New Menu Items at The Flying Saucer


Steppin' Its Game Up

NOTE: For those of you looking for the latest changes that the Flying Saucer made, including introducing its new burger menu, please read my review on my "mini-blog" on Tumblr. If you don't have time to check out my other blog (which some people might see as redundant, but I'm a little more loose on Tumblr), I will summarize by saying that the Saucer's burgers are excellent and among the best in Memphis. With all due respect to places like Roxie's Grocery and Bishop, the Flying Saucer holds its own with the best of them. A good example is the Saucer's Whiskey Burger, featuring various artisan cheeses atop a tasty Angus beef patty. It's awesome!



Okay, what does Ryu Sushi Bar, Second Street Shoppers, Aldo's Pizza Pies, Adline's Hot Wings Express, Maria's Cantina, The Silly Goose, African Restaurant (formerly Kaloum) and Havana's Pilon have in common? Not much, other than the mentioning of the Flying Saucer in my reviews of them during the five years of this blog. Needless to say, the Saucer is one of my favorite places to chill out while drinking some of the world's finest beers. No offense to the other places that I've visited, but they aren't as much fun as a bar with hot girls in short skirts serving beer and bar food (okay, the "Goose" is the lone exception). As a guy who appreciates a woman with a rocking body, the Saucer is almost like heaven to me. So, when the "Draught Emporium" added new stuff to its food menu, I almost felt an obligation to highlight some of them on my blog. For the most part, just about everything the Saucer added has gone over well with the "regulars" that I hang with, who persuaded me to try some of the Saucer's new offerings.

The Loaded Rocket-Tots didn't make an initial good impression because they were, well, loaded. When I got them the first time, the spicy potato tots had everything that the menu listed, including a lot of green onions (aka scallions) and goat cheese. Frankly, the onions were a bit much and the goat cheese didn't go well with the fried egg in terms of taste. Of course, this is only one man's opinion that I'm sure some will take issue with, but my first go-round with the Rocket-Tots didn't exactly win me over.
Normally, when I get an opinion about something that I'm going to write about, I don't go back for seconds. However, as the Flying Saucer is one of my favorite bars (along with Bardog Tavern, Slider Inn, Blind Bear and yes, the "Goose"), it was inevitable that I was going to get another "plate" (that being a skillet) of Loaded Rocket-Tots. I don't know if the Saucer's cooks were reading my mind or not but on the second time around, they hit the mark. The tots had more cheddar and less goat cheese and came without green onions (they also forgot the jalapeƱos, but made up for it with more bacon). Unlike its predecessor, these cheesy potato tots came off more like brunch than bar food. The Rocket-Tots seem more appropriate in a diner than a bar, but with a good beer (the Saucer has hundreds to choose from) as opposed to orange juice, this version of the Loaded Rocket-Tots is something that I look forward to having again (and unlike most places that I've visited, I actually mean it).


Another superstar among the Flying Saucer's new offerings is the IPA Mac & Cheese. Of all the fancy and gourmet mac and cheese dishes that I've had, I'm hard pressed to name a restaurant that makes the pasta dish better than the Saucer. That includes places like Alchemy and Blind Bear, establishments that got a lot of well-deserved praise for making excellent Mac & Cheese. In my opinion, I believe the Saucer's version is up there with them in terms of taste. The combination of tasty IPA cheese sauce, bacon, chives and bread crumbs gives the Saucer's macaroni and cheese a sophistication comparable to upscale restaurants. In case you're wondering, the IPA cheese sauce is not a bastardized version of a Wiseacre Ananda. To the contrary, the sauce has no presence of hops in its taste. Apparently, the Saucer managed to retain the better parts of an IPA and incorporated it into pasta that's heads and shoulders above most. Even for those who don't like beer, few will find fault with the Flying Saucer's excellent Mac and Cheese.


I want to finish this review with another "new" menu item that's been around for a few years. The Saucer's Mojo Cajun spiced hot wings (previously called "Mojo Wings") are a nice, no-mess alternative to traditional Buffalo Wings. Likely infused with cayenne and other spicy seasonings, the wings bring the heat without the mess that comes with hot wing sauce. An assortment of vegetables come with the wings that make them even better. The lettuce is my favorite, because it catches much of the wings' droppings of oil and seasonings that turns them into spicy sides for my wings. Overall, the wings and veggies are great and among my personal favorites in Memphis. Although the "Mojo Wings" won't supplant legendary favorites like Alex's Tavern and Ching's, I feel that they can hold their own with most Mid-South wing joints. If the Flying Saucer keeps the wings on the menu (and ladies in short skirts serving them), I can assure you that I'll have these wings again and again.

It seems that the Flying Saucer is making a huge effort in appealing to more people outside the beer-drinking demographic. While it won't bat a thousand with everything it does, I like the direction that the bar is going in and wish it continued success. Of course, even if it served terrible food, I will always be a "regular" at the Saucer for as long as I'm welcomed. A bar that offers great beer and pretty girls serving it is hard to beat (Hooters has nothing on the Saucer).

Don't Do Crack, Paul Ryburn, errr..., Mr. Load-In..., I mean, Mayor Load Turd
Don't Do "Crack"
Before I go, I want to offer a fashion tip to one of the Flying Saucer's "esteemed" regulars, "Mr. Load Turd." The next time you go on a drunken bender at the Saucer, could you please not dress like a slob. Specifically, you need to start wearing a belt so your fat boy shorts don't sag whenever you're slumped over the Saucer's bar like Otis the Town Drunk. I know you like making an ass out of yourself, but showing it is a bit much. If you're going for the ghetto boy look so that you can roll with your homies in "Norf Norf Memphris," your look isn't "fresh" (did you get "Norf Norf" from the David Duke racist book of Ebonics?). So please, pull your pants up and spare the public the unsightly mess of your ass. If necessary, you could replace the "Buy Me A Beer" button on your blog with a "Buy Me A Belt" link for something to wrap around your XXXL gut (and buy maternity blouses, because you look nine months pregnant). Just do something, because as much as I have to put up with your crap, please spare me the sight of your crapper. All I want to do is enjoy a Blue Moon, not a red-ass mooning from a Razorback-looking fatso.

SIDE NOTE: Although I despise "Mr. Load Turd," I agree with him on some things. For example, the hottie repping Mesquite Chop House in the "Queen of the Vine" contest at the 2015 Beale Street Wine Race was by far the hottest chick in the pageant. She's also talented, for she masterfully sung lyrics when answering a question about a song she liked (none of other contestants had the wits to do that). Unfortunately, she didn't win (neither did Alfred's lady, despite her best efforts), losing to a woman far less sexy and talented. Nonetheless, I might go to Southaven for a crappy overpriced steak just to check out "Miss Mesquite."

Anyway, despite some nuisances, I like the Flying Saucer. I have met great people there over the years who remain some of my closest friends. It's a place where I have partied hard and had really great times. Looking ahead, I hope to experience more of the same.

Website: www.beerknurd.com

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