Erin J.'s Profile
DateMemphis, TN 38103
(901) 526-1361
Trolley Stop Market
Categories:
Farmers Market,
Pizza
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 395-7100
Spring Restaurant - CLOSED
Categories:
American (New),
Asian Fusion,
Venues & Event Spaces
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
The first thing they brought out were little shot glasses of a chilled soup. It was some sort of potato soup. It was really good.
Then they brought out two oysters for each of us. (menu says: Kusshi Oyster 'bloody mary'/grated fresh wasabi) My first time ever trying oysters. My husband has had them before and was not a fan. He LOVED these though. I think he said those were his favorite thing from the whole night.. I liked them. Not bad. They tasted really fresh.
They also brought out this cracker type bread with a hummus-y dip with sesame seeds in it that stayed on the table the whole meal. None of this counted as one of the courses.
So the cold appetizer was tuna tartare with banana foam and it had nuts mixed in. SO GOOD! And I hate tuna. I mean it is not the tuna I am used to. More like sushi tuna I guess. Tuna steaks? I loved it though to my surprise. I am going to have to try to order that elsewhere. Apparently we were supposed to use the chopsticks for this because they took those away after but we used forks. Whoops!
The hot appetizer was a soup (menu: Lemongrass & Coconut Soup -prawn dumplings/Thai chili/shaved shiitake/kaffir lime) LOVED it. Wanted to pick it up and drink it.
The fish course was halibut with mushrooms and asparagus and onions and pasta stuffed with a really smokey-tasting cheese sauce. The fish was good (I liked all the vegetables and pasta better though)
The meat course was duck! Which I have not had before but I liked it. It was sliced up, like tenderloin and on a bed of mushroom-y risotto type stuff. And there was edamame. We really liked it.
We were starting to get nervous at this point because it was like 7:30 and we had tickets for a show starting at 8, so my husband asked the waiter if we would have a hard time getting a cab, and he was like, what time is your show? And we told him 8 and he was like, we will get you there.
Then there was dessert: a chocolate brownie/mousse situation and SHOCKER, I loved it. It had little crystals of salt on top which I think was the key to my enjoying it. It also had some kind of ice cream situation that I tasted but did not like and a miniature oreo cookie type thing that I did not like that much either. The brownie thing was awesome though.
And then they brought us a little shot of hot chocolate. When we walked out the door, there our cab was. It was a great experience. Our cab driver drove like a crazy person and got us there right on time but we both almost barfed up our very fancy meal in the car.
And let me just say, I LOVE me some fried chicken.
I just didn't really get anything exceptional about this place. The chicken was fine, maybe good. Not Food Network worthy, if you ask me, though.
The sides? Honestly, they were no better than a KFC. Now we did opt for different sides than come with the chicken plates (mac and cheese- and I say this as a mac 'n' cheese lover: nasty. The mashed potatoes and gravy were not much to write home about either.)
Had I not recently visited Slim Skillets, I may have given a slightly higher rating. But considering that SS had MUCH, MUCH better sides, and their chicken was as good, if not better than Gus's, I have to say, the next time I'm in the mood for fried chicken, I'll be heading to Cordova and Slim Skillets.
Sorry, Gus's! I really wanted to love you. Based on the reviews, I expected you to blow me away. It just didn't happen. Maybe the downtown location is better.
Our server was great, (thanks, Ty!) kept an eye on our refills, and was funny and attentive.
The concept is pretty simple, the only choice you have to make is either 2 or 4 piece, and white or dark meat. (my husband and I both got 1 white meat, 1 dark meat, while our friends got all white meat.)
All the sides come out family style. Every table gets a bowl of green beans (with bacon!), corn, cole slaw, mashed potatoes, gravy, and fresh rolls with butter.
I tried all of it except the cole slaw (not a fan of cole slaw) and they were all really good. There are the usual salt and pepper shakers on the table, but there were also other options: hot sauce, a seasoning blend, etc. I used the seasoning blend on all the sides and it gave them a nice punch.
