I was going to list a bunch of road closures for Friday-Saturday for the St. Jude Marathon and try to offer advice on the best routes to take in and out of Downtown. However, it looks like MPD has even better advice – download the Waze app. Marathon organizers and MPD have partnered with Waze to bring drivers up-to-the-minute traffic and routing information.
RIP Henry Kissinger. The retired National Security Advisor and Secretary of State was 100. Kissinger was a 1973 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Clouds increase this morning ahead of the arrival of showers after 3pm, which become heavy at times tonight. South wind near 10 mph also increases to 20-30 mph this evening, so secure that outdoor Christmas decor! Temps rise from near 40 to near 60 today. pic.twitter.com/Odkfqop1Rz
My friends Dennis and Mary Pat messaged me to let me know they’ll be in town this weekend to run the St. Jude Marathon. They are a super cool couple who always made sure I had my New Year’s black-eyed peas and collard greens when they lived in Memphis. They’re super cool for another reason too: Running the marathon isn’t the only way they support the children’s hospital.
About 5 years ago, Dennis & Mary Pat flew to East Africa and hiked Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise money for St. Jude.
And you can too.
There’s a company called Embark Exploration that books adventures where you can hike the world and save lives. Embark has released its 2024 trip itineraries and you can follow in Dennis & Mary Pat’s footsteps:
Macchu Pichu, Peru, September 2-10, minimum fundraising commitment to St. Jude $12,000
Continental Divide, Colorado, September 16-21, minimum commitment $12,000
Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, October 12-22, minimum commitment $32,000
The Grizzlies WON A GAME last night and looked dominant for just about the first time this season. Memphis 105, Utah 91.
There are still seats open for the Bubbles Around the World dinner at the Peabody on Thursday, December 7. From the hotel’s website:
Champagne, Prosecco, Cava and some sparkling surprises, cheers to the season of celebrations with a curated selection of sparkling wines served alongside an elegant 4-course dinner in Chez Philippe.
The evening will begin with a welcome reception and cocktail. Then, the evening will progress into a 4-course dinner created by Chef de Cuisine, Keith Clinton and Executive Pastry Chef, Konrad Spitzbart. Each course is paired with a sparkling wine from around the world.
My friend Ashleigh says the pistachio cake at Curfew is the best in the world. Just thought I’d pass along that recommendation. Also, yesterday I learned that “your hair looks super frizzy today” will never be taken as a compliment, even if you mean it as one.
Tonight at Momma’s, there’s a Ladies Night DJ set with BassVentura. Ladies get 20% off, dine-in only.
Blind Bear now carries Happy Dad seltzer, grape and fruit punch flavors. The seltzers are 5% ABV and have electrolytes.
Memphis Interfaith Coalition of Action and Hope is hiring a community organizer.
Peoples, the pool hall on Beale Street, has a free pool happy hour weekdays from 4 to 7.
The Broom Closet on South Main has a Witch Ball Crafting Event on Saturday at 2. The cost includes all supplies needed to create your own personalized witch ball as well as snacks and cider. It’s recommended that you reserve your seat in advance because space is limited.
Cordelia’s Market will host a holiday vendor tasting Wednesday, December 6 from 6 to 8 PM. More than 20 vendors will be on hand with offerings for you to sample. Festive accordion tunes by Aaron Brame.
There’s drag queen bingo at the MOXY Memphis hotel featuring Moth Moth Moth tonight from 7 to 9.
All right, let’s update the list: Bars/restaurants doing something special on Saturday / St. Jude Marathon weekend – version 2.0
Aldo’s Pizza Pies, Bardog, Momma’s, and Slider Inn will have 20% off food for runners Thursday-Saturday.
Wiseacre Downtown will open at 7 AM Saturday with breakfast burritos, French toast, and fruit yogurt parfaits, then switch over to pizza by the slice by Little Bettie Kitchen at 11. They’ll release Lightning in All, a dry-hopped pale ale brewed for the marathon. 20% off all beer tabs with your race bib.
Arcade Restaurant opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).
King & Union Bar Grocery opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).
Sugar Grits opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).
Sunrise opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).
Bardog will open at 8 AM with Melissa and Allie Cat bartending.
Local on Main is shooting for a 9 AM opening and will have an IV recovery station for runners.
Silly Goose will open at 9 AM.
Automatic Slim’s opens at 9 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).
