Tsunami News Update: Pau Hana Happy Hour, New Restaurant On The Way

Published September 25, 2017 on The I Love Memphis Blog

Ed. Note: Tsunami in Cooper Young – with Ben Smith and Colleen Couch-Smith at the helm – is a stalwart and a gem of the Memphis restaurant scene. I’ve always thought of Tsunami as a fancy dinner kind of place but contributor Stacey has some big news: Tsunami is (and has been) open for your casual, happy hour, cocktail-appreciating business, and there’s a new concept coming in the space next door. All photos by Colleen Couch-Smith, used with permission.

Want to sample Ben Smith’s menu for his new restaurant concept? Then keep reading…

Chef Ben and his wife, Colleen Couch-Smith, purchased the building that has housed Tsunami for the last twenty years at the end of 2016. With that came a wave of renovations, upgrades, a new happy hour menu and plans to launch a more casual concept in the south dining room in 2018. (Similar to Sweet Grass & Sweet Grass Next Door.)

Let’s start with the renovations and upgrades.

Colleen, who has played many roles at the restaurant from bookkeeper to general manager, spent the last couple of years working in the construction business with Sponseller & McGary. This gave her the confidence and experience to tackle most of the refresh and structural changes herself.

“We didn’t want anything tremendous or outrageous. The idea was to complement the existing décor and stay true to building. We’ve been in business for twenty years because people are comfortable here and I definitely didn’t want to change that,” she says.

Colleen overhauled the paint scheme, completely tore out the ceiling in the main dining room, addressed air conditioning issues, replaced the track lighting and fans, and redid the bar so that it looks like they are “selling alcohol rather than glassware.” You can see Colleen’s more artistic side with the new handmade wallpaper she created for the bathrooms and as accents in the main dining room. Finally, she reupholstered the bar stools and banquet.

[I feel like I should point out that the badass bar tops, counter tops in the bathrooms, and several of the paper installations were also made by Colleen over the years.]

Now, about that new happy hour menu.

Launched in June, it’s technically called Pau Hana, which is Hawaiian for “quit workin’ and treat yo’ self.” Each week, the menu features two new dishes and a special cocktail. The Pau Hana menu is available at the bar Monday-Friday, from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

So, what kind of food are we talkin’ about?

“Things that have been rattling around in my head for ages that didn’t feel like the right fit for Tsunami,” explains Ben. Pau Hana has given him an opportunity to go further out on a limb, beyond what he’s been doing, and more towards the food he loves to eat.

Ben says he’s been getting homesick for Hawaii, where he lived from ’91-’94. As a result, Pau Hana has featured items like rice vermicelli bowls with shrimp and spicy coconut sauce, spam musubi, shrimp toast, and tuna poke.

Creating two new dishes each week and getting feedback from customers has been a good sounding board. “It’s basically menu testing for our new concept,” says Ben.

New concept? Tell us more…

Colleen explains, “Pau Hana is bridging the gap between what we are now and what we will be in a few months. It’s highlighting the food Ben will serve in tbe new space.” She envisions seating for small groups, a loft with a larger table, and a four seat sake bar. “Definitely no white tablecloths,” she says.

The new space has a name, but it’s a secret for now. Ben says it will be about the vibe and variety and the fact that it’s spontaneous and seasonal and can change with his whims. “It’s the difference between giving people what they want versus what I want. I need to get back to a place of creativity and challenge people’s palates with more vibrant flavors.”

Ben wants to see tables of people sharing food “like in every other culture in the world.” He wants his customers to taste the full spectrum of flavor at every meal. “Ideally we hit all the points on the palate and people leave without being too full or feeling like they spent too much.”

Sounds good to me!

The happy hour small plates are in the $6 – $8 range and the daily cocktail is $8, plus they offer wines by the glass for $6 and beer for $5.

Tsunami is open for dinner Monday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. They offer the Pau Hana Happy Hour menu from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Go There:

Tsunami
928 S. Cooper
Memphis, Tennessee 38104

tsunamimemphis.com

Kunal’s Indian Pizza Pop Up At The Cove

Published August 10, 2017 on the I Love Memphis Blog

Ed. Note: On Sunday October 15th, the Cove again hosts Kunal’s Indian Pizza Pop-Up restaurant from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. featuring (probably, or at least something similar to) pizzas, nachos, and salads inspired by traditional Indian cooking. Read more about the October event here. Stacey sits down with the mastermind behind this mouthwatering menu, Kunal Jadhav, for more info.

Updated! This post has been updated to include the October 15 date.

The Cove’s regulars had gotten pretty used to having fun Sunday pop-ups, so when Lucky Cat moved on to a more permanent space, one regular decided to fill the gap himself. However, there was one condition: He wanted all of the money to go to charity.

Meet Kunal Jadhav, a 41 year old FedEx employee. Originally from India, he comes from a household that reveres food. “I grew up with stories of my grandmother and mother dining in the halls of royal maharajas and handwritten cookbooks are still used by my family. I began cooking at a very young age when I could barely reach the stove,” he says.

He’s on a mission to make Indian food more approachable. He’d been experimenting with Indian inspired pizzas and sliders and brought some to The Cove to share with friends. (He’s been a regular for several years.)

Then Mary Tanner, the owner, made Kunal an offer he couldn’t refuse. “She offered the restaurant to me on Sundays to run a pop-up supporting animal rescue groups.”

Kunal has two shelter dogs, Ozzie and Lucy, and says they are the most important beings in his life. “I visited several shelters and saw the dire need that exists in this City. I felt it was about time I made the shift from empathy to action. I decided to combine my two passions in life–food and dogs–and give back to my community,” he explains.

On Sunday, October 15 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Kunal will be a part of the “Peg-legs and Pets” benefit at The Cove, which benefits the West Memphis Animal Shelter. Read more.

While the menu may be different than what’s been featured in teh past, below you’ll get an idea of his Indian fusion cuisine.

For Kunal’s first pop up, he served Indian inspired pizzas and nachos, which were $10 each. The Butter Chicken Pizza has smoked Tandoori chicken, creamy tomato & cashew sauce, Mozarella, feta, and a little cilantro. (Trust me, you’ll want to put the creamy tomato & cashew sauce on EVERYTHING.)

There’s also a tasty option for vegetarians. The Saag Paneer Pizza has Kunal’s homemade Indian ricotta cheese and goat cheese in a spiced spinach sauce. (Pro tip for non-vegetarians: ask him to add the smoked Tandoori chicken to this.)

Attention nacho lovers: Everything that goes on the pizzas can just as easily be served on crispy kettle chips.

And you definitely do not want to let summer end without trying the watermelon salad, which is priced at a ridiculously low $5. The recipe comes from Bounty on Broad. In addition to juicy watermelon, the salad includes deseeded jalapeno, crumbled goat cheese, thinly sliced radish, fresh basil, and…wait for it…little slivers of bacon. (Here, let me wipe the drool off of your chin.)

Kunal is committed to doing these Indian Pizza Pop Ups once a month on a Sunday for the next six months. In that time, he hopes to support and fundraise for the rescue groups that need help the most. (Ed. Note: I’ll try to update this post with new dates as we know them.)

He couldn’t do any of this without his team–The Cove’s Michael Kuntsman and Liya Morris are a big help in prepping and cooking the dishes. He also has volunteers who help expedite, clean up and take orders.

So come on down to the Cove on Sunday. Place your food order at the volunteer table and get your drinks like you always do from Parks at the bar.

Go There:

Kunal’s Indian Pizza Pop Up
The Cove (2559 Broad Ave.)
Sunday, october 15, 2017
4 p.m. – 8 p.m.

A Day at the Park

Published July 2017 in Edible Memphis

I have purposely lived within a mile of Overton Park for most of my adult life. In college, I was a frequent visitor to the (then car-free) Greensward, where it was common for folks to let their pups run free, chase balls, and take dips in Rainbow Lake. After getting married to a wilderness man, I added regular hiking in the Old Forest trails. After kids, we added in an hour on the playground.

Back in the day, Overton Park was considered a little sketchy. These days, thanks in part to the efforts of Citizens to Preserve Overton Park (CPOP), the Overton Park Conservancy (OPC), and the Levitt Shell, Overton Park is beloved by many. In fact, there’s so much to do now, you’d be hard-pressed to do it all in a single day. Here I share some suggestions on how to enjoy the park from dusk til dawn without breaking the bank.

Get Moving

Go for a run or a walk. I love starting the day — like before the sun comes up — in the park. My running group, the Running Republic, meets at the Abe Goodman Golf House on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 am for an easy, four-mile run. There are plenty of other people running, walking, strolling with their pups, or otherwise getting in a workout. However, the park is still fairly empty and it’s lovely to experience it this way.

