Cordova

I’ve been to Bombay House a few times. It has just been a while. A friend of mine told me about their lunch buffet. I decided to check it out one day since I was in the area. I’ll admit, I haven’t eaten much Indian food in my life. I like it well enough. I just haven’t been to too many places.

When I walked in I was immediately seated and asked if I wanted the buffet. Of course I said yes, and I went up to check out their offerings. Everything looked delicious. I got a small salad first because it looked amazing.

Aftewards I got my regular plate and tried to sample a little of everything. After I finished with that I went back for larger portions of my favorites. I’m truly embarrassed to say I don’t quite remember the names of some of the dishes. The chicken curry was outstanding. I also had a stew with lentils in it that was out of this world. The sagh vegetables were good and so were the curried vegetables. My favorite item was a little potato cake that I can’t remember the name of. I must have eaten 4 or 5 because they were just that good.

I really liked my lunch there. Although I’m not an expert on Indian food I can say that it tasted really good. The people were also very very nice. Because of this I can definitely say I’ll be back. Thanks Danielle for telling me about their buffet!

Hunan Palace

April 18, 2012

Cordova

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I’ve been a fan of Hunan for some years now. My wife and I used to eat at their location by the former Schnucks frequently. When they moved the first time to the spot formerly occupied by Bangkok Alley we never made it. Now they are right next to O’Charley’s where Topz Burgers used to be. Their current space is much smaller that the one I was used to.

We ordered an appetizer called that included wings, gyoza, egg rolls, shrimp rolls, and crab rangoons. The wings were pretty inedible. They were burnt and tasted like they were cooked in old oil. My wife and I both took a single bite and put it back on the platter. The one thing that I was completely impressed with was the shrimp rolls. It’s pretty simple. It’s just seasoned shrimp in an egg rolls wrapper, but it tasted great.

For our entrees we ordered Moo Goo Gai Pan (for me), Combination Lo Mein (my wife), and shrimp fried rice (my son). It was part of a lunch special so we got an egg roll and choice of soup. We all chose the Won Ton. (My all time fave.)

The soup wasn’t as good as I remembered it before. They used to put little strips of pork in it and scallions. Now it’s just a huge won ton and broth. Still good once I added a little more salt. My wife was pretty disappointed that she couldn’t get the angel hair noodles for her lo mein. That used to be her favorite dish. What she got did not resemble in any way the dish she used to get.

It still tasted pretty good in my opinion. The shriimp fried rice was, on the other hand, exactly how I remembered it. Very tasty and had some great shrimp in it.

My Moo Goo Gai Pan wasn’t very good at all. It was completely bland. The only part they were generous with was the snow peas which was pretty much all I ate out of the dish.

Overall everyone was really nice. The restaurant was very clean, and the food was presented well. We had fun while there although not everything tasted good. I do encourage you to visit and try it out for yourself. I’m really hoping I visited on an “off” day. I do plan on visiting again to see some improvement.

Memphis Dawgs Hot Dog Cart

April 13, 2012

Cordova

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Every since I read Shannon’s review of Memphis Dawgs on memphisfoodie.com I’ve wanted to try this place out. Until then I didn’t even know it existed. (Pretty ashamed I was.) So I started following Todd on Twitter and when I heard the excellent news that he would be in Wolfchase Galleria for the month of April I was extremely excited. I even tweeted him to tell him as much.

Luckily I had the perfect excuse to go to Wolfchase on my lunch hour to run an errand for my wife. Naturally I hit the food court to locate the famous Memphis Dawgs cart. It took me a minute to realize that he was occupying the space that used to be the Subway. So I headed right over and was thrilled to find that he had his actual cart parked inside the space. After a quick glance at the menu I knew immediately that I wanted the Memphis dog. It comes with slaw and BBQ sauce.

It was very delicious. Niced plump Nathan’s dog with some great slaw and BBQ sauce. It was everything I hoped it would be and more.
I got a drink and a bag of chips to go with it. A pretty damn good lunch if I say so myself. I also tried their strawberry cake which was a very good ending to my already great lunch.

It was a very awesome experience. I left the mall with a huge smile on my face and already tweeting about how great I thought it was. If you are in Wolfchase this month I implore you to bypass the national chains and head strait for the Memphis Dawgs Hot Dog Cart. You will not be sorry!!!

