Goin' to Tunica, MS

thomas moore wrote in article

> Goin' go try my luck on the river. Any good BBQ in the Tunica or
> Memphis area?
>
> Tom

Hard to take this question seriously, but from 25+ years of eating Memphis BBQ, my favorites are:

Paynes:  2 locations.  The one of Elvis Presley Blvd. near South Parkway (take S. Parkway east from I-240 and go about 2 blocks to the first traffic signal, which is Elvis Presley, and you're there, about a 1/4 block on the right).  Pork shoulder sandwich, sliced with hot sauce and slaw. This is the better of the two locations; this one has reasonably good beans and the other doesn't. The other is in the 1700 block of Lamar, just northwest of where McLean crosses Lamar.

Cozy Corner:  This place STARTLED me with a great cornish hen, something I thought compeltely unlikely for Memphis BBQ.  It is REALLY GREAT. You want it hot, and you want the beans here because it is really good.  It's in the 700 block of North Parkway.  GREAT cornish hen. This place was featured in the book SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING.

There are other places you hear about a lot (Interstate BBQ, which I've tried twice and didn't like, the Rendevous, which is famous for dry-rub ribs, which I don't much care about.  I'm not a Rendevous fan) and places popular for reasons that mistify me other than location (Corky's, which has a location in one of the casinos in Tunica, I think Sams Town).

I grew up in Clarksdale, which is just down the road a piece from Tunica. Saintcroix is right--the Blue & White Cafe is really good (try the fried dill pickles too!).  If you feel like being adventuresome, tool down the road to Abe's in Clarksdale, at the junction of Hwy 61 and Hwy 49 (its kind of hidden back behind some buildings--just follow your nose!).  Abe's isn't *quite* as good as it used to be years ago, but still has some mean bbq.  The chile-cheeseburgers and tamales are quite tasty too.  Whenever I go home to visit my mom, I have to stop in at least once, and Ms. Piggy here has to have a jumbo bbq AND a jumbo chile-cheeseburger, just to hold me over until the next visit!!   Plus I always bring back bottles of their sauce, which is great on anything!  (Try it poured over Ruffles--yum!)   I love living up here in D.C., but boy, oh, boy, do I miss the bbq from down South!!

Donna

SAINTCROIX wrote:

> It may not be barbecue, but stop at the Blue & White Cafe on Hwy 61 right in
> Tunica. Classic old tile place--great deep-fried pepper rings!