Yazoo: The Beacon

Yazoobrew.com

Calfkillerbeer.com

We’ve only written about food so far, but when we tasted this beer we had to share it with everyone.  Yazoo Brewing Company of Nashville, TN and Calfkiller brewing Copmany Sparta, TN got together to create a truly unique ale.  The two middle Tennessee breweries joined forces to brew an ale calling attention to Tennessee’s craft beer taxes which are the highest in the nation.  Rightfully so, Beacon has been dubbed a “Tennessee High Tax Ale.” 

The experience of this beer starts with label and packaging.  Your eyes are immediately drawn to a pig, which is quartered, with a light shining on it.  The various parts of the pig list the state of Tennessee taxes per gallon on wine ($1.21), domestic beers ($1.37), college party beers ($1.13) and craft beers ($1.86). As you explore the label you notice on the left hand side, a pretty humorous description of this “oppressively refreshing” beer.  We actually chuckled audibly when reading this.  Prior to popping the top you must first get through several inches of red tape, wrapped tightly around the neck of the bottle. Well played Yazoo. Well played. 

The beer pours cloudy, golden color and clears up as it sits.  You’ll also see and taste a high level of carbonation.  Take a good whiff of the Beacon before you enjoy it.  There’s a definite smoky, citric bouquet attached to the beer.  The smoke no doubt comes from the smoked German wheat used to brew it.  The smoke is very prominent in the first sip you take and it finishes with a dry, fruity flavor.  I could see this going very well with some BBQ or cheese. 

Beacon hasn’t reached all stores and restaurants yet, but I was able to find it at Whole Foods in East Memphis.  We strongly suggest trying this beer for its unique flavor, but also encourage you to support Tennessee breweries in working to lower an oppressive tax that reduces their ability to compete and grow.  Happy drinking!

Central BBQ

Central BBQ

3 Locations across Memphis
Cbqmemphis.com
Open 7 days a week at 11 a.m.

It’s been a busy week so we’re a little late with this post, but it’s a layup. Last Sunday had lunch with the family at Central BBQ on Summer Ave.  It’s been far too long since we’ve eaten there, but my-oh-my it was worth the wait!  I absolutely love Central and pretty much everything on their menu.  I say pretty much because, well I can’t get away from my favorites and I haven’t tried everything.  Today, however, I was enlightened.  Before I go any further I confess that I didn’t really venture too far from my usual, but I did tweak it thanks to the Memphis food bucket list item #18…the pork nachos on Central’s homemade potato chips.

First of all I can’t believe it took the suggestion of someone an article I read about 9 months ago for me to try this.  I used to live across the street from the original location and ate at CBBQ on a weekly basis. MINIMUM.  I also got the nachos 9 of 10 times.  I’d occasionally get a pork sandwich with some creamy mac’n’cheese on the side or a sausage and cheese plate, which we also had on this visit, but I always went back to old faithful.  Everything about these nachos is right.  You can get pork or chicken, hot or mild, jalapenos or no jalapenos.  You can then add as much of one of the various CBBQ shakes or sauces. One could make a case for this dish being one of the best local, casual dining dishes, especially for less than $10.  I couldn’t possibly ask for more, well I thought I couldn’t.  Putting this perfect pork concoction on the homemade Central BBQ chips, at no extra charge mind you, took this to an entirely new level for me.  The flavor of the chips just works perfectly with every facet of the nachos in a way a tortilla chip never could. 

As previously mentioned, we also split the sausage and cheese plate.  We hadn’t been in so long we just had to take it all in.  This is a more unique cheese plate that incorporates pepper jack cheese and instead of using traditional tomato based BBQ sauce they use a honey mustard sauce.  These are just a couple of fun twists to a classic Memphis appetizer.  Be sure to savor every bite of sausage in all its smoky goodness.

