Tag: Second Line

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Food & Wine Food & Drink

Inga Theeke’s Desserts

Inga Theeke (Photo: Etara Eña-Vitriva)

Inga Theeke grew up with Latvian baking. Like pīrāgis.

“It is like yeast dough filled, usually, with bacon and onion,” says Theeke, who is from Chicago. “A little bit of ham in there. And that is the official Latvian treat.

“Every grandmother has their touch to it. It’s one of those things. They can’t give you the recipe, but they can show you if you spend some time with them in the kitchen.”

Theeke keeps busy nowadays baking things like seasonal pear tarte Tatins and pumpkin cheesecake over gluten-free spice cake.

She moved to Memphis in July 2021 to become pastry chef for all of the Kelly English restaurants, which include Restaurant Iris, Pantà, Second Line, and Fino’s from the Hill, and for the catering arm, Iris Etc.

Theeke worked in human resources in Chicago, but that changed after she went to pastry school at Kendall College. “I thought I was going to learn more about techniques and recipe development and just use it for hosting family and friends. But I caught the bug and started working for some fine dining restaurants after that.”

She worked as a pastry chef at Carlos’ in Highland Park, and the old 302 West in Geneva, Illinois.

Her specialty is “maybe taking an ingredient or something we haven’t always used in pastry and figuring out how to pull that together into something unique. I’m one of the rare birds that really likes change. So, being in an environment we have now, where we can pivot and try things out, has really been fun.”

Theeke met her current employer online. “During the pandemic, I looked into one of Kelly English’s Zoom classes and participated with about 70 people around the country. I watched him make a dish.”

She found English “so engaging and so real in connection with people via Zoom” and contacted him the next day. “And I said, ‘I don’t know if you are hiring, but this is who I am and keep in touch.’ We started a conversation and that turned into this position.”

Theeke, whose daughter graduated from Rhodes College, had visited Downtown and Midtown Memphis. She found Memphis “so authentic and so inviting.”

She expanded Fino’s menu. “I changed their tiramisu recipe to make it a little more traditional and easier for more production.”

Theeke then came up with the desserts at Pantà. “I’m a food anthropologist at heart. Although I’ve never been to Spain, I had the opportunity to do the research and do the homework when I prepared the dessert menu for Pantà. I dug into cookbooks, travel journals, online research — anything about the Catalan region I could access from Memphis. It wasn’t just the items but the stories behind them, so when the server brought it to the table, they could tell you how that fit into Catalan culture and the traditions as well.”

She also met people who had spent time in that region, asked them what they ate, what it tasted like, and then she created something.

Like brazo de gitano. “Ours here is a chocolate cake rolled with chocolate ganache in between and then finished with a little bit of latte crème anglaise. The style is a little bit different from what I believe is served in Spain, but it resembles it enough.”

As for the Iris desserts, Theeke says, “The goal is definitely to offer a traditional Creole menu with our own spin on things as well. Again, I have been to New Orleans, but I did my research on these as well so that we understand the story behind some of these. Like bananas Foster. It’s everything you think of in a Creole restaurant’s Foster, but our twist here is to make it a bananas Foster within a tres leches cake. Bring that roasted banana and rum taste through it. And then our crème brûlée here features a chicory coffee flavor.”

All the restaurants “set the tone” for what the dessert menu will look like. But Theeke says, “Every now and then I’ll come up with something. And they’ll let me know if I’ve crossed the line between forgiveness and permission.”

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Cover Feature News

Delivering the Goods

Last week on a Memphis Twitter thread, the subject of restaurant takeout and delivery options arose. People began name-checking dining options and dishes and service they’d tried and liked. I suggested they should begin tweeting their best experiences, and in the process, give a shout-out to local restaurants who were trying to survive in these trying times. It went — pardon the expression — viral, with dozens of Memphians tweeting out their favorites over the course of a couple days.

We decided to use that spontaneous outpouring of support and love for our local restaurant community as the basis for this story — to offer some views from the trenches and find out how some of your favorite eateries are coping. — Bruce VanWyngarden

Pete & Sam’s

I long to sit in one of those big booths at Pete & Sam’s, beneath the enlarged photos of founder Sam Bomarito, his sister Vita Gattuso, and others involved in one way or the other with the popular restaurant.

For now, the meals I love still are available, but they’re takeout only. The restaurant is offering lunch and dinner curbside pickup, says Michael Bomarito. “We’ve got a kiosk out there,” he says. “A person sitting out there between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. with a credit card reader.”

Pete & Sam’s also delivers all over, whether it’s Memphis, Bartlett, or Germantown, Bomarito says. “We’re coming to you. So that’s the end of that. We’ve got three or four drivers every day. We start at noon. Then we deliver all day until 8 p.m. during the week and 9 p.m. on Fridays. Back to 8 p.m. Sundays.”

As for the food, Bomarito says, “We’re pretty much doing 90 percent of the menu. A couple of things we pulled off. They weren’t big sellers. We didn’t want food to go to waste.” Available items include their frozen lasagna that serves three and frozen ravioli meat sauce. “We have people calling from all over the country wanting us to ship our stuff.”

The take-and-bake frozen pizzas are their hottest item, Bomarito says. You can build your own pizza by adding spinach or whatever topping you want. The pizzas are covered with shrink wrap at the restaurant, the Pete & Sam’s logo is added, and the pizza is ready to go. The frozen pizzas have been available over a year, but, Bomarito says, “The last couple of weeks people went crazy stocking up their freezer.” — Michael Donahue

3886 Park, (901) 458-0694, peteandsams.com

R.P. Tracks

“Tracks has never closed,” says Mary Laws, who, with her husband Bernard, has owned the beloved University of Memphis spot for the past five years. She’s worked there for 16. “Even when they did a huge remodel in 2000, Rick and Peter [the former owners] never closed.”

R.P. Tracks has been a haven for college-goers’ study breaks and professors’ and locals’ beer meet-ups for more than 30 years (33 in December, according to Mary).

Mary Laws

R.P. Tracks bartender Jeremy Allen delivers food curbside.

“Tracks has always been here for the people in this neighborhood and the city,” she says, noting the many regulars who’ve come in for burgers and nachos or sat at the bar for conversation through the decades. “I thought, even if they can’t come in, at least they know they can still get their favorite food. They’re still seeing the bartenders who have been waiting on them for years. It’s just that small interaction, I think, that gives people a little ray of sunshine.”

After a rocky start with low carryout sales the first couple of weeks, they’ve recently extended their hours. Customers can call ahead and order from the slightly limited food menu, which thankfully still includes the famous nachos (we’ll take the barbecue tofu, please!), burgers, wings, quesadillas, and more. To-go beers, cocktails, and shooters are also available.

“I cannot tell you how much I have been touched by the support of the community,” Mary says. “If I stop and think about it, I tear up because I’m so grateful, just beyond words.”

R.P. Tracks is open for curbside pickup from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Give them a call to place your order, then call again when you arrive and they’ll bring it out to you. — Shara Clark

3547 Walker, (901) 327-1471, rptracks.com

Spindini/South Main Grocery

When the restaurant industry seemed to plummet overnight, Spindini owner Jim LoSapio had to reimagine his business model — and quick. He and his partner came up with a plan to flip the Downtown restaurant into a grocery store. Thus, in late March, South Main Grocery was born.

Shoppers will now find shelves and coolers stocked with a variety of grocery offerings, to-go dishes, and more, as well as household items including soap, cleaning supplies, paper towels, and the ever-elusive toilet paper.

