January 2007 When in Town Suggestions for the visiting executive in town a day early or staying a day late... By Helen Stevens
Dining
If you’re looking for a great steak in Memphis, head to Folk’s Folly. The wine list is excellent, if pricey, and the appetizers and deserts are good enough that you’d be advised to actually save room for them. The vegetables—served à la carte, of course—are strictly side dishes here. This place is about the steak. From the monstrous 28-ounce porterhouse to the comparatively small eight-ounce petite fillet mignon meat-eaters of all appetites will get their fill of prime-quality beef. For an extra treat, order your steak topped with bleu cheese or Maker’s Mark peppercorn sauce. Expect great steakhouse service and quality, along with a “steakhouse-style” bill. Your accountant might think your meal a folly, but trust us, it’s worth the expense.
FOLK’S FOLLY
551 South Mendenhall • Memphis, TN 38117 • (901)762-8200
Barbecue
The ideal preparation of barbecue is one subject at least as contentious as politics in America. Forget red and blue states—in the world of barbecue it’s beef states and pork states, dry ribs vs. wet, pulled vs. sliced, wood vs. charcoal—and we haven’t even gotten into the sauces. It’s nearly impossible to reach consensus on the “best” place in a barbecue town like Memphis, where even the venerable Rendezvous has both fans and detractors. Nonetheless, we feel that Rendezvous is a place that every visitor to Memphis should experience. As many as 1,000 visitors a day stop at this busy spot where some have equated the rushed order process and service to cattle herding. On a good day, you’re likely to have some world-class dry ribs that live up to the hype.
Though well-known on the BBQ beat, the Cozy Corner is just far enough out of the way to feel like a discovery. Located in a strip mall, the cinderblock building’s outdated paneling and disposable cutlery add to its charm. Tavern on the Green it is not, but both locals and visitors call this quaint place a favorite for the wonderful food and friendly staff. Try the novel and delicious barbecued Cornish game hen. Lunch only.
Charlie Vergo’s Rendezvous
52 South 2nd Street • Memphis, TN 38103 • (901)523-2746
Cozy Corner Restaurant
745 N. Parkway • Memphis, TN 38105 • (901)527-9158
Drink
There’s a lot to be said for a grand old hotel lobby, and The Lobby Bar at the Peabody offers a view of it all: opulent décor, including the famous travertine fountain and a stunning stained-glass ceiling; people-watching; and even duck watching if you fancy—a must-see in Memphis. For a more relaxed, clubby environment with live jazz on Fridays and Saturdays, sink into a chair at the Peabody’s Corner Bar, just around the corner.
The Lobby Bar and Corner Bar, Peabody Hotel
149 Union Avenue • Memphis, TN 38103 • (901)529-4000
Shopping
Locals say Oak Court Mall is Memphis’ mall for grown-ups, not a teenage hangout like other malls in the city. Although smaller than some, it has a good selection of the national retailers you’d expect. Anchor stores Dillard’s and Macy*s,
or specialty shops like Aveda, Origins, Banana Republic, Franklin Covey and Jos. A. Bank should have that little something you forgot to pack.
Oak Court Mall
4465 Poplar Avenue • Memphis, TN 38117 • (901)682-8928
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