Hey, whoever is doing building construction on Main between Madison and Union – is it REALLY necessary to start hammering at 5:30 on a Saturday morning? It wasn’t loud enough to wake me up, but once I woke up naturally it was loud enough that I couldn’t get back to sleep.
Update on the Downtown Neighborhood Association meeting set for Tuesday the 23rd, with a panel of blues musicians and experts. There is now a venue for this meeting, and it is Pontotoc Lounge at 314 S. Main.
A new scooter company has invaded the streets of Downtown Memphis.
Lime scooters have joined Bird scooters here, but they did not receive the warm welcome from the city that the Birds did.
NEW: A new scooter company started operating here today without obtaining a permit or entering into an operating agreement. Our ordinance requires these approvals, which the company had previously been told.
— City of Memphis (@CityOfMemphis) October 19, 2018
We have served notice to the company that it must remove its scooters. If it does not comply, we are prepared to remove them.
— City of Memphis (@CityOfMemphis) October 19, 2018
In Memphis, we are obviously eager to move forward with shared mobility, as our work with Explore Bike Share and Bird shows. We just want it done safely and responsibly, which is why this ordinance exists.
— City of Memphis (@CityOfMemphis) October 19, 2018
Like the Birds, Limes cost $1 plus 15 cents a minute to ride. Read more about the situation with the Limes at the MBJ.
If you like to collect pint glasses from great local breweries, get thee to the Flying Saucer next Wednesday, October 24 at 7 PM. The featured glass will be Memphis Made Brewing Co. Memphis Made on several taps and the brewers will be there to talk about beer.
The Memphis Express, Memphis’ new pro football team that will be competing in the Alliance for American Football, has chosen a Downtown Memphis address for its headquarters. They’ll rent part of the third floor of the 88 Union building. The Express’ season kicks off February 9 at the Liberty Bowl.
OKC-based nine-piece rock band Matthew Stansberry & the Romance plays the Halloran Centre tonight at 7:30.
Next door at the Orpheum, multi-platinum Irish group Celtic Thunder takes the stage this evening. The band is known for authentic Irish instruments, as well as dramatic effects through lighting and choreography.
There was a convention of dog trainers at the Cook Convention Center this week.
Miss Cordelia’s Grocery is now Cordelia’s Market with a new look, new selections, and lower prices. Don’t forget that their fall festival is noon to 6 today.
The Downtown Memphis Commission has rescheduled its Vision Awards, along with a revised program that will honor Phil Trenary.
With over 50 vendors, the Beale Street Art Crawl happens today.
Cirque de la Symphonie comes to the Cannon Center tonight, performing scores from your favorite movies.
The Mid-South Great Steak Cook-Off happens over at Southland today. I hear this is a good place to get samples.
There was no winning ticket in Mega Millions last night, inflating the jackpot to $1.6 billion.
About half the participating restaurant menus have now been posted for Downtown Dining Week, and I want to do my first round of “Paul’s Picks” for the best menus and values. Why do I do this? 40 menus are a lot to dig through. I want to help my readers weed out the places that have DDW menus like this:
DOWNTOWN DINING WEEK SPECIAL MENU
MINIMAL EFFORT CAFE
November 5-11, 2018
FIRST COURSE: Your choice of
Our Cheapest Soup
Our Cheapest Salad
SECOND COURSE: Your choice of
Uninteresting Chicken Dish
Unimaginative Fish Dish
FINAL COURSE
Dessert that Would Be Edible if it Wasn’t Frozen Solid
This three-course dinner, about a $15 value, yours for the low price of $20.18
Do not fret, however. There are plenty of Downtown Dining Week restaurants that don’t just go through the motions. They put their best foot (and best food) forward, knowing people who might not otherwise come through the door will go there for DDW. It’s an opportunity to convert one-timers (or zero-timers, if not for DDW) into happy, regular customers who tell others about the restaurant. Of the menus that have been posted so far, these are among the best I’ve seen.
Automatic Slim’s – You have choices, but I personally would go for the Cajun crawfish dip with wonton chips, the smoked beef tenderloin, and the homemade dessert of the day.
Brass Door – All of the appetizer and entree choices sound good. I would have trouble picking here. Based on my knowledge of the menu, the appetizer and entree prices add up to about $20 so it’s like you’re getting a free dessert. I especially recommend this place if you like soccer.
Carolina Watershed – $10.18 for a lunch for Cornish hen, collard greens, and Delta grits. This is a really neat space, based on silos, for those of you who have never been in there.
Felicia Suzanne’s – Personally, I’d get the crispy oysters with New Orleans BBQ sauce, the Sunday Sugo, and the chocolate bread pudding, but you can’t go wrong with anything on this menu. You do you. TWO NOTES: 1) This place will probably fill up the fastest with reservations of any Downtown Dining Week restaurant. If you want to reserve a table there, do not delay. 2) They will be open every day for dinner as well as Friday lunch, with the $20.18 dinner menu available. I seriously doubt they will be doing their 25 cent martinis for lunch the Friday of DDW.
Regina’s Cajun Kitchen – A three-course Cajun lunch menu that seems like it would be a good value for $20.18, but it’s not – it’s for the lunch price of $10.18.
South of Beale – This would be the place to go if you have a vegetarian in your group. General Tso’s Cauliflower, a Zaka Bowl, and choice of dessert. They have salmon and steak options for meat-eaters. Man, I’d be all over that peanut butter banana pudding.
Westy’s – Bring a friend for lunch. For $10.18 you get TWO of a catfish basket, a patty melt, or a marinated chicken sandwich, each of which comes with fries or tots. They also offer a $20.18 three-course dinner: 1 appetizer and 1 dessert to share, and 2 entrees. The Hot Fudge Pie is one of Memphis’ most famous dishes.
Well, my plans for today have changed and then changed again. My original plan was to lead off at Bardog as usual, but I found out my regular bartender Bloom won’t be there today.
So, with only two Farmers Markets left, I decided to make it a Market and Max’s Sports Bar day. I figured I’d check out the produce, then go watch a woman act all offended when I had the gall to look at the TV she was sitting under (act being the key word). I could also do other extremely offensive things like get up and walk to the restroom, or say “bye” to her when she leaves.
But then yesterday, my friend Mary told me she and her boyfriend Alex are teaming up behind the bar for the first time at Blind Bear brunch. That’s going to be a lot of fun. So the Market and Max’s are pushed back a week, and Bear it is.
Outta here for now. Back tomorrow with more news.