LYFE Kitchen (Memphis)

"LYFE begins today" in Memphis, Tennessee. And we welcome that notion with open arms. The all-natural, healthy restaurant concept with a "fast-fine" disposition is already showing our city that whole and authentic ingredients do not require a hefty wallet. The concept is truly refreshing; the East Memphis floor plan flips a once-stuffy Sharky's seafood spot into an open walk-up ordering counter, bar/lounge, dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows, and vast patio. I particularly loved the herb planters lining outdoor patio booths. Though the chefs are not rushing outside to pick fresh rosemary for an order of Art's Unfried Chicken, it's nice to note the details of healthy living throughout the restaurant.

I typically do not focus on price points upon sharing restaurants on Caramelized, though I simply cannot get over that my quinoa crunch bowl was just over $7. It's a usual complaint around town that a "good" salad with beautiful toppings and protein can't be found under $13. LYFE closes the door to that old salad life.

The bowl boasted garlicky edamame hummus, steamed quinoa and barley, crisp radish, arugula, broccoli, cherry tomato, half of a perfectly ripe avocado, and a few dashes of hot sauce. Truly, it was excellent.

After speaking with LYFE's founding Chef Art Smith (who used to be Oprah's private chef), I learned that the bar, in fact, has much to offer, too. The largest bar concept of all locations, Memphis will offer all-natural cocktails such as grapefruit palomas, margaritas with agave, and a Memphis Mule with housemade pungent ginger beer and Tito's vodka. I'm especially excited for the Mule, which I'll have to enjoy during LYFE's Social hours (4-6 p.m.) for the $6 deal. I'll have to get accustomed to order a cocktail at the same counter as others ordering a salad or smoothie; though I have already decided that late Summer afternoons on the patio will be the spot to sip these libations.

I hope you'll enjoy your first LYFE experience as much as I have. Downtowners, get ready for the second location in the Chisca on Main!

Bounty on Broad Brunch (Memphis)

The past four days have been a bit of a blur, as I managed to lug every furniture piece, kitchen gadget and clothing article from the apartment to my new house in Downtown Memphis. 95-degree weather tempted our patience, but friends and family diligently pushed through to bring the new space together beautifully, like effortless magic. Ashley York Binkley is gracefully styling and coordinating the interiors, which Ashleigh Peak will capture through her Well Worn Co. lens next week. I cannot wait to give you a full tour in the coming days. Until then, I hope the iPhone social media snaps suffice! A traditional Aldo’s pizza picnic on the kitchen floors commenced on Friday evening after successfully closing on the property. Though once we hit Sunday morning, our tensed muscles did not stand a chance on the concrete. My family instead treated me to a brunch spread at Bounty, complete with six must-try seasonal favorites. I’m tempted to test these out in the coming weekends, where I will (surprisingly) soak up as much of Memphis as possible versus traveling.

The shrimp salad stole my heart (and a majority of space on my shared plate). Avocado crema graced the bottom of the bowl with plump pink shrimp, zucchini, arugula, yellow heirloom tomatoes, and fragrant olive oil. I plan to buy these ingredients at the now next-door farmers market and make a rendition next week. I’ll share the recipe if successful!

Smoky potato hash with fried duck egg, smoked bacon and haricot verts was wonderfully light on the palate. I am used to extra greasy, dense hash browns with too much seasoning, but these were simple and additive to the rest of the dishes. I’m still in hysterics after my sister was turned down when she asked for ketchup—Bounty’s ingredients are so authentic, Heinz cannot be found in the building!

The scrambled eggs with garden vegetable and shaved parmesan were fluffily fabulous. You could just tell that these eggs were well watched over the heat by the chef downstairs. I need to learn Chef Jackson Kramer’s technique for my morning routine!

Most notably were, in fact, the simplest of them all: peaches and blueberries with shaved almonds and crème fraiche. The platter was an eye-pleaser and palate refresher to open and/or close the meal.

Now, off to plan a brunch of my own!