Spindini/South Main Grocery Facebook

Spindini has become South Main Grocery for the time being.

“We’ve incorporated the grocery store ideas with some of the things that we did well as a restaurant,” LoSapio says. “We have grab-and-go lasagna and take-home par-baked pizzas. We’ve also incorporated things we do at our other restaurants as grab-and-go items, like gumbo and red beans and rice.”

They’re also hand-cutting fresh meat, with filets and ribeyes on offer, in addition to burger meat. Current seafood options include red fish, salmon, and shrimp. Also available: milk, orange juice, eggs, pastas, sliced bread, hoagie rolls, bagels, and freshly baked cookies, muffins, and more.

Their new dinner specials have taken off. “On Monday and Friday, we’re doing $25 smoked pork butt that we slow smoke for 11 hours,” LoSapio says. “Tuesday and Thursday, we roast chicken halves and serve them with a side for $12. Wednesdays, we’re doing pans of the awesome Spindini sausage lasagna that we’ve been doing for years. It feeds six to eight people.”

LoSapio is grateful. “South Main and Downtown is really helping us support what we’re trying to do and helping me create job opportunities for my staff. [A situation like this] really makes you appreciate the loyalty of the employees, the loyalty of the community — and proves that we’re strong and we’ll definitely get through it.” — SC

383 S. Main, (901) 578-2767, follow them on Facebook for more info

The Bar-B-Q Shop

In the South, barbecue is the unofficial food of community. It’s what Memphians pick up, by the pound, to celebrate family reunions and graduations. Out-of-town visitors usually want to know where the best barbecue joint is. And while the coronavirus has put gatherings on hold, barbecue is still grade-A comfort food, and we could all use a little comfort these days.

“Our customers have such different relationships with all of us. It’s just been challenging from that perspective because part of what we do is not just to-go food, it’s interaction,” says Eric Vernon, manager/owner of the Bar-B-Q Shop in Midtown. It’s been hard, but Vernon says he and his staff are adapting to providing the comfort food without the personal connection — at least for the time being.

Jesse Davis

The store is offering to-go, curbside pickup, and specially priced bulk orders, or family packs. The Boston Butt Shoulder is $11.29 per pound, and the Beef Brisket is $15.49 per pound. Their famous Bar-B-Q Spaghetti is $21.99 per quart. To make getting your pulled pork fix easier, the folks at the Bar-B-Q Shop have designated the parking spots in front of the restaurant, marked by orange traffic cones, as the pickup area.

“We’re also, for the first time, doing DoorDash delivery, and we’re working on our online menu for our website,” Vernon adds, saying that he’s had calls and texts from regular customers with suggestions for how to best serve quarantined Memphians hungry for barbecue and how to best get the word out. “I get a tip every other day from people who are just wanting us to stay afloat.” Here’s to staying afloat through the storm — and to sharing community and comfort food once the storm passes. — Jesse Davis

1782 Madison, (901) 272-1277, thebar-b-qshop.com

Maw Maw’s ravioli from the team of Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman

Ticer and Hudman Restaurants

All is not lost if you still can order Maw Maw’s ravioli from Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman. Ticer and Hudman are the chef/owners of a string of popular restaurants, which now are offering curbside pickup.

Nick Talarico, operations manager for the restaurants, described what each place is doing.

Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen “strictly does take-and-bake, and everything is cooked at [the customer’s] home,” Talarico says. “They do a family meal and an à la carte meal — like pastas and sauces. A lot of people are getting Maw Maw’s ravioli and taking it home and cooking it.”

Catherine & Mary’s and Gray Canary have teamed up at Catherine & Mary’s restaurant, he says. “They’re doing take-and-bake stuff as well as hot-and-ready items. They’re doing fun things. Like they did tamales one day. They’re doing a potato cake with neckbone gravy. Sort of a play on Hog & Hominy’s poutine. And then we also see a lot of our pastas — the hot and ready-to-eat pastas — as really successful down there.”

Bishop, he says, is “doing the same with hot-and-ready and takeout items — probably the Birdie [fried chicken, dill aioli, Calabrian honey] and the Bishop burger are the most popular.”

The restaurants are offering dinner, but Ticer and Hudman also rolled out Saturday and Sunday brunch at Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen and Catherine & Mary’s. “Like pancakes and quiche. And we’re doing grits. Doing a couple of different things.” — MD

Menus are updated daily on Instagram: @amitaliancooks, @catherine_marys, and @bishopmemphis.

Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, 712 W. Brookhaven Circle, (901) 347-3569

Catherine & Mary’s, 272 S. Main, (901) 254-8600

Bishop, 545 S. Main, No. 111, (901) 896-0228

Vegan Options

Sure, a lot of folks are ordering takeout from restaurants, but how is that going for the Memphis vegan community?

Many vegans, of course, are accustomed to having fewer choices when dining out, and most are comfortable with cooking at home for that very reason. The closest they come to home deliveries may be those from local farmers. But now in Memphis, vegan takeout has become fairly common. One place making a name for itself in this regard would seem quite unlikely — a dive bar: the Lamplighter Lounge.

Laurel Cannito from The Lamplighter Lounge

“We have a few unique vegan options,” says co-owner and chef Laurel Cannito. “Our curry special, our vegan sausage, egg, and cheese, our veggie burger, and our veggie dog. People are into it. We’re open every day from noon until 1a.m. After midnight, we try to get people to pick up, but if we have someone who can’t leave their house, we’re not going to tell them no. We deliver to the Midtown area, free if the order’s over $20. Under $20, there’s a $3 delivery fee. But most people who have been ordering have tended to get a good bit of stuff.”

As with all restaurants these days, a new hygiene regime is in force at the Lamp. “We got N-95 face masks before there was a shortage,” says Cannito. “We have gloves and lots of hand sanitizer and disinfectant. And we have disinfecting protocols we use every night, so everything is properly cleaned.”

Many other vegan-friendly establishments are also delivering these days, of course. Some, like the Lamplighter or Cheffie’s Cafe, use DoorDash, others use UberEats. Most vegans have their go-to restaurants in town, often non-vegan kitchens that have vegan-friendly items, as with many Asian or Mediterranean restaurants. Crazy Noodle will tweak their standard recipes for vegans on request.

But comfort food may be the order of the day for most stressed-out Americans, and it’s in high demand. Cannito has to put me on hold several times as orders roll in on a Thursday night. “Our most popular vegan item?” she says, when she finally has a moment. She doesn’t have to pause. “Hands down, the veggie burger with fries.” — Alex Greene

Lamplighter Lounge, 1702 Madison, (901) 567-5322

The Second Line and Fino’s

It’s going to be a while before we can laugh on the patio at The Second Line, enjoy quiet conversations in the elegant Restaurant Iris, and smile inside the bright and cheerful Fino’s Italian Deli & Catering.

For now, Kelly English, chef/owner of these restaurants, is adapting to the times. “Iris and Second Line kind of combined into one delivery and pickup service,” he says. “And we’re focusing on meals that people can eat with their families. Our most popular thing is the crawfish étouffée, gumbo, and jambalaya. I think people want to hug right now. The closest thing we can get to a hug is from food that comforts us.”

Caleb Sigler

Crawfish Étouffée from The Second Line/Restaurant Iris

Fino’s is doing call-in/to-go and curbside. No one sandwich is the most popular, he says. “Everybody has their own favorite Fino sandwich. It really depends on who walks in that day.”