 

The Mrs. dish of choice is the BBQ chef salad.  It’s your typical salad what with its crunchy, edible shell and smoked turkey.  Wait…that’s not typical.  No cold cuts or dishes to wash with this one.  Pick your dressing, pick your meat and, if you so choose, order yourself a frosty beer to wash this one down.

In a city full of pit smoked pig Central BBQ stands out as a shining example of what real Memphis BBQ should be.  Whether you like your meat dry or wet, on the bone or off be sure to swing by this locally owned pig heaven and try their culinary couture.

Deja Vu

Déjà Vu

936 Florida St.
Memphis, TN 38106
901-942-1400
Sunday & Monday: Closed
Tuesday & Wednesday: 11:00 a.m-3:00 p.m.
Thursday & Friday: 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Saturday: 12:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

We finally made the journey from our eastern abode to one of the more unique downtown hideaways.  Certainly located off the beaten path, Déjà vu is fantastic Cajun cookery.  We thought a rainy spring Saturday would be the perfect time to try their sausage po boy.  Once I got the menu in my hands I nearly diverted from my mission.  So many items, so little time. 

We kicked our excursion off with 6 hot wings and fried plantains.  Expecting the wings to come out blazing hot, I was pleasantly surprised when the heat and flavor had a very good balance that complimented one another.  The plantains were an ideal side with their mellow flavor and light texture.  It’s so easy to fry a light item and erase all of the flavor leaving a dish that tastes like little more than a deep fryer, but that was not the case today.  The spice of the wings and the light sweetness of the fried plantains delivered a wonderful dish.

One of the most impressive aspects of our visit was our server.  She was beyond hospitable and more than helpful.  I was unaware, prior to our arrival, that there is more than one sausage po boy at Déjà vu.  I had to pick between smoked sausage, hot sausage and gator sausage.  Our server, without hesitation, recommended the gator sausage with a side of red beans and rice.  We also ordered shrimp creole, grilled cabbage and smothered okra. 

I’ve had gator before, but only in gumbo or as a fried bits similar to popcorn shrimp.  This was a totally new way to eat it and it is easily my favorite form to date.  In my prior experiences with alligator meat there hasn’t been a ton of flavor.  It either gets left in the fryer or lost in the roux.  This sandwich was full of flavor.  I found the sausage to have a slightly gamy taste that was refreshingly unique.  I have nothing else to compare it to, but it was almost like a surf and turf dish wrapped neatly in a convenient case. Red beans and rice made this perfect Cajun concoction. 

The shrimp creole tasted like a dish straight out of New Orleans, and even the smaller order was a generous portion.  My wife ended up adding the okra to the creole, and it couldn’t have tasted more perfect together.  The cabbage (one of her favorite veggies) was also delicious, cooked perfectly with a smooth buttery flavor. 

In summary, don’t pass this one up because of its slightly random location and odd kitchen hours.  This one is worth the trip, and we’ll undoubtedly be back.

 

 

 

 

Gator Sausage Po’ Boy – 4.5/5 stars (him), 3.5/5 stars (her – not a gator gal)
Déjà Vu – 4.5/5 (him), 5/5 (her)

Gibson's Donuts

Gibson’s Donuts

760 Mt. Moriah Rd.

Memphis, TN 38117

901-682-8200

Open 24/7

We return with our tail tucked shamefully between our legs due to our embarrassingly long hiatus from posting.  We’ve remained active on Twitter and hope you’ve enjoyed our Tweets and taken part in the treats.  So, without further adieu we’ll dive back in…

Today we knocked out a 5k and rewarded ourselves with Gibson’s Donuts.  We went by to try #26 on the Memphis Food Bucket List, the New Orleans donut.  Mission. Accomplished.  We also tackled the red velvet and bacon donuts.  I mean who only eats 1 donut after they walk in and smell all the ooey, gooey, sweet goodness that is fried dough, sugar and icing.  We chose a creamy, cold chocolate milk to wash all of it down.

