Memphis Eating

[et alors]

I'm in memphis for a non-food conference with some serious eaters, if you know what I mean. The last thread I could find was 2007, so I figured it would be worth a shout-out to find out if anyone has recommendations. We hit the Rendezvous already, across form our hotel (the Peabody, downtown). walking distance is preferred, but we will find our way further out for something special (Interstate, I heard, was worth a journey).

We will eat in the scariest dive, or pony up for the swankiest, as long as the eating is good.

Little help?

[et alors]

don't make me answer my own thread

rendezvous: arrived off hours, when all you could have is ribs, beans and coleslaw. let's say I wasn't disappointed-- great rub, occasional dry (pork) ribs but over all very good. Very good beans (I'm still looking for someone who smokes them, though.) Very spicy different coleslaw. Great atmosphere, great service-- not a heartbreaker but certainly not a life changing event. Merely very good.

Blue Plate for breakfast. good, again not amazing. recommend biscuits and gravy which I stole form a neighbor, not the gits and eggs, which I had.

Huey's.. i think someone didn't show up that day, because our waiter was running hard. Bad onion rings, so-so cheese fries, and a rare burger that was steak tartar on gorgeous grilled bread. Normally tartar is my idea of a good time, but I like a little black with my blue. Overall a giant eh.

[snehnevajsa]

don't make me answer my own thread

←

lol.

Yeah Rendezvous is a touristy spot. Check on OpenTable. McEwens is good. Cafe Society, Bari, and any of Karen Carrier's places (Do, Beauty Shop, Molly Fontaine's) are also good hits.

Cheers

[biskuit]

get over to Payne's on Lamar ASAP for lunch - order the sandwich.

another BBQ spot - Cozy Corner for cornish hen BBQ

another good idea - Gus' Fried Chicken downtown

[kayb]

Wish I'd seen this earlier; hope you're still in town. Harry's Detour, just off South Main on G.E. Patterson. Take your own wine. Felicia Suzanne's. I'd take Interstate barbecue over Payne's, but I concur with Cozy Corner cornish hen. Concur on Bari, too. Have heard Restaurant Iris is wonderful, but haven't been there yet. Raffe's Deli has great falafel and a marvelous selection of beer.

[kayb]

Oh, and Brother Juniper's, out near the Univ. of Memphis (Go Tigers!) for breakfast.

[biskuit]

Hit Payne's, Cozy Corner, and more over the past few days.

Payne's is still the greatest sandwich in the world IMHO (chopped pork, hot sauce, slaw). See some photos I took last time I was in town at http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=paynes&w=59833804%40N00

Cozy Corner was impressive, especially the rib tips and SLICED BEEF SANDWICH (WHAT??? that's not Memphis BBQ! but it's good).

Cozy Corner is an anomaly. One of the most heralded Memphis BBQ spots, but their style is totally atypical - sliced beef on a long seeded bun?? Cornish hen as the most famous item on the menu??? Crazy. But it's good. Real good.

It had been a couple years since my last visit, so I was looking forward to sampling a good bit of the menu. We got the cornish hen, sliced beef sandwich, rib tips, chicken, and plenty of sides - bean, slaw, spaghetti, sweet potato pie. All good. My dad, who doesn't eat pork, yet loves trying to skirt that at local BBQ spots, declared this his favorite beef BBQ sandwich ever. It was deeep, dark, smoky and rich. Fabulous.

Rib tips were awesome. So meaty and just the right amount of fat. Smoky, crisp bark, tender meat. Love it. The famous cornish hen was actually a bit dry, and probably our least favorite item on this outing.

Photos at http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=59833804@N...y+corner&m=text

Also hit Quick Chek for some good sandwiches, though they were out of muffaletta bread, which was what I was hoping for. And Blue Plate for breakfast, solid but far from spectacular. OK if you're in the neighborhood.

Edited April 10, 2009 by biskuit (log)