11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
La Hacienda
To contact us Click HERE
La Hacienda
3491 Poplar Avenue
(901) 452-9848
La Hacienda is in the strip mall with Buster's where El Chico used to be. There's also one in Collierville. My sister claims they have great tortilla soup. A few weeks ago, we decided to try it out. The monkeys (Satchel, 10, and Jiro, 8) ended up having a meltdown, so our whole dining experience ended on a sour note. Last week, I insisted we go back. This time we took met a couple of friends.
I hadn't been to El Chico since I was about 15, so I'm not entirely sure how much or little the interior has changed, but I love the altar in the foyer. Yes, that's cabbage.
On our first visit we sat in the dining room where they project the TV on the wall. Pretty awesome for sports action.
On this visit we sat in the room with the bar. It was much brighter and more festive. The two things I liked best about our first visit were the chips--they are very thin & crispy--and the two for one margaritas. (Both visits were on Friday nights. Not sure what the actual happy hour policy is at La Hacienda.)
Mmmmm...chips!
The salsa is also quite tasty. The cheese dip comes in three sizes--small, medium, and large. We have gotten a medium on both occasions and had no problem polishing it off. (The menu says that the first basket of chips is free and then there is a charge, but on both visits we ate multiple baskets with no extra charge.)
Mmmmm...margaritas!
The margaritas pack a nice punch and come in several flavors. The one pictured here is a frozen mango margarita. Warren really liked it.
The kids kept themselves entertained while the adults enjoyed the margaritas. Jiro was a little miffed that he was not allowed to have Sprite. (On our first visit, multiple Sprites were blamed for his meltdown.) However, his friend eventually shared his and he got over it.
La Hacienda is ridiculously fast, so it was only maybe ten minutes before we got our food. I ordered the monkeys the same exact thing they wanted on their first visit--chicken taquitos.
It's a pretty large platter, so I let them share. (There are 4 taquitos, but only 3 made it in the picture.) The monkeys are not pico or guacamole fans, so I usually remove that section for my own uses. On our first visit they ate them right up, but for whatever reason, Satchel decided to look closely at them and noticed that there were tiny onions and tomatoes mixed with the shredded chicken. He then refused to eat them. He did however eat all of the rice and beans and one of his friend's chicken nuggets. Jiro ate one and a half, and then went back to chips and cheese dip.
Warren ordered carnitas and had way more than he could eat.
He had the spinach and cheese enchiladas on his first visit. They were ok.
I ordered the tortilla soup on my sister's recommendation and found it to be quite delicious. It had a nice kick to it and with the avocado on top and the rice on the bottom, it was quite filling. I was actually surprised by how full I was. (I did eat a lot of chips.)
On my first visit I had the fish tacos. They were pretty good, but I liked the soup better. (The tacos had shredded up fish mixed with lettuce.)
Warren and I are at odds as to whether La Hacienda is inexpensive. Our first trip cost $45.82 plus tip. Our second, $37.56 plus tip. Our second trip did not include Sprites and my soup was $3.99 instead of $7.99-$9.99 like most other entrees. Now, had we skipped the margaritas it would have taken $6 off of our first tab and $8 off the second. (I guess the flavored ritas cost extra.) So considering all that, I'd say it's about the same as the places we like to frequent on Summer, but most of the places on Summer don't have margaritas.
Let's see, what else?
We somehow never made it to the restrooms so I can't weigh in on those.
The restaurant uses polystyrene to go containers.
I think we'll be back, but we'll have to find something else that the kids will eat.
3491 Poplar Avenue
(901) 452-9848
La Hacienda is in the strip mall with Buster's where El Chico used to be. There's also one in Collierville. My sister claims they have great tortilla soup. A few weeks ago, we decided to try it out. The monkeys (Satchel, 10, and Jiro, 8) ended up having a meltdown, so our whole dining experience ended on a sour note. Last week, I insisted we go back. This time we took met a couple of friends.
I hadn't been to El Chico since I was about 15, so I'm not entirely sure how much or little the interior has changed, but I love the altar in the foyer. Yes, that's cabbage.
On our first visit we sat in the dining room where they project the TV on the wall. Pretty awesome for sports action.
On this visit we sat in the room with the bar. It was much brighter and more festive. The two things I liked best about our first visit were the chips--they are very thin & crispy--and the two for one margaritas. (Both visits were on Friday nights. Not sure what the actual happy hour policy is at La Hacienda.)
Mmmmm...chips!
