Memphis magazine May 2015 by Contemporary Media

Memphis • THE CITY MAGAZINE • W W W.MEMPHISMAGAZINE.COM

THE SECRET THE WORLD’S BEST BBQ. OUR 2015 FICTION MUSEUM p. 36 WHY? BECAUSE WE SAY SO! p. 50 CONTEST WINNER p. 72

THE CITY MAGAZINE

USA $4.99

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VOL XL NO 2 | MAY 2015

The Pyramid Redux! Ducks!

DISPLAY UNTIL JUNE 10, 2015

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T:9” S:7.875”

The BMW 320i

roadshowbmw.com 901-365-2584

S:9.875”

With available features like BMW ConnectedDrive, SiriusXMTM Radio, and no-cost maintenance, you’ll get everything you want. Not to mention the thrill you can only experience in the 3 Series.

STARTING AT $35,300. NO-COST MAINTENANCE

UP TO 4 YRS / 50K MILES1

Roadshow BMW | 405 N. Germantown Parkway | Memphis-Cordova, TN 39018 | 901-365-2584 | roadshowbmw.com 1For model year 2015

or later vehicles sold or leased by an authorized BMW center on or after July 1, 2014, BMW Maintenance Program coverage is not transferable to subsequent purchasers, owners or lessees. Please see bmwusa.com/UltimateService or ask your authorized BMW center for details. ©2015 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.

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T:10.875”

THE BMW 320i.

You know your shoe size, dress size, favorite color, breast density …

wait, what? Forty percent of women have dense breasts, but most don’t know it. Unfortunately, dense breast tissue increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer and makes early detection more difficult. Baptist Women’s Health Center is the only facility in the Mid-South to offer advanced ABUS cancer screening, designed specifically for women with dense breasts. To find out more, visit baptistonline.org/density.

Get Better. womens.baptistonline.org

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901-227-PINK

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OYSTER PERPETUAL DATEJUST L ADY 31

rolex

oyster perpetual and datejust are trademarks.

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The Face of Memphis

Scott Ledbetter, Founder and Chairman of LEDIC Management Group and SPL Corporation, Founding Member of Society of Entrepreneurs, Chair of Pyramid Re-Use bringing Bass Pro to the Pyramid, past Chair of Memphis Zoo, Memphis Museum System, Arts Memphis, and MIFA’s $26-million Campaign, Engineering and MBA graduate of Cornell University and a big fan of the University of Memphis.

“The value of a major university at a city’s core cannot be overestimated. Potential becomes reality in its classrooms, progress is measured on its campus, promises are made to tomorrow in every commencement. Regardless of where you went, this is where your city is going. We at Northwestern Mutual are proud to join other civic leaders in recognition and support of the Fogelman College of Business & Economics, University of Memphis. We are, each and all, Tigers.” Jim Meeks, Managing Partner, Northwestern Mutual Memphis

1770 Kirby Pkwy Suite 400 | www.nm.com/memphis

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T:8”

Ready. Set. Go anywhere. The 2015 GLA.

T:9.875”

THE 2015 GLA STARTING AT

31,300*

Make every trip an adventure with the muscular, versatile 2015 GLA. Its power liftgate opens to an expansive cargo space and split-folding rear seats, making it the perfect companion for any excursion. With advanced aerodynamics, striking design details and an exceptional starting price, it’s everything you could want and more in a compact SUV. The 2015 GLA. An entirely new automotive experience from the company that’s always been known for pioneering them. Visit MBUSA.com/GLA

Mercedes-Benz of Memphis 5389 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN (901) 345-6211 www.mbofmemphis.com

Mercedes-Benz of Collierville 4651 S. Houston Levee Road, Collierville, TN (901) 316-3535 www.mbcollierville.com

2015 GLA 250 4MATIC® shown in Cirrus White metallic paint with optional equipment. *MSRP excludes all options, taxes, title, registration, transportation charge and dealer prep. Options, model availability and actual dealer price may vary. See dealer for details. ©2015 Authorized Mercedes-Benz Dealers For more information, call 1-800-FOR-MERCEDES, or visit MBUSA.com.

HEADLINE: 42 pt. • SUBHEAD: 20 pt. • BODY COPY: 10.25 pt

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4/13/15 8:26 AM

EAST MEMPHIS

Tom Kimbrough BROKER

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10040 Quaking $459,000 Kathryn Anne Matheny 901-848-2033

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Joy Kimborough

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320 East Street Joy Kimbrough

Nan Lee

$199,000 901-335-5773

Toni Martello

Kathryn Anne Matheny

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THE FA C E S OF

VOL XL NO 2 | MAY 2015

on the cover: The Pyramid is seen reflected in a pool of water from an on-ramp to the I-40 Hernando DeSoto Bridge during the first official lighting of the Bass Pro Shops sign.

Memphis

photograph by brandon dill

36 Up Front 14 16 20 22 24 26 31

in the beginning spotlight fine print city journal out and about front and center fashion

Features

36 Buried Treasure

The Belz Museum of Asian and Judaic Art dazzles with work from two cultures. ~ by marilyn sadler

41 Pyramid ReDucks!

An iconic Memphis building — now with its own hotel — is reborn with an emphasis on the outdoors. ~ by toby sells

50 The Faces of Memphis Barbecue

To celebrate the season, a colorful cast of experts explains why barbecue means more than smoke, meat, and heat.

~ by pamela denney and shara clark

Memphis (ISSN 1622-820x) is published monthly for $15 per year by Contemporary Media, Inc., 460 Tennessee Street, P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101 © 2015. Telephone: 901-521-9000. For subscription info, please call 901-5219000. Subscription customer service mailing address is Memphis magazine, P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101. All rights reserved. • Periodicals Postage Paid at Memphis, TN. Postmasters: send address changes to Memphis, P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101.

61 Like Mother, Like Daughter

For Shelley Miller and Meade Carlisle, good taste is all in the family. ~ by anne cunningham o’neill

72 Fiction Contest Winner: “Itta Bena Slim”

Are Trish and Duane on the worst date ever? A dying gambler’s wisdom might set them on track. ~ by david williams

108 They Need a Hero

Saving lives by providing temporary care to homeless animals. ~ by shara clark

Columns/Departments 114 ask vance

The Pig Pen Our trivia expert solves local mysteries of who, what, when, where, why, and why not.

~ by vance lauderdale

116 books

Say it with Soul In three new books, that’s the message from the “country-soul triangle,” the Rev. Al Green, and Otis Redding. ~ by leonard gill

118 city dining

Tidbits: Aldo’s; plus the city’s most extensive dining listings.

128 last stand

A Missed Sunset Memphis faces life without the Sunset Symphony.

~ by frank murtaugh M AY 20 15 • MEMPHISM AG A ZINE.COM • 7

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BONUS

Just Want to Browse? No Problem. We’re Open 24/7.

www.ChestnutHall.com In This Issue W H AT ’S H AU T E

What’s Haute

1. Lovingly Handcrafted San Benito Rosary and 2. Celebrate Mother’s Day with an ice-cream cake earrings are inspired by the art and magic of San from Baskin-Robbins! Our special occasions Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Wear it and believe. cakes are sure to put a smile on your mom’s face. Virgins Saints & Angels Collection exclusively in Visit one of our local locations and pick up a cake Germantown at More Than Words Gifts; today! www.baskinrobbins.com. 2123 West St, Germantown, TN; 901.755.4388; morethanwords.com

3. Hillwood at Davies Manor is the site for your dream wedding. Indoors or on the lawn of our historic log home, you and your guests will be taken to a place where life is simpler and dreams come true. 3570 Davieshire Drive, Bartlett, TN 38133; 901.376.0715; daviesmanorplantation.org

4. This hand-forged candlestick is available at 5. Bill and Ryan are expert framers with over 50 6. Diamond Brokers of Memphis offers hundreds Nest Shop. A gift shop which specializes in years of experience between them. You’ll be of stackable bands that are the perfect gift for an unique merchandise at affordable prices. Come surprised by our prices and happy with our service. anniversary or any special occasion. Choose from see us at: 6993 Poplar, Germantown, TN 38138; Stop by our frame shop and see what we can do for a variety of styles, finishes, widths and colors, 901.849.6378; Facebook: Nest, Germantown, TN; you. Art Center Supply Store; 1636 Union Ave.; featuring diamonds or gemstones! www.nestshopgermantown.com. 901.276.6321; www.artcentermemphis.com 5134 Poplar Avenue; 901.682.3426.

7. Choose a glittering vintage necklace and bracelet 8. Cake dome by Three E Designs from set ($55), a pair of gold Haeger vases ($18.50), Two Doors Down; 2110 Merchants Row, or let Mom choose that perfect gift with a Germantown, TN 38138; 901.385.3115 Sheffield gift certificate. Sheffield Antiques Mall; 684 West Poplar Avenue, Collierville, TN; 901.853.7822; sheffield-antiques.com.

pages 28 – 29 These terrific products from our area’s leading retailers keep you stylish and on trend for all of the upcoming events this season.

9. Central BBQ was voted “Best Barbecue Sandwich” and “Best Barbecue Ribs” in Memphis magazine’s 2015 restaurant poll. Visit Central BBQ for competition-style ribs and BBQ. 4375 Summer Ave., 901.767.4672; 2249 Central Ave., 901.272.9377; 147 Butler Ave., 901.672.7760.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SEC TION

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GO RED F OR WOMEN Go Red for Women

celebrates more than ten years of fighting heart disease in women. F

or many years, women throughout the United States were suffering in silence. Heart disease was claiming one in three women, but little was being done to raise awareness of the issue. Then, the American Heart Association took charge.

In February 2004, the American Heart Association launched Go Red for Women, a nationwide initiative designed to raise women’s awareness of their risk of heart disease while encouraging them to take charge of their own heart health. Due to the organization’s educational efforts, more than 627,000 women’s lives have been saved, but the fight is far from over.

Go Red for Women Luncheon

During the luncheon, attendees will hear from a local heart disease survivor who will share her personal story. The luncheon will end with the annual survivor fashion show, which is presented by Macy’s Oak Court. To learn more about how you can support the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign in Memphis, e-mail billye.mcghee@heart.org. M A Y 2 0 1 5 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 101

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pages 101 - 106 Taking a stand against heart disease through awareness and prevention. Our annual special section encourages awareness of the issue of women and heart disease.

Coming In July

3075 Forest Hill Irene Road, Germantown • 901.753.8515 • www.chestnuthall.com

ST. JUDE’S GENOMIC GAME-CHANGER | MIND’S EYE: MURRAY RISS Memphis • THE CITY MAGA ZINE • W W W.MEMPHISMAGA ZINE.COM

THE CITY MAGAZINE

VOL XXXIX NO 4 | JULY 2014

150 TOP DOCTORS! @3

THE MID-SOUTH’S FINEST PHYSICIANS IN SPECIALTIES AS CHOSEN BY THEIR PEERS.

DISPLAY UNTIL AUGUST 10, 2014

USA $4.99

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T OP DOC T ORS Presenting the results of a national survey naming the top physicians — chosen by their peers — in the Mid-South, covering dozens of different specialties. Offers advertorial profile opportunities for advertisers.

Coming In August Memphis • THE CITY MAG A ZINE • W W W.MEMPHISMAG A ZINE.COM

Memphis

DISPLAY UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30, 2014

USA $4.99

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2014

PHO PPH HO H O TTO TOG OG O G RA RAP R APP H © JJEE FFF A FFR FFR R EEYY JA JJAC ACC OB A OBS O BSS B

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THE CITY MAGAZINE

THE

VOL XXXIX NO 5 | AUGUST 2014

CIT Y GUIDE Designed for both newcomers and longtime Memphians alike, our annual guide showcases everything you need to know about the Bluff City. Our biggest issue of the year features the widely read “Who’s Who” and our annual “College Guide.”

STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE SINCE 1950

appraisals handwash/cleaning sales reweaving repairs color run restoration pet and other stain removals moth damage odor removal and much more

3554 Park Avenue, Memphis, TN • (901) 327-5033 • taghavirugs.com

For more information on advertising or our upcoming special sections, please contact Penelope Huston at 901.575.9402 or penelope@memphismagazine.com

8 • MEMPHISM AG A ZINE.COM • M AY 20 15

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At Regional One Health, your well-being means everything to us. It’s our mission to improve it any way we can. Our team of healthcare professionals is dedicated to providing compassionate care along with remarkable, new services. It’s not just our job to advance the quality of life in our communities. It’s what we love to do.

YOUR PASSION FOR

life

INSPIRES OUR PASSION TO CARE FOR YOU.

RegionalOneHealth.org

Pub: Memphis Magazine Insert: April 2015

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Client: Regional One Health 4/15/15 Job No: 47657

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Memphis T H E CIT Y M AG AZIN E

PUBLISHER/EDITOR kenneth neill SENIOR EDITORS michael finger, marilyn sadler MANAGING EDITOR frank murtaugh ARTS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR anne cunningham o’neill FASHION EDITOR augusta campbell FOOD EDITOR pamela denney SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR shara clark CONTRIBUTING EDITORS richard alley, jackson

baker, john branston, anna cox thompson, leonard gill, tom jones, vance lauderdale, eileen townsend

CREATIVE DIRECTOR brian groppe ADVERTISING OPERATIONS DIRECTOR margie neal ADVERTISING ART DIRECTOR christopher myers GRAPHIC DESIGNERS dominique pere, bryan rollins PHOTOGRAPHY brian anderson, justin fox

burks, brandon dill, larry kuzniewski, amie vanderford, andrea zucker

published by contemporary media, inc. 460 tennessee street, memphis, tn 38103 901-521-9000 p • 901-521-0129 f subscriptions: 901-521-9000

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER kenneth neill CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER jennifer k. oswalt DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT jeffrey a. goldberg EDITORIAL DIRECTOR bruce vanwyngarden

Manhattan style.

DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL/OPERATIONS molly willmott

Memphis

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR penelope huston SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES joy bateman,

shaina guttman, sloane patteson taylor DIGITAL MANAGER matthew writt

attitude.

EVENTS MANAGER jackie sparks-davila MARKETING CONSULTANT britt ervin MARKETING ASSISTANT kendrea collins READER SERVICE COORDINATOR lynn sparagowski ACCOUNTING COORDINATOR ashley haeger

MOSCOT has been handcrafting iconic eyewear for visionistas at the forefront of New York fashion, creativity, and innovation since 1915. Now these vintage-style, affordable frames are available in Memphis, exclusively at Eclectic Eye, where we’re bringing a little bit of Manhattan closer to you.

IT DIRECTOR joseph carey IT ASSISTANT ashlee taylor RECEPTIONIST martin lane

&7 may 2015

Ask our Eyewear Architects about MOSCOT eyewear.

Midtown Memphis

242 South Cooper St.

901.276.EYES (3937)

member: City and Regional Magazine Association member: Circulation Verification Council 10 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • M A Y 2 0 1 5

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W nopen o a t the

pyramid

located in memphis, tennessee

Rustic Lodging

Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl & Grill

Waterfowling Heritage Center

Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid is more than just a store; it’s an adventure. The massive destination experience offers something for everyone, from the serious outdoor enthusiast to families looking to have fun. Beyond the amazing sights and incredible features, Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid has also partnered with the Memphis-based conservation group Ducks Unlimited. Working together, they’ve crafted a one-of-a-kind museum to showcase the rich history of waterfowling and wetlands conservation and bring these great traditions to a younger generation. Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid also offers two unique restaurants, a bowling alley, and the nation’s tallest freestanding elevator. Big Cypress Lodge, the first hotel inside a Bass Pro Shops, features a 105-room hotel with tree-house cabins that look out over a full cypress swamp environment with live alligators, towering cypress trees, and over 1,800 fish from largemouth bass to lake sturgeon and alligator gar. Plus, experience the breathtaking 360-degree view 300 feet above the Mississippi River at the apex of the Pyramid. Offering the largest assortment of waterfowl hunting equipment ever assembled, Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid also has the widest array of high-quality hunting gear, fishing and boating equipment, camping and outdoor cooking gear, outdoor apparel and footwear, and nature-themed gifts. There’s nothing else like Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid anywhere in the world!

memphis , tennessee

• basspro.com • 1-800 basspro

For reservations , visit big-cypress.com or call 1-800-225-6343

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ON THE WEB

Highlights from memphismagazine.com Our revised, revamped, and reader-friendly website is designed to supplement the printed magazine you are holding in your hands. For further reading by writers in this issue, use the “Archives” link on our website:

“WILLY BEARDEN: IMAGES FROM ONE OF MEMPHIS’ BEST-KNOWN FILMMAKERS,” by richard j. alley (April 2014)

“HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS: ARTISAN TREASURES FROM AROUND THE WORLD,” by shara clark (January 2013)

Our Blogs For a closer look at Memphis — past and present — visit our regular blogs:

901 Compiled by the staff of Memphis magazine, this is where readers can find tidbits relating to all facets of life in the Bluff City. memphismagazine.com/Blogs/901

MEMPHIS S T E W We celebrate our city’s community table and the people who grow, cook, and eat the best Memphis food. memphismagazine.com/Blogs/Memphis-Stew

A SK VA NCE Vance Lauderdale, our man-about-town and history columnist, talks about who, what, when, where, why — and why not. memphismagazine.com/Blogs/Ask-Vance

S T Y LE WAT CH Tips and techniques for looking good in Memphis. memphismagazine.com/Blogs/Style-Watch

SPO TL IGH T CELEBRATING NEW HAPPENINGS

ALL AROUND TOWN Harahan Bridge Bike + Pedestrian Crossing... Beale Street Riverboat Docking Station... Bass Pro in the Pyramid... Crosstown Mixed-Use Renewal... Overton Square Renewal... Tiger Lane... Hattiloo Theater... Shelby Farms Green Line and Trail System... 60 Miles of Bike Lanes... Shelby Farms New Master Plan — The Largest Urban Park in the US!

CELEBRATING 34 YEARS SELLING

ALL AROUND TOWN

Snaps from parties and events around Memphis. memphismagazine.com/Blogs/Party-Pix

GE T T ING OU T Since 1868

Jimmy Reed, President 901.682.1868 JimmyReedRealtor.com

Proudly supporting MY “City of Choice”

The online magazine offers a complete events calendar, accessible on the home page, searchable by date and type of event.

E AT ING OU T For the most comprehensive RESTAURANT LISTINGS in town — arranged by their name, location, neighborhood, and even the type of food served — go to memphismagazine.com

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IN THE BEGINNING | by frank murtaugh

A Tomb With a View

he Pyramid and I go way back. At least as far back as one can go with a 24-year-old arena. Shortly after arriving in Memphis in June 1991, I took a job in a real-estate office on Harbor Town. Outside the east windows of that office you could gaze at Sidney Shlenker’s grand vision, a four-sided, slanted, silver monstrosity that somehow seemed to fit alongside the Mississippi River just as those iconic — quite ancient — tombs have attracted the curious to Egypt since the first pharaoh was interred (roughly 2600 B.C.). The difference between the original pyramids and ours, of course, was the need for revenue-generating action inside the walls of that steel structure.

rkainvestments.com 901-674-5522

I missed the arena’s grand opening (a Judds smoke. That’s a multipurpose facility. concert on November 9, 1991) and I’m glad I In 2002, the arena hosted arguably its did. Plumbing issues caused the arena floor to biggest event, the last heavyweight boxing begin flooding, making that stop memorable match that mattered, but Lennox Lewis for Naomi and Wynonna as they checked hammered a washed-up Mike Tyson. For another show off on their Farewell Tour. most Memphians, though, the Pyramid’s I was there for the Pyramid’s first rock peak had already occurred on November 1, show, Van Halen (with 2001, when the Memphis Sammy Hagar) on DecemGrizzlies hosted the Deber 2, 1991. The sound qualtroit Pistons in this city’s ity was miserable, Eddie’s first regular-season NBA guitar heroics fairly clanggame. After decades of ing off the slanted rafters, various minor-league opnot yet equipped with the erations (camels on a football field?!), the Bluff City padded barriers that properly retain the massive volwas finally Big League. And it happened in the ume of such a concert. (Saw Pyramid. The irony, of the same band there again four years later, drummer course, is that the NBA’s Alex Van Halen performarrival necessitated the construction of an areing in a neck brace. Astonishing thing to witness.) na that could actually, you k now, meet NBA If a public building’s value is in the memories it standards. The Grizzlies helps create, the Pyramid hosted their last game at July / August 1991 — in its original incarnathe Pyramid on April 14, tion — did Memphis well. The most breath2004, four months before I saw KISS one taking basketball player this city has ever more time (alas, minus two of its original produced — Penny Hardaway — played two members). Bass Pro’s arrival will redefine “multipurseasons for the Memphis State Tigers under that pointed roof. If basketball wasn’t your pose” for the Pyramid. But with live alligagame in the Nineties, you may well have seen tors, a bowling alley, observatory, hotel, and camels march across a miniaturized football more equipment than the most avid outdoorsfield during the Pyramid’s two-year stint as man could house in anything smaller, the home to the Arena Football League’s Memarena will likely see more action than, yes, phis Pharaohs. even a KISS concert. The hope is that the new Personally, the sight of Gene Simmons and venture is so grand, so distinctive, so unlike anything else on the planet, that the snickerthe original members of KISS on their reunion tour (July 10, 1996) is an image I’ll never shake, ing and fisherman jokes (you’ve heard them having missed rock’s masked marvels during if you haven’t told them) are soon viewed, their Seventies heyday (I was too young, and metaphorically, as merely a loud, shallow Mom and Dad were too opposed). And that creek running its course. Memphis deserves show was merely my second favorite Pyramid something deeper, something better. So does event of the year, as my wife graduated from the Pyramid. the University of Memphis — on her birthday Frank Murtaugh — a month later. A diploma presented where managing editor a guitar had, just weeks earlier, gone up in

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SPOTLIGHT | Red Shoe Gala | Columns downtown | March 21, 2015 | Photography by Andrea Zucker 1

he 14th annual gala benefiting the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis offered guests a fashion show from the shops of Laurelwood Shopping Center as well as a variety of acts including fire breathers, acrobats, and other thrilling entertainment. 1 Marc Surprenant and Sylvie Le Bouthillier 2 Melissa and Chris Purcell 3 Jeremie Estepp, M.D., and Rye Estepp, M.D. 4 Bret Roy and Caron Byrd 5 Chandler, Fred, and Taylor Tillman 6 Ken McCown, Sarah Hall, Jennifer Jacobson, and Steve Froehlich 7 Chris and Lynn McDermott 8 Jessica Clarke and Aquinas Early 9 Marvin and Janice Tolbert 10 Jessy Dearduff, Jennifer Palladina, Brittany Hebert, and Megan Tiffin 11 Charlene and Robert Machen 12 Jason and Emily Callahan 13 Amy and William Austin 10

11 12

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Take good care of your money.

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GET A SECOND OPINION AT FTBAdvisors.com Insurance Products, Investments & Annuities: Not A Deposit | Not Guaranteed By The Bank Or Its Affiliates | Not FDIC Insured | Not Insured By Any Federal Government Agency | May Go Down In Value Insurance Products and Annuities: May be purchased from any agent or company, and the customer’s choice will not affect current or future credit decisions. FTB Advisors is the trade name for wealth management products and services provided by First Tennessee Bank National Association (“FTB”) and its affiliates. Financial planning and trust services provided by FTB. Investment management services, investments and annuities available through FTB Advisors, Inc., member FINRA, SIPC, and a subsidiary of FTB. Arkansas License # 416584. Insurance products available through FTB Advisors Insurance Services, Inc. (”FTBIS”), a subsidiary of FTB. Arkansas License # 247414. In some states, insurance products and annuities are provided by First Horizon Insurance Services, Inc. (“FHIS”), a Tennessee corporation, and a subsidiary of FTB. The principal place of business of FHIS is 165 Madison Ave., Memphis, TN 38103. California License # OD12174. FTBIS, FTB Advisors, Inc., and FHIS may transact insurance business or offer annuities only in states where they are licensed or where they are exempted or excluded from state insurance licensing requirements. FTB Advisors does not offer tax or legal advice. You should consult your personal tax and/or legal advisor concerning your individual situation. ©2015 First Tennessee Bank National Association. www.firsttennessee.com

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4/14/15 8:54 AM 2/23/15 12:03 PM

SPOTLIGHT | Brooks Uncorked | Memphis Brooks Museum of Art | March 20, 2015 | Photography by Andrea Zucker

elebrating the art of good taste for 23 years, the Memphis Wine + Food Series kicked off with the popular annual Brooks Uncorked that featured more than 60 wines from Buster’s Liquors, cuisine from popular local restaurants, and music on the terrace.

1 Kathryn Smith and Russell Currey 2 Suzanne and Jon Scharff 3 Jody and Larry Shutzberg 4 Kate Basar and Lindsey Hedgepeth 5 Steve and Polly Havard 6 Reggie Kaminsky and Ann Marie Hall 7 Tricia and Andy Woodman 8 Alan Compton and Fiona Binder 9 Lindsey and Kevin Rea 10 Terry and Clarissa Turner, Bonnie and David Thornton

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Camp Out in the pyramid!

