Yesterday afternoon I had the pleasure of listening to Gary Parrish interview Jaren Jackson Jr. on my drive home. I am now completely convinced the Grizzlies made the best possible pick. That is an intelligent and well-spoken young man right there, and as GP points out his family upbringing made him who he is today. Coach Bickerstaff had a talk with Jaren and explained that defense wins games and that’s why he and Jevon Carter are here. The other bigs in the draft were all question marks on defense.
For those of you who were friends with Keenan from Earnestine & Hazel’s, Tuesday they will have a special Jazz Tuesday celebrating his life. His favorite band, the E&H Trio, will perform 8-11 PM.
Elmwood Cemetery will present a talk on the history of death Sunday, July 29 at 2 PM. It will be a look at how people ceremonialized the dead, from Neanderthal times to Egyptian mummies to sky burials, the beginnings of the modern funeral home, and more. The presentation will be indoors with air conditioning, and beer and snacks will be served. $15 per person.
The Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau has changed its name after 95 years. Henceforth it will be known as Memphis Tourism.
There’s a special Aldo’s Pizza Pies ticket for tonight’s Redbirds game. It includes a mug that gets you bottomless fountain drinks tonight at the game, a coupon for a slice and a soda at Aldo’s, and discounted $3 draft beer, $3 ice cream floats, or $1 sodas when you bring the mug to Aldo’s through September 3. $2 beers in the Plaza before the game and fireworks afterward.
For yesterday’s lunchtime adventure, I got on Google Maps and explored restaurants near Germantown Parkway and Wolf River Boulevard. I found a menu for a Mexican restaurant named Portales. Named after the doors on old haciendas, Portales has been open about a year, bringing the taste of Jalisco to the area. They had several dishes that sounded interesting, but one section of the menu in particular caught my eye: Hamburguesas. I’ve been on a quest for a good burger recently, and although I haven’t made it to a couple of reader suggestions yet (Sear Shack, Buckley’s Lunchbox), I thought, why not give a burger at a Mexican restaurant a try?
It was an easy drive out there. Portales is in the strip mall next to Lowe’s. I was immediately impressed with its colorful decor.
They had a bar with the World Cup on TV but I decided to sit at a booth. I ordered the Hamburguesa Mexicana, with a patty made of ground chuck with chorizo mixed in as wall as jalapenos for seasoning. The burger came topped with lettuce, tomato, red onions, cheese, avocado slices, and a sauce (couldn’t tell you exactly what it was but it added a bit of spice). It came with a side of regular fries or seasoned fries, and of course being a Mexican restaurant, you get chips and salsa to munch on as you’re waiting on your food.
No one will ever accuse Portales of being weak with their salsa. My mouth was on fire by the time my burger arrived. As it should be.
The chorizo and jalapenos mixed into the meat gave this burger a unique taste. Really good! I will mention that the burger is quite messy (but again, as it should be, as anyone who’s ever eaten a burger at Roxie’s Grocery knows). You might want to ask for extra napkins if you order this. Also, this was a big burger – the patty was at least half a pound and possibly more than 10 ounces. I doubt I finished more than half of it.
I would encourage my readers who love burgers to give this a try next time you find yourself out in Cordova. There’s also a Habanero burger, as well as a Hawaiian burger that has pineapple as a topping. As for Mexican food, I plan a trip back to try the Burrito Del Mar, with grilled shrimp and tilapia and vegetables, topped with cheese dip and ranchero sauce. The chimichanga sounds worth a try too.
Hmmm there’s a Wing King with a “Super Hot” sauce in the same strip mall. May have to check that out next week.
Off to the Farmers Market then back north to Bardog, where I’ve been told Melissa will be bartending today’s brunch shift! Down to South Main for a party tonight. Rain is clearing out of here and it looks to be a great day.