Memphis, TN.

I was in Memphis for less than 24hrs but I definitely made the most of my time there. Memphis was an unplanned stop. In scouting out the drive time from Austin to Nashville, I decided that 14 hours was little too much for me in a day. I remembered at the last minute that I have a friend of a friend (who is now a friend) that lives in the heart of Memphis. He's a journalist, and BBQ lover. I knew he would make a great guide to show me around a few of the sights in town.



I arrived in Memphis around 7pm on Wednesday, February 18th. My friend Toby told me to meet him at the Red Rooster bar right off of Beale street. Toby was hanging out with a few co-workers when I arrived. We were the only people in this bar. It wasn't a small place and it felt very empty. We were there for an hour or so before anybody else walked in the door. Three girls and a guy walked in the bar and stood together in the corner. I didn't pay much attention to them until the guy approached our group and asked us if we wanted some "dip". We all said no and he asked if he could take some pictures with us for a website of the dip he was marketing. We agreed and the three girls took off their coats (it was brutally cold in Memphis when I was there) and were in matching Kayak (the brand of dip) outfits.

I had to take the opportunity to be featured in a dip marketing campaign, right?

Toby looking sexy with his girlfriend and a can of grape Kayak

This guy oozes male model

One of Toby's co-workers, male Kayak model, and husband to woman below
(forgive me as I forgot some names!)

Another Kayak pose. We should have been paid!


Kayak stacking... the kiddies love this game... and the grape flavored chew(!?)

Lamps at the red rooster

The following day, Toby and I met up for lunch. Being in Memphis, of course I had to get some BBQ! I had asked a few folks at The Red Rooster what the best BBQ in Memphis was. Many said I had to go the the legendary Rendezvous and eat the dry rub ribs.


Toby and I tried to eat here but all they were serving was ribs, nothing else. I wanted to taste a few different items aside from ribs and Toby wanted some BBQ nachos. We were going to try to hit up Central BBQ, which is supposed to be amazing but Toby forgot how to get there. We ended up at The BBQ Shop, "Home of the Dancing Pigs."




Toby got the BBQ nachos and I got the 1/2 and 1/2 BBQ pork and BBQ spaghetti. Twas amazing! Never had anything like the BBQ spaghetti. I'm sure you can imagine what it is... here is a picture to tempt your (and my) taste buds.

Some of the best BBQ I've ever had. I miss them dancing pigs!