BIG CYPRESS LODGE Located within the new Bass Pro Shops Pyramid in downtown Memphis, Big Cypress Lodge is the ideal

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4/14/15 7:53 AM

FINE PRINT

Cause for Optimism? Crosstown Concourse is rising toward reality, one brick at a time.

or 30 years I have lived in the shadow of the Sears Crosstown building four blocks west of my street in Midtown. I drove past it on my way to work, and when flying into Memphis I could use it as a landmark to find my house. Lately I have been walking around it a couple times a week to watch the transformation to Crosstown Concourse. It is a remarkable thing. The biggest ongoing building restoration in the United States comes down to a lot of men on swinging scaffolding working painstakingly on one small section of wall at a time. The giant crane that lifts materials to the top of the building can reach over 200 feet. The tool that masonry superintendent Jerry Fiske carries looks like you could use it to divide a ham sandwich or change a bicycle tire. It ’s c a l le d a sl icker, o r sometimes a pointer or striker. Whatever you call it, the bent piece of steel roughly eight inches long is the tool of choice for replacing the mortar inch by inch that holds the millions of bricks in the massive building together. Quality bricks can last a millennium, but mortar not so long. Water causes cracks and discoloration. Sears Crosstown was built in seven stages starting in 1927. The walls of the oldest sections are made of five interlocking rows of bricks, called wythes. And by the time

which can vary in color depending on the mix of lime and water. Too much water and the building will look “like a zebra” says Fiske. He is so into this job that he can’t sleep some nights for thinking about it. “It’s rare to get someone who cares so much,” says Mike Kenthe renovation is done, every nedy, owner of Structural Wabrick that shows on the exteterproofing and Restoration and rior will be touched by human the recipient of Fiske’s nocturnal hands at least three times after phone calls. “This is his baby.” the mortar has Crosstown been cut out, Concourse is a repointed, and testament to the the bricks genskill of people tly washed. like Fiske and Man on brick, Kennedy and the one at a time, a vision of the dedifferent kind of velopers, bankers, and archigrit and grind. tects who made “Tuck pointit happen. No ing can destroy a building if not thanks to Sears, done right,” says whose name has Fiske, 71, who properly been reBy the time the has been wieldmoved from this renovation is done, every project. ing a slicker, chipping hamYe a r s a g o brick that shows on the mer, grinder, some advertisexterior will be touched ing genius, a la and the masonby human hands at least Don Draper in ry pan called a Mad Men, came hawk since he three times. was 13 years old. up with the slo“This building is in darn good gan “the softer side of Sears.” An actress talked about the shape for not having any maintenance done for 40 years.” girly things Mom could shop for Historic preservationists rewhile Dad was buying power viewed six shades of mortar, tools and appliances. The seamier

side of Sears was their portfolio of abandoned property such as Crosstown that contributed nothing to the neighborhood or tax base. Adding insult to injury, a hostile investor showed that Sears stock was worth a billion or so more than anyone knew, although none of that money found its way to fixing blight or broken windows in Midtown. Renaming and repurposing are not the same as revival. That will only come when Crosstown Concourse opens in 2017 and is occupied with renters, businesses, students, and medical services and functioning as the urban village its backers hope it will become. To set the record straight, “the naysayers” did not say it couldn’t be done. The question was whether it should be done. You can do a lot of things for $200 million. It will take more than clean bricks and cool interiors to make it a success. Between Crosstown Concourse and Methodist Hospital on Union Avenue are several blocks of blight, condemned houses, and abandoned property, including the Midtown expressway ramp aborted in the Seventies. Life in the urban village will not be Harbor Town or suburbia, by a long shot. But a Midtown landmark already looks a lot better, and optimism is in the air.

LINE DRAWING BY FREDWEISS | DREAMSTIME • RENDERING COURTESY CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE

by john branston

20 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • M A Y 2 0 1 5

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4/13/15 8:28 AM

CITY JOURNAL

Bass Pro Pride Transformation of The Pyramid fits with the city’s heritage.

by tom jones

Maybe that’s why Memphis is a city willing to give so many people second chances, whether they are playing basketball for the University of Memphis or the Grizzlies, whether they moved here from another city after a business failure or whether they have been scandalized and are looking for a new start. It’s not a city where acting superior and judgmental is part of the basic civic makeup. We all know people whose lives were turned upside down, and we all know people from different races and places and with all kinds of lifestyles. While there may be occasional bursts of geographic pride that lead people from a part of the community to be dismissive of people in another, pettiness about where someone is from is not something we spend a lot of time dwelling on. That’s why it was surprising when a reporter from a national newspaper visiting Memphis to check in on the redevelopment of The Pyramid wrote that he heard people disparaging it because it would bring too many hunting and fishing enthusiasts from rural areas into Memphis, or as he

reported, more rednecks into downtown. After all, Bass Pro stores average 1.8 million customers a year with almost half coming from beyond 50 miles — and it’s expected that people will come much farther for this one-of-a-kind store. It was a surprising report since it’s a rare day in Memphis when you don’t meet someone from a small town in Arkansas, Mississippi, or Tennessee, and so many chapters in our history have roots that stretch back to small towns. From Mississippi came B.B. King from Itta Bena, Howlin’ Wolf from White Station, John Lee Hooker from Coahoma County, Elvis Presley from Tupelo, Cordell Jackson from Pontotoc, Albert King from Indianola, Rufus Thomas from Cayce, and Ace Cannon from Grenada. From Arkansas came Johnny Cash from Kingsland, Al Bell from Brinkley, Al Green from Forrest City, and Charlie Rich from Colt. That’s not to mention Tennessee’s Tina Turner and Sleepy John Estes, both from Nutbush, and Carl Perkins from Tiptonville. And famously, Sam Phillips drove in from Florence, Alabama.

The number of people visiting Bass Pro Shops will be more than two times the number of people who attend all University of Memphis and Grizzlies basketball and Redbirds baseball games. Meanwhile, we have business and political leaders like Fred Smith, Harold Gwatney, Bill Morris, Ralph Horn, Pat Kerr Tigrett, Ned Cook, Bill Tanner, George Ellis, Kemmons Wilson, Clarence Saunders, and dozens more. There are enough members of the Memphis Society of Entrepreneurs from small towns to approach a majority. It’s a century-old story about how Memphis has been seen as the promised land by so many, and it continues today. Between 2008 and 2010, 1,570 people moved into Shelby County from Eastern Arkansas; 2,376 people from West Tennessee; and 3,544 people from Northern Mississippi. They represent the most significant source of new residents for Shelby County, and in this way, to dismiss these immigrants as country bumpkins or to categorize hunting and fishing as redneck sports is essentially to be dismissive of ourselves. Susan Schadt at ArtsMemphis proved the point when she used hunting to help fund the arts in Memphis with the impressive books, First Shooting

Light, Wild Abundance, and A Million Wings, which “celebrate and preserve the unique culture and tradition of American sportsmen and their intense devotion to land and wildlife.” To underscore the point, ArtsMemphis partnered with Memphis-based Ducks Unlimited for the Conservation Through Art program, and now, the 600,000-member organization will have its National Waterfowling Heritage Center in The Pyramid. The ArtsMemphis books make the point well: Anyone serious about hunting and fishing knows that the gear and equipment are not cheap, not to mention the outfitting for serious hiking, camping, and boating that is also featured at The Pyramid. To get an idea of the impact of the reimagined Pyramid on downtown, the number of people visiting Bass Pro Shops will be more than two times the number of people who attend all University of Memphis and Grizzlies basketball and Redbirds baseball games. It’s impossible to be dismissive of this influx of people into downtown Memphis by referring to the color of their necks. After all, it’s the color of the money that matters the most.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DREAMSTIME

here’s a lack of pretension, conceit, and guile that lies at the heart of what Memphis is. Perhaps it comes from the fact that the character of the city was fundamentally shaped by the people from the edge: rivermen and African Americans, outsiders who gave us our proudest export — legendary music — and entrepreneurs with crazy ideas from self-service grocery stores to overnight air shipping.

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4/16/15 4:28 PM

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OU T A ND A BOU T |

5.2015 |

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY MEMPHIS IN MAY | BY LANCE MURPHEY

compiled by anna cox thompson

Memphis in May International Festival 2015

hat better way to say goodbye to a frigid winter and hello to summer? This monthlong event includes a spotlight on the honored country of Poland (May 4-9), the always popular Beale Street Music Fest (May 1-3), the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (May 14-16), and the final performance of the much-loved Sunset Symphony (May 23).

Tom Lee Park, memphisinmay.org

5.7

36th Annual Blues Music Awards

Hosted by The Blues Foundation, this show brings together performers, industry representatives, and fans from all over the world to celebrate the best in blues from the previous year. As an added bonus, enjoy the grand opening of the Blues Hall of Fame on May 8. Blues Foundation, 421 S. Main, 527-2583

5.7-10 Crimes of the Heart

The Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Beth Henley tells of three sisters who reunite in Mississippi after Babe, the youngest, shoots her abusive husband. Follow the trio as they attempt to save Babe from the murder charge, and overcome their family’s painful past. Bartlett Performing Arts & Conference Center, 3663 Appling, 385-6440

Blues Music Awards

5.8-9

5.8-31

Take in the sights, sounds, food, music, and dancing (both traditional and modern) of a rich culture. Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 573 N. Highland, 327-8177

A classic musical adventure that combines Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew and the sounds of Cole Porter as the story of an egocentric couple comes to life. The score features such songs as

Memphis Greek Food Festival

Kiss Me Kate at Playhouse on the Square

Kiss Me, Kate

“Another Op’nin’, Another Show” and “Too Darn Hot.” Playhouse on the Square, 66 South Cooper, 725-0776

5.8-10

Memphis International Guitar Festival

Performances by virtuoso artists Lily Afshar (who recently reworked traditional fingerings of Bach for the guitar), Aaron Larget-Caplan, and Rene Izquierdo will highlight this event at the University Of Memphis Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music; includes three concerts, a competition, and master classes. Harris Concert Hall, 3775 Central

5. 9 – 9.20 “Play”

A unique exhibit exploring the intersection of play and art, using pieces from the permanent collection and tying into themes from “The Art of Video Games.” Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, 1934 Poplar, 544-6200

5.15-17

Memphis in May Triathlon Sports Festival

Fitness enthusiasts flock to Millington for the amateur challenge. New this year will be a division open only to active-duty military and reserves. Edmund Orgill Park, memphisinmay. racesonline.com, 550-2114

Jerry Seinfeld at The Orpheum Theatre.

“Play” at Memphis Brooks, with art by Ted Faiers (above)

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American (b. England, active in Memphis), 1908-1985 The Sentimental Prognosticator, 1981 Mixed media construction: wood, masonite, canvas, acrylic Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis,TN; Gift of AutoZone, Inc. 2001.15.130 ©Estate of the Artist

4/20/15 12:44 PM

5.16

5.25

Join Mei Ann Chen and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra for a full evening of music and dance, including the Memphis debut of Duke Ellington’s “Harlem,” choreographed by Katie Smythe. Levitt Shell, 1928 Poplar, 537-2525

This tribute to our veterans will be held at the Halls Cemetery and culminate in the playing of “Taps.” Come honor those who fought for our freedom. Veterans’ Museum, 100 Veterans’ Dr., Halls, Tenn., 731-836-7400

Memphis Renaissance

5.20

Dave Matthews Band

Rocking out with their unique sound since 1991, DMB has developed more

Memorial Day Program

10% off system h installation throug 15 May 15, 20

5.28-30

Memphis Italian Festival A taste of Italy in the South, with proceeds benefitting Holy Rosary Parish School. Includes a

Zoo Brew

SEE IT AT THE P!NK PALACE! than a cult following, and their music has stood the test of time. Experience the sounds of their Trax 33 album live at this new and improved venue. BankPlus Amphitheater of Snowden Grove, 6285 Snowden Lane, Southaven, 662-892-2660

5.22

Zoo Brew

Twice a year, beer connoisseurs taste brews from around the world while enjoying live music at one of the Zoo’s most popular fundraisers. Memphis Zoo, 2000 Prentiss Place, 333-6500

5k, music, food, games, and arts and crafts. Marquette Park, Park and Mt. Moriah, 685-1378

5.29

Jerry Seinfeld

Helllloooo, Memphis! Hailed for his uncanny ability to joke about the little things in life, the iconic comedian is a must-see. The Orpheum Theatre, 203 S. Main, 525-3000

Meet Wicked Plants author Amy Stewart Appearance & book signing: Saturday, June 6, 2015 • 9 - 11am Exhibit open June 6 - September 7, 2015

Funded by the North Carolina Arboretum Society and the Creel-Harison Foundation

P!NK PALACE MUSEUM

M A Y 2 0 1 5 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 25

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4/20/15 12:44 PM

FRONT AND CENTER

Jacek Dutkiewicz with michael finger

rtist, musician, composer, inventor, professor, scientist — it’s difficult to define Dr. Jacek Dutkiewicz, senior research fellow for Georgia-Pacific’s operations in Memphis, and since 2008 president of the Polish-American Society in Memphis. Born in Poland “several years ago,” as Dutkiewizc says, his education and career have taken him to universities throughout his native country, to Zaire, then to the United States, where he taught at the University of Washington. Along the way he has filed dozens of patents, published some 200 articles, and written two books about paper manufacturing and technology. A job offer from the Kimberly-Clark Corporation took him to the company headquarters in Wisconsin, and from there he came to Memphis, where he has lived with his wife, Halina, since 1998. He talks about his native country, this year’s salute to Poland by the Memphis in May International Festival, and misconceptions many Americans have about the Polish people.

First of all, let me say that you have one of the most impressive resumes of anyone I’ve ever interviewed. Thank you. I enjoy research. I earned a master of science degree and then two doctoral degrees in engineering from Lodz Institute of Technology. The president of Poland has also presented me with the “Professor” title, the highest academic degree my country offers. Does the rest of your family share your enthusiasm for science and education? Oh yes. Halina — my perfect wife, my inspiration, my motivation, my great love, with whom I have spent 42 years — also earned a master’s degree. In fact, that’s how we met, while attending school. Our son, Radek, is married and both he and wife Laurie are successful medical doctors living in Oregon. Our daughter, Magda, is a senior market research manager and lives in Nashville with her husband, Victor, an IT engineer. Before coming to the U.S., you spent some time in Africa. As a young boy, I always wanted to visit Africa, and I got a job offer to teach in Zaire. For several years I was director of the chemical engineering department at the University of Lubumbashi. What eventually brought you to the U.S.? I received an invitation from the University of Washington, but Poland was still a closed country, so my family had to stay behind. But I fell in love with this country. A few years later, the Kimberly-Clark Corporation heard about my research [in paper making] and offered me a position. By this time Poland had become more open, and I had spent my life in academia and I wanted a chance to work in the real world. We spent six years in Neenah, Wisconsin, but grew tired of the weather there. Is Wisconsin weather that much different from Poland’s? Poland gets cold, but you still have four distinct seasons. In Wisconsin, you have a short summer and a long winter.

Halina and Jacek Dutkiewicz

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So you found your way to Memphis. I liked Memphis because I knew it was a center for musicians. I had reached a point in my life where I had to decide to be a scientist, or a musician. My wife convinced me that a scientist would let me see my family more [laughs]. Let’s talk about the Polish community in Memphis. It’s a close community, but not a very large one. Perhaps 150 Polish families live here. But what many people don’t understand is how large Polish communities are in other cities. More Poles are living in Chicago than actually live in Warsaw. And if you go to Walgreen’s, you’ll see they now offer prescriptions in seven different languages, and one of those is Polish. So that says something, when Polish is considered one of the seven most common languages in the world. When was the Polish-American Society of Memphis formed? A fellow Pole, Len Jankowski, began the Society in 1978. It was mainly formed of doctors, engineers, scientists, and others who had come to this country after the war. Younger people came later. (For more information: pasofmemphis.com)

VanGogh

Rothko

MASTERWORKS FROM THE ALBRIGHT-KNOX ART GALLERY

But it wasn’t very active for a while. No. By the time we arrived [in Memphis] membership had declined. I was elected president in 2008 and have tried to attract new members. At present, we have 80 members and are growing. What is the purpose of the society? We try to remind people of the rich traditions of Poland. In 2006, my wife founded the Nicolas Copernicus School of Polish Culture and Language. We have classes at the Bert Ferguson Community Center in Cordova, teaching language and arts. And we also hold special events. In Poland, Christmas Eve is the biggest event of the year, so we try to have a traditional Polish Christmas Eve, with dinner, children putting on plays, and other activities.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to view 76 masterpieces by more than 40 superstars of the art world, including Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Georgia O’Keeffe, Jackson Pollock, Frida Kahlo, Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko, and more.

FEBRUARY 21

JU NE 1, 2015

$10 , FREE for Members and youth ages 18 and under. Reserve tickets online or at guest services (479.418.5700).

CrystalBridges.org BENTONVILLE, ARK ANSAS SPONSORED AT CRYSTAL BRIDGES BY

Art Agency, Partners Harriet and Warren Stephens, Rick and Beverly Chapman Family Stephens Inc. Stout Executive Search

This exhibition was initiated by the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York, and was organized by Albright-Knox Chief Curator Emeritus Douglas Dreishpoon. It is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. Vincent van Gogh, La Maison de la Crau, 1888, oil on canvas, 25 1/2 x 21 1/4 in. Collection Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY. Bequest of A. Conger Goodyear, 1966. Photograph by Tom Loonan.

contin u ed on page 29 M A Y 2 0 1 5 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 27

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JAC E K D U T K I E W IC Z contin u ed from page 27 How else do the Polish people get involved in the local community? We are a big part of the Germantown International Festival, usually held in August. It’s a wonderful experience, featuring some 30 ethnic groups. And we are all friends with the other cultural groups. It just shows that friends can be made easily if you’re not affected by politics.

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Any other Polish events on the calendar? Usually in September, we will hold a celebration we call “Farewell to the Summer.” And we have various holidays throughout the year. May 3rd is Polish Constitution Day. Not many people realize that Poland has the second oldest constitution in the world, drafted in 1793 and second only to the U.S. [1787]. And this year Memphis in May is saluting your country. Yes, even though it took them 39 years to do so [laughs]. That is actually a large honor. The Polish Embassy has declared Memphis in May the most important event promoting Poland in the United States this year. The calendar of events includes the Cracovia Danza Court Ballet, screenings of Polish movies, artworks, music. A cooking team called the Polska Porkers is taking part in the barbecue contest. What else do you do to enhance PolishAmerican relationships? We had a role in developing the curriculum guide that is given to schoolteachers, as part of Memphis in May’s educational materials about the honored country. I am also a member of the Advisory Council of the U.S. Embassy. We meet twice a year, and discuss changes we’d like to see. Did you know, for instance, that Poland is one of the few countries in the European Union that still requires a visa to come to the U.S.? What would you like Americans to know about Poland? I don’t think many realize the important role Poles have played in the world. The musician Chopin, the astronomer Copernicus, the scientist Marie Curie — all came from Poland. People think Curie was French, but her maiden name was Sklowdoska. Two U.S. generals in the Revolutionary War — Casimir Pulaski and Thadeus Kosciuszko — were Polish. They both have cities named after them here, but Americans don’t pronounce the name the way Poles do [laughs]. M A Y 2 0 1 5 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 29

4/20/15 12:46 PM 4/20/15 1:17 PM

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4/13/15 8:32 AM

MEMPHIS FASHION WEEK

FASHION WEEK EVENT PHOTOGRAPH BY SARAH HARRISON

FASHION

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emphis Fashion Week was absolutely electric this year. The momentum had been building, and the secret was out — the week was filled with fun, positive vibes, and

fashion’s friends who gather to celebrate creativity in fabric form. This annual event brings together designers, stylists, writers, bloggers, and photographers. Memphis may be known for barbecue and rock-androll, but it’s safe to say that fashion is on the creative horizon as well. The following pages highlight clothing by the global designers whose lines are sold right here in local stores as well as jewelry by hometown designer Amy Wells, who showed her pieces during the splendid festivities. Our featured models all participated in the runway shows, and we have dolled them up with fresh faces and this season’s hottest color for lips — fuchsia. Hair was easy and breezy for the freshest looks this side of the Mississippi River!

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on kathryn: Yellow floral maxi dress by Diane von Furstenberg, $598, from Joseph in Laurelwood. Oxidized sterling silver bezel set druzy earrings, $60; short necklace, “Under Pressure,” $185; long necklace, “Pewter Circle Chain,” $68; all from amywellsdesigns.com.

on jalen: Button-down shirt, $175; Henley shirt, $145; light blue shorts, $118; all by Faherty Brand from Oak Hall.

on peyton: Mara Hoffman maxi dress from Indigo. Short necklace, “Crystal Flame,” $175; long necklace, “Gatlin,” $115; from amywellsdesigns.com

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on camryn: Silk Ikat tunic dress by Faherty Brand, $365; from Oak Hall. Short necklace, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” $135; long necklace, “Wild Horses,” $125; from amywellsdesigns.com

MEMPHIS FASHION WEEK

on gracie: Pants, $195; top, $150; both by Waverly Grey from Southern Couture. Short necklace, “Moonlight Mile,” $115; long necklace, “Big Sky,” $95; from amywellsdesigns.com.

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MEMPHIS FASHION WEEK

on kathryn: Short Mara Hoffman dress from Indigo; $268. Short necklace of faceted crystal quartz, moonstone, and gold-filled chain, $175; long necklace, “Matte Gold Circle Chain,” $68; all from amywellsdesigns.com.

on peyton: Bright blue jumpsuit by Diane von Furstenberg, $468; available at Joseph in Laurelwood. Necklace, “Uncle John’s Band,” $175; available on amywellsdesigns.com

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on camryn: Eyelet-lace top, $160; skirt, $180; both by Waverly Grey from Southern Couture. African opal and gold nugget bracelet stacked with African opal and silver nugget bracelet, $55 each; solar quartz necklace with matte gold tassel and brown distressed leather, $175; available on amywellsdesigns.com

on gracie: Striped linen shirt dress, $265; by Faherty Brand from Oak Hall. Bracelet of antiqued bronze chain, Czech glass pearls, crystal quartz, and fresh pearls, $88; short necklace, “Happy,” $125; long necklace, “Behind Blue Eyes Chain,” $110; all from amywellsdesigns.com.

on jalen: Baja pancho, $175; beach pants in blue, $150; both by Faherty Brand available at Oak Hall.

special thank-you to: Kendrick Simpson, makeup artist, 20Twelve Lucy Hadskey, hairstylist, Secret Services Salon Amber George, hair assistant, Secret Services Salon Sara Harrison, production and wardrobe assistant Susie Reuter, digital artist Phil and Ryan Woodard of Woodard Studios Abby Phillips, director, Memphis Fashion Week Lauren Draffin, wardrobe stylist, Memphis Fashion Week models: Camryn Clark, Peyton Couch, Jalen Harris, Kathryn Heard, Gracie Tranmer

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BURIED TREASURE Made of lacquered cinnabar and decorated with jade dragons, this chair resembles the throne of emperors from the Qing dynasty, which ran from 1644 to 1911. The emperor often viewed himself as “the dragon that rides on the clouds,” ruling humanely from his lofty seat.

This unique museum, holding one of the largest collections of jade in the country, is nestled on the lower floor of a downtown building. Described by admirers as a “hidden gem,” the Belz Museum of Asian and Judaic Art dazzles with work from two cultures.

^6 by marilyn sadler ^6

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hen visitors ask Belinda Fish how long it will take to tour the museum that Fish oversees, she tells them, “It can take 45 minutes to an hour, or it can take all day.” Truly, the sight of so many magnificent pieces may compel tourists to linger longer than they planned. Not only are they awed by the beauty and intricacy of the art but by the fact that a gallery of this type is tucked away in downtown Memphis. Located at 119 South Main, on the downstairs level of the Pembroke Square building, the Belz Museum of Asian and Judaic Art opened in 1998 as Peabody Place Museum and Gallery and held some 200 pieces of Chinese art. A decade later the Judaic section was added, the name was changed, and today, the museum features 1,400 works continually on display. And such pieces they are — from a dinosaur egg dated at 100 million years old to works of exquisitely carved jade, including a five-section pagoda with a fluted top, to contemporary bronze panels that illustrate events from the Bible. The Asian art collection started in the 1960s when Jack Belz — chairman and CEO of Belz Enterprises and creator of Peabody Place development — and his wife Marilyn made their first purchase from a collector’s gallery in Los Angeles. Today the Belzes lay claim to the largest private collection of Asian art in the U.S. While the museum pieces include ivory, coral, rose quartz, tiger eye, cloisonne, cinnabar, Mongolian silver, and more, jade comprises one third of the collection. “We’re unofficially called the jade museum,” says Fish,

who has been the museum’s director and education coordinator since 2010. Most of the jade comes from China’s Qing (or Ch’ing) dynasty that ran from 1644 until 1911, whose rulers were known for their love of beauty rather than conquest; many pieces were commissioned by royalty and graced palaces, temples, and institutional buildings. “In the early 1900s,” says Fish, “the emperor was forced out of power. After the revolution, a lot of the art left China or was destroyed. Considering all that was lost, we are fortunate to have this wonderful collection.” Asked about other museums with a wealth of jade, Fish mentions the Crow Collection of Asian Art in Dallas. “That’s the one we’re most often compared to,” she says. Because jade is found all over the world it’s not surprising that jade museums operate in such diverse places as Niagara Falls and San Jose, Costa Rica. “But those have more to do with Native American or Aztec cultures,” says Fish, “not the jade found in China.” As the Belzes started collecting pieces, they worked with Christie’s of London because of Christie’s reputation as a safe source and its connection with larger, reputable museums, including the British Museum. “We wanted to make that same connection,” says Fish. The complex creations displayed in the Asian art section often started with a tremendous boulder that had to be hauled on a sled to the artist’s studio. Sometimes several artists would labor for years on one jade masterpiece. Using small drills powered by foot pedals, they’d sculpt out a rough plan, then carve details that were astonishing in their precision — a dragon’s flickering tongue, an elephant’s scalloped ear, finely etched flower petals, roofs of houses with every tile distinct, and sweetly smiling human faces tinier than snowflakes. Ivor y pieces , which abound with the same painstaking precision as jade, are also prominent in the Asian

Luohan, or disciples of the historic Buddha, gather in this stunning pagoda crafted of ivory, bone, and cloisonné. Whether Qing artists worked in jade or ivory, their carvings bore beautifully wrought details.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY CLEWISLEAKE | DREAMTIME

above: Though often green, jade also shows subtle shades of lavender, amber, and other hues. Topping the vases (forefront) are elephants, which represented purity and astuteness.

top right: Artists from the Qing era created beautiful fabric works, including this silk robe that adorns the wall of the Imperial Retreat Gallery in the Asian section.

section. Many of them were created from woolly mammoth tusks found in the permafrost of Siberia that date back 10,000 years. Upon their discovery, the tusks were traded to China and often carved into dioramas by artists in the 1900s. On display near the ivory are also blue and white pottery from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), and 2,000-year-old neolithic pottery and burial pieces. A special touch to the Asian section is the Imperial Retreat Gallery. Set up like a private area in an emperor or aristocrat’s household, the gallery contains a large rosewood lounging bed, a meditation room, and seating space designed for contemplation; on the walls are beautifully hand-crafted silk robes and accessories worn in the Qing era.

n 2007, the Belz family opened a new section dedicated to Judaic art. The striking works featured here are bronze relief panels and sculptures by Daniel Kafri and compilation paintings by Ofra Friedland. Both are contemporary artists who live and work in Jerusalem. Kafri’s richly rendered panels and sculptures — the largest collection outside of Jerusalem — illustrate such events as Adam holding Eve as she reaches to pluck the apple, David playing his harp for Saul to drive away the king’s evil spirit, Abraham preparing to obey God’s command to sacrifice Isaac before the divine hand stops him, and other events from the Torah, or the

above left: In Chinese mythology, monkeys — like this one fashioned of cloisonné — represented such admirable qualities as confidence, intelligence, and optimism.

above right: The dragon, as shown in this pottery piece, symbolized power, strength, and good luck for worthy people.

