beauty shop and wiles-smith drug store

Seeing the title, you'll probably be surprised to find out that this blog post is about food. This weekend Brian and I knocked two more restaurants off of the "places to eat list" (#100). First up was The Beauty Shop in Cooper-Young on Friday night. In a previous life, this space was a bustling '60s(?) beauty salon. Now, however, it has been reenvisioned into a hip little restaurant. What's cool about the decor is that they've incorporated some of the beauty pieces (the hair washing sinks are used at the bar, hair dryer chairs are used for diners, etc.), but some modern, local artist flavor is also mixed in.

We had a massive pile of onion straws for an appetizer. 

So good! The sauce was really the kicker.

Jolly Brian perusing the menu.

THAI STEAK SALADDDDD. yum. period.

Brian's Steak Sandwich. Open-faced? 

Or did they forget to bring the top bread? :]

The second new food experience this weekend was the Wiles-Smith Drug Store Saturday afternoon. This is one that I've read about in must-try Memphis articles, so I figured just that, that I must try it! Unlike the Beauty Shop, this one's name is really what it is, a drug store. That's not all though, there is also an authentic old-time soda fountain/restaurant inside as well, which is what we went to try. I heard the milkshakes were the thing to get, but I felt a hankering for a straight up sundae. However, Brian did go the shake route. When we sat down at the counter, he heard a regular customer order a malted chocolate shake. Brian, trying to sound like a fancy regular himself, ordered the same. Little did he know that malt flavoring is like Whoppers which he doesn't like, haha.

Not the most amazing sundae/shake I've ever had, but the experience was definitely worth it.

The ambiance was especially great which included a stuffed porcupine sitting high in a corner.