One and Only BBQ and More revisted

One and Only BBQ Revisited

As you have read here before I love the hamburger at this place on Kirby. Rolled in there this afternoon looking to read a new magazine and enjoy another great burger. Well today was not a good time to say the least. Started out kind of OK the guy named Charles was working the front, as he has been most of the time I go. He took my order no problem even acted like he remembered me good job. Then the place got a little busy. One large to go order then 3 two tops arrived to eat in. Here is where it started to go south. There was some moron in the back banging on a bell incessantly. Yelling and hollering about “he had a 2:00 appointment and now he had to do all of this shit”!!! Excuse me for supporting your local restaurant I could have gone across the street to the F’ing Macaroni Grill and had pasta in piece. This guy totally ruined my lunch, and the lunch of everyone else sitting in the dining room. What a dick!!

So I will remove my got to go by rating and say go at your own risk. If biff the bell ringing dickhead is there your lunch has a good shot at being ruined!!!

As I was leaving I asked Charles if that guy owned the place he said “Yes” I told him that bell ringing was stupid. I am sure he doesn’t care one bit. However, with restaurants closing at 2 a month clip he really should.

The One and Only BBQ and More
1779 Kirby Pkwy & Poplar
Memphis Tn 38138

Ph: 901-751-3615
Fax: 901-751-3617
oneandonlybbq@bellsouth.net

McEwen's on Monroe

Found myself downtown the other day and needed to have a lunch meeting, thought about it for a minute and McEwen’s came to mind. It has just recently changed hands and I felt like it would be just right since one of the guys I was meeting could walk there. If you have ever tried to get a parking place in downtown Memphis you know it is a miserable experience. So I said McEwen’s. Since I had to park I was the last to arrive!! The server was there in a flash and took my drink order and went over the specials. Three guesses what the fish of the day was? Salmon!! The seafood mongers must be giving this stuff away; it is always the special everywhere. Please, I would even take some Catfish or anything but Salmon. Enough Ranting!!
My companions both had the Chicken Pot Pie with the accompanying salad, pork tenderloin for me with the sweet potatoes and squash casserole. The food came quickly and was hot upon arrival. Mine was flavorful and portions were right on the money. My companions said they Pot Pie was wonderful and satisfying. We were a little later and it was a Thursday but the place never filled and everyone seemed to be enjoying their experience.
Looks like I will have to go back for dinner. I just rarely find myself willing to go downtown for dinner. Maybe I will try a little harder in 2009.

One thing we all need to do is support our local independent restaurateurs! These guys are the only thing between you and low rate chain food. Trust me none of us want that. Please when you go out choose an independent place and enjoy the rewards of supporting you local Memphis people. The money stays here and come back here though their employees maybe using your services!!

McEwen’s on Monroe
120 Monroe
Memphis, TN 38103
Phone (901) 527-7085

Las Delicias

WOW!! I was at a friend’s house Saturday night having dinner and he had some of the best restaurant brought Guacamole and chips I have ever eaten. I asked where it came from and he said Las Delicias over off Mendenhall by the bowling alley! He then told me they had the best Cuban sandwich he had ever eaten. I spent a little over a year in Tampa Florida. There was a very special place by the airport that made the best Cubans I had ever eaten. Fresh hot and the pork cooked just perfect. I have not had a good one in years. I have been so disappointed I stopped ordering them out. So guess what I had for lunch this afternoon. That’s right Swami a Cuban from Las Delicias. Man this might have been better than the ones I remember from Tampa!! First the place is in an L Shaped shopping center right next to the Winchester Bowling Alley. Walked in and the only patrons in the place were Hispanic, a great sign. Sat down a very nice young lady came over and ask for my drink order. Here is where it got a little weird I said unsweet tea. She says no tea!! Mexican soft drinks or Coke, Sprint or Diet Coke!!! I love it. I was almost afraid to drink the water it was so authentic!! I got water and order my Cuban and starting reading a magazine I took in. About 5 minutes and she returns with exactly what I ordered a Cuban sandwich, no fries, no chips, no nothing just sandwich and napkin. Piping hot, stuffed to the gills with everything from roasted pork, sliced pork, cheese, jalapeños, tomatoes, and some kind of Mayo like sauce that was wonderful. This sandwich was a special experience. Ever meat and flavor was identifiable to my palate. The bread was fresh and hot. Nothing about this was bad. I ate it so quickly I think the server thought I dropped it! Man I wanted another one so bad, but refrained. Got up to pay the very nice register person, who might have been the owner, asked if I had a good meal and I told her it was wonderful and she kindly asked me back. I told her I would be back in the next 2 weeks for sure!!

One trouble would be if you are a vegetarian, forget it. The lovely Ms D as you know eats no meat!!! She will never get to know this wonderful place unless she is in the mood for a bowl of Guacamole!! I saw the chips being made as I was paying. That is right being made they fry them to order no huge bowl of chips and salsa when you walk in the door they must be ordered!

This is my new favorite place will let you know about dinner very soon. But if you find yourself in the Winchester and Mendenhall area this place is worth the effort in my opinion!!