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left: Qing artists were especially gifted at carving works of nature in miniature, as shown in these jade bonsai trees.

right: A popular piece at the museum is this magnificent jade replica of a ship with its dragon prow and pagoda structure.

left: Screens and chests served as room dividers or windbreaks and were carved with translucent jade panels.

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You Know She’s Worth It

first five books of the Bible. Friedland’s large, vivid paintings include various scenes from the Holocaust and the rebuilding of the nation of Israel. Occupying two rooms in the Judaic section is the Holocaust Memorial Gallery, which opened in 2014. “The Tennessee Holocaust Commission connected us with survivors from Shelby County,” says Fish. “Some still live here, many have died, but they were generous with their donations to the museum.” One room’s focus is on the torture and annihilation of 10 million people, primarily Jews, under Nazi Germany — a crime against humanity the world should never forget. The other room is dedicated to the accomplishments of survivors. “We emphasize that this isn’t about reliving the horror,” says Fish, “but reminding ourselves how far we have come.”

“This museum has by far the best collection of jade sculptures from China that we have seen in any museum we have been in around the world, and we have been in the best of them. You will be blown away.”

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Also in the Judaic section is a violana virtuoso, a combination player piano and violin that was built in the early 1900s. “It plays mainly this wonderful Jewish Russian music. You can put a nickel in the slot and choose a song,” says Fish. “Unfortunately it’s not working right now. Only three people in the world can repair these instruments and we’re waiting on one who lives in New Orleans.”

useum visitors post their opinions of the Belz Museum on various websites, including Trip Advisor and Yelp. One post from an Illinois visitor summed up the glowing opinions of many: “My wife and I wandered into the Belz Museum thinking it would be a tourist ripoff. We were dead wrong. This museum has by far the best collection of jade sculptures from China that we have seen in any museum we have been in around the world, and we have been in the best of them. You will be blown away. This is a hidden gem of Memphis and I would go back again just to see it all one more time. Wow. Do this. ” Hidden gem, best-kept secret — “yes, we hear that a lot,” says Fish. “But we don’t want contin u ed on page 9 6

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Pyramid Redux!

Ducks!

by toby sells | photography by brandon dill

Walk into Bass Pro Shops at The Pyramid and try not to look up. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a dare, not advice. Not looking up is a challenge. Walk through the massive, antler-handled doors, step across the rustic, wooden floors and Bass Pro Shops at The Pyramid looks like many Bass Pros across the country. But that changes entirely when you emerge into the main chamber.

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Cypress trees stretch impossibly high overhead and your eyes instinctively rise to where Spanish moss drapes the spindly boughs that end somewhere above, on the border of eyesight and imagination. Then there’s the massive elevator shaft. The darkened structure (the largest of its kind in the country) glowed emerald green on a recent visit. In it, a glass box carried tiny, hard-hatted figures through a ceiling just below The Pyramid’s apex and disappeared. Water gurgles within earshot and your eyes fall to the knobby cypress knees, poking naturally from the water around the trees’ trunks. There, on a spit of land around the trunk, wild boar (taxidermied, of course) hunt and hunker together. You look finally down, over the railing in front of you and fish (live ones) swim in the gently flowing water under the wooden decking.

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“ [Bass Pro Shops] owner and founder Johnny Morris’ vision was to create a cypress swamp,” says David Hagel, general manager of Bass Pro at The Pyramid. “So, we have three quarters of a million gallons of water features, not only here but in the alligator pit and the aviary with live ducks. We have a three-story top: Hotel rooms in the Bass Pro Pyramid feature screened-in porches offering guests a view of the interior. above left: Bass Pro Shops General Manager David Hagel talks with reporters during a media tour. above right: Neon signs beckon visitors to various attractions. opposite: A stuffed bear is just one of the creatures that greet visitors.

waterfall, and a massive amount of cypress trees. You have the rustic feel of the duck lodge cabins upstairs. That’s what he was going for and I think he hit a home run with it.” Just beyond it all are the walls of The Pyramid, darkened but present, a blank space for your mind to fill in the rest of the outdoor scene with stars and an orchestra of crickets and frogs. The outdoor scene, replete with nature’s asymmetry and curving lines, is a shocking contrast to the straight lines and stainless steel of The Pyramid’s exterior. Even adorned as it is now with Bass Pro’s green-lit jumping bass logo, The Pyramid is sleek, clean. The design was a promise of a shiny, modern future for Memphis. For years it delivered on that promise, the major outlet for a “new”

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Memphis energy that brought thousands back Downtown for Tiger basketball games, world-class boxing, conferences, concerts, and more. Then, on a cold February night in 2007, Bob Seger and his Silver Bullet Band closed their Pyramid show with “Rock and Roll Never Forgets.” As the final chords and the applause faded away, Seger left the stage, the lights came on, and the crowd filtered out into the cold Memphis night. And that was it. The last big show. No “grand closing” event with speeches and balloons. Just one unannounced last hurrah for the Memphis Pyramid. And there it sat, an empty icon. But an icon just the same. To this day, tourists on Beale Street can choose among Memphis shirts, mugs, or shot glasses featuring The Pyramid. Many Memphis companies are called “Pyramid” this or that, catering or electrical. Check the Yellow Pages.

opposite top: The Pyramid as seen across the water from Mud Island. opposite bottom: Artist Libby Bush puts the ﬁnishing touches on a Wahoo ﬁsh, part of the decorations inside the undersea-themed Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl and Grill. top and above left: Attractions include a bowling alley, complete with a ball return shaped like a shark’s head. above right: A stuffed deer head and glowing signs remind visitors of the outdoors theme.

Through the gut of the recession, that icon stared back at Memphians as a constant reminder of broken dreams and hard times. The star of our skyline, the most recognizable part of our city, was down on its luck with no prospects.

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Fast forward through the rumors of a city deal with Bass Pro. Fast forward through the countless public meetings, Power Point presentations, reams of legal papers, hours of arguing, tentative agreements that were struck and expired, jokes about the “big bait shop on the river,” delayed schedules, construction, top: Workers position the Bass Pro Shops sign outside the building. above left: The Pyramid is visible as Lee Phillips (left) and Jameka Diggs take a walk while visiting one of several new upscale apartment complexes on Mud Island. above right: The Pyramid gleams in the distance behind a swimming pool at another apartment complex on Mud Island. opposite top: Mounted ducks “ﬂy” above the heads of visitors. opposite bottom: A statue of “Uncle Buck” Willey holds a mermaid outside his namesake restaurant.

demolition, retro-fitting, road work, money, money, and more money. The doors of The Pyramid have opened again, this time to one of the largest retail projects in the world. Bass Pro Shops at The Pyramid is expected to bring millions of visitors to Downtown Memphis who are expected to leave behind millions of dollars in spending for Memphis businesses and tax revenues in the city coffers. Based on those projections, officials say Bass Pro will be a game-changer here. But getting with the new times for the Memphis Pyramid, they ought to say instead that Bass Pro is going to be one hell of a honey hole.

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THE FA C E S OF

Memphis To celebrate the season, a colorful cast of experts explains why barbecue in the Bluff City means much more than smoke, meat, and heat.

very spring, as the redbud blossoms bow out to the city’s glorious show of dogwoods, we start thinking about barbecue, cooked low and slow and served in a tantalizing array of different dishes. And why not? Like most Memphians, we at Memphis magazine take our barbecue seriously, turning the second Friday in May into a company-wide holiday so we can head to Tom Lee Park and explore the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, the largest barbecue competition in the world. Every year, more than 100,000 visitors descend on Memphis to pay homage to America’s only indigenous food. And while the numbers are impressive, it’s the stories behind the city’s iconic connection to barbecue that interest us the most. We are, after all, storytellers at heart with our own personal connections to pulled pork sandwiches. Decades after its closing, my aunts and uncles still talk about the Dixie Pig, a barbecue joint in Bladensburg, Maryland. Shara Clark, who helped put together the following interviews with our top-10 barbecue experts, has even closer ties. As a 12-year-old, she started slinging sandwiches at her grandparents’ Bar-B-Q King in Greenwood, Mississippi, and still hopes to one day resurrect the restaurant right here in Memphis.

by pa m e l a d e n n e y a n d s h a r a c l a r k | p h oto g rap hs by j u s t i n f ox b u r k s 50 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • M A Y 2 0 1 5

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Troy Black Owner and chef of Southern Fire and Food, a barbecue cooking school coming soon to downtown Memphis. You’ve had an interesting career. I understand you got hooked on barbecue while covering a story for Southern Living magazine. Yes, I was on staff as the garden design editor, but I filled in for a travel writer and covered a barbecue contest in Demopolis, Alabama, in December. I got hooked. Six months later, I entered my first contest in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. Soon I was living my dream, competing on the road 300 days a year. You moved from Nashville to Memphis, and now you have some exciting plans for a vacant printing shop on G.E. Patterson. Yes, it’s a new venture called Southern Fire and Food. My partner, Yi Lynne Weber, and I are shooting for July, but it might be August before we open. It’s a pretty extensive build-out. Tell us more. Southern Fire and Food is part barbecue cooking school, part tasting bar. We will give you five different sauces from five different parts of the country with a small sample of meat from each region. So, you might have brisket from Texas, tri-tip from California, chicken with white sauce from Alabama, and, of course, ribs and pork from Memphis. So there will be a retail store and restaurant, as well? Yes. We will have one of the largest collections of barbe-

cue sauces and dry rubs in the country, along with prepared foods to go, lunch service, happy hour, and brunch on the weekends. On Saturday nights, we will have a U-shaped chef’s table with a cooking island in the center. We will cook and interact with guests throughout the entire meal. You mentioned before that you are really excited about the project’s outdoor space. Absolutely. We are going to build a 25-by-45-foot covered outdoor kitchen for four 60-inch grills, two wood-fire pizza ovens, and fire pits. Plus, there will be a bar, outdoor seating on the existing patio, and raised beds for an urban garden. We want the whole complex to be an interactive food experience. We are calling it “foodtainment.” Tell me the secret behind this incredible Boston butt you made for us today. It’s delicious! I rubbed it with a dry rub. Then I put it on the smoker at 225 degrees until it reached 195 degrees internal, which took 12 hours. I will never tell you how long to cook a Boston butt. Today, that might take 10 hours; tomorrow it might take 12 hours. It’s the weather. It’s the humidity. It’s your ability to maintain a consistent temperature in the smoker. It’s a lot of factors that play into the time it takes to cook. — Pamela Denney

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Bobby Ellis Kitchen manager at Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous in downtown Memphis for 38 years. The kitchen staff at the Rendezvous tends to stick around for years, even decades. Sounds like you truly love your job. I do love it. I always looked at my job at the Rendezvous as a challenge, not a job. If you look at it like a job that means you really don’t want to go. But this is my life, and I enjoy doing it.

That’s a lot of ribs! Can you tell us a little about how they’re prepared? We use pure hardwood charcoal, no hickory. We slow cook our ribs for an hour and a half, but we’re not smoking them. When you smoke meat, you have your fire on one side and your meat on the other. You can let them sit four or five hours. But when you’re grilling, you have to stay and watch it. We start the grills every morning around 7, and we’re cooking all day. You guys baste with a vinegar solution and use a secret blend of spices on the ribs. Would you share any of the ingredients? The baste is a vinegar base: our seasoning, our sauce, and water. But we won’t share the ingredients of the spice blend. I will tell you, we don’t put any seasoning on the ribs until we get ready to serve them. Then we mop on hot basting liquid and sprinkle on our seasoning. This helps crystallize the seasoning on top of the ribs.

You call it a challenge. Manning the kitchen at the Rendezvous must keep you pretty busy. How many ribs do you cook in a week? We go through about 6,000 pounds of ribs a week. Some weeks we do more — up to 8,000 pounds.

What celebrities have you been most excited about feeding? The most exciting thing is when you feed the president of the United States. For a guy who came from poverty, I never thought I would even be near a president, but I have pictures on my wall of me and President [George W.] Bush. That was one of the biggest days here. I fed President Obama and Mrs. Obama, too. We fixed theirs, and they took it to Air Force One. — Shara Clark 52 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • M A Y 2 0 1 5

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Melissa Cookston World champion pitmaster, winner of BBQ Pitmasters, and owner of three Memphis Barbecue Co. locations with husband Pete Cookston. You are a passionate advocate of Memphis-style barbecue, and people all over the country seem to agree. Why do you think the appeal of Memphis barbecue is so widespread? Memphis-style is a well-rounded style of barbecue. Generally the meat is cooked to a wonderful tenderness, smoke flavor is nuanced rather than overwhelming, and our sauces are made to be complementary to the meat. There is absolutely nothing wrong with other styles, but our style just tends to be something you can enjoy more often than the others.

On a more personal note, you work closely in the restaurants with your husband, Pete. How do you pull that off without getting miffed at one another? While we do get miffed occasionally, we are lucky in that we share the same philosophies on barbecue and business, so there’s not a ton of disagreements. We also know that we share the same goals, which helps keep us focused on the important things rather than getting caught up in some inconsequential disagreement. — PD

It must be nuts, operating restaurants in three different states (MS, NC and GA). How in the world do you stay focused and organized? Who said anything about organized and focused? Seriously, it can get overwhelming at times but you just have to stay on track and focus on doing the right thing, serving great food and giving great service. People always refer to you by your “ﬁrst woman champion in barbecue” status. Do you get tired of being identiﬁed by gender that way, considering all your accomplishments? I tell everyone that there are no women’s tees in barbecue. We all have to compete against each other. For me, it’s not really about being a female barbecue champion. It’s about being a barbecue champion and doing the absolute best I can do. M A Y 2 0 1 5 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 53

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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY DANISH NATHIONAL BBQ TEAM

Anders Jensen Team captain for the Danish National BBQ Team, award-winning competitors at Memphis in May. Many people think of barbecue as an iconic American food and are surprised that a Danish team competes. Why are you guys so fascinated with barbecue? There is no doubt that Danish backyard heroes can grill and make some decent barbecue, but the flavor profile will never be as good as the real American taste. That’s why we like the challenge of competing in Memphis in May. It gives us the opportunity to find the golden key to barbecue culture and flavor. This year is your team’s seventh visit to the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. Why is your team so committed to this event? Memphis in May is a big part of our DNA. This is where our team found our true core and our passion for what we are today.

For fun, I weighed your new cookbook, Gold, at the supermarket the other day. It weighed over ﬁve pounds, and it’s a softcover! The cookbook — to make all the food and get the pictures taken — was one of the hardest things we have done. It took about a year and a half. But the book’s stories and profiles are what make it so unique and personal.

I will never forget the plank salmon you served at a Wednesday night family dinner a few years ago. I think it had a red pepper and bacon crust. Do you remember that dish? Yes, I do. I was responsible for developing it. I love the juiciness and crunch from the bacon, and it is one of my favorites. — PD

above: Team captain Anders Jensen preps ingredients at last year’s Memphis in May competition. below: The team returns to compete for the seventh year. Many of their inventive barbecue dishes are featured in their cookbook, titled Gold.

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Richard McFalls Writer of Memphis Ghost Pit Chronicles,, a treasure trove of photos and trivia on abandoned barbecue pits. How did you come up with the term ghost pit? I’ve never heard it before. I’m also interested in drag racing, and there is a term in drag racing called ghost tracks that refers to old facilities that were once used for racing. I’d been doing some research on ghost tracks and was also collecting some barbecue stuff. I started noticing businesses like liquor stores with old barbecue pits, so I photographed a couple of them. Besides driving around, how do you ﬁnd ghost pits? In 1984, The Commercial Appeal published a big map showing where the city’s 84 barbecue restaurants were located. I had kept that and used it as a starting part. I also look at old phone books. What’s the most unusual new use you’ve seen for a building with a ghost pit? A lot of them wind up as restaurants or daycares, but I did find one that was a mortuary.

Wow. What did they do with their pit? I know, right? That one always provokes all kinds of bad jokes. Tell me about the pit at Tops on Rhodes. Don’t you think this is the oldest continuously operating pit in Memphis? Yes, I do. I knew Tops started in 1952, so I looked at a phone book listing from then and all the restaurants listed are gone except for Tops. Out of the four Tops listed in the book, only the Rhodes location is left. What are you working on now? I am trying to finish a post about what is the oldest ghost pit in the city. I’ve about got it. I think it’s a club on North Thomas, at 645 Marble. A city directory from the 1930s lists a restaurant at that location. When the pit was added I can’t say, but it’s still there today on the west side of the building. — PD

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Chuck Averwater President of Smackers Gourmet BBQ Seasoning and Sauces, locally made since 2005.

Ron Payne Owner of Payne’s Bar-B-Q with his mother, Flora, and sister, Candice, a family restaurant operating since 1972. You must have spent a lot of time in the shop as a child, sort of behind the scenes. When did you learn how to cook? Yeah, I’ve worked there my whole life pretty much, even if it was just cleaning up. My grandmother showed me how to make the coleslaw and sauce a long time ago. My mom always tells people that my sister and I got it naturally from my father and grandmother. She feels like it was something she had to learn when she was left with the shop after my dad passed away. But she’s taught us what she could, everything really. Chopped pork is Payne’s biggest seller. What is it about how you prepare the meat that makes it stand out? We use pork shoulder and cook it slow and low over charcoal for a whole day, so it’s tender and has a good, smoky taste.

The smokier, the better. We don’t put any seasoning on it. Pork is a wonderful thing. It has its own flavor. You don’t have to do much to it. Payne’s is a restaurant that feels like a step back in time. Do you think that’s part of its appeal? Definitely. We like to keep it mom-and-pop old school, and we think the ambience gives Payne’s a little extra flavor. We really try to focus on the product, not so much on what the building looks like.

How did you get into the barbecue seasoning business? Did you enter competitions yourself? No, I didn’t compete, but I’ve been judging the Memphis in May Barbecue Contest since 1992, and I have a restaurant background. In the restaurant, we made our own dry rub for our barbecue, and people loved it. They were getting it from me in Styrofoam coffee cups. Smackers claims to have “The Secrets of BBQ Champions in a Bottle.” What are some of the secrets? Smackers has the usual barbecue seasoning ingredients, plus a few more that act as flavor enhancers. You go from sweet right off the bat to some heat after about eight seconds. Then, you might taste cinnamon or orange peel. With Smackers, the flavors fire a little bit at a time. A lot of barbecue seasonings and sauces are on the market. How is Smackers different? There’s no MSG, no wheat, no high-fructose corn syrup,

no preservatives, and they’re low sodium. We’ve got a mild sauce and a hot sauce called Smack Me Mild and Smack Me Hard. I made the sauces from the seasoning, which is backwards from the way a lot of people do it. Smackers products have 50 national awards. Could you tell us a little about that? In 2010, I submitted a bottle of my seasoning to the National Barbecue Association’s Awards of Excellence. The products are judged based on appearance, aroma, texture, flavor, and overall impression. Lo and behold, I won first place in the first-ever contest I entered. Since then, I’ve submitted my sauces, too, and I’ve continued winning awards for all three products, including several Scovie Awards [a national spicy-foods competition]. What’s next for Smackers? We’re going to start making pre-cooked, heat-andeat barbecue ribs that have Smackers hot or mild sauce on them. We’ll be launching that at the end of May. — SC

Payne’s gets a lot of attention from the national and local press. Do celebrities ever visit? The biggest person was Magic Johnson. That was around 2010. We all got to meet him. That was fun. If we had other celebrities, we didn’t know they were here. — SC 56 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • M A Y 2 0 1 5

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Craig David Meek Author of the book Memphis Barbecue: A Succulent History of Smoke, Sauce & Soul, published in 2014. Most people become experts in barbecue by either cooking or research. But it seems you became an expert by approaching the subject differently: by simply eating barbecue. That’s true. Three years ago, I started eating at every barbecue place in Memphis, the more obscure, the better. That’s how my blog Memphis Que got started. So did you really eat barbecue for lunch every day for two-and-a-half years? Yes, and I still pretty much do: barbecue and soul food places. I think I made about 200 posts, but that included soul food restaurants and a few repeat visits to barbecue joints.

What are your favorite barbecue places outside of Memphis? Where do you like to go when you are on the road? One of the things that surprised me most when I started doing the blog was how many great barbecue places there are in Jackson, Tennessee. There’s Latham’s Meat Co., Brooksie’s Barn, Back Yard Bar-be-cue. And then there is Helen’s BBQ in Brownsville. Helen Turner makes a great barbecue sandwich. She does a mix of chopped and pulled. — PD

But you are so thin and healthy looking. You are really busting up the stereotypes. Well, I only drink water, and I don’t eat the bread. What I always get here at Leonard’s are dry ribs, beans, and slaw. I call it dirty South Paleo. In your book, you write that Leonard’s Pit Barbecue was the ﬁrst restaurant in Memphis to marry slaw with a barbecue sandwich. How did that come about? That’s right. The restaurant was low on meat one day, and they were trying to stretch what they had, so they put slaw on the sandwich, and it took off. Now in Memphis, it is standard for how sandwiches are served. At most places you now have to ask to leave the slaw off.

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Clint Blackwell Editor of Kingsford.com and Grillocracy and winner of the Travel Channel’s American Grilled. You told me that you have developed more than 300 recipes. How in the world do you do that? I go into a grocery store and see ingredients and kind of piece together a dish based on what I see. I do read a lot of cookbooks. I see ideas and tweak them. Somebody does mac and cheese in Bon Appetit magazine, and I’ll think about how I can translate that for the grill.

last few months, but they may or may not come through. Do you use a Weber at home? Yes, I do. I have 14 or 15 Webers at the house. Each one has its own personality. I have a Weber kettle I got off of Craigslist that is 50 or 60 years old, but it’s still perfect. It has that nice age on it; it looks great in pictures, but I love using that grill. — PD

So you recently launched your new blog, Grillocracy. com, with a recipe for a Candied Bacon Cinnamon Roll Burger. That is over the top. Grillocracy is about pushing the boundaries when it comes to outdoor cooking, and that recipe was a great “that guy is either straight up crazy or a crazy genius” way to debut. It begins with grilled candied bacon that is then incorporated into cinnamon rolls that act as the burger bun. The beef is seasoned with a coffee rub, then topped with a sunny side up egg and cheese — a sort of breakfast any time of the day burger. You won the American Grilled television show last summer. Did the win whet your appetite for more television? Yes, I’ve always been interested in doing television. I like being in front of the camera. I like being challenged in a setting where you are under the gun. I get contacted quite frequently about shows in progress, but it’s a long process. I’ve done five or six interviews in the 58 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • M A Y 2 0 1 5

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FOOD ST YLING BY JENNIFER CHANDLER

4/21/15 3:16 PM

Jimmy Shotwell Owner of Memphis Barbecue Supply in Bartlett, a store selling “everything but the meat.” Besides the meat, what are some of the must-have items a backyard chef needs? Good charcoal, good wood, and good equipment. To flavor that smoke, you’ve got to have good quality wood. Woodland Tree recently started selling smoking wood, and we carry that now. And for your grill, you want something high quality that’s not going to rust out, something you can use four or five years.

Your store carries 13 different types of wood — chips and logs. How do grillers choose which will work best? Chips are great for smoking chicken breasts and for short cooks because chips burn up pretty quickly. For flavor, you’ve got hardwoods, like oak and hickory, and fruit woods, like peach, apple, cherry, and pear. The big difference is hardwood gives a hard-smoked flavor, and fruit wood gives a mellow, fruity, sweet flavor. Then you’ve got specialty woods like sugar maple, which is wonderful for hams, but also great for poultry. Besides the grill, what types of utensils are indispensable for backyard cooking? A pair of tongs and a silicone brush. Tongs can be used for just about anything, from picking up racks of ribs to flipping chicken or burgers. And you can add all kinds of flavor using a silicone brush to slather on sauces or glazes. They’re easy to clean and handle high heat. Grilling seems pretty much like a boys club still. Do you have many female customers? Oh, yes. And that’s a common misconception. The trend is more female cooks, not just in the kitchen but barbecuing — be it contests or entertaining. And I’m not just seeing more women, I’m seeing more families. We’ve got a barbecue team loyalty program set up at the store, and there are several family teams. It’s the husband, wife, and kids, and they get out there and cook on the competition circuit. — SC M A Y 2 0 1 5 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 59

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ay is Mother’s Day m o nt h , t a l e nte d

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interior designer Shelley

Miller, and her daughter, Meade Carlisle, share fabulous taste and a passion for interior design, we decided this would be an ideal time to showcase both of their beautiful homes. Shelley Miller lives with her husband

Shelley Miller (red shoes) and Meade Carlisle pose in front of a painting by Memphis artist Chuck Johnson, which sets the tone of Meade’s modern home design.

Rick on a leafy cove that feels like the country even though it is smack in the middle of East Memphis. Son Ryan

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THE MILLER HOME

he Millers moved into their home in 1989 after spending a full two years transforming the original charming but small 1930s Englishstyle cottage into the magnificent stucco and stone place it is today. Miller served as her own architect and worked with a crew of builders from Louisiana and talented craftsmen, the late Clay Northrup and Junior Turner, to recreate the home, a task that included adding a second story. Wonderful gothic arches were part of the plan, as were the addition of six antique windows from an old New Orleans mansion. The elegant home that resulted has great space, light, and flow — the better to raise a family through the years and to entertain the Millers’ many friends. Shelley Miller by nature is a collector of beautiful objects, and tells me that she and her mother made many memorable trips to Europe and around the States picking up antique pieces. The stunning home that resulted, with its rich, English-country style décor full of handsome Staffordshire figurines, majolica and cabbage leaf ceramics, needlepoint

Miller has stored some of her collections, and has passed many things to Meade. The use of more modern art mixed with antiques gives the house a contemporary look, which to Miller means “for today.”

above: Chinoiserie panels hang above the glorious circular staircase in the Millers’ sunny entry hall. right: Seen through the tall trees, it’s hard to believe the Miller home is smack in the middle of East Memphis.

and his wife Hadley and son Trip and his wife Jenny and daughter Gracie live in houses on either side of the senior Millers. And daughter Meade and her husband, Thomas, have set up housekeeping just a few short blocks away. Imagine that for a mother’s good fortune. Shelley’s late parents, Dorothy and Phil Brodnax, associated with Brodnax Jewelers in Memphis and in Nashville, were the first family members to live on the street. It so happens that the Millers own their parents’ former house as well, so you could say that Shelley and Rick have truly “cornered the cove.”

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above: Looking from the Millersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; hall through a gothic arch into the living room with its original limestone fireplace and colorful painting by Memphian Jesse Nabers. left: The most fabulous piece in the elegant dining room is the antique French wardrobe, bought by Miller in Europe, where she stores her china place settings and crystal.

