Today is the finals of the International Blues Challenge. It starts at the Orpheum at noon, with doors opening at 11 AM. Tickets are $42.50 (while supplies last) and an IBC pass will also get you in. There will be a silent auction at 11 AM. The best self-produced CD winner will also be announced at this show. The best blues in the world are right down the street today.
There are a few more IBC events to wrap things up. Tonight at 8:30 there will be an all-star Jam with Dennis Jones at the New Daisy on Beale Street. At 10 there will be a VizzTone Blues Party at Rum Boogie Cafe. That party will be hosted by by Bob Margolin featuring Candye Kane, Laura Chavez, Little G Weevil, Dennis Gruenling, Long Tall Deb & Colin John, Bob Corritore, Gina Sicilia, Gracie Curran, Tad Walters, Chuck Cotton, Richard “Rosy” Rosenblatt. $5 cover.
Tomorrow there will be a Blues Brunch at 10:30 at the Majestic Grille. Out-of-towners, if you’re undecided about this, GO. The Majestic has one of the best brunches in the city.
Got an update from someone who dropped by Earnestine & Hazel’s last night and talked to people who work there: They plan to be open every day now, although they may not be open for lunch. This is mere speculation on my part, but if you want to experience E&H as it has existed for the past 22 years, you might want to do it sooner rather than later. Actually, it could be argued that E&H as it existed for the past 22 years no longer exists, now that a few key employees have been let go. I don’t want to name names but they were as much a part of the place as the jukebox and the records on the walls. If any of those let go are reading this: My heart hurts for you and if I can do anything to help you, please let me know.
I mentioned that all three of Aldo’s restaurants are selling party packs for Super Bowl parties at home. Add one more restaurant to the list: Central BBQ. They’ve got meat trays, sandwich packs, wings, and more. They suggest calling your preferred location as soon as possible to reserve your order. The phone number for the Downtown location is (901) 672-7760.
Two games at the FedExForum this weekend. Tonight at 7 the Grizzlies take on the Houston Rockets, a back-to-back after getting a road win over the Rockets last night in Houston. Tomorrow the Memphis Tigers host the USF Bulls at 1 PM.
Almost time for my usual Saturday Bardog stop. Not sure if Panda will be back or if we’ll have one more week of Brooke, but either way I won’t be disappointed. Got a double birthday party to attend for two friends at the Blind Bear at 9, so I’ve got to be careful to wake up early if I take a midday “halftime” nap. Outta here for now. Congratulations to the blues artists who made it to the finals.
Last night I received a message from one of my Twitter followers. She’d tried to go to Earnestine & Hazel’s last night but it was closed, and she asked if I knew what was going on. I didn’t, but several people on South Main gave me details. Here’s what I have been told (this came from customers, not anyone who works there):
They let two employees go, and as a result have been closed several nights a week
They are taking cash only now
They were open Monday but were closed other days this week.
If I learn more about what’s going on there, I will update.
Eric Clapton has been announced for an April 30 Mud Island Ampitheatre concert. Tickets will go on sale next week.
WREG reports that a bad odor has been leaking from Family Dollar on Main. It has been smelled next door at DeJaVu, and the chef is worried it will turn away his customers. A lawyer whose office is nearby has also complained that his clients smell the odor as soon as they walk into his lobby.
Brrr it’s cold outside! This morning I learned something that Northerners probably already know: When it’s well below freezing, don’t leave the house with wet hair. I had to stop for gas and by the time I finished pumping, I had icicles forming in my hair.
Tonight is Thirsty Thursday, the weekly pint night at the Downtown Central BBQ location. Yazoo is the featured brewery this week, and there will be $3 pints of its Gerst beer. 22-ounce bombers of the brewery’s limited-edition 10-Year IPA will be available as well, although probably not for $3. Central puts out complimentary “bar bites” during the event. Tonight they will include pork butt sloppy joes, fried chicken skins, and possibly BBQ poutine. More info here. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.