But, English says, “The most popular thing, by far, we’ve done at Fino’s is our program that lets us partner with citizens to feed first-line responders. For groups of 400, we deliver $500 worth of food to police stations or fire departments and a lot of other places you might not think about, like the health department, as first-line responders. We’ve been doing that at least once a day.”

English also is partnering with Roadshow BMW to provide daily lunches to hospital staff members who are treating COVID-19 patients. He posts daily reports on deliveries and other doings at his restaurants on Facebook. “I fight for my team. I fight for my people. And some of my people can’t eat right now. Tired is nothing compared to what some people are going through.” — MD

For information on menus, prices, and restaurant hours, go to irisetc.com.

The Second Line, 2144 Monroe, (901) 590-2829

Fino’s Italian Deli & Catering, 1853 Madison, (901) 272-3466

Huey’s

The Huey burger is the definition of comfort food in Memphis. It’s a delicious reminder of good times.

As the chief operating officer for Huey’s nine locations, Ashley Robilio helped formulate the company’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. “We spent a good portion of the first two weeks in March just talking about strategy, and talking about all the what-ifs,” she says. “Everyone was so worried, and all of our employees were so scared. We really tried to calm them down and be as positive as we could. … We were probably one of the first restaurants that started social distancing. Even the term ‘social distancing’ was pretty unknown in Memphis for a while, so we got that part pretty quickly.”

Courtesy of Huey’s

When the shutdown orders came, the Memphis locations went first, followed a couple of days later by the suburban stores. Very quickly, Huey’s went to curb service and takeout only. Robillio says the transition went fairly smoothly. “We have decided to not do any layoffs,” Robillio says. “We’ve got a lot of obviously very good PR and thanks from all of our employees. I mean literally, some of our employees were in tears when they heard.”

The restaurant chain tapped its savings and, after some initial confusion, secured a Small Business Administration disaster assistance loan to keep their employees on the payroll. They kept employees at full pay with shortened hours and tweaked their to-go offerings. “We did take a few of the menu items off, either ones that had a lot of prep time or that don’t travel well, like nachos.”

Having a Huey burger delivered to your domicile seems like getting a message from a saner time. The Madison Avenue burger, which adds melted swiss cheese, mushrooms, and bacon to Huey’s juicy beef patty on a sourdough bun, is a deep menu cut that’s worth it. For the non-beef options, the Cajun-seasoned, grilled tuna steak sandwich is always delicious. Huey’s serves the classic steak cut fries, but a basket of tater tots or onion rings is an excellent alternative. Our recent order had encouraging messages hand-written on the takeout box. “We have gotten so many comments about the notes that we’ve written on these boxes, and some of them have gotten quite creative.”

In the coming days, Huey’s expects to roll out more ordering and delivery options and introduce a catering menu aimed at families and groups. They have already been filling large orders donors have bought to feed places like Hope House.

Robilio says she’s been in constant contact with others in the Mid-South restaurant community. “We’ve heard from a lot of different people, wanting our advice, wanting to know what we’re going to do, when we’re going to do it, and how we’re going to do it. We’ve obviously shared some things with anybody who asks. It is a community effort, and anything we can do to help the restaurant community, we want to do it. We’ve always been like that. My dad loved helping other restaurants. He loves helping anybody, and we’ve tried to stay with that same mentality.” — Chris McCoy

multiple locations, hueyburger.com

Beer!

Craft beer is essential. Local, state, and federal officials have (finally) confirmed this fact — one that I’ve known all along. In this virus world of isolation, I consider beer essential sanity supplies.

Now, it’s not the same. I like sitting at the bar and catching up with friends over pints. But, thankfully, you can still at least get those beers and bullshit with your buds over Zoom. (Still nope, though. Not even close to the same. Alas.)

Tons of local rules were relaxed on beers and breweries as stay-at-home orders came down late last month. Bars, restaurants, and breweries were allowed to offer curbside pickup and delivery.

This relentless global tragedy offers little in the way of comfort and joy. To endure, I’ve been counting every small grace I can find. One of them was the first time I ever grabbed a to-go beer from the Young Avenue Deli. I placed a dinner order over the phone and also requested a local draft beer, a 22-ouncer. What would this look like? How would it come? On my walk to pick up my order, I reveled in a daiquiri-stand fantasy of a big-ass styrofoam cup with a piece of tape over the straw hole. However it came, I knew I’d be sipping that beer on the walk home.

My fantasy wasn’t far off. It came in that plastic, Midtown-iconic Deli cup. No tape on the top, but it did have a lid with that straw hole. Plenty good enough for me. The whole thing was just … different, and felt sort of illegal. Drinking it on the way home felt deliciously rebellious.

Most Memphis restaurants are offering up curbside beer pickup and delivery. They are allowed to, at least. Many have wondered if that service will remain after social distancing orders are lifted. Seems like it’d be tough to walk it back now.

Most of Memphis’ craft breweries are offering pickup or delivery. Here’s a quick look at what they’re offering:

Meddlesome — Curbside pickup and delivery. Call (901) 207-1147 to order.

Ghost River — Curbside pickup and delivery. One case minimum on deliveries and you must live inside Memphis city limits. Call (901) 661-4976 to order.

Wiseacre — Curbside pickup and delivery. One case minimum for deliveries and only for addresses within a 10-mile radius of the brewery. Order form at wiseacrebrew.com.

Crosstown — Curbside pickup and delivery. One case minimum for deliveries with a $5 delivery fee. Order at crosstownbeer.com. 

High Cotton — Stopped all pickup and delivery services Monday, April 6th. “We feel this is in the best interest of our community and employees,” reads a statement from the brewery. Cans and growlers are still available in stores and restaurants.

Memphis Made — Curbside pickup. Call (901) 207-5343 to order.— Toby Sells

The Brooklyn Bridge Restaurant

The Brooklyn Bridge has been an East Memphis fixture since 1985 and, since 1987, has operated in the Orleans Place Shopping Center near the intersection of Poplar and Kirby Parkway. It was the creation of Vincent and Bridgette Correale, first-generation Italian Americans who came to Memphis from — where else? — Brooklyn. The place is still family-run, with the general manager and head chef being Giorgio Correale, son of the founders.

The entire menu, which runs from New York-style pizza to such specialties as chicken piccata, lasagna Amalfitano, portobello mushroom ravioli with shrimp, and mussels plates, is available for takeout, as well as delivery through the Postmates service. A Family Dinners menu, with numerous condiments and options, has been especially created for the stay-at-home circumstances of today. Hours are 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 4 to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Bottles of wine are 50 percent off (with house wines and Cellar Reserve excepted).

Phone lines are open each day at 4 p.m., and orders may be placed at 901-755-7413. The management promises that anyone leaving a message will be called back. — Jackson Baker

1779 Kirby Parkway, Ste. 5, (901) 755-7413, brooklynbridgeitalian.com

Mortimer’s

Mortimer’s is upgrading its service during the coronavirus emergency, offering delivery, in addition to its existing curbside takeout service. East Memphis, in particular, is considered a major part of the restaurant’s bailiwick.

But owner/operator Christopher Jamieson, who lives in Germantown, is doing the best he can to make available the restaurant’s goodies (including growlers, wine, and takeout cocktails) on as wide a geographic basis as he can manage, doing many of the deliveries himself.