Las Delicias
3727 Mendenhall Road
Memphis, TN 38115
901.542.0170

Dino’s Grill

I was in a part of town I am not normally in, with a guy I normally do not work with when the question of lunch came up. He said “What about Dino’s Grill on McLean?” I said man I haven’t eaten in there is years!! So off we went. We arrived right at 11:00, before the lunch crowd. I recommend you do the same or you will wait! We were told to sit anywhere we wanted. The server came at once and took the drink orders, and left menus. There was a table tent with the plate lunch specials on it all of them looked wonderful. The Spaghetti and Meatballs for me and the Hen and Dressing for my buddy. He also got Turnip greens, pickled beets, and sweet potatoes and corn bread. Garlic bread came with the pasta.

The food arrived quickly and was all hot. His plate loaded to the edges with food. Mine, over loaded with pasta and 3 meatballs. The menu declared only 2! He drove into his and said it was wonderful. Mine was good as well the gravy, as the menu stated it, was dark, rich, and full of favor with bits of vegetables and meat. It was not acidic at all, thick, rich, and wonderfully filling. The only thing I would say is that, this wonderful sauce deserved better pasta. Dried pasta is fine but this sauce was really good and some homemade noodles would have killed. We were in and out in less than an hour and the pasta was $8.45 and the Plate Lunch about the same.

As I was paying they had a breakfast menu out. I am always looking for a breakfast place on Sundays mornings after church. Looks like Ms D. and I have a new place to check out. Check back for a breakfast review soon.

Dino’s grill is a wonderfully homey place. One of those places like Alice’s, Mel’s or whatever you know where most of the people know each other and visit and talk back and forth; Solving the world’s problems over really good food and conversation. I recommend you go by if you haven’t been in a while. And if you are one of the regulars, thanks for letting me crash your party this afternoon, it was a blast..

Dino’s Grill
645 N. McLean
Memphis, TN
38107
ph: 901-278-9127
eat-italian@dinosgrill.com

Post Office BBQ

Well as many of you know I love Bar-B-Que. I had what could be the best I have ever eaten this passed Wednesday. I when to the Post Office Bar-B-Que Shop in Tipton Tennessee. Located just outside Atoka off of the main drag. There is a sign on the highway that says Post Office Bar-B-Que ½ mile!! Walked in and dammed if it is not the old post office! Mailboxes and a counter the whole nine yards. Ordered the plate and what came out was heavenly. Moist and juicy the best smoky flavor I have ever enjoyed. This stuff is remarkable for sure. The slaw just like I like it a drier style of the KFC slaw which I like. And the French fries yes sir nice and crispy. The Bar-B-Que is over the top. As I was leaving the owner was there and said we should come back on Friday or Saturday for the ribs. I am looking for a weekend right now. If you are ever in Atoka look for this place it is without a doubt the best que this man has ever eaten…


Post Office BBQ
(901) 840-3480
2452 Tipton Rd, Munford, TN 38058

Another Great Burger

As anyone who reads this thing knows, I love a good hamburger. Well I walked into one that was great, this afternoon. At a place you might not think would be worthy of a burger order; The One and Only, Barbeque place on Kirby. Walked in there and saw the burger on the menu and thought why not Three Little Pigs makes a great one. So I ordered it. It took about 7 minutes to arrive. I like that, it means they cooked it when I ordered it, yeah! It arrived and to my surprise it is the only hamburger I have had in months that was bigger than the bum, by a good bit. There was a half inch of meat all the way around the bun!! It came as all of my first burgers do a simply mustard, pickle and onion. WOW, cooked on a flat top, my favorite for sure, it was nice and crusty on the outside and wonderfully juicy on the inside. It was cooked perfectly not over done!! The bun was fresh, soft and simple. The fries were even good. Not crisp enough for me, but having not ordered them crispy I was content. This is a simple and clean restaurant it is run by two friends who have over 20 years in the food business. I sat there eating and I heard numerous comments about the BBQ and how wonderful it was. So next time I will try to get that, but make no promises.

If you love a good burger I would love to get another opinion on this one. I found it easily in the top 5 in the city!

The One and Only BBQ and More
1779 Kirby Pkwy & Poplar
Memphis Tn 38138
Ph: 901-751-3615
Fax: 901-751-3617
oneandonlybbq@bellsouth.net

River Oaks, Pheasants and Pinot Noir

Last night I had a wonderful dinner with a great bunch of Guys. I am a member of a group that has been meeting and eating and drinking wine for well over 30 years! The group original met at John Grisanti’s restaurant on Airways with Big John. The dinners are always themed and last night was no exception. Pheasants and Pinot Noir. These guys bring wine like you cannot believe. We had 20 different pinot noirs! I guess as a sign of the times only 2 Burgundy’s; the rest, all new world producers.

The food is what this is about, we met at River Oaks and I am not sure Ben Vaughn is not doing some of the best food in the city right now. We had four wonderful courses. We had a member that had just returned from South Dakota from hunting and he provided the Pheasants. Ben did something with them that was amazing he made them into sausage! Then served them over this wonderful risotto with fresh Fava beans. It was truly the best pheasant I have ever tasted.

The one thing I think that sets Ben apart is that he is willing to go to any lengths within reason to satisfy his customers. One thing I also wanted to mention in case you didn’t know about it is that on Monday night River Oaks has all of the wines on the list at half price!! What a deal and there are many bargains on his list.

This is a simple post to say go to River Oaks and if it is on Monday evening you are even luckier!!

Give Ben and River Oaks a chance I do not think you will be disappointed.

River Oaks Restaurant
5871 Poplar Ave
Memphis, TN 38119
(901) 683-9305