The salsa is also quite tasty. The cheese dip comes in three sizes--small, medium, and large. We have gotten a medium on both occasions and had no problem polishing it off. (The menu says that the first basket of chips is free and then there is a charge, but on both visits we ate multiple baskets with no extra charge.)
Mmmmm...margaritas!
The margaritas pack a nice punch and come in several flavors. The one pictured here is a frozen mango margarita. Warren really liked it.
The kids kept themselves entertained while the adults enjoyed the margaritas. Jiro was a little miffed that he was not allowed to have Sprite. (On our first visit, multiple Sprites were blamed for his meltdown.) However, his friend eventually shared his and he got over it.
La Hacienda is ridiculously fast, so it was only maybe ten minutes before we got our food. I ordered the monkeys the same exact thing they wanted on their first visit--chicken taquitos.
It's a pretty large platter, so I let them share. (There are 4 taquitos, but only 3 made it in the picture.) The monkeys are not pico or guacamole fans, so I usually remove that section for my own uses. On our first visit they ate them right up, but for whatever reason, Satchel decided to look closely at them and noticed that there were tiny onions and tomatoes mixed with the shredded chicken. He then refused to eat them. He did however eat all of the rice and beans and one of his friend's chicken nuggets. Jiro ate one and a half, and then went back to chips and cheese dip.
Warren ordered carnitas and had way more than he could eat.
He had the spinach and cheese enchiladas on his first visit. They were ok.
I ordered the tortilla soup on my sister's recommendation and found it to be quite delicious. It had a nice kick to it and with the avocado on top and the rice on the bottom, it was quite filling. I was actually surprised by how full I was. (I did eat a lot of chips.)
On my first visit I had the fish tacos. They were pretty good, but I liked the soup better. (The tacos had shredded up fish mixed with lettuce.)
Warren and I are at odds as to whether La Hacienda is inexpensive. Our first trip cost $45.82 plus tip. Our second, $37.56 plus tip. Our second trip did not include Sprites and my soup was $3.99 instead of $7.99-$9.99 like most other entrees. Now, had we skipped the margaritas it would have taken $6 off of our first tab and $8 off the second. (I guess the flavored ritas cost extra.) So considering all that, I'd say it's about the same as the places we like to frequent on Summer, but most of the places on Summer don't have margaritas.
Let's see, what else?
We somehow never made it to the restrooms so I can't weigh in on those.
The restaurant uses polystyrene to go containers.
I think we'll be back, but we'll have to find something else that the kids will eat.
MarksGrill FoodTruck
To contact us Click HERE
MarksGrill FoodTruck
On Saturday, the fam and I went over to Overton Park to check out the lovely new dog park, Overton Bark. It took our old dogs a few minutes to figure out what was going on, but soon they were happily sniffing buts with the rest of Midtown's dogs.
Along with the grand opening, there was a food truck rodeo. That means they had the parking lot blocked off and several food trucks parked together. I find that very exciting. I was hoping to score some Fuel Truck tacos, but they were still at the Memphis Farmers Market with a few of my other favorite trucks--Central BBQ, Rockin Dough Pizza Co, and Healthylicious. On the bright side, it gave us a chance to try a new truck--MarksGrill. Yes, that's one word.
Satchel cannot resist any opportunity to eat a hamburger. He insisted on putting in his own separate order, and judging from this picture, pretending like he was not there with his lame family.
Jiro wanted a cheeseburger and I was sure Warren would eat whatever I ordered, so I took a minute to peruse the menu.
I had recently spoken to owner Mark Hamilton about his truck for a story I was working on for Edible Memphis. He told me that his truck is the most elaborate in the nation because the generator is on top. He also said his Philly Cheese Steaks are the real deal and that he gets the rolls straight from Philly, so it seemed like an obvious choice when deciding what to order. I forgot that he told me the BBQ pita was pulled pork on naan bread, or I might have gone with that. I love fish tacos, but I don't know about ordering them from a guy named Mark. (Kidding. Sort of.)
A nice young man took my order, and as I peeked in the truck, I saw a nice looking woman. I can only assume Mark has his wife and son helping him out, which I think is precious. I know Warren often fantasizes about me and the kids slaving away on his sushi truck some day.
Satchel's burger came out first, since he placed his own order, and he went to sit under a tree and eat it by himself. Yes, that is what ten year olds are like.
A few minutes later, Jiro's burger combo was ready, but he was nowhere to be found. His friends showed up while we were waiting and he ran off to the playground. Once the Philly was done, I carried everything over to where Warren was sitting. He and our friend Carlos were watching the Wuvbirds play. I handed him the Philly and he dug right in.
