it that breakfast foods are the best for hangovers? We’re not sure, but it is something to ponder while taking in Café Eclectic’s massive Waffold. Sweet Baby Jesus, this is a thing of beauty! A plate-sized golden waffle hugging a whole omelet of eggs that holds within its folds melted provolone cheese and bacon. To slather or not to slather with syrup is your call. And while it may not cure what ails you, the Waffold does make a mighty nice distraction. — SE

Maciel’s

Fried Tacos at Maciel’s

Stuffing your face full of tacos is the answer to many of life’s problems. Hungry? Depressed? Bored? Hungover? See how that works? And we fully endorse stuffing your face full of Maciel’s tacos. (In truth, plenty of their dishes would do for a hangover cure; we’re looking at you, huevo torta.) You get your choice of papa (potato), frijole fritos (refried beans), or pollo (chicken), or you can get one of each. This plate has everything you need: crunchy, cheesy, salty, creamy. Served with rice and refried beans. — SE

Pink Diva

Totchos at Pink Diva Cupcakery

You might think nachos sound like a good cure for the old Irish flu. And they’ll do in a pinch. But you know what’s better than nachos? Totchos, that’s what. Tater. Tot. Nachos. At Pink Diva, a vegan cupcake bakery and lunch café, the crispy, deep-fried tater puffs come covered in black beans, brown rice, a dairy-free cheese sauce, black olives, onions, salsa, and vegan sour cream. They’re practically guaranteed to soak up all that vodka oozing from your pores. — BP

Imagine Vegan Café

Memphis Slam at Imagine Vegan Café

This ain’t no Denny’s Grand Slam. At Imagine, the signature breakfast mess pile is a meat-free plate of fluffy biscuits topped with tofu scramble (like a vegan version of scrambled eggs), country gravy, dairy-free cheddar sauce, and veggie sausage. That dish alone will cure what ails you, but for those Sunday mornings when you’re still a little drunk from the night before, I recommend ordering the Memphis Slam “Bianca-style,” with a side of two crispy deep-fried hash brown patties. Chunk those on top and cover the whole plate in sriracha. — BP

The Sampler at Bryant’s Breakfast

Bacon. Gravy. Biscuits. Forget a fancified brunch. To cure what ails you after a night of imbibing a few too many adult beverages, order the Sampler from Bryant’s. It’s way too much food for one person (eggs, sausage, grits, potato patty, and pork and dough), but when you’ve got a hangover hankering, this heavenly breakfast plate satisfies. — Shara Clark

Hash Browns at CK’s

They’re not scattered, covered, diced, peppered, or chunked, but the hash browns at CK’s certainly hit the spot at 3 a.m. These shredded browns are crispy on the outside, greasy on the inside, and best enjoyed with a side of piping hot, black coffee. Technically, it’s best to enjoy these BEFORE going to sleep to prevent an impending hangover from being the worst ever. Pro tip: Flyer photographer Justin Fox Burks recommends the “hash brown sandwich,” an off-menu concoction that involves tucking hash browns between two slices of toast. — BP

Fried Rice at Yum’s on Jackson

Yum’s — the chain of neon-lit, Chinese food/sandwich shop/fast-food joints — are all over the city. But I’m partial to the Yum’s on Jackson and Hollywood for one reason — the portions of fried rice are massive! A small fried rice (less than $5) fills a Styrofoam takeout container to the brim, and it’s most certainly enough for two meals (or for one really hungry hangover). I prefer the vegetable fried rice, but ham, chicken, and shrimp fried rice are also available. — BP

Two Timer at Ubee’s

For whatever reason — science, I think — greasy foods top the hangover craving list. When something light and healthy won’t suffice (and, really, it just won’t), go for the Two Timer, a double-patty, double cheeseburger cooked in Ubee’s aged, seasoned grease. They’re open ’til 3 a.m. and they deliver, so, technically, you could be proactive and order this before bed. Will eating a burger while drunk prevent a hangover? It’s worth a try. — SC

Crazy Noodle

Ramen at Crazy Noodle

Ramen noodles got me through college, and now they’re getting me through my failed attempt at adulthood. On those afternoons when I wake up with a pounding head, an insatiable appetite, and the occasional wave of nausea, only ramen can truly cure me. It may surprise you that the best ramen (a traditional Japanese dish) in town is served at a Korean joint. But Crazy Noodle’s ramen game is on point. Order it with tofu, mandu (vegetable dumplings), curry chicken, seafood, even cheddar cheese. Add extra spice if you dare. — BP

Pho Saigon

Bánh Xèo at Pho Saigon

This traditional Vietnamese rice flour and coconut milk crepe looks like a gigantic, greasy omelet. But it’s totally egg-free, and the exterior is surprisingly crisp. Order off the menu, and it comes stuffed with shrimp. But I make a special request to swap out the shrimp for deep-fried cubes of tofu. The dish is delightfully oily, which is why my friends and I have a New Year’s Day tradition of ordering Pho Saigon’s bánh xèo to heal our first hangovers of the year. There’s a crisp carrot-daikon slaw on the side that helps cut the grease and makes you feel like you’re doing something nice for yourself.

— BP

Bar-B-Que Pizza at Garibaldi’s

If you’re in the U of M area, you don’t even have to change out of your PJs for this one. They’ll bring the goods to you. And what better way to soak up yesterday’s booze than a pizza feast? A good go-to is the Bar-B-Que Pizza, a cheesy, perfectly crispy crust topped with generous portions of smoked pulled pork. Throw in Miss Angie’s Italian Masterpiece (a salad piled high with veggies) for good measure. — SC

Hungover? I’m Lovin’ It!

On the exceedingly rare occasions when I wake and realize I was overserved the night before, I know exactly what I need to do: drive to the nearest place that serves a bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich. Speed is of the essence. I don’t want to have to park and walk and sit down and look at a menu and be waited on by a chirpy server. I want to sit in my car listening to NPR’s Saturday shows while berating myself for being an idiot who’s way too old to be abusing his body like this. (There’s a reason my old X­Terra has stains on the passenger seat.)

McDonald’s

True confession: I almost always go to McDonald’s. Their sandwich is perfection: a circle of scrambled eggs (or egg product?) topped with American cheese and a couple strips of bacon, all nestled on a gummy-­soft biscuit. It’s the greatest alcohol absorber of all time. Order it with a cup of too­-hot-­to-­drink black coffee, orange juice, and a pre­shaped oval of “hash browns.” Within minutes of finishing this magical mix of salt and meat and sugar and caffeine, you will feel much better. Trust me on this.

— Bruce VanWyngarden