You’ve all read about CA photographer Dave Darnell and his all-day barbecue excursions to points hither and yon. I’m looking for places within a two or three hour drive of Memphis that are worth the trip. Here are a few places I’m planning to try: Uncle John’s in Crawfordsville, Ark.; Uncle Henry’s around Tunica; the steakhouse outside Oxford where locals go on Sunday nights (can’t think of the name right now). Where else? Someone said (on this blog, I believe) they serve crappie at the lodge at Reelfoot Lake. I got a bellyful of it on Father’s Day when we had a fish fry, but I’ll be craving it before long.
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Responses to “A three-hour tour…”
July 8th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Jennifer, you absolutely must make Uncle John’s a destination. Terrific Italian, and huge steaks cooked to perfection. And please, do yourself a favor and try their bread pudding. I promise you won’t be sorry! No pretense about this place, just really, really good food.
July 9th, 2008 at 7:07 am
About 2 1/2 hours away lies my favorite restaurant in the whole wide world. (seriously.)
You need to head down to Tuscaloosa, AL and go to The Cypress Inn. Start out with the fried crab claws with cocktail sauce. Entrees are all good - smoked chicken with white bbq sauce, fried catfish, and my favorite - the prime rib. As for sides, their country club squash casserole can’t be beat. Don’t even get me started on the bread. Check it out - http://www.cypressinnrestaurant.com
I’m wishing I was there right now! 
July 9th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Over in Arkansas, I’d highly recommend going to Piero’s Main Street Bistro in Jonesboro. I like the food there much better than any of the Italian places in Memphis (the grilled pear & spicy beef appetizer is amazing), and if you’re lucky enough to go on a winter day when the owner has prepared lasagna, all other pastas will pale in comparison.
Jonesboro also has a quality restaurant, Omar’s Steakhouse, as part of the 501 Club. It gets a lot of praise from around the state, though if you live nearer places like Erling Jensen’s and Encore it might not be worth the extra drive.
If you’re willing to stretch the drive time to 4 hours, the Skillet Restaurant at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View has some amazing food. They feature local rainbow trout on the dinner menu, and breakfast selections include pancakes with fried cinnamon apples and perhaps the tastiest cured bacon I’ve ever encountered.
July 9th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Uncle John’s is in Crawfordsville, AR, which is about 10 miles west of Marion, AR up Highway 64. Go, and enjoy!
July 10th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Just within the 3 hour range is Central Park Fusion in Hot Springs - a gem in a town noted more for horses and massages than restaurants. Start with the duck confit egg rolls with three sauces. Maybe get a second order and stop there. Or another “starter” to try is the Truffle Slider, a burger of beef & pork confit, black truffle, roasted garlic, served with sea salt fries ($6). None of the entrees have dissappointed, but a couple of my favorites are the tamarind glazed lollipop pork chop with mashed purple sweet potatoes and the filet topped with Boursin cheese, with truffle scented & fresh corn polenta,with a port wine reduction. It’s become an almost weekly habit with us since we’re in HS almost every weekend.
July 10th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
OK, ProfDave, you’ve got me ready to visit Hot Springs! All of these sound great, in fact. Has anyone heard of or eaten at Medina, outside Jackson (Tennessee)? Fred, you’re up around there, right? A friend told me about it yesterday and it sounds dee-lish.
July 11th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Dave, do they still have that Czech place on Park Ave? I never got the chance to eat there (my parents are far less adventurous than I when it comes to food), but was always intrigued by such an unusual cuisine being available in Arkansas.
July 11th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Matt,
Unfortunately, no. It closed about the same time we were getting our lakehouse - 2 years ago. I always wanted to go and missed my chance.
July 15th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Jennifer -
If you confirm that there is a place at Reelfoot that serves crappie, let me know. Not being a fisherman, I have to try and beg from friends.
July 31st, 2008 at 5:26 pm
That place in Oxford might be Sizzler. Great steaks probably been in business for 40 years. Hard to find in the dark. On Highway 6 headed toward Pontotoc.
August 8th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Jennifer,
If your traveling south on I 55 stop in Grenada and try Orleans. Mike and Dianne opened it about 2 years ago in an old downtown hotel. Its located on Main St a half block south of the Square. They usually have live music on Saturday night.
We were there last Saturday night and had steak, tuna, and shrimp all of which were very good. The tuna was cooked medium and medium rare to our requests. The steak was medium rare and both were as good as I’ve had anywhere from Portland to New Orleans. Some of the cajun dishes are a little too spicy for me, but all are good. Try it, I think you’ll like it. Sometimes you need reservations 662-294-8880.
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