The Second Line (Memphis)

I recently read in last Sunday's New York Times, "there are no shortcuts to quality." The Second Line doesn't believe in shortcuts. It's beautifully obvious. I admittedly crave trips to New Orleans pretty frequently for the city's charming culinary magic, though Chef Kelly English has managed to bring the once-unbeatable creole rendition to Midtown Memphis through every menu item. And while I have written about the cocktails and the atmosphere of my coveted Overton Square hangout, I somehow have yet to write about the food.

My Instagram boasts the recent table spreads from the orange and turquoise patio. Earlier in the summer, the fried catfish po boy graced my plate for the first time. An unusual feature compared to the usual fried shrimp or oyster, the catfish was fried to a golden brown crisp with that wonderful contrast of an outer crisp and an inner buttery texture. Add that to a fresh, cloud-like baguette with thick-cut tomatoes and lettuce. Hello, happiness.

The brignole side salad served as a necessary substitute to balance the fried entrees with a touch or two of green. While side salads are usually overlooked and boring, the Second Line's was a spunky refresher of crushed red pepper flakes and quartered artichoke hearts. I was a big fan of the feta and green olives, which reminded me of the dirty martini I'd sip later that evening.

The Besh barbecue shrimp appetizer knocks any other rendition out of the park. Compared to other Memphis versions, The Second Line shrimp are plump and bursting with creole flavor. We sopped up remaining sauce with the side baguette (as if I needed more carbs).

Now skip to brunch, which offers a curated, eclectic mix of Southern-inspired breakfast favorites (with the Kelly English twist, of course). Eggs Benedict with rich spinach madeleine and artichoke are a vegetarian favorite; Cast-iron skillet huevos rancheros with stewed black beans and fried eggs brought me back to my South Austin brunch adventures; and the insane pancake stack with strawberries and molasses brought me to heaven. All were washed down amongst our party of six with the signature bloody mary recipe, which I'm dying to imitate at home.

If you aren't on a diet, perfect. If you're on a diet, pretend you aren't for one meal and make it into The Second Line. Every carb is #worthit.

How to Picnic for a Levitt Shell Summer

Summer weekends shout picnic season, hence why routine trips to Memphis' Levitt Shell should be on your radar. The free summer-long concert series kicked off in May and lasts through August, gathering hundreds of all ages and backgrounds to a Midtown amphitheater house of entertainment. It is truly a venue unlike any other.

Friday evening, some girlfriends and I bounced our heads to Australian boy-band Jakubi, whom none of us had ever heard of. That's the fantastic part about the Levitt Shell venue -- it frankly doesn't matter who's on stage. As soon as you enter the lawn and take a first glance at the crowd, you know you'll enjoy yourself.

Food trucks line stage right every weekend, though I took the opportunity to plan a picnic that I believe satisfied everyone on our blanket!

Twist-off wine bottles (Meomi pinot noir and Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc) prevented the need for a corkscrew. Plus, my friend recently gave me a gold S'well bottle, which keeps cold drinks cold for 24 hours, so we utilized it nicely for the bottle of white. Cold drinks are a must, people.

My new Tennessee cutting board from Amelia's Outpost at Hoot + Louise was the perfect for transportation; lightweight and narrow, it held a wedge of brie and water crackers flawlessly. Don't forget a few plastic knives.

Fresh Market's sushi selection was on-point for fancy finger food. We grabbed nigiri, tuna poke, crunchy shrimp, and riceless salmon rolls. Cherries and fruit offered pops of sweetness for munching throughout the show.

The blanket to our right was enjoying their Aldo's Midtown pizzas to-go, and a blanket behind us enjoyed Chick Fil A #1 combos. Whichever route you go for your summer picnic, I hope you'll take advantage of the offerings in your city. Memphis: the Levitt Shell is your spot!

(final photo by memphis daily news)

City and State (Memphis)

People supporting people. That's what it's all about. Or at least, that's what it should be about. It is in Memphis. Lisa Toro recently opened the Broad Avenue coffee + retail shop City and State. Oh, did I fall in love upon first step. The space is refreshing and resonant of creativity and artistic appreciation, whether for the cup of pour-over brew or a timeless third-generation woodworker cutting board.

