Brother Juniper's

Does anyone know who the original Brother Juniper was?? I didn't until I looked it up - he was a humble cook for St. Francis of Assisi. Even though the Brothers were poor, Brother Juniper always made delicious and nutritious meals for the Brothers. I strongly encourage you to click here for more history on how Brother Juniper's came to Memphis and its mission. Great story, purpose, and love for the community. Last Friday, I enjoyed an early breakfast with a good friend at Brother Juniper's. I've been to Brother Juniper's once before and thought it was good, but wasn't super impressed by the food. I just figured I ordered the wrong thing. Since everyone raves about this place, I thought I would give it another try. This time I ordered the #3: Two eggs scrambled with pesto, roasted red peppers, spinach, tomatoes and topped with mozzarella cheese.

It was good, but definitely not the best breakfast I've had in Memphis. I rarely ever reach for the salt and pepper shakers at restaurants, but this time I felt like I couldn't stop. The food was healthy and good, but lacked a little flavor in my opinion. But, when I'm hungrier, I want to go again and possibly get one of the open face omelets, which I here are delicious! The atmosphere is very charming and almost makes you feel like you're eating at home. In my opinion, the mission, story, sweet staff, and atmosphere outweigh the food, but I'm still convinced I'm not ordering their best dishes and wish to keep going back. I give Brother Juniper's 3 stars.

Boscos Squared

Beer + pizza + patio = Boscos Squared. A few weeks ago , I gathered a group of our closest friends and we all surprised Jon on his 30th birthday at Boscos. Why Boscos? Sentimentally, because it is one of the first places Jon and I hung out. Practically, because it can accommodate large groups and takes reservations. Aesthetically, it has a fabulous patio - if not, the best in Memphis. And, of course the food is good and has enough variety for everyone's tastes. First, let's talk about the patio. I think Boscos has one of the best patios in Memphis. To be honest, their patio is what draws me most to the restaurant. (Unfortunately, we didn't get to sit out on the patio for Jon's birthday due to previous thunderstorms, but it was still a great time.) Memphis does not have many patios :( It's something I've always been disappointed about and has lead me to desire an explanation behind our patio-less city. When the weather is right, this is one of my favorite places to come get a few drinks, enjoy some pizza, and indulge in great conversations with friends. To me, the patio and atmosphere make up for what the food does not. Even if you aren't able to sit on the patio, the atmosphere inside is wonderful as well! It's got that rustic brewery feel. Now, I'm not hating on Boscos food - it's just not something I would rave about. However, after frequenting Boscos, aka "the" patio, I (this is just my opinion) think you're best off ordering the fried artichoke hearts for an app and then sharing one of their delicious pizzas - the California (Chevre cheese, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and pine nuts on an olive oil crust) is my favorite. I've heard many of my friends rave about the Gorgonzola Pear Salad. I'm not a fan of pears so I usually stay away from this, but if you're a pear lover I say "Go for it!" The fried artichoke hearts are scrumptious! They come with a buttermilk garlic dipping sauce - mmmmmm :) Also, Boscos also has a very delightful Sunday Jazz Brunch with all kinds of omelets, various egg benedicts and hash dishes, waffles, burgers, etc. It's a good hearty brunch, but once again the atmosphere may make the food taste just a little bit better. Another plus, the prices are pretty reasonable....$10-$15 range.
And, how can I blog about Boscos and not mention their BEER - what they boast about! I'm not an obsessive beer lover like some I know. Honestly, when I eat out rarely do I order beer over a glass of wine. However, I have tried Boscos beer sampler and it was a lot of fun and tasty! I recommend it for you beer connoisseurs. Oh and those aren't my blue plaid shorts....I took the pic off the world wibe web.


So, there you have it - Boscos Squared has some positives and some negatives. I'm happy to say that I think the positives outweigh the negatives and I'll keep going back for more. I give Boscos Squared 3 stars.