Alas, the establishment’s oyster specials, famously available on Tuesday and Saturday nights, are not on the takeout or delivery menu, but everything else is — including copies of the current Flyer issues (Mortimer’s being one of our regular pickup points). Not to mention the two rolls of toilet paper, still a scarce item, that go with all to-go orders.

The Jamieson family has long been in the restaurant business and operated the legendary (and now closed) Knickerbocker’s on Poplar for many years. Christopher Jamieson, the proprietor at Mortimer’s since 2013, says business has been better than he had first expected when the orders came down to close restaurants for on-site service. “The community has been very supportive,” he says. — JB

590 N. Perkins, (901) 761-9321, mortimersrestaurant.net

Chard from Rose Creek

Direct from Farmers

While sheltering in place, we’re all cooking more than ever, but how to get the raw materials for your cuisine? Many feel the safest option is to eliminate as much of the supply chain as possible and take deliveries directly from local farms.

Randy Alexander of Tubby Creek Farm says it makes a lot of sense to take advantage of their home-delivered produce, purely from the standpoint of hygiene. They ensure that all harvesters wash their hands and wear masks. From there, as he puts it, “The food goes directly from our field to the consumer, instead of to a warehouse chain, and then a grocery store, and through a bunch of people before it gets bought.”

Ray Tyler, of Rose Creek Farm, points out another advantage of home-delivered local produce. “Right now is when people need to be taking care of their immune systems more than ever,” he says. “Local, nutrient-dense food is not a silver bullet, but it’s a good idea to eat more of it.”

As fate would have it, Rose Creek was already ramping up its online ordering in recent years, with a small fee for home delivery. But a sense of community service caused Tyler and his wife Ashley to reconsider that. “We really wanted to do our part in making this time a little easier,” he says. “So we started offering free delivery to everybody in Corinth [Mississippi], Selmer, Henderson, Jackson, Germantown, Collierville, and Memphis.”

Luckily, the shut-in policy took hold just as farms were rolling out their spring crops. “We’re hitting our peak,” says Tyler, who notes that they now are flush with carrots, scallions, spring greens, spinach, lettuce, herbs, radishes, arugula, and beets.

Meanwhile, Tubby Creek begins making their weekly deliveries of pre-sold subscriptions this Wednesday, even as they sell surplus crops via individual online orders. Rose Creek is mostly taking the latter approach. “Our customer base has increased 100 percent,” says Tyler. “Especially in Memphis. So this has relaunched this new local food resurgency. I think people realize that in times like this, it’s a really good idea to know your local farmer.” — AG

Tubby Creek, tubbycreekfarm.com

Rose Creek, rosecreekfarmstore.com

Uncle Lou’s Fried Chicken

Uncle Lou’s Fried Chicken in Whitehaven, known for its crispy chicken breast dipped in sweet and spicy sauces and honey butter biscuits, closed its dining room a day before it was mandated by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland.

Louis “Uncle Lou” Martin, the owner of Uncle Lou’s, says since then it’s been a “weird time,” but the restaurant is working to adapt. “We are struggling along,” he says. “But I’m fortunate we’re still open.”

Apart from frying chicken to perfection, Martin says his priority has been keeping his employees and customers healthy. Last week, he says he constructed and installed a sneeze guard at the restaurant’s counter. Additionally, he says, “We’ve been sanitizing like crazy. I have one guy whose only responsibility is keeping the restaurant clean.”

The restaurant is offering carryout and delivery through apps like Grubhub and UberEats. He’s been encouraging customers to make call-in orders to minimize social gatherings in and around the restaurant.

Martin says he has been in the food business since he was a junior in high school, and in the past few weeks he’s been challenged more than he has in nearly 45 years. Sales have dropped, and Martin says the restaurant isn’t making any money, but “We are making enough to pay staff and pay most of the bills.” Martin recently took a salary cut in order to keep all of his staff employed.

Uncle Lou’s serves a lot of travelers, he says. And the restaurant’s biggest money-maker has always been from people dining in. “First and foremost, I want to make it through this,” Martin says. “And I want my staff to make it through this with good health. When it’s over, I might have to reassess and make some changes. But we have to survive this first.” — Maya Smith

3633 Millbranch, (901) 332-2367, unclelousfriedchicken.com

Buster’s Liquors & Wines

Considering what a drastic change it was going from in-store to curbside sales at Buster’s Liquors & Wines, president and co-owner Josh Hammond is satisfied with how it’s going. “We shifted to just online sales, which we did for our employee safety and hopefully send a message to the community,” he says. “It’s been sort of amazing that we’ve been able to do the curbside pickup all reliant on our eCommerce system that we already had in place.”

Just before Buster’s made the switch, they were slammed almost like holiday business. “We saw significant increase there, but it was completely hectic and stressful seeing this many people in the stores,” Hammond says. “It was just too difficult to maintain. We saw a 30 percent drop-off the first week as we adjusted, and that was just from normal business. And then we saw a 15 percent increase the following week. This third week, things were just right in line with last year. So we’ve kept up.”

Jon W. Sparks

A big challenge has been compliance with coronavirus standards. “Getting masks for our employees has been an incredible task. They were ordered but got delayed. But I had a customer who gave us 200 of them.”

After ordering from the website, you get a confirmation and then later a notice that it’s ready for pickup. Parking spots are designated, and they have security directing traffic. The ordering feature is cut off at 5 p.m. so they can fill all the orders for that day. They tried delivery, but the influx of orders overwhelmed what they could do. They’re working on fixing that. — Jon W. Sparks

191 S. Highland, (901) 458-0929, bustersliquors.com

Categories
Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Restaurants Shift to Delivery, Curbside Pickup in Coronavirus Wake

CREDIT: Railgarten/Facebook

Railgarten/Facebook

Remember the good, old days of social closeness-ning?

Coronavirus (and the social distancing that has come with it) has put huge strains on local restaurants but many in Memphis are fighting back with curbside service, food delivery, and some help from the city.

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said Monday “we strongly encourage you to continue to-go orders and support our local restaurants and their staffs.”

“To help with this, we have decided to provide on-street parking relief exclusively for food delivery vehicles at various restaurant locations Downtown and Midtown where parking meters are installed,” Strickland said in a coronavirus update Monday. “Until further notice, we are relaxing enforcement at metered parking spaces, allowing on-street parking at no charge in front of restaurants. Please note that all restricted parking areas will remain in effect during this time to ensure public safety.”

Chef Kelly English said on Instagram post Monday he’d close the dining rooms of Restaurant Iris, Second Line, and Fino’s from the Hill.

Restaurants Shift to Delivery, Curbside Pickup in Coronavirus Wake

“We have made the decision to shut our dining rooms down,” he said. “We can’t wait to get them back open. We are available for delivery and take out. @finosmemphis will be at the very least available for lunch take out and @secondlinememphis will be available for dinner take out starting tomorrow.

”We are taking tonight to regroup and get a plan. To all of our team: I love you so much, and we will figure this out.”

Napa Cafe announced Monday it would offer family dinner meals for pickup including the choice of soup or salad, an entrée, and choice of one family-style side item and fresh vegetable for $40 per person.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to provide our guests a sense of ease by providing family dinner meals to-go including salads, soups, entrees, family-style sides, and vegetables so that they can enjoy a Napa Café meal in the comfort of their home,” said Glenda Hastings, owner Napa Café.

Railgarten said it will offer food delivery and discounted gift cards because “we want you to have everything you need before you hunker down.”

“Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitality businesses are being hit hard. We know that as our customers start practicing social distancing, our businesses will suffer. We know the main way consumers can continue to support us is through food delivery and buying gift cards.

“We also know that in this time of economic uncertainty, not everyone wants to purchase gift cards. That is why the Party Memphis group, including Railgarten, wants to make it an easy decision to support our team.

“On Tuesday, March 17th, which is also St. Patrick’s Day, our venues will open at 2 p.m. for those who want to grab a family meal and gift card before you settle in at home. At that time, we will begin our gift card sale.”

The sale will begin at 2 p.m. with $200 cards offered at $100. Cards increase in price every hour. Gift cards can be purchased online. Each purchase made in person, though, comes with a free roll of toilet paper.

“This is our way of thanking you for your support and to remind you that even though things can look bleak, we are going to make it through this thing together,” Railgarten said.

Let It Fly said Monday it will offer family meals (that can feed four to five people) for pickup for $39.99. Each meal comes with a gallon of tea or lemonade. Individual adult meals come with a free kid’s meal.

The Majestic Grill said Monday it will offer curbside pickup starting on Wednesday.

Restaurants Shift to Delivery, Curbside Pickup in Coronavirus Wake (2)

Categories
News The Fly-By

MEMernet: A Test at Second Line and a Viral Mural

Hijinks & Hygiene

Chef Kelly English won Twitter (and marketing) Sunday with this:

English wrote, “Only one line! The holiday season just got a little less complicated for whichever young couple left this for us on our lawn last night. To celebrate them, I will give you $1 off of all your mimosas today at either restaurant if you mention the code #everyonehaswashedtheirhands.”

Viral Mural

A mural blew up on Reddit over the weekend. It was posted by u/bigtomisin with the title “Mural I painted in Memphis, Tennessee.” In one day, the post had more than 44,000 upvotes, 658 comments, and all the Reddit awards. The poster said it is “at Crosstown. They took it off the wall and hung it inside.”

Billy Bob at the zoo

On a Flyer story about a new bill that would allow the Memphis Zoo to sell alcohol, Jim Obranovich commented that it’d be fine but “only if it stays in the building or ‘beer tent’ where it’s purchased. … It’ll be a great day for the zoo when Billy Bob decides he wants to ride an elephant.”

Categories
News News Feature

Holiday Eats: What’s (and Who’s) Cookin’

There’s much to look forward to during the holidays. Warm camaraderie to keep the cold outside at bay. Toasts with family, friends, and coworkers to raise the spirits. A seasonal smorgasbord. Of course, no one looks forward to the extra cooking, shopping, and dishes, though. That’s where we come in. For some ideas on how to help get the holiday gathering started (and avoid the extra cooking), read this special message from our advertisers. 

62 South Front Street

62 S. Front, (941-0784) • 62southfrontstreet.com

Come celebrate with us! Located on Historic Cotton Row, at 62 South Front, you can host your corporate meetings, receptions, and special events in style — with 3,000 square feet and a full kitchen for the caterer of your choice. Free wifi and free use of 20 tables and 40 chairs. Please call us with any questions regarding pricing or history of the venue.

Boscos Squared

2120 Madison, (432-2222) • boscosbeer.com

Looking for a private party room, banquet room, or event space where guests can enjoy local, handcrafted beer while dining on chef-created specialties like Boscos wood-oven shrimp, smoked pork chop, or wood-fired oven pizzas? Boscos Restaurant & Brewing Co. has everything you need to host your holiday party, birthday celebration, banquet, or office party for up to 30 guests. Boscos Restaurant & Brewing Co. can meet all of your private dining needs.

Call us at (901) 432-2222 to create your private dining experience at Boscos.

Char Restaurant

431 S. Highland, #120, (249-3533) • memphis.charrestaurant.com

Bring Char to your holiday table this year! Family-style sides and whole pecan pies are available to order for pick-up for all of your holiday celebrations. Order by November 25th for Thanksgiving and December 20th for Christmas. Call us today to place your order.

The Curb Market

1350 Concourse Ave, Suite 163, (453-6880) • curbmarket901.com

Curb Market makes all hot dishes from scratch, with fresh ingredients, and we cater! Make sure your holiday parties are something to remember, whether at home or at the office. Contact catering@curbmarket901.com today!

El Toro Loco – Mexican Bar & Grill

2809 Kirby, #109 (at Quince), (759-0593)

Now booking holiday parties and special events. With karaoke and DJs every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. For catering and event booking, please call us.

Jack Pirtle’s Chicken

jackpirtleschicken.com

Memphians have enjoyed our delicious fried chicken, steak sandwiches, and all the trimmings since 1957. Come see what keeps the Mid-South coming back for more! It’s down-home delicious. For catering information and pricing call (901) 372-9897 or visit one of our eight Memphis locations.

Molly’s La Casita

2006 Madison, (726-1873) • mollyslacasita.com

Bring your family to our Molly’s family for some good fun, food, and drinks. Margarita Monday and Taco Tuesday are a good start to your Thanksgiving week. Ask about our party-size dips for your holiday parties.

Mulan Asian Bistro

Mulan offers traditional Chinese and authentic Szechuan cuisine, as well as sushi and hibachi. Mulan provides catering, delivery services, and has a private party room available for special events. Contact us today to start planning your holiday celebrations.

• Mulan Asian Bistro East

4698 Spottswood, (609-8680)

• Mulan Asian Bistro Midtown

2149 Young, (347-3965)

• Mulan Asian Bistro Collierville

2059 Houston Levee, (850-5288)

Pueblo Viejo – Mexican Restaurant & Buffet

3750 Hacks Cross, (751-8896) • puebloviejorestaurantandbuffet.com

Let us host your holiday parties and special events. We have karaoke and DJs every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. We offer catering and event space.

Restaurant Iris / Second Line

Place your Iris order for the holidays — herb-brined chicken, $25 (serves 4); roasted honey duck, $35 (serves 4); and sides, which include fettuccine casserole (no veggies), stuffing with sage, sausage, and apples, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, apple cobbler, $20 each (serves 8-10). Book your holiday event for the main room or entire restaurant. Email pgilbert@chefkellyenglish.com for orders or reservations.

• Iris, Etc.

irisetc.com

• Second Line

2144 Monroe, (590-2829) • secondlinememphis.com

• Restaurant Iris

2146 Monroe, (590-2828) • restaurantiris.com

Soccer City 901

5560 Shelby Oaks Drive, (240-1415) • soccercity901.com

Soccer City 901 has you covered for all your holiday festivities. Play soccer in our indoor and outdoor soccer fields. Enjoy food and drinks throughout our spacious restaurant. Watch your favorite games on our many TVs. Our mission is to provide the No. 1 spot in the city where all communities come together to embrace sports, Latin culture, and quality time with their families and friends.

The Guest House at Graceland

3600 Elvis Presley • guesthousegraceland.com

2019 Thanksgiving Day Buffet at Delta’s Kitchen

Celebrate with friends and family and enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving Day feast with all the favorite trimmings at The Guest House at Graceland.We look forward to celebrating Thanksgiving with you and your loved ones!

To make reservations, please call (901) 443-3000.

The Vault

124 GE Patterson, (591-8000) • vaultmemphis.com

Give us a call to plan your holiday party needs. We have an upstairs space available that will hold up to 70 people. We can create a menu for you, or you can choose items off our menu. Happy holidays!

