Brooklyn Bridge Italian Restaurant

Our East Memphis correspondent, Steph, delivers on her promise to review the Brooklyn Bridge. Warning: Even without pictures, this will make you hungry!

Brooklyn Bridge Italian Restaurant
1779 Kirby Parkway
(901) 755-7413

Before this review even begins, I have to go ahead and make a confession: I am a total Brooklyn Bridge homer. I have loved this restaurant since I was in high school. When my brother turned 16, he requested a Brooklyn Bridge cheesecake as his birthday dessert. When I was in my 20s, my brother and my boyfriend both worked at Brooklyn Bridge for extended periods of time. When I married that boyfriend, we had the rehearsal dinner at Brooklyn Bridge. When I was pregnant, I craved their spinach and ate it at least once a week. When I. . . well, you get the picture. I love this place.

So why have I never reviewed Brooklyn Bridge before? I'll tell you. The main dinner item that the kids enjoy from there is pizza. So it seems like anytime the kids eat food from Brooklyn Bridge, it's when we've gotten pizzas to go and eaten them at home, which doesn't lend itself to a DWM review. We recently realized it was time to rectify that situation. I asked Chloe if she would like to go to a special restaurant to get pizza on her fourth birthday. Being the more adventurous of my two children, she said, "Sure!" (Her almost-7-yr-old brother would have said, "No way! Wendy's!")

Her birthday was on a Monday night, and it turns out that Brooklyn Bridge has a special on pizzas on Monday nights! Joy to the world! By showing up on a Monday, we got $5 off a large or $4 off a medium pizza. This is a fantastic deal, since their pizzas are huge and generally cost around $20. We ordered a Spinach and Four Cheese pizza for me and Chip- or I should say, I ordered it before Chip got there. His favorite pizza is the Grilled Chicken pizza, with red onion, basil, mozzarella and Romano. While I enjoy that one as well, I really wanted my favorite, which has the aforementioned crave-worthy spinach Florentine, with provolone, mozzarella, ricotta and Romano. I also ordered a Caesar salad for us to share. For the kids, I ordered a "Pizza for One" off of the appetizer menu, as I knew it to be plenty large enough for two kids. The pizza got to the table well before anyone got antsy, due in part to the homemade bread and butter served while we waited. I even talked the kids into eating some of the bread, rather than just spoonfuls of butter. Score!

I hate that all I've told you about is pizzas. So while those are great and you should try them, let me give you some tips on other things to eat there that are awesome, just in case you want more of a meal than just pizza.

My favorite appetizer, possibly ever, is the Shrimp Gorgonzola. It is shrimp sautéed with fresh basil and brandy in a gorgonzola cream sauce. Seriously, the brandy/basil/gorgonzola cream sauce is like my holy grail of cooking. I have tried a million times to recreate it, and for some reason mine is just never, ever as good as the original. Ask for extra bread to sop up the sauce with- there is no excuse for letting any of it go to the dishwasher. I think I've used a spoon before. They have recently started serving a pasta dish with this sauce, but I haven't had a chance to try it yet. It's on my to do list.

Excellent entrees include the Vodka Penne, the only dish in town that has ever caused me to come back for more of a tomato-based sauce. I'm sure that having vodka and cream as the other main ingredients plays a big part in that. I like this with chicken- you can get it with shrimp, but you'll probably be tired of shrimp since I know you ordered that appetizer. My other favorite is the Pollo di Florentine, aka Chick Flo- Chicken breast topped with prosciutto and mozzarella in a white-wine mushroom cream, served with spinach Florentine. Yes, I realize every suggestion I've made involves the word "cream." Plan on working out the day after you eat there. The Marsala dishes are also out of this world, either veal or chicken. You can't go wrong with any of these.

Lest you think I'm not at all objective, I will tell you that I don't recommend the steaks at Brooklyn Bridge. I'll assume that's enough to lend me some credibility. But you can get a steak anywhere- you should try something more creative when you're here.

When you're done with your meal, and you're full, pretend like you're not and get the cheesecake. Not a fancy flavored one with lots of sauces, just their plain ol' cheesecake. It's the best I've ever had, bar none. Although the rest of their desserts are good too, you've got to try the cheesecake before moving on to the rest of the menu.

So back to our meal with the kids. It was great. They loved their pizza, they loved the special attention we got from employees we know, they loved the fact that there is a changing table in the ladies bathroom. (I might have made up that last part, but I thought I should fit that fact in somewhere.) Brooklyn Bridge is owned and operated by the Correale family, and they welcome you and your family. Go and fill up on cream sauces, and tell them the Chockleys sent you.