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Miller says her style has transitioned over the years, and while she still loves shades of green and yellow, these colors have been cooled down by the use of more white in the trim and fabrics.

top left: This little church was carved by a prisoner of war in Stuttgart, Arkansas, in World War II and given to the U.S. doctor who saved his life. top right: This chocolate-box morning room, once a bedroom, charms with its blue color palette. above left: The master bedroom is a mix of cool white decor and a bolder look with its leopard rug, leather chair, and rustic wood fireplace. top right: The yellow-and-white striped wallpaper and green drapes are holdovers from Millerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s earlier vision for the garden room, now updated with a cleaner look.

pillows, botanical prints and chintz slipcovers was featured in Veranda magazine in 1993. However, that was then and this is now. Miller says her style has transitioned over the years, and while she still loves shades of green and yellow, these colors have been cooled down by the use of more white in the trim and fabrics. She has used many of her old furnishings, but has given them a newer, fresher look by moving them around and re-covering pieces as necessary. The yellow-and-white striped wallpaper is still there in the garden room, as are the green draperies, but the look is clean and uncluttered. She has stored some of

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her collections, and of course has passed along many things to Meade for use in her house. The use of more modern art mixed with antiques gives the house a contemporary look, which to Miller means “for today.” Speaking as a designer, Miller says it’s hard to take time to redo your own house, since the real excitement comes from helping to guide clients in the expression of their own styles. At the same time, Miller says she couldn’t keep suggesting that her clients refresh their looks, if she herself was not willing to follow her own advice! The rugs and fabrics are lighter — even the china she has used to decorate is mostly white ironstone. I was particularly taken with the white armorial plates on the walls emblazoned with gold lions. Amazing and just so perfect.

THE CARLISLE HOME

helley Miller says that her daughter has always been stylish, and seeing Meade’s superb taste in decorating her Ole Miss college room and her D.C. apartments gave Miller inspiration to rethink and rework her own interior décor.

left: The Carlisle home is located on an East Memphis cove that happens to be close to the Millers’ cove — the better to borrow a cup of sugar! below: The decor of the Carlisles’ living room is a sophisticated mix of old and new with drapes handmade by Patti Carlisle and an antique chair courtesy of Shelley Miller.

“Millennial” children are moving back to Memphis and bringing positive energy, creativity, and spirit home to their city.

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Meade is always trying to push her mother to do more in making her home ever more modern, but Miller’s response is that this is a process: “All in good time.” Meade a nd Thomas Ca rl isle a re young-marrieds who moved to Memphis from the Washington, D.C., area almost exactly a year ago. They looked at a number of homes but settled on their current two-story brick house because, among other things,

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above: The large and light-filled open-plan den area in the Carlisle house with its creamy sectional sofa is both high-style and comfortable.

it has three bedrooms, two and a half baths, an open plan downstairs, high ceilings, and beautiful, tall windows providing great natural light. It also was helpful that their new home was close to family. I was charmed and amazed by what the young couple has accomplished in a relatively short time. Meade assured me that she could not have done it without all the expert help from her mother and from mother-in-law Patti Carlisle. The new home required no structural changes, but the existing harvest gold walls and ceilings were replaced with a neutral color palette, using various shades of grey and cream, in keeping with Meade’s cool, clean, and sophisticated esthetic. The modern art on the walls provides bold pops of

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color. In the den/breakfast room/kitchen area, the hardwood f loors are stained in two colors, creating a subtle striped effect. The furnishings are a mix of mid-century modern pieces and antiques inherited from both her parents and her grandparents. For example, five of the dining room chairs came from the Brodnax store’s “diamond room,” into which young couples were ushered to pick out their engagement and

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above: The couple believes finding the matching sixth chair for the Carlisles’ dining room was a clear example of “a God’s wink.”

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wedding rings. The chairs are now reupholstered in a sophisticated leopard print and are truly mid-century modern pieces updated for today’s stylish living. The Brodnax story gets even better, because, knowing the young couple needed a sixth chair to complete their set, Patti Carlisle fortunately found an identical one on eBay from a dealer in the far reaches of Wisconsin, and was able to have it shipped to Memphis. She firmly believes that this was not just blind luck, but a clear example of “a God’s wink,” described by writer and speaker Squire Rushnell as God’s gifts that are all around us if only we can recognize them. Additionally, the supremely talented and delightful Carlisle made — mostly by hand — the rich, luxurious drapes dis-

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played throughout the house. Of course several new pieces were bought from local stores, including a glorious and unique chandelier in the breakfast area from Graham’s Lighting and other furniture from Worlds Away. The map of Mississippi on the wall was a special gift from Thomas Carlisle, a Holly Springs native, who wanted to reinforce his new wife’s knowledge of the geography of his fair state.

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above: The upstairs master bedroom in the Carlisle house gets an infusion of fun from the “Roy Lichtenstein-style” painting by Memphian Nate Renner.

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Needless to say, Shelley Miller is so very happy to have her daughter living nearby, and believes the couple is part of an exciting and positive trend whereby “millennial” children are moving back to Memphis and bringing positive energy, creativity, and spirit home to their city. I agree and can relate completely. As it so happens our daughter, Ralston O’Neill, just last month moved to Memphis from New York City. She too is passionate about interior design having once worked for Dwell magazine in San Francisco and New York. I can guarantee she’s hoping Shelley and Meade will share with her some of their decorating know-how. Hint, hint . . . Happy Mother’s Day, all! 70 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • M A Y 2 0 1 5

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4/17/15 8:36 AM

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hey were sitting at the bar in the Kennel Club. It was a Saturday night at Southland. They were drinking beer and talking about what dog they would bet in the next race. Well, he was talking about the dogs — he liked No. 6, a dark brindle moving down in class — and she was talking about what her girlfriend had said to her. She said, “My girlfriend, I told her you were bringing me to the dog track and she said — ” she stopped and took a healthy draw from her beer — “my girlfriend, she said that don’t sound like a Saturday night to me, Trish.” He watched her drink the beer and then let her finish whatever it was she was saying, and he said, “I like Itta Bena Slim in this one. The six dog. He’s moving down in class.” It was the only thing he knew about betting the dogs. He heard one black man say it to another as they walked across the betting f loor, on the way to the Kennel Club. The other black man just nodded like he knew that already.

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Trish laughed when she heard the name, Itta Bena Slim, said it sounded like a light beer or a cigarette for women, and then she said, “My girlfriend, I told her they had slot machines and maybe dancing, too, and she said that sounds more like it, Trish.” He liked a woman who would drink a beer with him. He was to the point of not expecting a whole hell of a lot more out of his relationships with women. In the last two years alone he had been jilted at the altar, broken up with twice, and left for a convict with a tattoo of a thresher on his neck. It had been in the newspaper and on the TV action news, when he was in court, bragging of his guilt and claiming crimes that weren’t even his. Well, that sort of thing shakes a man, sends him to his own sort of solitary confinement, makes him question his core beliefs and wrestle, even, with the notion of acquiring his

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own farm-implement tattoo. And so it did to Duane. But in the end he did nothing in response, just went along, got along, dated not at all, and sank just that little bit lower, until his job as a liquor sales rep took him to the bar where Trish waited tables. She didn’t talk much that day, just looked sad in a needful way. She’d been to the dentist that morning and still was numb from the crown work. So they got to talking, or rather, him to talking and her to listening, and he asked her out and she sort of nodded. She tried to smile but could not quite; he thought she was shy and she thought the Novocain never would wear the hell off. He looked over at her now and wondered how she did it, kept up that constant whirl and blur of both drinking and talking, the one giving no quarter to the other. He thought she might break out in gurgling, or drown herself, one. She said, “They have dancing here?” He just looked at her until she stopped talking and waited for her to take another drink of beer. She didn’t sip it. It was more a swig, like a man would do. She drank it straight from the bottle. She could put it away, too. She was on her second already. She drained the beer and clanked the bottle on the counter of the bar as if she had won a bet. He thought she might call for another but instead she said it again, “So, they have dancing here?” He looked to his left, to an old man there. He was sipping whiskey and smoking a cigarette and handicapping two races ahead. He

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seemed deep in the task. Duane looked at him as if to say, That’s the difference between men and women, ain’t it, old man? Women get a couple of beers in ’em and wanna dance. Men are happy just to keep on drinking. Duane’s parents had been married nineteen years before they split up, on the night of his junior prom; it scarred him at the time — that, and when his date ended the night in the backseat of his car with another girl, them doing who knew what under all that taffeta — but he had come to consider it a remarkable feat, perhaps even some kind of record, for them to have lasted nineteen years without ever showing a sign of actually liking one another. His own experience was that two beers was about the length of time a man and woman could get along before one of them went and ruined the thing. He blamed men as much as women in this. He blamed God, the fates, and the times; it must have been easier in earlier decades, he thought, when at least the music was good. The old man looked up at Duane and nodded, in sympathy if not agreement. Then he looked past Duane, to Trish, and said to her, in a tone of gallantry rare to the West Memphis dog track, “Miss, I’d be happy to take you a spin out on the betting floor, if you like.” Gallantry had not been tried on her before, and so she was naturally suspicious of it. She said, “Well, if it comes to that, old man, I’ll be sure and let you know.” By the look on her face, she was weighing whether a pout or a snit might be the way to go. Instead she said, “It’s like my girlfriend said,” without even needing to say exactly what it was.

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is name was Old Willie Graham. He was a retired trainer. He was, like some of his former dogs, of Irish stock, once removed from the old sod himself. He was white-haired and ruddy-cheeked, and dying, but with eyes you would have called merry if you spied them on a child. “Old Willie Graham,” he said by way of greeting. He divested himself of the whiskey glass and of the cigarette, turned the program upside down, and extended a hand to the young man. They shook. “I’m Duane and that’s Trish.” “You look like a nice couple.” She shot Old Willie a look. “We ain’t a couple,” she said. The old man just looked off in the distance and smiled. “Well, you’re here and together, at any rate.” Old Willie was a widower; Peggy, his beloved Peg, had been dead going on twenty years. He could have told them, in minutes and kisses and kitchen-table toddies, how long it had been, exactly. “That’s something, I guess.” Old Willie looked back at them and paused, as if awaiting their assent, but it did not come. There was an awkward pause, as if the two

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had asked the one for a simple tip on a dog and instead the very secret to life and happiness, of all damn things, had been dumped in their laps. The air around them was unstable for a moment. So the old man reached for his glass and his cigarette and commenced again his handicapping of the eighth race. There was a dog he particularly liked in that one, though he could find no rational reason to bet it. It did not have much of a bloodline and he didn’t respect the trainer; the dog was starting from a middle post position, the four hole, where it was most likely to get jammed in traffic as the dogs burst from the gate and made for the rail. He smiled at the thought of betting it, still and all, still and all. “Um, Mr. Graham. Old Willie,” Duane said. “Say, who you like in this next race? Myself, I kind of like the six dog.” “Itta Bena Slim,” Trish said. “Oh, he goes on and on about Itta Bena Slim. It’s Itta Bena Slim this and Itta Bena Slim that.” She meant this to drip sarcasm but there was something about the name she liked. It was a lullaby in her mouth, child’s play on the tongue; it tickled, almost, to say. This did not please her.

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She tried again. She stretched it out. “Itta … Bena … Slim,” she said, but you could have set it to music this time, strings and brass and maybe even slow dancing at night on the deck of a ship at sea. This riled her all the more. So she hailed the bartender and said she was switching to mixed drinks. She called him bub and asked if he had anything in blue.

t was six minutes to post. Duane said it again. “Who you like in this race, Old Willie?” He didn’t want a tip. He wanted to hear how smart he was, realizing that the six dog, Itta Bena Slim, was moving down in the class and so was the clear choice. He wanted to impress Trish with his knowledge of the dogs; it was his first second date since the whole business with the convict. The old man said, “Well, now … ” and the young one thought, That’s just great. He’s gonna tell me some long story about something that happened in eighteen and forty when his great-granddad was just a wee lad in County Cork. So he said, “The six dog, he’s moving down in class.” The old man said, “That’s true. But he won’t win.” He said it like the race had already been run and the winning tickets all cashed and

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the losing ones fluttered to the floor of the Kennel Club bar like poor man’s confetti. “How’s that, Old Willie?” “He never wins, except by accident sometimes.” “Well, he didn’t win at that higher class but he’s moving down now.” He held tight to this one thing he knew about betting the dogs. He was beginning to think it was the flat-earth theory of the sport. “That’s right, Duane. You’re right about that. It’s just that — ” Duane sighed and slumped on the bar. “It’s just that” was how it began with the girl who jilted him at the altar, once he finally did track her down, in a Bossier City motel room, wearing nothing but a trucker’s cap. “OK, tell me, Old Willie. You’re going to, anyway.”

OLD WILLIE SAID, “SOME DOGS ARE RUNNING A RACE, SEE, AND SOME OTHERS ARE JUST RUNNING.”

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“He’s a good dog, yep. He’s fast. But he’s more a pacer. He’s running with those other dogs, not running against them.” “I see,” Duane said, though he didn’t. Old Willie saw as much, and said, “Some dogs are running a race, see, and some others are just running.” “Kinda like life, huh, old man?” Trish said. Old Willie smiled and nudged an elbow at Duane. He said, “That’s one smart lady.” Well, there was no flattering her at this point. “Ain’t no lady,” she said.

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hey all turned from the bar to watch the race. The dogs were in the starting boxes and now the lure was coming up from behind, rounding the bend, and then there was a noise like a fire alarm, but just a blip of one, a belch, and then the lure was out ahead of the starting boxes and the boxes, they sprung open, and the eight dogs in silks shot out in swift pursuit. Well, some of them did. Some were giving chase like that lure was a living thing of fur and flesh, and some others were just running because they were dogs and that was the thing to do on a Saturday night at Southland, in West Memphis, in Arkansas, across the big river from Memphis. It was like the old man said. Itta Bena Slim was running third when they reached the first turn and he showed no sign of making for the lead. There was room on the rail but he did not pursue it. There was room on the outside but he seemed fine where he was, thank you, trailing those two dogs out front of him, a grey named Smoke Ring in the lead,

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flanked by a red fawn called B’s Double E. “See?” the old man said. Duane said that he saw. All Trish saw was sand, silks, and dog ass, but she appreciated her date being schooled by an old man who probably hadn’t gotten any since the Great War. “Itta Bena Slim,” she said again. “Itta … Bena … Slim.” The alcohol talking now, breaking into song. She thought, Hell, there might be dancing, yet.

’s Double E caught Smoke Ring in the stretch, won by a nose, and returned six and twenty on a two-dollar bet. A light brindle named His Girl Thirsty took third. Itta Bena Slim finished out of the money. Trish raised her glass, and what remained of her blue drink, to the old man. It looked like antifreeze on ice. “Fair play to you, Old Willie,” she said, and then to the bartender, “Another one of these, bub.” She stood and announced her intention to pee. You would have thought it was a ritual to be accompanied by pomp and some tourists, like the changing of the guards or the march of the ducks over at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis.

SHE BEGAN TO SWAY, UNSTEADY AS SHE GOES, AND SEEMED ABOUT TO FALL, BUT THEN CAUGHT SOME GUST OF RHYTHM AND CAME UP DANCING. “All right, Old Willie,” Duane said once Trish was out of ear shot. “You win. You know dogs and I don’t. So, how about you give me a crash course so I can show this woman I’m just a little smarter than she takes me to be.” “You think you’ve still got a chance with her, do you?” Old Willie said, in a voice some sweet and some sly. “You think maybe true love has not yet left the starting box without you?” “True love? Nah, Old Willie, I wasn’t thinking of true love. Woman like that — ” “Woman like what?” “I dunno. You heard her. She may want a man and maybe even needs a man but she sure as hell don’t seem to like ’em much.” “She might say the same about you, just the other way around, you know.” Old Willie said this gently, as one might pet a rescue dog. “Old Willie?” contin u ed on page 9 0

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“What is it, Duane?” “This got anything to do with picking a winner?” “Oh, everything,” the old man said, his merry eyes twinkling like the West Memphis night sky. Duane just stared at the ashes of her cigarettes in the ashtray on the bar and then looked up. There was defeat upon his face now. He said, “Ah, hell. It ain’t no use. I’m a bitter man and she’s a hard woman and that’s all the hell there is to it. It’s a damned wonder we made it to the second date.” Old Willie just shrugged and smiled and tipped his glass toward the opposite end of the Kennel Club. Duane looked up and saw Trish, walking back toward them. Now she stopped and rifled through her purse, came up with a cigarette and a lighter and commenced trying to light it, back in stride. She was long-legged on heels. She began to sway, unsteady as she goes. She seemed about to fall, just topple over there in the Kennel Club bar, with her head all full with beer and blue drink, disappointment and doubtless some bitter wisdom her girlfriend had told her. But then she caught some gust of rhythm, seemed like, and came up dancing. Or, sort of dancing. She made the whole thing seem like some sort of stage act. She got the cigarette lit and took a puff and then another. Old Willie said, “Your lady’s got style. My lady had style, too. Not quite like that, mind you.” “She already warned you against calling her a lady, Old Willie,” Duane said. “And I damn sure wouldn’t call her mine. As for style, well, I don’t know. But she’s dead set on dancing tonight, one way or another. I’ll give her that.” Trish saw the men watching her. She gave a sort of a shrug and then some semblance of a curtsey and then a wave of her arms that suggested a brief stint of employment, perhaps between bar room waitressing gigs, as a magician’s assistant. She smiled, and Duane did, too, but he was a crescent of a second slow. She seemed to miss it, head down, walking back to the bar in a huff. The moment passed at greyhound speed.

hey sat, silently, staring into their drinks. Trish thought about that fall she’d just about taken and how it was as close to dancing as a girl could get, apparently, at the West Memphis dog track. It was fun, still and all. That one moment, and how Duane had looked at her from across the room, like they were in high school and it was prom night, say, and he was staring at her from across the gym. She wondered if it were

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a coincidence that her prom dress, junior year, was pretty much the same shade of blue as her drink. Was that the saddest thing ever, or just one of life’s absurd moments best laughed at and washed back with colorful liquor? Had Duane’s jaw dropped a wee bit, watching her? Was that why he was late to smile? Was this the worst date ever? Nah, probably not. There was maybe even time to salvage it. But then she heard the voice of her girlfriend in her head, the voice of wisdom and experience and two divorces, saying everything a man does, Trish, is somehow connecting to getting some. And Duane thought — well, pretty much that. He thought now was the time for some gesture, something, if he was to have any hope of getting some. But damned if he knew what it was. And anyway, it had been such a long time, and he’d felt so low and lonely, that he wasn’t even sure that some was what he wanted, or needed, most of all, tonight. He just wanted to … what? Hell, he didn’t know.

OLD WILLIE SMILED, A SWEET OLD MAN ALONE IN THE WORLD BUT SATISFIED, STILL AND ALL. So they fell to brooding, and Old Willie Graham back to his handicapping and his whiskey and his smokes. He smiled, a sweet old man alone in the world but satisfied, still and all, still and all. He smiled the smile of an old man with many more years to live than one. But a year is what the doctor said.

year, you say?” “I’m as sorry as I can be, Mr. Graham.” The doctor was young. He’d only meant to tell the old man it was time to start thinking about things. He’d said too much, and now didn’t know what to do. He stared at the floor, thinking of all the dying patients to come, a lifetime of death at his feet. How had his father done it, and his father before him? He looked up, not knowing what he would say, could say. But damned if the old man wasn’t grinning. He was looking at the far wall, as if the wall were a window to the world and his place in it, to time and all recorded history, to the moments that made it up. “Well, doc, how about 1956?” Old Willie said. “That was a good year.” Fifty-six — the year he met his Peg.

t was five minutes to post for the eighth race. “I’ve about had enough of you two,” Old

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Posner grew up in Ridgewood, New Jersey, and her story, “Habibi,” sprang from a summer job experience at a Lebanese restaurant. A graduate of Brandeis University, Posner moved to Memphis from Boston in 2013 as a Teach for America corps member. She works at Manassas High School and is writing a novel about that experience. She also has produced two plays that were performed at Brandeis. Abby Rosenthal Johnson (who

publishes as Abby Rosenthal) lived in several states before settling in Memphis to teach English and raise a family. Her ﬁction has appeared in literary magazines and she has authored a book of poetry. Her story, “Stall" — which takes place in the countryside surrounding Memphis — tells of a woman whose car is found in an orchard on a spring day. We congratulate these winners and thank all who sent stories to the contest. We also extend sincere appreciation to our cosponsors, The Booksellers at Laurelwood and Burke’s Book Store, whose support helps make this contest possible. — Marilyn Sadler Editor's note: Although we announced that the winning story would appear in our June issue, space considerations dictated that it be published in May. We regret any confusion this may have caused. For information on how to enter our annual ﬁction contest, email Marilyn Sadler at sadler@ memphismagazine.com. M A Y 2 0 1 5 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 93

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Willie said. “Follow me.” “I don’t think so, Old Willie,” Duane said. “I think we’re about to call it a night.” “Follow me,” Old Willie said again. “Grant an old dying man just that little bit.” “Whatever,” Trish said.

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“I DON'T WANT YOU TO SEE A THING OR THINK A THING. I WANT YOU TO STAND HERE, CLOSE YOUR EYES, AND LISTEN. WOULD YOU DO THAT FOR ME?” They followed him out of the Kennel Club and across the west end of the betting floor and down the escalator, a sharp left and back toward the track itself. It wasn’t such a long walk but it was slow going because Old Willie, arthritic as he was, shuffled more than he walked. They followed him outside onto the apron and stood, nearly eye level to the track. It was a minute to post. “OK, we’re here,” Trish said. “When can we go?” The track announcer said it was post-time. “What you want us to do, Old Willie?” Duane said. “Just stand here and watch those dogs tear-ass by? That gonna make everything all right?” Old Willie said, “I don’t want you to do anything. I don’t want you to see a thing or think a thing. Just want you to stand here, close your eyes, and listen. Would you do that for me?” Duane shrugged and Trish sighed and Old Willie said, “For an old man?” “Yeah, yeah.” “Sure, Old Willie. Whatever you say, on account of you’re dying and all.”

he sound the dogs made as they passed was not what they expected. It was barely a sound at all. They had expected thunder and much yapping, some great furred ruckus, but it was more the sound of birds’ wings — no, not that, but this: hearts beating. They more heard the whir of the lure than the eight greyhounds giving chase. And then the race was done. And then the race was won. When they opened their eyes, they found that they were holding hands, as an old married couple might. They were alone on the apron, under the merry twinkle of stars. The old man was gone, having shuffled back inside to cash his winning ticket on the four dog, a fawn by the name of Pretty Peggy.

RENEE PEMBROKE A writer and photographer. Renee has coordinated numerous workworkshops and lectures on the arts in the English countryside, including “Painting in the English Countryside” in 1998, which featured Freida Hamm as an instructor. Renee lives in Memphis, Tennessee, where she developed and directed the Institute for Writing and Illustrating Children’s Books at Rhodes College. Her other works include Nantucket Window Boxes, Nantucket Hydrangeas, children’s guides to Memphis, Nashville and Nantucket, as well as My Nantucket Journal.

Freida Hamm’s story is one of strength, courage and immeasurable talent. Books available at: David Lusk Gallery • Lisa Mallory Interior Design • Palladio The Booksellers • La Maison Antiques Within

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M E M P H I S I N M AY I N T E R N AT I O N A L F EST I VA L

CHOPIN & FRIENDS

Kinga Augustyn

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2 0 1 5 I N T E R N AT I O N A L G A L A

MAY 6, 2015 • 7 PM

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Presenting Cracovia Danza direct from Krakow! “Alla Polacca” is a spectacle by the Cracovia Danza Court Ballet which presents the world of Polish culture and customs, both folk and noble.

This classical music concert for piano and violin featuring Kinga Augustyn, a highly praised Polish award-winning concert violinist and pianist Matthieu Cognet.

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GO RED FOR WOMEN It’s also a good idea to check the serving size for an item. For instance, Pop-Tarts come in packages of two, but the serving size is one Pop-Tart. So, if you eat two PopTarts, you will need to double the nutrition information found on the side of the box. Be leery of so-called fat-free foods and items with hidden sugar. Fat-free foods often replace the fat that’s taken out with added sugar. Also, condiments are often rich in sugar and salt even when they don’t taste sweet or salty. Be mindful of these things when building your healthy plate. Challenge yourself to learn to make some simple condiments at home. This will allow you more control over what you eat.

CUT BACK SLOWLY. If you are finding it hard to reduce your sugar consumption, start by slowly removing sugary items from your daily intake. For example, instead of your afternoon sweet tea, opt for water sweetened naturally with slices of oranges, lemons, or cucumbers for an added boost of flavor. Aim to make water your go-to beverage for the day. Also, choose to use less of the sweet things you love. For example, choose to get condiments on the side instead of on the dish. When eating a salad, add just enough dressing to wet your lettuce without drenching it. Or, opt for a dessert made from fresh fruit and shortcake.

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Dr. Lee is a general dentist in East Memphis. She and her team are friendly, caring, experienced, and ready to give you the smile you’ve always wanted. They keep up with new innovations and technology in dentistry to be certain the best service is offered to every guest. She is licensed to give conscious sedation to ensure her guest’s comfort. Dr. Lee is also certiﬁed to do Six Month Smiles which is short term braces for adults and has recently begun to provide implants to replace missing teeth. She has studied occlusion extensively and is an expert in smile design and delivering optimal oral function to her patients. Please call us now so you can have your Beautiful Smile for Life.

If you start to crave a sweet treat in the afternoon, skip the milkshake and make your own smoothie using low-fat milk or low-fat plain Greek yogurt with frozen fruit. Blueberries and strawberries are good fruit choices, as they contain high levels of dietary flavonoids, which are rich in antioxidants and help support the cardiovascular system. In fact, a study released in 2013 found that women who ate three or more servings of strawberries and blueberries each week could reduce their heart attack risk by as much as one-third. Be aware that while fruits are low in calories, they also contain natural sugar. Bananas, mangoes, grapes, and pineapples are some of the most sugar-rich fruits. For that reason, it is important to learn about serving sizes and to balance your meals with lower sugar options. Making small changes now will help to decrease your risk for chronic diseases later in life. What are you waiting for? Use today to begin your journey towards a longer, healthier life!