Local

Local is a gastropub located on South Main Street - former "Sauces" residence. What the he** is a gastropub, you say?? Straight from Wiki - A gastropub concentrates on quality food. The name is a combination of pub and gastronomy and was coined in 1991 when David Eyre and Mike Belben took over The Eagle pub in Clerkenwell, London. The concept of a restaurant in a pub reinvigorated both pub culture and British dining, though has occasionally attracted criticism for potentially removing the character of traditional pubs. Personally, I'm not criticizing. I like the idea. I like the idea of going to a rustic, casual bar atmosphere with some friends and having a break from your typical bar double fried potato skins food. Instead, you get that chill atmosphere with good, quality food like grilled flatbreads, shrimp and grits, seared ahi tuna, seared sea scallops, chorizo bacon burger with sweet chipotle aioli....you get the idea. Now, the food is a little more pricey than your average bar, but trust me, it's worth a couple of extra bucks. At Local, you have plenty of options in the $10 range, but you can also decide to splurge and order one of their $25 range steak, chops, or fish entrees. This past week, some friends and I attended a free kickoff event with Bravo Arts downtown. Afterwards, we left around 9ish with growling stomachs. So, we just strolled on down to Local, which was only four or five doors down on South Main. Now, I've been to the only other gastropub in Memphis - SOB (South of Beale) - and I really liked it! It's actually on South Main as well, but more toward the arts district. I went before the birth of our blog so that's why I have not reviewed it yet. Yet being the operative word here. Anyway, in comparison I liked Local almost just as much. The food was very tasty, reasonably priced, and creatively a little more upscale than your average bar food. However, I thought Local's atmosphere was a little more dull than SOB's. It seemed less friendly, colder, and not as fun, for lack of a better word. We did go to Local on a Thursday night and I believe I went to SOB on a Friday or Saturday night so that may have something to do with it. At local, I split the goat cheese, asparagus, and pancetta grilled flatbread with a friend (not just any friend, the ballllllin' Katie!) and it was delicious!! A must order if you go. Everyone else got a hodge podge of stuff - burger, fries, iceberg wedge salad, bbq chicken flatbread, etc. Everyone seemed to enjoy their food. I would recommend visiting both gastropubs because you get delicious food with a fun, chill, and stay-a-while atmosphere. Oh and girls, they also have fun and spunky cocktails - a nice choice if you're tired of your typical bar beer. Oh and boys, with the big flat screens, I can imagine both of these places being fun to watch some big football games this fall. If you want a more "hoppin" atmosphere, I would try SOB over Local. Regardless, I'm a big fan of the gastropub idea. And, whoever decided to bring them to Memphis...well, I want to be your friend=) I give Local 3 stars and will be back someday to review SOB. Here's a peek inside Local until you go....

Lucchesi's Ravioli and Pasta Company

Doesn't this big guy make you want to walk right in and eat a big bowl of homemade ravioli?? :) Last week, I step foot in the famous Lucchesi's for the very first time. Pretty pathetic for someone who has lived in Memphis for 23 years. I've heard people talk about this place for years! I stopped by because I was picking up lunch for my grandmother so we could have lunch together at her home. She wanted the already made Caesar salad with croutons and dressing and I decided to order a chicken Caesar salad. While I was waiting for my order, I perused the Italian market and frozen ready-made entrees. As I looked at all the delicious homemade pastas, raviolis (including duck ravioli!), gelato, lasagnas, meat sauce, bread, and soups I was a little disappointed that I was in the mood for a salad. But, I just kept telling myself "I'm coming back here and when I do I'm going to make sure I'm REALLY hungry." Everything looked so delicious! They also have a little deli section where you can order all sorts of yummy Italian sandwiches, salads, and soups. Looks like a great place to go especially when it's really cold outside and your tummy is crying out for some steaming pasta or hearty warm soup. Additionally, I'm a big fan of the market and deli combo - always have been. I guess it makes the food and grocery shopping seem more authentic and personal. Anyways, I loved my chicken Caesar salad! Their Caesar dressing is homemade and it's delightful! Nice and light. Love that stuff! I cannot wait to go back to this place for some homemade pasta and gelato!! Since my visit was short and sweet, I feel like I can't give a completely accurate rating because I have a feeling when I have their pasta that my rating will increase. So, for now I give Lucchesi's 3 stars until I return :)

Sekisui Midtown

Sekisui Midtown
http://www.sekisuiusa.com/
25 S Belvedere Blvd
Memphis, TN 38104-3705
(901) 725-0005
Click Here for Google Map

Neel had her birthday at the beginning of July, but her friends wanted to have an official dinner celebration with a bunch of our friends. Neel as the birthday girl, of course wanted sushi, her #1 food option. She also to go hang out downtown post-dinner. For that reason, we first tried Blue Fin, but they were booked and couldn't take reservations for 10 people. So, we settled on Sekisui's Midtown location.

