Memphis Foodie

The second stop on my Downtown Dining Week adventure was Paulette’s with my friend Greer.  Paulette’s is one of those restaurants I grew up hearing about, and I always wanted to try it out.  However, when they moved to Harbor Town from Overton Square, I knew it would be even longer until I tried it out.  Overton Square is right around the corner, whereas Harbor Town seems a million miles away.

This week was a great excuse to truck on down there and try it out though.  Paulette’s had a nice romantic atmosphere, which seemed calm and relaxed despite the hustle and bustle of a completely packed house around us.

We were greeted by our server, who was friendly throughout the whole night.  She has a great way of being attentive, but knowing we wanted to hang out and be left alone at the same time.  She first presented with a wine list.  Paulette’s has a nice wine list, so we had lots of choices.

She also brought us out a basket of bread, which reminded us of funnel cake.  It was crisp on the outside, with a little filling.  It was also dusted with powdered sugar.  It was okay, but too sweet for me to eat with my meal. It didn’t go well with the savory and hearty feel of the meal.

Our server returned with our wine, and we were then given our Downtown Dining Week menu:

CHOICE OF APPETIZER:
Field Greens Salad: Mixed field greens, iceberg romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots tossed in tarragon vinaigrette 
OR
Soup of the Day

CHOICE OF ENTREE:
Chicken Sicilian: Tender chicken breast breaded with fresh garlic, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasonings and sauteed, served with angel hair and today’s fresh vegetable 
OR
Grilled Pork Tenderloin with sun-dried cherry port sauce, whipped potatoes, and fresh green beans

DESSERT:
White Chocolate Bread Pudding: White chocolate and raspberries baked in an egg bread custard, topped with cream anglaise and Chambord syrup 
OR
Fresh Strawberry Crepe: Fresh strawberries sliced and tossed in brown sugar, folded in a fresh crepe with orange apricot sauce and whipped cream.

The soup of the day was cheese soup, which sounded interesting.  It was also freezing cold outside, so that is what we both got.  The soup was nice and creamy.  It was, however, lukewarm.  That was the main turnoff.  Had it been hot, I think it would have been a lot better.  Greer and I both said we would give it a B-.

For our entrees, Greer got the Chicken Sicilian and I got the Grilled Pork

Tenderloin.  Greer’s chicken was good.  I liked the crust on the outside.  It was also tender.  My pork was extremely tender, and it had a good, sweet glaze over it as well.  The potatoes were creamy, and the asparagus was cooked just right: not too mushy, but not too crunchy.

For dessert, we decided to get one of each and then share.  Greer got the crepe and I got the Bread Pudding.  The dessert was the only part of the meal that blew our socks off.  Both were packed with flavor that hit you with the first bite.  The Strawberry Crepe tasted fresh.  How they did that so well with out of season fruit, I have no idea.  The Bread Pudding was perfect for such a cold day.  It not only warmed me up, but forced me to eat the whole thing.

Overall, we both agreed that Paulette’s is a destination for dessert.  The food was good, but nothing worth raving over.  The desserts, however, were fantastic.  Whether I will be back any time soon, though, is another story.  Harbor Town just isn’t anywhere near any of my usual spots.  If you are around the area, though, I suggest stopping in and satisfying your sweet tooth.

For more information on Paulette’s, visit their website or Facebook page.  You can also find more reviews at Yelp, Urbanspoon, and Trip Advisor.  Also, check out their write-up from Memphis Daily News, view their menu at All Menus, or make a reservation at Open Table.