The Orpheum has announced a lottery for $25 tickets to Wicked, which will run January 29-February 16. 2 1/2 hours before each performance, people can show up at the box office and have their names placed in a lottery drum. 30 minutes later, names will be drawn for a limited number of $25 orchestra seats, cash only. Limit two per winner, and winners must present valid photo ID at the time of signing up and when claiming their prize.
Short on time, so short post today. Don’t forget that the quarterfinals of the International Blues Challenge are still going on and there are $10 wristbands on Beale that get you in all the IBC venues today.
The Peabody’s Corner Bar has revised its happy hour specials, which run from 5 to 7 PM Monday-Thursday. They have something different each night. Here’s the lineup:
– Monday is 3×3 Monday Mania, with a selection of martinis, margaritas, and mojitos for $3 each.
– Tuesday is Blues, Brews, and Booze for Tennessee Tuesdays with a selection of Tennessee beers and spirits for $3 each. The options change but examples from last night include Yazoo Hop Project #73 and Prichard’s Fine Run. There is live blues music.
– Wednesday is Winedown Wednesday with a selection of house reds and whites for $2.50, $5, and $7 each.
-Thursday is Girls’ Night Out with a selection of pink drinks for $3.
Former CA writer Dan Wolken (@DanWolken on Twitter) tweeted a very interesting map: Where college basketball teams recruit. You can filter by conference, team, or position.
I’ve been forgetting to ask my readers to follow this link and vote for Copeland Coaching to receive a $25,000 small business grant. I’ve mentioned my friend Angie Copeland, who has been mentoring job seekers for 9 years, a few times on this blog. I’ve known her for the entire time she has been coaching and she is a valuable resource to turn to for advice. If you would take a minute to vote for Angie I would appreciate it very much.
With recent law changes in Mississippi, Tennessee has the most restrictive beer cap in the Southeast. Anything over 5% ABV brewed in Tennessee is considered liquor by the state. This hurts area brewers because some of their best craft brews are well above 5%. Find out how you can help fix the beer cap here.
The Memphis Flyer 20 Under 30 issue is out. I haven’t seen the full list yet, but congratulations to radio host Chris Vernon’s sidekick Jon Roser on his inclusion. Roser is one of the people who keeps it real in Memphis.
I notched a win at the Tuesday night Blind Bear Texas Hold’em game. It was a weird night. We had flops of 3-3-3 twice in one night, very unusual. I had starting hands of 7-2, 7-3, 7-4, and 7-3 in a row. Those are among the worst hands in full-table Hold’em and it’s amazing that I won given all the garbage I was dealt. However, I was also dealt pocket Kings a couple of times and those helped a lot. I added another $50 gift card to my stash, although the real value of poker night is all the wonderful friends I have made there, much more so than the prize winnings. By the way, the rumor that I bought a round of pepper jack mac & cheese for the bar with the $50 is not true.
In case you missed my morning update, don’t forget that there’s some great music on Beale tonight at the IBC! $10 wristbands!
Just a quick note to remind everyone that the quarterfinals of the International Blues Challenge are tonight and tomorrow on Beale and surrounding clubs. This is an international competition that bands had to qualify for in advance, so everyone competing is quite talented. There is a $10 wristband on sale tonight that will get you in all the clubs where IBC bands are performing. This is one of your best chances of the year to hear some great live music, so if the blues are your thing, take advantage of it.
There’s a Grizzlies game Groupon going on right now. You get a game ticket, a T-shirt, and a bottomless popcorn in the deal.
Friday is National Beer Can Appreciation Day. The Flying Saucer (both Downtown and Cordova) will have a variety of canned craft brews available from 11 AM to close.
The Flyer’s Hungry Memphis blogger discovered a Chinese restaurant inside City Hall. Amazing that I’ve lived Downtown for 12 years and never knew about it.
Bardog Tavern is offering a package for $99.99 that will feed 8-12 people for a Super Bowl party at home. It consists of
20 wings
20 original Memphis sliders
20 hot dog sliders
chorizo cheese dip
spinach & artichoke dip
homemade chips
Stop by the tavern at 73 Monroe or call 901-275-8752 to place your order.