Young Avenue Deli

2119 Young, (278-0034) • youngavenuedeli.com

Pick Young Avenue Deli for your holiday parties this season! We have pool tables, games, and great food, and we can accommodate large groups — we will rent out the entire restaurant. Please email tessa@youngavenuedeli.com for details.

Categories
Cover Feature News

Burger Time! Taste-Testing 10 Great Memphis Burgers

Did you have a hamburger on the Fourth of July? Of course you did. You’re no dummy. Maybe it was a little burnt from the grill. Piled dangerously high with all the fixings. Maybe, just maybe, you broke out the mayochup.

That’s the thing about burgers. You can enhance them to Kim Kardashian-like proportions or just keep it as simple as the classic patty, pickle, onion, tomato, lettuce, bun. It’s all good.

We love a good hamburger, no matter how they’re made or what’s on them. So, in this, Burger Week, we’ve turned our eye toward some fine examples of restaurants taking the humble burger and turning it up to 11. Ever think to yourself that what this burger is missing is an onion ring? No worries here. We’ve got you covered. Think an egg-topped burger is everything? Don’t fret. It’s in there. Like your burger good and greasy? Well, sure, who doesn’t? It’s there, too.

For Burger Week, happening now through July 16th, some 26 restaurants are offering their chosen burger for the low low price of $5.99. Now that’s a deal you just can’t pass up. Let us know what you ate with the social tag #FlyerBurgerWeek.

Slider Inn

Flat Iron at Slider Inn

What’s the difference between a slider and a burger? A slider is a type of burger defined by its bun size. The term was originally applied to White Castle’s small burger with caramelized onions served on steamed buns. But in the last few years, “slider” has proven to be as elastic a word as “burger.”

You can get a classic American meal of three sliders and fries at Slider Inn, but they also sell a variety of exotic sliders, from a falafel to a jerk pork version. The buffalo chicken version is a personal favorite, and the Big Deuce will satisfy the hardiest appetite, but without a doubt the most extreme burger on the menu is the Flat Iron.

It begins with a chunk of steak that overflows the confines of the slider bun, covered in melted cheese and topped with the sautéed onions that were one of the original slider signifiers and crispy onion straws. Roasted red bell peppers round out the toppings, and horseradish aioli, a tasty nod to steak culture, serves as a condiment.

The meat is a little more al dente than ground beef, but the flavor is juicy and immensely satisfying. The two different kinds of onions work in delicious tandem, and the peppers add a little extra smoky sweetness. The Flat Iron is a burger that punches way above its weight.

— Chris McCoy

Slider Inn, 2117 Peabody, 725-1155

The Bluff

Babineaux at
The Bluff

The Bluff, a popular Cajun-themed bistro on the Highland strip near the University of Memphis, is divided essentially into several separate but connected spaces — outdoor patios, a sports-bar entry space with seven screens to keep you interested as you sip and munch, and an interior dining-room area with a stage for live entertainment.

Burgers are a major component of the sports-bar menu, and the Babineaux is one of several specialty burgers offered there. It requires some big bites to take it all in. It’s a pile. Compressed between its top and bottom buns are: a thick fried onion ring, a layer of more onion pieces (raw), generous pieces of lettuce, a hefty slice of tomato, bacon strips, and homemade remoulade sauce — all of this in the service of a thick half-pound hunk of burger, topped with melted pepper jack and cooked to your pleasure. Served with fries as a side. Add mustard or ketchup as thou wilt, and open wide.

It’s a lot for $12, especially considering that those jumbo-sized patties are hand-shaped from fresh meat delivered fresh daily from local sources. Nothing assembly-made here!

— Jackson Baker

The Bluff, 535 S. Highland, 454-7771

Farm Burger

No. 2 Vegan Burger at Farm Burger

Nestled in the heart of Crosstown Concourse, near the famous winding red stairs leading to Crosstown Arts, is one of my favorite burger joints in town. (And if we’re being honest, I’m something of a hamburger fanatic. I get misty-eyed thinking about the steamed hammy from the long-gone Three Angels Diner, and I celebrate the Flyer‘s Burger Week like it’s a national holiday.) I’ve been eating my way through Farm Burger’s delicious menu since they opened, and this cover story gave me the perfect excuse to check another of their burgers off my list.

Though I’m not a vegetarian, my love for burgers is big enough to include room for the occasional beefless version. And what’s more extreme than a burger without a hint of meat? Farm Burger’s No. 2 Vegan Burger boasts a gluten-free patty made of kale, quinoa, cremini mushrooms, sweet potato, caramelized onions, and a veritable smorgasbord of spices. Topped with cucumber salad and garlic-lemon tahini dressing, this mouth-watering slice of plant-based deliciousness is equal parts spicy veggie pattie and cool, crisp salad on top. As an added bonus, Crosstown’s schedule is so jam-packed with fun events that diners at Farm Burger might have the unexpected pleasure of being serenaded by big-band jazz while they eat, as I was. Thanks, Memphis Jazz Workshop.

— Jesse Davis

Farm Burger, 1350 Concourse in Crosstown Concourse, 800-1851

TJ Mulligans

Barbecue Burger at TJ Mulligan’s

There’s a lot going on in this concoction, most of it good. First, there’s the base, a seven-ounce slab of grilled ground beef. Plenty of meat, right? Nope. TJ’s steps it up by topping the beef patty with a pile of slow-smoked pulled pork. What? Yes. And there’s more! Like, jalapeño cream cheese, coleslaw, and a tangy barbecue sauce. That ought to do it, you’d think. But noooo. For good measure, they top this baby with crispy onion straws. It’s a crazy mix of textures and savory flavors battling it out in your mouth. Somehow it all works beautifully. But, fair warning: It’s huge, and you’re probably going to want to split this bad boy with somebody.

— Bruce VanWyngarden

TJ Mulligan’s, 1817 Kirby Pkwy, 755-2481

Hopdoddy

Breakfast Burger at Hopdoddy

If Scrubs taught me about one thing, it’s the unsurpassable satisfaction of brinner (in case you live under a rock, that’s breakfast for dinner). I can’t handle a big morning meal. Sausage is a bit heavy, bacon a tad greasy, pancakes too sweet, and biscuits? Instant nap time. Altogether, certain detriments to my get-up-and-go.

While I love brinner, I’ll admit, I was hesitant to order Hopdoddy’s Breakfast Burger. Its hefty patty is a combination of ground sausage, smoked ham, and beef — definitely not what you envision when readying to dive into a big, juicy burger. Would it be too sausage-y? Ground ham? But let me tell you, this thing is pretty darn good.

That interesting combo-meat-grind was spiced just right. And things got better from there, with super melty American cheese, herbed mayo, a scrambled egg patty (no runny yolk here), a couple strips of crisp bacon, and, in lieu of hash browns, a stack of crunchy “potato hay,” which is just a fancy term for fried shoestring potatoes. It’s all the fixings for the best of breakfast plates, but all piled nicely on a soft, fresh-baked bun. Surprisingly, 10/10: would order again.

— Shara Clark

Hopdoddy Burger Bar, 2-6 S. Cooper and 4584 Poplar, 654-5100 and 683-0700

Mortimer’s Restaurant

Oyster Rockefeller Burger at Mortimer’s Restaurant

The Oyster Rockefeller Burger at Mortimer’s began as a “pregnancy craving” by the restaurant’s owner Christopher Jamieson’s wife, Ashley.

The burger consists of an eight-ounce hamburger patty, four fried oysters, jack cheese, and spinach artichoke dip made of sautéed spinach, artichokes, cheddar, and cream cheese.