Refuel

Have breakfast or lunch at Café Brooks by Paradox inside the Brooks Museum. The Café is in the former gift shop spot, and you don’t have to pay admission to dine there. They have a brightly lit, colorful space that opens up to the lobby. I like dining in, but you could also grab something to go and picnic in the Shell. The menu changes often, but they have an extensive selection of coffee, pastries, soups, sandwiches, and salads. On my most recent visit, I tried the Melon Salad (mixed greens, compressed melon, baked brie, and a broken vinaigrette) as well as the Sushi Bowl (sushi rice, avocado, nori, raw tuna, cucumber, peanuts and pickled melon). But I was also very, very jealous of my companion’s Grown Up Grilled Cheese featuring Benton’s bacon, roasted tomatoes, aged cheddar, pimento cheese, and caramelized onions.

Get Cultured

The Brooks Museum is well worth the $7 admission fee, though you can it enjoy for free (or by donation) on Wednesdays. Or, do it right and just buy a membership. The Brooks Outside program is also something you can enjoy without spending a penny. Remember the giant red ball? The inflatable bunnies? How about that awesome tape art? Stop by to see if they’ve got anything cooking. While you’re at it, pop into the College of Art to see the student art on display.

Refresh

Enjoy a beer on the Golf House patio. Café Brooks has local beer on tap, but my favorite place to have a beer in the park is at the Golf House. They have a great selection of canned beers (local and regional included), and they are only $2.50 each — no matter the flavor. Plus, the Golf House has an amazing patio. It’s the perfect place to sit and people watch. It’s also another option for dining al fresco, as long as you bring your own food.

Pro tip: the Golf House has the cleanest, nicest public restrooms in the park.

Ride a Bike

I definitely recommend not driving to the park — the less cars there, the better. If you don’t have a bike, don’t worry, the Golf House has a fleet of grown up trikes that are only $5 an hour to rent and just happen to be perfect for exploring the Old Forest roads (which are closed to traffic). This is an especially shady spot to escape the summer heat. Hop on and go get your photo taken at each one of the gates that have been installed by local artists Tyler French, Yvonne Bobo, and Ben Butler.

Hike the Trails

If you really want relief from the summer sun, hit the trails. The best thing about the Old Forest is that it’s usually several degrees cooler than the outside world. Download (or use your phone to look at) the Old Forest map on OPC’s website http://trails.overtonpark.org). A map is also posted over by the red playground on the East Parkway side, if you just want to snap a picture of it. Don’t worry if you get turned around, it’s pretty hard to get lost forever on the trails, even if you really want to.

Pro tip: OPC’s website also has field guides to plants and birds if that’s your thing.

Enjoy the Greensward

Don’t let the overflow Zoo parking deter you from taking up your fair share of this lovely open green space. (Do let it piss you off though!) Take a blanket and just enjoy the day, kick a soccer ball, throw a Frisbee, eat a pop from the MemPops truck — you get the idea. Stay as long as you like, and maybe even watch the sun set.

Spend the Night & Step Up

Okay, not the whole night, but chances are there’s something special going on in the evening. Check the Levitt Shell’s page for information on their free summer and fall concert series. (Shows are typically Thursday through Sunday.) On Wednesdays, you can sometimes find live music at the Golf House. The Brooks Museum also has excellent evening programming, typically on Wednesdays. The Overton Park Farmer’s Market takes place Thursdays from 3–7 pm under the East Parkway pavilion. The College of Art sometimes hosts art openings on Fridays and there are special markets throughout the year.

Being active involves more than just enjoying. Invite a friend (especially one who has never seen what Overton Park has to offer). Make a donation to CPOP. Become an OPC member. Volunteer.

See what I mean about fitting it all in? Once you’ve experienced all (or some!) of what the park has to offer, make plans to go back.

The Other Pancho

Published July 2017 in EDible Memphis

Jose “Pancho” Leon is kind of a big deal in Venezuela.

Pancho’s Venezuelan-based company, Catatumbo Flavors, has forty different offerings — from hot sauce to chutney. He’s launching three of his favorite hot sauces locally under the brand “PicaPancho” thanks to the help of Delta Cuisine’s Commercial Kitchen and Food Incubator just across the bridge in West Memphis.

A couple of friends and I were recently invited to join Pancho and his extended family for Sunday dinner at his daughter, Sylvia’s, house in Cordova. Since he doesn’t speak English, Sylvia and her brother, Jose, served as interpreters.

Everyone was busy in the kitchen when we arrived. The grill was fired up and there were mango daiquiris ready to be put in the blender.

Pancho learned to cook from his mother when he was just nine years old, and does all of the cooking for his family. The first thing he remembers cooking is bistek (beef steak) with onions. I’ve known Pancho and his family for awhile now, and no menu is complete without lots and lots of meat!

Jose explains, “The city we grew up in is Maracaibo, the capital of Zulia State — which is basically the Texas of Venezuela. It’s got oil, beef, and pretty women.”

It’s only natural that Pancho, now a graduate of Concasse (The Institute of Culinary Education) which afforded him the title of International Chef, would create a number of sauces to go along with all the meat that he cooks. He loves spicy sauce, and his first creation was a sriracha with yogurt. (Sriracha, which is a town in Thailand and the namesake of the well-known “rooster sauce,” has become synonymous with “hot sauce” around the world.)

For the yogurt, Pancho uses suero de leche, which is translated as buttermilk. Jose says suero is a cousin of yogurt. Since they lived in cow country, Pancho started making his own suero, and from there he created the sriracha with yogurt. Everyone loved it, so he started taking it to friends’ houses.

A most of these stories go, one day his wife, Sylvia, said, “Why not sell it?”

He’d been working in the advertising business, mainly with magazines and small newspapers. When the Venezuelan economy tanked, his wife suggested mass marketing the hot sauce. He’d read a story about Colonel Sanders starting Kentucky Fried Chicken at age 65 and then becoming a millionaire. Since he was only 63, he thought he had a good head start.

Pancho’s mother had passed away, so her now empty downstairs apartment became Catatumbo Flavors’ headquarters. (He and Sylvia live upstairs.) “The whole house smells like hot sauce, and you have to wear goggles,” explains Jose. “My mom, Sylvia, she actively helps my dad in the kitchen, so much so that she has lost her sense of smell.”

Pancho was no stranger to the food industry and Catatumbo Flavors was not his first rodeo. His very first job was selling Rena Ware pots. Then he sold chickens. In the 80s, Pancho ran a restaurant inside of a food fair (similar to a shopping mall’s food court) called Los Tizones (“Flaming Charcoal”) which specialized in, you guessed it, grilled meat. He did a good business for six years, but it was a lot of work. When the mall closed, he moved on to other things, namely an air conditioning business. Then he managed 500 coin operated animal machine rides, like you used to see outside of grocery stores.

Catatumbo Flavors, which now produces 10,000 cases of various sauces every month, has been his crowning achievement.

For our Sunday dinner, Pancho prepared pork tenderloin, chorizo sausages and punta (tri-tip) along with shrimp ceviche, plantains, yucca with guasacaca, and salad. (The salad was merely for show.) Best of all, we got to sample the three hot sauces that Pancho is planning to sell here in Memphis — PicaPancho’s Hot Roja, Sriracha, and Sriracha with Yogurt.

The Sriracha with yogurt was a real standout — unlike anything I’ve ever had. I started dipping my various meats in it and had a hard time stopping. I ate way more meat than I usually would, and even started pilfering from my friend’s plate.

We all agreed that the other Pancho in town better look out!

8 Memphis Summer Treats: Slushies, Boozy Shakes, Ice Cream, and More

Published June 26, 2017 on the I Love Memphis Blog

Ed. Note: It’s the I Love Memphis Summer Survival Guide Week! First up is this list of cold treats from around town (some boozy, some not) from contributor Stacey Greenberg.

It’s summer, it’s hot out, and it’s time to treat yo’self. We can all thank the Slider Inn’s Jameson slushie for opening our eyes to one of the best ways to cool off in this town. A couple of other bars have followed suit with their own boozy slushie machines, too.

I even have a way for you to make your own. And have no fear, this list also includes caffeinated cool-offs and non-boozy trendy frozen treats, too.

1. “Memphis AF” Slush
Jerry’s Sno Cone + Old Dominick Distillery’s Vodka

You know how necessity is the mother of invention? Well, the “Memphis AF” Slush is a prime example of this. If you don’t feel like drinking in public, you can make your own frozen delight and take it home or to someone’s front porch.

Grab a bottle of Old Dominick’s vodka—I like the Honeybell—and add it to a Jerry’s sno cone. I’ve tried cherry and lemon, but feel certain this works with just about any flavor. I wouldn’t get a supreme though, and don’t forget to ask for a lid and a straw. Let the sno cone melt while you drive to your final destination, then hollow out the middle a bit, and pour in a four-count of vodka. Voila!

2. Front Porch Sippers
The Front Porch

I didn’t have a front porch of my own…until now. The Front Porch pop up at Beale Street Landing has the best view of the river in town, and a sunset that is mighty hard to beat.