When he was about halfway through I had two questions: Is it good? Can I have a bite? He said he liked it but it was a little dry. There may have been some condiments near the truck window that I bypassed. I'm not sure. I was lucky to be able to carry everything by myself. I don't think Warren gave Carlos a bite, but he did verify that it looked authentic. (He has actually lived in Philly.)
Jiro eventually showed up to claim his burger, which he said was delicious.
Jiro says everything is delicious. Well he says all hamburgers are delicious. I had a bite and it was ok. The patty seemed like it was just one of those frozen ones from Sam's or Costco or something, so nothing special.
The fries did seem to be hand cut and freshly fried though, and that was nice.
Later, when the music ended and MarksGrill was packing up, OPC bosslady and friend, Naomi, came over with some free hot dogs for us to try.
The hot dogs got the thumbs up. Who is going to give a free hot dog the thumbs down? (Someone made me promise not to take his picture eating a hot dog ever since we went to Payne's.)
Carlos went over to get his kids a drink before they left, and Jiro followed along with his cup. he reported getting a free refill, which was nice, though I don't know if it is standard. The kids also all seemed to have scored free Ring Pops.
So MarksGrill definitely gets major bonus points for customer service. I will remember to try the pita next time, and maybe even a taco.
I will say that after eating at MarksGrill, the kids had lots of energy. They ran up and down this wall about a hundred times.
Don't you think "Eat at MarksGrill and then go play in a ditch!" is a good slogan? Mark, feel free to use it!
MarksGrill's regular hangout is the Humane Society in Shelby Farms Park. They also come downtown on Fridays. Check 'em out.
On Saturday, the fam and I went over to Overton Park to check out the lovely new dog park, Overton Bark. It took our old dogs a few minutes to figure out what was going on, but soon they were happily sniffing buts with the rest of Midtown's dogs.
Along with the grand opening, there was a food truck rodeo. That means they had the parking lot blocked off and several food trucks parked together. I find that very exciting. I was hoping to score some Fuel Truck tacos, but they were still at the Memphis Farmers Market with a few of my other favorite trucks--Central BBQ, Rockin Dough Pizza Co, and Healthylicious. On the bright side, it gave us a chance to try a new truck--MarksGrill. Yes, that's one word.
Satchel cannot resist any opportunity to eat a hamburger. He insisted on putting in his own separate order, and judging from this picture, pretending like he was not there with his lame family.
Jiro wanted a cheeseburger and I was sure Warren would eat whatever I ordered, so I took a minute to peruse the menu.
I had recently spoken to owner Mark Hamilton about his truck for a story I was working on for Edible Memphis. He told me that his truck is the most elaborate in the nation because the generator is on top. He also said his Philly Cheese Steaks are the real deal and that he gets the rolls straight from Philly, so it seemed like an obvious choice when deciding what to order. I forgot that he told me the BBQ pita was pulled pork on naan bread, or I might have gone with that. I love fish tacos, but I don't know about ordering them from a guy named Mark. (Kidding. Sort of.)
A nice young man took my order, and as I peeked in the truck, I saw a nice looking woman. I can only assume Mark has his wife and son helping him out, which I think is precious. I know Warren often fantasizes about me and the kids slaving away on his sushi truck some day.
Satchel's burger came out first, since he placed his own order, and he went to sit under a tree and eat it by himself. Yes, that is what ten year olds are like.
A few minutes later, Jiro's burger combo was ready, but he was nowhere to be found. His friends showed up while we were waiting and he ran off to the playground. Once the Philly was done, I carried everything over to where Warren was sitting. He and our friend Carlos were watching the Wuvbirds play. I handed him the Philly and he dug right in.
When he was about halfway through I had two questions: Is it good? Can I have a bite? He said he liked it but it was a little dry. There may have been some condiments near the truck window that I bypassed. I'm not sure. I was lucky to be able to carry everything by myself. I don't think Warren gave Carlos a bite, but he did verify that it looked authentic. (He has actually lived in Philly.)
Jiro eventually showed up to claim his burger, which he said was delicious.
Jiro says everything is delicious. Well he says all hamburgers are delicious. I had a bite and it was ok. The patty seemed like it was just one of those frozen ones from Sam's or Costco or something, so nothing special.
The fries did seem to be hand cut and freshly fried though, and that was nice.
Later, when the music ended and MarksGrill was packing up, OPC bosslady and friend, Naomi, came over with some free hot dogs for us to try.
The hot dogs got the thumbs up. Who is going to give a free hot dog the thumbs down? (Someone made me promise not to take his picture eating a hot dog ever since we went to Payne's.)
