Thanks all; I actually did search; just poorly apparently. Apparently this Sunday was the best day ever to go out in Memphis. Day after BBQ fest everyone was too full/tired/hungover to go out & we had Beale St. & most places we went all to ourselves.
Sunday brunch was at:
Restaurant Iris
2146 Monroe Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104
901.590.2828
http://www.restaurantiris.com/Adored it. This is the only place I knew I wanted to go before we left Chicago. So very glad we did it. Located in a house, every room has a few tables & makes for an intimate experience. I will dream about the brussel sprouts w/bacon for weeks. Fluffy homemade biscuits w/honey butter & homemade jelly got eaten up instantly. Combined with the grillades & stuffed mirliton we had more than enough food. Lovely to have a fine dining experience at casual Chicago dining prices. Presentation of food was beautiful, our waitress was able to answer every question we had, and I would eat there daily if it was possible. We enjoyed the leftovers the next morning & were thrilled to find they put 2 fresh biscuits in the box for us. Also lovely. The leftovers were packaged in brown cardboard boxes w/gorgeous, artfully placed ribbon that tied them up.
menu choices:
salad of brussels sprouts, allen benton’s bacon, and sherry … 8
my father’s grillades, delta grind grits, and poached eggs … 14
stuffed mirliton with poached eggs and sauce “choron” … 16
Itta Bena
145 Beale Street
Memphis, TN 38103-3713
(901) 578-3031
http://www.bbkingclubs.com/index.php?page=ibhomeDon't let the BB Kings affiliation fool you; granted you can kind of hear the club music through the floor, but I'm thinking on a busy night it wouldn't be as very noticeable. Regardless, it wasn't a distraction at all. We weren't expecting a white tablecloth type of place. It was pouring & we were standing under an awning looking at google maps trying to find Itta Bena after a recommendation from a local I know. According to the map we were standing right under it & didn't see it. Confused; I asked a cop, who sweetly (I LOVE Southern hospitality!) walked us around the corner to the unmarked awning & told us to go up the staircase. Opening the door at the top was like entering another world. Loved it. We were pretty much the only people in the restaurant & the waiter showed us this tiny, romantic room that held a 2-top. Said it's usually booked for months but it happened to be empty. Asked if we wanted it. Naturally we did. Super cozy. I can see how more than 1 proposal happens there. After noticing the Memphis portions are MASSIVE; even compared to Chicago standards, we split the pork tenderloin; while TBF ate every imaginable speck of the buttery soft & flavorful pork I ate all the carrots on the plate. We both ate all the mashed potatoes. Seriously huge plates, even after splitting the entree. Seriously good too.
menu choices:
Chef’s Pork Tenderloin
Served with maple cream sauce, roasted garlic mashed potatoes & caramelized carrots $25.00
Before leaving town we also had a quick lunch at:
Local Gastropub
95 South Main Street, Memphis - (901) 473-9573
http://www.localgastropub.com While Local is in the name, as it was explained to us, it's more about a "they want to be a local hangout" type of thing. The food is not locally sourced. Still had a delicious Thai steak salad & house-made soy ginger dressing. Not as much to say about this. Casual downtown dining, interesting menu. We were hot from walking for hours & weren't all that hungry so we split a salad. Perfect dish to fuel us up for the rest of the day before heading out to the airport.
menu choices:
Thai Steak Salad
Tender sliced ribeye, mixed greens, tomatoes, red onion, diced cucmber, tomato, mint and cilantro with a soy peanut dressing $12.00
Naturally after leaving lunch & before heading to the airport we stumbled on a really interesting place that I'd love to go back & check out, as I'm in love with the idea of it. Check out
http://www.flightmemphis.com. Seems like it's designed for indecisive people like me who want to try everything on the menu all at once.

Asking around, those that had been, raved about it. Oh well. Next trip!