Aldo’s Pizza Pies is also offering a game package that feeds 8-12, for $89.99. You get
2 appetizers
family-style house salad
3 large specialty pizzas
Call 901-577-7PIE or stop by 100 South Main to place your order.
That’s the news for now. I’ll be out at the Blind Bear at 8 for their poker night. I’m getting low on gift cards so I need a win tonight.
Welcome to another installment of Paul’s PBR Review, where I talk about the best places in Memphis to get a Pabst Blue Ribbon, the Cadillac of beers. Today’s post is about the Blind Bear, a speakeasy opened by three veteran Downtown bartenders in December 2011. The name was a play on common 1920s speakeasy names like “The Blind Pig,” substituting “Bear” since the grizzly bear is the mascot of Memphis’ NBA team.
The Bear is decorated in dark tones typical of a speakeasy. There is a long bar in the back that seats about 16. Two flat-screen TVs are there for patrons to enjoy. On Sundays in the fall the bar is a popular spot among those who play fantasy football, because the Bear subscribes to the NFL’s RedZone channel. Although not a sports bar per se, the Blind Bear has been nationally recognized as one of the best places in Memphis to watch Grizzlies games, perhaps because all three operating partners are big Grizzlies fans.
There is plenty of comfortable lounge seating throughout the speakeasy. There are also blackjack and poker tables, which during the week are covered and used for dining. On Sunday and Tuesday nights the covers come off the poker tables, for free-to-play Texas Hold’em tournaments with a $50 gift card as the prize (6:30 PM Sundays, 8 PM Tuesdays). Up front there is a coin-operated pool table with plenty of rail seating and another flat-screen TV. There is also patio seating outside.
“But Paul,” you’re probably protesting by now, “enough of the description of the place. Get to the important stuff. Do they serve PBR?”
Indeed they do. When the Bear first opened, PBR was on draft and served in Mason jars with handles. Recently, they switched to PBR in 16-ounce cans, to make room for local drafts on tap. The speakeasy has a Foursquare special: The “mayor” on Foursquare (the person who has checked in there the most in the past 60 days) gets one free PBR a day. Well, actually, you get your choice of domestic beer, but why would anyone ever choose anything but PBR for their freebie?
The Bear has entertainment throughout the week. I’ve already mentioned the Sunday and Tuesday poker games. On Wednesday there is trivia with Charles at 8, with a gift card for the winning team. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday there is live music. On the weekends, if you know the password to get in, you can beat the $5 cover charge. They post the password on the Blind Bear Facebook page, usually in the afternoon the day-of. However, your first chance to get the weekend passwords comes on Wednesday, when Charles announced them between trivia rounds. On Saturday and Sunday, the Bear has brunch (“Hung Over Like a Bear Brunch”) until 6 PM, one of the latest brunch times in town for those who make Sunday afternoon their Sunday morning.
A new chef, Fortunato Oliva, recently started at the Blind Bear, and he re-worked the menu, keeping some of the old favorites but adding new items as well. Having recently won poker a couple of times, I decided to use my gift card winnings to step through the new menu. “I’m sure the new dishes are tasty,” I thought to myself, “but what I really want to know is, does the food pair well with PBR?”
Crab cakes (click any image to view larger size)
On Monday I went in and tried the crab cakes. In an earlier discussion with Chef Fortunato, I had learned that one of his issues with the old menu was that there was no seafood option. He wanted to get seafood on the menu, and he hoped to create a seafood signature dish. He may well have done it with the crab cakes. You get two enormous cakes with risotto in the center of the plate. If your idea of crab cakes is what they serve at Captain D’s, with lots and lots of breading and one or two tiny pieces of crab, the Bear’s cakes will change your thinking. These crab cakes are all meat – big, lumpy pieces of crab. The risotto provides a nice balance to the cakes, but what really sets off the taste of the crab cakes is the PBR. Seafood and PBR are a match made in heaven, kind of like bees and honey, toast and jam, breasts and tube tops.