The Stumbling Santa pub crawl commences at Flying Saucer at 7 PM. Bring a toy for the kids of Porter-Leath and dress as Santa or your favorite Christmas character. Be prepared to stumble from bar to bar in the Downtown core and on Beale Street.
Blind Bear has their Prohibition Repeal party Saturday starting about 8 PM. Food and drink specials. DJ Tree at 10. Gangster or flapper attire recommended but not required. A photographer will be there, so come get your picture on the wall.
I may update the list one more time Friday. We’ll see.
And a “Thursday update #2” is likely around noon today, It’s currently about 1 AM as I publish this, so who knows, overnight news could come up.
Yesterday I was at my usual happy hour spot when an influx of Fancy’s Fish House employees arrived. They’d had a mid-afternoon meeting. Unfortunately, the subject of that meeting was, “You don’t have a job anymore.”
Their Facebook page says that Fancy’s isn’t gone for good; they’ve just “Gone Fishin’ for a change of scenery,” and that they’ll be back in 2024 with “a new outlook.” I wonder what that means? Redecoration? Renovation? Relocation? One thing it does mean is that its employees are without jobs 4 weeks before Christmas. That sucks.
Former Fancy’s employees: jobs4tn.gov has info on filing unemployment claims.
The seafood restaurant has only been open a year and 7 months. That seems awful soon to make changes big enough that all the employees have to be laid off for a while.
Okay, now the DM has clarification. Fancy’s is closing to prepare for a new concept, apparently requested by fine dining restaurant Amelia Gene which recently opened nearby.
Tickets are still available for Bardog’s upcoming beer dinner, to be held Wednesday, December 6 downstairs in the Underdog Room. It’s a collaboration with Broad Avenue’s own Hampline Brewing. The five courses feature full 8 oz. pours each – not the little dribbles you get at most beer dinners.
Starter�Tuna Carpaccio w/ Handlebar Haze New England IPA
First Course�Asparagus Bisque w/ Natch Lager
Second Course�Beet Salad w/ Cherry Bomb Cherry Amaretto Gose
Third Course�Beef Wellington w/ Hoot & Haller Pilsner
Dessert �Pumpkin Cheesecake w/ Dunk Tank Oktoberfest
Memphis in May CEO Jim Holt will retire in January. I don’t blame Holt for wanting to step away from the Tom Lee Park controversy. At 65, he’s of typical retirement age. Why would he want to spend extra years of his work life stressing out over that mess?
As a 13-year veteran of two BBQ teams, Jim, I’d like to thank you for all you’ve done. I’ve spent many a happy day on the river because of your efforts. I appreciate it, sir. I hope there’s a beach or a fishing boat or whatever your happy place is in 2024.
Here’s a look at Tony’s Pot Roast which is a special at Blind Bear this week.
That’s a cup of au jus on the left and it’s perfect for dipping the beef, the new potatoes, the dinner roll… even the green beans.
Today is The Customer Is Wrong Day. I recommend you celebrate at a restaurant with a glass of water, some lemons, and lots of sugar packets. Bonus points if you sneak a bottle of cheap vodka in your coat pocket.
I took a quiz yesterday to learn my preferred whiskey flavor profile. Apparently I like “creamy, buttery” whiskeys such as Mortlach 16 or 20 (single malt) or Old Port 18 (blend). Other flavors I like are fruity, spicy, smoky, malty, and fresh.
Ben-Yay’s now has Cajun butter wings. Hat tip to the restaurant’s neighbor, Cristina of Feast & Graze, for posting about them on Facebook.
Grizzlies vs. Utah, 7 PM tonight, FedExForum.
The Memphis Flyer has a ramen roundup. It comes with news about South Main’s very own Good Fortune Co.: Birria dumplings will appear on a revised menu soon.
RIP Charlie Munger. The investing guru, who lived to be 99, was Warren Buffett’s business partner.
Eternal Sunset: View a sunset somewhere in the world no matter the time of day where you are.
Happy 74th to The King, Jerry Lawler.
Bardog specials today:
Pesto salmon over vegetable spaghetti – $19
Grilled Buffalo chicken wrap – $17
Soup: Crawfish bisque
Dog: Peppers, onions, ketchup, mustard, bacon
Mussels: Garlic butter, white wine, tomato
Pecan pie
Pumpkin cheesecake
Local on Main special today:
Parmesan-crusted chicken, grilled then finished in the oven, with sauteed vegetables.
Let’s have a look at college football games of interest to Memphians this weekend:
Friday
5 Oregon vs. 3 Washington, Pac-12 championship, Las Vegas, 7:00 PM, ABC. Winner likely punches their ticket to the CFP semis; loser likely misses out on the semis but gets a New Year’s Six bowl appearance.
