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.

(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. =)