Memphis Foodie

Your tool for delicious, local cuisine right in the heart of Memphis, TN.

Central BBQ October 17, 2011

Filed under: East Memphis,Midtown — Shannon R Little @ 6:48 pm
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As a Memphian, I have had my share of amazing and also terrible barbecue.  Whenever I am not in the mood to try something different and all I want is to go somewhere I know the ‘cue is going to be solid and always good, I head down the street to Central BBQ. Central is a local staple in Memphis, and the consensus seems to be all positive. Obviously, there are many rivals in Memphis for the best barbecue, and everyone has their favorite. However, Central BBQ seems to be at the top of most Memphians’ lists.

My favorite barbecue meals are a pulled pork sandwich and barbecue nachos. Any place that can tackle these two items is a gold medal winner in my heart. Central BBQ has the best of both of these.

This particular time I was at Central, I met my friend Amber for a lunch date to celebrate her upcoming birthday. We got there a bit after the lunch rush, and the place seemed very peaceful. Central BBQ is not a hole-in-the-wall joint, but it does have your relaxed, casual atmosphere down pat. It’s like going to eat at Grandma’s.

Amber ordered the pulled pork plate with beans and macaroni and cheese. She claims that Central BBQ has the mac-n-cheese that you just cannot master at home. You know, the thick, creamy, rich kind. She let me try them, and yes she was definitely right. This mac-n-cheese was great.

I ordered a similar meal this time I was there.  I got the pulled pork plate with beans and greens.

I was a bit curious to try something different this time, so I also ordered the tamales. They had obviously just started serving them, as I noted by the signs around the store. With my love for tamales, I know I had to try them.

Overall, our pulled pork plates were amazingly delicious. The pork was juicy and tender, so much that I barely had to chew. You know you have the good melt-in-your-mouth barbecue when you barely have to use your teeth.

The tamales, on the other hand, were not my favorite. They were pretty dry and fell completely apart when I opened them. I was left with a dry, clumpy mess.

Central BBQ is still on the top of my list for BBQ joints in Memphis. Stick to what they do best and leave the rest for the others.

For more information about Central BBQ, visit their website (where you can also order online and have it shipped to you!). You can also check out their Facebook page, Yelp, or Urbanspoon.

Central BBQ (East Memphis) on Urbanspoon

Central BBQ (Midtown) on Urbanspoon


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Corky’s October 6, 2011

Filed under: Collierville,Cordova,East Memphis — Shannon R Little @ 5:00 pm
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Though I have not found myself inside a Corky’s in quite some time, I do find myself gravitating toward them at events. Corky’s is the barbecue staple in Memphis that always has a food truck out to serve you up a Memphis tradition whenever and wherever. This particular time I ate Corky’s was at the Jim Dickinson Folk Festival at The Levitt Shell.

Whenever I am at these sorts of events, I always choose Corky’s over a corn dog or funnel cake. It’s like choosing between Taco Bell and Las Delicias. This time, I got the barbecue sandwich and Scott got the barbecue nachos. We split the two between us.

Corky’s is not my favorite barbecue in Memphis, and I usually roll my eyes when another tourist told me they have the best Memphis BBQ at Corky’s. Please do not go here if it is your one shot at good Memphis BBQ. They tend to chop the meat, instead of pull it, which does not leave it as tender as possible.

However, it’s solid and it’s flexible. You can order it to go to cater to mass amount of people, have it shipped to your front door, find it at Memphis in May when you take a break from music, or you can have a good meal out. Have it your way. It’s always hot and fresh, no matter how you eat it. It beats the fast food and a lot of other mediocre eateries, and it always leaves me ultra-satisfied.

For more information about Corky’s, visit their website or online store. You can also check out their Facebook Page, Urbanspoon, or Yelp.

Corky's Bar-B-Q (East Memphis) on Urbanspoon


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Cozy Corner September 6, 2011

Filed under: Downtown — Shannon R Little @ 3:26 pm
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As a Memphian, I have my favorite BBQ joints that I frequent in town. However, I have heard nothing but amazing things about Cozy Corner but had never been there myself. As a true Memphis Foodie, I take BBQ very seriously. Therefore, I found it necessary to try this landmark eatery.

My friend Katherine came in town last week to see me, so obviously we had to get BBQ while she was here. Everyone knows you can’t visit this town and not stop for some good pork.

We pulled up to Cozy Corner and notice its nothing special on the outside. This is definitely your no-frills kind of place, which usually leads to the best kind of grub. We get in line at the counter, order our food, and find a seat.

You don’t have many options at Cozy Corner: pork, beef, cornished hen plus a few side items. And, seriously, who orders beef at a BBQ place?

Katherine and I both get the pulled pork sandwich with two sides. I choose  corn and baked beans, and Katherine chooses corn and coleslaw.

Overall, Katherine and I agreed that the meals were good, but not the best in Memphis. My mild sauce didn’t have much flavor, and Katherine’s hot sauce wasn’t very hot. There wasn’t enough flavor. There was also a lot of big slices a pork, which didn’t make sense for a pulled pork sandwich. Yet, the bun was soft and the meat was very tender. The corn was fresh and juicy, and the beans perfect.

Also, the service there was very friendly. Everyone working was extremely nice, and they all had that down-home humble attitude. You walk in and feel welcome immediately.

I don’t think I will ever be back to Cozy Corner, but I am glad that we went there. It was a great experience, but I think I will stick with my personal favorites.

Hey, a Memphian is allowed to be picky about these things.

To learn more about Cozy Corner, visit their website, Yelp, or Urbanspoon page.

