Swanky's Taco Shop - Day Off Eats

WHERE WE WENT:   
Swanky's Taco Shop
6641 Poplar Avenue
Germantown, TN

WHAT WE ORDERED:

Chips & Queso, Fried Fish Tacos, Build-Your-Own Burrito Bowl w/ Chicken

WHAT WE THOUGHT:
Atmosphere - 7
Menu - 8
Presentation - 7
Taste - 8
Price - 7
Service - 7
 Overall - 7


Atmosphere - There's nothing about this restaurant that particularly says Mexican or "swanky." That being said, it is still really cool. The seating on the inside is very open and comfortable. Dark wood, some chrome and red accents create a classic, clean design combination. The high point of design choices is the very unique and funky light fixtures with exposed bulbs that immediately

draw your attention. They have a spacious outdoor patio with overhead lighting as well.

Menu -  Swanky's has a traditional Mexican menu with favorites like quesadillas, burritos, and chimichangas, along with a few unique twists like latin wontons. They also have a full bar with premium tequilas and many specialty cocktails. They've recently added some new vegetarian options as well.
 
Presentation - The chips and queso were very plainly presented with the chips served in a paper tray and the queso in a bowl that did not even coordinate in color. It was unimpressive. Fortunately, as the meal progressed, we became more and more fond of the way each dish was presented. The BYOB was served in a trendy looking white bowl with an asymmetrical lip that was very appealing. The fish tacos were served open-face so that the round tortillas contrasted with the square plate. The colors in that dish were gorgeous. we almost didn't want to ruin it by eating it.

Taste - The were made in house, and tasted like it. They were crisp, light and not at all greasy or stale like most pre-packaged chips. The queso was decent, but a little bland. It definitely could have used some chopped peppers mixed in. The burrito bowl was delicious. The chicken was cooked perfectly and marinated well. The mix of mild and medium salsa had a delicious flavor and a sweet heat that complemented the flavor of the chicken and the veggies and was kept in check by the sour cream. All of the

vegetables tasted fresh. The fish tacos were good, but we wish we would have got them grilled. The batter on the fried fish overwhelmed the taste just a bit. Otherwise, the slaw and sides were excellent and meshed well with the tacos flavors.


Price - Everything on the menu was reasonably priced and comparable to other restaurants of its kind.

Service - We walked up to the counter to place our order, so we did not have an official server, but everyone we encountered was friendly and welcoming. When we needed more salsa, they went out of their way to provide us multiple kinds to be

sure we were satisfied. 

Extras - They host trivia every Thursday night at 8:00 pm.

WOULD WE GO BACK? 
Yes. Our food was delicious and the friendly staff made us feel welcome.


Here's a link to their website:  
http://www.swankystacoshop.com/

Huey's Downtown- NYE Eats

WHERE WE WENT:   
Huey's Downtown
77 South Second Street
Memphis, TN
38103



WHAT WE ORDERED:

Chili Cheese Fries, Cuban Sandwich, Hawaiian Burger

WHAT WE THOUGHT:
Atmosphere - 9
Menu - 7
Presentation -7
Taste - 7
Price - 7
Service - 7
 Overall - 7


Atmosphere - Huey's has a nice small town sports bar feel even though its situated in the heart of downtown Memphis. The seating is cozy and the lighting is dark. The bar is the central focus of the dining room and there are multiple TVs set out to watch whatever game may be on at the time. There is a good mix of tables and booths, so everyone can find a place that's comfortable. The place has a lot of character. The walls and booths are written all over, signed by people from near and far commemorating their excursion to Huey's. One particularly unique aspect of the restaurant is the ceiling, it's covered in toothpicks that have been launched up. It's a challenge every Huey's customer should undertake. Ask around, everyone has their idea of the best strategy. We say flick it.

Menu -We are fans of the Huey's menu. It is only one page, double-sided. The front lists all of the food choices in bright colors next to illustrations that are uniquely Memphis such as the Grizzlies logo and the pyramid. The back has caricatures of the owners and their
 
family as well as a short history of the restaurant that really makes you feel invested in the place. They offer a wide variety of liquor and beer, including craft beers and local brews. The only problem was maybe a smaller menu offering, but that can be expected from sports bars.