One note I’ll make here is that two of the Bear’s servers, Kaylea and Christy, are anti-tube top. BOOOOOOOOOO Kaylea and Christy. What’s really surprising is that they are both good friends with Suzy, who has had photos in this blog many times and who is one of the most pro-tube top people I know.
Chicken paillard
On Tuesday I had the chicken paillard. This is chicken that is pounded until it is thin, and then cooked over high heat to get it up to temperature. I have to admit, I ordered this dish early on not so much because of the chicken, but because of one of the sides, crispy Brussels sprouts. I have been a big fan of Brussels sprouts since I was a kid, and I know that they go very well with PBR. However, once my plate came out, I was all about the chicken. The sauce on top was to die for. Not only was it amazing on the chicken, but it went well with the other side that came with the dish, garlic smashed Yukon potatoes. I would like to sit here and tell you that the PBR I was drinking completed this dish, but I can’t – the chicken paillard was so outstanding that I would have enjoyed it even if I had been drinking a Miller Lite or worse (ugh) a Coors Light.
By the way, I acknowledge that some people do like Miller Light and Coors Light, and if so maybe you should watch the Grizzlies at the Bear. During Grizzlies games and one hour before, they have those two beers and Miller High Life in bottles for $2.50.
Creme brulee
After finishing my chicken, I still had 40 minutes to spare before Tuesday night poker. With plenty of gift card space to spare, I decided it was time for dessert. I ordered the creme brûlée. As I was waiting for it, I noticed how much the PBR opened up my palate to prepare me for the next course. It’s kind of like when they give you ginger at a sushi restaurant to clean your palate. PBR kind of naturally does that. Chef Fortunato’s take on creme brûlée is a vanilla creme brûlée with almond brittle and cayenne reduction. It was rich and creamy and complemented the PBR I was drinking beautifully. There were almond pieces atop the dish’s hard shell. I’ve only had creme brûlée a handful of times, but that was the first time I have seen it topped with pieces of nuts.
Angus short rib
Thursday night I was back at the Bear to try another of Chef Fortunato’s additions to the menu, the Angus short rib. This dish consists of beef short ribs, braised in cola to produce a rich brown gravy on top, along with sides of sweet potato mash and green beans. Beef short ribs are said to be the part of the cow most similar in texture and consistency to pork ribs, and I would agree, although they are a bit fattier. Braising them made them nice and juicy to the point where I hardly needed the PBR at all. However, I would like to mention that the PBR really brought out the taste of the sweet potato mash, and vice versa.
One thing to note about the Blind Bear’s menu – they do have sides available as single servings. They just didn’t have room to print them on the menu. Any side that is available with any entree can be ordered by itself as well. These would include sweet potato mash, haricot vert (green beans), garlic smashed Yukon potatoes, crispy Brussels sprouts, and asparagus tips. There is also one additional, special side which I will get to in a moment.
Pork belly confit
Having tried seafood, poultry, and beef on the Bear’s new menu, Friday night I decided it was time to try pork. I ordered the pork belly confit, described on the menu as “Crisp pork belly, green apples, washed onions, cilantro, ponzu with sweet soy.” Pork belly is a dish that has soared in popularity the last few years. I have to admit the first time I heard of it I thought, “They cook and eat the pig’s stomach? That doesn’t sound very appealing.” But, no, pork belly is a fatty cut of meat from the belly of the pig, the same area from which bacon is cut. Since bacon goes well with PBR, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that the pork belly went well with PBR too. I gave a bite to one of my BBQ teammates and he said, “Well, that’s about the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.” The pork is crispy and full of flavor and the sauce it was drizzled in brought out the flavor even more, as did the PBR.
Since I mentioned BBQ, I should probably disclose that the Blind Bear is the bar sponsor of the Memphis in May BBQ Fest team I am on, the Moody Ques. They joined up with us in the team’s first year, 2012, providing cups and napkins. When the bar situation in the 2012 booth proved to be a complete shitshow, the Bear stepped up and took over the bar for 2013. That year the bar ran smooth as silk, no problems at all, which was great because it was one less thing we had to worry about. We were able to focus more on throwing a good party because there were no problems with liquor. The Bear will be back with us for 2014 and we are delighted to have them.
