La Tourelle adieu
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This week, The Squad had the great pleasure of attending the chef’s meal commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of La Tourelle.
I love La Tourelle for its iconic tower, but looking at the the evening’s incredible menu and the stellar lineup of chefs makes it apparent why La Tourelle is perhaps Memphis’s greatest culinary landmark. Over the past thirty years, owners Glenn and Martha Hayes have brought on board some of the finest chefs in Memphis.
Sadly, in today’s Commercial Appeal, Fredric Koeppel confirmed news that Martha Hayes hinted at during the “throwback” anniversary dinner. La Tourelle will close its doors after the July 14 and 15 Bastille Day dinners.
Koeppel reports that the space will reopen in early August as Tuscany, “a casual place serving Italian food”. Mike Northern, La Tourelle’s current chef, will be the chef of Tuscany. Cafe 1912, Glenn and Martha Hayes’s other restaurant and another of our favorites, will remain open.
If at all possible, go for one last dinner at La Tourelle. Just look at the menu for the chef’s meal. It’s hard to overstate the importance of La Tourelle in the history and the future of cuisine in Memphis.
the thirtieth anniversary of La Tourelle
Spinach, bacon, and mushroom quiche
with warm balsamic reduction
amuse bouche
Chilled melon soup with crab meat
Sparkling wine with orange and Campari
Jackson Kramer, Chef of Interim
Wild mushroom risotto
with fresh chanterelles and trumpet mushrooms
Château St. Jean, Chardonnay, Sonoma 2003
Mike Northern, Chef de Cuisine, La Tourelle
Hoja santa wrapped salmon
on charred corn Vidalia onion relish
and ancho chile jelly
Verget, Chablis, 2004
Jeff Dunham, Chef/Owner, The Grove Grill
Lamb two ways
Lamb loin with lamb jus
Canneloni of lamb and spinach
St. Francis, Merlot, Sonoma 2001
Chris Dollar, Executive Chef, Galler Wholesale
Chocolate marzipan torte
with strawberry balsamic ice cream
Hugel, Gewürztraminer, Alsace 2003
Erling Jensen, Chef/Owner, Erling Jensen: The Restaurant
La Tourelle
2146 Monroe Ave
Memphis, TN 38104
(901) 726-5771
Converting one of the few restaurants in Memphis to get national recognition for its unique qalities to another Italian place is just plain dumb.
This is like taking a rare valuable pearl and adding it to pop-bead necklace.
OH, how sad..!