“I was sitting at home and I was pregnant with our first son, McCall,” Ashley says. “I was craving oyster Rockefeller. And you can’t eat oysters when you’re pregnant.”

She tried to think of a way to get that taste of the famous appetizer without the oysters. She called Christopher and said, “Bring a burger with spinach and cheese.” But she told him to leave off the oysters.

Ashley loved the result. She told Christopher, “We have to add the fried oysters. This is going to taste like oyster Rockefeller.”

“I knew it was going to be fantastic,” she says.

“We sell a ton of burgers and we sell a ton of oysters,” Christopher says. “This is a way we could put the two together. Kind of a no-brainer.”

Christopher originally listed the Oyster Rockefeller burger as a blackboard special. He added it to the menu — permanently — six months later.

McCall, is 4 years old. “So, the oyster burger is as old as he is,” Ashley says.

— Michael Donahue

Mortimer’s Restaurant, 590 N. Perkins, 761-9321

Dixie Queen

Cheeseburger at Dixie Queen

Where’s a good burger? I ask my kids. “Five Guys,” they say. “No,” I say, done that. Josh says, “Okay, I go to the Dixie Queen near where I live in Cordova, and when they hand you that brown paper bag with grease spots all over, you know it’s going to be good.” There’s around a dozen of the no-frills joints around town, so, I go to the one on Summer Avenue next to what used to be the Paris Adult Theatre (we shall now respectfully call it the Luciann), and order the single cheeseburger, with everything, regular fries, and, help me Lord, a chocolate shake. Emerging from the window was a brown paper bag with grease spots all over and a cheery “You have a blessed day.” The burger was mashed at the bottom of the bag, crinkle fries dumped on top (the wife disapproves as that indicates “frozen” and they were, in fact, not memorable). It was a thinnish patty with gobs of mayo. Some tomato slices and lettuce bits were, I reckon, not fresh from the garden. No matter. It was sloppy and tasty and required every last one of the napkins layered on top of the bag. Get a double or triple if the patty size isn’t to your liking. Don’t expect your doctor to approve.

— Jon W. Sparks

Dixie Queen, 2442 Summer, 567-4701

Mojo Cafe

Byron Donut Burger at Mojo Cafe

I’m kind of a burger snob. I like it plain and simple — just good meat between a bun. So when I ordered the Byron Donut Burger from Mojo Cafe, I was a little wary.

Still, because I adore burgers, and donuts were my first love, I was hopeful about the journey my taste buds would soon embark on.

As the name suggests, this baby is served on a warm glazed donut. The sweet aroma of the donut caught my attention first. Before biting into the work of art in front of me, I paused to admire the craftsmanship of the sliced donut, buttered and toasted to perfection. An egg fried over-hard, melted cheese, six ounces of beef, and slices of candied bacon sit between it.

The donut might seem like the star of the show, but the ground chuck patty, seasoned with care like a burger from your mom’s kitchen, is the real MVP. It doesn’t matter what accoutrements are on a burger, it won’t rise to the occasion if the beef doesn’t. Mojo’s did.

Mojo bills itself as the “Burger and Sammie Joint where we make the best burger and Sammies you’ve ever had,” and I might have never heard a truer statement.

The donut burger is only sold on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

— Maya Smith

Mojo Cafe, 7124 US Highway 64,
207-6041

LBOE

The Grizz at LBOE

The Grizz at LBOE is the monster truck of Memphis burgers.

It’s bulked up with double everything — double beef patties, double portions of hardwood smoked bacon, and double cheese (yellow and white American). The whole thing is Memphis-ized with a tasteful drizzle of barbecue sauce. It’s all dressed out with lettuce, tomato, and pickles.

And, yeah, it is a whole thing. At $14.95, The Grizz is the single most expensive item on the LBOE menu. Its enormity was apparent even as the waitress was carrying it from the kitchen. Its size was enough to raise a few eyebrows from fellow diners. I could swear I heard a low thud as she sat the burger on the table.

How on earth was I going to eat this thing? I decided it wasn’t going to be a polite affair, so I simply dove in and did the best I could. You know how your head shakes when you’re trying to take too big of a bite? Yep. And I came away with sauce and all that other burgery goodness all over me.

The taste is all-American. It ain’t flashy, but it’s everything you think a proper burger should be. Neither sleek nor subtle, The Grizz is a bonafide, badass hunger crusher.

— Toby Sells

LBOE, 2021 Madison, 725-0770

Second Line

The Cheeseburger at Second Line

Anyone ordering a burger at The Second Line by Kelly English should already know it will be out of the ordinary. For one thing, it’s not a burger joint, but one of the city’s best purveyors of New Orleans cuisine. For another, it’s run by a chef who’s been celebrated by Food & Wine magazine. Finally, the menu notes that this burger is served “Cooter Brown style.”

“It’s named after Cooter Brown’s Bar in New Orleans,” Second Line team member Christopher Williams tells me. “It’s an homage to their burger. So it’s got beef patties set side by side on our po’ boy bread, a little Creole seasoning, salt, pepper, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, and mayonaisse.”

But there’s an echo of a Memphis mainstay in this burger as well. “It has to meet the standard of the Tops cheeseburger,” Williams says. “Kelly was once asked, if he was gonna leave something for Santa Claus, what would it be? And he said a Tops cheeseburger.”

Indeed, this gem of a burger captures much of that no-nonsense goodness, which, it turns out, perfectly complements the earthy po’ boy qualities of its Crescent City references. With a side of Second Line’s epic battered onion rings, it makes for a wholly unique burger epiphany.

— Alex Greene

Second Line, 2144 Monroe, 590-2829

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

Doubling Down: Two-ingredient Drinks for Every Occasion

CREDIT: Oleg Magurenco | Dreamstime

I’m 10 days into a three-week kitchen renovation, and boy, do I need a drink!

The dog’s nerves are frayed from all the people coming and going, and my nerves are shot from making sure he doesn’t get out the front door while all the people are coming and going. My throat feels constantly parched from the thick dust that’s hung in the air after demolition. Life is upside down — I can’t find a clean coffee cup, let alone a jigger or my cocktail shaker. And last weekend, my mom came to town for a four-day visit.

We ate all our meals out, enjoying tart gin gimlets at Second Line and pouring our own glasses of “chicken wine” — La Vieille Ferme — straight from the box during a boisterous dinner with friends at Arepas Deliciosas. At the Crosstown Concourse opening, we sipped pinot grigio as we took in the crowds. Then we’d come home, inspect the kitchen progress, and vacuum the living room before sitting down for a few rounds of Rummikub. Inevitably, we’d both want one more glass of something before bed.

Apologies to my mother, but we made do with vodka-tonics, sans even a slice of lime. My fault entirely, but the countertops, kitchen sink, and my knife drawer disappeared a day earlier than I expected. We used our fingers to stir our glasses, mercifully filled with ice from the refrigerator now parked in the middle of my dining room. The dining room table, in case you wondered, is now in the living room, blocking a bookcase. The day she left, the tonic ran out, and I moved on to the exotic bottle of A’ Siciliana, or Limonata di Sicilia, which some blessed soul had left in the fridge. It was an outstanding mixer while it lasted.

Now, I’ve turned to the internet, desperate for easy drinks that require no garnishes, tools, or frills. My go-to, gin and tonic, is out, because I refuse to use bottled lime juice, and I have no idea where my cutting boards are. Because of my mold allergies, I can’t drink wine as often as I’d like. To my astonishment, I’ve found a number of two-ingredient cocktails that fit the bill for a kitchenless house.