I'm infatuated by the gorgeous array of items, from bath salts to Nashville-based imogene + willie denim and Shotwell caramels. If you need a gift for yourself or a friend, City and State is where you'll go and score regularly. Hello, Mother's Day in one week.

On the other side of the storefront is a beautiful coffee counter with minimalist seating and decor. The brown sugar latté and mocha are both divine. I've heard the cortado is excellent. Of course, pastries are a usual accompaniment; though a recent collaboration with Porcellino's has elevated the food offerings to breakfast and lunch service.

On weeks one and two of the collaboration, Porcellino's has delivered chocolate croissants, morning buns, yogurt & granola, sweet corn muffins, turkey croissant sandwiches and The Goomba sandwiches. In the coming weeks, they're looking into surprise-filled menu expansions. Looks like I'll be here much more often.

Upon asking Lisa about the collaboration between two visionary, Memphis-loving, trendy coffee shops in town, here's her lovely recount:

"About two weeks ago, Matt Farmer stopped by for some coffee. He was complimentary and said he enjoyed the experience. The next day, he showed up with two boxes of beautiful Porcellino’s pastries and said they were interested in working with us on wholesale. Two days, later Chef Andy and Michael, along with Matt, came over to see the place for themselves. From the minute they walked in, there was no bravado and no ego. They showed nothing but respect for and interest in what we were doing.

As is true of many Memphians, I’d been dining in their restaurants for years and never had a bad meal. As a huge foodie, their reputation more than preceded them. We sat around the communal table in my three week old shop, and I listened as they offered up their staff and skill in providing food for City & State. Not only that, but the opportunity to work with them in the near future to come up with a few custom menu items.

I cannot say enough great things about the openness and support these two celebrated chefs and their team have given us in this new venture. They recognize, as do we, that the way to continue to move Memphis forward is through partnership and support across all in our community. They are a shining example of what is so incredible about this city. People supporting people."

Belly Acres (Memphis)

It's time to write about my new favorite gourmet burger spot in Memphis, Tennessee. Note the keyword: gourmet. We know Huey's has mastered a fantastic patty and bun (for 45 years now!), though a new burger has stepped up in town for its creative edge and "citified farm fresh" style.

Personally, I'm all about the toppings. My now sixteen-year-old sister routinely orders her burger (no matter the location) as "a burger, plain, no bun, no toppings, just the meat, with ketchup on the side."

I love you, Julia; but, no.

At Belly Acres, signature burgers are celebrated. The topping combinations create tantalizing titles from "Dare Ya" (and "Double Dare Ya") to "Voodoo Moo Moo."

Upon my first visit, I ordered "The Cure:" a housemade brioche bun held a grass-fed beef patty with smoked gouda, braised tomatoes, sauteed onions, and acre sauce. Rich, but curing, indeed.

If you're undecisive, you can "tour the acres" by creating your own concoction. Yet in my opinion, Belly Acres provides a pre-selected option for any type of eater. Chicken or turkey burgers are available, as well as vegetarian options "from the garden" -- Even a black eyed pea burger is offered. My coworker and I were very impressed withe Yellow Fin Tuna burger with wasabi mayo and cucumber salad. Fresh and fantastic.

And, oh, the sides. Plan accordingly with your party, as my office accidentally ordered three table-size fries and looked as if we were applying for the television series "Man vs. Food." If you are a fried pickles fan, Belly Acres prepares theirs extra thin and crispy, like a fancy, addictive potato chip. Order a batch of those while awaiting your burger.

The interior is essentially a farm version of Willy Wonka with a mesmerizing array of build-out; from watercolored cloud disks and a barn-esque open kitchen, to suspended barrel lighting and stacked television screens of trippy green grass designs. I applaud the design team for going with their gut. The restaurant's Overton Square location stands out amongst its well-established neighbors and burger joints around the area.

Belly Acres is family-friendly, large party-friendly, and friendly in general. I have highly enjoyed the customer care and speedy service -- and I believe you will too, Midtowners and greater Memphians.