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.

When I go out of town, not only do I want to eat at local restaurants, but I like to go to a grocery store or two and take a look at what the local products are. Sometimes I stock up on something to take home; sometimes I might just leave with an idea — or an appreciation of how much better we have it at home than the poor folks in Whereversville.

Whatever the case, food from other places is always interesting to those of us who love to eat. Last weekend’s Le Bon Appetit from chef Kelly English and the Le Bonheur Club was well done, and the combination of food from our talented local chefs and the guest chefs made for a feast.

I first met Maneet Chauhan in Nashville six or seven years ago, back in my pre-Daily Memphian life. I ate at Chauhan Ale House, her first restaurant there, and was just crazy about it. I had what is still my favorite dessert ever there: Gulab jamun cheesecake. Every year when it appears on my Facebook memories, I post the picture and hope that someone will tell me where I can find it here (no luck so far, at least nothing like Maneet’s version).

Maneet Chauhan’s pani puri was served during Le Bon Appetit. (Jennifer Biggs/The Daily Memphian)

On Saturday, her appetizer was the first one we ate. It was creative, delicious, and a bit hands-on. There’s a photo to help, and here’s my best explanation: Pani puri shells, which are airy puffed wafers, were filled with a mix of fragrant chickpeas with tamarind chutney and cilantro, and the shell rested on top of a tiny cup of mint-cilantro mango water.

As instructed, I poured the intensely flavored water in the puff and popped the whole thing in my mouth. (“Do it in one bite. It either all goes in your mouth or it goes on you,” Maneet said.)

Wow! It was fresh, tangy, spicy, sweet, herbaceous — just so very much going on in that one little bite. I could’ve eaten much more than one, will definitely be making my own version at home, but more than anything, wish I could go to a local restaurant and order this fabulous appetizer.

It’s human nature to think the grass is always greener, but no, I don’t want to trade Nashville’s food for Memphis’. Yes, I think Maneet should open a place here (please), but we have plenty of creative chefs here, too. The crudo that Jimmy Gentry of Paradox Catering made was insanely good: A fresh pesto of garlic scape and nettles topped with a slice of scallop crudo, thinly sliced green strawberries and trout roe.

There was so much more, of course: Karen Carrier’s beef carpaccio, stunning macarons from 17 Berkshire, Ryan Trimm’s hearty purple hull pea succotash with pork, a stunning foam of malted potato, onion and lamb tongue from Niche’s Gerard Craft in St. Louis.

Tonica recently opened at 1585 Overton Park. (Brad Vest/Special to The Daily Memphian)

I love the flavor of our local food — it suits my palate with its sass and spice, soothes my soul with its diversity and authenticity and on occasion, pinches my cheeks and gets my attention with something different. Witness Pantà and Tonica, two new Spanish restaurants that have opened in the past year. Or Dave Krog’s Dory, where the tasting menu changes monthly (and this, because it’s the real Dory story ). The Andrew Michael group is always coming up with something new, and we have plenty of old reliables that we can count on for a fine meal.

So I want what we have, but wouldn’t it be great if we could have more, too? This is the gist of what Chris Herrington and I talk about on this week’s Sound Bites. Click in and take a listen, tell us what you think.

One of the "judges" reacts to their meal at the Le Bon Appetit chef's breakfast competition at FedExFamilyHouse. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)

Another element to Le Bon Appetit was a chef competition at the FedExFamilyHouse and Restaurant Iris executive chef Russell Casey took home the win. Christin Yates was there and tells us about it. (And the opening of Restaurant Iris in East Memphis sometime this summer, well, that’s exciting, right?) 

A new Mexican restaurant has hung its shingle at the former Pancho’s space in Cloverleaf and I went for lunch last week to bring you a New Eats. It’s too soon to tell much, but my food was good, owner Andres Gutierrez enthusiastic and hopeful, and for good or bad, you won’t feel like you’re walking in Pancho’s because it was completely gutted, save a small wall in the back. 

Kiamesha Wilson recently opened Kaye’s Pints & Scoops. The ice cream place is participating in this year’s Whitehaven Black Restaurant Week. (Neil Strebig/The Daily Memphian)

Whitehaven Black Restaurant Week is underway and there are 11 participating restaurants, Daja E. Henry tells us in this story. It’s scheduled to coincide with Juneteenth this year, as is Cynthia Daniels’ Memphis Vegan Festival, coming up June 18 at the Pipkin Building — and followed on Sunday with her Juneteenth Shop Black Festival at the same place. 

I took in lunch at A-Tan, which has been in business for 30-plus years but as I admit, a place I forget about. For $7.95, we had a nice plate of the Chinese-American classic that almost everyone loves: General Tso’s chicken. 

It is scorching hot outside, and a fine cold dish to have handy in the refrigerator is the shrimp ravigote from Just For Lunch, a much-missed restaurant. Owner Ann Barnes has promised a few other requested recipes and we’ll get to those, so I once again remind you: If you want a recipe, current or old, ask and ye might receive. The generosity of our community is almost boundless when it comes to sharing these gems.

Stay cool, drink plenty of liquids (here’s a blast from our Bar Talk past that’s great for the season), and enjoy your week.

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