Oleg Magurenco | Dreamstime

First, there’s the Paloma, which is made with equal parts tequila and grapefruit-flavored soda. No need to even measure properly — I just eyeballed my glass as I poured in a few fingers of El Jimador over ice, then topped it with an equal-ish amount of Toronja Jarritos, purchased at the corner store.

Continuing the grapefruit theme, I’ve also been enjoying an old standby: the Greyhound, or, as I like to call it, “a Salty Dog without the salt.” Truthfully, this is best drunk in a rocks glass, but my cocktail glasses are in a box somewhere, so I rinsed out my coffee cup and used it instead. All I needed for a Greyhound was ice, a little vodka, and a lot of grapefruit juice. Inspired by a photograph I saw on the lifestyle website MyDomaine, I even added a sprig of rosemary, pulled off a bush in my front yard.

One night last week, I picked up a can of Coca-Cola (a rarity in this house) so I could enjoy a Kalimotxo, a red wine-based drink I’ve mentioned here before. It turns out that the secret to a good Kalimotxo, if you’re in the midst of a disruptive home project, is to use a bottle of screwtop wine, no particular vintage required.

During a trip to Fresh Market to stock up on deli items, I was inspired to buy a few bottles of ginger beer. Afterward, I enjoyed a run of Dark and Stormies, made with Goslings Black Seal rum, which, truthfully, were not as good as they could’ve been since they were missing the fresh lime. Once the ginger beer ran out, I turned to rum and Coke.

Mercifully, the end of this insanity is in sight, and by Labor Day, I hope to be unpacking. Soon, I’ll be able to have fresh lime wedges anytime I want, and I’ll be able to easily put my hands on a highball glass, a shot glass, or any of the bar accoutrements I’ve come to depend on. My first drink will be accompanied by a toast to the workers who demolished and (hopefully!) rebuilt this hodgepodge kitchen space — and my second will be drunk with a promise to never take such luxuries for granted again.

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

Mardi Gras in Memphis

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

The first American Mardi Gras was celebrated in 1703 in what is now Mobile. The first krewe was the Masque de la Mobile. By 1718, New Orleans was a thing, and by the ’30s (the 1730s), they were doing Mardi Gras too. With a vengeance. In 1875, Louisiana Governor Henry Warmoth signed the Mardi Gras Act, designating Fat Tuesday as a legal holiday.

Somewhere in there the first pot of gumbo was made, and by the Great Depression, the Martin brothers threw some potatoes and roast beef gravy on French bread, and the first po’boys were served to New Orleans streetcar workers on strike.

Just as much as New Orleans is le centre Americain for all things Mardi Gras, its identity is also inseparable from its distinct cuisine.

Mardi Gras is just around the corner — Mardi, February 9th — and area restaurants are offering some traditional New Orleans dishes and signature drinks to save you the six- (or five or four-) hour trip. (And running around like an amateur.)

Chef Kelly English is synonymous with Louisiana in these parts — he’s a native — and if Mardi Gras means traditional New Orleans cuisine, it’s a party all year-round at his restaurant the Second Line. His menu of po’boys, including the O.G., short for original gangsta, short for the Martin brothers concoction of French fries and gravy; chicken and andouille gumbo; and barbecue shrimp will make you think you need to cross the neutral ground to go make some groceries.

For the big holiday, English will be offering drink specials as well as a bread pudding baby lottery, meaning one dish of bread pudding will have a king cake baby, and the lucky diner will receive dinner for two.

The Second Line, 2144 Monroe, 590-2829

Justin Fox Burks

Owen Brennan’s

Owen Brennan’s was one of Memphis’ original New Orleans ambassadors, taking home Best of trophies year after year. They’ll be Mardi Gras-ing it up this year with a celebratory menu of $5 small plates and drink specials. Their holiday menu will offer crawfish beignets with crawfish tails, andouille sausage, and tasso ham fried in a beignet and served with sriracha tartar sauce; Cajun calamari served with agrodolce and remoulade sauces; king cake; hurricanes; Mardi Gras Ritas; and Mardi Gras Mosas. They’ll also turn it up a notch with jazz music and a bead throw from the indoor balcony.

Owen Brennan’s Restaurant, 6150 Poplar, 761-0990

Lafayette’s is the new old kid on the block. After 38 years of shuttered windows, the Midtown music fixture reopened with a balcony that models those characteristic of the Big Easy. This week, from Monday, February 8th through Saturday, February 13th, chef Jody Moyt will serve up Carnival food specials such as red beans and rice for $4 a cup; muffalettas for $12 served on authentic Gambino bread shipped in from NOLA with mortadella, salami, homemade olive relish, and roasted red peppers; and king cake, either by the slice or whole — yes, the whole ones will have babies. “We’re the Mardi Gras spot in Overton Square. We’ve got the double-decker balcony out front and a mezzanine inside. We’ll have a horn band that will get a train going through the restaurant. It will be a big party. We’ll be as close to Mardi Gras as you can get without going down South,” Moyt says.

Lafayette’s Music Room, 2119 Madison, 207-5097

Chef Max Hussey at eighty3 Food & Drink at the Madison Hotel downtown says he loves Cajun cuisine and has been recognized with several awards for his gumbo. The New Orleans cuisine enthusiast added a Mardi Gras special to his menu for a limited time. For $15, revellers can get a crawfish po’boy and a cup of traditional New Orleans-style gumbo, made with clam and seafood stock, crawfish, shrimp, okra, scallops, lobster, rice, and creole seasonings. The special menu will run from Friday, February 5th to Tuesday, February 9th.

eighty3 Food & Drink, 83 Madison, 333-1224

It’s pretty much always Fat Tuesday at the Bayou. “Our menu is already suited for it,” owner Bill Baker says. This year on the big day they’ll have a crawfish boil as well as king cake, and the New Orleans-inspirited Mighty Souls Brass Band will carry you away to Frenchmen on their tuba, trombone, sax, et al. “It will start to pick up mid-afternoon, and by evening it will get crazy. We’ll have a bunch of beads. Beads will get thrown. Laissez le bon temps roulez,” Baker says.

The Bayou, 2094 Madison, 278-8626

Categories
Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Guess Where I’m Eating Contest 86

A two-parter this week … 

Do you know where this guy is hanging out? 

What about these gentlemen? 

The first person to correctly ID BOTH restaurants wins a fabulous prize. 

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

The answer to GWIE 85 is the Chubby Vegetarian at the Second Line, and the winner is … Anthony Trimboli!

Categories
Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

The Second Line’s Natchitoches Meat Pies

I was told that I had to try Second Line‘s Natchitoches meat pies ($10). The crust is crunchy, a bit salty. Inside, the meat is very flavorful and spicy. I was surprised to see that they looked similar to empanadas. I was expecting them to be circular or square-shaped like a knish. Overall the meat pies are very well put together. I loved that they weren’t messy to eat and held together nicely.

Intrigue set in once I saw that the pies were placed on top of some white sauce. I asked the waitress what it was and she explained that it was basically a creamy buttermilk sauce. To me it was like a ten times better version of ranch dressing. It was fantastic and I kept going back to it. The sauce gave the meat pies a very different taste and took some of the heat away from all the spices. I started imagining how even more amazing the meat pies would be if the sauce were cooked inside of each one! I would have loved to have one more on the plate!