Tiffany Tastes

Noodle Doodle and All That's In Between

I have more of an opportunity to go out to lunch with my new(ish) job in the Midtown area of Memphis.  Most people who know me, know that going out to eat with my friends is probably in my in the top three in my list of things I absolutely love to do.

Recently, I had the opportunity to go out to lunch on a weekday afternoon with my friends A & J, who love to eat almost as much as I do.  We decided to try out Noodle Doodle Do, which is the lunch time version of Do Sushi in the popular Cooper Young area of town.  If you hit up Do in the evenings, you'll find one of the most extensive and innovative sushi menus around.  If you stop by at lunch time, you'll find that, while they still serve limited sushi options, the menu centers around noodle bowls.  Seeing that I love anything noodle-y, this seemed like the perfect choice.

A, J, and I each started our lunch with an appetizer.  A selected crab rangoon, which was light and crispy, without being greasy and was served with the most wonderful sweet and spicy chile sauce.  J got the crispy tofu; it was a nicely-portioned block of tofu that was served with a salad and tamarind dressing.  The dressing was ridiculously tasty and had and the dish as a whole was a great combination of flavors.  I chose the egg roll (because fried is delicious).  Noodle Doodle Do's version has a lot of interesting items in it: daikon, long bean, tofu and pumpkin puree'.  I wasn't too sure that I was going to like the combination, but it was so very, very tasty.  It was served with a honey-based sauce that was a little too sweet.  But, I just dipped my egg roll in the sauce on A's plate, and all was well.

J and I decided that we were going to go for noodle bowls since, for all intents and purposes, we were at a noodle house.  A went for the sushi because he has no sense of adventure :).  I got the chicken pho which was huge pile of rice noodles (yay!) in a lemongrass broth which a bunch of tasty veggies and a whole bunch of delicious.  If you add a couple of spoonfuls of the mirin lime sauce, it takes it to a whole 'nother plane.  If they don't give you the option for the soup add-ins, ask for them.  The veggies still had some bite to them and the chicken was well cooked. Everything about this bowl of soup was absolutely delicious.  J chose the kobe beef curry noodle soup which is just an impressive bowl of food.  Egg noodles, veggies, tender slices of kobe beef in a spicy coconut curry broth.  The soup was very complex with layers of flavor, and it had just enough heat to be interesting but didn't light me on fire (I don't have a high heat tolerance, but there is some spicy chile sauce available if it's too pansy for you.) I don't generally care for raw fish, so I didn't taste A's but he definitely stared longingly at J and my bowls of soup. 

I was the only one who got dessert (but are you surprised?). I went for the black sticky rice pudding, because I like rice pudding and have never had it with black rice.  This dish had some kind of sweet and salty sauce on it that offered a very nice contrast in flavor and some toasted crumbled nuts (Brazil nuts maybe?) on top for texture.  The purplish tinge to the custard was a bit weird at first, but it didn't stop my spoon.  I shared a little with A & J, but for the most part, I took care of it myself.

Final Impressions: Despite the fact there doesn't seem to be a website for Noodle Doodle Do or any other of Memphis restauranteur Karen Carrier's eateries (and you can read about that pet peeve here), you can info about Noodle Doodle Do on Urban Spoon (which is where the link below will take you) or Yelp and here, of course :) If you go for lunch, do yourself a favor and get one of the noodle bowls.  You can get sushi any old time.

Tiffany's Favorite: This is tough...I'm going with the chicken pho.

Tiffany's Rating :) :) :) 1/2 out of :) :) :) :)

Noodle Doodle Do (Do Sushi)
964 South Cooper Street
Memphis, TN 38104 (901) 272-0830

Average Appetizer Price: $4-$6
Average Salad Price: $6-$10
Average Soup/Noodle Bowl Price: $7-$10
Average Dessert Price: $4-$6

Operating Hours (Noodle Doodle Do)
Tuesday-Saturday 11:30am-4:00pm

A Taste of Something Different

I have a new job in the Midtown area of Memphis, so I'm trying new places that are a bit of a trek from my East Memphis residence.  A few days ago, I met some friends for lunch at Cafe Eclectic, a hip eatery near Rhodes College.