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THEY NEED A HERO concert

Voices Of Russia sunday, may 17, 2015, 3:00 p.m. at the home of Marsha & John Evans 9091 Rocky Cannon Road Pianist Christopher Harding joins violinist Soh-Hyun Altino and cellist Leonardo Altino in exploring music of Russian masters. Stravinsky’s Suite Italienne, Prokofiev’s Five Melodies, and Tchaikovsky’s magnificent Piano Trio will close our 26th season in grand style.

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shelters and rescue groups are overflowing, but they strive to save the lives of as many of these homeless animals as possible. They hope to find permanent homes for all of them. Though that may sound like an impossibility, there are ways we can help, even if we can’t adopt. Rescue groups need fosters to provide temporary shelter and care for animals waiting to be adopted. Fosters are expected to socialize the animals, train them as needed, and ensure that they are well-groomed and healthy to prepare them for adoption. Most organizations provide fosters with food, bedding, toys, and other necessities, as well as cover all medical costs associated with

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s a volunteer foster for the Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County, Hope Glover has opened her home to 20 dogs in just two years. Some have stayed for as little as a few days and some for up to three months. “When my daughter went away to college, it was just me, and I thought, ‘Well, what am I going to do with myself now?’” she says. “I had always volunteered for the Humane Society, but I had never fostered before, so I thought, ‘Why not? How awesome would it be to play with puppies all day?’” Dedicated fosters are especially needed for puppies and kittens because animals that young are more susceptible to fatal illness and cannot be kept in a facility and put on the adoption floor until they’ve had their second round of vaccines. Some rescue groups can’t take in puppies and kittens at all unless they have fosters lined up. Glover began her fostering journey by bringing in puppy siblings Gravy and Mad-

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uppies aren’t the only animals that need fosters. Deb and Dave Eizinger do hospice fostering for the Humane Society, taking care of older animals during their last days. They’ve been fostering for three years and have had eight fosters in that time. “We’ve seen a lot of older animals pretty much just being tossed away like trash, or not cared for, or taken to Memphis Animal Services because the owners got a new puppy. It seemed like the older ones were much more difficult to place,” Deb says. “Being old is not

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a disease, although we do have animals that we take care of that have health problems. For instance, we had a boxer that had a brain tumor, but instead of her spending the rest of her time in a cage, she got to spend four glorious months with us.” Deb calls her and her husband’s efforts a “soft landing” for these animals. “We want to make sure that they go out with some dignity,” she says. “Instead of them ending up on the side of the road or dumped somewhere, they have a warm bed, and they have an environment where they’re cared for.” People ask Deb and Dave how they are able to foster older animals that don’t have much time left. “I think we get more out of it than they do,” says Deb. “I’m honored to be able to be there at the end of their life.”

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he Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County was built to accommodate around 250 animals, but that still isn’t enough space for the number of animals in need. “We are basically having to turn away animals every day because of space,” says Linda Larrabee, the Humane Society’s volunteer manager. “Fosters are important to us on so many levels because the number of fosters directly relates to how many dogs and cats we can bring in and rescue.” For every animal that is fostered, a space opens in the shelter for another animal in need.

Soot, a foster pet up for adoption. Larrabee offers a variety of reasons why a dog or cat would need to be fostered. It could be an illness or an injury. The animal may be recovering from a surgery that would require kennel rest or ambulatory exercise. The animal may be too young to be in the facility with other animals. And these are the types of things that would determine the length of time an animal would need to be fostered. “If it’s an animal that is recovering from a surgery, it could be two weeks of kennel rest,” Larrabee says. “For puppies and kittens, it would be until they have their second vaccine, at which time they would probably also be ready for their spay or neuter. If the M A Y 2 0 1 5 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 111

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foster gets a puppy at four weeks old, then it would be around two weeks until the puppy gets their first vaccine and three weeks later their second vaccine, so they would probably have that pet for five weeks.” And Larrabee says they do their best to match fosters with animals that will fit into their household and with their lifestyle. For example, sometimes it will depend on space — if you live in an apartment or a house. Some people have other pets or children with allergies. Others may only have a short amount of time available to foster. Even if people can’t foster, they can help in other ways. Many rescue groups need people to transport animals, say to a vet visit, from the shelter to a foster’s home, or out to a play yard. They even need volunteers to walk dogs and play with cats, so the animals won’t be confined to cages or kennels all day. The Humane Society is not the only local organization that needs dedicated fosters and volunteers. Several rescue groups in our area are doing all they can to save the lives of abandoned or otherwise homeless animals (see sidebar below). Right now, Hope Glover is caring for her twentieth foster, Soot, and she says the rewards are endless. “It makes me feel like I’m doing something worthwhile,” she says. “It really makes you feel like a hero. You’re saving a life.”

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For more information or to apply to foster, visit: Angels Among Us angelsamongusanimalrescue.org Dogs 2nd Chance dogs2ndchance.org House of Mews houseofmews.org Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County memphishumane.org Meows & BowWows Animal Rescue facebook.com/meows.bowwows Mewtopia Cat Rescue mewtopiacatrescue.org Perfect Match Animal Rescue perfectmatchanimalrescue.org Real Good Dog Rescue realgooddogrescue.com Streetdog Foundation streetdogfoundation.com Sunny Meadows Safe Haven for Pets sunnymeadows.org

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membered this tiny establishment on Summer. Perhaps I shouldn’t have been, because I’ve recently discovered that the owner of the place, a fellow named Allen Crump, deserves credit for opening the first self-serve barbecue joint in town. Now by “self-serve” I don’t mean the customers slaughtered the hogs, sliced them up, and cooked them. Yikes! What I mean is that, unlike Our trivia expert solves local mysteries of some of the older joints such as Leonard’s, which were who, what, when, where, why, and why not. sit-down restaurants even though they offered take-out and even drive-in service, the Pig Pen was apparently Well, sometimes. unique because it offered counter service only. You by vance lauderdale strolled into this tiny establishment at 3359 Summer, placed your order, and took it home. DEAR VANCE: Last month DEAR T.F.: Here’s something that has always intrigued And how do I know this? Because Alisa Houseal you posted an old ad me. If you go to a steak joint, it’s unlikely they will Botto, who is the granddaughter of Allen Crump, hapfor a barbecue joint on have photos on the walls of livestock cavorting in the pens to be one of my 376,890 or so Facebook friends. fields, or prancing happily as they are led towards the Summer called the Pig When I contacted her for basic information about the Pen. My friends in the slaughterhouse. It’s just something you don’t want Pig Pen, she provided all sorts of details and phototo consider when you slice into that juicy t-bone. Berclair area remember graphs, such as those you see here. In fact, since she this place fondly. Can But barbecue joints take a different approach. They already knew the whole story of the Pig Pen, I tried you tell us more about have a curious tendency to remind you to persuade her to write this column “I always felt like it? — t.f., memphis. of the creature you’re gnawing on, and for me, but she declined. After all, she Memphis barbecue these animals are often portrayed having admitted, “I’m not a Lauderdale, and the time of their life (and death). Their never will be.” royalty, and not a lot But this is what I know. Allen Crump signs and menus often carry illustrations of people remember originally got into the food business by of pigs smiling happily — sometimes dancing and even whistling — as flames working as a butcher for his family’s grothat my grandfather from the pit consume them. In the case cery store, Crump Brothers Grocery, did it first.” which was located at 2619 Jackson. of the Pig Pen, their ads promised cus— by Alisa Houseal Botto Sometime in the late 1940s, while livtomers “a good fat pig.” I really don’t want to know that the creature I’m ing in a house on Summer, he opened a tiny barbecue eating was happy or sad, skinny or fat — look, I just restaurant right next door, calling it (as you know by Allen Crump shares a laugh with don’t like to think about it. now) the Pig Pen. Now it so happens that the Crumps a salesman from Lay’s. The Pig But after I posted that particular ad for the Pig Pen, were one of the first families in Memphis to have a Pen supposedly sold more chips which came from an old Treadwell High School yeartelevision; Alisa remembers it was a Philco with a tiny than anyone else in the region. seven-inch screen, which would have been considered book (right), I was surprised that so many people rea marvel at the time. One of the reasons the Pig Pen became so popular so quickly was because the whole neighborhood would show up at their house to watch the newfangled TV, and “in true Southern tradition,” says Alisa, “we’d would go next door and bring Pig Pen barbecue to everyone in the room.” Customers also had other reasons to go there. The photo here (left) shows Crump receiving what Alisa calls his “potato chip award” from a Lay’s company salesman, for selling more potato chips than anyone else in the region. Considering all the bags on display, it’s easy to see why he won. I never met Allen Crump, but he must have been quite a character. Hand-painted signs inside the Pig Pen advised customers that “Bar-B-Q is delicious even if you are sober.” Another sign warned, “We will not be open after church service in the morning. Please cooperate. Thanks.” In case you stumbled into the Pig Pen in a less-than-sober condition, yet another huge sign reminded you why you came there: “Be sure to take home some Bar-B-Q.” Though it’s not visible here, my favorite sign was a twist on a wellknown parable: “I cried when I had no shoes, but then I saw a man who had no BBQs.” That is a tragedy. You’d think running the Pig Pen on Summer, and then opening a second location at 2656 Lamar, would take up most of your time, but Crump had other business interests. At one point, he and his three sons — Jack, Johnny, and Sam — ran the Magic Home Laundry.

ASK VANCE

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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY ALISA HOUSEAL BOTTO AND SAMUEL CRUMP FAMILIES

Located at 2594 Jackson, it was promoted as “the best place in town to do your washing without working.” He also opened a store nearby at 1460 National called the Trading Post, which offered Western wear, saddles, boots, shotguns, you name it. A sign outside announced that the proprietor would not only “buy, sell, or trade” but would also “swap, swap, and swap.” That store had only been open four months when Crump, working there on the afternoon of October 30, 1958, died of a heart attack at age 50. Crump’s sons carried on the various family businesses for a while. Jack Crump (Allen’s brother) was an accomplished artist who crafted sturdy coffee mugs carrying the Pig Pen logo, molded cute little ceramic pigs that decorated the countertop, and even provided a nice oil painting to decorate the walls that featured — what do you think? — lots of pigs; all these items are still in Alisa’s family. Unfortunately, the Pig Pen isn’t. The Lamar location had already closed in 1957, before Crump died, and the original Pig Pen on Summer finally shut its doors in the early 1960s, after barely a decade in business. I guess Memphians found someplace else to buy all those potato chips. For a few years, the family home next door housed a florist shop, but by the mid-1960s, both buildings had been demolished. In 1965, Tops Barbecue, which had opened its first location on Macon Road back in 1952, built a gleaming new building in the vacant lot just west of the Pig Pen. It’s still standing today, part of a chain of 15 Tops around Memphis. Many people think the Pig Pen became Tops, but no, they were separate businesses. Samuel Crump, the youngest of Allen’s sons, re-

members working at the Pig Pen when he was a youngster, back when a barbecue sandwich was only 20 cents. Among Sam’s duties was filling bottles with homemade barbecue sauce, a task that earned him one-fourth cent a bottle. He had to fill 400 bottles just to earn a buck. “I was only 13 years old, but I learned a lot of life’s lessons working there,” he says. “Probably the biggest one had to do with burning up a batch of barbecue sauce one time. I forgot to turn off the burner on the stove, and I learned a lot about my dad’s character that day.” The family, it seems, had suffered a personal tragedy when son Ben developed a brain tumor and another son died at an early age of a heart attack. “My dad knew to keep things in perspective,” says Sam. “What was important, and what wasn’t. So he didn’t get mad, like you’d expect, but just said, ‘Well, let’s start another batch.’” The Trading Post stayed in business until 1965, when it finally closed. The little brick building is still standing, though it’s been vacant for years. Tops has taken over the original Pig Pen site on Summer, the Lamar location is now a vacant lot. When Allen Crump died in 1958, The Commercial Appeal obituary eulogized him as “the founder of self-service barbecue in Memphis.” That claim to fame makes Alisa happy. “I’ve always felt like Memphis barbecue royalty,” she told me, “and not a lot of people remember that my grandfather did it first.”

Allen Crump put his name on other businesses in town, including the Trading Post on National. The tall “cowboy” by the door is his son, Johnny.

Got a question for vance? EMAIL: askvance@memphismagazine.com

MAIL: Vance Lauderdale, Memphis magazine,

460 Tennessee Street #200, Memphis, TN 38103 BLOG: www.memphismagazine.com/Blogs/Ask-Vance

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BOOKS

Say it with Soul In three new books, that’s the message from the “country-soul triangle,” the Rev. Al Green, and Otis Redding.

by leonard gill

ow often have you heard it said that the soul music made in Memphis in the 1960s was colorblind? That when it came to writing, recording, and performing that music on stages across the U.S. and Europe, black and white musicians and singers, engineers and studio heads worked without regard to skin color. It was the music, they all believed, that counted. And it did at Stax and American Sound Studio in Memphis. As it did over in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, at FAME Studios. Factor in Nashville’s studios, because black and white musicians were working together there too, despite the racial divisions still operating throughout the South. Charles L. Hughes in no way disputes the greatness of the music made. He’s been a fan of R&B, soul, and country from as far back as boyhood. But as a historian of race and the South, he takes a deeper look into the workings of the Southern music industry in the 1960s and ’70s in Country Soul: Making Music and Making Race in the American South (The University of North Carolina Press), and what he describes as the “country-soul triangle” (Memphis, Muscle Shoals, and Nashville) is more complicated than the phrase “color-blind” would suggest. Nor, Hughes argues, were integrated Southern studios necessarily the “transcendent spaces of racial interaction” that we’ve been led to believe they were. Nor were they exactly the setting for “racial breakthroughs.” In his book, Hughes — who earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Wisconsin, who recently spent time as a postdoctoral fellow at Rhodes College, and who today teaches at Oklahoma State University — goes further to demystify the myths: “[C]ontrary to any utopian

ideas of racial transcendence,” he writes, “the day-to-day experiences of triangle musicians were defined by complex and sometimes uneasy interactions between black and white. From its beginnings, the triangle was

careers of individual musicians — Arthur Alexander, Joe Tex, and George Jackson, for example. He takes in the Black Power struggles at Stax, New South “swamp rock,” and “Outlaw country” made popular in the 1970s too. He rightly recognizes the talents of many, but he’s equally right to insist that these musicians were craftsmen, not “conduits” — versatile professionals first and foremost, working musicians, black and white. The field of opportunity was, however, never entirely level. And in short: “[I]t was far easier to transcend the ‘musical color line’ if you were white.” Country Soul is a valuable corrective to the misleading renderings so often encountered in the literature about the period and in the popular imagination. Nobody’s arguing, however (least of all Hughes), that the music produced in the country-soul triangle didn’t and doesn’t still count — first, foremost.

built on a fundamentally unequal relationship that simultaneously created and restricted the p o ssibi l it y of i nter racia l collaboration.” That’s a bold statement to make, and that’s why Hughes pays particular attention to the

harles Hughes writes of racial transcendence. For transcendence of another kind and for 700 or so years, readers have turned to the Divine Comedy of Dante. According to Craig Werner and Rhonda Mawhood Lee, listeners have also been turning for 40 years or so to the voice of Al Green and for much the same reason. That’s correct: Dante and Al Green together in one book by Werner and Lee, and they’ve called it Love & Happiness (White Cloud Press), which the cover describes as “Eros According to Dante, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and The Rev. Al Green.” If

you think that’s an unlikely foursome, not so says Werner (who teaches literature, music, and cultural history at the University of Wisconsin) and Lee (an Episcopal priest). What do all four of these uncommon figures have

That’s correct: Dante and Al Green together in one book by Werner and Lee, and they’ve called it Love & Happiness. in common? A shared interest in eros, philia, and agape. Those Greek terms define love between two individuals, within families, friends, and communities, and, at the summit of faith, the self-giving love of the divine. Dante addressed all three levels of understanding in his Comedy, and to varying degrees so did Shakespeare in his plays, Austen in her novels, and Green in his songs and especially after he became the good reverend. What led Green into the ministry is the stuff of legend: an incident in 1974 inside his home in Memphis involving the married woman Green was seeing and a pot of boiling grits, which she poured onto the singer’s back. But that one incident puts Green’s career turn too simplistically, and Werner and Lee don’t describe it as such in Love & Happiness. What they do offer is an especially nuanced view of Green’s entire career, from the singer’s upbringing inside a storefront church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to his life-changing meeting with producer Willie Mitchell of Memphis’ Hi Records. Mitchell’s role: to play “music industry Virgil” to Green’s Dante. But what connects Dante and Green? Werner and Lee call them “soul brothers across the centuries,”

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partner, Rhonda M aw h o o d L e e . Again according to the introduction, they’re each doing “their best to hear, to live in response to, and to pass on the call to manifest the power of love in [their] lives,” and their book is a highly learned, eye-opening examination of love in all its forms and across the centuries. The surprising quartet that inspired Love & Happiness: a trio of soul brothers and one soul sister by the name of, that’s right, Jane Austen. and to prove it, the authors offer a playlist and guide to Green’s lyrics concerning body and spirit. Werner, apparently, didn’t have the spirit — he once harbored a deep distrust of organized religion — until he too had a life-changing Sunday inside Green’s Pentecostal Full Gospel Tabernacle. In the summer of 2001, Werner led a bus-load of college students to sites of significance to the civil rights movement, and one of the last stops was Memphis. That Sunday, Green’s church took Werner to a place he hadn’t known he needed to go. According to the book’s introduction: “There, wrapped in gospel music and the words of Scripture, supported by interlocking networks of philia, he felt something move in his soul and heard a call that has continued to echo and direct his journey. … Love & Happiness is part of his restless quest.” Something of the same could be said of Werner’s writing

o one will ever know exactly what went wrong that day,” writes Mark Ribowsky. He’s referring to the day — December 10, 1967 — when the small plane carrying Otis Redding and most of the members of his band the Bar-Kays descended through overcast skies and into the freezing waters of Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin. Only one passenger, trumpet player Ben Cauley, survived, saved by the seat he was still strapped into. Radio listeners knew what happened three months after they learned of that shocking plane accident. The crossover hit that Redding had been dreaming of made it to number one on the pop and R&B charts: “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.” It earned him a gold record, and it won him two Grammys. Ribowsky calls the success of that song “a fitting, fatalistic coda” to the life of Otis Ray

Redding Jr. of Macon, Georgia. At the time of his death, Redding was 26, and as Ribowsky writes: “The last song Redding recorded, and one that nobody outside of the studio would ever get to hear him sing live, was the one that would wind up on the most turntables — enough for the song to be rated as the sixth most played song of the twentieth century, over six million times on the radio, and loads more since.” Ribowsky’s Dreams to Remember: Otis Redding, Stax Records, and the Transformation of Southern Soul (Liveright/W.W. Norton) covers all the above facts about the sad end of Redding’s short career. He also reminds readers that Redding’s Stax career began almost by accident as well — a happy one, this time. In 1962, Redding drove his friend guitarist Johnny Jenkins from Macon to Memphis for a recording session, and there was time near the end of that session for Redding to take the microphone too. He sang one song. “You got another one?” Stax co-founder Ji m Stewa r t a ske d . Re dd i ng did: “These Arms of Mine.” When asked about the sound he wanted from the players, Redding, who couldn’t read music, told guitarist Steve Cropper, “Just gimme those church things.” That was all the direction the Stax house band needed. Twenty minutes after Redding sang “These Arms of Mine,” Stewart handed him a con-

tract to sign. More than 300 pages of additional details are in this fulllength biography of Otis Redding, details to interest any lover of the man’s music. But is Mark Ribowsky — who’s written books on the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Phil Spector, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the Supremes, in addition to sports biographies of Tom Landry, Josh Gibson, and Howard Cosell — the man to write it? There’s plenty here to have you asking that question, and chosen at random, there’s the time Redding took part in some foolish gunplay in 1964: a “jaw-dropping shootout, involving one of the top artists in music history,” Ribowsky writes, and to add to the hyperbole, he calls it an “insane, psychotic episode.” That is the caliber of writing in this, the new biography of Redding we have now — or will in a few weeks. The official publication date of Dreams to Remember is in June.

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CITY DINING

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JUSTIN FOX BURKS

OU R I N-DE P T H GU I DE T O M E M P H I S-A R E A R E STAU R A N T S

TIDBITS

Aldo’s Pizza Pies The old Two Way Inn, a Cooper Street landmark for decades, has been given new life as the home of Aldo’s Pizza Pies. Among other unique features, the restaurant offers the only rooftop patio in Midtown. A big hit is the Mr. T. Rex, a hearty blend of pepperoni, sausage, and meatballs (below).

by pamela denney

n your first visit to the new Aldo’s Pizza Pies in Midtown, you will be tempted to settle in at the bar to watch the upbeat pizza-making in the restaurant’s open kitchen. Look up, and the light fixtures will make you ask out loud: “Are those cheese graters on the ceiling?” Yep, they certainly are, but don’t linger too long on Aldo’s fun industrial décor. Instead, keep moving — especially if the weather is nice — through the restaurant’s main dining room and past the framed sign from The Two Way Inn, the building’s well-known former tenant. Head for the back and hike upstairs where you will find tables, shade sails, and a rooftop view of Cooper Street. “It is certainly the only rooftop patio in Midtown,” says manager Amy Cooper. “People love sitting up here.” With tables for about 30 people, the rooftop is one of several changes to Aldo’s popular downtown format. Pizzas still dominate the menu and duplicate such favorites as Mr. T. Rex, a hearty coming together of pepperoni, sausage, and meatballs in a Southern-style tomato sauce, and Bring out the Gump, a combo of grilled shrimp, sun-dried tomato pesto, and cream sauce subtly flavored with roasted poblano chiles. Half-a-dozen sandwiches packaged as paninis, however, are new. Try the Figgy Piggy with pear, prosciutto, brie, fig jam, and arugula, or the grilled chicken with spinach, fontina cheese, pickled red onion, and Harissa aioli. To start, remember garlic knots (what’s a visit to Aldo’s without them?) and white bean hummus updated with cipollini onions. To keep the fun going on Friday nights, stop by the tap room of Memphis Made Brewing Company, located directly across the street. Aldo’s Pizza Pies Midtown, 752 S. Cooper (901-725-7437) $-$$

MEMPHIS STEW We celebrate our city’s community table and the people who grow, cook, and eat the best Memphis food. memphismagazine.com/Blogs/Memphis-Stew 118 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • M A Y 2 0 1 5

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emphis magazine offers this restaurant listing as a service to its readers. The directory is not intended as a recommendation of the establishments included, nor does it list every restaurant in town. It does, however, include most of the city’s finer restaurants, many specialty restaurants, and a representative sampling of other Bluff City eating establishments. No fast-food facilities or cafeterias are listed, nor have we included establishments that rely heavily on take-out business. Restaurants are included regardless of whether they advertise in Memphis magazine. The guide is updated regularly, but we recommend that you call ahead to check on hours, prices, and other details. Suggestions from readers are welcome; please contact us. Email dining@memphismagazine.com. 2150 W. Poplar at Houston Levee (Collierville). 854-8748; 715 ABUELO’S MEXICAN FOOD EMBASSY—Mejores de W. Brookhaven Cl. 590-2585. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ la casa — beef and stuffed shrimp — is a specialty here, along with tilapia Veracruz, quesadillas, chili rellenos, and chicken BAR DKDC— Features an ever-changing menu of medallions. 8274 Highway 64 (Bartlett). 672-0769. L, D X, international “street food,” from Thai to Mexican, Israeli to $-$$ Indian, along with specialty cocktails. Closed Sun.-Mon. 964 S. Cooper. 272-0830. D, X, $ ABYSSINIA RESTAURANT—Ethiopian/Mediterranean menu includes beef, chicken, lamb, fish entrees, and vegetarian BAR LOUIE—Serves small plates, flatbreads, sandwiches, dishes; also a lunch buffet. 2600 Poplar. 321-0082. L, D, X, $-$$ salads, and such large plate entrees as Tuscan chicken pasta. 2125 Madison. 207-1436. L, D, WB, X, $-$$ ACRE—Features seasonal modern American cuisine in a stylish setting using locally sourced products; also small-plates/bar. BAR-B-Q SHOP—Dishes up barbecued ribs, spaghetti, Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. 690 S. Perkins. 818-2273. bologna; also pulled pork shoulder, Texas toast barbecue L, D, X, $$-$$$ sandwich, chicken sandwich, and salads. Closed Sun. 1782 Madison. 272-1277. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ ALCHEMY—Southern fusion, locally grown cuisine features small and large plates; among the offerings is the pan-seared BARDOG TAVERN—Classic American grill with Italian hanger steak with duck-fat-roasted fingerling potatoes; also influence, Bardog offers pasta specialties such as Grandma’s NJ handcrafted cocktails and local craft beers. Closed for dinner Meatballs, as well as salads, sliders, sandwiches, and daily Sun. 940 S. Cooper. 726-4444. D, SB, X, $-$$ specials. 73 Monroe. 275-8752. B (Mon.-Fri.), L, D, WB, X, $-$$ ALDO’S PIZZA PIES—Serving gourmet pizzas — including BARI RISTORANTE ENOTECA—Authentic Mr. T Rex — salads, and more in a chic downtown setting; also 30 Southeastern Italian cuisine (Puglia) emphasizes lighter entrees. beers, bottled or on tap. 100 S. Main. 577-7743; 752 S. Cooper. Serves fresh fish and beef dishes and a homemade soup of the 725-7437. L, D, X, $-$$ day. 22 S. Cooper. 722-2244. D, X, MRA, $-$$$ AMERIGO—Traditional and contemporary Italian cuisine BAYOU BAR & GRILL—Cajun fare at this Overton Square includes pasta, wood-fired pizza, steaks, and cedarwood-roasted eatery includes jambalaya, gumbo, catfish Acadian, shrimp fish. 1 239 Ridgeway, Park Place Mall. 761-4000. L, D, SB, X, dishes, red beans and rice, and muffalettas. 2094 Madison. MRA, $-$$$ 278-8626. L, D, WB, X, $-$$ ANDREW MICHAEL ITALIAN KITCHEN—Traditional BEAUTY SHOP—Modern American cuisine with Italian cuisine with a menu that changes seasonally with such international flair served in a former beauty shop. Serves steaks entrees as Maw Maw’s ravioli. Closed Sun.-Mon. 7 12 W. salads, pasta, and seafood, including pecan-crusted golden sea Brookhaven Cl. 347-3569. D, X, $$-$$$ bass. Closed for dinner Sunday. 966 S. Cooper. 272-7111. L, D, SB, X, $$-$$$ ANOTHER BROKEN EGG CAFE—Offering several varieties of eggs benedict, waffles, omelets, pancakes, beignets, and BELLE-A SOUTHERN BISTRO—Brisket in a bourbon other breakfast fare; also burgers,sandwiches, and salads. . 6063 brown sugar glaze, and chicken with basmati rice are among the Park Ave. 729-7020. B, L, WB, X, $ specialties; also seafood entrees and such vegetables as blackened green tomatoes. Closed for dinner Sun. and all day Mon. 117 THE ARCADE—Possibly Memphis’ oldest cafe. Specialties Union Ave. 433-9851. L, D, WB, X, $-$$$ include sweet potato pancakes, a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich, and breakfast served all day. BENIHANA—This Japanese steakhouse D I N I N G S Y MBOLS 540 S. Main. 526-5757. B, L, D serves beef, chicken, and , and seafood (Thurs.-Sat.) X, $ grilled at the table; some menu items B — breakfast change monthly; sushi bar also AREPA & SALSA— Offering featured. 912 Ridge Lake. 767-8980. L, Venezuelan dishes such as the namesake L — lunch D, X, $$-$$$ arepa (a corn-based dish with a variety D — dinner of fillings) and tostones with shredded BHAN THAI—Authentic Thai cuisine SB — Sunday brunch pork or black beans. Closed Sunday. 662 includes curries, pad Thai noodles, and WB — weekend brunch Madison. 949-8537. L, D, X, $ vegetarian dishes, as well as seafood, X — wheelchair accessible pork, and duck entrees. Closed for lunch ASIAN PALACE—Chinese eatery Sat.-Sun. and all day serves seafood, vegetarian items, dim sum, MRA — member, Memphis Mon. 1324 Peabody. 272-1538. L, D, and more. 5266 Summer Ave. 766-0831. L, Restaurant Association X, MRA, $-$$ D, X, $-$$ $ — under $15 per person without BLEU—This eclectic restaurant features A-TAN—Serves Chinese and Japanese drinks or desserts American food with global influences hibachi cuisine, complete with sushi bar. and local ingredients. Among the A specialty is Four Treasures with garlic $$ — under $25 specialties are a 14-oz. bone-in rib-eye sauce. 3445 Poplar, Suite 17, $$$ — $26-$50 and several seafood dishes. 221 S. Third, University Center. 452-4477. L, D, X, $$$$ — over $50 in the Westin Memphis Beale St. $-$$$ S HADED — new listing Hotel. 334-5950. B, L, D, X, $$-$$$ AUTOMATIC SLIM’S— Longtime BLUE DAZE BISTRO—Serving downtown favorite specializes in American cuisine with Cajun flair; lunch entrees include the Black contemporary American cuisine emphasizing local ingredients; also & Bleu Salad and a crab cake sandwich; dinner entrees range extensive martini list. 83 S. Second. 525-7948. L, D, WB, X, MRA, from salmon to Cajun cream penne pasta. Closed for dinner Sun., $-$$$ and all day Mon.-Wed. 221 E. Commerce St. Hernando (MS). BABALU TACOS & TAPAS—This Overton Square eatery 662-469-9304. L, D, SB, X, $-$$$ dishes up Spanish-style tapas with Southern flair; also taco and BLUEFIN RESTAURANT & SUSHI LOUNGE— enchilada of the day; specials change daily. 2115 Madison. 274Serves Japanese fusion cuisine featuring seafood, duck, and 0100. L, D, X, $-$$ steaks, with seasonally changing menu; also, a sushi bar and BAHAMA BREEZE—Baby back ribs, Jamaican chicken flatbread pizza. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 1 35 S. Main. 528wings, and coconut shrimp are among the entrees at this 1010. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ Caribbean-fusion restaurant. 2830 N. Germantown Pkwy. BOMBAY HOUSE—Indian fare includes lamb korma and (Cordova). 385-8744. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ chicken tikka; also, a daily luncheon BANGKOK ALLEY—Thai fusion cuisine includes noodle and buffet. 1727 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 755-4114. L, D, curry dishes, chef-specialty sushi rolls, coconut soup, and duck X, $-$$ and seafood entrees. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. at Brookhaven location; call for hours. 121 Union Ave. 522-2010;