Presentation -As in most places of the sort, our food came basketed with checkered wax paper. It was unoriginal but acceptable. A couple issues: unless your restaurant is a self-proclaimed dive bar, say no to plastic silverware. Also, after providing us with a giant burger or a heaping helping of fries, we expect restaurants not to skimp on the ketchup. Put it on the table, not in one of the obnoxiously small plastic cups.

Taste -The chili cheese fries we ordered we delicious. The fries themselves are the thick cut steak fries, making them a god support for all their fixings. The ratio of cheese-chili-potato was excellent. Every fry had a full flavor of each ingredient. The Hawaiian burger had a unique taste. The warm burger paired with the cool, crisp pineapple was a nice textural contrast, however the burger patty itself was not very flavorful. No matter what you build on a burger, you gotta have that good foundation. The Cuban sandwich had great flavor and lots of meat. The only problem was that it wasn't pressed. Cubans have got to be pressed or else it's just a deli sandwich.

Price -Huey's is priced comparably with most other restaurants of its kind, but is really reasonable for the downtown area.

Service - Our service was good, but could have been better. 

Extras - They host trivia every Wednesday night with the opportunity to win house cash.

WOULD WE GO BACK? 
Yeah, we enjoyed it. We have season tickets to the Redbirds and Huey's being a block away creates the perfect place to go catch a couple beers pre-game.

Here's a link to their website:  
http://hueyburger.com/

Young Avenue Deli - Thursday Night Trivia

WHERE WE WENT:
Young Avenue Deli
2119 Young Avenue
Memphis, TN 
38104



WHAT WE ORDERED:

Mozzarella Sticks, Sam I Am (Turkey, Gouda, BBQ Sauce in Pita Bread), Yankee Club (Pastrami, Corn Beef, Sauerkraut, Swiss, Spicy Mustard on Marble Rye), French Fries

WHAT WE THOUGHT:
Atmosphere - 9       
Menu - 7
Presentation - 6
Taste - 9
Price - 7
Service - 4
  Overall - 7.5

Atmosphere - If describing Young Avenue Deli in one word, it'd be "cool." This is the type of place you go to hang out. The building itself is really cool with exposed brick and aluminum siding. Layered all over the walls are old pieces of Americana including antique metal signs of beer advertisements. The bar is creative and has an awesome roll cage that hangs above it. There are pool tables, a couple of electronic arcade games in the back and a stage up front by the door that sometimes host live music and other entertainment. The limited seating lends itself to having people sitting and crowding at the bar frequently. The place has a very "neighborhood" feeling to it, as most places in the Cooper-Young area. There was a large assortment of people present, but the main clientele seems to be hip twentysomethings.


Menu -They have an outstanding selection of beer that includes local brews such as Ghost River, Memphis Made, and Wiseacre as well as beers that have been more difficult to find such as Magic Hat and The Golden Monkey. They have a good variety of sandwiches, appetizers, and build-your-own pizza options that can all be classified as bar food in the best way possible.

Presentation -The presentation here is standard: red baskets & wax paper. Everything looks delicious, even though arranged simply.

Taste - The mozzarella sticks are some of the most delicious we have ever tasted. The batter is crispy and well-seasoned. The sticks themselves are giant and filled with cheese to the perfect ratio. The Sam I Am is a most delicious wrap. The turkey is piled in and the gouda and barbeque sauce combination create an excellent flavor. The Yankee Club had a healthy portion of meat in the sandwich and everything tasted fresh, including the bread. However, it seemed a little unnecessary to be a triple decker.

  Price - Although the food is good, the price is just okay. None of the sandwiches actually come with fries. The price point could be lowered by a dollar or two.

Service - Our service was bad. We waited forever to get our beers and rarely saw our server again until she brought our check. We actually had to chase her down just to pay. Admittedly, the place was crazy busy, but even checking in would have been nice. 