Pepper jack mac & cheese
Back to the pork belly… it appeared on the “Hotsy-Totsy” (appetizer) menu, as opposed to my choices earlier in the week which were on “The Great Gatsby” (entree) menu. Therefore, I expected the pork belly to be a smaller size, and decided that I should get a side to go with it. My choice was a classic item dating back to the very first days the Blind Bear was open: Pepper jack mac & cheese. This award-winning dish uses pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar for a one-of-a-kind taste. It’s creamy, as mac & cheese should be, and has just a little spice to make it interesting. They took it off the menu for a while, but it is back and Jeannette promised it will never be taken off the menu again. I really enjoy letting the spiciness build in my mouth through several bites of mac & cheese, and then I wash it out with a sip of ice cold PBR.
By the way, if there’s a person in your dining party who doesn’t like PBR (horrors!) there are other beverages to pair with your food. The Bear has a selection of wines; ask your bartender or server for a recommendation for a good wine to pair with the food you want to order. There is also a “giggle water” menu of mixed drinks.
In my years Downtown I have learned that it is a very good sign for a bar when people who work at other restaurants/bars come there after they get off. They’re in the business themselves, so they know what’s good. It’s not uncommon to walk in the Bear and see people who work at the Majestic, Local, Bluefin, Flying Saucer, and Aldo’s Pizza Pies having food and drink.
I hope this post has convinced you that the Blind Bear is not only a great place to get a PBR, but a great place to have dinner as well. Give the new menu a try; I am sure you will find something you like. The Blind Bear is on the Main Street Mall, just south of Gayoso Avenue. It is open 5 PM to 3 AM Monday-Friday, 3 PM (noon during football season) to 3 AM Saturday and Sunday.
Roughly 1000 members of the country music and radio industries will be in town this weekend. They are here for Country Cares, a seminar that gives participants a look at the mission of St. Jude through tours, patient panels, and sessions on how to make radiothons a success. They will be here through Sunday the 19th. Welcome to all!
The Memphis Tigers host UConn at 6 PM at the FedExForum today. The game will be nationally broadcast on ESPN. UConn, ranked at the beginning of the season, has stumbled a few times, but a win over UConn would still be considered a quality win by the NCAA tournament committee.
A friend of mine had a really sweet dog show up on her doorstep in East Memphis a few days ago. My friend took her around the neighborhood to try and find the owners, but no luck. The dog gets along fairly well with other dogs and with cats, can be walked on a leash, and is housetrained. My friend has two other dogs and a cat, so she can’t keep her. Would anyone like to adopt this dog? If so email me at paul@paulryburn.com and I will put you in touch. My friend is willing to help with the cost of shots and spaying if needed. If no one adopts her within a few days, she will have to go to the shelter where her future would likely be grim.
Looking for a job? Hard Rock Cafe is looking for an experienced kitchen manager.
Retired pro wrestler/Twitter legend The Iron Sheik now has his own alarm clock app. Wake to the sounds of Sheikie Baby yelling at you. This morning he tweeted that he is more genius than the Steve Jobs and the Lanny Poffo for developing this app.
Want to be a vendor at Memphis Farmers Market? Here’s how. Deadline for applications is February 8.
Kooky Canuck announced that there will be an all-Canadian showcase for the International Blues Challenge at the restaurant at 11:30 AM next Thursday, January 23.
For those who appreciate tube tops as much as I do, might want to check out this post on the Hot Chicks with Douchebags site.
That’s it for now. Working from home while I wait on a car repair that was supposed to happen two weeks ago but didn’t. I’ll be out about 6 to watch the Tigers game.
Good luck to former Memphian the Nuh-Uh Sister, who is in L.A. filming an episode of Jeopardy as a contestant today.
Wet Willie’s bartender Jessica Braddy was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease in December, and Beale Street is holding a fundraiser for her. All the get-in-(almost) all-of-the-Beale-cubs wristbands sold on Friday, January 17 will be donated to paying for her care. Also, Jessica Braddy Benefit and Silent Auction will held on Friday, January 17 at Wet Willie’s with music by Eric Hughes and other musicians. Wet Willie’s will match every dollar donated. If you can’t make it to the fundraiser, you can donate here.