CIT Y DINING LIST BONEFISH GRILL—Serves wood-grilled fish,as well as steaks, chicken and pork entrees. 1250 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 753-2220; 4680 Merchants Park Circle, Carriage Crossing (Collierville). 854-5822. L (Fri.-Sat.), D, SB, X, $-$$$ BONNE TERRE—This inn’s cafe features American cuisine with a Southern flair, and a seasonal menu that changes monthly. Offers Angus steaks, duck, pasta, and seafood. Closed Sun.Wed. 4715 Church Rd. W. (Nesbit, MS). 662-781-5100. D, X, $-$$$ BOOKSELLERS BISTRO—Serves soups, sandwiches, quiche, salads, pasta, and seafood, including shrimp polenta; a specialty is Alpine chicken salad. The Booksellers at Laurelwood, 387 Perkins Extd. 374-0881. B, L, D, WB, X, $-$$ BOSCOS SQUARED—Serves pasta, seafood, steaks, burgers. sandwiches, and pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven; also a variety of freshly brewed beers. 2120 Madison. 432-2222. L, D, SB (with live jazz), X, MRA, $-$$ BOUNTY ON BROAD—Offering family-style dining, Bounty serves small plates and family-sized platters, with such specialties as pork shank and stuffed quail. Closed Mon.Tues. 2519 Broad. 410-8131. D, SB, X, $-$$ BOZO’S HOT PIT BAR-B-Q— Barbecue, burgers, sandwiches, and subs. 342 Hwy 70, Mason, TN. 901-2943400. L, D, $-$$ BRASS DOOR IRISH PUB—Irish and New-American cuisine includes such entrees as fish and chips burgers, sandwiches, salads, and daily specials. 152 Madison. 572-1813. L, D, SB, $ BROADWAY PIZZA HOUSE—Serving a variety of pizzas,including the Broadway Special, as well as sandwiches, salads, and wings; now offering homemade cakes. 2581 Broad. 454-7930; 627 S. Mendenhall. 207-1546. L, D, X, $-$$ BROOKLYN BRIDGE ITALIAN RESTAURANT— Specializing in such homemade entrees as spinach lasagna and lobster ravioli; a seafood specialty is horseradish-crusted salmon. Closed Sun. 1779 Kirby Pkwy. 755-7413. D, X, MRA, $-$$$ BROTHER JUNIPER’S—Breakfast is the focus here, with specialty omelets, including the open-faced San Diegan omelet; also daily specials, and homemade breads and pastries. Closed Mon. 3519 Walker. 324-0144. B, X, MRA, $ THE BRUSHMARK—New American cuisine with a menu that changes seasonally; offers sandwiches, salads, soups, pastas, and crepes. Closed Mon. and Tues. Brooks Museum, Overton Park, 1934 Poplar. 544-6225. L, WB, X, $-$$ BRYANT’S BREAKFAST—Three-egg omelets, pancakes, and The Sampler Platter are among the popular entrees here. Closed Tuesday. 3965 Summer. 324-7494. B, L, X, $ BUCKLEY’S FINE FILET GRILL—Specializes in steaks, seafood, and pasta. (Lunchbox serves entree salads, burgers, and more.) 5355 Poplar. 683-4538; 919 S. Yates (Buckley’s Lunchbox), 682-0570. L (Yates only, M-F), D, X, MRA, $-$$ THE BUTCHER SHOP—Serves steaks ranging from 8-oz. fillets to a 20-oz. porterhouse; also chicken, pork chops, fresh seafood. 107 S. Germantown Rd. (Cordova). 757-4244. L (Fri. and Sun.), D, X, MRA, $$-$$$ CAFE 1912—French/American bistro serving such seafood entrees as grouper and steamed mussels: also crepes, salads, and French onion soup, 2 43 S. Cooper. 722-2700. D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$ CAFE ECLECTIC—Spanish omelets, and chicken and waffles are among menu items, along with sandwiches, wraps, and burgers. 603 N. McLean. 725-1718; 111 Harbor Town Square. 590-4645; 510 S. Highland. 410-0765. B, L, D, SB, X, MRA, $ CAFE FONTANA— Hearty Italian cuisine features pizzas, pasta, and several seafood dishes, including pesce al forno and fish of the day special. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Mon. 8556 Macon Rd. 529-7526. L, D, SB, $-$$ CAFE KEOUGH—European-style cafe serving quiche, paninis, salads, and more. 12 S. Main. 509-2469. B, L, D, X, $ CAFE OLE—Now under new ownership, this 23-year-old eatery specializes in authentic Mexican cuisine; one specialty is pan-seared grouper in mango salsa. 959 S. Cooper. 343-0103. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$ CAFE PALLADIO—Serves gourmet salads, soups, sandwiches, and desserts in a tea room inside the antiques shop. Closed Sun. 2169 Central. 278-0129. L, X, $ CAFE PIAZZA BY PAT LUCCHESI—Specializes in gourmet pizzas (including create-your-own), panini sandwiches, and pasta. Closed Sun. 139 S. Rowlett St. (Collierville). 8611999. L, D, X, $-$$ CAFE PONTOTOC—Serves a variety of internationally inspired small plates, as well as salads and sandwiches. Closed Mon. 314 S. Main. 249-7955. D, WB, X, $-$$ CAFE SOCIETY—With Belgian and classic French influences, serves Wagyu beef, chicken, and seafood dishes, including bacon-wrapped shrimp, along with daily specials and vegetarian M A Y 2 0 1 5 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 119

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CIT Y DINING LIST entrees. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 212 N. Evergreen. 722-2177. L, D, X, MRA, $$-$$$ CAPITAL GRILLE—Known for its dry-aged, hand-carved steaks; among the specialties are bone-in sirloin, and porcinirubbed Delmonico; also seafood entrees and seasonal lunch plates. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. Crescent Center, 6065 Poplar. 683-9291. L, D, X, $$$-$$$$ CAPRICCIO GRILL ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE— Offers prime steaks, fresh seafood (lobster tails, grouper, mahi mahi), pasta, and several northern Italian specialties. 149 Union, The Peabody. 529-4199. B, L, D, SB, X, MRA, $$-$$$$ CARRABBA’S ITALIAN GRILL—Serves chicken Bryan, calamari, various pastas, and other “old-world” Italian entrees. 4600 Merchant’s Park Cl., Carriage Crossing (Collierville). 854-0200; 5110 Poplar. 685-9900. L (Sat.Sun.), D, X, $-$$$ CASABLANCA— Lamb shawarma is one of the fresh, homemade specialties served at this Mediterranean/Moroccan restaurant; fish entrees and vegetarian options also available. 5030 Poplar. 725-8557. L, D, X, $-$$ CELTIC CROSSING—Specializes in Irish and American pub fare. Entrees include shepherd’s pie, shrimp and sausage coddle, and fish and chips. 903 S. Cooper. 274-5151. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$ CENTRAL BBQ—Serves ribs, smoked hot wings, pulled pork sandwiches, chicken, turkey, nachos, and portobello sandwiches. Offers both pork and beef barbecue. 2249 Central Ave. 2729377; 4375 Summer Ave. 767-4672; 147 E. Butler. 672-7760. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ CHEZ PHILIPPE— Classical/contemporary French cuisine presented in a luxurious atmosphere with a seasonal menu focused on local/regional cuisine. Afternoon tea served Wed.-Sat, 1-3 p.m. (reservations required). Closed Sun.-Mon.-Tues. The Peabody, 149 Union. 529-4188. D, X, MRA, $$$$ CHIWAWA—American-Mexican street food includes tacos made with hand-pressed tortillas, bacon-wrapped deep-fried hot dogs, and “Juan-tons” stuffed with smoked chorizo and cream cheese. 2 059 Madison. 207-1456. L, D, WB, X, $ CIAO BELLA—Among the Italian and Greek specialties are lasagna, seafood pasta, eggplant rolotini, gourmet pizzas, and vegetarian options. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 565 Erin Dr., Erinway Shopping Center. 205-2500. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$$ CITY GROCERY—Southern eclectic cuisine; shrimp and grits is a specialty. Closed for dinner Sunday. 152 Courthouse Square (Oxford, MS). 662-232-8080. L, D, SB, X, $$-$$$ COLETTA’S—Longtime eatery serves such specialties as homemade ravioli, lasagna, and pizza with barbecue or traditional toppings. 2850 Appling Rd. (Bartlett). 383-1122; 1063 S. Parkway E. 948-7652. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ CORKY’S—Popular barbecue emporium offers both wet and dry ribs, plus a full menu of other barbecue entrees. Wed. lunch buffets, Cordova and Collierville. 5259 Poplar. 685-9744; 1740 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 737-1911; 743 W. Poplar (Collierville). 405-4999; 6434 Goodman Rd., Olive Branch. 662-893-3663. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ COZY CORNER—Serving up ribs, pork sandwiches, chicken, spaghetti, and more. Closed Sun.-Mon. 7 45 N. Parkway. 5279158. L, D, $ THE CRAZY NOODLE—Korean noodle dishes range from bibam beef noodle with cabbage, carrots, and other vegetables, to curry chicken noodle; also rice cakes served in a flavorful sauce. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 2015 Madison. 272-0928. L, D, X, $ DEJAVU—Serves Creole, soul, and vegetarian cuisine. Closed Sat.-Sun. Florida St. location. 9 36 Florida St. 942-1400; 51 S. Main. 505-0212. L,D (S. Main), SB (S. Main), X, $-$$ DERAE RESTAURANT—Ethiopian and Mediterranean fare includes fuul, or fava beans in spices and yoghurt, goat meat and rice, and garlic chicken over basmati rice with cilantro chutney; also salmon and tilapia. Closed Monday. 923 S. Highland. 552-3992. B, L, D, $ ECCO—Mediterranean-inspired specialties range from rib-eye steak to seared scallops and to linguini with Kale pesto and a grilled vegetable plate; also wild Alaskan salmon. Closed Sun.Mon. 1585 Overton Park. 410-8200. L, D, X, $-$$ EDO—Traditional Japanese cuisine includes shrimp tempura, nagiri, and chicken teriyaki. Closed Mon. 4792 Summer. 7677096. D, X, $ EIGHTY3—Contemporary menu of steaks and seafood offers a variety of eclectic specialties; also weekly specials, small plates, and appetizers. 83 Madison Ave. 333-1224. B, L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ EL MEZCAL—Serves burritos, chimichangas, fajitas, and other Mexican cuisine, as well as shrimp dinners and steak. 402 Perkins Extd. 761-7710; 694 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 755-1447; 1492 Union. 274-4264; 11615 Airline Rd.

LOCALITY GUIDE Joe’s Crab Shack BARTLETT Logan’s Roadhouse Abuelo’s Moe’s Southwest Grill Applebee’s T.J. Mulligan’s Cajun Catfish Company O’Charley’s Coletta’s Olive Garden Colton’s Steakhouse On the Border Dixie Cafe Osaka Japanese El Porton Outback Steakhouse Exlines’ Best Pizza Pasta Italia Firebirds Pei Wei Asian Diner Gridley’s The Presentation Room Hadley’s Pub Pyro’s Fire Fresh Pizza La Playita Mexicana Rafferty’s O’Charley’s Red Lobster Ruby Tuesday Romano’s Macaroni Grill Sekisui Sekisui Side Car Cafe Shogun Side Porch Steakhouse Skimo’s Tops Bar B-Q CHICKASAW GARDENS/ Tannoor Grill Zaytos UNIV. OF MEMPHIS DOWNTOWN A-Tan Aldo’s Pizza Pies Brother Juniper’s Alfred’s Cheffie’s The Arcade Derae Automatic Slim’s El Porton Bangkok Alley The Farmer Bardog Tavern Just for Lunch B.B. King’s Blues Club La Baguette Belle — A Southern Bistro Los Compadres Bleu Lost Pizza Blind Bear Speakeasy Medallion Blue Monkey Osaka Japanese Bluefin Pete & Sam’s Blue Plate Cafe R.P. Tracks Blues City Cafe Woman’s Exchange COLLIERVILLE/WEST TN. Bon Ton Cafe Brass Door Irish Pub (ARLINGTON, COVINGTON, Cafe Eclectic MILLINGTON, OAKLAND) Cafe Keough Bangkok Alley Cafe Pontotoc Bonefish Grill Capriccio Bozo’s Hot Pit Bar-B-Q Central BBQ Cafe Piazza Chez Philippe Cajun Catfish Company City Market Carrabba’s Italian Grill Cozy Corner Chili’s Dejavu Corky’s Double J Smokehouse & Crepe Maker Saloon El Mezcal Earnestine & Hazel’s El Porton Eighty3 Firebirds Felicia Suzanne’s Ronnie Grisanti’s Italian Ferraro’s Pizzeria Restaurant Flight Gus’s Fried Chicken Flying Fish Huey’s Flying Saucer Jim’s Place Grille T.G.I. Friday’s Mulan Grawemeyer’s O’Charley’s Gus’s Osaka Japanese Happy Mexican Memphis Pizza Cafe Hard Rock Cafe Pig-N-Whistle Havana’s Pilon Sekisui Huey’s Silver Caboose Itta Bena Stix King’s Palace Cafe Vinegar Jim’s Kooky Canuck Wolf River Cafe Little Tea Shop CORDOVA Local Bahama Breeze McEwen’s on Monroe Bombay House The Majestic Bonefish Grill Marmalade Butcher Shop Mesquite Chop House Cafe Fontana Mollie Fontaine Lounge Cheddar’s The Office@Uptown Chili’s Onix Corky’s Oshi Burger Bar East End Grill Paulette’s El Mezcal Pearl’s Oyster House El Porton Rendezvous T.G.I. Friday’s Rizzo’s Diner Flying Saucer Rum Boogie Cafe Green Bamboo Silky O’Sullivan’s Gus’s South of Beale Happy Mexican Spaghetti Warehouse Hunan Palace Spindini Huey’s The Terrace J. Alexander’s Texas de Brazil Jerry Lee Lewis’ Cafe Tugs & Honky Tonk Twilight Sky Terrace Jim N Nick’s Bar-B-Q Westy’s

EAST MEMPHIS Acre Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen Asian Palace Bangkok Alley Belmont Grill Blue Plate Cafe Booksellers Bistro Broadway Pizza Brookhaven Pub & Grill Buckley’s Fine Filet Grill Carrabba’s Italian Grill Casablanca Central B B Q Chili’s Ciao Bella City East Corky’s Dixie Cafe El Mezcal El Porton Folk’s Folly Fox & Hound Fratelli’s The Grove Grill Half Shell Hog & Hominy Houston’s Huey’s Interim Erling Jensen Jim’s Place Las Delicias Lynchburg Legends Dan McGuinness Pub Marciano Mayuri Indian Cuisine Mellow Mushroom Memphis Pizza Cafe Mortimer’s Mosa Asian Bistro Napa Cafe Neil’s New Hunan Old Venice On the Border One & Only BBQ Patrick’s Porcellino’s Craft Butcher Rafferty’s Sekisui Pacific Rim Skewer Soul Fish Cafe Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe Three Little Pigs Whole Foods Market GERMANTOWN Belmont Grill Chili’s City East Elfo Grisanti‘s El Porton Exlines’ Best Pizza Germantown Comm. Maui Brick Oven Mellow Mushroom Memphis Pizza Cafe Mesquite Chop House New Asia Petra Cafe Royal Panda Russo’s New York Pizzeria & Wine Bar Sakura Soul Fish Cafe West Street Diner MEDICAL CENTER Arepa & Salsa The Cupboard Evelyn & Olive Kudzu’s Tops Bar-B-Q Trolley Stop Market MIDTOWN Abyssinia Alchemy Aldo’s Pizza Pies Alex’s

Applebee’s Babalu Tacos and Tapas Bar DKDC Bar Louie Bar-B-Q Shop Bari Barksdale Restaurant Bayou Bar & Grill Beauty Shop Belly Acres Bhan Thai Boscos Squared Bounty on Broad Broadway Pizza House The Brushmark Cafe 1912 Cafe Eclectic Cafe Ole Cafe Palladio Cafe Society Celtic Crossing Central B B Q Chiwawa The Cove Cozy Corner The Crazy Noodle The Cupboard Dino’s Ecco El Mezcal Evergreen Grill Fino’s from the Hill Frida’s Fuel Cafe Golden India Greencork Huey’s Imagine Vegan Cafe India Palace Jasmine Thai Java Cabana Lafayette’s Music Room LBOE Le Chardonnay Local Memphis Pizza Cafe Midtown Crossing Grille Molly’s La Casita Mulan Chinese Bistro Murphy’s Old Zinnie’s Otherlands Outback Steakhouse P & H Cafe Pei Wei Asian Diner Pho Binh Pho Saigon Restaurant Iris Robata Ramen & Yakitori Bar Saigon Le Schweinehaus The Second Line Sekisui The Slider Inn Soul Fish Cafe Stone Soup Strano Sicilian Kitchen Sweet Grass Tart Three Angels Diner Tsunami Young Avenue Deli NORTH MISSISSIPPI Ajax Diner Applebee’s Blue and White Blue Daze Bistro Bonne Terre Chili’s City Grocery Colton’s Steakhouse Como Steakhouse Corky’s Fox & Hound Huey’s Lee’s Family Restaurant Logan’s Roadhouse Lost Pizza McEwen’s Memphis Barbecue Company

Memphis Pizza Cafe Mesquite Chop House Nagoya O’Charley’s Olive Garden Oska Japanese Cuisine Outback Steakhouse Ravine Red Lobster Sekisui Wadford’s Grill and Bar PARKWAY VILLAGE/ FOX MEADOWS Blue Shoe Bar & Grill Leonard’s Jack Pirtle’s Chicken Three Little Pigs Bar-B-Q POPLAR/I-240 Amerigo Benihana Blue Plate Cafe Brooklyn Bridge Capital Grille, The P.F. Chang’s Chipotle Exlines’ Best Pizza 4Dumplings Fleming’s Frank Grisanti’s Happy Mexican Mister B Olive Garden One & Only BBQ Owen Brennan’s Pyro’s Fire-Fresh Pizza Red Koi River Oaks Rock’n Dough Pizza Ruth’s Chris Salsa Seasons 52 Sekisui Wang’s Mandarin House RALEIGH Exline’s Best Pizza SOUTH MEMPHIS Coletta’s The Four Way Interstate Bar-B-Q Jack Pirtle’s Chicken SUMMER/BERCLAIR Bryant’s The Cottage Edo Elwood’s Shack High Pockets High Point Pizza La Taqueria Guadalupana Lotus Nagasaki Inn Orr Restaurant Pancho’s Panda Garden Tops Bar-B-Q WEST MEMPHIS/ EASTERN ARK. The Cupboard Pancho’s Sammy Hagar’s Red Rocker Bar & Grill WHITEHAVEN Hong Kong Marlowe’s WINCHESTER Cheddar’s East End Grill Formosa Half Shell Happy Mexican Huey’s Logan’s Roadhouse Olive Garden Red Lobster Ruby Tuesday T.G.I. Friday’s T J Mulligan’s Tops Bar-B-Q Tycoon

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Bar AGE/

B-Q

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CIT Y DINING LIST (Arlington). 867-1883; 9045 Highway 64 (Lakeland). 3834219; 7164 Hacks Cross Rd. (Olive Branch). 662-890-3337; 8834 Hwy. 51 N. (Millington). 872-3220; 7424 Highway 64 (Bartlett). 417-6026; 9947 Wolf River (Collierville) 853-7922. L, D, X, $ EL PORTON—Fajitas, quesadillas, and steak ranchero are just a few of the menu items. 2095 Merchants Row (Germantown). 754-4268; 8361 Highway 64. 380-7877; 65 S. Highland, Poplar Plaza. 452-7330; 1805 N. Germantown Parkway (Cordova). 624-9358; 1016 W. Poplar (Collierville). 854-5770. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ ELFO GRISANTI’S—Specializing in homemade northern Italian cuisine, including pasta, fish, beef and nightly specials. Closed Sun. 2285 S. Germantown Rd. 753-4017. D, X, $-$$$ ERLING JENSEN—Presents “globally inspired” cuisine: specialties are rack of lamb, big game entrees,and fresh fish dishes. 1044 S. Yates. 763-3700. D, X, MRA, $$-$$$ EVELYN & OLIVE—Jamaican/Southern fusion cuisine includes such dishes as Kingston stew fish, Rasta Pasta, and Jamaican jerk wings. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun.Mon. 630 Madison. 748-5422. L, D, X, $ EXLINES’ BEST PIZZA—Serves pizza, Italian dinners, sandwiches, and salads. 2935 Austin Peay. 388-4711; 6250 Stage Rd.(Bartlett). 382-3433; 2801 Kirby Parkway. 7540202; 7730 Wolf River Blvd.(Germantown). 753-4545; 531 W. Stateline Rd. 662-342-4544 (check online for additional locations). L, D, X, $ 4DUMPLINGS—Chicken with celery and pork with Napa cabbage are among the hand-made dumpling varieties; also serves Asian tacos, and noodle and rice meals. Closed Sunday. 6515 Poplar. 762-4184. L, D, X, $ THE FARMER—Serving upscale Southern cuisine, with a focus on locally grown ingredients. Among the specialties are pan-seared catfish, slow-cooked pot roast, and braised greens. Closed for dinner Sun.-Mon. 262 S. Highland. 324-2221. L, D, X, $-$$$ FELICIA SUZANNE’S—Southern cuisine with lowcountry, Creole, and Delta influences, using regional fresh seafood, local beef, and locally grown foods. Entrees include shrimp and grits. Closed Sun. and Mon. Brinkley Plaza, 80 Monroe, Suite L1. 523-0877. L (Fri. only), D, X, MRA, $$-$$$ FERRARO’S PIZZERA & PUB—Rigatoni bolognese and capellini pomodoro are among the pasta entrees here, along with pizzas (whole or by the slice), with a variety of toppings. 111 Jackson. 522-2033. L, D, X, $-$$ FIREBIRDS—Specialties are hand-cut steaks, slow-roasted prime rib, and wood-grilled salmon and other seafood, as well as seasonal entrees. 8470 Highway 64 (Bartlett). 379-1300; 4600 Merchants Circle, Carriage Crossing (Collierville). 8501637. L, D, X, $-$$$ FLEMING’S PRIME STEAKHOUSE—Serves wet-aged and dry-aged steaks, prime beef, chops, and seafood, including salmon, Australian lobster tails, and a catch of the day. 6245 Poplar. 761-6200. D, X, MRA, $$$-$$$$ FLIGHT RESTAURANT & WINE BAR—Serves steaks and seafood, along with such specialties as pork rib-eye and roasted duck, all matched with appropriate wines; also gourmet plate lunches. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 39 S. Main. 521-8005. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$$ FLYING FISH—Serves up fried and grilled versions of shrimp, crab, oysters, fish tacos, and catfish; also chicken and burgers. 105 S. Second. 522-8228. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ FOLK’S FOLLY ORIGINAL PRIME STEAK HOUSE—Specializes in prime steaks, as well as lobster, grilled Scottish salmon, Alaskan king crab legs, rack of lamb, and weekly specials. 551 S. Mendenhall. 762-8200. D, X, MRA, $$$-$$$$ FORMOSA—Offers Mandarin cuisine, including broccoli beef, hot-and-sour soup, and spring rolls. Closed Monday. 6685 Quince. 753-9898. L, D, X, $-$$$ THE FOUR WAY—Legendary soul-food establishment dishing up such entrees as fried and baked catfish, chicken, and turkey and dressing, along with a host of vegetables and desserts. Closed Monday. 998 Mississippi Blvd. 507-1519. L, D (call to check hours.), $ FRATELLI’S—Serves hot and cold sandwiches, salads, soups, and desserts, all with an Italian/Mediterranean flair. Closed Sunday. 750 Cherry Rd., Memphis Botanic Garden. 7669900. L, X, $ FRIDA’S—Mexican cuisine and Tex-Mex standards, including chimichangas, enchiladas, and fajitas; seafood includes shrimp and tilapia. 1718 Madison. 244-6196. L, D, X, $-$$ FUEL CAFE—Focus is on natural “Americana” dishes with such specialties as bison burgers, grass-fed beef dishes, and wild-caught fish; also vegan and gluten-free entrees. Closed Sun.-Mon. 1761 Madison. 725-9025. L, D, X, $-$$