Cozy Corner on Urbanspoon


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Blues City Cafe June 2, 2011

Filed under: Downtown — Shannon R Little @ 12:00 pm
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Blues City Cafe is a Memphis staple, and I am a bit ashamed to say that I had never experienced this place before my visit a few weeks ago. Blues City Cafe is split into two separate areas: the restaurant and the blues club. You can have a good meal and listen to some good ol’ Memphis blues all in the same place.

A group of us went after a Grizzlies‘ playoff game, you know the one that went into triple OT and ended at around midnight? We were starving by the time we left, and Blues City Cafe was on the way back to the car and open.

Since there was a mass exodus from the FedEx Forum, this place filled up quick after we got there. Therefore, our service was slow, but understandably so. Our poor little server did not know what hit her.

For appetizers, we split the cheese and sausage plate and stuffed mushrooms with shrimp and crab meat. The cheese and sausage plate was decent, but not the best I had ever had. The stuffed mushrooms were delicious though! They were very tender and full of yummy juices.

For our meal, I got the three tamales. They were pretty average, but I liked them so I ate them.

Erin got the shrimp skillet, which was pretty good. It’s hard to mess up shrimp in a skillet, and Blues City did not for sure.

Matty C got the ribs, and Scott got the Best Meal on Beale, which is a “Combination Platter – 1/2 rack of our signature BBQ ribs and a Southern Fried Catfish filet served with coleslaw, new potatoes or steak fries, Texas toast and tarter sauce”. This is a meal big enough for two, or my boyfriend. Blues City Cafe is known for their ribs and catfish. Let me say, they were awesome. Matty C even raved about how awesome his Texas Toast was for a while.

Though Blues City Cafe is a Memphis classic, I will say that this place attracts more tourists than it does locals. This is why I have never been here. Every Memphian has their favorite BBQ joint, and usually they are the small hole-in-the-walls that Trip Advisor does not talk about. Blues City Cafe is great after you have tried other BBQ places.

Overall, after experiencing this place, I advise people to stick to what they do best. Get the ribs and catfish, but ignore everything else on the menu. It’s great for a bite to eat after a long night on Beale.

For more info on Blues City Cafe, visit their website, where you can find their menus. You can also check out their Facebook page, Yelp, Urbanspoon, or Google Maps.


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Blues City Cafe on Urbanspoon

 

Bar-B-Q Shop February 17, 2011

Filed under: Midtown — Shannon R Little @ 6:01 pm
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Where-oh-where to start when starting a Memphis foodie blog? Well, I thought since Memphis is THE home of BBQ, I had to start by trying out a new BBQ place. Between the World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest in May and all of the local eateries, tourists flock to Memphis to try our barbecue. It’s what we are known and loved for.

As a native Memphian, I have tried many BBQ spots and have my favorites. I go certain places for ribs, certain places for a pulled pork sandwich, and certain places for BBQ nachos. I have my typical recommendations for family, friends, and tourists. I know Memphis BBQ.

However, there is one spot that I have heard a lot about, but I have never tried. That is the Bar-B-Q Shop on Madison Avenue in Midtown. It is apparently a Memphis staple that I have overlooked in my years. So this is where I went for lunch today.

As you walk up to the restaurant, it looks like a typical hole-in-the-wall joint. Nothing fancy. The inside is very bare-bones as well. They obviously focus more on the food than the atmosphere.

As I walk in, the sign says “Please see hostess to be seated”, so I stand and wait for someone to greet me. After about 30 seconds, the lady who has been standiing against the wall and staring at me says, “So you want to sit down and eat?” and I respond yes. She then says, “Well I’m glad I asked because you would have been standing there forever if you didn’t speak up.”

Excuse me? It’s my job to yell at someone to ask for them to help me, when the sign suggests otherwise? I am a very laid-back person in these situations, but it put me a little off from the beginning. She was a bit rude. This aside, she sat me at a table, and I was quickly greeted by Laurie, my server. She was really sweet and helpful. (Thanks for everything Laurie!)

I start with some BBQ nachos, as they are one of my favorite barbecue dishes. My friend Andrea agreed! When they arrived to the table, my eyes got huge! These were not your typical appetizer order of nachos, but instead they were a meal for two! However, they looked delicious, so we both dug in. Our eyes did not fool us, they were delicious! Round tortilla chips topped with pulled pork, nacho cheese, BBQ sauce, and jalapeños…yum!

After the nachos, we got our main dishes. Andrea got a pulled pork sandwich, and I got the pulled pork salad. Once again, my eyes widened as I noticed how incredibly large their portions are. Andrea raved about her sandwich,and my salad did not disappoint either! I would have like a bit more lettuce, though. To me, it seemed more like a GIANT bowl of BBQ with some other stuff mixed in as a opposed to a salad with BBQ. Yet, how can I complain that they gave me too much BBQ on a salad at a BBQ joint? I skipped side dishes, because I have heard mixed reviews about them. Also, I obviously already had enough food in front of me.

After we were done, I ended up needed 2 To-Go boxes: one for the rest of the nachos and one for my salad. There was so much food, I couldn’t even fathom trying to eat it all.

Here is Andrea, also a Bar-B-Q Shop first timer, talking about her experience.

Overall, the place was great in my opinion. I can see why so many people rave about it. Though the hostess was a bit rude, our server Laurie was wonderful! She even put up with us asking questions and taking pictures for a class project (#j7200 on Twitter). What a good sport. The food portions were huge, but everything was great. I still have my other favorite BBQ places in town, but I will definitely be back to The Bar-B-Q shop again.

Check out the website of the “Home of the Dancing Pigs” for more information.

They are also on Facebook.

This place has a lot of great recommendations to back them up both on Yelp and Urbanspoon. Here is their Google Map page also.

 

Bar-B-Q Shop on Urbanspoon

 

 
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