Itta Bena

 Dinner & A Show

Before going to The Orpheum to see my favorite Bluegrass band, I decided to have dinner at Beale Street's only upscale restaurant (as far as I know). It is above B.B. King's Blues Club, an unlikely place for that type of restaurant. In the past, accessing the restaurant required going into the Blues club and taking the stairs. Since it's been a long time since my previous visit (memorable for the tasty kimchi that I had which was a bit of a surprise), getting to Itta Bena has changed. Instead or entering through the front entrance of B.B. King's, I had to climb a flight of stairs on the side of the building. Even with my sore knees, I managed to get up to the second floor of the building and into the restaurant. However, anyone who is handicapped might need assistance in getting to Itta Bena. Once inside, I had to wait an additional fifteen minutes for my table despite arriving on time for my reservation. It was quite busy for a Tuesday night so the restaurant might have been understaffed. Once I got to my table, it didn't take too long before my server took my order.

Given that Itta Bena is an upscale/fancy restaurant, I assumed (a dangerous thing to do) that the menu would have a lot of unique offerings to choose from. With regards to appetizers, the restaurant has a nice list of options. I decided to get the Crab Stuffed Avocados with remoulade and pico de gallo. Despite them being breaded with cornmeal and "flash-fried," the avocados didn't have much in terms of crunch but were tasty nonetheless. Maybe it's me, but I didn't taste a lot of "crab" in the appetizer but everything else, such as the salad and remoulade sauce, made for a savory dish that I thoroughly enjoyed. It really hit the spot and made me anxious for the main course.

For the main course, I wanted something that was a little ambitious. Unfortunately, Itta Bena isn't as imaginative with its entrées as it as with its appetizers. It mostly consists of common menu items like Cajun pasta and shrimp and grits, so I decided to get something that I hadn't had in awhile. I got the Grilled New Zealand Lamb Chops with parmesan risotto that I figured was quick to put down given that I had a small window to eat before the concert at The Orpheum. Overall, both the lamb and the risotto had the requisite taste that I expected, capping off a nice dinner. Even though I wanted something more exquisite, Itta Bena caters to those it serves who want fine dining without the pretentiousness. I'm cool with that and look forward to dining there again.

Website: IttaBenaDining.com

NOTE: It also has a restaurant in Montgomery, Alabama that seems to have a more interesting menu.

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And Now The Show...

After dinner, walked up Beale Street to the grand theater known as The Orpheum, formerly a part of a chain of theaters nationwide that has since broken apart. I went there to see my favorite Bluegrass band, Alison Krauss and Union Station. Although I had seen Alison several years ago at the dilapidated Mud Island Amphitheater, it was really cool seeing her with Union Station. The band put on a great show and I enjoyed every minute of it. As always, I try to grab a few video clips of the concert to have as a keepsake but had a hard time doing that because a guy sitting behind me objected (as an aside, I don't know if filming something with a cell phone at a concert is proper etiquette, but I never had a problem doing this in the past). Before I put my phone away, I managed to get a clip of the band performing "Every Time You Say Goodbye" which is a very nice song that puts a smile on my face:

Tap/click "play" arrow twice to play video

SIDE NOTE: I had hoped to see former band member Dan Tyminski, notable for being the singing voice of George Clooney's character in the movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou" where he sings "Man of Constant Sorrow."

Overall, I enjoyed the concert but will plan better the next time I go to The Orpheum. For starters, the seats are much smaller than more modern venues like FedExForum (probably because Americans weren't as fat in the 1920s when the theater was built). Because I wanted to put distance between me and the guy who was hassling me about me filming the show, I moved one seat over. I ended up sitting to a guy much fatter than me who really put on the squeeze, if you know what I mean. In the end, it didn't matter because the guy who I annoyed earlier was stilled pissed at me for filming, so I moved back to my original seat to be more comfortable. Therefore, the next time I go to The Orpheum, I will get an aisle seat so I can minimize the "discomfort" of people who hate others getting into their phones, plus have an easy out in case I need to relive myself (like with the seats, the rows are tight and not "fat friendly"). Speaking of relief, the restrooms are below the theater so those who have to go, know that it won't be a quick run (I ended up missing my favorite Alison Knauss song "Baby, Now That I've Found You"). Definitely things to keep in mind for future concerts at The Orpheum.

Websites:
   Orpheum-Memphis.com
   AlisonKrauss.com