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CIT Y DINING LIST CASUAL DINING

These establishments offer American cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere. While some serve ethnic entrees, the emphasis is on steaks, salads, sandwiches, pasta, fish and seafood. Also some soulfood and homestyle cooking. J. ALEXANDER’S—2670 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 381-9670. APPLEBEE’S—2114 Union Ave. 7257136; 2890 Bartlett Blvd. (Bartlett). 2135034; 710 DeSoto Cove (Horn Lake, MS). 662-772-5914; 7515 Goodman Rd. (Olive Branch, MS). 662-893-7555. AJAX DINER— 188 Courthouse Sq., Oxford, MS. 662-232-8880. BELLY ACRES—2102 Trimble Pl, 529-7017.. BLUE AND WHITE RESTAURANT—1355 US 61. Tunica, MS. 662-363-1371. BLUE PLATE CAFE—5469 Poplar. 761-9696; 113 S. Court. 523-2050. BLUE SHOE BAR & GRILL—Hotel Memphis, 2625 Thousand Oaks Blvd. 362-6200. BON TON CAFE—150 Monroe. 525-0883. CAJUN CATFISH COMPANY—1616 Sycamore View Rd. 383-8958; 336 New Byhalia Rd. Collierville. 861-0122 CHEDDAR’S—7684 Winchester. 624-8881; 2147 N. Germantown Pkwy. 380-1119. CHILI’S—7810 Poplar (Germantown). 756-5203; 4609 Poplar. 685-2257; 8100 Giacosa Pl. 372-3132; 287 W. Goodman

Rd. (Southaven). 662-349-7002; 237 Market Blvd. (Collierville). 853-7520; 1260 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 756-7771; 8526 Highway 51 (Millington). 872-0555. COLTON’S STEAKHOUSE—8030 Highway 64 (Bartlett). 383-8445; 8051 Goodman Rd. (Olive Branch). 662-8904142. COMO STEAKHOUSE—203 Main St. Como, MS. 662-526-9529. THE COVE—2559 Broad Ave. 7300719. THE CUPBOARD—1400 Union. 276-8015 ELWOOD’S SHACK— 4523 Summer. 761-9898. EVERGREEN GRILL—1545 Overton Park. 249-2393. T.G.I. FRIDAY’S—185 Union, Double Tree Hotel. 523-8500; 176 E. Goodman Rd. (Southaven). 662-349-4223; 7733 Winchester Rd. 752-1369; 8325 Highway 64. 372-2539.. KEM’S RESTAURANT—2751 New Brunswick Rd., Holiday Inn & Suites. 2661952. LBOE—2021 Madison Ave. 725-0770. LOGAN’S ROADHOUSE—2710 N. Germantown Parkway. 381-5254; 5901 Poplar. 684-2272; 7755 Winchester Rd. 759-1430; 6685 Airways Blvd. (Southaven). 662-772-5015. MIDTOWN CROSSING GRILLE—394 N. Watkins. 443-0502. O’CHARLEY’S—6045 Stage Rd., #74. 373-5602 (Bartlett); 1040 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 754-6201; 357 W. Goodman Rd. 662-349-6663

GERMANTOWN COMMISSARY—Serves barbecue sandwiches, sliders, ribs, shrimp, and nachos, as well as smoked barbecued bologna sandwiches; Mon.-night all-you-can-eat ribs. 2290 S. Germantown Rd. S. (Germantown). 754-5540. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ GOLDEN INDIA—Northern Indian specialties include tandoori chicken as well as lamb, beef, shrimp, and vegetarian dishes. 2 097 Madison. 728-5111. L, D, X, $-$$ GREEN BAMBOO—Pineapple tilapia, pork vermicelli, and the soft egg noodle combo are Vietnamese specialties here. 990 N. Germantown Parkway, #104 (Cordova). 753-5488. L, D, $-$$ GREENCORK—Wine-on-tap bar serves seasonal menu of modern Southern cuisine. Specialty is the picnic basket, which includes cheese truffles and daily selections of premium meats. Closed Sun.-Mon. 2156 Young Ave. 207-5281. D, X, $-$$ GRIDLEY’S—Offers barbecued ribs, shrimp, pork plate, chicken, and hot tamales; also daily lunch specials. Closed Tues. 6842 Stage Rd. (Bartlett). 377-8055. L, D, X, $-$$ FRANK GRISANTI’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT— Northern Italian favorites include pasta with jumbo shrimp and mushrooms; also seafood, fillet mignon, and daily lunch specials.

(Southaven); 656 W. Poplar (Collierville). 861-5811. THE OLIVE GARDEN—7778 Winchester. 624-2003; 8405 Highway 64, Wolfchase Galleria (Cordova). 377-3437; 6615 Airways (Southaven). 662-536-3350; 5679 Poplar, #1. 761-5711. OSHI BURGER BAR—94 s. Main. 341-2091. OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE— 1110 N. Germantown Parkway. 751-9800; 2255 Union Ave. 7285100; 125 W. Goodman Rd. (Southaven). 662-349-7488. MRA. RAFFERTY’S—4542 Poplar. 374-0096; 505 N. Germantown Pkwy. 755-4799. RUBY TUESDAY—1653 Sycamore View. 382-9280;7535 Winchester. 7556570. SIDECAR CAFE—2194 Whitten. 388-0285. SILVER CABOOSE—132 E. Mulberry (Collierville). 853-0010. SKIMO’S—1166 N. Houston Levee. 756-5055. MRA. SOUL FISH CAFE—862 S. Cooper. 725-0722; 3160 Village Shops Dr.(Germantown). 755-6988. 4720 Poplar. 590-0323. MRA. SPAGHETTI WAREHOUSE ITALIAN GRILL—40 W. Huling. 521-0907. TUGS—River Inn, 51 Harbor Town Square. 260-3344. MRA. VINEGAR JIM’S—12062 Forrest (Arlington). 867-7568. WOLF RIVER CAFE—460 Main St. (Rossville). 853-2586.

Closed for lunch Sunday. Embassy Suites Hotel, 1022 S. Shady Grove. 761-9462. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$$ RONNIE GRISANTI’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT— This Memphis institution serves some family classics such as Elfo’s Special and chicken ravioli, along with lighter fare and changing daily chef selection. Closed Sun. Sheffield Antiques Mall, 684 W. Poplar (Collierville). 850-0191. L (Mon.-Sat.), D (Thurs.Sat.), X, $-$$$ THE GROVE GRILL—Offers steaks, chops, seafood, and other American cuisine with Southern and global influences; entrees include crab cakes, and shrimp and grits. 4550 Poplar. 818-9951. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ GUS’S WORLD FAMOUS FRIED CHICKEN—Serves chicken with signature spicy batter, along with homemade beans, slaw, and pies. 3 10 S. Front. 527-4877; 215 S. Center St. (Collierville). 853-6005; 2965 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 373-9111; 730 S. Mendenhall. 767-2323; 505 Highway 70 W., Mason, TN. 901-294-2028. L, D, X, MRA, $ HALF SHELL—Specializes in seafood, such as King crab legs; also serves steaks, chicken, pastas, salads, sandwiches, a ”voodoo menu,” and weekend brunch; oyster bar at Winchester

COFFEEHOUSES/BOOKSTORE CAFES

In addition to gourmet coffees and drinks, these eateries generally serve pastries, sandwiches, soups, and salads, and some have a wider range of menu items. AVENUE COFFEE—786 Echles. 454-3348. BARNES & NOBLE BOOKSELLERS— 2774 N. Germantown Pkwy. 386-2468; 4610 Merchants Park Cl. (Collierville). 853-3264. BELLA CAFFE—Pink Palace Museum, 3050 Central. 3206320 BLUFF CITY COFFEE—505 S. Main. 405-4399. THE BOOKSELLERS AT LAURELWOOD— 387 Perkins Extd. 683-9801. CARITAS VILLAGE COFFEE SHOP— 2509 Harvard. 327-5246. CENTER FOR SOUTHERN FOLKLORE— 123 S. Main at Peabody Trolley Stop. 525-3655.

JAVA CABANA—2170 Young. 272-7210. MUDDY’S GRIND HOUSE—585 S. Cooper. 683-8844. OTHERLANDS—641 S. Cooper. 278-4994. MRA. QAHWA COFFEE BAR—Claridge House, 109 N. Main.800-2227. REPUBLIC COFFEE—2924 Walnut Grove. 590-1578. SQUARE BEANS ESPRESSO + GELATO— 103 N. Center St. (Collierville). 854-8855. STARBUCKS—1850 Union Ave. 729-4288; 3388 Poplar. 320-1021; 5201 Poplar. 818-9954; 2955 Kirby Whitten (Bartlett), 266-2497; 180 Goodman Rd. E. (Southaven). 662-349-0342; 8140 Goodman Rd. (Olive Branch). 662-890-9507. For more listings, check online. TAMP & TAP—122 Gayoso. 207-1053 THE UGLY MUG— 4610 Poplar. 552-3165.

location. 688 S. Mendenhall. 682-3966; 7825 Winchester. 737-6755. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$ HAPPY MEXICAN—Serves quesadillas, burritos, chimichangas, vegetable and seafood dishes, and more. 385 S. Second. 529-9991; 6080 Primacy Pkwy. 683-0000; 7935 Winchester. 751-5353. L, D, X, $ HAVANA’S PILON—Tiny eatery serving Cuban cuisine, including fried plantains in a pilon topped with shrimp, ropa vieja (shredded beef in tomato sauce), roasted pork, and a Cuban sandwich. Closed Sunday. 143 Madison. 527-2878. L, D, X, $ HIGH POINT PIZZA—Serves variety of pizzas, subs, salads, and sides. Closed Monday. 477 High Point Terrace. 452-3339. L, D, , X $-$$ HOG & HOMINY—The casual sister to Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen serves brick-oven-baked pizzas and small plates with everything from meatballs to beef and cheddar hotdogs; also offers house-made sausages, and local veggies. Closed for lunch Mon. 707 W. Brookhaven Cl. 207-7396. L, D, SB, X, $-$$ HONG KONG—Cantonese and Mandarin standards are sweet-and-sour chicken, and pepper beef. Closed Sunday. 3966 Elvis Presley. 396-0801. L, D, X, $ HOUSTON’S—Serves steaks, seafood, pork chops, chicken dishes, sandwiches, salads, and soups, 5000 Poplar. 683-0915. L, D, X $-$$$ IMAGINE VEGAN CAFE—Dishes range from salads and sandwiches to full dinners, breakfast items served all day. 2299 Young. 654-3455. L, D, SB, X, $ INDIA PALACE—Tandoori chicken, lamb shish kabobs, chicken tikka masala are among the entrees; also, vegetarian options and a daily lunch buffet. 1720 Poplar. 278-1199. L, D, X, $-$$ INTERIM—Offers American-seasonal cuisine with emphasis on local foods and fresh fish; macaroni and cheese is a house specialty. Closed for lunch Sat. 5040 Sanderlin, Suite 105. 818-0821. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ INTERSTATE BAR-B-Q—Specialties include chopped pork-shoulder sandwiches, ribs, hot wings, spaghetti, chicken, and turkey. 2 265 S. Third. 775-2304; 150 W. Stateline Rd. (Southaven). 662-393-5699. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ ITTA BENA—Southern and Cajun-American cuisine served here; specialties are filet Oscar and shrimp and grits, along with steaks, chops, seafood, and pasta. 145 Beale St. 578-3031. D, MRA, X, $$-$$$  JASMINE THAI AND VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT—Entrees include panang chicken, green curry shrimp,and pad thai (noodles, shrimp, and peanuts); also vegetarian dishes. Closed Mon.-Tues. 916 S. Cooper. 725-0223. L, D, X, $ JIM ’N NICK’S BAR-B-Q—Serves barbecued pork, ribs, chicken, brisket, and fish, along with other homemade Southern specialties. 2 359 N. Germantown Pkwy. 388-0998. L, D, X, $-$$ JIM’S PLACE/JIM’S PLACE GRILLE—Features American, Greek, and Continental cuisine with such entrees as pork tenderloin, several seafood specialties, and hand-cut charcoal-grilled steaks. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. 518 Perkins Extd. 766-2030; 3660 Houston Levee (Collierville). 861-5000. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$$ JOE’S CRAB SHACK—Serves a variety of seafood, along with chicken, steak, and pasta. 7990 Horizon Center Blvd. 384-7478. L, D, X, $-$$$ JUST FOR LUNCH—Serves sandwiches, quiche, salads, fresh fish including fried oysters, daily specials, and homemade rolls. Closed Sunday. 3092 Poplar, Chickasaw Oaks Plaza. 3233287. L, D (Thurs. only), X, MRA, $-$$ KOOKY CANUCK— Offers prime rib, catfish, and burgers, including the 4-lb. “Kookamonga”; also late-night menu. 97 S. Second. 578-9800; 1250 N. Germantown Pkwy. 1-8002453 L, D, X, MRA, $-$$$ LA BAGUETTE—An almond croissant and chicken salad are among specialties at this French-style bistro. Closed for dinner Sun. 3088 Poplar. 458-0900. B, L, D (closes at 7), X, $ LA PLAYITA MEXICANA—Specializes in seafood and Mexican entrees, including red snapper, tilapia, oysters, chimichangas, tostados, and taco salad. 6194 Macon (Bartlett). 377-2282. L, D, X, $-$$ LA TAQUERIA GUADALUPANA—Fajitas and quesadillas are just a few of the authentic Mexican entrees offered here. 4 818 Summer. 685-6857. L, D, $ LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM—Popular in the 1970s for bringing name musical acts to Memphis (including Billy Joel), Lafayette’s reopens, serving such Southern cuisine as po boys and shrimp and grits, as well as wood-fired pizzas. 2119 Madison. 207-5097. L, D, X, $

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CIT Y DINING LIST LAS DELICIAS—Popular for its guacamole, house-made tortilla chips, and margaritas, this restaurant draws diners with its chicken enchiladas, meat-stuffed flautas, and Cuban torta with spicy pork. Closed Sunday. 4002 Park Ave. 458-9264; 5689 Quince. 800-2873. L, D, X, $ LAS TORTUGAS DELI MEXICANA—Authentic Mexican food prepared from local food sources; specializes in tortugas — grilled bread scooped out to hold such fillings as brisket, pork, and shrimp; also tingas tostados and such sides as steamed corn. Closed Sunday. 1215 S. Germantown Rd. 7511200. L, D, X, $-$$ LE CHARDONNAY—Offers pasta, wood-fired pizzas, steaks, and seafood. 2094 Madison. 725-1375. D, X, $-$$ LEONARD’S—Serves wet and dry ribs, barbecue sandwiches, spaghetti, and catfish; also a lunch and dinner buffet. 5465 Fox Plaza. 360-1963. L, D (Fri.-Sat.), X, MRA, $-$$ THE LITTLE TEA SHOP— Downtown institution serves up Southern comfort cooking, including meatloaf and such veggies as turnip greens, yams, okra and tomatoes. Closed Sat.Sun. 69 Monroe. 525-6000, L, X, $ LOCAL GASTROPUB—Eclectic entrees with a focus on locally grown products include lobster mac-and-cheese and double-cut pork loin. 95 S. Main. 473-9573; 2126 Madison. 725-1845. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$ LOS COMPADRES—Serves enchiladas, burritos, tamales, tacos, and vegetarian dishes; also Cuban entrees. 3295 Poplar. 458-5731. L, D, X, $-$$ LOST PIZZA—Offering pizzas (with dough made from scratch), pasta, salads, sandwiches, tamales, and more. 2855 Poplar. 572-1803; 5960 Getwell, Southaven. 662-892-8684. L, D, X, $-$$ LOTUS—Authentic Vietnamese-Asian fare, including lemongrass chicken and shrimp, egg rolls, Pho soup, and spicy Vietnamese vermicelli. 4970 Summer. 682-1151. D, X, $ LYNCHBURG LEGENDS—This restaurant with a Jack Daniels’ theme and Southern cuisine serves such entrees as Bourbon Street salmon, buttermilk-fried chicken, and grilled steak and wild mushroom salad. Double Tree Hotel, 5069 Sanderlin. 969-7777. B, L, D, X, $- $$$ THE MAJESTIC GRILLE—Housed in a former silentpicture house, features aged steaks, fresh seafood, and such specialties as roasted chicken and grilled pork tenderloin; offers a pre-theatre menu and classic cocktails. 145 S. Main. 522-8555. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$ MARCIANO MEDITERRANEAN AND ITALIAN CUISINE—Rack of lamb with roasted potatoes and demiglaze is among the entrees; also steaks, seafood, and gourmet pizza. 780 Brookhaven Cl. 682-1660. D, X, $-$$ MARLOWE’S—In addition to its signature barbecue and ribs, Marlowe’s serves Southern-style steaks, chops, lasagne, and more. 4381 Elvis Presley Blvd. 332-4159. D, X, $-$$ MARMALADE RESTAURANT & LOUNGE— Southern homestyle entrees include catfish, honey-baked ham, steaks, and shrimp, all with a choice of three vegetables. Closed Sun. and Mon. 153 G.E. Patterson. 522-8800. D, X, $ MAUI BRICK OVEN— Serving an all-gluten-free menu with grain bowls, pizzas, and more. Among the specialties: the vegan Barefoot Bowl and the Paradise Pesto Pizza. 7850 Poplar. 505-2525. L, D, X, $-$$ MAYURI INDIAN CUISINE—Serves tandoori chicken, masala dosa, tikka masala, as well as lamb and shrimp entrees; also a daily lunch buffet, and dinner buffet on Fri.-Sat. 6524 Quince Rd. 753-8755. L, D, X, $-$$ MCEWEN’S ON MONROE—Southern/American cuisine with international flavors; specialties include steak and seafood, sweet potato-crusted catfish with macaroni and cheese, and more. Menus and hours vary at each location. 120 Monroe. 527-7085; 1110 Van Buren (Oxford). 662-234-7003. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $$-$$$ DAN MCGUINNESS PUB—Serves fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, burgers, and other Irish and American fare; also lunch and dinner specials. 4698 Spottswood. 761-3711; 3964 Goodman Rd. 662-890-7611. L, D, WB (Spottswood), X, $ MEDALLION—Offers steaks, seafood, chicken, and pasta entrees. Closed for dinner Sunday. 3700 Central, Holiday Inn (Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality). 678-1030. B, L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ MELLOW MUSHROOM—Large menu includes assortment of pizzas, salads, calzones, hoagies, vegetarian options, and 50 beers on tap. 9155 Poplar, Shops of Forest Hill (Germantown). 907-0243; 5138 Park Ave. 562-1211. L, D, X, $-$$ MEMPHIS BARBECUE COMPANY—Offers spare ribs, baby backs, and pulled pork and brisket, along with such sides as

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Broadway Pizza House Legendary Pizza Since 1977

2581 Broad Avenue (901) 454-7930

629 South Mendenhall (901) 207-1546

Memphis Magazine’s

THE 2015

FACE OF

PIZZA

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CIT Y DINING LIST CLUBS/PUBS/SPORTS BARS

From Beale Street night spots to neighborhood bars/grills, these places dish out a variety of food. Many offer live entertainment, and patrons can’t miss the largescreen TVs. ALEX’S TAVERN— 1445 Jackson. 278-9086. ALFRED’S—197 Beale. 525-3711. MRA. B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB— 143 Beale. 524-5464. MRA. BEALE STREET TAP ROOM—168 Beale St. 576-2220. BELMONT GRILL—4970 Poplar. 7670305; 9102 Poplar Pike (Germantown). 624-6001. MRA. BLIND BEAR SPEAKEASY— 119 S. Main, Pembroke Square. 417-8435. BLUE MONKEY—2012 Madison. 272-2583; 513 S. Front. 527-6665. BLUES CITY CAFE—138 Beale at Second. 526-3637. MRA. BROOKHAVEN PUB & GRILL—695 W. Brookhaven Circle. 680-8118. MRA. BUFFALO WILD WINGS—3448 Poplar. 324-9225; 3770 Hacks Cross Rd. 737-9463; 7188 Airways (Southaven). 662349-7776; 8385 Highway 64. 380-9294. DOUBLE J SMOKEHOUSE & SALOON—124 E. G.E. Patterson. 3472648. EARNESTINE & HAZEL’S— 531 S. Main. 523-9754. MRA. EAST END GRILL—7547 Highway 64. 937-1392; 7956 Winchester Rd. 4324256. MRA.

FLYING SAUCER DRAUGHT EMPORIUM—130 Peabody Place. 523-7468; 1400 Germantown Pkwy. 7555530. MRA. FLYNN’S RESTAURANT & BAR— 159 Beale St. 523-1940. FOX AND HOUND ENGLISH PUB & GRILL—847 Exocet Dr. 6249060; 5101 Sanderlin Ave. 763-2013; 6565 Town Center Crossing (Southaven). 662536-2200. GRAWEMEYER’S—520 S. Main. 800-1553. HADLEY’S PUB—2779 Whitten Rd. 266-5006. HARD ROCK CAFE— 126 Beale. 529-0007. HIGH POINT PUB—477 High Point Terrace. 452-9203. HUEY’S—1927 Madison. 726-4372; 1771 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 754-3885; 77 S. Second. 527-2700; 2130 W. Poplar (Collierville). 854-4455; 7090 Malco Blvd. (Southaven). 662-3497097; 7825 Winchester. 624-8911; 4872 Poplar. 682-7729; 7677 Farmington Blvd. (Germantown). 318-3030. MRA. JERRY LEE LEWIS’ CAFE & HONKY TONK—310 Beale St. 6545171. KING’S PALACE CAFE— 162 Beale. 521-1851. MRA. KUDZU’S—603 Monroe. 525-4924. MRA. MEMPHIS SPORTS PUB— 5012 Park Ave. 767-8632. MIDTOWN CROSSING GRILLE—394 N. Watkins. 443-0502.

mac and cheese, grits, and red beans. 709 Desoto Cove, Horn Lake (MS). 662-536-3762. L, D, X, $-$$ MEMPHIS PIZZA CAFE—Homemade pizzas are specialties; also serves sandwiches, calzones, and salads. 2087 Madison. 726-5343; 5061 Park Ave. 684-1306; 7604 W. Farmington (Germantown). 753-2218; 797 W. Poplar (Collierville). 861-7800; 5627 Getwell (Southaven). 662-5361364. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ MESQUITE CHOP HOUSE—The focus here is on steaks, including prime fillet, rib eyes, and prime-aged New York strip; also, some seafood options. 5960 Getwell (Southaven). 662890-2467; 88 Union. 527-5337; 3165 Forest Hill-Irene (Germantown). 249-5661. D, SB (Germantown), X, $$-$$$ MISTER B—Features New Orleans-style seafood and steaks. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. 6655 Poplar, #107. 7515262. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$$ MOLLIE FONTAINE LOUNGE—Specializes in tapas (small plates) featuring global cuisine. Closed Sun.-Tues. 679 Adams Ave. 524-1886. D, X, MRA, $ MOLLY’S LA CASITA—Homemade tamales, fish tacos, a vegetarian combo, and bacon-wrapped shrimp are a few of the specialties. 2006 Madison. 726-1873. L, D, X, MRA, $ MORTIMER’S—Contemporary American entrees include trout almondine, several chicken dishes, and hand-cut steaks; also sandwiches, salads, and daily/ nightly specials. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 590 N. Perkins. 761-9321. L, D, X, $-$$ MOSA ASIAN BISTRO—Specialties include sesame chicken, Thai calamari, rainbow panang curry with grouper fish, and other Pan Asian/fusion entrees. 850 S. White Station Rd. 683-8889. L, D, X, $ MULAN—Hunan Chicken, tofu dishes, and orange beef served here; some sushi, too. 2059 Houston Levee (Collierville). 850-5288; 2149 Young. 347-3965. L, D, X, $-$$ NAGASAKI INN—Chicken, steak, and lobster are among the main courses; meal is cooked at your table. 3951 Summer. 4540320. D, X, $$ NAGOYA—Offers traditional Japanese cuisine and sushi bar; specialties are teriyaki and tempura dishes. 7075 Malco Blvd., Suite 101 (Southaven). 662-349-8788. L, D, X, $-$$$

MURPHY’S—1589 Madison. 726-4193. MRA. NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM—5727 Quince Rd. 682-2300. OLD ZINNIE’S— 1688 Madison. 726-5004. PATRICK’S— 4972 Park Ave. 682-2852. MRA. P & H CAFE—1532 Madison. 726-0906. ROCKHOUSELIVE—2586 Poplar. 324-6300. 5709 Raleigh LaGrange. 3867222. R.P. TRACKS— 3547 Walker. 327-1471. RUM BOOGIE CAFE— 182 Beale. 528-0150. SAMMY HAGAR’S RED ROCKER BAR & GRILL—Southland Park, 1550 North Ingram Blvd. (West Memphis). 872-735-3670. SILKY O’SULLIVAN’S— 183 Beale St. 522-9596. MRA. THE SILLY GOOSE— 100 Peabody Place. 435-6915. THE SLIDER INN— 2117 Peabody. 725-1155. SOUTH OF BEALE— 361 S. Main. 526-0388. T J MULLIGAN’S—6534 Quince. 753-8056; 8071 Trinity Rd. (Cordova). 756-4480; 2821 N. Houston Levee Rd. 3779997; 1817 Kirby Pkwy. 755-2481. UBEE’S—521 S. Highland. 323-0900 WADFORD’S GRILL & BAR—474 Church Rd. (Southaven). 662-510-5861. WESTY’S—346 N. Main. 543-3278 . THE WINDJAMMER— 786 E. Brookhaven Cl. 683-9044.

