Tag: Restaurant Iris

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Memphis Gaydar News

Cocktails for Equality

Restaurant Iris

  • Restaurant Iris

Chef Kelly English is hosting a cocktail party at Restaurant Iris to raise money for the Tennessee Equality Project’s Political Action Committee on Sunday, May 18th from 5 to 7 p.m.

English will prepare hors d’oeuvres, and the bartenders will create special cocktails for the event. Funds raised will go to help TEP support candidates who support LGBT equality and safe school legislation to prevent bullying of LGBT students.

Tickets are $50 per person or $90 per couple and may be purchased at the door.

Kelly has been an outspoken supporter of LGBT equality. He’s also headlining at the Big Gay Mississippi Welcome Table Dinner in New York City on June 13th, along with chefs John Currence of Oxford’s City Grocery and Art Smith, who owns restaurants from Chicago to Atlanta. The chefs are joining forces to oppose Mississippi’s version of the “Turn the Gays Away” bill, which would enable businesses and individuals to refuse services to LGBT citizens on the grounds of religious freedom. Read more about that dinner on Hungry Memphis.

A similar bill was killed in committee in Tennessee earlier this year. Senator Brian Kelsey introduced the bill (and later withdrew his sponsorship), and at the time, English made headlines when he put a message on Facebook offering to host a fund-raiser dinner for anyone who would run against Kelsey in the next election.

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

English in England

CREDIT: Atlanta Food and Wine Festival

Earlier this month, Restaurant Iris‘ head chef, Kelly English, joined three chefs (John Besh, Ashley Christensen, and Duane Nutter), a chocolatier (Kristen Hard), and a mixologist from New Orleans (Neal Bodenheimer) for the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival’s London promotional tour. He sat down to tell us about his experience hopping the pond, the upcoming Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, and what else is in store.

Why did the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival send your motley crew to London?

Kelly English: We were sort of culinary mercenaries. We went to spread the gospel of Southern food. We weren’t there to see the sights. After getting in at 7:30 in the morning, we had dinner for 120 people that night, 12 hours later. It’s a challenge cooking for that many people without anything prepped. Nothing. It was a hell of an experience.

What were the staples of this Southern food gospel?

We cooked a lot of catfish, a lot of pork. And we drank a lot of bourbon. We think of Southern cooking as being very ingredient-driven, when really it’s about using what you have at your fingertips to create something delicious and soulful. The spirit of Southern cooking is alive whether you have collard greens or you don’t.

So, did you win some converts?

We opened people’s eyes to a lot of different regions and what the South is, and we got to show how progressive we are as a culture. As cool as the South is, I think when people think about America, they think about New York. They think about San Francisco. There’s so much more to get to know, and it was fun to get some of these people with these beautiful accents to say “y’all.”

What was your favorite part of London’s culinary scene?

We ate a lot of fish and chips. And we had a lot of curries. But the best food we had there was Lebanese. I love the cuisine of the upper Middle East — it’s so flavorful and the people are so passionate about their food.

Speaking of a passion for food, you’re involved in a Southern Foodways Alliance dinner soon, no?

We’re doing the New South Family Supper in Atlanta in April. I’m honored to be a part of it and a part of this organization. I’m doing a crudo of flasher, which is a fish also called tripletail, and Gulf crab meat with burnt butter and Greek yogurt.

We couldn’t help but notice that’s a lot of time spent in Atlanta. What gives?

The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival is committed to being the premier festival that talks about the South. I’ve been a part of it every year and the first year was part of the founder’s council. People ask, why do this in Atlanta? Well, the great thing is you get to go out and show people what we do and what other parts of the South do. Sometimes to get people to Memphis, we gotta get out there and show them what it is that we do.

What will this year’s festival look like?

I love that they let the chefs program the festival, and this year my focus is tailgating. We’re going to have a Southern tailgate on Thursday night with a bunch of different chefs from around the South. Then we’re going to do some grilling demos on tailgating on Friday and Saturday. Tailgating is a big part of what Southern culture is. You talk about family dinner and tailgating in the same breath. That’s where people break out the guarded recipes that they only break out six times a year.

Do you have any guarded recipes?

I’ve got plenty. But my wife is the expert at tailgating. She makes a breakfast casserole that I love. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day — especially when you can put it in one cup.

For more information on the New South Family Supper, April 14th in Atlanta, go to restaurantiris.com. For more on the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, May 30th-June 2nd, see atlfoodandwinefestival.com.

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

Roasted Marrow Bones with Pico de Gallo at Restaurant Iris

There are few things that make me feel like a true carnivore. The Roasted Marrow Bones at Restaurant Iris do that deliciously. Just looking at the plate makes me giddy. The bones come to the table sawed open and topped with an explosively bright pico de gallo. The pico cuts through the rich “meat butter” that is scooped out of the bones — slathered on buttery house-made brioche. It’s the essence of meat — so pure, rich, unctuous, and earthy. My new resolution? Eat more marrow.