When we got there, it was pretty packed. It's not a very big restaurant. In fact, we had to wait before sitting even though we had reservations. Overall, it was a fun pretty time. Everyone enjoyed their sushi, and they did a good job of handling a rather loud crew of 10+ people. Compared to the other Sekisui restaurants, the midtown one has that classic midtown feel. I probably prefer it and Pacific Rim to all the other locations, in terms of ambiance, etc. The midtown location would be a good date place if your date likes sushi. Though we took a big group, reservations are key. In fact, the other sekisui restaurants could probably handle big groups better.

Ok, back to the food. Neel and I of course split some sushi. Here's the lineup. We got the tornado: a fried roll with salmon, cream cheese, and sweet soy sauce. Normally, I don't like the fried rolls that much, especially when the rolls are really big. But the tornado was pretty small and complimented the other non-fried rolls well. Next up, the Memphis: crab, tuna, salmon with whitefish on top. This was a raw fish roll and is very fresh and light. A good, fresh choice that balances out the fried roll well. It is a tad bland though. Our third roll was the Jacksonville. This one is crunchy crawfish with seared tuna on top. This was probably my favorite. It's always tasty yet pretty light. The final roll was the staple, Philly: salmon with cream cheese. A classic combo if you like cream cheese.

All the rolls were good. It is pretty hard to make sushi we don't like though. I've always thought the real separator for sushi places is the price to freshness/taste ratio. Sushi is generally pretty expensive, so if you can find a bargain, that's the way to go. I put Sekisui in the middle on this scale. They have some pretty pricey rolls but also some more inexpensive ones. Along those same lines, they have a pretty broad selection, compared to some other Memphis sushi places. So that lets you mix and match rolls depending on your budget and tastes. Thus, Sekisui might not be my first or second choice for sushi in Memphis but it's always up there and always a place I would be excited about going. For that reason, we give Sekisui Midtown 3 stars.

Cockadoos

Kind of wish they had chosen a different name, but this is a wonderful place!! And, it's about time downtown Memphis gets something like this. Jon and I joined a couple of friends for Sunday Brunch at Cockadoos on South Second Street (the former residence of Cafe 61). We loved it! Delicious scones, pancakes, biscuits, bacon!! I loved my pancakes, bacon, and Jon's biscuit. However, Jon nor I were too impressed by his made-to-order omelette. Arcade's omelettes definitely beat them in that category! And, the waitress did come to our table three different times to tell us they have run out of something we just ordered and that we needed to pick something else. Memphis doesn't have many breakfast/brunch places so I am always thrilled when someone decides to venture out and add to our slim breakfast choices. The atmosphere is fun, charming, spunky, and inviting.



The hours are also a great attribute! If you'll notice on their website, they are open M-F 7am-3pm and Saturday and Sunday midnight-3pm. So, there you go downtown clubbers. Next time you have a few drinks and are craving some sweet pancakes or hearty biscuits and gravy, all you have to do is walk on down to second street and devour :) These Cockadoo people are smart. If I lived downtown, I would frequent this place for breakfast and coffee as much as I could. Go there now! So, due to a few setbacks but some great perks as well, we give Cockadoos 3 stars.

Old Venice Pizza Company

Last night, I enjoyed some pizza and wine with great company! I decided to ask all the girlfriends/wives of my husband's good guy friends to grab dinner together at Old Venice Pizza Company on Perkins Ext. Between the fun company and yummy food, it was a wonderful time. (Bare with me as I turn into cheesy Neel for a second.) Last night is why I love to get people together!! As it says at the top of our blog, "We think that nothing brings people together like good food and good atmosphere." Thanks girls for a fun evening. Ok, I'm done with the cheese :)