We sat down at 1:00pm, but the place was still plenty crowded.  (That could be attributed to the free WiFi, since most of the patrons were sipping coffee and working on laptops).  A waiter came over promptly to take our drink orders.  I went for a Mexican Coke (which, if you're not familiar, is made with sugar instead of corn syrup and only comes in glass bottles).  For my entrée I had the chicken pot pie, which my server told me would be the best restaurant version I would ever eat.  While, I think he may have been stretching it just a tad, it was still pretty good, and the crust was very flaky.  I chose a side salad for my accompaniment, and it was decent, nothing special.  My dining companions A and J ordered the chicken pot pie and the BLT&A with side salads respectively. A agreed that the pot pie and salad were decent, nice and filling especially on a cold day, but he'd had better.  J really enjoyed his BLT&A (a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich with avocado). The bacon was crispy, the avocado ripe, and the whole sandwich tasted fresh and delicious.

For dessert, the three of us split the Charlie Brown Bar and the bread pudding.  The Charlie Brown Bar is a super rich peanut butter and oatmeal cookie with chocolate chips and a more peanut butter on top.  It was extremely dense, and while I liked the flavor, the texture was a little off-putting.  The bread pudding, however, is top notch.  It's made from croissants, full of raisins, and covered in a rich butter sauce.  I LOVE bread pudding, but that being said, I'm also quite picky about them, so trust me, you can't go wrong with Cafe Eclectic's superb version.

Final Impressions: Cafe Eclectic is a cool place to hang out with your laptop and a cup of java, or to grab a bite to eat during the work day.  The bakery case has several treats to choose from, and they even have ice cream and an old-fashioned soda fountain.

Tiffany's Favorite Part: two words- Bread Pudding

Tiffany's Rating: :) :) :) out of :) :) :) :)

Cafe Eclectic
603 N. McClean Boulevard
Memphis, TN 38107
(901) 725-1718

Average Breakfast Price: $4-$10
Average Soup/Salad Price: $4-$7
Average Sandwich Price: $7-$9
Average Entrée Price: $7-$9
Average Dessert Price: $2-$6

Operating Hours
Monday-Wednesday 7:00am-10:00pm
Thursday-Saturday 7:00am-1:00am
Sunday 9:00am-10:00pm

Andrew Blair's- Redux

A little while back, I asked you if you thought that I should re-review restaurants if I revisit them after my initial review.  You said yes, so here it goes.

A little over a year ago, I brought you a review of a restaurant all the way in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Andrew Blair's Comfortable Dining is a casual eatery with an upscale menu and reasonable prices.  A few weeks ago, I found myself back in Charlotte and back and Andrew Blair's.  I give you this update.

For my appetizer, I had the spinach artichoke dip.  It was a good rendition of a standard staple.  It was creamy, well-seasoned and was great with the salted lavash that was served as an accompaniment.  Unfortunately, this is where the positive part of my meal begins...and ends.

I chose the Madison Park Chicken (a house specialty) as my entree'.  It is advertised as a grilled chicken breast stuffed with feta, topped with artichoke, capers and tomatoes and served over risotto.  In my mind, this sounded like a tasty and satisfying dish, and if all of the elements had been well-executed, my prediction would have been correct.  However, my chicken breast was extremely dry and desperately needed salt.  The feta filling was bland and had an unpleasant texture.  The artichoke/caper topping was unpleasantly bitter and while the flavor of the risotto was decent, it was cold and the texture was gummy.

Hoping to end on a positive note, I finished my meal with the creme brulee.  This may not have been the best choice; the custard was runny, bland and grainy and the sugar topping was burnt in some places and completely untouched by heat in others.  It was a complete failure of a dish that is usually fairly simple to execute.

Final Impressions:  The service was pretty good, and I'll admit that our group was large, but there is no excuse for the quality of the food that was served.  On the upside, drinks are potent and well-crafted and the cornbread and hushpuppies that are served with every meal are delicious.

