I’d never had dinner in the middle of the street, but as of Friday, June 19, I have.

Umami Amora’s second Juneteenth dinner was held on Saffarans Avenue between Groovy Gratitude and Mane Wildling, and the theme for the evening was Harlem Renaissance.

Hosted in part by Groovy Gratitude owner Alicia Dixon and Shroomlicious owner Daishu McGriff, Umami Amora was seven courses, each created by a local Black chef who chose an emotion to inspire their dish. 

There was love by Chef Ricco Rodgers with Dirty South Mane, grief by Chef Cameron Smith with Hog & Hominy and defiance from Chef Ericka King with Sips and Sammies. The dishes included a carrot terrine, a red-pea succotash and roasted gold tomato and saffron coconut fumet.

The second course by Chef Jamaurin "Vino" Wright was a roasted gold tomato and saffron coconut fumet. (Sophia Surrett/The Daily Memphian)

I loved each one, but the fifth and sixth courses were my favorites. 

The fifth course, created by Chef Jasper Moss of BBQ Bishop, was smoked beef short rib — delicately braised beef short rib with roasted garlic mash and rich natural jus.

The beef was easy to cut, the flavor was rich and I could taste the effort that went into each rib — which is impressive because there were so many plates passed out.

The fifth dish by Chef Jasper Moss was the BBQ Bishop reserve smoked-beef short rib with roasted garlic mash and rich natural jus. (Sophia Surrett/The Daily Memphian)

During the course, what was once a talkative crowd of about 70 people went quiet.

The sixth dish, defiance, was a sweet potato-stuffed beignet.

Now listen, I cannot explain how good this was. The beignet was golden fried, filled with sweet potato and finished with brown-sugar pecan rum sauce.

The sixth dish by Chef Ericka King was a sweet potato-stuffed beignet. (Sophia Surrett/The Daily Memphian)

The filling tasted like a sweet potato pie that was made by your grandmother, which was true for King, who said it was her grandmother’s recipe.

Like the well-plated dishes, the event was beautiful. Guests had been encouraged to wear shades of brown, and everyone sat at a long, white table filled with vases of feathers and flowers with floating candles in water. A jazz band filled the air with soft music. 

Guests were encouraged to engage in conversation, build connections and share culture as the plates were served. 

The hosts asked some thought-provoking questions throughout the night, and attendees’ answers reminded me of the pride and love I have for Memphis.

The theme for Umami Amora was Harlem Renaissance. (Sophia Surrett/The Daily Memphian)

This week on the local food scene 

Jennifer Chandler wore a glucose monitor for two weeks to see how her diet impacted her blood sugar and to help her regain her health after cancer treatments. Chandler learned, much to her surprise, the order of what you eat during your meal is just as important as a balanced plate. 

For those following the Collierville Chick-fil-A debacle, Abigail Warren wrote that the case was reopened in Shelby County Chancery Court. The landowner of the proposed Chick-fil-A is going against five aldermen on the suburb’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen, alleging they are in contempt of court.

Amelia Gene’s sommelier, Samuel Johnson, won an award of excellence from magazine Wine Spectator for the restaurant’s extensive wine list. Johnson talks about his journey to wine, from being an engineering major in college to having his first aha sip of nebbiolo.

Gracie Driver went to Maeve’s Tavern to try a $13 Irish chicken salad sandwich, an item on the restaurant’s special lunch menu called “The Daily Craic.” The menu is filled with classic Irish pub specials, and Driver already has a plan for her next visit. 

Wondered why you’ve been seeing so many pop-ups recently? I spoke to several local restaurateurs who are hosting pop-ups or started as one themselves to find out why the concept is so pop-ular. 

Chandler dove into another recipe this week. This time, she wrote about how to create the Charlie Vergos family’s Greek Horiatiki salad: tomatoes, cucumbers, green bell peppers, purple onions, feta, Kalamata olives and a little bit more to create the special Vergos version. 

Michael Waddell spoke to Monique Williams, owner of Biscuits & Jams, who is now the executive chef at Ragin’ Cajun Seafood and Po’Boys. The restaurant closed for about 10 days when owner Mason Jambon had to step away to help with his parents.

I spoke to two Memphians about a new membership program called The Local Card that will launch this fall. The digital app gives customers free perks and hopes to give local restaurants a boost in revenue. 

In Food Files, I wrote about the new J Woods Sports Bar in Harbor Town and the newly opened beer garden at Downtown’s Soul & Spirits Brewery. Oh, and TacoNGanas will soon have another location: a drive-thru in Cordova.

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