Restaurant idea + Tuesday news

OK. I have had the greatest idea ever for Downtown. What I want to do is buy the building that is currently The Happy Mexican where Second splits off from St. Martin. I am going to tear the building down and build a 38-story tower in its place. It will become the Times Square of Memphis. The lower 37 floors will be apartments. The top floor will be a restaurant specializing in an item I have never seen anywhere.

Are you ready for this?

Round Salisbury steak.

I mean, think about it. It’s always rectangular. My restaurant will be known as the one place in the world where you can get a round Salisbury steak. It’ll become a category in BBQ Fest. In 2019 there will be 258 round Salisbury steak teams and 8 rib teams. Shoulder and whole hog won’t even exist anymore. The patio porker teams won’t be allowed to compete with more than a 700 watt microwave.

This all started yesterday at Bardog, when I was asked if I was a chef who works with Michael Patrick at Rizzo’s. My culinary skills consist of cutting a slit in the film cover, hitting TIME COOK 4:00 on the key pad, and rotating the Salisbury steak a quarter turn. If Mike has a short list of people he would love to hire, I doubt I am on it. But anyway, I was thinking about my culinary skillz, and I thought, if the Salisbury steak was round, would you really have to rotate it?

Manna House has announced it is in desperate need of waist 32, length 32 gently used jeans or khakis. They will take other sizes too, but 32/32 is their most immediate need.

Memphis Made has scheduled the next beginner sushi class for Sunday, October 2 from 2 to 4 PM in its taproom. $40 includes all the supplies you need. The class is taught by Birmingham Sushi. These consistently sell out.

On Saturday, September 24, High Cotton will have a fundraiser for dog rescue organization Tails of Hope. A $10 donation gets you a goodie bag from Hollywood Feed, a logo pint glass, and local Memphis music. Food truck, silent auction. First 75 people get a free beer as well as a free Pooch Hooch for their dog.

I got a little jukebox action in at Bardog yesterday. In case you were wondering what I play, here’s the list:

Crazy on You by Heart
Little Red Corvette by Prince
Modern Love by David Bowie
Under the Milky Way by The Church
Lovely Day by Bill Withers
Burning Love by Elvis

Shelby the bartender approved of my choices and handed me two dollars to play more songs. The second round:

Angie by The Rolling Stones
Brown Sugar by The Rolling Stones
Who’ll Stop the Rain by Creedence Clearwater Revival
The Heart of Rock & Roll by Huey Lewis and the News
Never Gonna Give You Up by Barry White
Da Doo Ron Ron by The Shirrelles
Paint it, Black by The Rolling Stones

After my songs ended, Elizabeth from The Dirty Crow put money in the jukebox and absolutely blew the roof off the place with her choices. She has excellent taste in music. “Damn, I like her songs better than I like my own songs,” I thought.

The South Main Association has its monthly meeting at 409 S. Main a week from today, Tuesday, September 13. Justin Dyer will talk about how he has transformed the building into a food hall, a place where entrepreneurial chefs can sell their goods. Free for SMA members, $10 for non-members. Social time starts at 6 with the presentation beginning at 6:30. Here’s a page about the history of 409 S. Main.

The Civil Pour returns to Loflin Yard Thursday night. Come practice the art of civil discourse about the topics in the news this week. It’s a place to have a discussion, not a debate or an argument.

That’s it for now. Back at work for a 3 day weekend. I’ll be out at happy hour this evening, destination to be determined.