Additional Notes: My original rating of :) :) :) out of :) :) :) :) does not apply for this particular visit.  I'm not sure if it was my menu choices or if the food has really fallen this far in the last year.  While the atmosphere is still cool and chic, I would suggest that if you do visit Andrew Blair's Comfortable Dining, come for the drinks, not the food.

Tiffany's Favorite Part: Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Tiffany's (revised) Rating: :) 1/2 out of :) :) :) :)

Andrew Blair's Comfortable Dining
1600 Montford Drive
Charlotte, NC 28209
(705) 525-8282

Average Appetizer Price: $7-$14
Average Salad/Sandwich Price: $10-$16
Average Main Course Price: $17-$28
Average Dessert Price: $6-$10

Operating Hours
Dinner: Tuesday-Saturday 5:00pm-10:00pm
Bar Service: Tuesday-Saturday 5:00-until

I've got that strange feeling of...

Deja Vu is a small restaurant in the industrial section of down town Memphis.  Labeled as a creole and...vegetarian (and we don't get many vegetarian options in this city) eatery, Deja Vu has many traditional New Orleans options and the prices are extremely reasonable. Only open for about a year, Deja Vu gets most of its business from people working downtown. 

A popular lunch spot, this restaurant only has six four-top tables within its bright yellow walls.  Come early or arrive late to aviod missing one of these coveted spaces. The hubby and I decided to check out Deja Vu one weekday afternoon not too long ago.  We arrived right at 11:00am and were the first to arrive. 

I ordered the honey roasted chicken (dark meat, of course) with candied yams and oven roasted potatoes and Tom ordered the crawfish etouffe with smothered okra and citrus spinach.  My honey roasted chicken wound up being fried and the covered in a sweet, tangy honey glaze.  I got two legs and one thigh along with my two sides and a piece of cornbread for only $6.99.  The chicken was tender, juicy and the sauce was to die for.  I wish the potates were a little crispier, but the flavor was delicious.  The yams were standard fare, but didn't fall into the trap of being too sweet like some preparations can tend to be. 

Tom's etouffe had a nice spicy flavor.  It was incrediby well-seasoned, chunky and thick, like it should be.  It was served over perfectly cooked, fluffy white rice, and was well complimented by his choice of sides.  The okra was covered in tomatoes and onions and was a nice derivation from the usual fried option.  I found the spinach to be a bit bland, but he liked it a lot.

To finish off our meal, we decided on the bread pudding, which was my only real complaint of the entire meal.  While the bread pudding itself had a nice texture, the inclusion of unconventional fruit (pineapple and peaches to name a couple) were a bit off-putting and there was an overwhelming flavor of cinnamon and cloves that was just not tasty.  It tasted like tree bark.

Final Impressions: Go early to avoid the lunch rush, and avoid the bread pudding all together.  If you're jonesing for dessert, I hear the peach cobbler is very good. I will take that route on my next visit.  Otherwise, the food is well-prepared (cooked to order), well-seasoned and definitely authentic.

Tom's Favorite: Crawfish Etouffe
Tiffany's Favorite: Honey Roasted Chicken

Tiffany's Rating (With Bread Pudding) :) :) 1/2 out of :) :) :) :)
Tiffany's Rating (Without Bread Pudding) :) :) :) out of :) :) :) :)

Deja Vu Restaurant
936 Florida Street
Memphis TN, 38106
(901) 942-1400

Average Entree Price: $7-$15
Average Sandwich Price: $6-$9
Average Dessert Price: $4

Operating Hours
Monday-Friday 11:00am-7:00pm
Saturday 12:00pm-6:00pm

It Doesn't Get Any Better

Located in an unassuming shopping center (ie: strip mall), situated in a nice, but not ritzy, area of Las Vegas, sits Rosemary's Restaurant.  When you first see it, it doesn't appear to be anything special, but once you walk inside, you realize that you're about to enjoy something amazing.  From the super friendly hostesses, to the immaculately dressed wait staff, Rosemary's Restaurant offers an awesome dining experience.