Carlos went over to get his kids a drink before they left, and Jiro followed along with his cup. he reported getting a free refill, which was nice, though I don't know if it is standard. The kids also all seemed to have scored free Ring Pops.
So MarksGrill definitely gets major bonus points for customer service. I will remember to try the pita next time, and maybe even a taco.
I will say that after eating at MarksGrill, the kids had lots of energy. They ran up and down this wall about a hundred times.
Don't you think "Eat at MarksGrill and then go play in a ditch!" is a good slogan? Mark, feel free to use it!
MarksGrill's regular hangout is the Humane Society in Shelby Farms Park. They also come downtown on Fridays. Check 'em out.
Los Compadres
To contact us Click HERE
Los Compadres
3295 Poplar Avenue
(901) 458-5731
Last Saturday evening we went to Los Compadres to celebrate our friend Oliver's eighth birthday. We got a great spot out on the patio, and never actually went inside.
We were gearing up for Rock-n-Romp Camp so we needed to discuss some business with Oliver's parents and another board member, Aimee. So of course we needed special drinks. I had to have a margarona after seeing a Facebook post of one the day before. Behold!
The beer pretty much stays inside the bottle until the margarita is gone, so it's like a chaser. Warren really wanted michelada, which is beer and tomato juice. It wasn't listed on the menu, but when we asked, our waitress said they had them. Score!
Despite getting what I wanted, I was a little jealous of Aimee's frozen strawberry margarita, Texas style. Yum. (I think Texas style means it has top shelf tequila?)
I was also very jealous of Aimee's appetizer, the chorisqueso.
Thankfully, she shared with everyone! I ordered some cheese dip for me, and one for Jiro over at the kids' end and then took a real look at the menu. The appetizers came out crazy fast and we never wanted for chips or dip. Love that.
We spent a good deal of time looking at the Cuban menu, but only Corey, Oliver's dad, actually ordered from it. He pointed out that the pictures on the Cuban menu were not nearly as appetizing as the ones on the Mexican menu. Wait, Satchel also ordered from the Cuban menu, but he ordered hot wings and fries. Does that count? Didn't think so.
I've been to Los Compadres several times, but far enough apart that I don't have a usual dish. Considering the amount of chip, dip, and margarona I had, I decided to just get the tortilla soup. Warren went with the tacos, as did Oliver's mom, Kate, and Aimee ordered chicken soup. I got Jiro the taco with beans and rice from the kids meal.
By far the highlight of the ordering process was when Corey ordered for his daughter, Polly. "She'll have an order of rice and three tortillas," he said. Apparently she likes to roll her own. Equally impressive, on the opposite side of the spectrum, was Oliver's order of a taco salad with steak.
Jiro walked down to my end of the table and whispered in my ear, "What am I eating?" Later he was spotted diiping his chips in his orange Fanta. Cute or gross? You decide.
I was glad that we waited awhile to put our order in because the food comes out super fast. My soup was good, but not as good as at La Hacienda.
Warren's tacos were epic.
Satchel's wings were on the not very exciting side, and very spicy, but he ate them up...
...with the help of lots and lots of water.
When he was done he said, "It feels like someone poured iron and dumped it on my face." Nice, huh? I promise he likes torturing himself with spicy food. (I craved hot wings when I was pregnant with him--go figure.)
Jiro's taco meal was fairly standard. A pretty good size portion. He just ate the taco though. Satchel happily ate the rest.
Corey told our waitress that it was Oliver's birthday, and they came out to sing. He was really happy and embarrassed at the same time. He also thought he got to keep the sombrero.
Satchel couldn't resist hamming it up a bit.
We had a really nice meal and I think we all were 100% relaxed when we left. We did linger a bit longer than we should have--probably because of the frozen beverages--so I apologize to the other people on the patio who were ready to see us go.
Our tab was a semi-reasonable $46.
As you can see, the margarona is a tad pricey. Oops and I am just now noticing that I was only charged for one cheese dip.
I never made it inside as I said before, but the inside is lovely. The previous tenants (Costa Vida) made it very fancy so it has a different feel from the other standard Mexican places.
We'll be back.
p.s. When deciding which Mexican place to go to Warren rallied hard for Los Picosos, but the "problem" with most of the places on Summer is that they do not serve alcohol.
3295 Poplar Avenue
(901) 458-5731
Last Saturday evening we went to Los Compadres to celebrate our friend Oliver's eighth birthday. We got a great spot out on the patio, and never actually went inside.
