Looks like the Ciao Bella post has turned into a discussion of ethnic restaurants (and the lack of) around town. Let’s post that here, instead, so we’ll know where to find suggestions.

I’ll start, but it’s kind of like naming my favorite Beatles song–I’ll think of more later.

Emerald Thai on Mt. Moriah. I have friends who travel to Thailand on eating trips once or twice a year and this is their favorite, too. Certain dishes at Jasmine and Bhan Thai (love the Bangkok chicken at lunch) are also good. Chao Praya is excellent, and I’m also a big fan of Leelavadee in Southaven.

Saigon Le and Shanghai for Vietnamese (there’s a Vietnamese menu at Shanghai).

Edo is a family favorite for Japanese.

Guadalupana and La Espiga for Mexican (by the way, there’s a butcher at La Espiga who makes AWESOME chorizo you can buy by the pound, but a note: Last time I ate there, the food wasn’t as good as usual).

Al Rayan on Cleveland, Jerusalem Market (select items), Raffe’s and Sean’s for Middle-Eastern.

I’ll think of more…

I’m excited about Marisa Baggett’s sushi class at Mantia’s tonight. I love to make sushi at home, although it’s not always very pretty when I finish. So I’m hoping to pick up some tips.

When I want sushi flavors but don’t want to fuss with preparing it, I’ll make a sushi salad. I make the rice (the most important part of sushi, I think–do it wrong and it messes up everything), plate it and then just pile up whatever I’ve got on hand. Sometimes I’ll poach a piece of fish, sometimes I use shrimp, crab or even canned smoked tuna. I add that, then veggies like cucumber, green onion, avocado, top it off with a little masago (I have a $7 container in the freezer that could probably last the rest of my life, it’s so big), maybe sesame seeds, and serve it with wasabi and ginger. I always have ponzu sauce in the pantry and a sauce in the fridge that I made with a light soy and bonita flakes; the longer it sits, the better it tastes.

But here’s what I want: Real wasabi. Has anyone eaten real wasabi or know where I can find it locally? The green powder or paste we buy at the store isn’t the true stuff, but is instead horseradish mixed with mustard and coloring. Real wasabi is a rhizome and you grate it, traditionally on a sharkskin grater, to make a paste.

My very favorite Booker T & the MGs song… huge high five for the well-deserved lifetime achievement award presented at last night’s Grammys to these soul survivors.

If you haven’t already, be sure and read Bob Mehr’s excellent account of the evening. What a great moment for Stax! And da original house band.

What’s your favorite Booker T tune?

Claire’s now a Bulldog, going to Garfield High (famous grads: Quincy Jones, Kenny G)… and the word is that the school lunch offerings are better than your average cafeteria fare. Today’s menu: Gumbo, yams and cornbread… So Southern! I’m going to sneak in there and try it next time…

The only gumbo I’ve eaten in Seattle was thin, no okra… terrible…

My favorite school lunch had to be turkey/gravy/mashed potatoes, hated the sloppy joes…

Kim asked in an earlier post where to find this twangy ingredient… I suggest Viet Hoa on Cleveland, north of Madison. They look like shiny bay leaves…

Other Asian groceries to recommend??

Lost in the mountains of unpacked boxes from the big move — my beloved cookbook collection. I’ll find them, but until then, I’m winging it.

Last night, I made black bean chili and served that over a sweet potato (or yam, as they’re sold in this part of the world…) This is prime chili weather for sure. Anyone care to share their favorite recipe to chase away the chill?

I got so hungry reading Jennifer Biggs’ review on a new hot spot just down the road from Memphis… I’ve been eating lots of Thai food in Seattle, thinking that of all the Asian cooking traditions to carve out a place in the mainstream, Thai surely tops Korean, Vietnamese, maybe someday soon, even Chinese…

What’s your fave Thai eats? Has anyone been to the place Jennifer wrote about? Do you agree or disagree with her assessment?

My furniture arrives today!

Moving stinks… the packing and unpacking. There were some boxes that never got unpacked after the last move. And yet, I continue to buy stuff…

Here’s some of the beautiful Memphis things I will fill my new home with — a George Hunt painting (see his work at D’Edge on South Main), a Jay Etkin piece, bottles of Pappy Van Winkle Kentucky bourbon and Cane rum from New Orleans, a fat collection of Southern cookbooks, an antique Persian rug, stones picked up on the banks of the Mississip, delicious photos by my friend Dave Darnell and a dozen bottles of barbecue sauce.

I packed my bags for my flight, filling an extra suitcase with a few perishables I know I won’t be able to find in Seattle… including 12 pounds of King Cotton bacon (seasoned rightly!)… if you had to leave town in a hurry, what Memphis edibles would you squirrel away?

I’ve really been enjoying reading comments from fellow food lovers on a site called Yelp, but Memphis is sure underrepresented there. Just a handful of restaurant listings, and mostly one line opinions.

Sounds like just the forum for readers of W&D… or better yet, serve up your opinion right here. Give me a short review of the best meal you had in the month of January. Oh, and just wondering if anyone is still keeping up with their New Year’s resolutions to, say, lay off the fried pies??

Jerry Lewis had Dean-O. Johnny had Ed McMahon. Bert and Ernie. You get the picture.

Some of the funniest teams rely on the gifts of a straight man. Or woman.

For Calvin Trillin, who writes so entertainingly about food, that was his late wife, Alice. Unflappable, affable, no matter where Mr. T dragged her in his quest for interesting edibles. He has written a new memoir about his wife, and he’s going to discuss it tonight at the University of Washington bookstore in Seattle.

I’m a big fan. I’ll be there… in the front row, if possible. Maybe I’ll even ask a question if there’s a chance… what would you like me to ask Calvin Trillin?