Southern Hands Family Dining

March 14, 2012

Cordova

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I joined my wife the other day for lunch because she happened to have the day off. She actually suggested that we eat at Southern Hands because she has had it before. I’m pretty excited that she suggested it and I enthusiastically agreed. Almost any day is a good day to eat Southern food.

When we got there they busy, but we were seated immediately. The interior layout was a little unusual. They have seated around the edges that are elevated. I know that the space was formerly a BBQ joint so I’m no sure who’s idea that was. Anyway, we didnt go there for the interior design. We went there for good food.

The menu was fairly simple with a lunch menu on the left and a dinner menu on the left. They also had plates that were exclusively vegetables. We both chose the standard meat and two veg wih cornbread. I ordered the fried pork chop with black eyed peas and green beans. My wife ordered the fried catfish with “country” corn and candied yams. After having eaten at Mother’s the day before I was anxious to try out their porkchop and see how it measured up. I also wanted to steal a bite of my wife’s catfish.

We didn’t have to wait very long for our food. Which was a great thing because I was pretty hungry. Before I took my first bite I ceremonially dashed my beans and peas with pepper sauce. I also put a little hot sauce on my pork chop. The breading on my pork chop tasted great and was well seasoned. The meat, however, was not seasoned at all and was a little rubbery. While certainly edible, I still expected a little more. The green beans were fairly mediocre. BUT…. The black eyed peas were very impressive. They tasted great and I used my small loaf of cornbread to sop up the residual juices.

My wife was nice enough to let me have a bite or two of her food too. The catfish was decent. The country corn was really good though. It reminded me of a mix between regular corn and creamed corn. I think the highlight of her dish was the candied yams. They were perfectly sweet with just a hint of cinnamon. Just outstanding.

Southern Hands is definitely a place I’ll be revisiting and I suggest you check them out if you haven’t.

Mother’s Home Cooking

March 13, 2012

Cordova

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On day at lunch time I found myself really wanting some good ol’ “home cooking” type food. Going down Germantown Pkwy. I passed Abbey’s and I just knew there was a better option than that. My search led me down Dexter Road to Mother’s Home Cooking. They have a sign underneath that says “International.” I have no idea what that means. Everything on their menu was great Southern food.

I arrived at 11:30 (I got hungry early) and the sign said “OPEN” so i walked in. I was the only person there and the main dining area was completely dark except for the light from the flat panel television. I made sure with the guys up front that they were in fact open. They assured me they were and handed me a menu. Every day they have a different set of meats and vegetables. The standard plate was a meat and two vegetables with cornbread for $6.99. They also have items that are made to order every day. (Wings and catfish.) After looking it over a minute I decided on the pork chop with green beans, yams, and tea to drink. Since I was their first customer it was nice and fresh. They told me to sit anywhere I liked and asked me which channel I’d like to watch. ESPNEWS was on so I was fine with that.

After what seemed like only a few minutes they brought out my plate along with silverware and extra napkins. They asked if I needed anything and I asked for hot sauce and pepper sauce. Everything looked great and I was certainly ready to dig in.

I’m usually kind of picky when it comes to green beans. I hate it when they taste like they came from a can. These were phenomenal. Even better with a few dashes of pepper sauce. Perfectly seasoned. The yams were great as well. Though I usually like them candied with cinnamon these were still pretty damn good. The cornbread was legit. Very good and very traditional Southern cornbread. By that I mean…….NOT SWEET! It was outstanding…… and it worked great to soak up the extra juice from my green beans!

The highlight was definitely my porkchop. It was seasoned so well, and the edge fatty pieces were nice and crispy. With a little hot sauce I was in heaven. As I was finishing my plate a co-worker called and asked about the menu. She decided on baked chicken, green beans, and mashed potatoes.

When I got back to work I asked if I could take a pic of her food. I also wanted her opinion on the mashed potatoes. She enthusiastically approved of everything.

I also want to mention they have some great menu items each day. On Friday’s two of the choices I will be trying are neck bones, and chitterlings. Actually chitterlings are on the menu Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I’m not sure how they cook them, but I’m gonna find out. I highly recommend Mother’s Home Cooking to anyone looking for some legit Southern food. It’s great food and awesome prices!

