Hey kids, you already know I like Pizza, and Aldo's Vodka Pie is my favorite; but if you are in the mood for great pizza, cold local brews, and lots of TV as well as a casual atmosphere, locations out east and on Union, then Pyros should be in your pizza outing portfolio.
Here's the best part... You design your pizza. Like Moe's or Lenny's, you pick what you want on your pizza and they make it in front of you. Plus, it is ready in 10 minutes. That's right, 10 minutes, maybe less. That gives you just enough time to visit the beer/wine bar that features a rotation of local beers on tap.
You seat yourself and they bring it out to you. Interesting about the Union location, there is like two eating atmospheres. One is outdoorsy with bar type tables and big windows. The other is with booths and a kind of swanky aura.
Pyros does a great job of mixing a relaxed atmosphere with fresh ingredients that you pick, and good selection of local beers.
Lastly, pricing. You can get a 11" pizza for $8.30. Yeah, $8.30. All the toppings you want. Craft beers, $4 after tax. That's right, 4 buck local beers, and several to choose from. And this may sound cheap, but since there are no waiters, there is no assumption of a tip (of course I encourage you to for good service). Where can you beat that?
So check it out, and tell them I sent you.
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Monday, August 27, 2012
Border Busters
Man, we really like Mexican food, and there is plenty of it in the Mid-South. We've anxiously been awaiting the opening of Frida's on Madison where the old Zinnie's East was. When we went, it had only been open a week, and as expected, it was crowded and chaotic. But overall, the wait wasn't too bad, and the service was decent, especially considering all that was going on.
First thing you notice about Fridas is that it is all new. This is not just a makeover. From the fountain sign out front, the big wooden doors, to the rustic interior and low lighting; they do a good job creating what would pass to any Mid-Southerner as an old Mexican inn.
The food was good. I had a chimi and my wife had fried tacos. Honestly, it was pretty standard fare for the newer Mexican restaurants in the area. We will go back when it is less crowded.
That brings up a distinction I'm struggling with a little bit. It seems like most of the Mexican restaurants that have opened in the Mid-South over the past 20 years or so have a milder menu. The emphasis is on white cheese and no chili based dishes. Maybe I thought TexMex was Mexican all along, but as much as I like Mexican food, I like the more hearty, beefy type. You know, like Molly's.
Molly's La Casita has to the gold standard and the madre of Mexican food in Memphis. So many good things on the menu. The chimis are absolutely the best. My wife likes the spinach chimi. Molly's has some of that TexMex flavor that I like. They have some awesome nachos too. The Mr. Bruce's nachos I believe. If you've been under a rock, Molly's is just west of the square on Madison. And if you haven't been to the Square lately, you need to go. Things are hopping. A "Local" is opening where the old Yosemite Sam's was and they are rebuilding the Chicago Pizza Factory building for something. I know, right? That building hasn't been touched for 30 years.
Okay, I can't go south of the border without mentioning Cafe Ole'. Man, have you had that Tamale Pie? That's just not fair. Cafe Ole' shares an organic feel with Molly's. Cafe Ole' is in the heart of the the Cooper Young district. You've gotta get down there too. In fact, start at the square and work your way down Cooper. If you haven't been down there in years, you'll be surprised at the resurgence of great local places.
Okay, so I saved the best for last, and I don't have a picture! But I'll get one. Pancho's in West Memphis on the East end of Broadway is absolutely the matriarch of Mexican food in the Mid-South. After all these years it still does a great business and has a unique and tasty flavor of its own. Yeah, they still bring you the yellow dip, but at this point it is a welcomed change, and nobody has matched their dressing they put on the lettuce and on their taco salad. The interior is a little dated, but it serves its purpose well, and quite frankly holds a lot of tradition. I'll bet you haven't been in a long time, so check it out!
First thing you notice about Fridas is that it is all new. This is not just a makeover. From the fountain sign out front, the big wooden doors, to the rustic interior and low lighting; they do a good job creating what would pass to any Mid-Southerner as an old Mexican inn.
The food was good. I had a chimi and my wife had fried tacos. Honestly, it was pretty standard fare for the newer Mexican restaurants in the area. We will go back when it is less crowded.