Restaurant Iris, 2146 Monroe (590-2828)

Restaurantiris.com

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

Two for Brunch

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

What’s the first thing a young chef does after opening his own restaurant? Find someone else to do the cooking for a change.

After Kelly English opened Restaurant Iris in Midtown, he started checking out the Memphis restaurant scene. Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana in Germantown was a favorite find, as much for the people as the food.

On his first visit, English had an elephant-ear torta, a hand-carved sirloin sandwich, that reminded him of the roast beef po’boys he loves from his native New Orleans. He was hooked.

At the same time, Jonathan Magallanes, owner of Las Tortugas, visited Restaurant Iris “to see what all the fuss was about.”

“I was more than impressed,” Magallanes says. “I was blown away. It felt like everything I hope people experience at Las Tortugas.”

“Ours are very different restaurants but with very similar philosophies of carefully sourcing ingredients and taking care of our customers,” English adds.

English and Magallanes became friends quickly, and with that friendship, they began to exchange ideas. When Kelly competed in Cochon 555 in Atlanta, he looked to Las Tortugas for help.

“Kelly was in our kitchen learning tamales,” Magallanes says. “He used his own recipe for the filling at the event, but he learned technique with us.”

Last October, English and Magallanes were invited to cook at the annual Southern Foodways Alliance Symposium in Oxford, Mississippi. Their barbacoa was chosen to match the symposium’s “Global South” theme, and they were presented a challenging ingredient — cow heads — to prepare traditional tacos de cabeza.

“We had one practice run, and it went well,” English says. “For the event, we were going to do 42 cow heads. I wasn’t sure how it would work. Two heads in a hole is one thing; 42 heads and 800 pounds of charcoal is an entirely different thing. We were very confident in what we were doing, but we knew there was an outside chance that it wasn’t going to translate to 42 heads.”

After a sleepless night and a nearly disastrous encounter with the Oxford Fire Department over the size of the fire, the barbacoa was a resounding success, providing a unique dinner to hundreds of symposium attendees.

The teamwork between English and Magallanes will be seen at another event, thanks to changes English is making to the hours at Restaurant Iris. The restaurant will serve dinner on Monday nights, and brunch with visiting chefs will be served only on the third Sunday of each month.

According to English, Jeff Frisby, Restaurant Iris’ general manager, came up with the idea of a collaborative brunch.

“We wanted to do something where we could cook with some friends and take in some people regionally and offer Memphis something that they don’t have on a regular basis,” English says.

The obvious choice for the first brunch partner was Magallanes.

“Kelly called and asked if I was interested. I was more than interested; I committed right away. We’ve been experimenting and talking and tasting ever since,” Magallanes says.

Both restaurants’ styles will be represented in a blending of techniques and flavors. “This will be a very different type of brunch,” English explains. “We may not even serve biscuits. We aren’t at Jonathan’s. It will be a complete collaboration,” English says.

After the meal with Magallanes on January 16th (which is already sold out), brunch in February will feature Jennifer Chandler, author of Simply Salads and Simply Suppers. Future brunches will include Lee Richardson of Little Rock’s Capital Hotel; Elizabeth Heiskell, co-author of Somebody Stole the Cornbread from My Dressing; and Kat Gordon, owner of Muddy’s Bake Shop.

The friendly partnership between English and Magallanes will continue as well.

“Jonathan is one of the most passionate people about food that I have ever met. He will text me at 3 a.m. with a dish. He is full of ideas,” English says.

For more information on upcoming brunches, go to restaurantiris.com or call 590-2828.

Categories
Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

English Demurs, So Now Reckless Speculation

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

kelly.jpg

  • Justin Fox Burks

A few days ago, fresh from competing at Cochon 555, Restaurant Iris’ Kelly English tweeted:

Dear Memphis: we are sorry we didn’t win, but we have something HUGE in the works. It’s time to show the world how great a food town we are.
9:08 PM Apr 18th via Echofon

I spoke with English today and asked what that something was. He said because he’s still working out the details he wasn’t ready to reveal the specifics, but he did offer a hint …