Front Porch Sippers come $8 a tumbler or $32 a pitcher and are the perfect accompaniment to the newly installed red rocking chairs all along the patio. They aren’t frozen, but they come in old fashioned metal tumblers and pitchers so they stay super cold.

Choose from a Boss Crump Collins, Hyter’s Lownote Hi-Ball, Manny’s Memphis Mule, and the Proud Mary Sangria. (On Saturday & Sunday there’s also a Peaches & Suitcase Brunch Punch.) Or don’t choose—try them all.

3. Diabla
Catherine & Mary’s

Bar manager and mixologist extraordinaire, Colby Jones, has taken frozen drinks to the next level with his creative use of flavored ice cubes. Fans of the Sweet Melissa from the fall menu should try the Diabla.

It’s a delicate cocktail consisting of vida mezcal, espolon blanco tequila, aperol, falernum, lime, and cilantro-serrano ice. Drink it nice and slow so that the spicy ice melts into the drink and slushifies it.

4. Frosé
Loflin Yard

Downtown’s big backyard bar just updated their cocktail list with lots of summery sensations, including my favorite, the Battle of the Greensward (Bulliet Bourbon, Drambuie, Mathilde Framboise, Laphroaig Whisky, Lemon oil).

In terms of frozen fun, they are catering to the wine drinkers right now. Try the Frozen Strawberry Rhubarb Rose available in the Coach House. There’s also a frozen whiskey lemonade and whiskey coke available.

5. Bushwacker
Railgarten

There is a lot going on over at Railgarten—ice cream parlor, diner, ping pong bar, tiki bar, outdoor music, a volleyball court, etc. Definitely give it all a try, but don’t miss the frozen offerings in the Ping Pong and Tiki bars.

They have rotating offerings including a frozen Moscow Mule, F’rose (a semi sweet lemony rose slushie), a frozen Chattanooga 1816 whiskey & coke, and a bushwacker. The Railgarten’s version of your favorite vacation drink, the bushwacker, is non dairy and made with almond milk, cocoa nub infused vodka, the above mentioned whiskey and French Truck coffee.

The ice cream parlor also has a wide selection of boozy milkshakes that can all be made vegan.

6. Booze Pops to Order
MemPops

What’s better than a MemPop? An alcoholic MemPop! Now that they have their catering license, MemPops can serve booze pops at special events—anything from the Levitt Shell to your backyard pool party.

Best of all, they are open to suggestion concerning combinations. Past successes include a bourbon maple bacon pop, a Moscow mule pop, a roasted peach and bourbon pop, and a pineapple coconut and rum pop.

They are currently experimenting with Prosecco and a raspberry lemonade pop. The price point is $4-$6 per pop, depending on how involved it is to make. Email or call for a customized menu.

7. Popffogato
City & State

If booze and pops aren’t your thing, then maybe coffee and pops are. Fans of the Italian affogato—espresso served over gelato—are in for a real treat, starting the first week of July at City & State.

The Popffogato is joining the new menu. It’s a paleta from La Michoacana (pistachio or strawberries & cream) with a shot of espresso. The paletas fit neatly into a go cup, so you can remove the lid and have a built in drip catcher.

8. Rolled Ice Cream
Rollin Sweets & The 901 Scoop

I am personally mystified by the current rolled ice cream craze (Ed. Note: Me too, Stacey, me too.) but if you wanna try it out, you have two choices in Memphis—Rollin Sweets downtown and The 901 Scoop by the U of M.

Pick your flavor and watch as they turn it into delicate rolls. The process is a bit time consuming so be prepared to wait anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half.

Ed. Note: Let me add that there are quite a few classic Memphis places that have frozen slushies or milkshakes – alcohol optional – at A. Schwab on Beale, Wet Willy’s on Beale, and the Arcade Restaurant.

Ride Your Bike to Pancho's

Ride Your Bike to Pancho's
Published June 13, 2017 on the I Love Memphis Blog

Ed. Note: The number one thing I hear when we talk about the Big River Crossing is not the stunning views of the Mississippi. It’s not the awesome architecture. The most popular comment on the topic is always something to do with Pancho’s Tex-Mex restaurant in West Memphis, Arkansas.

I don’t know if it’s because Pancho’s is the first thing Memphians think of when they think of West Memphis, or if we just are obsessed with the cheese dip that much, but it’s true. “Can you ride your bike to Pancho’s?” I hear every time I mention the bike/ped bridge.

Yes, Memphis, you can. And contributor Stacey did it (twice) to prove it. Here’s her take on this great way to enjoy the BRC and our neighbors to the west.

Riding a bike to Pancho’s in West Memphis has basically become a bucket list kind of thing, and I’m here to tell you how to do it.

On my first excursion, I left from my Cooper Young abode, and it ended up being a 20+ mile ride. On my second, smarter ride, my friend, Ashley (who has a bike rack), and I parked over by Loflin Yard. This made the round trip closer to 11 miles.

From Loflin Yard to Pancho’s, I’d say it’s about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on your speed and how often you stop to take it all in. Pancho’s doesn’t open until 11 a.m., so there ain’t no use in leaving too early.

Both times I rode my road bike. I think it can be done on a cruiser or any kind of bike, but if you have a choice, I’d take a hybrid or a road bike. Also, don’t forget to take a bike lock for when you get there. And before you leave your house, look in the mirror—are you going to want to walk into a restaurant in your current outfit?

It is definitely not uncommon to see folks in bike shorts and tank tops at the West Memphis Pancho’s; some of them even rode their bikes there. If you want to be fancy, throw a clean t-shirt in your pack.

And lastly, a quick word on the rules of the road for bikers. Ride with traffic and obey all stop signs, red lights, etc. On the bridge, if you are passing pedestrians or other bikers, do so on the left and holler a kindly and clear, “On your left” a moment or two before you do it.

Ok, let’s go!

From Loflin Yard, it’s just a hop, skip, and a jump over Riverside Drive to the entrance of the Big River Crossing. The ride over the bridge is glorious. Depending on the time of day and what day it is, there could be a lot of adults, children and their pets enjoying the view, so don’t be in a hurry.

The bridge itself is about a mile in length. On the West Memphis side there is a nice plaza where you can rest, enjoy the view, and wonder about the decision makers who sold a very prominent billboard to Coyote Ugly. There are also porta-potties.

To continue to the Big River Crossing (BRC) trail, you just head down the winding path. I’ll admit that on my first trip, this winding path seemed a little steep and I wondered if I’d ever get back up it.

I did, and you will too. The path takes you down to the parking lot and then to a lovely protected pathway. Just follow the signs.

After a half mile or so, the path ends, you’ll see another billboard—this one for Lawler’s Fireworks, and then you’ll be on a regular road for about a mile. I’ve never once seen a car on the road, so don’t panic. It’s lightly, if at all, trafficked.

The road has some lovely vistas mixed with some weird unkempt areas. There are fields with flowers (buttercups, primrose, red clover, etc.), water features, turtles, and weird things like one of Pee Wee Herman’s old shoes.


Watch for the signs, and make your way back onto the BRC trail that follows along the Interstate. Once here, you don’t have to do much thinking as it will take you all the way. At some point you go under the expressway, and then you’ll see a lovely solar powered covering.


The last little bit, a mile or two, goes along Broadway, which is a pretty heavily traveled road in West Memphis. The path, which is about the width of the Shelby Farms Greenline, is separate and still feels safe. There are several businesses along here, including a couple of motels, should you decide to extend your stay in West Memphis.


The BRC ends with another lovely plaza and official gateway, which just happens to be directly across the street from Pancho’s. Crossing Broadway is probably the most treacherous part of the ride, depending on traffic.


If you’ve never been to the Pancho’s in West Memphis, you are in for a real treat. They have plenty of bike parking, and it’s large enough that you could bring your 100 closest friends. I love the murals, brickwork, decorations, and especially the alcove seating.


The service is quite friendly, the cheese dip is addictive, and the margaritas are strong. Pancho’s is not known for its high-quality cuisine, but the menu is extensive and you are sure to find something you like. Ashley and I went with a light snack of cheese dip, salsa, one-eyed guacamole, chips, and margaritas. That set us back $20 plus tip.


When you’ve had enough fun, just head outside and retrace your steps back to Memphis.

Riding a bike to the Pancho’s in West Memphis is super fun. Riding home, not as much. There’s more of an incline, and you’ve likely got a belly full of cheese dip. Be strong.

Or get a room at the Budget Inn, and check out the West Memphis nightlife before heading back home.

Full Circle Sunday

Published in the Spring 2017 issue of Edible Memphis

I love a good brunch, but I’ve discovered that Sunday in Memphis sometimes requires a cool adventure to go along with something great to eat.