The hubby and I decided to enjoy Rosemary's for lunch one hot, summer afternoon during our recent Vegas expedition.  It is classy and comfortable at the same time.  We felt perfectly at ease in jeans (Note: The dinner dress code is more strict. Call the restaurant for details).

At Rosemary's, you can order food A La Carte or you can choose a Prix Fixe selection. We both decided to take advantage of the 3 course Prix Fixe menu which gives you one entree, and your choice of one appetizer and one dessert, two appetizers, or two desserts for the staggeringly reasonable price of $28.00 per person.  Tom decided to have two appetizers and an entree, and I chose the classic appetizer, entree, and dessert combination.

For his first appetizer, Tom ordered the corn soup with chive butter.  It was smooth, creamy, sweet, and very flavorful.  I chose the Rosemary salad with roasted onion dressing and homemade rosemary crackers.  The dressing was sweet and tangy, and the savory crackers were a nice counterpoint.  Tom's second appetizer was bbq shrimp with Maytag blue cheese coleslaw.  The contrast in flavors was outstanding.  The blue cheese pairs really well with the sweet and smoky bbq sauce.  I could have eaten the whole plate, which is truly and amazing feat since I don't particularly care for coleslaw, blue cheese, or shrimp (that last one is blasphemy, I know :P )

For our entrees, I selected monte cristo: turkey, caval cheese, ad a strawberry and cranberry marmalade.  The marmalade really made the sandwich.  The flavors just exploded in my mouth.  It was served with onion straws and a tasty dipping sauce that had the sweetness of ketchup, the tang of cocktail sauce, and the zip of chili sauce. The onion rings were a tad greasy, but overall, it was a very successful dish.  Tom chose a daily special which featured grilled salmon with a roasted tomato and haricot vert (french style green beans) orzo and smoked tomato cream sauce.  Visually, it was beautiful; it was also perfectly cooked, well seasoned, and had great flavor.  The tomato cream sauce was outstanding.  Tom called it the perfect dish.

I chose the hazelnut goat cheese cheesecake with scotch caramel sauce to complete our meal.  It was incredibly creamy; the goat cheese gave it nice tang which was rounded out by the sweetness of the caramel sauce.  The crusted had bits of toasted hazelnuts that added nice texture to the dessert.

Final Impressions: Go to Rosemary's Restaurant! Drop everything you're doing and go now.  The food is outstanding, and the service was impeccable.  We had two waiters who were extremely knowledgeable and experienced.  Tom commented that he has never had better service at a restaurant, ever.  The prices are extremely reasonable if you take into account the quality of the food, the service, the atmosphere, and the experience.

Tom's favorite: The salmon (by a very slim margin)
Tiffany's favorite: The corn soup (by a very slim margin)

Tiffany's Rating :) :) :) :) out of :) :) :) :)

Rosemary's Restaurant
8125 W. Sahara Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89117
(702) 869-2251

Average Appetizer Price: (Lunch and Dinner) $7-$15
Average Entree Price: (Lunch) $15-$22 (Dinner) $20-$38
Average Dessert Price: (Lunch and Dinner) $7-$10
Prix Fixe Price: (Lunch) $28 (Dinner) $50

Operating Hours
Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:30am-2:30pm
Dinner: 5:30pm-close Daily

Dinner Takes "Flight"

Downtown Memphis has taken a hit recently. Several restaurants have closed over the past few months, leaving the area depressed and empty.  Several weeks ago, a new eatery opened in the space vacated by Stella, a popular fine dining establishment situated right off the trolley line.  In this beautiful space, a new restaurant was born, one that brought a fresh concept to a tired town.  Flight Restaurant and Wine Bar  utilizes the idea of the "flight," which serves multiple smaller dishes with a common thread in a single serving.  At Flight, most item choices come with option to enjoy them singly or with three different preparations.  Because of this, I will offer my opinions by flight, choosing my favorite from each flight and then an overall favorite at the end.