We were gearing up for Rock-n-Romp Camp so we needed to discuss some business with Oliver's parents and another board member, Aimee. So of course we needed special drinks. I had to have a margarona after seeing a Facebook post of one the day before. Behold!
The beer pretty much stays inside the bottle until the margarita is gone, so it's like a chaser. Warren really wanted michelada, which is beer and tomato juice. It wasn't listed on the menu, but when we asked, our waitress said they had them. Score!
Despite getting what I wanted, I was a little jealous of Aimee's frozen strawberry margarita, Texas style. Yum. (I think Texas style means it has top shelf tequila?)
I was also very jealous of Aimee's appetizer, the chorisqueso.
Thankfully, she shared with everyone! I ordered some cheese dip for me, and one for Jiro over at the kids' end and then took a real look at the menu. The appetizers came out crazy fast and we never wanted for chips or dip. Love that.
We spent a good deal of time looking at the Cuban menu, but only Corey, Oliver's dad, actually ordered from it. He pointed out that the pictures on the Cuban menu were not nearly as appetizing as the ones on the Mexican menu. Wait, Satchel also ordered from the Cuban menu, but he ordered hot wings and fries. Does that count? Didn't think so.
I've been to Los Compadres several times, but far enough apart that I don't have a usual dish. Considering the amount of chip, dip, and margarona I had, I decided to just get the tortilla soup. Warren went with the tacos, as did Oliver's mom, Kate, and Aimee ordered chicken soup. I got Jiro the taco with beans and rice from the kids meal.
By far the highlight of the ordering process was when Corey ordered for his daughter, Polly. "She'll have an order of rice and three tortillas," he said. Apparently she likes to roll her own. Equally impressive, on the opposite side of the spectrum, was Oliver's order of a taco salad with steak.
Jiro walked down to my end of the table and whispered in my ear, "What am I eating?" Later he was spotted diiping his chips in his orange Fanta. Cute or gross? You decide.
I was glad that we waited awhile to put our order in because the food comes out super fast. My soup was good, but not as good as at La Hacienda.
Warren's tacos were epic.
Satchel's wings were on the not very exciting side, and very spicy, but he ate them up...
...with the help of lots and lots of water.
When he was done he said, "It feels like someone poured iron and dumped it on my face." Nice, huh? I promise he likes torturing himself with spicy food. (I craved hot wings when I was pregnant with him--go figure.)
Jiro's taco meal was fairly standard. A pretty good size portion. He just ate the taco though. Satchel happily ate the rest.
Corey told our waitress that it was Oliver's birthday, and they came out to sing. He was really happy and embarrassed at the same time. He also thought he got to keep the sombrero.
Satchel couldn't resist hamming it up a bit.
We had a really nice meal and I think we all were 100% relaxed when we left. We did linger a bit longer than we should have--probably because of the frozen beverages--so I apologize to the other people on the patio who were ready to see us go.
Our tab was a semi-reasonable $46.
As you can see, the margarona is a tad pricey. Oops and I am just now noticing that I was only charged for one cheese dip.
I never made it inside as I said before, but the inside is lovely. The previous tenants (Costa Vida) made it very fancy so it has a different feel from the other standard Mexican places.
We'll be back.
p.s. When deciding which Mexican place to go to Warren rallied hard for Los Picosos, but the "problem" with most of the places on Summer is that they do not serve alcohol.
Velvet Cream
To contact us Click HERE
Velvet Cream
2290 Hwy 51
Hernando, MS 38632
(662) 429-6540
I'd heard talk of Velvet Cream, more commonly known as "The Dip," for some time. Over Memorial Day weekend, my friend Ashley and I went after a day trip to Sardis, MS. (We were practicing for the Dragonfly Triathlon that is held there every year.) Once I had finally found it, I knew I had to come back with the monkeys (Satchel, 10, and Jiro, 8.)
Last Friday, I took them and a friend to Sardis to hike and swim, and then we stopped for lunch on our way back to Memphis. As you can see, it's kind of like Jerry's Sno Cones. You order at the window and then are left to your own devices to find a spot to eat.
The menu is really insane. There's just So.MUCH.Stuff. to choose from. Just one example--the hamburger offerings:
Then there are signs like these everywhere with additional items to choose from.
Seriously, it's crazytown.
I gave the kids some time to read through the choices. Surprisingly they made up their minds pretty quickly. Basic burgers and shakes. Their friend, Theo, asked for a corn dog. They said they didn't want fries, but I ordered some anyway. (I got two for us to split because they are a hearty portion.) I went with a grilled chicken wrap and a shake.