The Shelby County Health Department is now offering free flu vaccines.
Lansky at the Peabody is having their biggest sale ever. Here’s what’s on sale:
50% OFF All BONOBOS Pants
50% OFF Select Mens/Womens TOMS shoes
Large Group of Sportcoats 40-50% OFF
Large Group of Outerwear 40% OFF
Large Group of Sportshirts 50% OFF (including select styles from Southern Tide, Thomas Dean, Bugatchi, Stone Rose)
Leather Jackets 40% OFF
Select Group of Nat Nast/Robert Graham 40% OFF
Select Group of Shoes – Up to 75% OFF
50% OFF SEC Collegiate Sportshirts
If you can’t make it to the store, email sales@lanskybros.com with your sizes/brands/styles interested and they will send you photos.
The MBJ reports that Hard Rock Cafe is moving into the building at 126 Beale. That building is the former home of Republic Nightclub, EP Delta Kitchen, and Elvis Presley’s Memphis.
After getting knocked out at poker last night, I watched the Kentucky-Arkansas game, which went into overtime. Tied at 85-85, the Hogs missed a three-pointer with about 3 seconds left… and then sophomore Michael Qualls put it back in with a SportsCenter Top 10-worthy dunk. That left the Wildcats with 0.2 seconds to pass the ball the length of the court and tip it in. However, the Wildcats threw the ball too high and it hit the arena’s ceiling scoreboard, considered out of bounds. That gave the Razorbacks the ball with 0.2 on the clock and that was the game. So much fun to see John Calipari screaming at the refs, the timekeepers, anyone who would listen. View the video of the dunk and reactions here.
That’s it for now. I’ll probably lead off at the Silly Goose after work around 6, then walk over to Blind Bear to continue my journey through the new dinner menu. Getting some good pics for the next PBR Review post.
Recently I came across an email that said that certain events that had occurred had caused a minor kerfluffle. It was the first time in my life I could recall “kerfluffle” used in a sentence, and I looked it up on Dictionary.com.
kerfluffle
row, disturbance, c.1930, first in Canadian English, ult. from Scot. curfuffle.
It wasn’t wrong before I heard the word again. Wiseacre Brewery has announced that their KERFLUFFLE Oatmeal Stout is now on tap at the Flying Saucer. Tonight’s 7:30 trivia game has a bonus round where you could win a chance to take a tour of the brewery.
Going to the Grizzlies game tonight? Get there early if you want a Grizzlies scarf. They are free to the first 5000 fans. Last week’s headphone giveaway ran out in 15 minutes. Game time is 7 and Oklahoma City is the opponent.
Pretty smart to do those giveaways. They get people in the arena early, paying $10 for an extra beer they’d get for $4-5 if they pre-gamed at a bar down the street.
Uptown news: Sidewalk repairs on North Main between Henry and Keel beginning tomorrow. The repairs are funded by the Main2Main project that will connect Memphis’ Main Street with West Memphis’ Broadway.
I’ll be at Tuesday night poker at the Blind Bear at 8. I may show up a little early to try one of the Bear’s new menu items. I had the crab cakes last night and they were fabulous; I will discuss them soon in a Paul’s PBR Review, but if you’re a fan of seafood do not wait for my review to come out to try these.
Hopefully everyone will play nice at poker tonight and no one will start a kerfluffle. Happy Tuesday everyone and Go Grizzlies!
A friend of mine had a really sweet dog show up on her doorstep in East Memphis a few days ago. My friend took her around the neighborhood to try and find the owners, but no luck. The dog gets along fairly well with other dogs and with cats, can be walked on a leash, and is housetrained. My friend has two other dogs and a cat, so she can’t keep her. Would anyone like to adopt this dog? If so email me at paul@paulryburn.com and I will put you in touch. My friend is willing to help with the cost of shots and spaying if needed. If no one adopts her within a few days, she will have to go to the shelter where her future would likely be grim.