The chicken was really flavorful and juicy. Came out HOT. Nearly burned my fingers trying to get at the meat because I was too impatient to wait for it to cool down!
My husband and friends all ordered the apple pie with ice cream for dessert. They all raved about it. I am not a huge apple pie or ice cream fan, but I tasted the pie, and they were right, it was really good.
I really enjoyed the family-style dining. There's just something about asking a friend to pass you the potatoes that makes dining out feel a little less stiff. More like eating at grandma's!
You take care of your bill at the front counter, and the person who checked us out was super-friendly and chatted with us a bit. They also gave us take out menus. Their takeout would be perfect for a picnic at Shelby Farms. Way better than picking up a bucket at KFC!
I didn't think the meal was too pricey. We landed at right about $30 for a couple (two dinners, plus a dessert.) We have certainly spent more for less quality in the past!
Awesome! The only reason I don't go there more is because I'm not crazy about the parking situation, so this solves that!
I got the Ninja again and it was fabulous! Good to know the sandwiches are still great now that they have combined (absorbed? not really sure what the story is here) with Petra. Maybe next time I'll try something from the Petra menu.
1 Previous Review:
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5/29/2009
When my brother offered to pick up sandwiches from Kwik Check and meet me during my lunch, I happily accepted the offer. However, I'd never eaten there, and couldn't find a menu online, so I had to blindly trust my brother's judgement in selecting a sandwich for me (not something I do often, seeing as how I am a little bit picky about my sandwich toppings.)
He told me that he had tried both the Memphis and the Ninja and that they were both really awesome, but couldn't really remember what was in them. I decided to go with the Ninja (because in my head, the "Memphis" sounded barbecue-y and I am not a huge barbecue fan--I know, I know, and I grew up in Memphis!) and gave him instructions to leave off the tomatoes and onions if they came on it.
(Update: After consulting the menu, turns out, I was wrong about the Memphis having barbecue. Ingredients for the Memphis: ham, salami, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, spices, oil & vinegar. I'm still glad I went with the Ninja.)
This sandwich was phenomenal. Oh, my goodness. The very first thing I did when I unwrapped my sandwich is pinch off a bit of the cheese sticking out and I was amazed by how much flavor was in that tiny bite. There was a lot going on in this sandwich, let me see if I can remember it all: turkey, cheese (I'm thinking it was provolone or swiss?), mushrooms, peppers, sprouts, and topped off with a spicy/sweet Asian dressing that was TO DIE FOR. Oh my god. So good. The bread was fresh and soft and tasty as well. (Checking my menu again for the official ingredients: turkey, roast beef, swiss cheese, bell pepper, onion, mushroom, lettuce, sprouts, oriental sauce, and spice. Mine didn't have the lettuce or onions.)
My brother got the Dragon, if I remember correctly--he said it was originally a wrap, but he had them put it on the hoagie because their bread is just so good. I think his sandwich had bacon, turkey (?), sprouts, and some other things. It also had the spicy/sweet Asian dressing, which we both agreed pushed the sandwiches over the edge from great to awesome. (Menu says: turkey, ham, bacon, onion, bell pepper, mushroom, lettuce, sprouts, and oriental habanero sauce)
Our only complaint is that we both thought the preparer was a little heavy-handed with the sprouts, and we probably could have done with about half the amount they used. But that is a minor nitpick, and certainly didn't affect my impression of the sandwich enough to take a star off.
In fact, all day long I thought about that sandwich, and when I got home, I told my husband about it, and offered to pick up Kwik Check sandwiches for dinner the next night. I was curious to see what the place was like, (since I didn't get to see it on my first experience.)