Saturday
18 Oklahoma State vs. 7 Texas, Big 12 championship, Arlington, TX, 11:00 AM, ABC. Texas could make the CFP semis with a decisive win and help from Alabama, Iowa, Louisville, and/or Jesus.
1 Georgia vs. 8 Alabama, SEC championship, Atlanta, 3:00 PM, CBS. Bama is probably in with a win. The Dawgs are probably in with a two-touchdown loss or better.
SMU at 22 Tulane, AAC championship, New Orleans, 3:00 PM, ABC. Tulane likely clinches the Group of Five New Year’s Six bowl berth with a win.
2 Michigan vs. 16 Iowa, Big Ten championship, 7:00 PM, FOX. Michigan is in the CFP semis with a win or a competitive loss.
14 Louisville vs. 4 Florida State, ACC championship, Charlotte, 7:00 PM, ABC. Florida State needs to win to get in, and they need to root for teams ranked slightly lower (Oregon, Texas, Alabama) to lose.
The Peabody has extended its Cyber Monday deal through midnight tonight. Book a stay between now and March 31 online – no coupon code needed – and get a discount of 40% off the Best Available Rate.
Leanne Morgan brings stand-up comedy to the Orpheum on her Just Getting Started Tour Saturday and Sunday. There’s an afternoon and an evening show each day. $35.75-$59.75.
The new Flame Ramen location on Second just north of Union (former Subway location) is open.
Sitting at Bardog typing this. The Captain just played Willie Nelson’s “City of New Orleans” on the jukebox. The Captain has better taste in county music than many Downtown bartenders. We need more classic country and less boot-scootin’, shit-kickin’ music. The 1980s were the decade when it all went down the drain. At the beginning of the ’80s, Willie, Dolly, and Kenny were the biggest stars. By the end, you had Garth Brooks.
Bardog specials today:
Hamburger steak with mushroom, onion, brown gravy, mashed potatoes, asparagus – 19
Shrimp pasta with bell peppers and mushrooms over spaghetti with garlic butter sauce – 19
Soup: Crawfish bisque
Dog: Bacon, onions, BBQ sauce
Mussels: Garlic butter, white wine, tomato
Pecan pie
Pumpkin cheesecake
All right. I said I’d wait until Thursday or Friday to post this, but let’s go ahead and get a first draft up:
Downtown restaurants/bars doing something special for Saturday / St. Jude Marathon weekend
Aldo’s Pizza Pies, Bardog, Momma’s, and Slider Inn will have 20% off food for runners Thursday-Saturday.
Arcade Restaurant opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).
King & Union Bar Grocery opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).
Sugar Grits opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).
Sunrise opens at 7 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).
Bardog will open at 8 AM with Melissa and Allie Cat bartending.
Silly Goose will open at 9 AM.
Automatic Slim’s opens at 9 AM (regular opening time, not a special early opening).
The Stumbling Santa pub crawl commences at Flying Saucer at 7 PM. Bring a toy for the kids of Porter-Leath and dress as Santa or your favorite Christmas character. Be prepared to stumble from bar to bar in the Downtown core and on Beale Street.
Blind Bear has their Prohibition Repeal party Saturday starting about 8 PM. Food and drink specials. DJ Tree at 10. Gangster or flapper attire recommended but not required. A photographer will be there, so come get your picture on the wall.
Got an addition to the list? Email me at paul.ryburn@gmail.com or hit me up on Facebook Messenger.
That’s it for now. This is my second post today. Keep scrolling for a review of Redneck Trivia at Momma’s and a lot more Tuesday news.
I attended Redneck Trivia at Momma’s, “the diner & dive off 55,” last night and had a BLAST!!! So much fun!
There were six rounds of 5 questions + a bonus, each question worth one point apiece. Each round had a theme; themes included “the NFL,” “the Civil War,” “Tennessee whiskey,” and “famous Memphis rednecks.” A couple of Memphis redneck question examples:
Which professional wrestling manager is known as “The Mouth of the South”? A: Jimmy Hart
George Barnes was an American gangster better known as whom? A: Machine Gun Kelly
I was invited to join an existing team by my former student Zach, whose team would be missing several members this week, including a certain someone who thinks New Hampshire is the CAPITAL CITY of West Virginia. Yet the teammates who did show up were all familiar faces: In addition to Zach, they included Jack and Leslie from Bardog, Kelly from Blind Bear, and Butt Slut #1. I was the only team member who’d never bartended professionally, making me a liability in the “Tennessee Whiskey” round.