The girl behind the window wrote our order on a big white bag (which was later filled with our food) and then rang us up. Our total was $31.50. She said we got a free pint (?) of ice cream for spending over $30 and asked us to choose a flavor. Of course we went with Girl Scout Samoas.
Then we waited patiently for them to get everything together. (Which really means we hovered by the window salivating.)
There was some discussion about the kids milkshakes. Theo and Satchel ordered "dirt" flavor, which is actually just a sundae flavor, so the girls made them Oreo shakes with chocolate ice cream. (Jiro ordered a Twix shake and I went with peanut Butter.)
Once everything was ready, we did like we do at Jerry's and commenced tailgating. I'm pretty sure the boys were starved from all of our swimming and hiking. The shakes totally hit the spot. Jiro said it was the best milkshake he'd ever had, and he's had plenty.
There wasn't enough room for me in the back, so I sat on the cooler next to the car and handed out the food.
As you can see, it's nothing special. The burgers are thin patties, most likely pre-shaped and frozen. The fries are good--thin and crispy. Theo took one bite of his corn dog and never took a second. I totally didn't blame him.
The hot dog was kind of grey/white and gross looking. Now maybe that's because it was made from turkey or some other meat that's better than usual hot dog meat, but it didn't look very appetizing. I told Theo, who's dad is in the restaurant business and who should know better, that it probably is a good policy to never order a corn dog.
My chicken wrap was pretty good. It needed some sauce though.
Satchel and Jiro liked their burgers just fine, but neither finished due to the amount of milkshake they ingested. It is really hard to eat a meal and a milkshake at The Dip. For that reason alone, I'd say go for the shakes and ice cream, and skip the food.
BUT! I do believe that somewhere hidden in their crazy menu is a real gem. If someone knows what it is, tell me and I will eat it.
What else should I say? We never did get our free pint of ice cream, but considering we had a long drive home, it was fine.
I don't think they have bathrooms, so people with small children be warned.
Oh, they stay open pretty late which is awesome. Look how cute it looks at night:
(Photo borrowed from their Facebook page.)
Check them out the next time you are near Hernando, or need an excuse to get out of Memphis.
2290 Hwy 51
Hernando, MS 38632
(662) 429-6540
I'd heard talk of Velvet Cream, more commonly known as "The Dip," for some time. Over Memorial Day weekend, my friend Ashley and I went after a day trip to Sardis, MS. (We were practicing for the Dragonfly Triathlon that is held there every year.) Once I had finally found it, I knew I had to come back with the monkeys (Satchel, 10, and Jiro, 8.)
Last Friday, I took them and a friend to Sardis to hike and swim, and then we stopped for lunch on our way back to Memphis. As you can see, it's kind of like Jerry's Sno Cones. You order at the window and then are left to your own devices to find a spot to eat.
The menu is really insane. There's just So.MUCH.Stuff. to choose from. Just one example--the hamburger offerings:
Then there are signs like these everywhere with additional items to choose from.
Seriously, it's crazytown.
I gave the kids some time to read through the choices. Surprisingly they made up their minds pretty quickly. Basic burgers and shakes. Their friend, Theo, asked for a corn dog. They said they didn't want fries, but I ordered some anyway. (I got two for us to split because they are a hearty portion.) I went with a grilled chicken wrap and a shake.
The girl behind the window wrote our order on a big white bag (which was later filled with our food) and then rang us up. Our total was $31.50. She said we got a free pint (?) of ice cream for spending over $30 and asked us to choose a flavor. Of course we went with Girl Scout Samoas.
Then we waited patiently for them to get everything together. (Which really means we hovered by the window salivating.)
There was some discussion about the kids milkshakes. Theo and Satchel ordered "dirt" flavor, which is actually just a sundae flavor, so the girls made them Oreo shakes with chocolate ice cream. (Jiro ordered a Twix shake and I went with peanut Butter.)
Once everything was ready, we did like we do at Jerry's and commenced tailgating. I'm pretty sure the boys were starved from all of our swimming and hiking. The shakes totally hit the spot. Jiro said it was the best milkshake he'd ever had, and he's had plenty.
There wasn't enough room for me in the back, so I sat on the cooler next to the car and handed out the food.
As you can see, it's nothing special. The burgers are thin patties, most likely pre-shaped and frozen. The fries are good--thin and crispy. Theo took one bite of his corn dog and never took a second. I totally didn't blame him.