NAM KING—Offers luncheon and dinner buffets, dim sum, and such specialties as fried dumplings, pepper steak, and orange chicken. 4594 Yale. 373-4411. L, D, X, $  NAPA CAFE—Among the specialties are scallops with oxtail dumplings; focus on organic meat and seafood. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. 5101 Sanderlin, Suite 122. 683-0441. L, D, X, MRA, $$-$$$ NEW ASIA—Specializing in authentic Chinese food, including roast Peking duck. 2075 Exeter, Suite 90. 758-8388. L, D, X, $ NEW HUNAN—Chinese eatery with more than 80 entrees;also lunch/dinner buffets. 5052 Park. 766-1622. L, D, X, $ THE OFFICE@UPTOWN— Offering sandwiches, wraps, pizza, soups, salads, and several vegetarian options. Closed Sunday. 594 N. Second St. 522-1905. B, L, D, X, $ OLD VENICE PIZZA CO.— Specializes in “eclectic Italian,” from pastas, including the “Godfather,” to hand-tossed pizzas, including the “John Wayne”; choose from 60 toppings. 368 Perkins Ext. 767-6872. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$ ON THE BORDER—Dishes out such Tex-Mex specialties as fajitas and Southwest chicken tacos; also fresh grilled seafood specials. 8101 Giacosa Pl. (Cordova).881-0808 ; 4552 Poplar. 763-0569; 6572 Airways (Southaven). 662-655-4750. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $ ONE & ONLY BBQ—On the menu are pork barbecue sandwiches, platters, wet and dry ribs, smoked chicken and turkey platters, a smoked meat salad, barbecue quesadillas, and more. 1779 Kirby Pkwy. 751-3615; 567 Perkins Extd. 2494227. L, D, X, $ ONIX RESTAURANT—Serves American seafood and pasta dishes. Closed for lunch Sat., all day Sun., and for dinner Mon. 412 S. Main. 552-4609. L, D, X, $-$$ ORR RESTAURANT—Serves Mediterranean/African cuisine, such as lamb Kowzi flavored with raisins and roasted nuts and served with white bean soup. 661 N. Mendenhall, Suite 101. 275-8692. L, D, X, $-$$ OSAKA JAPANESE CUISINE— Featuring an extensive sushi menu as well as traditional Japanese and hibachi dining. Hours vary for lunch; call. 3670 Houston Levee (Collierville). 861-4309; 3402 Poplar. 249-4690; 7164 Hacks Cross. 662890-9312; 2200 N. Germantown Pkwy. 425-4901. L, D, X, $-$$$

OWEN BRENNAN’S—New Orleans-style menu of beef, chicken, pasta, and seafood; jambalaya, shrimp and grits, and crawfish etouffee are specialties. Closed for dinner Sunday. The Regalia, 6150 Poplar. 761-0990. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ PANCHO’S—Serves up a variety of Mexican standards, including tacos, enchiladas, and mix-and-match platters; also lunch specials. 3600 E. Broadway (West Memphis). 870-7356466. 717 N. White Station. 685-5404. L, D, X, MRA, $ PANDA GARDEN—Sesame chicken and broccoli beef are among the Mandarin and Cantonese entrees; also seafood specials and fried rice. Closed for lunch Saturday. 3735 Summer. 3234819. L, D, X, $-$$ PASTA ITALIA—Northern Italian cuisine features homemade stuffed pastas; a specialty is rosetta al forno; also serves fish and steaks. Closed Sun.-Mon. 8130 Macon Station Dr., Suite 106. 751-0009. D, X, $$$-$$$$ PAULETTE’S—Presents fine dining with a Continental flair, including such entrees as filet Paulette with butter-pepper cream sauce and the famous K-pie; also changing daily specials. River Inn. 50 Harbor Town Square. 260-3300. B, L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$ PEARL’S OYSTER HOUSE—Downtown eatery serving seafood, including oysters, crawfish, and stuffed butterfly shrimp, as well as beef, chicken, and pasta dishes. 299 S. Main. 5229070. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ PEI WEI ASIAN DINER—Serves a variety of Pan-Asian cuisine, including Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Thai. Noodle and rice bowls are specialties; a small plates menu also offered. 1680 Union Ave., #109. 722-3780; 2257 N. Germantown Pkwy. 382-1822. L, D, X, $-$$  PETE & SAM’S—Serving Memphis for 60-plus years; offers steaks, seafood, and traditional Italian dishes, including homemade ravioli, lasagna, and chicken marsala. 3886 Park. 458-0694. D, X, $-$$$ PETRA CAFÉ—Serves Greek, Italian, and Middle Eastern sandwiches, gyros, and entrees. Hours vary; call. 6641 Poplar Ave. (Germantown). 754-4440; 9155 Poplar (Germantown). 755-5440; 1560 Union. 505-2812. L, D, X, $-$$ PF CHANG’S CHINA BISTRO—Specialties are orange peel shrimp, Mongolian beef, and chicken in lettuce wraps; also vegetarian dishes, including spicy eggplant. 1181 Ridgeway Rd., Park Place Centre. 818-3889. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$$ PHO BINH—Vietnamese, vegetarian, and Cantonese specialties include lemon tofu and spring rolls. Closed Sunday. 1 615 Madison. 276-0006. L, D, $ PHO SAIGON—Vietnamese fare includes beef teriyaki, roasted quail, curry ginger chicken, vegetarian options, and a variety of soups. 2 946 Poplar. 458-1644. L, D, $ PIG-N-WHISTLE—Offers pork shoulder sandwiches, wet and dry ribs, catfish, nachos, and stuffed barbecue potatoes. 6084 Kerr-Rosemark Rd. 872-2455. L, D, X, $ PORCELLINO’S CRAFT BUTCHER—Small plates, charcuterie selections, house-made pastries, and innovative teas and coffees are offered at this combination butcher shop and restaurant featuring locally sourced menu items. 1711 W. Brookhaven Cl. 762-6656. B, L, X $-$$ PRESENTATION ROOM, THE—American bistro run by the students of L’Ecole Culinaire. Menu changes regularly; specialties may include such items as a filet with truffle mushroom ragu. Closed Fri.-Sun. 1245 N. Germantown Pkwy (Cordova). 754-7115. L, D, X, $-$$ PYRO’S FIRE-FRESH PIZZA—Serving gourmet pizzas cooked in an open-fire oven; wide choice of toppings; large local and craft beer selection. 1 199 Ridgeway. 379-8294; 2035 Union Ave. 208-8857; 2286 N. Germantown Pkwy. 207-1198. B, L, D, X, $ RAVINE—Serves contemporary Southern cuisine with an emphasis on fresh, locally grown foods and a menu that changes weekly. Closed Mon.-Tues. 53 Pea Ridge/County Rd. 321 (Oxford, MS). 662-234-4555. D, SB, X, $$-$$$ RED KOI—Classic Japanese cuisine offered at this family-run restaurant; hibachi steaks, sushi, seafood, chicken, and vegetables. 5847 Poplar. 767-3456. L, D, X $-$$ RED LOBSTER—Specializes in crab legs, lobster, and shrimp dishes; also pastas, salads, steaks, and chicken. 8161 Highway 64 (Cordova). 387-0056; 6535 Airways (Southaven). 662536-1960; 7750 Winchester. 759-9045. L, D, X, $-$$ RENDEZVOUS—Menu items include barbecued ribs, cheese plates, skillet shrimp, red beans and rice, and Greek salads. Closed Sun.-Mon. 52 S. Second. 523-2746. L (Fri.-Sat.), D, X, MRA, $-$$ RESTAURANT IRIS— French Creole cuisine includes shrimp and delta-grind grits, and New York strip stuffed with fried oysters and blue cheese. Closed Sun. 2146 Monroe. 590-2828. D, X, MRA, $$-$$$

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CIT Y DINING LIST DELI DISH

Serving sandwiches and salads, burgers and bagels, wings and chicken, these are popular spots. BOGIE’S—715 S. Mendenhall. 761-5846. MRA; 2098 LaSalle Place. 272-0022. MRA; 80 Monroe. 525-6764; 2028 W. Poplar (Collierville). 854-8555. CHEFFIE’S — 483 High Point Terrace. 343-0488. CITY EAST BAGEL & GRILLE—6698 Poplar at Kirby. 754-2660. CITY MARKET— 66 S. Main. 729-6152. CORDELIA’S TABLE—737 Harbor Bend Rd. 526-4772. FINO’S FROM THE HILL—1853 Madison. 272-3466. MRA. HOLIDAY HAM—2087 Union. 881-6433; 585 Erin Dr. 7634499; 7652 Poplar (Germantown). 869-6650; 3750 Hacks Cross Rd. 624-4848 JASON’S DELI—1213 Ridgeway. 685-3333; 1585 Chickering (Cordova). 844-1840; 3473 Poplar. 324-3181. KWIK CHEK—2013 Madison. 274-9293. LENNY’S SUB SHOP—2893 Poplar. 320-0022; 7424 Stage Rd. 937-0800; 22 N. Front. 543-9230; 521 S. Highland. 454-7077; 2095 Exeter, Suite 30 (Germantown). 755-0750; 4970 Raleigh-LaGrange. 371-9979; 1016 W. Poplar (Collierville). 854-8299; 4726 Spottswood. 202-4800; 4740 Showcase. 3684215; 8950 Hwy. 64 (Lakeland). 12 S. Cooper. 6300 Poplar, #111. 761-2403. MRA. LETTUCE EAT SALAD COMPANY—6641 Poplar, Suite 106. (Germantown), 552-5604. LUNCHBOX EATS—288 S. Fourth. 526-0820. LUCCHESI’S RAVIOLI—540 S. Mendenhall. 766-9922. MCALISTER’S DELI—3482 Plaza Ave. 452-6009; 7990 Trinity Rd. (Cordova). 737-7282; 7710 Poplar (Germantown). 753-1507; 975 580 S. Mendenhall. 763-2711; 3855 Hacks Cross. 881-6068; 6600 Stage Rd. (Bartlett). 213-3311. 9091 Poplar (Germantown) 756-5292. PANERA BREAD—714 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 754-5813; 4530 Poplar. 767-3116; 5865 Poplar, Ridgeway Trace. 683-9384; 7850 Poplar. 759-1439; 7501 Goodman Rd. (Olive Branch). 662-890-1985. PARADISE CAFE—6150 Poplar, Suite 120. 821-9600. JACK PIRTLE’S FRIED CHICKEN—3571 Lamar. 7941254; 2520 Mt. Moriah. 565-0203 SCHLOTZSKY’S DELI—4758 Poplar. 763-0741. UNCLE LOU’S FRIED CHICKEN—3633 Millbranch. 332-2367. WHOLE FOODS MARKET— 5014 Poplar. 685-2293. YOUNG AVENUE DELI—2119 Young. 278-0034.

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RIVER OAKS—A French-style bistro serving seafood and steaks, with an emphasis on fresh local ingredients. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. 5871 Poplar Ave. 683-9305. L, D, X, $$-$$$ RIVERFRONT BAR & GRILL—Beale Street Landing eatery serves Southern American specialties, including Tom Lee Catfish, and Tennessee Caviar, a fresh veggie salsa of black-eyed peas and cilantro with pimento cheese and toast points. Closed Monday. 251 Riverside Dr. 524-0817. L, X, $ RIZZO’S DINER—Chorizo meatloaf, lobster pronto puff, and brisket are menu items at this upscale diner, Closed for dinner Sun. and all day Mon. 492 S. Main. 304-6985. L, D, WB, X, $-$$ ROBATA RAMEN & YAKITORI BAR— Serves ramen noodle bowls and Yakitori skewers as well as rice and noodle dishes. 2116 Madison. 410-8290. D, WB, X, $-$$ ROCK’N DOUGH PIZZA CO.—Specialty and custom pizzas made from fresh ingredients; wide variety of toppings. 1243 Ridgeway. 435-6238. L, D, X, $$ ROMANO’S MACARONI GRILL—Serves Mediterranean-Italian cuisine, including hand-crafted pasta Milano and penne rustica, and create-your-own pasta; also steaks, seafood, and salads. 2859 N. Germantown Pk wy. (Cordova). 266-4565. L, D, X, $-$$ ROYAL PANDA—Hunan fish, Peking duck, Royal Panda chicken and shrimp, and a seafood combo are among the specialties. 3120 Village Shops Dr. (Germantown). 756-9697. L, D, X, $-$$ RUSSO’S NEW YORK PIZZERIA AND WINE BAR—Serves gourmet pizzas, calzones, and pasta, including lasagna, fettucine Alfredo, scampi, and more. 9087 Poplar, Suite 111. 755-0092. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$ M A Y 2 0 1 5 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 125

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CIT Y DINING LIST T UNICA TA BLES CHICAGO STEAKHOUSE AT THE GOLDSTRIKE—1010 Casino Center Dr., Robinsonville, MS, 1-888-24KSTAY /662-357-1225. DON B’S STEAKHOUSE AT THE FITZ —711 Lucky Ln., Robinsonville, MS, 1-888-766-LUCK, ext 6501. FAIRBANKS AT THE HOLLYWOOD—1150 Casino Strip Blvd., Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-871-0711 JACK BINION’S STEAK HOUSE AT HORSESHOE—1021 Casino Center Drive, Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-303-SHOE.

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RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE—Offers prime steaks cut and aged in-house, as well as lamb, chicken, and fresh seafood, including lobster. 6120 Poplar. 761-0055. D, X, MRA, $$$-$$$$ SAIGON LE—Vietnamese/Chinese specialties include calamari with ginger, and pork chops with mushrooms; vegetarian options too. Closed Sunday. 51 N. Cleveland. 276-5326. L, D, X, $-$$ SAKURA—Sushi, tempura, and teriyaki are Japanese specialties here. 2060 West St. (Germantown). 758-8181. 4840 Poplar. 572-1002. L, D, X, $-$$ SALSA—Mexican-Southern California specialties include carnitas, enchiladas verde, and fajitas; also Southwestern seafood dishes such as snapper verde. Closed Sun. Regalia Shopping Center, 6150 Poplar, Suite 129. 683-6325. L, D, X, $-$$ SCHWEINEHAUS— Serving Bavarian-influenced fare with a Southern twist; includes wurst platters, pork schnitzel, sauerbraten, and more; also a wide variety of beers. 2110 Madison. 347-3060. L, D, X, $-$$ SEASONS 52—This elegant fresh grill and wine bar offers a seasonally changing menu using fresh ingredients, wood-fire grilling, and brick-oven cooking; also a large international wine list and nightly piano bar. C rescent Center, 6085 Poplar. 6829952. L, D, X, $$-$$$ THE SECOND LINE—Kelly English brings “relaxed Creole cuisine” to his new eatery; serves a variety of po-boys and such specialties as barbecue shrimp, and andouille, shrimp, and pimento cheese fries. 2144 Monroe. 590-2829. L (Sat.-Sun. only), D, WB, X, $-$$ SEKISUI—Japanese fusion cuisine, fresh sushi bar, grilled meats and seafood, California rolls, and vegetarian entrees. Poplar/Perkins location’s emphasis is on Pacific Rim cuisine. Menu and hours vary at each location. 2 5 Belvedere. 725-0005;1884 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 309-8800; 4724 Poplar (between Perkins & Colonial). 767-7770; 2130 W. Poplar (Collierville). 854-0622; 1255 Goodman Rd. (Horn Lake). 662-536-4404; 2990 Kirby-Whitten (Bartlett). 377-2727; 6696 Poplar. 747-0001. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$$ SHOGUN JAPANESE RESTAURANT—Entrees include tempura, teriyaki, and sushi, as well as grilled fish and chicken entrees. 2 324 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 384-4122. L, D, X, $-$$ SIDE PORCH STEAK HOUSE—In addition to steak, the menu includes chicken, pork chops, and fish entrees; homemade rolls are a specialty. Closed Sun.-Mon. 5689 Stage Rd. (Bartlett). 377-2484. D, X, $-$$ SKEWER—Japanese yaikitori cuisine features bite-sized meat and vegetables served with dipping sauce, along with sushi, ramen, and donburi — rice bowls topped with a variety of foods. Closed Monday. 5101 Sanderlin, #105. 682-9919. L, D, X, $-$$$ SPINDINI—Italian fusion cuisine with such entrees as woodfired pizzas, gorgonzola stuffed filet, and fresh seafood; pizza specials on Mon.; large domestic whiskey selection. 383 S. Main. 578-2767. D, X, $$-$$$ STIX—Hibachi steakhouse with Asian cuisine features steak, chicken, and a fillet and lobster combination, also sushi. A specialty is Dynamite Chicken with fried rice. 4680 Merchants Park Circle, Avenue Carriage Crossing (Collierville). 8543399. L, D, X, $-$$ STONE SOUP CAFE— Cooper-Young eatery serving soups, salads, quiche, pizza, and daily specials such as Italian roast beef. Closed Monday. 993 S. Cooper. 922-5314. B, L, SB, X, $ STRANO SICILIAN KITCHEN & BAR—Presenting a Sicilian/Mediterranean mix of Arab, Spanish, Greek, and North African fare, Strano serves small plates, hand-tossed pizzas, wood-grilled fish, and other specialties. Closed Mon. 948 S. Cooper. 275-8986. L, D, SB, X, $$-$$$ SWEET GRASS—Low-country coastal cuisine includes such specialties as shrimp and grits. Closed Mon. The restaurant’s “sister,” Sweet Grass Next Door, open nightly, serves lunch Sat.Sun. 937 S. Cooper. 278-0278. D, SB, X, $-$$$

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CIT Y DINING LIST F A S T- C A S U A L

Fresh cuisine prepared while you wait and served in an upscale setting. Not your typical fast-food restaurants, most serve beer, wine, and liquor. BONEHEADS—555 Perkins Extd. 746-8867. CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL—5865 Poplar, Ridgeway Trace. 416-1944. CREPE MAKER—4630 Merchants Park Cir., #731 (Collierville). 861-1981. GENGHIS GRILL—2362 N. Germantown Parkway. 584-0412; 7706 Winchester. 522-5048; 5849 Poplar, #117, Ridgeway Trace. 308-4040. HUMDINGERS—6300 Poplar. 260-8292; 1134 N. Germantown Parkway (Cordova). 271-2912. MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL— 465 N. Germantown Parkway (Cordova). 737-5058. 6300 Poplar Ave., #108. 685-5685; 3660 S. Houston Levee (Collierville). 457-7227. SWANKY’S TACO SHOP—6641 Poplar (Germantown). 737-2088. 4770 Poplar. 730-0763. MRA. TAZIKI’S MEDITERRANEAN CAFE— 540 S. Mendenhall. 290-1091.

TANNOOR GRILL—Brazilian-style steakhouse with skewers served tableside, along with Middle Eastern specialties; vegetarian options also available. 830 N. Germantown Pkwy. 443-5222. L, D, X, $-$$$ TART—Combination patisserie, coffeehouse, and restaurant serving rustic French specialties, including baked eggs in brioche, topped with Gruyere, and french breads and pastries. 820 S. Cooper. 725-0091. B, L, WB, X, $ TERRACE—Creative American and Continental cuisine includes such entrees as filet mignon, beef or lamb sliders, five-spice salmon, and grilled vegetarian eggplant; also small plates. Rooftop, River Inn of Harbor Town, 50 Harbor Town Square. 260-3366. D, X, $-$$ TEXAS DE BRAZIL—Serves beef, pork, lamb, and chicken dishes, and Brazilian sausage; also a 60-item gourmet salad area. 150 Peabody Place, Suite 103. 526-7600. L (Wed.-Fri.), D, SB, X, $$-$$$ THREE ANGELS ON BROAD—Global cuisine with an emphasis on fresh, local ingredients; menu includes sandwiches burgers, pastas, seafood, and steaks. Closed for dinner Sun. and all day Mon. 2617 Broad Ave. 452-1111. L, D, SB, X, $-$$ THREE LITTLE PIGS—Pork-shoulder-style barbecue with tangy mild or hot sauce, freshly made cole slaw, and baked beans. 5145 Quince Rd. 685-7094. B, L, D, X, $ TOPS BAR B-Q—Specializes in pork barbecue sandwiches and sandwich plates with beans and slaw; also serves ribs, beef brisket, and burgers. 1286 Union. 725-7527. 4183 Summer. 324-4325; 5391 Winchester. 794-7936; 3970 Rhodes. 3239865; 6130 Macon. 371-0580. For more locations, go online. L, D, X, $ TROLLEY STOP MARKET—Serves plate lunches/dinners as well as pizzas, salads, and vegan/vegetarian entrees; a specialty is the locally raised beef burger. Also sells fresh produce and goods from local farmers. Saturday brunch; closed Sunday. 704 Madison. 526-1361. L, D, X, $ TSUNAMI—Features Pacific Rim cuisine (Asia, Australia, South Pacific, etc.); also a changing “small plate” menu. Specialties include Asian nachos and roasted sea bass. Closed Sunday. 928 S. Cooper. 274-2556. D, X, $$-$$$ TWILIGHT SKY TERRACE—Offers small plates of tostados, nachos, flatbreads, paninis; also hand-crafted cocktails and sweeping rooftop views of the downtown Memphis skyline. Open, weather permitting. The Madison Hotel, 79 Madison. 333-1224. L (Sat.-Sun.), D, WB.X, $ TYCOON—Among the Asian entrees are spicy garlic shrimp, Thai gumbo, and special house noodle soup. 3307 Kirby Parkway. 362-8788. B, L, D, X, $ WANG’S MANDARIN HOUSE—Offers Mandarin, Cantonese, Szechuan, and spicy Hunan entrees, including the golden-sesame chicken; next door is East Tapas, serving small plates with an Asian twist. 6065 Park Ave, Park Place Mall. 763-0676. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ WOMAN’S EXCHANGE TEA ROOM—Chicken-salad plate, beef tenderloin, soups-and-sandwiches, and vegetable plates are specialties; meal includes drink and dessert. Closed Sat.-Sun. 88 Racine. 327-5681. L, X, MRA, $ ZAYTOON—Serves such Mediterranean cuisine as shish kebabs, falafel, hummus, and gyros. 694 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 754-6366. L, D, X, $

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LAST STAND

A Missed Sunset Memphis faces life without the Sunset Symphony.

by frank murtaugh

Having lived in Memphis for 24 Rosa Parks, Jimmy Carter, the years, I’ve come to see three annual Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela to events as our city’s calling cards name four — and you realize the to the rest of the world. These are work of right-thinking men and women is indeed immortal. the slices of time and especially The third — and longest-runplace that cannot be duplicated anywhere else on the planet. The ning — international Memphis calling card is the Sunset images (and memories) they create Symphony, since 1976 the culare unique to Memphis, but recminating event ognized far beyond Why give up on this of what’s come the Mid-South. to be known as The first is the considerable slice of candlelight vigil Memphis in May. Mid-South elegance? at Graceland on Perfectly titled, the anniversary of Elvis Presley’s the event has presented classical death every August. Wherever music under the most classic of your opinion of Elvis falls on the natural (if daily) events, next to scale of extremes, the outpouring one of nature’s most extraordiof devotion toward him — and nary bodies of water. Thousands his home — when a Memphis upon thousands of Memphians summer is at its skin-broiling grew to love the late James Hyter peak swells the most cynical of hearts. It’s hard not to feel spiritual when you hear “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” near the garden of reflection. Then we have the National Civil Rights Museum’s annual Freedom Awards, international acclaim granted every fall to individuals who have come to personify Martin Luther King’s dream for justice, equality, and opportunity. The award ceremony is a resounding answer to the horror of King’s murder on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in 1968. Men are mortal, King was well aware. But look at the faces of Freedom Award honorees —

for his masterful rendition of “Ol’ Man River” and came to see Memphis Symphony Orchestra conductors — Alan Balter, David Loebel, Mei-Ann Chen — as rock stars, at least for this unique date on the calendar. Food tasted better, and wine smoother, with the string section in full flight. Alas, this year’s Sunset Symphony will be the finale for more than just Memphis in May, the event having suffered (revenue-wise) in the considerable shadows of its annual predecessors, the Beale Street Music Festival and the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. MIM president Jim Holt announced in March that the event would be replaced in 2016 with something aimed at a larger, more diverse audience. The time has come for an appeal to the masses, you might say. But why give up on this considerable slice of Mid-South elegance? Why not consider alternative approaches that would retain the Sunset Symphony for Memphis generations to come? The river will still be here. Instead of piggybacking the other May bashes, move the Sunset Symphony to late September, when temperatures (and sunsets) are every bit as lovely. Don’t charge

admission. Find sponsors (and food vendors) willing to support the event and invite an entire city for a river picnic. You couldn’t get any more culturally diverse. Among my earliest memories of the Sunset Symphony is from 1992, when I took a college buddy during his first visit to Memphis. Tamio was born in Japan, grew up in New Jersey, went to college in Boston, spent a semester in London, and was then working in New York City. But he’d never seen what he saw — and heard — that evening as we sat on the steep, grassy bluff, listening to the “1812 Overture” in a setting unlike any other on the planet. Hyter wasn’t just singing to Memphis that night. He was singing to the world. And there is another baritone out there ready to carry on Hyter’s legacy. True elegance is hard to come by. I saw Baryshnikov on stage (once). I saw Michael Jordan on a basketball court live (once). But I knew the Sunset Symphony would be here, on our city’s front porch, every May. However we choose to define Memphis — colorful, gritty, and soulful all still apply — it begins with a river. And the river goes best with a song. PHOTOGRAPH BY BRIAN ANDERSON

emphians like to boast of our city’s soul. We like “grit” as a descriptor for our approach to challenges, large and small. To outsiders, Memphis is a “colorful” city, a delicate way of saying this town leaves an impression that can be as baffling (city/ county government) as it is charming (the Peabody ducks). One word you don’t often hear in descriptions of Memphis is elegant. And with the cancellation of Memphis in May’s Sunset Symphony after the final note is played this month, we’re losing an event that — every spring — infused this soulful river town with an elegance distinctly its own.

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