There were opportunities to earn bonus points.
At halftime (following round 3 out of 6), teams could get on stage and sing group country music karaoke to earn an extra point. I refused to get on stage with my team, because hell no.
After the 6th round teams could arm wrestle for 2 extra points, but only if both teams agreed to participate. Last night our opponents didn’t need the points and wisely refused. So our two girls arm-wrestled each other.
Overall, a very fun experience and my first trip to Momma’s in more than 3 years. I would gladly go back and expressed that to my teammates, and also to the trivia host.
Oh yeah, here’s a pic of that new popcorn machine at Momma’s:
Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers remain unranked in this week’s AP Top 25 poll. Memphis received 108 points in this week’s voting, a mere 12 points behind number-25 Oklahoma. The team’s gotta go out and show that their awful performance vs. Villanova was a fluke.
But, one piece of good news in the Top 25… new American Conference foe FAU climbed 6 spots to 13th this week. If they stay on that trajectory, that’ll give the Tigers opportunities for quality wins on February 25 and March 9. Go Owls… as long as you’re not playing Memphis.
The Tigers also have an opportunity for a quality road win vs. 14 Texas A&M on Sunday, December 10.
And of course, it’s Giving Tuesday, a good day to drop a few dollars on your favorite nonprofit. I recommend Hospitality Hub as an organization that does a lot of good work in Downtown Memphis and is worthy of your support.
There are people passing very sophisticated counterfeit bills in Downtown Memphis. Be unusually wary of anyone making a purchase of only a few dollars and paying for it with a 50 or 100. I’ve heard these fakes even have watermarks and “the stripe” and you have to use a special pen to check them.
Contemporary art gallery Sheet Cake Gallery will have its grand opening Friday, December 1 from 6 to 8 PM at 405 Monroe.
It’s Fire Pit Friday at Tom Lee Park this Friday, December 1, from 4:30 to 6:30 PM. Free s’mores at the First Horizon River Lounge. Hot chocolate available from vendors. More Fire Pit Fridays on the 8th, 15th, and 22nd.
Gia Welch and JD Westmoreland play The Central BBQ Sessions at Downtown Central BBQ this Saturday.
Blind Bear specials for this week:
Turkey & dumplings – Turkey breast and leg meat, celery, onion, thyme, house-made dumplings – cup 6/bowl 10
Slow roasted pot roast – Baby red potatoes, carrots, onions, bell peppers, celery; served with sauteed green beans and a dinner roll – 18
Sweet potato pie – Sweet potatoes, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger with a golden, flaky crust and whipped cream
Turkey & dumplings. Flavor was perfect and there were plenty of big hunks of meat.
BONUS BLIND BEAR PRO TIP: The Bear is currently fire-saling Ole Smoky peppermint moonshine, which I believe is around 100 proof, for $3. So next time you’re tempted to order a shot of Rumple Minze, realize you could get something similar (and better) for less than half the price.
This Saturday is the Bear’s Repeal Day Celebration in observance of the 90th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition. Dress in your best gangster or flapper attire – or don’t, it’s all good. Food & drink specials. DJ Tree at 10.
Back to the trivia night I attended last night at Momma’s. I can’t believe I am about to admit this but…
I am so proud of Butt Slut #1.
From 2005 to about 2013, I served as captain/secretary of a large trivia team at the Saucer. Just getting everyone to listen to the question is a lot. Then you have to round up potential answers and how sure each member is of their proposed answer. You also have to ensure that the more outspoken people don’t drown out other, quieter, team members who might have the actual correct answer.
Butt Slut #1 handled all that near-perfectly last night. It’s not an easy thing to do. We lost 32-30 but it would have been more like 32-17 without her guiding the team.
All right. We’re coming up on 1:00 Tuesday morning as I type this. Gonna go ahead and hit Publish. If more news comes out in the morning, I’ll do a second Tuesday post.
Yesterday I asked my readers to email me at paul.ryburn@gmail.com or hit me up on Facebook Messenger to let me know about
Specials this week/early opening times for the St. Jude Marathon this Saturday
Anything else special Downtown bars/restaurants are doing Saturday – which is also college football title game day and there are also other events going on
I got a pretty immediate response – not on the computer but in person from Bardog, where I was hanging out downstairs last night:
Bardog will open at 8 on Saturday, and it will be a real treat because we’ll have people behind the bar you rarely see that day of the week anymore. Melissa (the new GM) will be back there, as will Allie Cat. Regular Saturday brunch bartenders Dani and Lana will start at 1 PM and the night shift will come on at its normal time of 8 PM.