First up, church — but not just any church — Al Green’s church. Founded in 1976, The Full Gospel Tabernacle is about a fifteen-minute drive from Midtown, just a bit further down the road from Graceland. The congregation is more than welcoming, as tourists and music loving locals are frequent visitors to the Sunday service. Bible study/Sunday School starts at 9:45 am in the chapel, and the morning worship begins at 11:30 am. Reverend Green usually arrives at noon.

Sometimes Rev. Green is in a colorful robe and sometimes he’s in a suit and sunglasses, but don’t expect him to bust out any of his top 40 hits — it’s not a concert. Don’t worry, he will most assuredly break into song with a seven-piece band (drums, piano, guitar, bass, keyboard, bongos, maracas) and colored-coordinated choir ready to join in and back him up.

There are no bibles (I’m guessing they’d get snagged under the guise of souvenirs), but each week there’s a lovely program with the day’s events. Last year, I visited the church for the Reverend’s birthday celebration as well as the 40-year anniversary of the church’s founding. Though it seems there is always something to celebrate, the Reverend takes his job very seriously. One week he told us that President Obama invited him to come to the White House to sing “Love & Happiness,” but he had to decline since the event fell on a Sunday.

Depending on his mood, the Reverend may preach from one to two hours. He typically has an inspiring message, with a few tales from his childhood. (As to the election, he said, “Let God lead the way.”) There’s some praying, a little dancing in the aisles, and a plenty of “amens.” It isn’t uncommon to see people leave before the service is over, but be sure to stay for the collection. Everyone tithes, and that should include you.


Once you nourish your soul, go ahead and nourish your belly. On the way, do a little drive-by to see where Al Green recorded many of his hits. Willie Mitchell’s Royal Studios is one of the oldest, continuously operating, recording studios in the world, and is home to the famed Hi Records. Across the street is Hattie’s Grocery where tamales are made fresh every day. Made from beef and wrapped in paper, the Delta-style tamales are meant to be eaten like popsicles (or yogurt tubes). Get a dozen to go — half mild and half hot — for later.


Stop at The Gay Hawk Restaurant for the lunch buffet (11 am–5 pm) — it features soul food favorites like fried chicken, greens, yams, and peach cobbler. Owned by Louis Bobo, his daughter, Terica, is the woman running the show both inside and outside the kitchen.

Now a sit down restaurant, The Gay Hawk used to have an awning out front. Cars would park and waitresses would come out. Charlie Pride met his wife here and Ike Turner was once a regular. Today the focus is on making good food and treating customers like family.

Terica says when she cooks, she “puts a big toe in it,” meaning she gives it her all and uses a lot of love. The food is authentic and made from scratch. “We don’t just open a can,” she says. Sometimes when the food is gone, she locks the door and lets the customers stay until she’s ready to go home. “The customers make me feel like I’m at the house. They sit all day,” she says with a smile.

Sit and visit awhile, then make time for a nap. Once it’s dark, it’s time to hit the Big S Lounge and start sinning and cutting up again.

This little juke joint is down the tracks from Stax. It’s small, dark, and sparkly thanks to the red twinkle lights. Sam Price, now 92, purchased it in the ’60s when he retired from the Post Office. You can find him most nights dressed to the nines, at the end of the bar. His daughter, Aniece, can be found behind the bar (chances are, she’ll give you a hug). Forties are served with chilled glasses and set-ups come with your very own ice bucket and tongs.

The Big S doesn’t serve food, but they don’t mind if you bring some in. (This is where the tamales come in.) Don’t worry about a thing, not even your car. Dave Brown (not the weatherman) will watch it for you. Bring cash and tip big. And as Mr. Brown told me, “When you watch the news and they talk about South Memphis, remember there’s good people here too.”

More often than not, DJ Quick is here on Sundays and he’s sure to get you onto the dance floor, most likely by way of Al Green’s music. (In his absence, play it on the jukebox.) When you are out there swaying to “Let’s Stay Together,” you’ll know you’ve come full circle.

If You Go:

Full Gospel Tabernacle
787 Hale Road

Royal Studios
1320 Willie Mitchell Boulevard (at Lauderdale)

Hatties Tamales
1293 Willie Mitchell Boulevard
3576 Kirby Parkway
www.hattiestamales.com
901-491-0574

The Gay Hawk Restaurant
685 S. Danny Thomas Boulevard
901-947-1464

Big S Grill
1179 Dunnavant Street
901-775-9127

Eat This: Le Delights Banh Mi and Pho aka The Return of Saigon Le’s Veggie Spring Rolls

Eat This: Le Delights Banh Mi and Pho aka The Return of Saigon Le’s Veggie Spring Rolls
Published April 5, 2017 on the I Love Memphis Blog

Ed. Note: I’m happy to bring you this blog post from ILM contributor and Memphis foodie Stacey Greenberg.

Look who I found! Tuyen Le, the amazing woman who worked at Saigon Le in the Crosstown neighborhood, is now at Le Delights Banh Mi and Pho in Cordova. For those of us who have been in mourning since Saigon Le burned down in 2016, this is excellent news.

I’ve been twice now, once with friends and once with my monkeys & my mom. I’m here to inform you that if you live near Le Delights, you’re lucky, and you don’t live nearby – you have a very good reason to drive to Cordova.

Le Delights is located in the old Osaka space, and has the same owners. Despite being in a strip mall, the inside feels airy and bright. Everything seems nice and new, and the layout and decorations are lovely. You’ll find it on Macon Road at Germantown Parkway, near the Cordova Malco.

They don’t serve alcohol, but they do allow you to bring in your own. As far as drinks go, they offer energy drinks with chia, tea, coffee, and smoothies. They also have my favorite, salted lemonade, which is made with fermented lemons.

Tuyen isn’t officially cooking at Le Delights, but her famous Saigon Le vegetarian egg rolls are on the menu, listed as Le Delights Vegetarian Roll. Made with tofu and vegan ham, they are just like you remember. They come served with a plate of greens for wrapping (cilantro, basil, etc.) and tangy dipping sauce. (I don’t exactly know what vegan ham is, but I dare say it tastes like meat.)

The appetizer section also features an amazing selection of specialty wraps and rolls. We couldn’t resist the beef jerky roll with shredded green papaya, shredded mango, and shredded beef jerky. Yes, beef jerky. But it wasn’t tough at all. Wrapped in rice paper with rice noodles and peanuts, it was tangy and delightful.

As the name suggests, Le Delights specializes in banh mi and pho. Let’s talk about the banh mi first, which is basically the Vietnamese version of a po boy. Served on French bread, it comes dressed with cucumber, green onion, and (deseeded) jalapeno peppers. There’s a salad of pickled carrots and daikon, fresh cilantro, celery, and two sauces on the side for fancying it up.

There are two pages of banh mi to choose from on the menu, including the original (steamed pork, pork sausage, ham & pork pate), spicy stone grilled short ribs, filet mignon, chargrilled lemongrass chicken, pan seared fish patties, and a vegan option with taro root and tofu.

I’m going to be honest, sometimes the pork pate on the original banh mi weirds me out, so I was happy we tried the more palate-friendly chargrilled lemongrass chicken. Oh my, yum. I may have found the world’s most perfect sandwich.

Hiding on the bottom of the banh mi section is Le Delights Bao Tacos. That’s right, tacos made with steamed buns (bao). They come in threes and you can mix and match meats–honey glazed pork, grilled beef short ribs, lemongrass chicken, roasted pork belly, Vietnamese sausage, and vegan ham. The tacos are massive and would be enough on their own to get anyone full. They do not come dressed, but the same sauces and sides that accompanying the banh mi are there for the taking.

Ok, now for their other specialty, pho. I am not a pho fan, but my oldest monkey is. He begged me to let him get the Kobe beef pho (at market price), but I talked him down to the filet mignon. It came in a huge bowl with all the fun fixings on the side and was spot on. He, and soon his brother, made sure there wasn’t a drop left. If you are craving pho, Le Delights is an excellent place to get your fix. They have vermicelli bowls too.

Over my two visits I also got a chance to try a few of the stir fries–the tofu, the chicken and the lemongrass shrimp. They were all colorful thanks to an abundance of veggies–bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas, onion and bok choy. The sauces were not overpowering and they seem like hearty, healthy options.


And finally, there’s dessert. They have a number of sundaes and my crazy friend ordered one with durian because she once had a durian popsicle she liked. Let’s just say that durian is not for everyone. This fruit is known for its super stinky smell and even stinkier taste, but in its defense, it is considered a delicacy in many Asian countries.

Tuyen made sure we really wanted the durian and offered to take it out, but my crazy friend persisted. It was…how shall I say it? Yuck. My other friend said it tasted like the ear medicine her mother gave her as a child. But! We were able to eat around the durian and enjoy the coconut ice cream, avocado, whipped cream and whatnot.

If durian IS your thing, please note that there is also a durian smoothie on the menu. Personally, I would recommend the avocado smoothie which is the big seller, and actually delicious.