We started our meal with almond crusted honey baked brie, which was baked and served with herb crostini and strawberries.  The honey sauce really brought out the flavor of the cheese, and I appreciated that the crostini were seasoned.  However, there was one big drawback: the almonds were burnt.  I'm talking "extra-toasty" but blackened, bitter, and quite burnt.  I'm actually very surprised that it was even allowed to leave the kitchen in that state, and it put a dark cloud on what would have been a very tasty dish and a great start to the meal.

After our appetizer, I chose to sample the salad flight, three different salads on one plate.  The first was a watermelon and feta salad with red onion, mint, and cucumber oil.  It was extremely light and fresh.  The saltiness of the feta paired extremely well with the watermelon.  Since neither Tom nor I really like watermelon, this was a tasty surprise.  The second salad featured avocado slices, orange segments, and slivered almonds with a citrus vinaigrette.  I thought it was a really nice combination, but Tom felt that the orange was overpowering.  My only problem was the orange segments; I counted 8 seeds from three small segments.  In a restaurant of this caliber, I would think these would be removed (or that they would use naval oranges).  The final salad was a spinach and bacon salad with hard-boiled egg and red onion.  It was a good rendition of a popular steakhouse salad, tasty and satisfying, but nothing special.  For this course, we both chose the watermelon and feta salad as our favorite.

While I was munching on salad, Tom was slurping the soup flight.  The first choice was a seafood bisque.  It was buttery and creamy, but Tom felt it was a little bland.  The second was a seafood gumbo, which was savory and had a lot of great textures.  It was hearty, and the flavors were complex.  Tom felt like it was one of the best soups he's ever eaten.  The last option was French onion soup.  It was an excellent version of a classic dish.  It was beefy, rich, and delicious.  However, for this course, the clear winner was the seafood gumbo.

At Flight, you have the option of choosing a single dish for your entree, selecting one of their preset flights, or creating your own flight from the "small plate" versions of the full entree choices.  Tom and I both decided to pick three different small plates to create our meals.  The three I selected were the ribeye, the pork tenderloin, and the duck breast.  My ribeye was served with a caramelized onion and bacon mash and house-made Worchestershire sauce.  It might possibly have been the best steak I have ever eaten in my life.  It was tender, perfectly cooked, and all the flavors were like magic in my mouth.  The pork tenderlion was served on top of cheddar grits and a BBQ beurre blanc.  This dish was extremely tasty; the grits were nice and creamy, and the sauce gave the overall dish great flavor.  The duck breast came with a sweet potato hash and pomegranate reduction.  Out of the three, it was my least favorite.  The duck was well-seasoned, but the hash needed something else to make it pop.  Tom and I both agree that the ribeye was by far the best out of my three dishes. 

For his entree, Tom chose the halibut, quail, and the lamb loin.  The halibut was well-cooked, flaky, but not falling apart.  It was served with shrimp risotto and a sweet corn sauce. The risotto was perfectly executed; it was creamy without being stiff or lumpy.  Tom's lamb was served with a ratatouille and thyme jus.  The ratatouille had great flavor, but the lamb loin was a bit overcooked, making it pretty tough to eat.  The quail was served saffron and herb rice with an orange and ginger demi glace.  The combination of flavors was spot on; it was extremely delicious and the meat was super tender.  There was a split decision on this course.  Tom chose the halibut as his favorite, while I thought the quail was far superior.

Diners can also order their dessert in the form of a flight.  We shared the chocolate flight which featured a chocolate and peanut terrine.  This consisted of an excellent chocolate mousse, which was complimented by some tasty peanut brittle.  It offered an interesting textural contrast, but we had to pick up the brittle and eat it with our fingers, making the dish a bit unwieldy.  The second option was a chocolate toffee parfait.  It was light and airy with a hint of citrus.  The toffee bits added a much-needed crunch.  The last dish was a white chocolate tart with raspberry sorbet.  The tart was dense and sweet, but the sorbet made it sing.  It was it was crisp and fruity and paired excellently with the creamy sweetness of the tart.  We also disagreed on which dessert was the best: I loved the chocolate toffee parfait, and Tom was all about the white chocolate tart with the raspberry sorbet.