**Update** I have since gone back to try their wings. The price is $7.99 for 5 whole wings with fries and a drink. They have them in three flavors which are hot, honey gold, and seasoned. I tried the hot combo, and I have to say they are pretty good. If you’re looking for “suicide” or “atomic” this isn’t the place. If you are looking for good hot wings for a good price then try here. I’ll be hard pressed to go somewhere else in Cordova when I could stop in here and get that combo for only $7.99. See my pic for yourself and you decide…

Mount Olive Cuisine and Market

March 10, 2012

Cordova

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I stopped by Mount Olive on Saturday after being disappointed that a particular wing place close by had raised their price on a 10 piece combo yet again. Since I was in the parking lot and their signage was so appealing Mount Olive seemed like a perfect choice.

When I walked in I knew this place was the real deal. They had a small lounge area with a foreign channel playing. Their aisles were filled with great Mediterranean food. They have a large meat case in the back with some great Halal meats. Everyone there was incredibly nice. They were happy to answer any questions I had about the menu.

As I looked over their menu I knew I wanted the Gyro combo which comes with seasoned fries and a drink. It turns out that the drink is your choice of a can soda. My choices were either diet soda or a Faygo….. I would have been happy with water but they didn’t have any. Apparently the large soda fountain is out of order. I don’t mean to harp on such a small detail, but they really should improve their beverage options.

Ok so back to a more serious subject. I sat at the table nearest the door. Since it was so nice out they had this one propped open and the breeze coming through felt great. My food came out pretty quickly, and I was very pleased.

The pita bread was nice and soft. It had tomatoes, onions, lamb, a pickle, and it was all covered in the best tzatziki sauce I’ve ever had. It had nice big chunks of cucumber in it.

As I sat in the breeze and enjoyed my lunch ($7.99 + tax) I looked over the rest of their menu. I can tell you with 100 % certainty that the Halal Chicken Wing Combo and the Falafel Sandwich will be mine. Oh yes, they will be mine!!!

**UPDATE** Ok, so I went back the next day because those Halal Chicken Wings were seriously calling my name. I went around 2pm and they weren’t busy. I ordered the combo that comes with fries and a drink. They informed me that they were out of wings but offered to substitute legs and use whatever “drummies” they had from the wings. I said sure! They literally cut the meat right then and sent it back to the kitchen. I took my new favorite seat by the door and waited. After about 15 minutes the nice lady in the back brought me my food.

Not only did it come with fries, they also included some roasted vegetables on the side. There were carrots, potatoes, and eggplant. All of which were delicious. The chicken tasted great. It was lightly seasoned and the skin was crispy. I put generous amounts of the provided hot sauce and it was even better.

I had great food on both trips and had a great experience both times as well. I’m still looking forward to trying their falafel and their hummus which is made onsite. I’m very glad I decided to stop in, and I will surely spread the word.

Wings of Wolfchase

February 22, 2012

Cordova

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I’ve read several reviews and comments about Wings of Wolfchase. The most common themes were great wings, but horrible service. In the past week I’ve eaten here twice. The second time was because I liked the wings so much, but I also wanted to see if I got a different experience. Both times I ate there because everyone recommended to get my food to go. I’m hard headed I know….

During my first visit I had the 10 piece combo with fries, celery, and carrots. It comes with a drink also. I chose to eat their “hot.” The wings were in fact really good, as well as their fries. I opted for blue cheese because that’s my usual favorite. Somehow it wasn’t “blue cheesy” enough so I made a mental note to try ranch the next time. The service was excellent. I called my order it in since I was pressed for time, and I told them I’d be eating there. When I got there she made my drink and asked where I wanted to sit. Another cool thing is they gave me a separate basket for my bones! Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest impact. While I was there they had a shift change and the service remained great. They asked me for refills every so often, and also asked if I needed anything else.

My second trip I got the same 10 piece combo, but this time I got their “Sweet Heat” flavor and I got the ranch. Their sweet heat is basically like “honey hot.” It packs all of heat of the hot plus some nice sweetness. I loved it. In fact, I may even say it’s better than D’bo’s honey hot. Well, maybe one more trip will help me determine this…… Anyway, the service was great this time as well. They have three televisions on the wall and this time I chose to sit closer to the one playing ESPN instead of those dreadful “judge” shows.

I’m not really sure what happened to the people in those bad reviews I read. I wasn’t there so I can’t speak to it. I just know that both of my experiences were very pleasant, and yes the wings are great!

D’bo’s Wings n’ More

February 15, 2012

Cordova

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I’ve been a huge fan of D’bo’s for a long time. My favorite location overall is the Bartlett location on Raleigh-Lagrange, but since I live near the Cordova locations I felt obliged to write my review of this location. If you live in this area you have a few options if you want to eat good wings. There is something unique and great about each one in my opinion.