After the durian disaster, Tuyen brought us a big plate of fresh fruit to cleanse our palates because she’s a sweetie. The pineapple, blood orange and papaya were a welcome treat. (On my second visit, Tuyen brought us a treat of tasty fried wontons.)

She really wants to open her own restaurant in Midtown, but until then, Tuyen is enjoying seeing her midtown customers at Le Delights. She says if you catch her when it’s not busy, she’ll cook up whatever you like. She works Thursday to Sunday, but any day is a good day to eat at Le Delights as they are open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (and 10 p.m. on weekends).

There are plenty of vegetarian and some vegan options.

Go There:

Le Delights Banh Mi and Pho
8095 Macon Road
Cordova, Tennessee 38018

901-207-2746

ledelightsmemphis.com

Meet Dave the Bagel Guy

Published on the I Love Memphis Blog
February 11, 2017

Meet Dave The Bagel Guy

Ed. Note: Bagel lovers, search no more for your Memphis fix. Contributor and Memphis food expert Stacey Greenberg has the scoop.You’ve probably been seeing some fresh faces on the I Love Memphis Blog. Be on the lookout for even more this month. – Holly

Apparently Memphians have been jonesing for a really good bagel.

David Scott, 26, moved to Memphis from Portland, Oregon in October of last year. He started “Dave’s Bagels” shortly after and has basically been making bagels (by hand!) around the clock ever since.

“Honestly, bagels were always my favorite breakfast food,” says Dave, who was born in New Jersey. He spent a few years backpacking across the country and had trouble finding the bagels he was used to growing up. “I couldn’t find anything good past sourdough on the West Coast,” he says.

Dave decided to try making bagels himself, thinking ‘How hard could it be?” Well, it turns out it was a lot harder than he thought. “I’ve been tweaking my recipe for three years,” he says. “In Portland, I had a Jewish friend from Brooklyn who was my official taster. One day, she told me I had something good and that I should sell them.”

But in Portland, bagels were just a hobby, since it’s an expensive place to live and Dave was busy making ends meet. But once he got to Memphis, he says he didn’t want to do anything else.

“I made a home batch of 50 bagels and went around town to grocery stores and bakeries and passed them out,” he says. “I had my number on the bag.”

His last stop was the Curb Market. “Pamela [the manager] is gluten free, but her staff loved them. She told me to get a business license and come back,” says Dave.

What makes Dave’s bagels so special? Well, he’s got trade secrets he can’t divulge, but says the overnight fermentation is key. “There are some chemical reactions that happen in there to create great natural flavors,” he says.

Dave has seven varieties of bagels (plain, everything, sesame, poppy, cinnamon raisin, cinnamon apple, and chocolate chip), and the “everything” is the most popular. He started selling them at the Curb Market on Sunday, November 6th. He sold them every Sunday through December, and thanks to growing demand, began selling them on both Saturdays and Sundays in January.

Making 200-400 bagels by hand each week is no easy feat. (His goal is 500-1000.) Dave works out of a commercial kitchen near the Trolley Stop Market and puts in 8-10 hour days. He keeps a steady pace dividing, weighing, and forming the dough, repeating that cycle for hours and hours. “I can do two dozen an hour by hand. I love doing it. I put my head down and go. Time flies,” he says.

Dave has also inadvertently gotten into the pretzel business, sort of. “Davin from Wiseacre contacted me and asked if I ever experimented with pretzels. I said no. He said he had and it wasn’t too different from making bagels. So, I got some spent grains and played around,” he explains.

Davin loved what he had made, and now Dave will be serving fresh hot pretzels at Wiseacre’s Febtoberfest on Saturday (that’s today folks – Feb. 11!) when he’s done at the Curb Market.

Depending on how they sell, or if they attract buzz, Dave may consider devoting some time to regularly making pretzels. As business booms, he’s deciding whether to hire an employee and hoping to someday be able to invest in a $4300 bagel former. “I had no idea it would happen this quickly. Apparently Memphians love bagels. I guess it’s a thing. I owe Memphis a lot,” he says.

The Curb Market is temporarily closing, so Saturday, February 11, will be his last day there until they reopen in Crosstown in May. Then he will sell his bagels every day. In the meantime, he will be selling them at Otherlands, and hopefully a few other coffee shops in town. Come summer, he will be at the Memphis Farmer’s Market.

Find Dave this Saturday, February 11th:

Curb Market (596 Cooper St.), 10:30am-noon.
Wiseacre Brewing Company’s (2783 Broad Avenue) Febtoberfest 1:00-10:00pm

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P.S. Dave says his bagels paired with Tom’s Tiny Kitchen pimento cheese is pretty magical.

Warm Up In Memphis This Winter

Published on MemphisTravel.com
February 2017

Warm Up In Memphis This Winter

Winter is a relative term in Memphis, where we can deliver nearly year round patio weather. However, during our occasional stretches of cooler temps, there are plenty of tasty ways to warm your belly.

Soups and Noodles

You can find plenty of Asian restaurants in midtown if spicy, fragrant soups are what you have in mind: think Vietnamese, Korean, Thai, and Chinese.

Crazy Noodle (2015 Madison) is a sweet little place tucked in just down the street from Overton Square. They have an amazing variety of ramen as well as Korean favorites like manduguk, which features Korean dumplings, flat rice cakes, cabbage, carrots, onions, shiitakes, and zucchini. It’s stirred with an egg and topped with seaweed.

Shanghai’s (1400 Poplar) magic tofu curry soup, also known as T12, is sure to cure whatever ails you, or just improve analready good day. Phuong Long (306 Cleveland) has fresh and delicious pho. Jasmine (916 S. Cooper) has perfected Thai favorites tom ka and tom yum and has one of the best hot and sour soups in town.

Finally, if you can catch a Lucky Cat Ramen pop up you absolutely should. They’ve taken ramen to a fine dining level.

If you are looking for a more traditional soup to stick to your bones, then get a bowl of Huey’s hearty potato soup. (Go ahead, get a burger too.) If chili is your thing, The Young Avenue Deli has a great veggie option and the Belle Tavern’s signature bowl is made with beef tenderloin.

La Baguette’s spicy tomato soup is the perfect match for their fresh baguettes. Tart’s Onion Soup Gratinee will literally make your mouth water. Finally, for the ultimate chicken soup fix, try Maciel’s sublime Chicken Chipotle Soup (listed as Caldo Tlalpeno).

Winter-Friendly Menus

When you are all souped up, or if you are souped out, head to Tsunami for a plate of the warm red cabbage salad with blue cheese and walnuts. The Cuban menu at Los Compadres (3295 Poplar) features Puerco Asada, also known as seriously delicious braised meat.

The mussels at Café 1912 come with bread for sopping up the sauce you’d drink from the bowl if no one was looking. Pete & Sam’s has a perfectly sized lasagna for one. Dino’s Grill has a really, really good chicken and spinach ravioli with authentic Italian gravy. Finally, Catherine & Mary’s grilled quail with polenta, pancetta and maitake ragu is one of the most satisfying dishes in town.

Cozy Up By The Fire

If fire is what you seek, Memphis has you covered. Mortimer’s has a full on fireplace (replete with mantle and fake books) adjacent to the bar. Have a bowl of gumbo and stay awhile. Le Chardonnay also has a fireplace with a couch if pizza is what you seek. Or sit at the bar by the pizza oven over at Bosco’s. The Madison Hotel’s Twilight Sky Terrace lights up their rooftop fire pits during cooler weather, too.

If that’s not enough fire, try Loflin Yard. Not only do they have fire pits set up, they sell DIY s’mores. You can also make your own s’mores indoors at the Kooky Canuck right on your table. But if just a small amount of fire sounds right, then you might also try the city’s oldest hibachi at Nagasaki Inn. Midtown’s newest Korean hotspot, DWJ #2 (2156 Young) lets you do the tableside cooking. Finally, a sizzling volcanic bowl of Bi Bim Bop from Kwik Chek should hit the spot.

Liquid Warmth

Wintertime liquid refreshments are the best. Stop by the Cove and have them whip up a hot toddy suited to your particular tastes. Casablanca has the best tea in town, which just happens to be sweetened with Wolf River honey. Order it hot! City & State’s Salted Caramel Latte is also a guaranteed warmer upper. (You can even get it with a slice of pie.) And no winter would be complete without at least cup of hot chocolate from Café Eclectic.

Memphis's New Ramen Masters: Lucky Cat Ramen

Published on the I Love Memphis Blog
January 24, 2017

Memphis’s New Ramen Masters: Lucky Cat Ramen

Ed. Note: I’m excited (pumped, really) to share with you this post from Stacey Greenberg, Memphis food expert. Be on the lookout for more fresh faces and new voices on the I Love Memphis Blog in the coming weeks. – Holly

Sunday, once known as the day of rest, is currently—due mostly to brunch—the funnest day of the week. Now, thanks to Lucky Cat Ramen Pop-Ups at The Cove, Sunday is also the most delicious day of the week.