That brings up a distinction I'm struggling with a little bit. It seems like most of the Mexican restaurants that have opened in the Mid-South over the past 20 years or so have a milder menu. The emphasis is on white cheese and no chili based dishes. Maybe I thought TexMex was Mexican all along, but as much as I like Mexican food, I like the more hearty, beefy type. You know, like Molly's.
Okay, I can't go south of the border without mentioning Cafe Ole'. Man, have you had that Tamale Pie? That's just not fair. Cafe Ole' shares an organic feel with Molly's. Cafe Ole' is in the heart of the the Cooper Young district. You've gotta get down there too. In fact, start at the square and work your way down Cooper. If you haven't been down there in years, you'll be surprised at the resurgence of great local places.
Okay, so I saved the best for last, and I don't have a picture! But I'll get one. Pancho's in West Memphis on the East end of Broadway is absolutely the matriarch of Mexican food in the Mid-South. After all these years it still does a great business and has a unique and tasty flavor of its own. Yeah, they still bring you the yellow dip, but at this point it is a welcomed change, and nobody has matched their dressing they put on the lettuce and on their taco salad. The interior is a little dated, but it serves its purpose well, and quite frankly holds a lot of tradition. I'll bet you haven't been in a long time, so check it out!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Mid-Town Italian
So last entry was about pizza, so you might be wondering, "isn't pizza Italian?" Okay, so maybe, depending on who you talk to but either way, can you really eat too much Italian food? Exactly! So here's a few places in the general Mid-Town area that we've been to recently I'd like to share with you.
So first of all, let me step back a minute and say that the point of this blog is to share positive experiences. We're not doing this to run anyone down unless the service is rude or we feel morally obligate to warn you.
So having said that, our first stop is Dino's at 645 N. McLean. Just north on McLean from Parkway near the zoo. The service was friendly, the end.
Next, and not far away at all, is Fino's at 1853 Madison, http://finosmemphis.com/. The first thing I want to tell you is that there is quite a bit more room inside than you might think. There is easily room for 30 people. I don't have a picture, but there might be as much room as Dino's in the picture above. I was pleasantly surprised. I've often wanted to go there, but it seemed so small and never busy. Quite a misperception on my part. They do a good lunch business, and there are plenty of cars and parking around the corner behind the Gilmore.
There's a walk up counter at Fino's and the service was friendly and patient. The wife had the Acquisto, which is a Ham and Salami sandwich with generous olive dressing. She really enjoyed it. I had a meatball sub, and it was awesome. The bread is firm and crusty on the outside, but fresh and soft on the inside. I love that. Looking for an Italian sandwich. This is the winner.
The prices were reasonable. I also noticed that Fino's has a full list of frozen pizzas, pastas, etc. that you can pick up to take home. I will do that in the near future.
Again, not far way, is the secret of the week. I say that because it seems a secret to most, but it does a hearty business from a small location. I'm talking about Little Italy at 1495 Union. Little Italy is near Methodist Central almost across the street from Danver's.
Now, Little Italy is considerably smaller inside, but still has about six tables. Somehow they always seem almost full, but a table is available. Two things you must try: the garlic knots, and the meatball stromboli. I know, the meatball again. What can I say? I've had the pizza here a couple of times as well, and it is great New York style pizza.
So try Fino's and Little Italy and let us know what you think!
ps. The picky teen likes Little Italy
So first of all, let me step back a minute and say that the point of this blog is to share positive experiences. We're not doing this to run anyone down unless the service is rude or we feel morally obligate to warn you.
So having said that, our first stop is Dino's at 645 N. McLean. Just north on McLean from Parkway near the zoo. The service was friendly, the end.
Next, and not far away at all, is Fino's at 1853 Madison, http://finosmemphis.com/. The first thing I want to tell you is that there is quite a bit more room inside than you might think. There is easily room for 30 people. I don't have a picture, but there might be as much room as Dino's in the picture above. I was pleasantly surprised. I've often wanted to go there, but it seemed so small and never busy. Quite a misperception on my part. They do a good lunch business, and there are plenty of cars and parking around the corner behind the Gilmore.
There's a walk up counter at Fino's and the service was friendly and patient. The wife had the Acquisto, which is a Ham and Salami sandwich with generous olive dressing. She really enjoyed it. I had a meatball sub, and it was awesome. The bread is firm and crusty on the outside, but fresh and soft on the inside. I love that. Looking for an Italian sandwich. This is the winner.
