Memphis for Arena #21: Gus's Fried Chicken, Germantown Commissary, and a Catfish Po'boy Worth the Detour

Fried chicken, a Memphis institution

Get: Fried rice, a boneless Thai fried chicken sandwich (a limited item), fried pickles, and a fried side we hadn't tried before

The chicken lives up to "world famous": extra crispy skin, well-seasoned, and genuinely magical according to us. The fried rice was something we said LA just doesn't have, plain-looking but savory and a little buttery with hints of spice. The fried pickles disappeared fast, and we learned they're a favorite among Memphis bodybuilders since the fermentation is supposedly good for you. A limited-time boneless Thai fried chicken sandwich rounded out the order, and the whole meal for two came to $35.66.

Barbecue, breakfast served

Get: A bologna sandwich, burnt ends, a two-meat plate (brisket and ribs), potato salad, chili, a double egg, and banana pudding

A small country store for over 90 years, and it still feels preserved, brick floors and all. We came for barbecue at 9:50am, which felt right at home once we tried it: the bologna was thicker and smokier than the store-bought kind, closer to a higher-end version, and the brisket was thin-sliced in a way that reminded us of Korean barbecue, more about savory smoky flavor than heavy sauce. The ribs had a nice chew instead of falling off the bone, which we actually preferred. Memphis barbecue sauce runs sweeter than Texas-style, and the banana pudding at the end was not too sweet with perfectly ripe bananas. A big spread with dessert and drinks came to $56.14 for two, which we guessed would run closer to $100 back home in LA.

Southern seafood, catfish and po'boys

Get: Fried okra, an oyster and shrimp po'boy, and a catfish plate with fries and hush puppies

We specifically wanted catfish, and a few of our original soul food picks were closed for Christmas Eve, so this ended up being the move. The catfish came out incredibly soft and buttery in a seasoned cornmeal batter, some of the best we've ever had; the same seasoned batter showed up on the po'boy, made New Orleans-style, packed with jumbo shrimp and fried oysters with genuinely great texture. The hush puppies, a first for us, were crispy outside and doughy inside, studded with corn and green onion. The whole meal ran about $40, which we called delicious food for cheap.

Fast food fried chicken chain, first visit

Get: Dirty rice and fried chicken

Our first time trying the chain, on a stop that also checked Mississippi off our state side quest. The dirty rice reminded us of a Southern take on rice pilaf, good but not a match for Gus's fried rice from the day before. The fried chicken looked and tasted like Popeyes, solid for fast food, and genuinely spicy where we expected it to be mild.

Arena food, Grizzlies game

Get: An LA-style dog and a Memphis-style hot dog with a jalapeno bun

Arena #21 of 30, and they were giving away Christmas ornaments the night we went. The Memphis specialty here is a jalapeno bun on the hot dog, topped with peppers, onions, bacon, and cheese, a genuine local twist, though our bun came out dry and untoasted. Still, a solidly beefy dog if you don't mind the bread.