Every Sunday the Lucky Cat crew—Zach Nicholson and wife, Sarah—spend an hour hauling their equipment to Broad Avenue and transforming The Cove’s tiny kitchen into ramen central for their weekly pop-ups.

While Zach works in the kitchen, Sarah takes orders at a separate register at the end of the bar. (Meaning, get your cocktails from Parks the bartender and get your noodles from Sarah.) There’s a menu board set up with the daily offerings—usually one veggie bowl, a pork offering or two, and a chicken option.

A half order is $7, and a full is $12. You can add spicy chili oil or an extra egg for $1 each. (Do this.) After you order, find a seat and enjoy a cocktail (order from the bartender) and Sarah will deliver your food when it is ready.

OK, we have to talk about the ajitama, a.k.a. the eggs. One of Zach’s family members raises 300 chickens to provide Lucky Cat with incredible eggs, which they soft boil to perfection and marinate in barrel-aged shoyu from Japan for eighteen hours.

They are nothing short of amazing. Each bowl comes with one ajitama, but as mentioned, adding an extra one is a total pro move.

You can already see that this is not the ramen you met in college, right?

All of the Lucky Cat Ramen animal products (bones, proteins) are delivered weekly from Jackson-based Marmilu Farms and their fresh, authentic noodles are shipped from New Jersey from the same producer that supplies ramen heavyweights such as David Chang of Momofuku and Ivan Orkin of Ivan Ramen.

It takes many steps to prepare what might seem like a humble bowl of noodles. Their pork broth undergoes a 48-hour cook time, resulting in an incredibly rich and creamy base for the soup. (See above.)

The chashu pork preparation involves several cooking techniques and takes a day-and-a-half to complete. They incorporate sous vide cooking with all of the proteins to ensure perfect and consistent results.

“We take the best of what we’ve learned through working and eating at notable restaurants to bring Memphis the best bowl of noodles we can make,” says Zach.

My favorite is the winter yuzu veggie bowl with lemongrass ginger broth. It is incredibly satisfying, even to non-vegetarians. Lucky Cat Ramen recently introduced two new dishes–coconut curry veggie ramen (with Thai basil, black sesame, and baby bok choy) and spicy Tan Tan pork ramen (with roasted peanut and fried garlic). Um, yum!

Here’s a ramen dictionary to help you order:

Kikurage: a mushroom with a jelly like consistency
Negi: a Japanese variety of onion
Nori (not to be confused with Negi): seaweed
Togarashi: red chili peppers
Yuzu: a citrus fruit

Lucky Cat is working on finding a permanent location, but in the meantime, you can find them at The Cove every Sunday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. They also do to go orders. Keep in mind that The Cove is 21 and up.

There are also plans to partner with Memphis Made Brewing and Stock & Belle in February. Check their Facebook page or Instagram for more info.

Keep scrolling more about Zach and Sarah’s background in the bonus section at the bottom of this post.

Go there:

Lucky Cat Ramen Pop-Ups

The Cove (Sundays only, from 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.)
2559 Broad Ave.

Robert Gordon: The Memphis Fridge

Published July 1, 2016 in Edible Memphis

Grammy-Award winning writer Robert Gordon is the author of six books (It Came From Memphis), and producer/director of eight feature documentaries (Best of Enemies). Born and raised in Memphis, he has focused on the American South — its music, art, and politics — to create an insider’s portrait of his home. We met up with him in Central Gardens where he lives with his wife of 22 years and BFF of 37 years, Tara, and their two teenaged daughters, Esther and Lila. (Lila is a good eater and Esther is currently expanding her palate from foods that are white to foods that are orange. “I think mac & cheese was the bridge,” Robert says.)

Robert is currently working on a book of collected essays that are connected musically and says he has a number of documentaries percolating. He spends the majority of his day at the computer, writing. “I get up early, work, eat, shower, work, eat, etc.” he says.

Tara, who does the bulk of the cooking, has been out of town for ten days, but Robert and the girls went grocery shopping and were planning a burger night.



What is the first thing you remember cooking?

Cinnamon toast. My technique was to melt the butter on top of the toaster while the toast was toasting. I also learned to mix my own cinnamon and sugar combo. I was six.

What was your first food-related job?

I was a baker the first summer of high school at the Super Sub Bakery. A family friend was the owner.

I met Tara in a food truck in 1979 in Philly. It was called Le Bus and was in an old school bus. They made gourmet sandwiches. After college, the guy was expanding Le Bus — he had two trucks — into a restaurant. He wanted it to include a bakery — oh I also worked at La Baguette — so that was good for me because it was night work. It kept me out of the clubs so I could focus on my writing. I used to get up at noon and write. Tara was the manager of the restaurant. It’s still open. They make a really good hard crust rye and pumpernickel. I send it to my mom. She’s says it’s like the Messiah in a FedEx truck.

What is your “default” thing to cook when you’re hungry and need to make something fast?

I usually go for the freezer — La Rosa tamales from Charlie’s Meat Market. The best are Delta tamales. I’ve tried all but Solly’s. The best I’ve tried are Hicks in Clarksdale. He’ll ship five dozen if you call.

Any memorable mishaps in the kitchen?

Oh yes. In the bakery I nearly cut off my thumb and had to go to the ER. You can see the scar. [Shows us his thumb.]

We shared a kitchen with the restaurant. I would go in at night when they were closed. They kept the salt and MSG in similar containers…one night I baked the most beautiful breads, but used MSG instead of salt. They weren’t edible so we dumped them in the dumpster. Homeless people scooped them up all day and were similarly disappointed.

One day at home I was pouring hot oil and somehow it hit my leg and I only knew that I was in excruciating pain. I ran through the house taking my pants off as I went and the girls had friends over. I was howling like a monkey.

Name any ingredients that you couldn’t live without.

Hot sauce. Salt. My dad put red pepper on everything when I was a kid. He kept it on the table. That’s how I got into hot flavors. Oh, and lime — from the pre-cooking cocktail to the final accent to the dish.

What’s your favorite indulgence?

I guess I gotta go with ice cream. It’s a treat. I try to stay in shape and exercise pretty regularly. I’m subject to whatever the kids pick, but Breyer’s Frozen Dairy Dessert is disgusting. It tastes like puffed plastic.

Favorite thing to do in the kitchen?

With minimal exception, I am the sous chef. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Tara really knows what she’s doing and I don’t. Wistfully, he says, “She used to leave a big pot of spaghetti and meatballs when she’d leave town.’ I’m good at chopping on demand and keeping the sink clear. I used to cook a lot but after kids and after work got intense, we split the duties.

What’s your least favorite thing to do in the kitchen?

My first job when I had to wash lettuce — twenty heads of Romaine — I really hated that. Now, I don’t know. I’m sure Tara would take great glee in answering that.

Favorite kitchen tool?

I went to Davis Kitchen Supply in Nashville and got Tara a mallet with a smooth side and a pulverizing side. At first she was like, “Why did you get that?” and now she’s like, “This is the best thing ever!” I am also a big fan of the lemon squeezer. Our stove (Kenmore Elite gas) was a great investment and pays in dividends nightly. Tara has cooked some great meals on it. I also really like our defective Fiestaware from Schwab’s.

Ever watch cooking shows on TV?

I don’t. I never watch TV. Now that I’ve started to try and make TV shows, I have to force myself to watch. I did briefly binge on Transparent, but I can never seem to make myself watch. It’s a luxury I feel like I can’t afford.

What condiments are in your fridge right now?

Condiments! Do you do recipes? I’ll have to find Tara’s recipe for condiment gravy. It’s so good — ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise mixed together.

[Opens fridge] Okay, we have BBQ sauce, Sriracha, salsa…gotta have sliced jalapenos…I’ve got white wine if you want some…My daughter would say Hershey’s chocolate syrup. There’s usually a big jug of Tara’s homemade dressing, but I finished it while she’s been away.

Fruits and vegetables?

Oh, we keep them out here — apples, pears when available, bananas…blueberries now that they’re coming around. In the fridge we have celery — the most underrated vegetable of all time — carrots, bell peppers of various colors, garlic, Brussels sprouts — a personal favorite, leeks — I didn’t know we had leeks; I haven’t spent much time in the vegetable drawer — asparagus, salad, and onions.

Most embarrassing thing in the fridge?

Well I would leave that up to you. You did come on a day that it doesn’t smell.

[Chip and I do due diligence but find nothing. Not even in the freezer. Or pantry. Finally we settle on a piece of pizza sitting on the cutting board next to a half-eaten pepper. Robert is perplexed by our choice and says both will be eaten before the night is over.]

How about cottage cheese? I’m embarrassed that Tara likes that.