I’ll publish a final list of Saturday’s specials/early openings Thursday or Friday.
It is CONFIRMED that Momma’s, “the diner and dive off 55,” now has a popcorn machine.
Slow-roasted pot roast with baby red potatoes, carrots, onions, bell peppers, and celery is this week’s entree special at Blind Bear. It comes with a side of sauteed green beans and a dinner roll.
The Grizzlies lost again last night, 119-97, to Minnesota. Now 3-13, Memphis sits in 14th place in the West, a half-game out of last place. Is it too early to post a link to Tankathon?
marcus smart just gave the grizzlies bench one of the most passionate speeches i’ve ever seen a player give his team. said “this is f*cking embarrassing” several times, talked about how fans are paying to come watch them and they’re not even trying pic.twitter.com/sxv4pL3jis
I’m building a list of Downtown bars & restaurants that are opening early and/or doing something special for the St. Jude Marathon this coming Saturday, December 2. Email me at paul.ryburn@gmail.com or message me on Facebook with your information.
If your Downtown bar/restaurant is doing anything special for Conference Championship Saturday, let me know that too.
The folks at Local on Main have told me they’ll have an IV station for runners, but I need to confirm the time and details.
Memphis basketball this week:
Sunday, November 26: Grizzlies at home vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, 5:00 PM. TV: Bally Sports
Wednesday, November 29: Grizzlies at home vs. Utah Jazz, 7:00 PM. TV: Bally Sports
Friday, December 1: Grizzlies on the road at Dallas Mavericks, 6:30 PM. TV: Bally Sports
Saturday, December 2: Tigers on the road at Ole Miss, 1:30 PM. TV: ESPN2
Saturday, December 2: Grizzlies on the road at Phoenix Suns, 8:00 PM. TV: Bally Sports
Note that there are NO Grizzlies games the following week as the NBA in-season tournament wraps up. Anyone besides me think the in-season tournament is kinda boring and pointless?
The Grizzlies have signed guards Jaylen Nowell and Shaquille Harrison to 10-day contracts.
Nurse Blake SHOCK ADVISED Comedy Tour comes to the Orpheum Thursday at 8 PM. Tickets are $39.50-$79.50 and there’s a VIP meet & greet ticket for $189.
I’ll be at Butt Slut #1’s bar in the Underdog Room at Bardog this evening if anyone wants to hang out. She ended up not being able to come to our Thanksgiving in Eads because she had to work her other job. While in Eads, I made a liquor discovery I wanted to share with my readers:
Chocolate peanut butter whiskey creme! This was so good! I would recommend stopping at a grocery store on the way home from picking this up to get a banana. Slices of banana would make an ideal garnish. Elvis would approve. So would monkeys.
Considering a trip to Memphis? Tomorrow would be a good day to book a room at the Peabody, because from 6 AM to 8 PM they will have a Cyber Monday special: 40% off the Best Available Rate for bookings now through March 31.
The Memphis Symphony Orchestra will present Magic of Memphis Saturday at the Cannon Center.
The Cossitt Library will host a pottery party this Wednesday at 1 PM. All supplies are provided, but wear clothing you don’t mind getting paint on.
The big news during my 5 days away from blogging is that Memphis River Parks Partnership is going to allow the organizers of the Mempho music festival – moving to Tom Lee Park the first weekend of May, 2024 – to also hold a BBQ festival in Tom Lee.
And the new BBQ festival will be held the third weekend of May. The same weekend Memphis in May holds its World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (abbreviated WCBCC but usually referred to as “BBQ Fest” by Memphians) at Liberty Park/Tiger Lane.
Daaaaaaamn. The BBQ teams are gonna have to choose which festival to compete in.
Stick with tradition, or go with an unproven upstart which has no legit claim to call itself the world championship of BBQ?
or, if you look at it from a different point of view…
Cook BBQ on a shitty parking lot, or in a park with beautiful river views?
I have such mixed feelings about this. My heart is with the Memphis in May organization… but a festival that could have “They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot” as its theme song does not have the appeal of one whose theme song could be “Ol’ Man River.”
I’m glad I’m no longer on a BBQ team and therefore don’t have a difficult decision to participate in/argue about.
