Wednesday update

There’s a storefront at 8 S. Main with a sign that says El-Basha Grill. There are tables and chairs inside like it’s a restaurant, and occasionally I will see vehicles parked outside and people moving equipment around. However, as far as I am aware, the business has never opened its doors to the public.

Yesterday I noticed this sign in its window.

Fat Tuesday is a chain of New Orleans-style daiquiri bars. Longtime Downtowners will remember a Fat Tuesday location on the second floor of Peabody Place, across the walk from that indoor miniature golf course and that weird gift shop that had doves in a cage.

Are we about to have a bar that serves frozen drinks just steps away from Walgreens, Cafe Keough, Felicia Suzanne Restaurant – and my apartment building?

Wow. I have really mixed feelings about that. The part of me that likes to go to bars loves the idea of frozen drinks steps away. Also, it could become a convenient place to hang out with the neighbors when it’s too cold to be on the rooftop.

On the other hand, the part of me that is a resident of the relatively quiet, serene Madison-Monroe block on Main questions whether a daiquiri bar is a good fit for the neighborhood. People screaming “Wooooooooo!” at all hours of the night would no longer be an occurrence on New Year’s Eve and Music Fest – it’d be an everyday kind of thing.

Of course, we don’t know for sure that 8 S. Main is where the Fat Tuesday location will be. It could be that the owner of that building is friends with folks at the chain restaurant and let them put up a sign there. If that is the location, though, it’s going to be somewhat of a controversial topic.

I visited Stix, the Asian restaurant in Peabody Place, and tried the Diablo shrimp hibachi grill for the first time.

That spicy cream sauce on the shrimp and veggies was excellent. One of the best menu items I’ve tried yet at Stix.

Yesterday Memphis Police Chief Cereyln “C.J.” Davis, Assistant Chief Don Crowe, Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner, and Tennessee Highway Patrol officials held a joint news conference. Interstate shootings, drag racing, and reckless driving/stunt driving have been out of control this year. The agencies have formulated a plan to combat the illegal activity. I wrote a summary of the press conference on News Break.

The July issue of Desoto Magazine has a great article about The Peanut Shoppe on Main Street.

Flight restaurant at Main and Monroe has a host job open.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed off their final approval for renovations to Tom Lee Park this week.

Today is National Hot Dog Day.

In Edge District news, Chef Tam’s Underground Cafe is once again requiring customers to be masked while waiting on their food. They have also reduced seating for social distancing purposes. These changes are in response to the spread of the Delta variant of COVID.

Today marks the beginning of Memphis Flyer Burger Week. Some of the city’s best restaurants will serve up burgers for only $5.99 through Tuesday, July 27. Participating Downtown restaurants are Huey’s, Bardog, Flying Saucer, and Slider Inn. A portion of the proceeds from Burger Week go to the Mid-South Food Bank.

Halfway through the week and I’ve already written 8 professional articles. I think a day off is in order. I’m going to spend the afternoon at bars named after animals. Back tomorrow with more news.