Paul Ryburn's Journal

John Bragg is getting ready to roll out a new menu at his restaurant Circa, and this week you can try some of his new menu items at a special price. Three course dinner from the choices below. Tax and gratuity not included in the price, and discounts including holiday gift certificates cannot be used for this special.

“Egg” Salad – mesclun with poached farm egg, polenta, Benton’s bacon and tarragon vinaigrette

Grilled Oysters with Herb Butter and Parmigiano

Tomato and Squash Soup served “yin-yang” with basil oil

Entree Choices

Roast Elk Tenderloin with celery root mashed potatoes and chanterelle cream

Salmon Koulibiac: spinach and wild rice in puff pastry with lemon-dill beurre blanc

“Porko-Bucco” cherry-balamic braised pork shank with hand-cut tagliatelle and cippolini

Dessert Choices

Passionfruit Baked Alaska with chocolate ladyfingers and sorbet

Chocolate Tart with Mocha Anglaise

I’ve got several more posts to get up today… so many that I’ll probably run out of time in my lunch break and have to continue when I get home from work.  Check back.

If you love the Grizzlies, you might want to keep an eye on this page, particularly where it lists the Western Conference standings at the lower right.  16 teams in the conference, top 8 go to the playoffs.  The Grizzlies, who improved to 22-18 yesterday afternoon with a victory over Phoenix, are #10 in the conference right now, but we’re only half a game out of 8th place.  The way we’ve been playing lately, I think it’s entirely possible we’ll move into a top-8 slot within a week or two.

The really cool thing is, we’re only 4.5 games behind division leader Dallas.  Who would have thought two months ago that the division leader would be within reach?

Too bad we’re not in the much-weaker Eastern Conference.  Chicago, the current #8 and therefore the team who would qualify for the last playoff slot if the season ended today, is only 18-21.  In fact, we have a record better than #5 in the East, Charlotte.

I had a reader question this week, via e-mail, about who I thought would win the Super Bowl and be proclaimed the NFL champions XLwhatever.

Let me make it clear.  I barely watch college football.  Much less pro.

But, fine.  If you want a prediction, I guess I’ll support my friends.  One day I was sitting at the bar with my friend Mikey.  And then Mikey paid his tab and said, “I have to go take the Browns to the Super Bowl.”  So apparently he’s got money on the game.  And I’ve got to support my friends.

Browns = Cleveland right?  I didn’t even know they made the playoffs.  I just hope Mikey wasn’t full of shit, because if he was, it could be a crappy game.  Nevertheless, I hope everything comes out all right.

Shelton Clothiers is seriously considering opening a new women’s store Downtown and wants your help. This Friday, January 22, is Christine Shelton’s birthday, and she wants the ladies of Downtown to help her celebrate it in the storefront at 121 S. Main. There will be images of women’s fashions on the wall, and you will be invited to mark the ones you like – it’s a “Mark it for Market” party. Your feedback will help determine which clothing lines Christine carries when the store opens.

Everyone who comes will receive a $25 gift card toward their first purchase, and they will become one of “Christine’s Preferred Customers.” You’ll also get to enter into a drawing for a $100 gift card to Circa.

Wine will be served at the party, and Circa will provide food. Free food? Wonder if the Nuh-Uh Girl will show up.

The Silly Goose celebrates its first birthday party this Wednesday night, January 20. There will be a DJ and drink specials to thank those who supported the Goose during their first year, so come on out. Lord… I have a feeling Thursday morning is going to hurt.

Brick got on my Facebook page and claimed that she didn’t say “It’s not seafood!” (regarding lobster), but rather “I love seafood!” I don’t know. Lots of people were sitting nearby, and as soon as she said it, other people commented to me, “well, there’s your next quote.” So it’s unclear whether I mis-heard, or whether she’s trying to cover her tracks. As for the server who said maybe Brick should try learning English before she learns French, Brick responded, “English was always my best subject so whoever said that can kissy juicy behind.”

Hmmm it’s 55 out… that means, for the first time in nearly a month, I’m going to wear my PBR hoodie, shorts and sandals to the Saucer for Pint Nite.  BEER!

There’s a site called Giveaway of the Day that gives away free, one-day-only downloads of licensed commercial software that normally sells for $25. $40, $50, sometimes even more.  The giveaways are not trial versions, but full, licensed, unlocked versions.  If you’re into games, there’s also a Game Giveaway of the Day.  If you have a list of sites that you check first thing every morning, this is a good one to add.

Just got home from my morning Mountain Dew run.  For those of you who rarely make it to the north end of the Main Street Mall, here’s a pic of the now-completed Courtyard by Marriott:

This new hotel fills what was formerly one of Downtown’s most prominent open spaces, at the southwest corner of Main and Jefferson.  I don’t think it’s open yet but it surely won’t be long.  It’s good to see more mid-range hotel space in the Downtown core.  That will attract more conventions and more tourist dollars to the area.

On the way home, I passed by Court Square, and saw the new sign listing the rules of the park (click for a larger, more readable image).