Final Impressions: This was a fantastic meal, with a fantastic (big) pricetag.  If you're dining on a budget, this is a spot that should be saved for a special occasion.  The concept is especially nice for people like me who have a hard time making up their minds and want to try a little bit of everything.  This place is definitely romantic enough for a date, and there's complimentary valet, so you don't have to worry about parking downtown.  I really considered giving this a four smiley review, but the burnt almonds and the seedy salad couldn't be ignored. So for the first time in the history of tiffanytastes.com, I'm awarding a 3/4 smiley, because this meal was almost (but not quite) perfect.

Tom's (overall) favorite:  The ribeye
Tiffany's (overall) favorite: The ribeye

Tiffany's Rating :) :) :) 3/4 out of :) :) :) :)

Flight Restaurant and Wine Bar
39 South Main Street
Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 521-8005

Average Appetizer Price: $10-$15
Average Soup/Salad Price: (Lunch and Dinner) $8-$13
Average Sandwich Price: (Lunch only) $9-$13
Average Entree Price: (Lunch) $10-$13 (Small Plate) $9-$13 (Dinner) $24-$36
Average Dessert Price: $9-$12

Operating Hours
Monday-Saturday 11:00am-3:00am

Lunch...the most important meal of the day

Not too long ago, the hubby and I decided to try out a cute little spot called Just for Lunch at the Chickasaw Plaza near midtown Memphis.  A popular ladies spot, Just for Lunch opened in the space that used to be occupied by Elfo's.

Tom decided on the fried oyster sandwich with a side of potato chowder (the soup of the day), and I had a chicken salad sandwich with the potato chowder.  The chowder was a great side item choice. It was savory with bit of a kick, although, Tom didn't think it was thick enough to be considered a true "chowder."  It had huge chunks of potato, corn, and carrots and was very satisfying. The potatoes were cooked without being mushy, and (in my opinion) the soup had nice texture. My chicken salad sandwich was a tasty, standard version. It wasn't amazing, but it was solid.  Tom's oyster sandwich was incredibly delicious.  It was served on a potato roll with lettuce, tomato, and a zesty remoulade.  The oysters wer big, juicy, and dusted in cornmeal.  Tom said it was the best fried oyster sandwich he had ever tasted. 

For dessert, we had fudge pie with ice ream.  The pie was very dense and rich, but it was also extremely salty.  It was almost as of the chef had confused salt with sugar when making it.  With the ice cream, it was almost palatable, but by itself, it was pretty bad.  The waitress said the she would let the chef know that the pie was salty, but there was no apology or form of restitution offered.

Final Impressions: This is a solid lunch time spot with decent food and a quaint atmosphere.  There were some lapses in service.  At one point in time, I went about fifteen minutes with an empty water glass, but for the most part, it was pleasant experience.  Before dessert I would have considered this a solid 3 smiley joint, but I had to knock off 1/2 of a smiley face for the sheer inedibility of the fudge pie.

Tiffany's Favorite Part: Potato (soup) chowder
Tom's Favorite Part: Fried Oyster Sandwich

Tiffany's Rating: :) :) 1/2 out of :) :) :) :)

Just For Lunch
3092 Poplar Ave # 11
Memphis, TN 38111
(901) 323-3287

Average Salad Price: $9-$15
Average Sandwich Price: $9-$13
Average Dessert Price: $4-$6

Operating Hours:
Monday-Saturday 11:00am-2:00pm

Not Much to Bragg about...

There are very few chefs in Memphis who are creating buzz like John Bragg. His restaurant, Circa by John Bragg, is thriving in the competitive downtown area where so many others are struggling. He was even voted the best restaurant in town by readers of Memphis Magazine. Of course, I had to see what all the fuss was about.

Circa seems to be striving for a very trendy, yet inviting atmosphere. Wine racks are used as room dividers, which could have been a problem if the restaurant were noisy, but the hubby and I were the only customers there at around 7pm on a Tuesday evening.