Categories
Best of Memphis Special Sections

Best of Food & Drink

CREDIT: Alex Harrison

Alex Harrison

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

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

Justin Fox Burks

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

Best Chef

1. Kelly English, Restaurant Iris

2. Erling Jensen, Erling Jensen the Restaurant

3. John Bragg, Circa

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

Best Lunch

1. Huey’s

2. Soul Fish

3. Lenny’s

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

Best Breakfast

1. Brother Juniper’s

2. Blue Plate Cafe

3. Bryant’s Breakfast

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

Best Romantic Restaurant

1. Paulette’s

2. Le Chardonnay Wine Bar & Bistro

3. The Melting Pot

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

Best Sunday Brunch

1. Owen Brennan’s Restaurant

2. Boscos Squared

3. Peabody Skyway — tie —

Beauty Shop

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

Best Wine List

1. Le Chardonnay Wine Bar & Bistro

2. Texas de Brazil

3. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse

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

Best Steak

1. Folk’s Folly Prime Steak House

2. Ruth’s Chris Steak House

3. The Butcher Shop

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

Best Barbecue

1. Central BBQ

2. Corky’s

3. The Bar-B-Q Shop

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

Best Ribs

1. Charles Vergos’ Rendezvous

2. Central BBQ

3. Corky’s

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

Best Burger

BOM 1. Huey’s

2. Earnestine & Hazel’s

3. The Belmont Grill

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

Best Hot Wings

1. Buffalo Wild Wings

2. D’Bo’s Buffalo Wings-n-Things

3. Central BBQ

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

Best Fried Chicken

BOM 1. Gus’s Fried Chicken

2. Popeye’s Chicken & Biscuits

3. Jack Pirtle Fried Chicken

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

Best Cajun/Creole

1. Bayou Bar & Grill

2. Owen Brennan’s Restaurant

3. Pearl’s Oyster House

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

Justin Fox Burks

Petra, 1st place: ‘Best Mediterranean’

Best Mediterranean

1. Petra

2. Casa Grill

3. Petra Cafe

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

Best Dessert

1. Paulette’s

2. Beauty Shop

3. Kooky Canuck

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

Best Italian

1. Ronnie Grisanti & Sons Restaurant (now closed)

2. Pete & Sam’s

3. Bari — tie —

Ciao Bella Italian Grill

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

Best Mexican

1. El Porton Mexican Restaurant

2. Happy Mexican

3. Taqueria La Guadalupana

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

Best Chinese

1. P.F. Chang’s

2. Wang’s Mandarin House

3. A-Tan

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

Best Thai

1. Bhan Thai

2. Bangkok Alley

3. Jasmine

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

Best Vietnamese

1. Saigon Le

2. Pho Saigon

3. Pho Hoa Binh

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

Best Japanese/Sushi

1. Sekisui

2. Blue Fin

3. Sekisui Pacific Rim

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

Justin Fox Burks

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

Best Home Cooking/Soul Food

1. Soul Fish

2. The Cupboard

3. Blue Plate Café

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

Best Vegetarian

BOM 1. Whole Foods Market

2. The Cupboard

3. Jasmine

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

Best Seafood

1. Tsunami

2. Bonefish

3. The Half Shell

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

Best Pizza

BOM 1. Memphis Pizza Cafe

2. Garibaldi’s Pizza

3. Old Venice

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

Best Deli

1. Fino’s from the Hill

2. Bogie’s Delicatessen

3. Young Avenue Deli

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

Best Server

1. Jeff Frisby, Restaurant Iris

2. Michele Fields, Calhoun’s Sports Bar

3. Jean Pruett, Bardog — tie —

Brent Skelton, The Kitchen

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

Best Service

1. Chick-Fil-A

2. Texas de Brazil

3. Houston’s

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

Justin Fox Burks

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

Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant

1. Chick-Fil-A

2. Chuck E. Cheese

3. Huey’s

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

Best Local Late-Night Dining

1. Huey’s

2. Earnestine & Hazel’s

3. Young Avenue Deli

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

Best Place for People-Watching

1. Flying Saucer

2. Young Avenue Deli

3. Celtic Crossing

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

Best Patio

1. Celtic Crossing

2. Boscos Squared

3. Cafe Olé

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

Best Local Place That Delivers

1. Garibaldi’s Pizza

2. Young Avenue Deli

3. Camy’s

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

Justin Fox Burks

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

Best Bakery

1. Muddy’s Bake Shop

2. La Baguette

3. Fresh Market

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

Best Local Coffeehouse

1. High Point Coffee (now closed)

2. Otherlands

3. Café Eclectic — tie —

Republic Coffee

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

Best Restaurant

1. Restaurant Iris

2. Tsunami

3. Huey’s

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

Best New Restaurant

1. Flight

2. Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen

3. Overton Park Pizze Stone

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

Categories
Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Feastival: A Review

5ed4/1247517602-sign.jpgI probably should not be overly effusive, but what the heck, I can’t help myself: The shindig Sunday afternoon at Whitton Farms in Tyronza, Arkansas, was a blast, or as my husband Tony said, “This is one of the coolest things I’ve done in years.”

