The Blue and White Cafe, Tunica, MS

The Blue and White

MAP

The Blue and White Cafe is a small cafe on Highway 61 in the city of Tunica right at the corner of 61 and River Road. It's been there since the 1920s and even though I had heard about it for many years, I first saw it in the 1990s when the first casinos opened in Tunica County. Back then, you had to drive past it to go get to where the casinos were. I tried to get there several times over the years, but I was always riding with someone else and we were also normally passing by late at night when they were closed.

I went there for the first time a little over a year ago before I had this blog and I made it there again today. I don't remember what I got last year, it seems like I got a sandwich for lunch, but today it was breakfast time so I tried the country fried steak and eggs. To be honest, I wasn't all that impressed. The food wasn't bad, but the breading on the steak was different than I've ever had. It was ok, just not great. The service was good and the waitress was friendly.

The prices weren't bad for what I got though. Before tip, including the drink, the total was a little over $13.00, but for that, I got the steak and eggs, hash browns, and toast. I will be back to try other items.

I'm not really a breakfast food person, so I want to go back during lunch or dinner. The time I visited last year, I don't remember there being any issues and the food was good, it's just been long ago enough that I don't really remember what I got. If you're down that way, give them a try.

Grand Buffet, Horn Lake, MS

Grand Buffet

MAP

The Grand Buffet is a combination Japanese, Chinese, and American buffet in Horn Lake, west of I-55 just off Goodman Road, near the Target.

They have a good selection of sushi, as well as plenty of other choices. I go there every few weeks. They always have coupons in the local mailers. The bill last night including a $2.00 off coupon was a little over $13.00 including a drink and tax.

I normally get a variety of sushi and variety of chicken when I go there. There are also some sauteed mushrooms that are very good. It's one of my favorite buffets.

Mish Mash time again

This is once again a few pictures from places I've been recently that I have already posted about previously.



The Dirty Crow Memphis - The "Dirty Crow Chicken Sandwich"

Kublai Khan Southaven - A Las Vegas Roll and a Crazy Grill Roll

El Gallo Giro, Memphis - Alambres with chorizo 

The Country Skillet, Southaven - Western Omelet

El Patron Southaven - Chicken Quesadilla

The Neighborhood Grill Olive Branch - City Ham Sandwich and Country Fried Steak

Los Picosos Memphis - Pollo Alambres

Texas Roadhouse, Horn Lake, MS

Texas Roadhouse

MAP

Texas Roadhouse is a chain and as I've stated before, I don't really like going to chain restaurants, but this one is pretty good. I went there tonight because I had a coupon. The location closest to me is in Horn Lake, MS in Desoto Cove, which is west of I-55 off Goodman Road in the same parking lot as Target and Home Depot.

Tonight, I ordered the country fried sirloin, which most everyone else calls country fried steak, and it was very good. It's one of the best I've had. The coupon was for 10% off, which only wound up being a little over a dollar. The total before tip including a drink and tax was about $14.00.

For some reason, I was put in the very back and the table didn't seem to be ready for customers. There was no silverware or salt shaker and I had to ask for both, but overall, I was very pleased and will be back.

Olympic Steakhouse, Ripley, TN

Olympic Ripley

Olympic other locations

MAP

Olympic is a steakhouse with several locations. Saturday 7/21, I went to the location in Ripley, TN as part of a gig I played. We play there every year, and part of our payment is dinner at Olympic. I've been to most of the other locations too and they are all good.

Honestly, their steaks are not the best I've had, but definitely good, especially for the price. I'm not sure how much it was tonight because someone else paid, but I've been there before, and they are reasonably priced for what you get.

Tonight I got the buffet, which included fried fish, broiled fish, fried oysters, fried shrimp, crab meat, onion rings, french fries, hush puppies, and the salad bar. I think it runs around $13.00, which is about average for buffet. I definitely recommend it.

The location in Ripley is on Highway 51, a little north of Highway 19, across from the Walmart. They also have locations in Millington, Atoka, and Oakland.

Aldo's Pizza, Memphis, TN

Aldo's

MAP

Aldo's is a local pizzeria with two locations, one in downtown Memphis on the Mid America Mall, and one in Midtown on Cooper just south of Central Avenue. I have been to both and both locations are good. This last Monday 7/16, I went to the one in Midtown with a friend and we split a "Memphis" pizza, which is a pizza with barbecue meat, sauce, and slaw, and it's very good.

A large pizza and drink split between two of us was about $13.00 or so each, so it's about average for a sit down pizza parlor, and definitely better than most pizza delivery places.

I've been there several times and will definitely be back.

