Tag: Memphis

Years ago, I was visiting Memphis, Tennessee and had some of the best fried chicken at Gus’s. They are a Memphis institution. When I visited recently, I wanted to go back. To my surprise they had a new location. It was a bigger restaurant, and it was packed when I got there.

Their menu is still simple, but there is no reason to complicate it.

I got a 2pc white meal that was a breast and wing. You can pick two sides to go with the chicken. I went for the baked beans and potato salad.

My boyfriend got different sides so I could try those too. He got the fried okra and mac and cheese.

The chicken was exactly how I remembered. It was extra crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. There was so much meat on this chicken breast. The breading was not spicy but had some seasoning to it. It was perfectly cooked fried chicken. The wings were plump and juicy too. They were slightly larger than a typical chicken wing.

The sides were the perfect accompaniment to fried chicken. The baked beans provided a nice sweetness to complement the slight saltiness from the chicken breading. The potato salad was creamy and had a slight tangy taste because of the mustard they put in. The fried okra was soft inside and crunchy on the outside. They were perfect for popping in your mouth. The mac & cheese was my favorite side. It was super creamy and salty from all the cheese they used.

Gus’s Fried Chicken was just as good as I remembered. There might be a wait for the chicken because they are making it fresh but it is totally worth the wait. They have a bunch of locations now, so check out their website at www.gusfriedchicken.com

Enjoy!

T

I was lucky to get to visit Memphis recently. It had been years since I had visited. So much had changed, so much growth. There were many new restaurants I was having a difficult time choosing one to try.

After looking over the different cuisine offerings, I set my eyes on Red Hook Cajun Seafood. They are a New Orleans style place, offering a wide range of seafood, po’ boys, oysters, and NOLA favorites.

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The atmosphere was fun inside the restaurant. It was a great place to bring a family.

I started off with a half dozen of their chargrilled oysters. These are my favorite and I have written about these many, many times.

The oysters were tender. The slight briny taste was masked by the flavor of the garlic and parmesan cheese. They used a lot of cheese which added great saltiness but also a creaminess. They were hot when they came out, so if you order them, make sure to let them cool off before you touch the shells.

On this cold Memphis evening, I thought a bowl of gumbo would help warm me up. This gumbo had a little of everything, peppers, sausage, some shrimp, and rice. The flavor was fantastic. There was a rich savory taste with a hint of salt. The shrimp and the sausage were very tender. The rice helped thicken up the gumbo.

For my dinner I went for one of their seafood boils. Each boil came with corn on the cob and potatoes. The seafood choices were endless, everything from the traditional shrimp and crawfish to crab, lobster, or mussels. I was feeling traditional, so I went for the crawfish.

The boil came out in an interesting way. All the crawfish, corn, and potatoes were sizzling in a giant plastic bag. This helped keep it really hot and prevented too much of a mess before it got to the table.

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I made sure to keep on the gloves and the bib. I knew I would end up being messy. I cut open the bag and let all of the ingredients fall onto the metal tray. Then I dug in. The crawfish were seasoned wonderfully. They were juicy and the meat was so tender. These were large crawfish too so there was a lot of meat. The potatoes soaked up a ton of the seasoning flavor. The corn on the cob added a nice, sweet element.

I cannot believe I finished this whole thing by myself. I am glad I wore the gloves because my hands got dirty. Now I would not smell like the boil for the rest of the evening.

I really enjoyed the seafood at Red Hook. I would go back and try one of their other boils. Check their menu out at www.redhookseafood.com

Enjoy!

T

If you are on the hunt for BBQ in Memphis you don’t have to look that far, after all Memphis is home to one of the major styles of BBQ in the United States.

One of the must visit restaurants for Memphis style BBQ is Rendezvous. They are famous for the pork ribs – which are charcoal broiled. You can get them with their famous dry rub or “wet” with their homemade BBQ sauce.

Knowing I would not be able to eat a whole rack of ribs myself – I shared them with the table. The meat was fantastic. It pulled right off the bone.

I also made sure I saved room for their pork shoulder sandwich. I could taste the smoky flavor in the meat even before I added their BBQ sauce.

The other cool fact about Rendezvous is that many of the staff members have been there 20-30 years. Several of them are just as famous as the ribs. If you need help picking something on the menu, they can help and their experience will not steer you wrong.

I was also able to buy their dry rub at the restaurant to take home. Turns out you can also order it on-line and have it shipped home.

Check them out at www.hogsfly.com

Enjoy!

T

There are many fun things to do when you are in Memphis. One place you have to visit is Beale Street, which runs from the Mississippi River all the way to East Street. It is really fun to go there at night because the street block off  so you can walk up and down without having to worry about cars.

There are plenty of places to explore from shopping for a souvenir to checking out so great places to eat.  To plan your visit, make sure to visit www.bealestreet.com

If you are in the mood to listen to live blue’s check out BB King’s Blues’s Club            (www.bbkings.com/memphis).

If you want to try a famous burger, then you must stop by Dyer’s Burgers. They have been around since 1912.

The burgers are fried in a special grease that has been around since they started. And their milk shakes……YUMMY!!!!!!

You can read all about their history at: www.dyersonbeale.com

Enjoy!

T

After hanging out, listening to live music on Beale Street, I certainly got hungry. Since I was in downtown Memphis I had to go to Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken.  It was crowded when I got there and I had the choice of getting my chicken to go, but part of the fun is eating there, so it was worth the wait.

The fried chicken at Gus’s is a family recipe in the traditional Tennessee style Hot Chicken and their recipe is definitely spicy.  What makes their chicken even better is that it is made fresh to order – this way it’s still hot and juicy when they bring it to your table. It might take a little longer to get your order but it is completely worth it.

While you wait for your chicken make sure to try the fried green tomatoes (a southern classic) and the fried pickles. They are perfect for sharing.

They have several locations now in many states including Arkansas, Mississippi, Georgia, and Texas.  Make sure to check out their website at: www.gusfriedchicken.com to find the location closest to you.

Enjoy!

T