I've been to Old Venice, but it was probably 3 years ago and I wasn't very impressed. However, after hearing people rave about their pizza I decided to give it another chance. After last night, I found out I just got the wrong thing when I first went. Last night's meal was very delightful. As an appetizer, all the girls split the fried calamari and crawfish rolls. They were both tasty. I recommend both when you go. I also ordered a glass of Chardonnay. Their wine menu is a big plus! You can get most of them by the glass or bottle and at VERY reasonable prices!! Check it out on their website. I loved my Chardonnay! For my entree, I ordered the individual Margherita Pizza. This is another big plus - you can order any of the pizzas with thin crust or hand tossed and you can order the individual size or regular size. Of course, I ordered the thin crust (I despise thick crust pizza.) and the individual size since we were all getting our own things. I really liked it! It was very tasty with spices you don't normally find on a Margherita Pizza. The cheese was oozing. The crust was thin, but not as thin and crispy as Memphis Pizza Cafe's crust. I definitely think MPC has them beat on the crust. The size was bigger than I would expect for an individual sized pizza. I could only eat half and brought the rest home for Jon. Now, let's not forget that Old Venice is a chain with locations in Oxford, Tupelo, and Starkville. Though you can kind of tell it's a chain through the food's taste and appearance, it's still delicious and I'll be going back.

In addition to the pluses I've already mentioned, Old Venice is a great medium-priced restaurant in Memphis. These are hard to find! I feel like Memphis has a lot of great Ma and Pa cheap but great eats and then we have a lot of expensive but great eats. There's not a whole lot of middle ground. Old Venice is a great place to go with friends for that very reason. Old Venice is one of the few Memphis restaurants that stands in that middle price range.

To comment on the service and atmosphere. The service was great! Our waitress was very attentive, but not annoying. We received our food pretty fast, but not too fast. The atmosphere is where they could probably use some updating. The fake window scenes on the wall kind of make me cringe and are the only thing that prevents me from saying this is a great first date place - definitely give you that cheesy, chainy feel.

I think a more sophisticated and simpler look would really spice it up a bit. But, overall the atmosphere was very pleasant.

Another plus, yes another, is that I hear this place has great specials on drinks and apps! I want to say they have the deal on Wednesday nights?? Not sure. If anyone knows, please feel free to post.

I give Old Venice 3 stars.

Osaka

This past week, Jon and I finally got to try Osaka . For the past few months, we've been hearing numerous friends rave about this place. Before I begin the review, I will say I enjoyed my meal, but it's definitely not the best meal I've ever had. Osaka is a Japanese hibachi and sushi restaurant. It's laid out with numerous hibachi grills, but you will also find a sushi bar with a never ending sushi conveyor belt in its center. Jon and I went with our community group from church. The majority of the crowd wanted food from the hibachi so, naturally, we sat at one of the hibachi grill tables.

Who wants a little history on the Hibachi? Apart from popular belief, the hibachi actually originated in China (not Japan) as a type of portable charcoal brazier used to heat the homes of the nobility. The traditional Japanese hibachi is a heating device and not usually used for cooking. However, in English, "hibachi" often refers to small cooking grills typically made of aluminum or cast iron. Leave it to the Americans to turn a home heating device into a cooking tool. So, there's a little history for you trivia folks. To learn more, simply click here. For some reason, when I think of hibachi, I picture it being surrounded by birthday parties or a group of high school prom dates. Does anyone else get that?

Now back to the review. Honestly, I've never been a huge fan of hibachi or Japanese steakhouses. The few times I've gone to one, it always seems like the food they're cooking in front of you smells and looks a lot better than it really tastes. All that butter, garlic, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce....it's bound to be tasty, right? Sadly, it usually tastes pretty bland to me. That's just my opinion. Though, I know Jon agrees with me :) The great thing about Osaka is that we were allowed to order sushi while sitting at the hibachi grill. So, you guessed it. Jon and I were the odd ones out and ordered sushi instead of hibachi food. It really worked out great - I got to enjoy the taste of my sushi and the smells of the hibachi. The sushi was very tasty. There were lots of options and funky ones at that, which I like. Our favorite was definitely the "Dyno-Dynamite Roll." On Osaka's website, they claim to be "the only authentic Japanese restaurant in Tennessee." Now, read the description of the "Dyno-Dynamite Roll".....deep fried crab, eel, and cream cheese. For some reason, the "deep fried" part doesn't sound very authentic to me. It's hard for me to imagine them cooking this roll in Japan....hmmm. Anyways, regardless of its authenticity, I must admit, that roll was quite delightful to say the least. A must get if you ever go. The atmosphere was your typical chain restaurant atmosphere in Collierville.....big and shiny....nothing too impressive. So, the sushi was good if you're wanting the heavy stuff and the atmosphere was comfortable, but not original. We would go again to try some more of the funky sushi selections or maybe a fun time with some more friends. If you're a big fan of hibachi, then this place is for you! It's probably the best hibachi restaurant I've been to. We give Osaka 3 stars.

