Monthly Archives: December 2011

Memphis Eateries

Home for the holidays! And I must say, while Memphis is probably first and foremost known for it’s music legacy including Elvis, B.B.King, Jerry Lee Lewis, and, of course, Justin Timberlake, I’m here to talk about food. Surprise, surprise. Seeing a trend in my blog? Thought so. More hungry, less minstrel. At least for now. Following my stomach! And Memphis has a lot to brag about on the food front, but I’ll try to stick to some of my “must-visit” places.

First things first, I simply cannot find good Mexican food in Montreal. Which isn’t too terribly surprising when you think about where I’m coming from and the South’s relative proximity to this cultural sphere. Maybe my standards are too high, but I’d be content with a decent margarita, and good ol’ MTL has yet to deliver. Back home, though, this isn’t a problem. Went with my mom to a new little hole-in-the-wall place this time (new to me, definitely not “new” new) called Las Delicias. So. Yeah. Apt name for a restaurant. Little family run business where they make their own chips and squeeze fresh limes each day for their margarita mixes. Sooooold. The fact that their ‘ritas were ginormous also helped.

Another thing I have yet to find to my Memphis standard in Montreal is, surprisingly, sushi. Now, I have my little Iki Iki Sushi right downtown, but they’re really nothing to write home about. They tide me over, but it’s not the same. Sekisui has spoiled me. Okay – so I know we’re landlocked (aside from the muddy Mississippi, but sometimes it’s so crowded with pollution and brimstone that it pretty much counts as a landmass), but we have surprisingly good sushi. Any of my Vancouver friends might just roll their eyes, but I speak the truth. Sekisui’s sashimi may not be as fresh, but their rolls are inventive and just yummy. Somehow managed to take a picture this time before they were all gone.

While I could go on and on about food here, I’ll wind things down with barbecue (or bar-b-q as it’s usually seen around these parts). Can’t talk about eating in Memphis without talking about good ol’ pork bar-b-q, more specifically the world-famous Rendezvous. Now I say world famous and yet, unless you’re a food buff, you probably haven’t heard of it. But I can honestly say that’s a real shame. Their menu is covered in clever descriptions of their slow-cooked ribs. Their motto is, “Not since Adam has a rib been this famous.”  Their ribs are said to be “about as far as a pig can go in this world.”  ”If you’re looking for the meaning of life, this is something to chew on.” I love these guys. And this is just self-praise. The reviews only get better. The Rendezvous has been around since 1948 and is truly a Memphis landmark, and believe it or not, for one of the biggest Memphis tourist destinations after Graceland, it’s about as inconspicuous as a roadside diner, buried back in a back alley behind a Holiday Inn downtown. As far as the staff goes, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the older, saucier servers like Robert Senior or Big Jack came with the building way back when. Some have been working there for almost 50 years. BBQ in their blood at this point. Anyway, not much point attempting to describe the food. I’ve tried before and it just doesn’t cut it. Come and try for yourself. Seriously. Well worth the trek, I promise.

Customers entering the restaurant

(Borrowed from their website, aptly named www.hogsfly.com – what else?)

If that has’t convinced you to visit, then I don’t know what will, except perhaps the allure of Elvis’ shimmering mansion/shrine of Graceland. And perhaps Sun Studio, a recording studio dubbed the birthplace of Rock ‘n Roll, a title that suits considering the long and sterling list of big name artists that laid down tracks there, like the King himself, the Man in Black, the Killer and countless others (also – if you don’t know who I’m referring to, you obviously need to visit ASAP). Memphis has quite a lot to offer. It’s nice to be home. =)

A Note on Le Comptoir

A few nights ago, while my family was in town for American Thanksgiving, we ventured to a new restaurant, Le Comptoir, which I had passed endless times, mostly on my way up to Dieu du Ciel or Fairmount Bagels, of course. Love having my parents up, for many reasons, but one of which is it gets me to experience new restaurants. I’m quite the creature of habit. Once I find a place I like, I have a hard time branching out. Call me unadventurous if you like. I prefer to think of it as … well, something not as negative as unadventurous.

Now, back to Le Comptoir, whose full name is Le Comptoir Charcuteries et Vins. I’ve had some fantastic meals in this city, but this one stands out and possibly even tops the list. This cute little bistro is built to serve not more than 25, maybe 30 customers at one time, and comes complete with open kitchen, counter (as would seem appropriate given the name…), and blackboard menu with a great variety. That plus the extensive wine list and incredibly friendly (not to mention knowledgable) staff makes this place a 10 in my book.

Blurry iPhone shot of Le Comptoir’s Open Kitchen

But let’s talk about the food. Because who doesn’t love food? Started with a cute little cold-cuts platter, made up entirely of sausages and patés they make in house, which is pretty impressive, topped off with a side of homemade mustard that was simply addictive. That and a wonderfully simple beet salad with goat cheese started the three of us off. Now, I need hardly tell you that by now, my parents and myself were pretty much purring. Great glass of wine in hand and these starters… Yep. We were good to go.

On to the main event! I myself am generally not much of a fish fan when I head out to bistros such as this. My weakness is definitely steak in any shape or form, but once I heard this topping for their halibut, I just couldn’t resist. Cucumber, feta, sour cream, mint, and dill… Um, yes please. And it didn’t disappoint. If anything, it surpassed my almost absurd expectations. Second glass of wine. Tantalizing tastes of my Dad’s short ribs and my mother’s roast cauliflower with a red wine vinegar reduction. I think I speak for the group when I say, it took some serious restraint not to lick the plate.

As if we needed more convincing that this was a tip-top resto, we indulged in a little dessert. Again, not much of a sweet tooth generally, and normally I’m far too full for any kind of anything after a meal like this, but I was on a freakin’ cloud. I would have said yes to a root canal at this point and still have had a smile on my face. The white chocolate and cream cheese tart topped with poached peaches was anything but a root canal. Quite the opposite, in fact. Every tooth and taste bud was lulled into a sugar-induced dream on a pillow of happiness. And that’s really not much of an exaggeration, folks.

Let’s just leave it on that note. Cannot wait to go back. Open for lunch and dinner until midnight and surprisingly inexpensive – all main courses under $20. Adding a new haunt to my regulars! Now the trick will be branching out from the amazing menu I settled on this last time…