New York vs. Chicago

Last week, we saw a show on Food Network (or some other channel that makes us hungry) about New York vs. Chicago style pizza. We have been on a major New York style pizza kick thanks to the Hi-Tone. I am absolutely addicted to their hot wing pizza. The boys are content to eat regular old pepperoni. The Hi-Tone is happy to make us a giant pizza with half hot wing and half pepperoni.


This delicious monster costs about $15. The Hi-Tone also does an amazing lunch buffet where you can order as many slices in as many flavors as you want. They are made to order, not hanging out under heat lamps! The buffet comes with a salad for $8. If you want a drink, it's $9. Lots of days they do a special where you can get a slice and a PBR for $4.

How awesome is that?

Now, I know you are thinking that the Hi-Tone isn't the most kid-friendly place ever, but it actually is. There's no reason why you can't take kids in at lunch, during Sunday brunch, Sunday afternoon family-friendly shows, or any evening before 8pm.

Well, after eating the Hi-Tone's amazing New York pizza more times than I care to admit, the aforementioned TV show got me craving a Chicago-style pizza. Ace's immediately came to mind, but when I called to see if they were open on Sunday, I found out that the number was no longer in service.

Bummed, I Googled "Chicago pizza + Memphis." The first (and only) thing that came up was Jimmy's. Oh yeah, Jimmy's! On our first visit, we only ate hot dogs, so I had forgotten that they served Chicago style pizza. They were closed on Sunday, so we made plans to go on Thursday.

Chicago style pizza takes a long time to cook, so Jimmy's recommends calling at least an hour in advance. I was super hungry by the time I called and initially ordered a large Chicago classic pizza and a small pepperoni for the kids. Then I started thinking about how deep Chicago pizza is and changed our order to two smalls. We couldn't wait to get there so we went a little early with plans to get a hot dog appetizer.

Warren had never been to Jimmy's so I was counting on him to get something exciting. He didn't disappoint. He went for the Chicago Fire dog. Behold:


It was so freaking hot! Look at those peppers!

The kids each got a plain hot dog and all of the hot dogs came with French fries. I had a few bites, but I was (not so) patiently waiting for the pizza. It finally arrived, piping hot, fresh out of the oven. It was about two inches thick and smelled great. I couldn't wait to dig in.


The pizza came with a knife and a spatula for us to serve ourselves. We probably should have waited a few minutes for it to cool down, but we were too excited.


It was really frustrating trying to cut through the thick crust and the pieces we scooped out melted into a pile of cheese.


We didn't let the aesthetics get in our way, we dug right in.


It was really, really good. But oh my, it was soooooo filling! Even after skipping the hot dog appetizer, I couldn't eat more than one piece. The kids could only eat about half a piece. I was really glad that I had changed our order to two smalls. Next time we'll definitely split one small. (And maybe try the Brat Obama sandwich!)

Jimmy wasn't there during our dinner, which was a bummer, since he is a character, but we enjoyed reading all of the funny "Chicago attitude" signs and Chicago newspaper clippings on the wall. We were also pleased to see several other families in the restaurant. (There's a Taekwondo studio next door and lots of people seem to come over after class.) On Wednesdays, Jimmy's now offers a kids eat free special.

Kwik Check

Kwik Check
2013 Madison Ave
274-9293

Sunday evening we decided to take the monkeys (Satchel, 7, and Jiro, 5) to see Alice in Wonderland at Studio on the Square. We didn't have much time to squeeze in dinner, so I started running through the nearby restaurants in my mind to figure out which one might be fast enough for us to eat dinner in less than a hour. I had a hankering for Bosco's and I think they could have had us in and out pretty quick, but Warren balked.

So I suggested Kwik Check. "Is there even anywhere to sit?" Warren balked again. I explained that they had recently absorbed the Petra Cafe and that I thought they probably added seating. (I didn't know for sure, but figured the pre-existing counter would be just fine.) Warren loves Kwik Check, so he had a hard time saying no. He did wonder what we'd feed the monkeys, as did I, but I assured him I'd find something for them to eat. Kwik Check would also have the added bonus of selling candy, which we planned to sneak into the movie. (Shhh!)


We arrived to find the store completely remodeled. Ok, not completely, but gone is the bulk of the convenience store. There's beer, chips, drinks, and cigs and that's about it. Everything else is seating. I can only assume they brought in the tables from Petra. There were only a few other people in the store, so I felt pretty good about our chances of making the opening credits.