For his appetizer, Tom ordered crawfish beignets with red pepper remoulade. He was extremely excited about this dish; the description made him salivate. While the beignets were light and not at all greasy, they were bland, and the remoulade added very little flavor. I decided on the artisan cheese and meat platter: St. André Triple Crème, manchego, Bonny Blue chèvre, bresaola, chorizo, and capicola. The meats and cheese were of very good quality, but there were very few accoutrements- a bit of crostini and a few strawberries.

For my entrée, I chose the Georgia Bobwhite Quail stuffed with chorizo and served with polenta and seasonal vegetables. The quail was extremely tender, well-cooked, and well-seasoned. The polenta was creamy and thick, and the vegetables were crisp-tender. The overall presentation was delicate and hearty at the same time. I was quite satisfied with the dish.

Tom chose the daily special, lamb shank with a side of Parmesan gnocchi. The portion was huge. It looked like the Brontosaurus ribs that tipped over Fred's car in the opening credits of the Flintstones. It was fall off the bone tender with a flavor reminiscent of mom's pot roast. It was juicy and flavorful, but didn't seem as refined as something that would be served at this type of restaurant. The Parmesan gnocchi were actually deep-fried and flavored with chives. They had the taste and texture of fancy tater tots.

For dessert, we chose the “Sure Death” chocolate soufflé, which was served with vanilla gelato. It was dense, rich, and an appropriate end to the meal, but we've had much better versions. This one was nothing special.

Final Impressions: Come to think of it, there was nothing special about the meal at all. When I spend $150, I'd like at least one item to be memorable, and these items just weren't. Maybe I didn't select the correct choices. Either way, Circa would be a great place for a nice, romantic dinner or a girls night out. The quality of the food is excellent, but the taste is hit or miss.

Tiffany's Favorite Part: Chorizo-stuffed quail
Tom's Favorite Part: Chorizo-stuffed quail

Tiffany's Rating :) :) ½ out of :) :) :) :)

Circa by John Bragg
119 S. Main Street, Suite 100
Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 522-1488

Average Appetizer Price: $9-$14
Average Soup/Salad Price: $5-$14
Average Entrée Price: $26-$36
Average Dessert Price: $6-$11
Bar Menu/Small Plates: $3-$8

Operating Hours
Sunday & Monday 5:00pm-10:00pm
Tuesday – Saturday 5:00om-11:00pm

Finally! Another Restaurant Review

Even though I've been extremely busy with work lately, it hasn't stopped me from enjoying one of my favorite pastimes: eating! Recently, the hubby and I had lunch at Republic Coffee, a quaint coffeehouse in Midtown, Memphis. Committed to Slow Food and sustainable resources, the folks at Republic Coffee aren't afraid to inform their customers about the admirable steps they've taken to being a “green” establishment. They plan to be completely “off the grid” by 2010 by taking advantage of solar energy sources.

When you first walk into Republic Coffee, the first thing you'll notice is that it doesn't look much different from other coffeehouses: they provide free WiFi and art produced by local talent decorates the wall. Alt-rock hits from the 90s play quietly, and there are several students with laptops set up at the booths along the walls. Republic Coffee has a drink menu that puts Starbucks to shame.

I began my meal with a vanilla nut latte frappé, a frothy blend of vanilla and hazelnut syrups, espresso, and ice. It was a delicious beginning to the meal that even Tom (a non-coffee drinker) could appreciate. For my meal, I chose the McKnight, a turkey sandwich on ciabatta bread with cheddar cheese, herb aioli and a strawberry reduction. It was absolutely delicious; there's no other way to describe it. The combination of flavors exploded on my tongue. For my side item, I chose two (I'm greedy that way :P): the carrot soufflé and the Roman macaroni and cheese. The mac n' cheese had good flavor and texture. I wish it had a bit more salt, but otherwise a great take on a classic Southern accompaniment. The carrot soufflé was a huge surprise. I'm not a huge fan of carrots (but I'm always up for trying new things). It looked a bit like mashed sweet potatoes, but the flavor was out of this world. Delicate and sweet, it was some of the best carrots I've ever eaten...period.

