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Atlanta to BBQ Central: $114.30 on AirTran

You could drive the (roughly) 400 miles from Atlanta to Memphis a couple of weekends from now, or you could save a bit of time and energy and gorge yourself on BBQ when you get there. The world famous Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest ("Superbowl of Swine," "College of Pig Knowledge") will take place on May 17, 18 and 19 in downtown, bringing together eaters and grillmasters from around the country and around the world. Single day tickets cost $7. We pulled up this sample fare for flight dates of May 16-19, as AirTrain prices jump for Sunday returns. For what it's worth, NWA is matching the deal...if you're into that.

[Photo: wcm1111]

Related Stories:
· AirTran Airways [Official Site]
· Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest [Official Site]

Memphis / → All Tags

Memphis: Getting Barbeque to Your Door

All this barbeque coverage may be well and good, but you may ask, how does this help me, the barbeque lover that doesn’t have any nearby options? Well, thanks to FedEx—which is based out of Memphis—BBQ can be at your door as soon as tomorrow. We’ve put together a little chart for you, to give you a taste of your options, but remember than many other places in Memphis are happy to ship as well. New Yorkers take note: This may be the most enjoyable food delivery you’ll ever receive.

	Rendezvous	Corky's BBQ	Jim Neely's Interstate BBQ
Potential Order:	2 Slabs of Ribs, with options for additional sauce, coleslaw, or pork shoulder	Ultimate Taste of Corky's: 1 Slab Ribs, 1 lb. Pork Shoulder, 1 pint Baked Beans, 1 bottle BBQ Sauce, 1 Bottle BBQ seasoning, 1 pecan or fudge pie	Pork Ribs: 3 Slabs with 1 bottle of sauce and 1 bottle of seasoning. BBQ spaghetti, baked beans, and BBQ Chicken are all optional additions.
How Much:	$89, shipping included	$84, shipping included	$89, shipping included
Shipping:	Order by noon CST to get it by FedEx Overnight	Order by 2pm CST to get it via FedEx 2-day shipping	Order by 1pm CST to get it via FedEx 2-day shipping

Related Stories:
·   Jaunted in Memphis [Jaunted]

Memphis / Barbeque / Jaunted Field Trip / → All Tags

Memphis: Rendezvous at the Rendezvous

The Rendezvous is at the center of one of the evergreen debates of the barbeque universe: Dry vs. Wet. The Rendezvous serves Memphis-style dry rub ribs. After being rubbed with a secret combination of spices, they are slow-cooked liked other any other barbeque. There is no gloopy or runny sauce, although it is served with wet sauce as an optional condiment.

Much of this divide is a geographical issue; wet sauces differ in different parts of North Carolina, for example. The Rendezvous itself, in an alley across from the Peabody hotel, also features waiters who are  described by using words like "surly", or "indifferent", or "working there since the restaurant opened in 1948".

Naturally, that doesn't stop the Rendezvous from being Memhpis' most famous barbeque joint. If you don't crave ribs, locals in the know recommend the lamb riblets--for anyone who finds those spareribs to be a bit too much work. They do get heavy after a marathon eating session.

[Image via KDem/Flickr]  

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·   Jaunted in Memphis [Jaunted]

Memphis / Barbeque / Jaunted Field Trip / → All Tags

Memphis: Airport Eats

How long does it take to figure out that Memphis is fixated on barbeque? You won't even have time to get to the baggage claim upon arrival in the airport; there are two separate BBQ establishments in the terminal itself. Trust us, you'll smell them, even at 930am.

One is an outpost of Jim Neely's Interstate Barbeque (near gate B14), and is the one we'd recommend visiting on your way home. The other is Corky's, (near gate B36) which is to BBQ as Taco Bell is to Mexican food, and is looked down upon by locals. Corky's uses smoke flavoring, instead of actually smoking their meats. Shocking. We won't stop you, however--sometimes highly processed foods hit the stop before you fly. The question remains: Why isn't the pizza at New York's airports as good as the BBQ in Memphis?

[Image via abbyladybug/Flickr]

Memphis / Barbeque / Jaunted Field Trip / → All Tags

Memphis: Jim Neely's Interstate BBQ

They take their barbeque very seriously in Memphis, and you'll be hearing plenty about it in the next couple of days. While the Rendezvous--the BBQ joint of choice for the President when he came to town last week--is the most famous of Memphis' smoked meat options and the home of dry-rub ribs, it has plenty of company in the BBQ pantheon. Among them is Jim Neely's Interstate BBQ, conveniently located on the way to the airport, and among the best of the BBQ giants in town.