The hot dog was kind of grey/white and gross looking. Now maybe that's because it was made from turkey or some other meat that's better than usual hot dog meat, but it didn't look very appetizing. I told Theo, who's dad is in the restaurant business and who should know better, that it probably is a good policy to never order a corn dog.
My chicken wrap was pretty good. It needed some sauce though.
Satchel and Jiro liked their burgers just fine, but neither finished due to the amount of milkshake they ingested. It is really hard to eat a meal and a milkshake at The Dip. For that reason alone, I'd say go for the shakes and ice cream, and skip the food.
BUT! I do believe that somewhere hidden in their crazy menu is a real gem. If someone knows what it is, tell me and I will eat it.
What else should I say? We never did get our free pint of ice cream, but considering we had a long drive home, it was fine.
I don't think they have bathrooms, so people with small children be warned.
Oh, they stay open pretty late which is awesome. Look how cute it looks at night:
(Photo borrowed from their Facebook page.)
Check them out the next time you are near Hernando, or need an excuse to get out of Memphis.
Chow Time Buffet & Grill
To contact us Click HERE
Chow Time Buffet & Grill
4207 Hacks Cross Road
737-8272
One of my editors, intrigued by the photo below, assigned me to write a feature about Chow Time Buffet & Grill.
I am generally not a fan of buffets or home cooking, but I like Asian food and adventure. Last week, after our trip to Sky Zone, the monkeys (Satchel, 10, and Jiro, 8) and I were already so far from home, I figured why not go ahead and venture out to Hacks Cross to check out Chow Time. Normally, they get super excited about buffets, especially Satchel, who is a little piglet with eyes way bigger than his stomach. For whatever reason, Satchel was only mildly excited and Jiro was downright not having it. "They have sushi!" I promised, hoping to get him in the spirit.
By the time we arrived, Jiro agreed that he would get out of the car, but he would not eat. Whatever, kid. (Look at that face! Ha!)
I had heard that things could get a little rowdy at Chow Time and that they even had an armed guard at the door, so I tried to prepare the monkeys. (Someone online likened it to a casino buffet minus the casino.) Inside it was definitely crowded, but not necessarily what I'd call rowdy.
We did take a minute to read the rules, which are many.
We were shown to a booth, and asked our drink orders. It was waters all around and then Satchel and I went in search of food while Jiro grumpily manned the booth. Satchel and I went straight for the Asian section, which was not at all crowded, and did not contain any kind of sushi. Uh-oh. I went ahead and got Jiro some egg drop soup, sweet and sour chicken, and rice. I noticed people with nice buns (haha) at another window, and went to get one for Jiro. (He is obsessed with the "buns without skin" like we had at Mulan.)
When I sat his plate down, he actually perked up for a minute, but only picked at his offerings. He refused the bun because it had "skin" on it.
As you can see from the closest plate, I tried the dumplings, hot & sour soup, and some beef stir fry. It was decent.
Satchel made himself a plate of fried foods and rice.
Satchel tried to get Jiro interested in going in search of more food by comparing it to the cruise ship, but he wasn't having it. The two of us went off for another round though I could have easily (not to mention, smartly) stopped after my first plate. (We were really missing Warren, who can be counted on to gorge himself and try all sorts of weird items.)
The home cooking section was really the most exciting part of the restaurant and maintained the longest lines. I thought I'd try to woo Jiro with fried chicken, catfish, mashed potatoes, and broccoli.
Despite the look on his face, he did perk up, and eat his chicken. I tried his mashed potatoes and they were very good. I don't recall what Satchel got on his second plate, nor did I take a photo. Here's mine:
The hot water cornbread was really good. The spaghetti and green beans were so-so. I was not a fan of the greens or mac-n-cheese.
And oh my goodness was I stuffed. I really hate that stuffed feeling only a buffet can deliver.
Jiro was in a slightly better mood after the fried chicken, and agreed to hit the dessert bar with us.
They had several pastry/cookies that you'd see in a Mexican panaderia, Jell-O, brownies, soft serve ice cream, etc. What was really exciting was three different kinds of cobbler. I had a small bowl of peach, which was so good I forgot to take a picture before digging in.
And then I felt really, really gross.
We had a lot of food left on the table and I felt like a super waster to boot. The only thing that consoled me, and I use that term loosely, was that there were other people pigging out way worse than us and wasting even more food. I saw a two year old girl with a plate piled so high, it was crazy. I was at once impressed with the parent's ability to fit so much on one plate and stunned that it was actually for a two year old.
We took our ticket and paid at the front: $26.14. Jiro got everyone ONE fortune cookie.