All right, that’s enough for today’s post. I’m probably making a mistake telling my readers that a cute, popular girl will be behind a bar that seats maybe 4 or 5. I better get there well before 7 PM to claim one of those seats. Back tomorrow or Tuesday with more news.
I had so much information packed into yesterday’s post that I forgot to post pics from my birthday! I only have a couple.
My birthday cake, which my friend Theresa had ordered from the bakery at Whole Foods where she works. You may remember I had a PBR-themed cake last year too. The can was new for 2023. Apparently there’s gonna be a new addition to the basic design every year.
We gathered at Bardog, where we routinely meet at 11 on Saturdays. One of my very few gripes with our neighborhood bar over the past year has been the weekend brunch specials. The daily lunch/dinner specials at the ‘dog tend to be creative and different each day. The brunch specials, however, tend to be repetitive, almost always consisting of
Strawberry or blueberry pancakes
Grilled or fried pork chop
Chicken-n-waffles
Some variety of blackened fish
Lobster omelette
“If they’re going to have the same stuff EVERY WEEK, why not just go ahead and put it on the regular menu?” I would say. “If it’s always available during weekend brunch, IT’S NOT A SPECIAL!!!”
This past Saturday, I held out a little hope as I made my walk to the ‘dog. “There’s a new man in the kitchen,” I thought. “Perhaps he’ll put his own creative stamp on the specials.”
For the most part, the same specials were still there – the pancakes, the omelette, chicken and waffles.
But there was something different!
CHILAQUILES!!!
Chilaquiles could be thought of as breakfast nachos of a sort. Warm soft tortilla pieces are a base, topped with cheddar, scallions, crunchy pieces of pork belly, and a LOVELY big scoop of guacamole. There’s normally an egg on there too, but I asked them to leave it off.
It was so yummy!
Bardog’s cooks are mostly Mexican and I’ve long wondered why they didn’t lean into their heritage just a little bit more. I’m not saying, go all out and compete with Maciel’s around the corner. But why not capitalize on a little of that culinary background now and then?
If Bardog would just put one “unexpected and different” item on its brunch special board each week, I could live with it being alongside four of the “same old, same old.” The 80/20 rule, applied to brunch.
And now let’s get on to the news…
As a lover of historical fiction, I can appreciate SIX, the Broadway musical playing at the Orpheum today through Sunday. The “six” refer to the 6 wives of English king Henry III (1491-1547; reigned from 1509). He was the king who had 6 wives and 5 annulments/divorces, causing him to leave the Catholic Church and form the Church of England. The show transforms the women from Tudor queens into pop queens. Tickets are $35-$150.
Bardog is back with more news… not only will they be open at 5 on Thursday, but they’ll have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner as their special.
As for their sibling restaurant, Slider Inn Downtown, they too will open at 5 with a slider special called The Gobbler. It will have turkey, gravy, American cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on a toasted bun.
I got a preview of Blind Bear’s Thanksgiving dinner, offered as a special anytime they’re open through Saturday, last night.
From lower left: Turkey, cornbread dressing with cranberry sauce, dinner roll, Tony’s greens, three-cheese mac & cheese, mashed potatoes.
Do you notice what I allowed to happen here, that I’m normally NEVER okay with?
I allowed cranberry sauce to touch my other food items. Normally that is a GIANT party foul.
Believe me, I thought about ordering the meal with no cranberries. But Tony posted a pic of the food with the cranberries on top of the dressing. And Tony has tremendous culinary credibility. He makes combinations work that I never would expect – see the coffee-encrusted ribeye from a few weeks ago.
So I ordered the dinner as-is, without mods.
The mac & cheese turned out to be the star of the show, followed closely by Tony’s greens and the turkey. But the dressing soaked in cranberry juice was not bad!
Tony is the Ric Flair of food. He could cook a broomstick and turn it into a five-star meal.
The M-town Funk and Blues Fest comes to the Cannon Center Saturday, featuring Midnight Star, Original Lakeside, Larry Dodson and Band , OB Buchana, and Bobby Rush.
J Buck plays 507 Lux Lounge (150 Monroe) Saturday night.
J Buck is practically a one man show chock full of explosive energy everytime he hits the stage- think Marvin Gaye meets James Brown! Audiences can’t get enough of Buck’s massively enchanting stage presence
Momma’s may be getting a popcorn machine. I remember a bar in the Downtown core once having a popcorn machine. They had to get rid of it once Steve the Squirrel’s cousin Rick showed up.
