Still in Memphis, I was looking for a nice place to eat out for dinner. I was in the mood for a steak and gone are the days of expensing Ruth's Chris or Morton's. I checked with the concierge and some local customers for recommendations.

Over and over, I was referred to The Butcher Shop. Interesting name to say the least. One of the ladies we asked said she was a vegetarian but even she would consider eating the steaks from that place! Pretty impressive reference! Here is a link to the website and menu.

The restaurant was only a few blocks away from our hotel. The atmosphere is very laid back and casual. To be frank, I was not a big fan at first glance and first whiff. The place kind of stunk - it smelled like a dive bar with beer on the floor, etc. Not appetizing.

Well, no turning back - it was getting late and this was probably our best bet in the area. After looking at the menu we decided to get the Cajun shrimp appetizer and we both opted for the salad bar to start our meal.

The salad bar was OK, nothing special, I have seen better salad bars at Jason Deli's or even Ruby Tuesdays.

When we came back from the salad bar our shrimp app was served nice and hot. Surprisingly, it was really good! It was supposed to be Cajun and had some of that Southern spice and heat but was served in a scampi format with a little more sauce that the shrimp were floating around in. Still very good and very rich.

For my entree I ordered the 8-ounce filet with a baked potato. The steak came out and it was cooked to my liking, medium-well. Typically, I would order that cut of meat cooked medium, but the questionable atmosphere pushed me to medium-well.

For the price ($30.00 per head) it was a reasonable steak.

I was recently in Memphis, TN and looking to sample some good BBQ. I don't eat pork so my options are limited to Brisket and Chicken at most BBQ places. While traveling on business I also don't have a lot of time so I needed to find some good food fast.

Many of the locals have pointed out Neely's to me as being the place to check out. Many of you might be familiar with the Neelys because of their popular shows on the Food Network. Even prior to their fame on the network they have been putting out some great food in Tennessee for years. Here is a link to their website and menu items. Given my tight travel schedule I had to sample the food at their airport location.

Many of you would suspect an airport location might be a bit sketchy. Well, forget about the myths of airport food. The line was huge, and I wondered if it going to be worth the wait. Let's put it this way; after waiting in line for a while, the next time I get to the Memphis airport I am going straight to Neely's, and again as I head out! I would even miss my flight to get some of that stuff!

I had the brisket sandwich smothered in their bbq sauce which was just awesome. I am not a bbq expert but I do know enough about good food and flavor to say this joint is worth the trip into Memphis. For $8.00 give this a shot and skip the other same ol' airport dining options when in Memphis. You won't be disappointed.