To summarize in one sentence, “Don’t be a bum.”  The really funny thing was, while I was reading the sign, a bum came up to me and used the standard opening line – “How you doin big bro? Y’alright?”  I just walked away, but about half a block down Main I turned around and saw that the Downtown safety patrol had caught up to him.  Good work guys!

Don’t forget that Kooky Canuck has 99 cent Super Cold Bud Light all day today.  If you have tomorrow off, they’re open until 3 AM so you can drink for cheap.

Some of my fellow online poker fans have told me they enjoy the knockout tournaments on Full Tilt Poker, where you get paid a bounty for each player you eliminate from the tournament, in addition for the chance to make it into the money and share in the prize pool.  Well, DoylesRoom.com, the online poker room created by poker legend Doyle Brunson, is holding the ultimate knockout tournament the first and third Monday of every month.  Called “Beat the Brunson 10,” the entry fee is $22 or $10 + $10 + 2.  The first $10 goes to the prize pool for finishing in the money.  The second $10 goes to knockout bonuses – you earn $10 for every player you knock out.  So, if you knock out 5 players, you’ll win $50 even if you yourself get knocked out before cashing into the prize money.  Furthermore, the “Brunson 10,” ten rising stars in the poker world personally selected by Doyle, will play in the tournament.  Knock one of them out and you win $500.

Last night was a sad night at the Saucer as bartender Katie worked her last shift.  She says we’ll still see her, though, on the other side of the bar from time to time, which is a lot more fun place to be.  So now there’s only one remaining Katie at the Saucer.  We will no longer have to distinguish between “bartender Katie” and “waitress Katie,” between “blond Katie” and “brunette Katie,” between “smart Katie” and “Brick.”  Brick, by the way, is trying to learn French so that people won’t know when she says dumb things.  “She’s learning French?” one of the other servers commented.  “Maybe she should work on learning English first.”

I have advance knowledge that Harp is the Fire Sale today.  In my opinion, Harp tastes almost exactly like PBR, so if you’re a PBR fan today is your day.  Maybe I’ll wear the PBR hoodie in honor of the Fire Sale.

Ah, Sunday.  The start of a new week, which means it’s time for a new “Brick” Quote of the Week.

This particular quote happened last Sunday.  I got to the Saucer about 12:30 and found that Brick was working.  By “working” I mean sitting on her ass on the couch, talking.  “I wonder how long it will take before I get something quotable,” I commented.

Not two minutes later, a discussion broke out about good places to eat Sunday brunch.  “Bardog is really good,” someone said.  “Especially the lobster sandwich.”

Moody replied, “Yeah, but I don’t eat seafood.”

Brick, who was sitting next to Moody, exclaimed, “IT’S NOT SEAFOOD!”

You know, NBC is looking to fill 5 hours of prime-time programming now that they’ve pulled Leno.  Maybe they should just put Brick in front of a camera and let her talk.  The show would probably become the #1-rated comedy of the season.

South of Beale is the latest restaurant to be certified by Project Green Fork, a nonprofit organization that encourages restaurants to use environmentally friendly practices.  In order to be certified, SOB had to

• Have sustainable products in place
• Set up a recycling program
• Set up kitchen composting
• Replace toxic cleaners with non-toxic ones
• Complete an audit by MLGW, and based on their findings, take steps to consume less energy and water
• Take steps to prevent pollution

Congratulations to SOB on this fine accomplishment.  Other Downtown restaurants certified by PGF include Blue Fin and the kitchen at Miss Cordelia’s.

In the lunch recommendation post earlier this morning, I mentioned Flight.  You can now keep up with Flight’s lunch and dinner specials online.  They asked noted downtown foodie the Nuh-Uh Girl to help them with their online presence.  Wonder how much free food she’s getting for this?

You can become their fan on Facebook by searching for “Flight Restaurant and Wine Bar.”  They’re already posting specials there.  Thursday night they had a filet flight special which sounded delicious.

You can also follow them on Twitter at @flightmemphis.

To view their menus and wine flights, check out their website at flightmemphis.com.

As I typed the previous post listing lunch recommendations, I realized that maybe I should do breakfast too.  Here are a few places near the law school where you can grab something good for breakfast.

Elliott’s (Second between Madison and Monroe): My absolute top pick. Breakfast burritos, sandwiches, and bowls. I like the burrito with sausage, potatoes, and jalapenos. I forget its name. The “Tribute to Bill Saba” makes my health guru AL shudder, consisting of sausage, bacon, ham, cheese and egg on buttered Texas toast. If you eat Elliott’s breakfasts, you probably won’t be hungry when lunch rolls around. They serve breakfast until 10:30 I think.

Bardog Tavern (Monroe between Front and Main): Bardog might be even better than Elliott’s, but I don’t work Downtown anymore so I haven’t had a chance to try their breakfasts yet. I believe they also serve until 10:30.

Blue Plate Cafe (Court Square): Huge selection of breakfast items – pancakes, waffles, omelets, egg breakfasts, sausage biscuits, you name it. They serve breakfast even during lunch hours, all the way up to their 2 PM close.