Grizzlies Cyber Monday news:
Eggnog slushies have returned to Max’s Sports Bar.
Typing this at Bardog. Jukebox Repair Guy is installing Google speakers. Sesame salmon and a grilled buffalo chicken wrap are the specials.
That’ll cover it for today. Reminder – posts will be hit or miss the next 5 days because I want to get out and enjoy the holiday weekend without hauling a computer around.
It’s time to look ahead to college football games of interest to Memphis this Thanksgiving weekend. Because of the time of year, I’m expanding my definition of “of interest” to include
Memphis
Teams with a strong regional following – SEC and Arkansas State
Major rivalry games
Games in which a team has a reasonable chance of making the College Football Playoff
Teams which could end up in the Liberty Bowl – so, unranked Big 12 and SEC teams that will likely finish the season with between 6 and 8 wins
Teams that are potential bowl opponents for the Memphis Tigers
Rankings are as of Tuesday evening, November 14.
Thanksgiving Day
13 Ole Miss at Mississippi State, Egg Bowl, 6:30 PM, ESPN
Friday
Memphis at. Temple, 11:00 AM, ESPN
UTSA at 24 Tulane, 2:30 PM, ABC
9 Missouri at Arkansas, Battle Line Rivalry, 3:00 PM, CBS
Texas Tech at 7 Texas, 6:30 PM, ABC
11 Oregon State at 6 Oregon, 7:30 PM, FOX
Saturday
2 Ohio State at 3 Michigan, 11:00 AM, FOX
Kentucky at 10 Louisville, Governor’s Cup game, 11:00 AM, ABC
Texas A&M at 15 LSU, 11:00 AM, ESPN
Navy at SMU, 11:00 AM, ESPN2
8 Alabama at Auburn, Iron Bowl, 2:30 PM, CBS
17 Arizona at Arizona State, 2:30 PM, ESPN
Vanderbilt at 13 Tennessee, 2:30 PM, SEC Network
Washington State at 5 Washington, Apple Cup, 3:00 PM, FOX
It looks like the SEC isn’t going to have enough 6-plus-win teams to fill all of its bowl slots. In that case, the Liberty Bowl would become Big 12 vs. wild card and the spot could possibly go to Memphis. That would be bad news for our local hotel and restaurant industries but great news for Tigers fans.
The Downtown Memphis Commission will hold a public safety meeting at its office (N. Main at Adams) 10:30-11:30 AM Tuesday, November 28. Most likely this will be a final presentation of street closings and related plans for Saturday, December 2’s St. Jude Marathon. If you own a business Downtown that opens before noon that day, you should attend or send a rep in order to understand what your employees will need to do to get to work.
Any restaurants/bars opening early for the marathon? Let me know. paul.ryburn@gmail.com or hit me up on social media.
It’s National Peanut Butter Fudge Day. That’s an item I believe Bass Pro at the Pyramid carries. I think that the new sweets shop in the 99 N. Main apartment building. might have it too.
Blind Bear’s specials for this week:
Thanksgiving dinner – slow roasted turkey breast smothered with brown turkey gravy, cornbread dressing, Tony’s greens, three-cheese mac & cheese, rosemary mashed potatoes, cinnamon & orange cranberry sauce, dinner roll – 22
Sweet potato pie – sweet potatoes, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger with a golden flaky crust – 8
Individual cup/bowl of Tony’s greens – 6/10
Blind Bear will open at 6 PM on Thanksgiving. Bardog will open at 5. I will expand this list as more info comes my way.
The DM reports that Rock ‘n Dough Pizza will open a location at 704 Madison after the first of the year. It will have a 4-lane duckpin bowling alley. Don’t know what duckpin bowling is? Wikipedia to the rescue.
The men’s basketball Tigers will face some quality competition this week in the Battle 4 Atlantis invitational tournament in beautiful Nassau, Bahamas. The Tigers kick things off with a 5 PM battle vs. the Wolverines of Michigan Wednesday. On Thanksgiving Day Memphis plays either Arkansas or Stanford, with tip time at 5 PM if they win Wednesday’s game or 7:30 if they lose.
I’ll be out in Eads with my friends Randy & Theresa for Thanksgiving dinner. Randy says he’ll pick me up around noon, along with Butt Slut #2 who also lives Downtown. Butt Slut #1 has to work at her dad’s liquor store (in Mississippi those can be open on Turkey Day) until about 3 then will drive up to Eads.
