Go Memphis

Why, some might call it downright un-American, but we can do worse: If you don't love pimiento cheese, we say you're plainly un-Southern. Good thing there's plenty of the de-lish variety in town. Here's where you'll find it: By a wide margin (and that's not just because my vote is cast here, too) Holiday Deli and Ham(visit pimentoscafe.com for all locations) wins in our blog vote. Full story »

The rain was coming down so hard outside that we could hardly talk above the the roar it made against the skylight in Chickasaw Oaks Mall, but the spirits inside Just for Lunch were anything but damp. A large group of older women was in a festive mood, sipping small pours of wine they brought in as they caught up on talk. One of them wore a pair of enormous, bright blue 1970s eyeglasses that inspired jealousy in my daughter and OK, maybe a little in me, too. Full story »

This week's Q & A is with David Johnson, 31, chef at McEwen's on Monroe. His first cooking job was at Gadwall's Grill, a neighborhood restaurant in North Little Rock. His best original dish? "Probably my favorite dish is a soy sesame black Thai rice, braised bok choy and Siracha lime butter that we have served here with a Hawaiian swordfish." Full story »

Last week we brought you five best bets for plain pizza. This week, it’s pizza for grown-ups (and discriminating children; we don’t want to forget about them). Go get you a slice. Mmm, pizza... At Boscos Squared (2120 Madison, 432-2222) you can try a different wood-fired, thin-crust gourmet pizza each time you go, or you can be like me and just order the California (because it’s divine). Full story »

Say what you will about suburban sprawl -- and we all know there's plenty of conversation to be had about it -- but one benefit of it is the choices it creates for diners. It hasn't been very long since Germantown Parkway was humble Germantown Road and if there was a Thai restaurant on it when it was a little two-lane, I'll eat my hat. Full story »

School starts on Monday and face it: You're going to be eating pizza more than you want to admit. But don't worry: There are so many favorite pizza places around town that we've got two Best Bets columns devoted to the beloved pie. This week, call it Pizza Plain. Next week, we'll go with Pizza Fancy. Quotations are from bloggers on whiningdining.com. Full story »

This week we asked a few questions of Larkin Grisanti, chef at Frank Grisanti’s & Bol a Pasta restaurants. First cooking job: When my father opened Café Grisanti in 1984 we had a maître d’ named Fernando. He taught me how to make cherries jubilee, orange crepes & flaming coffee, all tableside. I was 11. Full story »

First cooking job: Stage at Marks' in the Grove in the Grove Isle Club in Miami. I had just moved back from Costa Rica and was 15 years old. The executive chef there was a family friend and let me apprentice there. I worked for free to make sure this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Full story »

Her voice carried across the room at Café Society, but I liked it: "I'll have a martini, straight up. And I prefer those little onions to olives." Well, never mind that adding the onions and subtracting the olives makes it a gibson, not a martini. What I liked is that she was about 75 years old and a little sassy. Later I told former owner Michele Leny that I wanted to be ordering martinis when I'm 75. "Yes! I want to be drinking them for breakfast," he said. Last year, after 20 years in business, Leny sold the restaurant to Cullen Kent, the chef who trained at Chez Philippe and La Tourelle before coming to Café Society nearly four years ago. Full story »

There’s one thing faster than whipping up a sandwich, and that’s picking one up on the way home. Lucky for us, we have plenty of good sandwich shops to choose from around town. And you don’t have to worry about leaving the mayo out and letting it spoil. Go grab a couple. Full story »

It's Monday morning as I'm writing, and it's also two anniversaries for me. I've been married for 13 years today, and I've been a food writer for The Commercial Appeal for five years. Full story »

My eyes were closed, but I could feel other eyes on me. Didn't matter -- I was fully focused on the ambrosia just an inch or two beneath my nose. Full story »

This week we asked a few questions of Jeff Dunham, chef/owner of The Grove Grill at Laurelwood. First cooking job: Chucks Cellar, a steak house in Los Altos, Calif. I started as a prep cook responsible for setting up one of those 75-item salad bars. Full story »

A five-course vodka dinner featuring Hangar One vodka will be held by Jeff Dunham, chef/owner of The Grove Grill, tonight at 6:30 p.m. Call 818-9951 for reservations. $65. Full story »

Four-star ratings are not handed out carelessly by dining critics at this newspaper. In the 10 years that we've used the four-star system, five have earned the honor. Today, Restaurant Iris becomes the sixth. Chef/owner Kelly English opened his casual fine-dining spot in the former La Tourelle house less than three months ago, and word of mouth has already made it improbable that you'll get a table if you walk in without a reservation even midweek. There are many reasons. Full story »