Cinco de Mayo, Olive Branch, MS

Cinco de Mayo

MAP 

Cinco de Mayo is a small Mexican restaurant in Olive Branch on Goodman Road just west of Davidson Road on the north side. I've passed it several times but had not gone in until last night. I had heard mixed reviews and when I went in there was nobody else in there so I was a little concerned. However, it turns out I was just ahead of the dinner crowd and after 5:00 or so they got pretty busy, and what I got was very good.

I ordered a chicken quesadilla and queso and both were very good. The salsa for the chips was also very good. The prices are reasonable. The total for my meal including the queso, a drink, and tax was just under $14.

I will definitely be back and I do recommend it. I don't know why I heard mixed reviews. They have a good rating on Google reviews and like I said my meal was really good.

For whatever it's worth, they are posted with a "no weapons" sign if that matters to you, and oddly enough, a "no flip-flops" and "no sandals" sign too.

Two Sisters Diner, New Albany, MS

Two Sisters

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Two Sisters Diner is a diner and gift shop in New Albany on West Bankhead Street, a little east of Highway 22. I was in New Albany on business this past Thursday and found them randomly and stopped to eat. I was a little too early for lunch and as most of my friends know, I'm not extremely keen on breakfast foods but I didn't have any choice.

What I got was good though. I ordered a combo with eggs, pancakes, and country fried steak and also got a side order of sausage. The country fried steak was a little bland but not bad but all the other stuff was pretty good and the service was really good. I will definitely go back next time I'm in the area. There were several things on the lunch menu that sounded good and apparently it's a pretty popular local spot.

The total for everything including tax and a drink was around $14 and for what I got that was a pretty good price. I definitely recommend giving them a try.

La Fogata, Cordova, TN

La Fogata

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La Fogata is a Mexican restaurant in Cordova on Houston Levee Road a couple of blocks south of Macon Road. I went there for lunch this past Sunday with a group from church. It was really good. We ate outside which I have never really liked, and I know that's picky, but eating outside has NEVER been something I have enjoyed. The bugs and wind make it a little un-enjoyable, plus it was a little chilly. I plan on going back and trying them again.

Regardless, the food was really good and the prices were pretty reasonable. I got a chicken chimichanga which was huge (I took home enough for a second meal) and someone else at the table ordered a large queso and I had some of that and it was really good.

The total for my meal and drink, including tax was just over $13.00. I will definitely be back sometime soon to check them out again.

 

 

Robata, Memphis, TN

Robata

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Robata is a Ramen bar on Madison Avenue just west of Cooper, near Bayou across from Lafayette's. I went there tonight on suggestion of someone at work. I didn't know exactly what to expect and overall I enjoyed it. 

I ordered something called Hakodate which was a first course of salmon over rice which was very good, then a bowl with corn, noodles, meatballs, and egg, and bamboo shoots. It wasn't really "my thing" but it was good. I also ordered an appetizer of Gyoza which was very good. I will definitely go back and try some of the other items.

The prices weren't too bad, especially for a place in mid-town on Overton Square. The total was exactly $30 with a drink, before tax. I recommend it and like I said, even though what I ordered wasn't my thing, it was good and I'll be back! I ate plenty and there was quite a bit left so I brought it home for another meal. The service was excellent.

Another Mish-Mash

A mish-mash of a few places I've been in the last few months that I've already posted about previously.

10th Inning

 

 

Atan Memphis 

Cafe Eclectic

 

Cafe Ole

The Country Skillet

Habanero, Coldwater

The Half Shell

 The Hollywood Cafe 

Huey's Southaven

Kublai Khan

La Playita

Mexico Grill, Tunica

Milano's Southaven

The Blue Monkey, Memphis, TN

Blue Monkey

MAP 

The Blue Monkey is a bar and grill with two Memphis locations. I've been to the one on Madison a few times but had never been to the one on Front Street until two nights ago. It's located on Front Street just north of G.E. Patterson about a block behind (just west of) Earnestine and Hazel's. The one on Madison has always been great but the one on Front Street did not impress me. Now, to be fair, it may simply be what I ordered because I've heard a bunch of people say the one downtown is the better of the two.

I ordered the country fried steak with macaroni and cheese and a side salad. The salad was reasonably good but they charged me extra for a second small container of dressing. This isn't a big deal, but most places I've been don't charge extra for a little more dressing.

That aside, the country fried steak was "average" and the mac and cheese seemed to be instant out of a box mac. None of it was bad it's just that none of it was particularly good. I saw a few things at other tables that looked great so I will definitely be back and try it again. Like I said, the one on Madison has always been great.

It was a little pricey. The total was about $21 before tax but for a downtown restaurant that's probably not really too bad. The service was okay but not great. I left a little smaller tip than I usually do. I didn't stiff the waitress but I left right at 15 percent and usually I leave at least 20.

Pop's Comfort Kitchen, Bartlett, TN

Pop's

MAP 

Pop's is a family style diner on Kirby Whitten Road near Stage Road in the same parking lot as the Kroger. I went there last night for dinner after running an errand in the area. The food was pretty good and the service was excellent.

I started with an order of queso and chips which was really good although it was $6, and my entree was the country fried steak with a side salad and macaroni and cheese. Everything was pretty good although the mac and cheese and gravy for the steak needed a little salt. It's worth mentioning that the salad was really good and had a lot of stuff on it for just a "side" salad. They also have Diet Doctor Pepper which is a big plus for me. It's worth noting that the drink was really good, and not watered-down tasting like some places even though it had plenty of ice in it.