But here’s the thing – Randy promised Butt Slut #1 he’d put her Dallas Cowboys at 3:25. If the basketball Tigers play at 5, that will be a problem. Hey Randy, perhaps Butt Slut #1 would like to dine al fresco on the bench on your patio while the grownups occupy the dining room. The forecast is for a balmy 55 and besides, she’ll have soup to keep her warm.
I’m typing this from Bardog so I might as well inform you of today’s specials:
Dog: Breakfast dog – 2 eggs, bacon, hash, cheddar, mustard, ketchup (EDIT 2:18 PM): Changed to chili, cheese, onion
Mussels: Garlic butter, white wine, tomato
Pecan pie
Caramel cake
OMG there’s an I Got That Dog in Me shirt. I need to get that for the butt sluts to wear to work so they can promote the Daily Dog.
PRO TIP: If you order urinal mats, yellow is not a good choice. They make it look like the person before you didn’t flush.
Boston came away with a 102-100 win over the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum yesterday. The Grizz fall to 3-10, tied with Portland and San Antonio for the worst record in the West. The good news? Memphis is only 6.5 games out of first.
Next up, the Grizz head to Houston where they’ll tussle with our old buddy Dillon Wednesday at 7. Except, knowing him, he won’t be satisfied with a tussle and will try to turn it into a kerfluffle.
Memphis magazine recently profiled bartender Melicia Coleman, who makes drinks at trucker bar Momma’s on Crump. (The Dirty Crow Inn that preceded Momma’s was a “chicken bar”? Wow.)
PROGRAMMING NOTE – My posts this week (through Sunday) may be sparse. I want to be out among friends during this holiday week, not sitting in front of a laptop all day. However, at least for tomorrow I expect to be back with more news.
If you’re trying to come up with a dish to take to a Friendsgiving potluck, may I recommend potatoes gratin with Boursin. Butt Slut #1 requested them at our 2022 holiday dinner (can’t remember if it was Thanksgiving or Christmas) and they were a big hit.
Southern Living has a list of 62 Thanksgiving casseroles. Shall I do a “Paul’s Picks” like I do for Downtown Dining Week?
Max Kaplan plays Slider Inn Downtown tonight at 7.
Aldo’s Pizza Pies is having a 50% off gift card sale through November 30 at both its Downtown and Midtown locations. Minimum $25 purchase and the gift cards can be used beginning January 1, 2024. The gift cards have no expiration date.
Don’t forget, the Downtown Christmas tree lighting is this Saturday at South Main and Peabody Place. The party begins at 4:30 with free hot chocolate from Margie’s 901 and photos with Santa. That start time is 4:30 PM – not to be confused with 4:30 AM, 12 hours later, which is “drunk people climb the Downtown Christmas tree” time.
There’s a “Mommy & Me” event, a Barbie & Me Body Butter making class, happening at Oh Sweets! Skin Care, 65 Monroe, from 1 to 3 PM Saturday. Dress in your best Barbie outfit, walk the pink carpet, and… oh, I can’t do this. Click the link if you want to read more.
Then at 5:30 Saturday, Oh Sweets! is hosting an Adult Sip & Whip Class, You get to make body butter and some other stuff and you get wine & candy & store discounts. Again, click the link if you want full details. This is an adults-only class.
Bardog has created an official Facebook event listing for its December 6 Hampline beer dinner it’s hosting in the Underdog Room. With minor revisions, the menu is what I posted on Tuesday:
Starter: Tuna Carpaccio with Handlebar Haze New England IPA
First Course: Asparagus Bisque with Natch Lager
Second Course: Beet Salad with Cherry Bomb Cherry Amaretto Sour Gose
Third Course: Beef Wellington with Hoot & Haller Pilsner
Dessert: Pumpkin Cheesecake with Dunk Tank Oktoberfest
The major change is the listed price. It had previously been reported as $60 + added fees; now, the charge is said to be $97.42 including tax and gratuity. At least the pours of each beer are generous 8 oz. pours instead of the dribbles you get at the average beer sampling.
The DMC has issued a report on revenues generated by the new Mobility Center and other transportation initiatives. Most of those initiatives are beating expectations. The same report notes that interior demolition will begin soon on the 100 N. Main building, an early step in its repurposing.
Memphis’ Finest Comedy Show, scheduled for Sunday, has been canceled. Also, tonight’s Orpheum Soiree is sold out.
This week Pretty Taco has $3 Red Flag shots during Power Hour 9-10 PM Friday and Saturday.
