Next week will be a week when I’ll be Downtown at lunchtime all five days. Since that’s rare, I’ve been forming a strategic plan for where to eat lunch (you know I need time off when I start throwing around terms like “strategic plan” in normal conversation). Thursday and Friday, I’ll be in the BBQ team booth, of course, but Monday through Wednesday I want to go to restaurants I don’t normally get to try for lunch. These are the three I’ve decided on.
- Bleu – I want to try their Build Your Own Sandwich menu (click the link and scroll to the bottom to see it) where you pick your protein, temperature, bun, sauce, toppings, and side.
- Flight – I’ve eaten there before but never for lunch. A friend who works there and her brother were describing the lunch menu to me last night, and all the food sounds incredible. I don’t know what I’m going to order, but I guarantee you that the crawfish mac and cheese will be my side item.
- A food truck
I’m mentioning this on the blog so I’ll hold myself to my strategic plan. Otherwise, there’s too much chance I’ll fall back into my usual routine and eat at places like Court House Deli and the Majestic – both EXCELLENT choices for lunch, by the way, but next week I want to try something different and new. Not sure which day I’ll do which – depends on my friend’s work schedule (which she won’t know until Sunday) and what day(s) the food trucks park Downtown.
Speaking of food trucks, it’s too bad I’m not off work tomorrow, because there will be a food truck rodeo in Court Square. Trucks that will be there include Fuel, YoLo, Square Meal on Wheels, Memphis Munchies, Kona Ice, Revival Southern Food Co., Mark’s Grill, Healthy Delicious, Rockin’ Dough and Scooter’s. The Daily News blog has more details here.
Our BBQ team sponsor Double J SmokeHouse and Saloon is now on Twitter at @DoubleJMemphis. They have a Burger of the Day and other specials that they will be tweeting on a daily basis, as well as their excellent live music lineup.
This brings me to another point about Twitter: I’ve decided it’s time to shut down the @firesale account that I’ve been using to tweet the Flying Saucer’s $3 daily beer for the past four years. You can follow the bar itself at @FlyingSaucerMem. When I started @firesale in 2008, Twitter was still a novelty and few bars knew what it was or saw any value in it, so customers who were loyal to their favorite places took the initiative. Four years later, every bar and restaurant should be tweeting their specials every day without having to rely on customer help. It’s free advertising that takes seconds to do.
One more note to restaurants and bars: If your social media strategy is “we only tweet specials Monday-Friday when our one person who knows how to use Twitter is here,” you don’t get it.
I played poker at the Blind Bear last night, but I wish I’d played trivia at the Silly Goose instead. I heard that one of the prizes last night was a PBR rocking chair. My bad luck continued, when I went all-in with A-K and kitchen manager Michael Bean called with Q-6. Flop had two Queens. That is typical of what happens when you sit at a table with Michael Bean.
Grizzlies game at 8:30 tonight. Most likely I’m going to watch at the Bear. Other stuff going on: (Edit: I had it wrong, it’s Blackstone) is the glass night special at the Saucer, 7 PM; bingo night with Diamond Dave at the Brass Door, six games starting at 7 PM; poker with Poker Jon downstairs at Bardog, 7:30 PM. I assume trivia with Charles will still be happening at the Bear, 8 PM.
Positively beautiful weather today. One of my Facebook friends commented that it’s a great day to go riding with the top down. It’s also a great day to go riding with the tube top down! Time to go grab a quick lunch.