Upon entering, it seems like your usual convenience store (gas station without the gas.) There is a counter straight to the back, which is where you place your order. (Handy tip, after your order is ready, you take it back to the front to check out. However, bring some cash for the tip jar for the preparers.) They also had a cooler with pre-prepared food as well, but I didn't try any on this trip. I ordered the Ninja again (what can I say, I'm a creature of habit) and got the Fireball of Freedom (Ingredients: turkey, roast beef, bacon, hot pepper cheese, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, lettuce, tomato, ranch dressing, habanero sauce) for my husband, who likes all things spicy. (he liked it. Oh, and my Ninja didn't have too many sprouts this time.)
There are a couple long picnic type tables if you want to eat there, but I feel like I would rather take the sandwiches home or to the park or something. No offense to the Kwik Check, but there's not a whole lot of ambiance going on (not that there's anything wrong with that! Just don't think I'd dine in.) I spied a soda fountain, but it appeared to be out of order. They would lose serious points for that with a certain friend of mine, but since I was grabbing our sandwiches to go, I didn't really mind.
I also looked around for a menu to take with me, but when I asked, they didn't have any. One employee did say their menu is listed in the phone book, but in this digital age, I don't really hang on to those, myself. When I asked if I could take a picture of their menu, they were totally cool about it. (Here's a link to the blown up photo of the menu, for those of us who like to take our time and decide in advance what we're getting: http://farm3.stat...)
Olive Branch, MS 38654
(662) 895-2546
B & G Cleaners
Category:
Dry Cleaning & Laundry
The service is spectacular. It's been a long time since I used anyone else, so I honestly am not sure how their prices compare to other local cleaners, but compared to the service and quality of work we got at other places previously, I would gladly pay more to come to B&G. I doubt they cost more than anyone else though, because it's certainly not breaking our bank--and I tend to be pretty budget-conscious.
The owner of this place is almost always there and is SUPER friendly. In fact, by our second or third trip, he already knew us by name. Photographic memory, gotta be! But seriously, nicest guy ever.
Once I took in my husband's work shirts, and he asked how I wanted them starched. I, clueless as ever, took a stab and guessed heavy. The owner asked if they were for my husband, and when I said yes, he gently suggested, "Josh usually gets medium starch." LOL! When I told Josh about it, he laughed and said, "Well, he's right!" How's that for service, he knows my husband better than I do!
I stepped up to the counter, where the grandfatherly owner waited for my order. I decided on the Philly Wrap and was SWIFTLY shut down. "You must try the Chicken Shawarma," he insisted, "it's much better."
I did not really appreciate that at all, and insisted that I did, in fact, want the Philly Wrap. At this point he argued with me some more and then, much to my embarrassment, polled the dine-in customers on whether I would like the Chicken Shawarma. Red-faced and in a hurry, I told the Pita Nazi, fine, give me the Shawarma.
You guys. Oh, my GOD. The moment I bit into that wrap, I instantly forgave the Pita Nazi for embarrassing me, because without him, I never would have ordered that wrap. Sometimes I have dreams about Chicken Shawarma wraps. And then I am sad when I wake up.
Now when I walk in and order the Chicken Shawarma, the kindly Pita Nazi nods approvingly and says, "Good choice!" Though he still teases me about how my wrap makes him "sad, because it is so skinny"--I leave some of his suggested toppings off, much to his disapproval.
Save yourself the embarrassment of trying to order something else and just trust me: order the Chicken Shawarma--it is AMAZING.
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"I want to go to there."
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Review votes:
12 Useful, 8 Funny, and 15 Cool
Memphis, TN
Yelping SinceMay 2009
Things I LoveCoke Zero, my dog, asiago bagels and cream cheese, pajama pants
Find Me InMemphis, TN or Olive Branch, MS
My HometownMemphis, TN
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...Taking, editing, or looking at photos. Or writing. Not just a one-trick pony.
My Second Favorite Website The Last Great Book I ReadEdgar Sawtelle made me ugly-cry at work. I like books that make me cry.
My First ConcertOh no. I won't say. TOO embarrassing.
The chicken salad was good, the broccoli salad was delicious, but the pizza was definitely the star of the show. I left wishing I had just ordered the pizza, it was so good.
No fountain drinks, I hope they add those at some point.