Hanging proudly on the wall as soon as you walk in is an award for best wings from Localeats.com I mostly agree with this. Their “Seasoned” wings took first place in Buffalo, NY last year in their new dry rub category. I think they are, by far, the best seasoned wings in Memphis. I’ve tried all of the “flavors” and I enjoy them all. My favorite two are the seasoned and their honey-hot.

I’ve often heard from other people that D’bo’s wings are either too small and not enough meat. I’ve never really had a problem with that, and I think they are mostly on par with other place’s drummies/flats. If I had to criticize this particular location I would say it’s a total lack of professionalism. One of the main reasons I like going to the Bartlett location is that everyone is very nice. In fact, out of the four wings places I live near in Cordova all of them have excellent service except for D’bo’s. When I make my decicision on which place I want to eat I’m often forced to choose whether I want to deal with the people at D’bo’s or simply go somewhere else. I think they have the best wings overall, but if I’ve had a long day I usually choose to go to Mister P’s.

Mr. Boyd, you have great wings! This is no secret, but your people need some customer service skills.

Rayford’s All-N-One Hot Wings

February 8, 2012

Cordova

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I’m a hot wing lover from waaaay back. I’ve been to all of Rayford’s local competition. (Mister P’s, D’bo’s, and Wing Stop) I, until the other day, had not been to Rayford’s. I usually don’t travel that way near Berryhill, but I wanted some wings, and something a little different for a change.

I got to Rayford’s right around the time the local schools were getting out so I had a few teen’s waiting on their food ahead of me. The wait wasn’t really that long though. Not nearly as long as I thought. I sit and watched the tv on the wall and waited on my wings.

I ordered the 10 piece hot wing combo with seasoned fries and a drink (and blue cheese). The total came out to just over $11 which is a tad bit more than I’m used to paying at Wing Stop. ($9.80ish)

When my wings came out they arrived in a to go box. From the looks of things it seems that’s the way everyone’s orders come.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that my carrots and celerey were also tossed in their hot wing sauce. I had never seen that before, and I admit that I liked it. I think I finished those first. It kinda reminded me of some milder kimchee. The fries were basic frozen fries, but they did add some nice seasoning to them. The wings were good, and different from what I’ve had. The sauce had more of a vinegar taste to it with some nice spices. They were dripping with the sauce as I picked up the first one. I like that…..

I’m a huge lover of hot wings or just good wings in general. (Turkey or chicken with any spice or sauce.) I happen to live in between Rayford’s, Mister P’s, Wing Stop, and D’bo’s. I am happy I finally tried it and I feel I can fully recommend this place to anyone wanting good hot wings. I’m eager to stop by and check out their different sauces, but I think I’ll stop by during lunchtime or later in the evening to avoid the high school crowd.

Red Fish

February 5, 2012

Cordova, Other Memphis Areas

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My wife and I decided to try out Red Fish last night. We had heard several good things about their sushi from my brother in law ( who happens to be a sushi chef). The location was formerly Hunan Pacifica if I recall and I hadn’t been there since Red Fish moved into the spot.

They were pretty busy but not too packed. They have some nice seating arrangements inside. In the middle they have this large elevated boat you can sit in. They had two tv’s mounted on the wall but it would have been nice to have a few more.

My wife and I both made our way through the menu pretty quickly because we were pretty hungry. She ordered the Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura Dinner, and I ordered the Sushi Deluxe Dinner. We also ordered their Red Snapper Sashimi.

Both of our dinners came with the standard house salad with ginger sesame dressing and a choice of clear or miso soup. Both were pretty average, but I was really happy when the Snapper Sashimi came out. It was done beautifully and tasted great.

When our entrees arrived I was pretty impressed with the portions. My wife’s plate was stacked high was nice tempura battered shrimp and vegetables. It came with a nice sized bowl of (great tasting) fried rice and some dipping sauce.

Mine came with a California Roll and 8 pieces of “Chef’s choice Nigiri.” The fish was so nice and tasty. As you can see below the presentation was great as well. ( It didn’t stay that way for long.) I tore into it pretty quick.

The total bill wasn’t too bad. I put it on par with Sekisui or Mikado and the atmosphere was better in my opinion. It’s at the corner of Hwy 64 and Houston Levee in Lakeland. If you are out that way, I suggest you check it out!