Sweet Grass

Yes, it has been a month since the last blog post. We haven't eaten at many exciting places in a while. But that ended last Friday night when we went with a relatively large group (9 total people) to Sweet Grass, a newly opened place in the Cooper Young Area. In fact, this restaurant opened just a few days before we went; so we made it on the opening weekend. If one word summed up our experience, it would be "low-country." (see the above picture). We went and worked our game in the "low country." Of course, I'm not really sure what "low-country" cuisine means. But we definitely experienced it at Sweet Grass.

Aesthetically, the interior of the restaurant fits the Cooper Young Area nicely. It is very pleasing and pretty chic with an interesting selection of paintings on the wall. It was pretty full when we went, but the layout handled the noise well and everyone at our large table could hear everyone else. The ambiance was pretty good too. Dim but not too dark. I think it would be a pretty good place for a first date or a good place to converse over a meal.

First, the good. I really enjoyed the structure of the menu. It is divided into small plates ($4-10), medium plates ($13-17), and large plates ($22-24). Thus, you really have a lot of options depending on how hungry you are and how much you want to spend. I very much appreciate that in light of the need for us (and most people) to save up. I really think the flexibility of the menu and its variety are the best part of the restaurant and is something that will set it apart from everyone else.

As for the food, it was pretty good, but not great. Neel and I made use of the flexible menu and got two medium plates. I got the grilled portobello, zucchini, eggplant, tomato, goat cheese croutons, basil pesto and balsamic reduction for $14. Basically, grilled veggies + goat cheese + balsamic. I really enjoy grilled veggies and this really hit the spot. Good but not great. Worth $14 though.

Neel got the shrimp and grits with sea scallops and andouille sausage. She enjoyed it and remarked how the dish was extremely flavorful, with a kick but not too spicy. It was a rich dish and Neel definitely would get it again. I tried it as well and thought it was again pretty good but not great. I did like the combo of sea scallops and sausage, a bit unusual for a shrimp and grits dish.

When we decided to get two "medium" plates, I was a bit concerned whether there would be enough food. But they gave us healthy portions. So when I combined my meal with a piece or two of the complimentary bread, I was full. I was hungry but not starving going into the experience; so if I were very hungry, I would probably opt for a large plate, but most times I think that the medium plate would suffice. I think a good bet would be to get two medium plates and then go for a dessert; or switch out the dessert for an an appetizer (small plate).

I think most people at our table enjoyed the food but no one found it amazing. One person got the quail and thought it a bit too chewy. Another person said the mussels were great, but they thought the shrimp and grits were a bit too salty. So, overall the food was a tad hit and miss but good overall .

Another plus was that the chef came out and conversed with us after the meal. I was impressed because he flat out asked for constructive criticism and on how they can improve. It's always encouraging to see a chef willing to consider the wishes of the people.

As for the bad, the service was a bit spotty. Part of me wants to contribute that to the fact that it was opening weekend and they still need to work out the kinks. But our food came out at different times, and I almost finished my dish before others got theirs. Other things also took a while to come to the table, whether another drink or more bread, etc. Again, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt on these points: our table was pretty large, it was opening weekend, it was pretty crowded. Next time I go, I'm hopeful that they will have worked out everything.

Overall, I would compare Sweet Grass to a place like Cafe 1912, but the latter has much better food and better service. Yet, it's like Cafe 1912 in the sense that it's a restaurant that fits into that medium category (not inexpensive but not overly expensive). And Memphis doesn't have many places like that. I do think Sweet Grass would be a pretty good date place that is not too tough on the wallet. I am also hopeful that Sweet Grass will continue to improve after some trial and error. Thus, in light of these positives and some negatives, we give Sweet Grass 3.0 stars.

