Whatever! Central’s sauce is way too sweet, the service sucks, and the last time I was there I saw the owner publicly humiliate an employee. I swore I would never go back. Corky’s is borderline fast food. Even Topps (an older, fading chain) has better Q! The BBQ Shoppe is run by great people and serves great food.
“Stubby Clapp–two words you don’t want used to describe your penis!”
/obligitory joke
The National Civil Rights Museum is great, but it’s a really heavy experience. Being in the hotel room where Dr. King was assasinated is quite moving. I recommend it highly, but if you’re looking for a lighthearted good time, you might want to take a pass this time.
The entire crew won’t be making the trek, but a few of us are gonna do Texas de Brazil (sp?) Sunday night. So any of you locals want to see some guys get thrown out of a nice restaurant, we usually eat pretty late (just kidding, we rarely get thrown out).
We’ve done Corky’s a few times, because there is one in the general area we frequent.
IANAY*, so I spent the entire time slack-jawed at the indignities - many of them in my own lifetime! - meted out to human beings in the so-called “land of the free” (hah!) and tremendously happy that I had had absolutely no part in them.
You cannot (or at least could not, in 2002) actually get inside MLK Jnr’s bedroom or set foot on the balcony, as they are/were cordoned off. But you can see the window opposite from where the fatal shot was fired. And you can also board a Montgomery bus next to a dummy of Rosa Parks and get abused by the bus driver. Great fun!
Don’t go to Corky’s. It’s a chain. We got em here in Nashville and they aren’t that good. For ribs that will give you an orgasm, try out King’s Palace on Beale Street. Get a full rack and a side order of Voodo potatoes. Just don’t sit downstairs if a band is playing. Way too loud. You can thank me when you get back.
I was there as a tourist for a couple of days. Did all the tourist things. My highlight was, surprisingly, barbeque. The one I ended up in was somewhere out of the way and I think it was called Cozy Corner. It had barbequed game hens. They were divine.
We really enjoyed this place. Had my first (and second and third) Caipirinha, excellent salad bar, lobster bisque, and a buncha damn meat. Didn’t even get thrown out! Also my first time to what I guess was downtown Memphis, lots of people, I think the music fest was still going.
vibratronica, I wanted to thank you for your offer - I’m sorry I never responded. I got busy with work all of a sudden - have you ever noticed that within two days of leaving for anywhere, everyone you work with seems to start cranking shit out just as fast as they can and needs you to help them with it?
Anyway, thank you and everyone who posted suggestions! We had a great time. We went to Rendevous on Beale Street (that was the most memorable food experience - it was great), and we also visited one of the Victorian Houses, several state parks, the Zoo, Beale Street (of course), and a bunch of other places. And yes, we made it to Graceland - it was a hoot!