Now the hurdle with eating at a convenience store with monkeys is the aforementioned drinks and chips. I don't fight this. I just let them get what they want. They of course pick crap, but man, it sure does make them happy! While the monkeys giddily ran through the store picking out Cheetos, Pringles, Hawaiian Punch, and Coke (!!), Warren and I examined the new menu. It took about 2 seconds for me to decide on Bi Bim Bop (my favorite from Petra) and Warren needed .5 seconds to decide on a gyro, which is what he always always orders.

I scanned the sandwiches but didn't see anything the kids would like, and there was no burger option, so I went with the beef shish kebabs. I assumed it would be big enough for them to split and hoped it would come with rice. (I could have confirmed that, but what fun would that be?) I also lingered at the grab and go cooler for a minute. There were some fruit cups, but I figured the kids would be hard pressed to eat melon between bites of chips. I couldn't resist getting some pork dumplings though.

I'm not sure what the standard process is for paying when you eat in the store, so I just went to the check out with the various extras we picked up and told the guy what we ordered at the deli counter. This seemed to be acceptable. He did ask if I wanted to heat up the dumplings. I said sure and he then pointed me back to the deli counter. However, Warren pointed out a microwave near our table, so I just used that.

While waiting for the food, the monkeys decided that they desperately needed Tic-Tacs for the movie. I told them to pick out their flavor, set them on the table, and that I would give them money once they made a happy plate. Meanwhile, Warren and I started on the dumplings, which were really good despite being re-heated. After a few bites, I glanced over at the monkeys and noticed how incredibly dirty their hands were. (We'd been on a bike ride and in the yard prior to dinner.)

"I've got bad news for you," I said to them. Their faces dropped. "What?" they asked. "You're going to have to wash your hands." [Insert whining here.] Seriously, washing hands and all other basic hygiene are such a major inconvenience to these two. I marched them over to where I assumed the bathrooms were and was pleased to see that there was a sink outside the doors so that we did not have to enter the restroom. (Although I did half-heartedly ask if anyone needed to use the bathroom. I'm just going to assume that they are standard convenience store quality bathrooms. If you know otherwise, please leave a comment.

While washing, I noticed that there's actually a little tiny patio out back. There were two people sitting out there who did not appear to be employees, but they didn't appear to be customers either. They just seemed to be hanging out, and possibly smoking. Frankly, it looked like fun.

Once the monkeys' hands were clean we headed back to the table. Warren informed me that the woman came over and told him that next time we should order dumplings from her and she'll bring them out hot. Ah, yes, that makes better sense than what I did.

About two seconds later our food came out. My Bi Bim Bop was still sizzling and the woman warned me that my bowl was hot. Similarly, they monkeys' shish kebabs came out on a sizzling platter and she warned them of its hotness. The shish kebab meat was not on a stick like I had imagined, rather it was served on top of white rice. This was perfect. Both monkeys were eager to dig in. The plate was a little closer to Satchel so he got the first bite. I directed Warren to push the plate closer to Jiro just as Jiro was going in for his first bite, which resulted in Jiro burning his finger on the sizzling platter. (The woman had brought two small plates for the kids to use, but they didn't wait for me to divvy up the food.)

Jiro immediately burst into tears and cried, "Daddy burned me!" I tried to assess the situation and calm him down before everyone in the place came over. I asked Jiro if he wanted to run cold water on his fingers and he said yes, so we went back to the sink. The guy behind the counter came over to see the damage and suggested putting Vaseline on the burn. (I think "burn" is an overstatement really as I didn't actually see a mark.)

The Vaseline seemed to appease Jiro and we went back to the table. Luckily Satchel hadn't eaten all of their food and I was able to separate it onto plates for them. Warren was halfway through his gyro and was greedily eying my Bi Bim Bop. I can't blame him. It is a very eye catching dish. It's also totally delicious. I think minus the kim chi sauce (or whatever the red stuff is) and the onion, I could get the monkeys to eat it. I would however, not let them near it until the bowl cooled off. I ate most of it and left a few good spoonfuls for Warren. The monkeys did a great job on their dinner and only left a few spoonfuls for Warren too.

The woman behind the counter came to check on Jiro and make sure he was okay, which was nice, and I assured her that he wasn't permanently damaged in any way and that we had thoroughly enjoyed our food.

Since we had ended up getting quite a bit of assistance during our meal, Warren asked if we should leave a tip. I said sure, and we did (about 10%), but I wish I actually knew what the tipping rule is in this situation. (Anyone know?)

I gave the monkeys money to pay for the Tic-Tacs. Warren and I laughed about how they act so shy sometimes. The actual going to the register and handing money to the cashier was very hard for them, but they managed to complete the transaction thanks to the cashier's outgoing and helpful demeanor.

When everyone was done, we still had twenty minutes before the movie started. Warren suggested we go to Rite Aid and get a Cadbury Fruit & Nut bar, which I thought was a great idea.