Casa Mexicana, Memphis, TN

Casa Mexicana

MAP

Casa Mexicana is a local chain with several locations. This past Sunday 7/15, I met a friend at the location on Perkins Road just south of Poplar Avenue for lunch. I got the Chicken Pachuga I believe it's called. I've had this same dish at several Mexican restaurants and it was very good here.

I don't remember how much it was but with a cheese dip and drink, it was about average, probably $15.00 or so, and the service was very good.

Fat Larry's, Bartlett, TN

Fat Larry's

MAP

Fat Larry's is a small barbecue restaurant on Highway 70/79/Summer Avenue in Bartlett, a few blocks east of Highway 64. I've been there before but didn't get barbecue. I had a coupon for buy one get one free barbecue plate so that's what I got this time.

It was really good and the service was really good, and really fast considering it was Saturday night and they were fairly busy.  The bill for two barbecue plates, two drinks, and a sausage and cheese appetizer was only about $16.00 including tax. Without the coupon, it would have been a few dollars more, so their prices are pretty reasonable.

Since this is the mid-south, there are plenty of good barbecue places, so I don't say it lightly when I say their food was good. There are places I like a little better, but I enjoyed the dinner last night.

Lboe, Memphis, TN

Lboe

MAP

Lboe (pronounced "elbow") is a restaurant on Overton Square in Memphis, on Madison at the corner of Morrison (a little west of Cooper). I went there this past Thursday for lunch. I had been wanting to go there anyway and this week is the Memphis Flyer "burger week" and Lboe had a special for that.

The special was a Mac&Cheese burger, and it was great! I also split a sausage and cheese plate with a friend and it was really good also. The burger was $5.99 before tax for the burger week special, but normally I think it's around $9.00. I don't remember exactly how much the bill was, but it was average for a bar and grill.

I will definitely be back.

Mike's Family Restaurant, Olive Branch, MS

Mike's

MAP

Mike's is a family style diner in Olive Branch, not far north of Highway 78, just off Cockrum Road (Highway 305) behind the Pizza Hut.  I had been there once before when it was Sweet Pea's but as far as I know, Mike's is a completely new business unrelated to Sweet Pea's.

For some reason, they have very mediocre reviews with a lot complaints but I had a coupon and a friend of mine and I decided to try it today. We debated a little because of the bad reviews, but I was very pleased with the service and food. I got the daily special which was country fried steak and three side items, and I chose macaroni and cheese, black eyed peas, and mashed potatoes, and it was all very good. The serving sizes were fair too. I wasn't able to eat all of the food because it was plenty to fill me up. Before tip, not including the coupon, my total was around $13.00.

The restaurant hasn't been there long, maybe a year or two, so it's possible the bad reviews were from when they first opened, but regardless, as I said, what I got was very good. My friend got the daily special also, but got different sides and said his was very good too.

While I was there, a lady at the table behind us was very rude to the waitress, telling her that she needed to leave customers alone while they were eating and not to bother them by asking if they needed anything because it was "very, very annoying." Seriously what does she expect? The waitress to bring the food then never speak again? I didn't see the girl do anything that should have annoyed the old lady. Maybe it's crap like that causing a few bad reviews. I did notice that my friend and I were the youngest people in there by a number of years and maybe they've just been unlucky getting cranky old people.

I hope the bad reviews were just a fluke and I hope they do well. I will definitely be back.

Boomers, Horn Lake, MS

Boomers

MAP

Boomer's is a small burger joint in Horn Lake, on Nail Road just west of Highway 51. I've been there a couple of times and went again today for lunch. I got a cheeseburger, fries, and drink and it was really good.

They are a small drive-in type place, limited seating inside but great service and great food! Prices are about average. My meal today including tax was around $10.00 if I remember correctly.

I definitely recommend it.

Lafayette's Music Room, Memphis, TN

Lafayette's Music Room

MAP

Lafayette's is a bar and grill located on Madison Avenue in Overton Square, basically at the corner of Madison and Cooper. They have a stage and most nights have live music. I went there yesterday, 7/5 to hear a friend of mine play. He has a full big band and they played from 6 PM until about 9 PM.

I got a bacon cheeseburger and it was really good, but a little overpriced in my opinion. No complaints about the food. It wasn't the best burger I've ever had, but it was really good. The burger and fries, a soda, and tax was almost $18.00 before tip. They apparently charge for onion and any extras, so the price of the plain burger went from around $9.00 suddenly up to about $14.00, plus there was a $5.00 cover charge to get in. I was expecting the cover charge, but wasn't expecting to be charged for onion. Based on what several other people have said, the prices may be about average for Overton Square. Either way, as I said, the food was good.

I will definitely be back if there is a band I want to hear but personally would not go there just to eat.