The prices were reasonable. I also noticed that Fino's has a full list of frozen pizzas, pastas, etc. that you can pick up to take home. I will do that in the near future.
Again, not far way, is the secret of the week. I say that because it seems a secret to most, but it does a hearty business from a small location. I'm talking about Little Italy at 1495 Union. Little Italy is near Methodist Central almost across the street from Danver's.
Now, Little Italy is considerably smaller inside, but still has about six tables. Somehow they always seem almost full, but a table is available. Two things you must try: the garlic knots, and the meatball stromboli. I know, the meatball again. What can I say? I've had the pizza here a couple of times as well, and it is great New York style pizza.
So try Fino's and Little Italy and let us know what you think!
ps. The picky teen likes Little Italy
Monday, August 6, 2012
Uncommon Pie
So somehow we're on a pizza kick. We love @Mphispizzacafe (read: we are not betraying you!), but we like to venture out. Variety, right? So first up, thanks to a tweet from @laurenleefox13, we decided to find High Point Pizza and give it a shot. Sounded like our kind of place. Local, out-of-the-way, and as good as it is, kind of a secret. It was just me and the wife, no picky teenager.
So if you don't know, High Point Pizza is on High Point Terrace, which dead ends into Galloway golf course on Walnut Grove. High Point is in a small, but quaint business center. I guess that is a fair name for it? If coming from Galloway, just over the Green Belt and you are there. First of all, there is more seating outside than in. But that is fine. Looks like a great stop on a trip down the belt.
The menu is a little beyond standard fare with a better ingredient mix. HPP Facebook The wife had a Greek pizza, and I went with the meat medley. Generous portions on a crispy, but not burned crust generously basted in some kind of buttery garlic coating. Not a garlic fan? Might not be your favorite.
All in all, we were very pleased. Pizza was tasty, fairly quick, and service was good. Not fancy, but quality eats. We will be back.
Next stop, the new Aldo's Pizza Pie on S. Main. Aldo's FB Coming up Barboro Alley from Peabody Place, we were surprised to get to the corner at main to see how big and open Aldo's was. Big and bright with high ceilings and big patio on Main. They are still on the "soft" menu since they've been open less than two weeks, but still plenty of choices. All four of us ordered a small pizza. A mistake both financially and volume-wise. We had a pepperoni, sausage, BBQ chicken and Gina Bellina. All good. All similar, standard crust with potent flavors. I could have used a little more of the toppings, but I don't think their pizza is that kind of style. It is more of a New York style. Oh, what is Vodka Cream pizza base? Whatever it is, they have it.
The interior has a wide open industrial area feeling with high ceilings and a window to watch pizza dough being processed. Most impressive is the beer on tap. Get a load of this (they have Yazoo, right @Scootette?):
Lastly, but maybe most important, and way off the path, we have a place in Cleveland, MS we like to hit when going down 61. Heard of the Lost Pizza Company? It is on the right just before you get into town. We stumbled in once, and now we hit it every time we roll through. Salads and pizza are awesome. Even picky teen likes it. Toppings are loaded on, and options are plenty. I recommend the "Otis". Basically it is a meat lovers type of pizza add lots of chicken. It is very kid friendly. In fact, there is old VW van inside with a TV endlessly running cartoons for kids.
Speaking of the Tip, if you like Chicago style pizza, the only place I know of to get it in this area is at Wiseguys in Horn Lake on 51. Take 55, right on Church past the Landers Center, then right on 51 and it will be on your left in what used to be a house. Good stuff, if you can get past all the Cubs stuff on the walls. Order a personal size if first time. Call ahead (662) 342-5334. Don't dress up. =)
Lastly, Arkansans like us know all about Larry's Pizza. Last year they opened one in West Memphis. Now there is a new one at Quince and Kirby. Larry's is a very different experience. It is buffet by definition, but in reality it is the Lambert's of pizza places. They not only take your order, but bring you different other kinds of pizza while you wait for yours. They have some interesting flavors, like Loaded Baked Potato, which was a very pleasant surprise. Check it out. It is quick and different.
That's all for now! Let us know what you think!