Despite the heat and drive, more than 300 people (families, kids, hipsters, locavores of all types) showed up at the first annual “Whitton Farms Feastival,” an event dreamed up by Jill and Keith Forrester to promote locally-grown food and raise a little extra cash for farm equipment and the Memphis Farmer’s Market.

Categories
News

Chef Kelly English Is Having An Extraordinarily Good Year

Then in October, he married Memphis native Angela English, and, last month, he was named one of 10 “Best New Chefs” for 2009 by Food & Wine magazine.

English was unaware of his nomination by New Orleans chef John Besh, his longtime mentor, or of the quiet visit to Restaurant Iris by Food & Wine restaurant editor Kate Heddings, who dined on Natchitoches meat pies, sautéed veal sweetbreads, and a chocolate malt.

“We were invited to this fantastic party at the City Winery in Tribeca,” English says. “It was surreal. I even got to shake hands with Daniel Boulud who is probably the greatest chef in the world.”

English and his wife also spent a few extra days in New York for a delayed honeymoon before heading back to Memphis for his restaurant’s anniversary party last Monday. Next up is a trip to Aspen, Colorado, in June when English and the other winning chefs will cook before an audience of 800 people. And, finally, the group will be featured in the cover story for the magazine’s July issue.

“I’m flattered and humbled to receive the award,” English says. “But this recognition is really an award for everyone who works at the restaurant, and it speaks volumes about our local farmers and the quality of their food.”

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

What a Site

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

From the outside, the building that once housed La Tourelle looks the same. The inside, however, is very different.

Kelly English‘s highly anticipated Restaurant Iris began serving earlier this month, and it might be the most elegant restaurant to open in Memphis in a while. If La Tourelle was a trip to a cozy restaurant in a province of France, Restaurant Iris is a piece of New Orleans dining in Memphis.

English, a New Orleans native and John Besh protégé (Restaurant August, N’awlins, Lüke), didn’t expect to have to bring in forklifts, but what he and designer Jackie Glisson accomplished sans forklifts is an amazing overhaul.

Warm chocolate tones dominate the revamped interior. The front dining rooms have a traditional feel with chairs covered in rich brown fabric embellished with a gold fleur-de-lis, a stylized design of an iris flower. The two back rooms, intended for groups of eight or more, are slightly more casual with light-colored cottage-style chairs. Glisson added some brickwork to the floors, which complements the natural hardwood. English currently lives in the space above the restaurant but plans on renovating the tower room at one point, turning it into a private dining room.

Surprisingly, despite all this elegance, the restaurant doesn’t feel pretentious or stiff. The atmosphere is relaxed, diners can have lively conversations, and waiters don’t speak with a whisper.

The food reflects English’s training and hometown, where you are likely to find grillades with grits and poached eggs on the Sunday brunch menu, pork belly in your omelet, and bread pudding with brown butter and pecans as dessert. While connoisseurs of New Orleans cuisine won’t be disappointed, the restaurant’s menu goes beyond Crescent City favorites. Salads of Brussels sprouts, roasted beets, or organic field greens with grapefruit and horseradish are on the dinner menu, along with American Kobe beef short ribs with celery root, scallops with cauliflower, and rack of venison with shitake and a ragout of baby vegetables.

“Our menu will evolve constantly and change with the seasons,” English says. “I don’t want to be tied down by a certain dish but rather cook with what’s available at the farmers’ market.”

The restaurant is open for dinner only, Wednesday through Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m., and for Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Restaurant Iris, 2146 Monroe (590-2828)

After Cumberland Presbyterian Church announced plans to move its headquarters from Midtown to Cordova earlier this year, the Atlanta-based fast-food company Chick-Fil-A expressed interest in buying the site to put up a restaurant.

News of the potential demolition of the Gothic Revival building, located at 1978 Union, has caused an outcry in the community, and an effort to save it is being led by Memphis Heritage.

“We are not against Chick-Fil-A and would love to have one of its restaurants in Midtown,” says June West, executive director of Memphis Heritage. “We just don’t want it at the expense of tearing down the historic building.”

West said that until recently Memphis Heritage, together with other concerned members of the community, had a “dialogue” with the company. Memphis Heritage proposed the company look into adaptive reuse of the historic building or possibly find another, less-controversial site in Midtown. About three weeks ago, Chick-Fil-A said it was no longer able to discuss the issue.

“They essentially sent a standardized e-mail that said that once the restaurant is in place, they knew the community would love them and that they have a reputation for being good neighbors,” West says. “That might all be the case, but it doesn’t really have anything to do with wanting to tear down the Cumberland building.”

Representatives from Chick-Fil-A did not respond to requests for comment.

West is urging Memphians to contact the company to protest the decision. More information on the issue can be found at memphisheritage.org.