“There have been moments in my life when my concept of barbecue is irrevocably altered henceforth. And that’s exactly what happened to me at Mande Dibi.”

I got my Italian beef sandwich the only way I know how: hot and dipped. It may or may not sound sexy to you, but this is actual Italian beef terminology. Before you order one, let’s talk about the lingo.

Today’s $10 Deal starts with a question: If you were a popsicle, what type of popsicle would you be? 

In heat like this, there’s nothing quite as refreshing as Mediterranean food. And few scratch the itch quite like Andalusia in East Memphis.

Never would Joshua Carlucci think to combine mushrooms and a blueberry waffle, but the result made him question why he hasn’t done so before. Plus, challah French toast makes another appearance.

All the bánh mì at Mochi & Mi are under $10, and they’re just as big — if not bigger — than any other restaurant’s in town. They’re also better.

As the name somewhat implies, everyone at Sai Biryani Point was eating biryani, but the paneer pakora is worth writing home — or Google Maps — about. 

At Zio Matto, American flavors such as peanut butter chocolate chip and honey vanilla ride sidesaddle to classic Italian flavors like stracciatella, pistachio, gianduia and fior di latte.

“I’d never really thought of lamb as much of a sandwich meat, outside the context of the Basque food or in a gyro. This one, though, is full American style, on a hero roll with mayo, lettuce, tomatoes and onions.”

Kinfolk is breakfast food for people who are into food, but it’s far from pretentious. It’s blue-collar-baller, if you will. Truck-stop-gourmet.

It might sound boring to spend too much time talking up a chicken sandwich, but Belltower’s is a sleeper hit.

There are quite a few variations on the Bandeja Paisa, but at Mi Tierra, it’s a heavy plate.

Joshua Carlucci’s order at Bob’s Barksdale is simple, but it always delivers. It’s a short stack (two pancakes) with country ham as well as two eggs — sunny side up — on the side, if he’s really hungry. 

When I see a hot pastrami sandwich on a menu, it’s tough to stay away. While ordering one at The Mad Grocer when I noticed a crispy boudin po’boy and nearly switched. Then I thought: Why not both?

Petals of a Peony offers lunch specials on some of its most popular dishes, and if you throw garlic into a recipe without noticing the amount called for, at least one of them is for you.

Getting out of a “health food” restaurant for under $20 feels like a grand accomplishment, and this chicken-and-egg sandwich hits the mark. 

This Daily Memphian food writer looks for a fine balance between quantity and quality in everyday sushi, and he said Sekisui straddles that line with the best of them.

Nearly all of Global Cafe’s starters are under the $10 deal mark.

While it’s not perfect, Slider Inn serves up a very solid iteration of the beloved Chicago dog.

At Tuyen’s Asian Bistro, the shrimp on a stick are visually fascinating. The crispy noodles are bundled tightly around the crustaceans like straight jackets, with the shrimp tails just barely popping out at the end. 

All the appetizers on Le Fuuta’s menu are $10: fataya, fried Senegalese meat pies; akara, fried ground bean cake; and rissoles, meat patties with breadcrumbs and beignets.

If you’re lucky enough to find yourself at Rincon Catracho, look to the first page of the menu, at the entradas — the starters.

You simply must end your meal with the baklava. If you’re too full already, take it to go.

Restaurant co-owners, Bala Tounkara and Mady Magassa are adding to their traditional soul food menu by venturing into Memphis barbecue with a twist: West African flavors.

The sausage is not too greasy or dry, as some store-bought vegan “meats” can be. The peppers and onions give the sandwich an Italian-American familiarity, but the barbecue sauce and slaw take it down a Southern tangent.