The total was around $23 before tip but for everything I got that wasn't too bad. There was a $1.99 up-charge for substituting a side item for the salad but the like I said it was was pretty large for a "side" salad.

A friend of mine met me there and he ordered spaghetti and he said it was good. Interestingly enough, the spaghetti looked more like pasta than spaghetti.

I would definitely recommend it. There were a couple of burgers on the menu that sounded pretty good so I may try one of those next time.

 

Yamato Sushi and Steakhouse, Batesville, MS

Yamato

MAP 

This past Tuesday I was in Batesville, MS for a work related training class and we went to lunch at Yamato which is on Highway 6 west of Keating Road across from the Panola Country Club.

I ordered the chicken teriyaki bento box and it was really good. The price was reasonable for what I got. I ordered a side order of spring rolls not realizing the box came with one. All together with tax it was around $20 but would have been a couple of dollars less if I hadn't ordered the rolls. I will definitely be back when I'm in the area.

We also were in town Monday and ate at a Mexican restaurant called El Mariachi which was pretty good too but I didn't get a picture of the food. It was pretty standard Mexican food and average prices. I would probably go there again next time I'm in town but there's another place I want to try also.

El Mariachi

 

Soul Fish Cafe, Memphis, TN

Soul Fish Cafe

MAP

Soul Fish is a local seafood restaurant with three locations. I went to the one on Poplar Avenue just east of South Perkins Road this past Sunday for lunch and it was really good. I ordered the shrimp and fish combo with a side of macaroni and cheese.

The food seemed fresh and well cooked and it tasted great and the service was good. It came with tarter sauce and their own sauce which was similar to thousand island dressing. They aren't cheap but the price wasn't bad for what I got. My total including a drink was around $21.00 before tip.

Someone told me they were owned by the same people that own Young Avenue Deli but I don't know for sure about that.

I will definitely be back.

Juicy Seafood, Southaven, MS

Juicy Seafood

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Juicy Seafood (interesting name, I know) is a new seafood restaurant on Goodman Road right near Avellino's. The shopping center is at Goodman and Swinnea in the same center where Superlo grocery is. I went there tonight for dinner. I was actually going to Avellino's but wasn't sure what I wanted as and I pulled in I remembered I had been wanting to try this new place.

The food was pretty good. At first glance, the menu seems expensive but if you look at what you get for the prices, it's really not. They have several combos that include up to a pound of whichever seafood you choose but they also have lunch menu and other options like a shrimp basket which is what I got.

My total was about $13.00 with tax before tip but they didn't charge me for a drink. I don't know if the drink is included or if the waitress just didn't charge me for it.

The food was pretty good and the service was great. They weren't very busy but the waitress was very attentive and kept my drink refilled as soon as it was empty.

The interior reminded me a little of the old Mark Twain cafeteria in Memphis.

Again if you try them out you may think the prices are sort of high but if you look at what you get for the prices, they aren't really too bad. The last time I went to Red Lobster I spent almost $30 just for myself.

10th Inning, Southaven, MS

10th Inning

MAP 

10th Inning is a bar and grill in Southaven on Getwell Road south of Goodman at Nail Road. I had been there before a few years ago but had not been recently. I went there this past Wednesday because a friend recommended I try the sausage and cheese plate, saying it was really good. He was absolutely right; I think it was the best sausage and cheese plate I've ever had.

Besides the normal sausage and cheese most place have, 10th Inning's also has fried pickles and pimento and cheese, both of which were also really good and the ranch and barbecue sauce served with it were both really tasty also. The price was about average. My total including a drink and tax before tip was around $17 and it was plenty for a meal by itself or plenty to share with the table as an appetizer.

I cannot recommend this particular appetizer enough! The service was also really good. The bartender Brittany was very friendly and kept my drink filled.

Alcenia's, Memphis, TN

Alcenia's

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Alcenia's is a soul food/home cooking restaurant in the Pinch District in downtown Memphis. It's on Main Street just south of Jackson Avenue. I've been there several times but it was before I started the blog. I cannot say enough about this place! The food is fantastic and the service is even better.

Today I got fried catfish, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese and it was all utterly awesome! I decided to get Diet Coke forgetting that they serve it in cans instead of from a fountain. I should get water more often because I drink a lot while I eat, and in this case I had three cans. All together with the drinks and entree the total was around $20 but of course would have been several dollars cheaper if I had ordered water instead.

My friend got exactly the same thing except he ordered baked catfish because he eats healthier than I do and said it was great also.

Right now they are mostly only serving take out orders but she put a table outside for us because I didn't realize that. While we were there a lady and her daughter came in to get an order. They were from out of town and were in town for a volleyball tournament and someone told her to go by and eat there.

I can't recommend this place highly enough! It's worth checking out even if you have to make special trip.

Los Primos Mexican Restaurant, Laurel, MS

Los Primos 

MAP

Los Primos is a Mexican restaurant in Laurel, MS on 16th Avenue/Highway 15 just north of Highway 84. I was in town this past Tuesday visiting friends and we went there for dinner. The food was really good. I had been there once before a couple of years ago and it was as good as I remembered.

I ordered a chimichanga, a chorizo taco, and cheese dip. I don't know exactly how much it was because my friend paid but the prices on the menu all seemed to be about average. My friends both ordered the Tuesday taco special which is three tacos with your choice of about 6 or 7 different kinds of meat. If you're near the area stop by and give them a try.