A "small" order of pork ribs gets you two sides and some white bread. Sides include classics like baked beans and cole slaw, but another option is the BBQ spaghetti. It tastes pretty much like it sounds, although the sauce is more tomato-based than what goes on the ribs and pulled pork, both of which are smoky and tender. The sauce is definitely wet without getting too sloppy, with a slightly sweet finish. Polishing off that small order was enough to give us the meat sweats, so unless you're a member of the Dallas Cowboys offensive line, it should be more than enough for a meal.

We especially liked Neely's logo: The interstate springs forth from the pigs neck, as if his aorta has been severed and his lifeblood is the interstate itself. For a barbeque restaurant, that's pretty darn profound.

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·   Jaunted in Memphis [Jaunted]

Jaunted Field Trip / Memphis / → All Tags

Hot to Tot

Tots Ahoy! Frank Bruni may always be the man everyone loves to hate (or at least Democrats and restaurateurs do), but we're tempted to heed his advice from time to time. During his fast-food road trip, Lil' Frankie said the following about the tater tots at Sonic:

The tots at Sonic, a chain prevalent in the South, were the sultans of spuds. Since all of these potato variants are about exterior crackle, not interior vegetable, the tot configuration, with more crests and buttes and ridges, won the day.

Truly, the best fast-food potato product around? This we had to try. Departing a Memphis-area Sonic, (which features a drive-up, not a drive-thru) we found their tots are indeed impressive. Tater tots have a reputation as soggy cafeteria fare, but these were 90% crunchiness and 10% potato interior, an ideal ratio for any snack food.

Can they compare with the reigning champ, McDonald's fries? We're not so sure. They're harder to wedge into the odd spaces in your car during a road trip, and don't come with that same rush of saltiness and Fry-o-lator magic that is so addictive. If you're driving past, it's worth a visit, but don't change your itineraries just yet, tot fans.

Jaunted Field Trip / Memphis / → All Tags

Hi-Tone in Memphis has New Grit, True Grit

Your intrepid editor spent the nation's birthday in Memphis, TN. While we'll get to the smoked and grilled meat later in the week, including a comparison of what's available at the airport, but we'll start things off with a nod to the Hi-Tone.

Memphis is famous for music, of course, and there are plenty of swank clubs on Beale Street, but our favorite venue remains the Hi-Tone. Housed in a small, boxy building in Memphis' Midtown with tables practically on the stage, the Hi-Tone plays host to locals and heavyweights alike, including Cat Power and Elvis Costello.

Although it only opened in 1998, it's dirty and authentic enough to feel much older. The Hi-Tone was voted the #1 place to see live music by locals 6 times since it opened, impressive for a city with no shortage of venues. Sometimes the sound of beer bottles being tossed in the trash can disrupt the more intimate performances, but it's still worth checking out who's playing the next time you swing through town.

[Image via Chucktm/Flickr]

Memphis / Politics / BBQ / → All Tags

Fried Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwiches Bind World Leaders Together

Guess who's going to be in Memphis the same time as your faithful editor? Why, none other than President Bush and the Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Actually, we'll just miss the pair, as we don't arrive in town until Saturday, and they'll be passing through town tomorrow. Drat.

Koizumi is a big Elvis fan (as evidenced by his tonsorial choices) and Bush is giving him a private tour of Graceland before the Japanese PM retires. It's the first tour given by the President at a site outside of Washington D.C. We must admit it's an excellent choice; there's hardly a more American place to visit than Graceland, save the Grand Canyon or possibly a Super Wal-Mart. Bush will also have Lisa Marie and Priscilla Presley to help him with the tour.

Afterwards, the group is headed to the Rendezvous, Memphis' most famous, though not necessarily best, rib establishment. There is some consternation among locals at the choice (Cozy Corner and Tops were offered as alternatives) so we'll have no alternative but to test them all and give you a full report next week.

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·   Bush's Farewell to Koizumi [NYT]
·   King-Size Welcome [Commercial-Appeal]

Memphis / Tennessee / Music / Travel Blogs / → All Tags

Take Me to the River

Hey East and West Coast snobs, you're not the only ones who've got the live music and nightlife thing going on these days. Memphis may be a city whose residents are desperately in need of some dried apricots, but the live tunes and venues throughout the city are some of the best in the South. (Sorry, we refuse to use the phrase "mid-south")

Rachel in the City, the Memphis Flyer's best blog for 2005, covers the Memphis scene with aplomb. From shows at the Hi-Tone--we saw Cat Power play for a whole forty-five minutes there last year before she flipped out--to punditry about Memphis' push to attract artists and maybe a good Italian restaurant, she's all over it. Put on an Al Green Record and enjoy.

[Image via jc/Flickr]

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·   Rachel in the City
·   Poop Scoop [Jaunted]