We chose the lemon New Orleans donut.  This was delectable, buttermilk dough treat.  We loved that we got the benefit of a “no hole” donut.  We understand a New Orleans donut to be a buttermilk based donut with a dimple in it that puffs up once fried.  With light lemon glaze this donut was a magnificent treat.

The maple bacon donut is a more traditional donut in the sense that it comes in the classic “O” shape.  The flavor was anything, but traditional.  Bacon has become quite en vogue in the dessert/sweets arena.  While we enjoyed the texture and salt the bacon brought to this maple glazed confection, we couldn’t help but wonder to what level Benton’s Bacon could have taken it.  We admit to being spoiled by Mr. Benton’s hogs and for that this donut shouldn’t be punished.  Be sure try this one on your next trip to Gibson’s.

Our favorite flavor of the day was red velvet donut.  This was an extremely pleasant surprise.  To be fair we love pretty much everything red velvet so it had a bit of a head start before anything even made it to our mouth.  The folks at Gibson’s nailed the red velvet flavor in this cakey donut and finished it with the perfect amount of cream cheese icing. 

We hope you find Gibson’s as enjoyable as we did. Make sure you put this Memphis staple on your short list of must haves.  We promise to be back sooner rather than later and hope that our experiences lead you to some great meals and memories of your own! 

New Orleans - 4/5 stars (both)
Gibsons - 4.5/5 (him), 5/5 (her) #redvelvet

Sakura Japanese Restaurant: Joyce Roll

Sakura Japanese Restaurant
4840 Poplar Ave.
Memphis, TN 38117
(901)572-1002

We continued on to our second stop on the 100 things to eat in Memphis before you die...Sakura Japanese Restaurant.  We were there to try the Joyce roll.

We decided to visit Sakura's recently opened second location in East Memphis at the corner of Poplar and St. Nick. The new location is close to home and provided the perfect spot to resume our Memphis culinary journey.  The inside of the restaurant is FANTASTIC! Fresh, clean designs and fixtures make this the ideal spot to enjoy an intimate dinner for 2 or, as we chose to do, have a fun meal with several friends.  One important note, the restaurant has yet to obtain a liquor license.  They will allow you to bring in your libation of choice to accompany your meal...and just in case you forget to bring something, the Spirits Shoppe is right next door.  You can pop in there and grab a bottle of sake or whatever you desire to help you wash down your meal.

Our server promptly greeted after taking our seat and didn't miss a beat for our entire meal.  We decided to order the Joyce Roll as an appetizer so as to enjoy it with a clean pallet.  The roll itself is made up of succulent crawfish tails, tender avocado, shrimp tempura, Sakura's house sauce and fish eggs. Once put together the entire roll is tempura fried and done so to perfection!  There's nothing quite like the light crunch of tempura fried sushi.  The roll is cut into 4 pieces which are then halved.  It's a good thing they halve the individual pieces too because this roll is big! Each bite was absolutely delightful.  This roll is unique and satisfying, just like so many other rolls at Sakura. 

While went to Sakura specifically to try the Joyce Roll we certainly didn't go JUST for the Joyce Roll. We followed up our Joyce appetizer with the tofu steak. Tofu used to one of those dishes that, as a red-blooded American male, I disregarded as not being "real" food.  My mind was changed a couple of years ago by this very dish. Five pieces of half inch thick tofu are brought out by the server on a sizzling iron skillet. The tofu is covered with a very thin tempura like coating and topped with savory teriyaki sauce.  The end result is soft, flavorful appetizer that is sure to please every tofu lover and shock those, like me, who dismissed tofu as a food for vegetarians only.

Our entree consisted of two more rolls...Ben's Roll and the Deep Sea Roll. Many of the rolls at Sakura are colossal. Be sure to check with your server that you aren't ordering too much food.  Ben's Roll is no exception (consider yourself warned).  It's a raw roll with tender, spicy salmon and crabstick in the middle topped with Cajun tuna and fresh avocado.  This roll is a can't miss that almost deserves it's own spot on the Memphis culinary bucket list.  The Deep Sea Roll isn't quite as big as Ben's Roll, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in flavor!  It's actually quite similar to Ben's Roll with it's composition of tuna, avocado and crabstick, but lacks the spiciness.  While the ingredients overlap, the flavor of the DSR is much milder and was a great compliment to Ben's Roll. We highly recommend both!  