What’s in the freezer right now?

Three boxes of waffles, tamales, Skinny Cow mint ice cream sandwiches, four boxes of butter, big bag of frozen blueberries, chicken burgers, edamame, pot stickers, wild corvina, and Dr. Praeger’s kale & quinoa burgers. We have a vegetarian coming to burger night tonight.

What’s in the pantry?

Our shelf of replenishments — salsa, soy sauce, etc. Tomato products, beans, rice, nuts, dried fruits, oils, baked goods stuff…caster sugar? I don’t even know what that is.

Favorite thing your mom cooked when you were a kid?

My mom makes really good chicken and matzah ball soup. She complained that all I wanted as a kid was hamburgers. So she made hamburgers every day to try and punish me, but I never had a problem with it. Now she smokes salmon. She’s a great salmon smoker.

Will you share a recipe that you cook at home?

It’s been years since I made this, but I learned to make it before I dropped out of film school in Austin. There was a cowboy who made fideo. It’s cactus with super hot, canned, smoked peppers. You break up thin noodles and cook them like risotto, letting the chicken stock absorb. Then you throw in the cactus and hot peppers. It really used to annoy Tara when I made it.

Building a Market at Overton Park

Published July 1, 2016 in Edible Memphis

Kimberly Kasper is in her fifth year as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at Rhodes College. As an archaeologist, studying food inequality in the South, she and her students have been reconstructing how the slaves lived at nearby Ames Plantation — the landscape and their dietary and medicinal use of plants. “My students are interested in history, but they also wanted to engage with the present day community to overcome food access and insecurity,” she says.

So, in the fall of 2012, they launched a small farmers’ market on campus. There was a lot of support from students and faculty, but not the surrounding community as hoped. “The 38107 zip code around Rhodes is a food dessert,” explains Kimberly. The next year, they moved the market to the parking lot of Evergreen Church hoping it would be more accessible, but it still wasn’t measuring up.

In the spring of 2015, Kimberly was in Overton Park having an unrelated meeting about the old forest when the idea of moving the farmers’ market to the East Parkway pavilion came up. Susannah Barton, who is the Director of Development for the Overton Park Conservancy, thought it would be a great use of space and also help to draw in the community. “A farmers’ market would help activate all sides of the park, especially during the week,” she explains. “I love the idea of bringing people into the park to buy healthy food and then having them stay to play on the playground or hike the Old Forest. It was a perfect fit.”

Susannah managed a successful farmers’ market in Buffalo, NY before moving to Memphis. “I’m the person who thinks markets shouldn’t be on every corner. There needs to be a strong demand for vendors and producers,” she says.

In the fall of 2015 they had a full two-month season in the park and increased patronage and sales 300 to 400 percent. “The vendors were really excited,” notes Kimberly. The spring season started in April and they are already seeing an increase in participation.

The market is open every Thursday in April-October from 3:00–7:00 pm, rain or shine. They have 22 to 24 vendors per week. Of those, about 8 to 10 focus on vegetables, bread and prepared foods and there are also two meat vendors. “We have a great diversity of products and not a lot of overlap,” says Kimberly. “About 30 percent of our vendors also participate in the Cooper Young market, but most of them are from Bartlett and this is their only midtown stop.” Susannah adds that many of their vendors have also started stocking their goods at the Curb Market.

Students have been a part of the market since its inception. Each semester there are two Food Security Fellows. They conduct ethnographic studies at the market and in the surrounding communities, like Binghampton. “They try to understand what’s going on,” says Kimberly. “It’s a really great facet — learning about the community while being embedded in it.”

Susannah agrees, “They are at the market tracking sales, counting people, etc. They also attend advisory board meetings.”

“It’s great for them to see local food markets in action,” says Kimberly. “The 10 to 15 students who have rotated through the program have gone on to continue with local food movements in a variety of cities.”

In addition to involving students, Kimberly and Susannah wrote and received a grant from the USDA to implement some other programs. First of all, they initiated SNAP bags at the market in collaboration with Bring It Food Hub. SNAP/EBT recipients can get a produce membership that allows them to swipe their EBT card at the market and receive a bag of fresh produce each week. In addition, they get $10 extra dollars in “Fresh savings” tokens to spend at the market. The goal is to get 40 families participating in the program.

“There’s a perception that farmers’ markets are super expensive,” says Susannah. “We really want to open up the environment to be welcoming so people see that it’s accessible and that there are real opportunities to get great food at reasonable rates. It’s also really great for the vendors.”

While other farmers’ markets offer the “fresh savings,” Overton Park’s Community Farmers Market is the only one to offer the SNAP bags. [There’s an additional pick up location on Tuesdays at Caritas Village.]

The USDA grant also allows five farmers per season to receive $1,000 stipends to train community members in sustainable farming. They’ll be launching this program in June and implementing in the summer/fall season. “It will all be in town. They’ll plant and harvest themselves,” says Kimberly.

They also plan to use grant funds to create foodscape maps — one in the park, one in Cooper-Young, and one in VECA along the bike lane. “The maps will direct people to where food can be accessed,” explains Kimberly. “There will be also permanent, food related art installations around the maps.”

Additionally they will be partnering with the Cooper Young Farmers Market starting in June. They’ll share a marketing manager and have joint marketing and outreach efforts. They will also implement a streamlined application process for vendors. The long term goal is to collaborate on funding and grants, but to have the markets remain autonomous.

The best parts of for-profit business operations — collaboration, synergy, market analysis, consumer research, and business partner mentoring — are helping the market to evolve. It’s another example of progress in our ever-evolving food system.

For more information or to participate in the Overton Park Community Farmers’ Market visit overtonparkcfm.org or email overtonparkcfm@gmail.com.

Food Truck Nation: Summer 2016

Published July, 2016 in Edible Memphis

RAWK’n Grub

Steph Cook has been everything in the food industry for 25 years. He’s been a server, a chef/owner, and everything in between. He’s studied under numerous well known chefs and cultivated a passion for cooking. Chef Steph created Memphis Mojo Café in Bartlett a couple of years ago, which was originally intended to be a food truck. After parting ways with his partner, he took some time to think up his next concept. “I knew I wanted it to be a truck this time that could franchise and grow,” he says.

A year and a half later, in November 2015, he launched RAWK’n Grub. On the truck, he takes raw local ingredients and uses his Southern roots influence to put a rock’n chef’s spin on classics. (For example, Cheesy Like Sunday Morning is a smoked gouda pimento cheese grilled cheese and Kung Fu Al Greens is Chef Steph’s signature collards and kimchi rolled in egg roll wrappers and then deep fried.)

Truck/Business Name: RAWK’n Grub Food Truck. (“Black Betty” is the truck’s nickname)

Chef/Owner: Steph Cook

Vehicle: Chevy P-30 step van with a full kitchen (minus a freezer)

Regular hangouts: All of their locations are listed on rawkngrub.com. Become “a groupie” to receive email alerts.

Sample Menu offerings: All menu items are playful puns on musicians, a song or an album name such as Livin’ La Vida Porka (a Southern take on a Cuban), Bahn Mi Jovi, KISS Burger (Keep It Simple Stoopid), Bat Outta Hell Meatloaf, CC Slider, etc.

Most popular item: It varies with the area of town, but in general CC Sliders, Patti LaMellte, Phish Tacos, and Bahn Mi Jovi

Most able to serve: The most they’ve served to date is 400.

Price range: $6 – $10 for burgers, tacos, and wraps; $2.50 for sides

Local purveyors used: Grit Girl Grits, D&R Bakery, The Cheesecake Connection, Nikki’s Hot A$$ Chips, and Crazy Good hot sauces. (They are always on the lookout for more.)

Contact: @rawkngrubfoodtruck on social media

rawkngrub.com


Say Cheese

Terry and Allison LaRue were searching for a way to have more flexibility in their busy lives. With four children and two full time jobs, there was little time left for anything else. Terry worked nights at Germantown Methodist and Allison taught third grade at PDS. Terry noticed a huge need for access to decent food in the middle of the night for coworkers and families with someone in the hospital, and got the idea for a food truck that would be willing to work odd hours.

They found out quickly that hospitals are nearly impossible to get into for a variety of reasons, but they’ll still work odd hours when it’s requested. “We’ve done gigs at Rhodes starting at midnight or even later and we’ve done Project Graduation parties that start really late as well,” says Allison.

Terry became a bit of a grilled cheese expert while still working at Methodist. “Anytime anyone would have a birthday, baby, leaving, moving, etc., Terry would bring our electric griddle to work and everyone would chip in for ingredients,” says Allison. “Grilled cheese is relatively easy to cook quickly and you can change up the sandwiches each time to keep it interesting. We got very creative with new sandwiches to try each time.”

That’s essentially where the grilled cheese was born. They opened February 13, 2015 and have been trucking ever since.