So if you don't know, High Point Pizza is on High Point Terrace, which dead ends into Galloway golf course on Walnut Grove. High Point is in a small, but quaint business center. I guess that is a fair name for it? If coming from Galloway, just over the Green Belt and you are there. First of all, there is more seating outside than in. But that is fine. Looks like a great stop on a trip down the belt.
The menu is a little beyond standard fare with a better ingredient mix. HPP Facebook The wife had a Greek pizza, and I went with the meat medley. Generous portions on a crispy, but not burned crust generously basted in some kind of buttery garlic coating. Not a garlic fan? Might not be your favorite.
All in all, we were very pleased. Pizza was tasty, fairly quick, and service was good. Not fancy, but quality eats. We will be back.
Next stop, the new Aldo's Pizza Pie on S. Main. Aldo's FB Coming up Barboro Alley from Peabody Place, we were surprised to get to the corner at main to see how big and open Aldo's was. Big and bright with high ceilings and big patio on Main. They are still on the "soft" menu since they've been open less than two weeks, but still plenty of choices. All four of us ordered a small pizza. A mistake both financially and volume-wise. We had a pepperoni, sausage, BBQ chicken and Gina Bellina. All good. All similar, standard crust with potent flavors. I could have used a little more of the toppings, but I don't think their pizza is that kind of style. It is more of a New York style. Oh, what is Vodka Cream pizza base? Whatever it is, they have it.
The interior has a wide open industrial area feeling with high ceilings and a window to watch pizza dough being processed. Most impressive is the beer on tap. Get a load of this (they have Yazoo, right @Scootette?):
Lastly, but maybe most important, and way off the path, we have a place in Cleveland, MS we like to hit when going down 61. Heard of the Lost Pizza Company? It is on the right just before you get into town. We stumbled in once, and now we hit it every time we roll through. Salads and pizza are awesome. Even picky teen likes it. Toppings are loaded on, and options are plenty. I recommend the "Otis". Basically it is a meat lovers type of pizza add lots of chicken. It is very kid friendly. In fact, there is old VW van inside with a TV endlessly running cartoons for kids.
Friendly service, spacious seating, and good pizza makes this one of our favorites. And it is coming to Southaven! Lost Pizza
Lastly, Arkansans like us know all about Larry's Pizza. Last year they opened one in West Memphis. Now there is a new one at Quince and Kirby. Larry's is a very different experience. It is buffet by definition, but in reality it is the Lambert's of pizza places. They not only take your order, but bring you different other kinds of pizza while you wait for yours. They have some interesting flavors, like Loaded Baked Potato, which was a very pleasant surprise. Check it out. It is quick and different.
That's all for now! Let us know what you think!
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Hello
Hello,
My wife and I have determined there is at least one thing we both excel at. Yes, eating, but more importantly, finding good food and sharing the experience with our friends. Of course we are not journalists or food critics, but we do have a knack of finding the good places. Maybe it is the sense of culinary adventure.
We're in our mid-forties and have a teenage son. Finding places where we all find something we like isn't easy. Maybe your family has to play the "where are we going to eat" game too. You know, "Where do you want to eat?"; followed by a series of "I don't cares". The problem is that my wife is eager to try new dishes, whereas I tend to like comfort foods primarily. I'm not just a meat and potatoes guy, but unfortunately for me, I have bit of a domestic range of flavors I like. Our son, to the extreme, is a typical teen and has about five things he likes to eat.
So we're guessing there are a lot of you out there like us. Maybe if we do a good job of sharing our experiences, you'll save your family some of those "I don't care" conversations.
My wife and I have determined there is at least one thing we both excel at. Yes, eating, but more importantly, finding good food and sharing the experience with our friends. Of course we are not journalists or food critics, but we do have a knack of finding the good places. Maybe it is the sense of culinary adventure.
We're in our mid-forties and have a teenage son. Finding places where we all find something we like isn't easy. Maybe your family has to play the "where are we going to eat" game too. You know, "Where do you want to eat?"; followed by a series of "I don't cares". The problem is that my wife is eager to try new dishes, whereas I tend to like comfort foods primarily. I'm not just a meat and potatoes guy, but unfortunately for me, I have bit of a domestic range of flavors I like. Our son, to the extreme, is a typical teen and has about five things he likes to eat.
So we're guessing there are a lot of you out there like us. Maybe if we do a good job of sharing our experiences, you'll save your family some of those "I don't care" conversations.
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