Tom chose The King: a smoked BBQ chicken sandwich with chipotle sauce and slaw. In a city full of pulled BBQ sandwiches with coleslaw, it was a decent representation. The chipotle didn't offer much of a kick. It was good, but not great. Tom had a bit of entrée envy :) For his side, the cheese grits, a milled version complete with cheddar and Gouda. I thought they were tasty, but I really enjoy grits; Tom does not. In an attempt to try new things, he ordered the grits in hopes that they would change his mind about grits overall. They didn't do it for him, but I appreciated the use of Gouda (which is not a standard cheese used with grits). There was also a nice smokiness that added to the complexity of the dish.

Final Impressions: Have some coffee! It's great! And while your there, try the McKnight sandwich with a side of carrot soufflé. You won't be disappointed. Everything at Republic Coffee is deliciously fresh and locally grown. It's obvious to see how the attention to detail that they take with their food and drink will satisfy your hunger whether it's 8:00 in the morning or 8:00 at night.

Tiffany's Favorite Part: The McKnight
Tom's Favorite Part: The McKnight

Tiffany's Rating: :) :) :) out of :) :) :) :)

Republic Coffee
2494 Walnut Grove
Memphis, TN 38111

Average Coffee Price: $3-$6
Average Sandwich Price: $3-$10 

Operating Hours
6:00am-12:00am (midnight) daily

Mmmm...McEwen's...Eh, nothing special

Downtown Memphis offers several eateries where you can get a good meal.  One weekday afternoon, the hubby and I decided to grab lunch at McEwen's on Monroe, which is (obviously) on Monroe Ave, right off of North 2nd St.  It's nondescript from the outside, and the sign is a bit small, so if you didn't know to look for it, you might pass right by.

Lunch at McEwen's is a casual affair.  Salads, soups, and sandwiches fill the menu.  There are just a handful of entrées,but the prices are pretty reasonable. I ordered the chicken pot pie, and Tom chose the Cuban sandwich.  My pot pie was surprising light and fresh and not at all heavy.  It was a bit lacking in the chicken department, but it had a ton of fresh veggies and the puff pastry crust was nice and flaky.  It was served with a salad of mesclun greens and a raspberry vinaigrette.  The salad was pretty disappointing overall.  The greens tasted like the plastic bag that they evidently came out of, and while the dressing had some tang, it didn't taste at all like raspberry and definitely needed some salt.Tom's sandwich was a decent homage to a classic Cuban.  At McEwen's they make their version with a baguette instead of Cuban bread.  They kept the traditional toppings: roast pork, ham, pickles, and mustard.  The meat was tasty, but a bit dry, and the pickle seemed to overpower almost everything else. (I happen to like dill pickles, but the hubby only likes them on Cuban sandwiches, so he wasn't too impressed).

For dessert, we selected the key lime pie (one of Tom's go-to options for dessert). The texture was extra-creamy (tasted like sweetened condensed milk was involved), and the crust was delicious, but the pie itself was not tangy at all.  There was no contrast in flavor between the filling and the homemade whipped cream (which was delicious) on top.

Final Impressions: Before I started my blog, I had dinner at McEwen's, and it was way more impressive than their lunch time fare.  Do yourself a favor and try McEwen's at night; the prices are more expensive, but you'll have a more satisfying experience.  As with most of downtown Memphis, parking is non-existent. Make sure to bring some cash to use at one of the nearby parking garages, or take advantage of the restaurant's convenient valet parking service.

Tiffany's Favorite Part: Nothing (Uniformly okay, but no standouts)
Tom's Favorite Part: Chicken Pot Pie

Tiffany's Rating :) :) out of :) :) :) :)

McEwen's on Monroe
122 Monroe Avenue
Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 527-7085

Average Appetizer Price: (dinner only) $8-$13
Average Soup/Salad Price: $5-$11
Average Sandwich Price: (lunch only) $8-$12
Average Entrée Price: (lunch) $9-$10 (dinner) $20-$30
Average Dessert Price: $6-$8

Operating Hours
Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:00am-2:00pm
Dinner: Monday-Thursay 5:30-10:00pm 
           Friday and Saturday 5:30pm-11:00pm