If you're looking for a different sushi roll that manages to combine all of your favorite aspects of sushi, then you MUST get to Sakura to try the Joyce Roll.  To be fair, Sakura has many rolls that you won't find at other sushi joints and they are all worth the trip.  Swing by their new location in East Memphis or good by the Germantown location near Saddle Creek and indulge...you'll be happy you did!

Sakura Japanese Restaurant - Husband: 4.5/5 stars, Joyce Roll - 4.5/5 stars
                                                Wife: 5/5 stars, Joyce Roll - 4.5/5 stars

Belmont Grill: Onion Rings

Belmont Grill
4970 Poplar Ave.
Memphis, TN 38117
(901)767-0305

This was the first stop on our journey to eat the 100 “must haves” of Memphis cuisine.  Just eyeballing the list, many look delectable, and a few look like something I’d typically avoid.  Nonetheless, in an effort to spice up our culinary endeavors and expand past the few usual spots that we always frequent, my husband and I decided to give all 100 a go, and try out some new places in the process.  Fun, right?!

Fun indeed!  Belmont Grill happened to come first on the list, and not least for the fact that it is located so closely to our humble abode in East Memphis.  The item from Belmont on the list was their onion rings – the perfect side to this Belmont burger which I’d heard so much about over the years.  While not a huge meat eater, sometimes I occasionally just all-out crave a good hamburger.  And I was not disappointed. 

Belmont is a little dark on the inside, and it has an “old” feel to it – mostly because it IS old.  The story on the menu, which took up two pages, dated the building back, in one form or another, to the 1920’s.  I liked the historic aspect right away.  The service was also pretty good, if not over the top; it’s what you’d expect in this type of establishment, and I definitely can’t complain.  (I personally do not care for “chatty” or overly friendly servers, having been one myself.)  Since there were three of us, we forewent our usual perch at the bar in favor of a table, which was tucked nicely into a corner, reminiscent of some of the tables at Half Shell.  Ah, and it used to house the Half Shell, according to the menu narrative, so quite fitting really.

My husband got the potato skin appetizers, and I tried a bite.  I really liked them, better than I usually like that dish.  I think this one had more potato on the inside, and he had covered it with a healthy (or unhealthy as the case may be) dose of sour cream.  Additionally, my husband mentioned that these were some of the fresher tasting potato skins he’d had the pleasure of enjoying.  I ordered the burger with onion rings, medium, with swiss cheese.  Order came out quickly and correctly.  The burger may have been cooked more than medium, but that was fine by me, because frankly it tasted delightful.  It was not enormous, but the meet was thick and filled the bun (which looked like half of a sub sandwich bun) nicely, and the condiments (which came on the side) that I added were fresh and delicious. 

The onion rings themselves were thin and measured probably two to three inches in diameter.  The breading was light and reminded me a little of tempura in coloring and density.  I was tempted to get ranch as a dip, but I’m on a (very lax) diet, so that was the one compromise that I made for myself.  Nevertheless, they were good in the ketchup, and had a good mix of breading and onion.  The onion also didn’t slip out of the breading, as often occurs with onion rings (an annoying by-product of an otherwise tasty fried dish).  In summary, I liked the onion rings a lot.  However, I liked the burger even more!

One thing – one the way out, we caught what looked like a once frozen breaded onion ring in the parking lot.  Bummer.  That kind of killed the notion of being freshly breaded and made in the restaurant.  But that’s ok, I’m not sure they’d have tasted much better that way!

Belmont Grill – Wife: 4.5/5 stars; Onion rings – 4/5 stars.

                              Husband: 4.25/5 stars; Onion rings – 4/5 stars.