River Oaks Restaurant

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, I have decided to blog about where Jon took me to celebrate. Before I start blogging about this let me reference our take on Valentine's Day. It's a sweet holiday, but nothing to go all crazy about. We simply celebrated it with spending time with each other over a great meal, good wine, and great conversation. We decided to celebrate Valentine's on Friday night as opposed to Sunday night, the actual day of Valentine's. We did this simply to avoid any crazy crowds and to taste a restaurant's typical menu and not some pre-fixed Valentine's menu where they have over-priced what they have decided you're going to eat. Sweet Jon was trying to surprise me on the place; however, I guessed where he was taking me a few nights earlier. I was thrilled whether it was a surprise or not because we have been talking about going to this place ever since they hired their new chef. Let's talk about the chef first - Master Chef Jose Gutierrez (pictured above). Most Memphians have heard of this chef. Many know that he is one of an elite few who have earned the title of Maître Cuisinier de France. (By the way there are only 52 Maître Cuisiniers in North America.) Likely most think of his 22-year reign as head chef over the dining institution, Chez Philippe. Neither Jon nor I experienced Chez Philippe while he was chef there. However, numerous times we enjoyed his food at Encore Restaurant & Bar downtown when it was open. José Gutierrez became the chef at Encore after he left Chez Philippe - whether it was right after or a while after, I am uncertain. Encore was one of our favorite Memphis restaurants and unfortunately it closed sometime in 2009. Of course, there was rumor Gutierrez was going to open up a new restaurant so we kept our ears open. Then, about a month or two ago I received an email from River Oaks Restaurant saying they have hired a new master chef - Jose Gutierrez! Don't ask how I got this email - especially since I have never been to this restaurant before. But, I have been on countless Memphis websites and have signed up for all kinds of restaurant newsletters so who knows. Great way to stay updated in the Memphis culinary arts :) So, yes, you guessed it. For Valentine's, Jon took me to River Oaks Restaurant .

River Oaks Restaurant is located right next to the Poplar Avenue and I-240 overpass. I have grown up around that area and I can remember when this restaurant was Cockeyed Camel with big screen TVs, the constant flow of cigarette smoke and whiskey, dart games, and all other sorts of bar games. So, it was kind of weird walking into it Friday night and being welcomed with fine art on the walls, Reidel water glasses, soothing light music, bread and butter plates, the sound of fine silver and crisp white china clinking, wine, men and women dressed in their business casual attire, etc. Definitely a change from Cockeyed Camel:) You get the idea. Ok, here we go with the review. To start with the positives.... All in all, Jon and I enjoyed our experience at River Oaks. The service was great - even though our waitress commented on how young we look and did not believe we were over 15 and politely carded us. We get that a lot. I guess we'll appreciate it when we're in our 80's and look like we're in our 60's. Right. The restaurant was pretty packed, but died out early and not too far after we sat down for our 7:30 reservation. So, it's a little bit of an older crowd. One thing I loved about it is that Jon and I did not have to scream at each other throughout the meal. The music nor the other customers were too loud. Where we sat was not secluded, but definitely intimate and private enough to where we didn't feel like the people next to us could here our conversation. Another perk....the best before-dinner bread I have ever put in my mouth! I have no idea what kind it was, but it was divine. And, I like how the waitress just served us one slice of bread each instead of giving us a whole basket. This way we did not fill up on bread and therefore not able to enjoy our main course ahead. The menu definitely looked familiar. Practically Encore's menu with a few additions. Jon and I got the warm goat cheese salad to start of with and then he ordered the duck and I chose the pan seared grouper. We both enjoyed our meals, but they were nothing to write home about. His duck was rich, but a little too fatty. My grouper was light, but could have used a little more flavor. Being such wine lovers, I think it's almost impossible for Jon and I to sit at a restaurant and not order a bottle of wine. Jon perused the wine list and unfortunately found that the cheapest bottle was $28! A little disappointing about the lack of selection - at least for inexpensive, good wines. With all of this said, we give River Oaks Restaurant 3 stars.