I made a quick run to the restroom before leaving, and should note that the pink, sparkly counter was pretty awesome. I didn't think to look for a changing table, sorry.
We piled in the car and headed back to Midtown. I emailed my editor and explained that while I thought the food was okay, I didn't plan on ever going back. When writing about restaurants in print, the focus tends to be on the positive, and while I could think of some positive things to say, I didn't want anyone going to Chow Time solely on my recommendation.
Now, if you like buffets, and especially home cooking, by all means give Chow Time a try. You might like it. Maybe you'll even love it. But me, I don't need to go back.
4207 Hacks Cross Road
737-8272
One of my editors, intrigued by the photo below, assigned me to write a feature about Chow Time Buffet & Grill.
I am generally not a fan of buffets or home cooking, but I like Asian food and adventure. Last week, after our trip to Sky Zone, the monkeys (Satchel, 10, and Jiro, 8) and I were already so far from home, I figured why not go ahead and venture out to Hacks Cross to check out Chow Time. Normally, they get super excited about buffets, especially Satchel, who is a little piglet with eyes way bigger than his stomach. For whatever reason, Satchel was only mildly excited and Jiro was downright not having it. "They have sushi!" I promised, hoping to get him in the spirit.
By the time we arrived, Jiro agreed that he would get out of the car, but he would not eat. Whatever, kid. (Look at that face! Ha!)
I had heard that things could get a little rowdy at Chow Time and that they even had an armed guard at the door, so I tried to prepare the monkeys. (Someone online likened it to a casino buffet minus the casino.) Inside it was definitely crowded, but not necessarily what I'd call rowdy.
We did take a minute to read the rules, which are many.
We were shown to a booth, and asked our drink orders. It was waters all around and then Satchel and I went in search of food while Jiro grumpily manned the booth. Satchel and I went straight for the Asian section, which was not at all crowded, and did not contain any kind of sushi. Uh-oh. I went ahead and got Jiro some egg drop soup, sweet and sour chicken, and rice. I noticed people with nice buns (haha) at another window, and went to get one for Jiro. (He is obsessed with the "buns without skin" like we had at Mulan.)
When I sat his plate down, he actually perked up for a minute, but only picked at his offerings. He refused the bun because it had "skin" on it.
As you can see from the closest plate, I tried the dumplings, hot & sour soup, and some beef stir fry. It was decent.
Satchel made himself a plate of fried foods and rice.
Satchel tried to get Jiro interested in going in search of more food by comparing it to the cruise ship, but he wasn't having it. The two of us went off for another round though I could have easily (not to mention, smartly) stopped after my first plate. (We were really missing Warren, who can be counted on to gorge himself and try all sorts of weird items.)
The home cooking section was really the most exciting part of the restaurant and maintained the longest lines. I thought I'd try to woo Jiro with fried chicken, catfish, mashed potatoes, and broccoli.
Despite the look on his face, he did perk up, and eat his chicken. I tried his mashed potatoes and they were very good. I don't recall what Satchel got on his second plate, nor did I take a photo. Here's mine:
The hot water cornbread was really good. The spaghetti and green beans were so-so. I was not a fan of the greens or mac-n-cheese.
And oh my goodness was I stuffed. I really hate that stuffed feeling only a buffet can deliver.
Jiro was in a slightly better mood after the fried chicken, and agreed to hit the dessert bar with us.
They had several pastry/cookies that you'd see in a Mexican panaderia, Jell-O, brownies, soft serve ice cream, etc. What was really exciting was three different kinds of cobbler. I had a small bowl of peach, which was so good I forgot to take a picture before digging in.
And then I felt really, really gross.
We had a lot of food left on the table and I felt like a super waster to boot. The only thing that consoled me, and I use that term loosely, was that there were other people pigging out way worse than us and wasting even more food. I saw a two year old girl with a plate piled so high, it was crazy. I was at once impressed with the parent's ability to fit so much on one plate and stunned that it was actually for a two year old.
We took our ticket and paid at the front: $26.14. Jiro got everyone ONE fortune cookie.
I made a quick run to the restroom before leaving, and should note that the pink, sparkly counter was pretty awesome. I didn't think to look for a changing table, sorry.
We piled in the car and headed back to Midtown. I emailed my editor and explained that while I thought the food was okay, I didn't plan on ever going back. When writing about restaurants in print, the focus tends to be on the positive, and while I could think of some positive things to say, I didn't want anyone going to Chow Time solely on my recommendation.
Now, if you like buffets, and especially home cooking, by all means give Chow Time a try. You might like it. Maybe you'll even love it. But me, I don't need to go back.
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