Chef/Owners: Terry and Allison LaRue

Vehicle: Currently a concession trailer, but they are working on a new, enclosed truck that should be finished by the end of summer.

Regular hangouts: Vary depending on time of year. They love going to Court Square and the Ridgeway Loop, but during the busy season, they are booked in advance for corporate lunches, school functions, private parties, and festivals/fairs as well as Food Truck Fridays (Dixon Galleries and Gardens) and Food Truck Garden Parties (Memphis Botanic Garden).

Days/Times: Typically, their lunches run from about 11:00 am – 1:00 pm. Fairs and festivals are usually all-day events.

Most popular item: Triple Decker (grilled cheese with colby, provolone, pepperjack, and homemade garlic aioli).

Most able to serve: Comfortably, about 70 people an hour. With a restricted menu, or preorders, they can serve more than 100 per hour.

Price range: $5 – $7 for sandwiches; drinks and sides $1 –$2

Contact: @Saycheese901 on social media

saycheese901.com

Edible Road Trip: NOLA on Veggies

Published on July 1, 2016 in Edible Memphis

I went to New Orleans with a vegetarian — the kind that doesn’t actually eat any meat or seafood. Thankfully, I make it down to the Big Easy several times a year, so I viewed this trip as a happy challenge rather than an impossible task.

I keep a running list on my phone of places to try, and I have my favorites. Before leaving Memphis I looked at the menus of my top three restaurants (MoPho, Killer PoBoys, and Shaya) and they all had plenty of vegetarian, even vegan, options that appealed to me. At that point I had a crazy idea. I decided that I would also maintain a strict vegetarian diet during our four day stay.

It’s not like I decided to go and not drink any alcohol. I’m not that crazy.

We hit the road at 6:00 am on a Sunday and drove straight to Buffa’s on Esplanade for the Sunday jazz brunch. This was more for the music — the band, “Some Like It Hot” is backed by a close friend’s female cousin who learned to play the drums at age 50 — than the food. However, the menu featured eggs, hash browns, and biscuits, so we were off to a fine start.

After brunch we checked into our Airbnb in the Bywater and consulted with our host about vegetarian dinner options. We were going out with a group, and decided the St. Roch Market on Saint Claude was the way to go. St. Roch is an indoor market with several incubator restaurants. You can order from whichever one (or more) that you like then meet up with your group at a table in the middle or on the patio. It’s basically a hipster food court. With a bar.

Said bar, The Mayhaw, features ingredient-driven cocktails, classic cocktails, local beers, and eclectic wines. You can also grab a bottle of wine and a few glasses from the retail section to drink on site. We ordered a fancy cantaloupe and tequila cocktail and a local Gnarly Barley Rye P.A.

Foodwise, La Mezcla won us over with their fresh California- and Texas-style Mexican cuisine. They serve homemade tamales and tacos, refried pinto beans and aguas frescas. And, they are super cheap. We split several $4 tostadas loaded with beans, lettuce, cheese, fresh salsa, and guacamole.

The best part about St. Roch is its location. After dinner we were within walking distance of several bars that we wanted to visit — the Hi Ho Lounge, Siberia, and Saturn. The Hi Ho, which has a very original Hi Tone kind of feel inside also has a cozy Cove-like courtyard in back that features various pop up restaurants that serve food from 5:00 pm to 1:00 am every day. On our visit, Fry and Pie was set up selling — are you ready for it — fries and pies! They had several loaded fry options that were vegetarian friendly (such as Pesto Presto Margherita with tomato, pesto, fresh mozzarella, parmesan and provolone). One of the two pie options featured marshmallow (read gelatin) filling, which is a no-no for my vegetarian, but maybe not yours.

Siberia, which is a hard rocking late night place, has a full restaurant in back, Kukhnya, which offers burgers, Eastern European style crepes, and Slavic soul food. The bulk of the menu is rather meaty, but if you are a fan of beets, there’s a beet salad, soup, and veggie burger. A few other salads, a couple of blinis, and the pierogi are also vegetarian. I kind of love that you can see a death metal show and have a bowl of borscht in the same place. They open at 4:00 pm daily.

For breakfast on day two, we walked over to the Satsuma Café, which specializes in freshly made juices, breakfast, and lunch using quality, local and organic ingredients. Almost everything in the kitchen is created from scratch. We tried the Mexican breakfast and a hearty egg sandwich. Satsuma has a quaint side patio and it’s always full of interesting people with plenty more walking by.

Somehow we never ate lunch (Who skips a meal in Nola?), so naturally, we had two dinners. We met some Memphis transplants at Josephine Estelle, the new Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman restaurant in the recently opened Ace Hotel in the CBD (Central Business District). I worried that there would be very few menu items that came without some form of pork, but the few they had were stellar. We sampled the Josephine Estelle salad, three pastas — gemelli, canestri, and gnocchi along with a trio of vegetables — beets, broccoli rabe, and polenta. The canestri with cacao and pepe (Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper) was the stand out. (We didn’t time it right, but there’s a public pool and a bar on the roof of the Ace. It’s definitely worth checking out before or after a meal at Josephine Estelle.)

For our second dinner we went back to the Marigny to try Paladar 511, which opened last year in a gorgeous warehouse. It’s become our friends’ go-to spot in their hood and it did not disappoint. Started by a San Francisco duo, the focus is on seasonal, local cuisine both on and off a pizza crust. We split a damn fine margherita pizza, a salad, and the panna cotta.

We got our third day off to the perfect start at the Sneaky Pickle on Saint Claude — a vibrant, yet subdued spot that caters to vegans, but also offers a sustainable meat dish or two. The owner/chef uses locally sourced ingredients, so the menu is ever changing. I was instructed by a local to get the “bowl of food” which changes often but always includes one grain, one legume, and an assortment of vegetables. Mine had rice, lentils, potatoes, red pepper, onion, and a spicy, savory secret sauce. It was incredible. And filling! This may have been my favorite meal, and if we had more time, I would have tried everything on the menu. My vegetarian had the almost equally delicious breakfast flatbread with tofu, potatoes, caramelized onions, chipotle aioli, topped with seasonal slaw.

Lunch ended up being of the liquid variety procured over several hours on foot between the Bywater and the Quarter — frozen Irish coffee at the Erin Rose, a daiquiri at Bar Tonique, a pint of Hopitoulas at the R Bar, and a Miller Lite at Big Daddy’s.

Dinner was meant to be at Red’s Chinese, a funky spot on St. Claude that features an assortment of vegetarian dishes like kimchi, Buddha’s delight, and Bywater eggplant, but we arrived to find it closed for the evening — the one downside of a non-weekend visit to the City. We ended up next door at Sugar Park. Sugar Park had a lovely back patio, a freshly made frozen strawberry margarita, and some pretty tasty pizza.

Our final meal (sniff) was at Seed in the Lower Garden District. Their menu is totally vegan and their motto is “Garden based Nola taste.” The menu features all of your favorite comfort foods, vegged out, wearing their Sunday best. The menu also has a stunning array of chef designed salads and a killer assortment of sides and starters. It was really difficult to narrow down what to eat, as everything sounded great, but I had to try the Seed Gumbo (traditional roux, okra, green and red peppers, collard greens, mushrooms, topped with spicy seitan) and the Southern Fried PoBoy (fried tofu, light chickpea flour breading, lettuce, tomato, vegan mayo, poboy bread). My vegetarian couldn’t resist the BBQ Sandwich (house-made seitan, BBQ sauce, slaw, whole wheat bun). We shared a kale salad with cashews, mango, and a mind blowing miso maple dressing.

The gumbo was so close to being awesome, but inexplicably included beans. (I am wondering if the kitchen accidentally mixed it up with the chili?) The tofu poboy, with the addition of hot sauce, hit the spot, though I was wishing for a slice or two of pickle. The standout ended up being the BBQ sandwich. The house made spicy seitan, which was its base and also topped the gumbo, seemed to be the secret ingredient. Again, if I had more time I would have insisted on another trip or two to try more menu items.

On our way out of town, we made a quick stop at the Nola Brewing Company’s taproom on Tchoupitoulas. I was curious to see how it compared to the ones in Memphis, and well, I wanted to buy a case of Hopitoulas. When we arrived we were a bit confused as the taproom looked a lot like a restaurant. Unlike the taprooms here that have a rotating cast of food trucks, the Nola Brewery taproom had a built-in BBQ restaurant. There were lots of folks, presumably on their lunch break, enjoying a beer with their food. Unfortunately the whole place smelled like smoky meat — not a good way to end our vegetarian trip. However, we did discover the rooftop bar on our way out, so that’ll do on the next visit.

I was pleasantly surprised by how easy and satisfying it was to eat vegetarian all weekend, and frankly I’m quite glad to have tried it. Turns out that eating healthy in New Orleans is a nice balance to all of the usual debauchery. (And I can always just get my shrimp poboy fix at The Second Line anytime I like.)