Tycoon

Tycoon Asian Noodle Shop
3309 Kirby Parkway
362-8788

After a special Saturday morning screening of Percy Jackson and the Olympians a few weeks ago, we found ourselves hungry and in East Memphis. I suggested to Warren that we try Tycoon, since he always says, "We should eat there sometime" when we drive past it. (It's en route to the Winchester Farmer's Market.) However, as we tried to navigate there, I got confused about where we were, and then Warren said, "Hey let's go to that place I always talk about instead."

"You mean Tycoon?"

"Yeah."

"That's the restaurant I'm talking about," I said. (Ok, I might have called it Typhoon on accident, but that alone shouldn't have confused him so.)

Then Warren accused me of lying and trying to take credit for his awesome idea to eat at Tycoon. God help us in our golden years!

As we tried to locate the restaurant, I went ahead and read some of the reviews that I found online, so Warren couldn't yell at me about that. I read a few that said the food was good, the servings were large, and that the lunch menu was affordable. That was all I needed to know.

We arrived at the restaurant, located in a non-descript strip mall, and filed inside. I was pleased to see that the inside was not decorated in that basic Chinese restaurant style. Rather it had a pink and green palette and lots of (fake) greenery and flowers to give it a tropical feel. (See, Typhoon, wasn't too far off!)

A man greeted us at the door and gestured for us to sit anywhere we liked. There was another table or two in the restaurant, but it was far from crowded. We headed towards the back and settled in a booth not too far from the booth where (presumably) the owners' four children were sitting and watching a movie on a laptop. This got Satchel (7) thinking about what life would be like if his parents owned a restaurant. "Could I eat anything I wanted?" he asked excitedly.

Jiro (5) who had been allowed to bring in his DS could care less about the kids in the other booth, the menu, eating, or anything else going on. (Hence my objection to the DSes at the table.)

We were presented with menus and started the business of deciding what to eat. There were lots of Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese options. I was downright torn. One of the reviews I read said that there were Polaroid pictures of every dish on the menu up by the cash register. I saw them as I came in, but I didn't examine them. For whatever reason, I chose not to look at them before ordering. (Don't do what I did. Look at the pictures before you order!) I eventually decided on a coconut curry with chicken, hot and sour soup, and an eggroll. (I'm an athlete!) Warren decided on pho. Satchel, who read the menu himself and tried to order about 50 things, settled on the butterfly shrimp lunch special and hot and sour soup. (He's graduated from egg drop soup.) Because Jiro was totally checked out, I let him order the chicken nuggets on the kids' menu, only because it was cheap and there was the option of getting them with fried rice.

Warren joined Jiro in electronic wonderland (via his iPhone) while Satchel and I enjoyed our appetizers. The eggroll was really good and the hot and sour soup was really, really good. (For me, the eggroll and soup are always a good indicator of whether I'm going to like the rest of the food.) Satchel noted that the soup should actually be called sweet and hot, because it's very spicy to him. He basically used it as a vehicle for his wontons, much like the salsa at Mexican restaurants is a vehicle for his chips. I picked the long tofu cubes (parallelograms?) out of mine and fed them to Jiro. "Hey, I only got one piece of tofu!" Satchel complained when he saw the bounty I was giving Jiro. I slid a few extras his way to keep the peace.

We were still debating whether something in his soup was a bamboo shoot or a noodle, when the rest of the food arrived. (I was arguing for noodle, since I thought he was more likely to eat that.) Warren immediately started making noises of approval and excitement when presented with his giant bowl of soup. Slurping was all we heard from him for the next fifteen minutes. Satchel was similarly smitten with his fried shrimp. There were 6 large, crispy ones served with a hearty serving of fried rice. Jiro's kids' meal was kind of crazy. He had TEN chicken nuggets. Satchel really wanted one, but couldn't stand the thought of trading away one of his prized shrimp. I assured him that Jiro would not eat all ten and he could have one if he was patient.

My coconut curry with chicken actually had shredded coconut on top, which I loved. The other ingredients included potatoes, green peppers, carrots, onions, and cashews. It was good, but not great. Maybe just a little bland. This didn't stop me from eating most of it though! Satchel also supplied me with his shrimp tails to eat. (It's my party trick.)

While I waited for everyone to finish, I moseyed up to the register to peruse the Polaroids. Immediately I was mad. There were several items that looked a lot better than they sounded on the menu! I went back to the table and sulked until the check arrived. Our total was $27.40, which is less than $7 each. Not bad at all.

On the way out I forced everyone to look at the Polaroids, but instead of sulking, they suggested we try new dishes on our next visit!