WOULD WE GO BACK? 

Yes. The food was excellent and the atmosphere is fun. One recommendation is that if you go on a Thursday night for trivia, get there a little early. We got the last table available. If you aren't in a hurry, it's a great meal.

 Here's a link to their website: 
http://www.youngavenuedeli.com/

We forgot to take pictures this time, so photo credits to the ThisItalianFamily blog

Movie & Pizza Company - Dinner & Trivia

WHERE WE WENT:   
Movie & Pizza Company
110 Harbor Town Square
Memphis, TN 38103



WHAT WE ORDERED:

 Sausage and Cheese Platter, Garlic Bread, Beef & Spinach Stuffed Shells, Yeungling,
Shiner Wild Hare

WHAT WE THOUGHT:
Atmosphere - 7       
Menu - 6
Presentation - 5
Taste - 7
Price - 8
Service - 9
 Overall -7


Atmosphere - The space of the restaurant is typical of a restaurant in a strip mall, since it does not stand alone. It is one room where you can see everything the moment you walk in the door. The walls are a semi-obnoxious, not quite lime green that did not match our personal tastes, but some people may be a fan of. It has a nice focal point - a big screen TV that is mounted high directly behind the bar. The whole restaurant sort of gravitates toward it. The seating is a combination of booths and tables very few of which seem to match. The great part about it though is the wall decor. Mounted on the awful green walls you'll find framed photography, aluminum signs of beer logos and movie posters showcasing some of the greats like Pulp Fiction and The Godfather. Also, if that wasn't cool enough, there's a giant King Kong replica caged in the top corner.

Menu -  The menu contained a decent variety of pastas, sandwiches, pizza and a few salads. There were substantial vegetarian options. Where the menu loses the bulk of 
 its points is in ease of use and pure error. First off, there were three chalk special boards placed randomly throughout the restaurant each detailing different items. If you didn't look closely, you could miss one, like I did. When I saw it as we were leaving, it made me wish I had gotten something else. It would have greatly improved our experience if they had just had a sheet explaining the specials. They have a good selection of wine and beer, including many craft beers and local brews to the tri-state area. HOWEVER, they do not know how to categorize their beer. They have it divided into "Domestic" and "Imports." Only four of the beers listed in the import section were actually imported. They seem to use the two terms interchangeably with "cheap" and "cheaper."

Presentation -You don't expect fantastic presentation from a place like Movie & Pizza Company, but you do expect consistency. The beef & spinach shells were served in ceramic dish that had obvious wear, making it feel like a home-cooked dish. The sausage and cheese platter and the garlic bread were both served in red diner baskets with wax paper. The sausage and cheese platter had a lot of potential for interesting plating, or at least a plate.


Taste - The sausage and cheese platter was good. The sausage was crisp on the edges with a great texture and just the right amount of spice. The BBQ sauce served with it was an excellent addition to the taste, both sweet and smoky. It had the makings of a great dish if the cheese pairings had been a little more original than sharp cheddar and pepper jack cubes. The overabundance of crackers was also distracting. As for the shells, the sauce was delicious, just a little sweet. All 3 shells were overflowing with spinach and ricotta, HOWEVER there was a distinct lack of beef, just enough to say they held true to the name but not enough to contribute to the taste. It felt like eating florentine shells, which would have been delicious if that were the order. The garlic bread...well you can't really mess up garlic bread.

Price - The menu was well priced, especially considering the portion sizes. Beer and wine as reasonable, both draft, bottled, and pitchers. At the changing of seasons they have $2 "firesales" to get rid of their seasonal beer.

Service - Our waitress was attentive and friendly. She answered questions and gave suggestions enthusiastically. The only issue is that it took a long while to get our check.

Extras - Tuesday nights are movie nights, where they screen a classic up behind the bar.
Friday nights at 8:30 is free team trivia.
Check the website linked below for a schedule.

WOULD WE GO BACK? 
Yes. It's a great place to hang out. The food is good and the drinks are affordable.

Here's a link to their website: www.moviepizzacompany.com/‎