Welcome back to Table Talk, where Daily Memphian food and dining editor Jennifer Biggs sends the latest food news (along with a dash of this and that) to your inbox every Wednesday.

Next week will be a fun one at The Second Line, which for the week will be known as Steve & Todd’s Creole Italian, named for Steve Richey, the co-owner of Iris Restaurant Group, and Todd English, Fino’s manager and (and group co-owner) Kelly English’s brother.

Fino’s will be closed for the week because of plumbing work in The Gilmore that will have the hot water shut off during daytime hours.

“You can’t operate a restaurant without hot water, so we decided to just take advantage of the situation and have some fun with it,” Kelly English said.

Think Mosca’s, R&O’s, Liuzza’s and similar Italian restaurants in New Orleans.

“Creole Italian is a true sub-genre of New Orleans dining, so much so that even when you go to the classic restaurants, you’ll find something like stuffed shells on the menu,” English said.

Derk Meitzler, the general manager of The Second Line and its sister restaurant Pantà, has created a mashup menu. There will be a few sandwiches from Fino’s available, some Second Line po’boys, and then the fun starts.

Look for eggplant, from parm to fried strips to roulades stuffed with crab and served with cream sauce. Grilled shrimp and oysters over pasta with garlic and butter. Crawfish mac and cheese. A carbonara that Meitzler says is similar to Chicken Kingfield, his dish from On Teur.

“I’m also bringing back my fried avocado, which is stuffed with my crab cake mix, dredged in Panko and deep fried, served with remoulade,” he said.

There will be manicotti, served two ways (red sauce or cream sauce), baked ziti, spaghetti, standard fried oyster and catfish plates, red snapper with a shrimp and crawfish cream sauce, and brunch on Saturday and Sunday with dishes such as Italian eggs in red sauce and a Creole seafood frittata.

It starts Monday, Sept. 19, with lunch at 11 a.m. and goes through Monday, Sept. 26. Hours are 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. again on Sunday.

And, oh, yeah: There will be a muffuletta, and you can make reservations online at The Second Line’s website. 

I saved the muffuletta for last to segue into a reminder to read about the recovery of Ryan Hopgood, the founder of the Memphis Sandwich Clique who was left with grim prospects for survival after a heat stroke in June, but is now back in his own home after three months that involved a coma, numerous hospitals and extensive physical therapy. It was an ordeal that’s not finished, but Hopgood is in good humor and credits a cosmic trade with the Grim Reaper: His favorite sandwich for his life.

Ryan Hopgood survived a heat stroke in June, but is now back in his own home after a three month ordeal. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian file)

That inspired Chris Herrington and me to talk about our favorite sandwiches on Sound Bites, and here’s a spoiler: Don’t expect him to order the muffuletta at Steve & Todd’s. 

But we definitely agree that it’s hard to beat a good banh mi. I found an old recipe for a good one and shared it in this week’s Recipe Exchange. 

Also this week, we introduced a new kind of review that you’ll see from time to time in the future. I went to Pantà and ate everything on the menu for the debut of Every Single Thing. And, yes, I ate it all, then I rated it best to least-favorite, with a brief description of the dishes. You’ll see us use this in circumstances where the food might be unfamiliar (as in Pantà’s Catalan cuisine) and where the menu is designed so that we can do it, e.g., small enough or separated in such a way that we can pick a part. Have a look and share your thoughts on this format. 

Jordan Arellano brought us a $10 Deal from Hyderabad Biryani and More, an Indian restaurant off Winchester Road that offers a range of the country’s diverse foods. 

Jasmine McCraven tells us that Esco, an Atlanta-based restaurant, is coming to the former Ground Zero Blues Club on Lt. George W. Lee Avenue. It will be just across from the FedExForum and right next to the running behind but soon-to-open Penny’s Nitty Gritty. 

Also coming soon: Tuyen Le prepared a sampler of the bird’s nest egg rolls from the old Saigon Le for me this week as she works to perfect the recipe for Tuyen’s Asian Bistro. Turns out they’re still one of my favorite things and when she’s satisfied with them, you’ll be able to get them, too. 

Bird’s nest egg rolls are coming soon to Tuyen’s Asian Bistro at 288 N. Cleveland. (Jennifer Biggs/The Daily Memphian file)

Have a great week! Our Friday lunch this week at 117 Prime is sold out, but I’m looking forward to seeing everyone who signed up and remember: We start early this month because we’re having a mingle before lunch, so arrive at 11:30 a.m. If you missed it, we’ll have another lunch in October.

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