Southern steakhouse Porch & Parlor to open next week in Overton Square. Here's what to expect

A new Southern steakhouse in Overton Square will soon be inviting Memphians to enjoy its Southern fare with a side of Southern hospitality.

The long-awaited Porch & Parlor opens next week. If all goes as planned, the restaurant will open Monday.

Porch & Parlor is the fourth restaurant for Tom Powers and Russ Graham. They also own the award-winning restaurants Flight Restaurant & Wine Bar, Southern Social and Coastal Fish Company.

The new restaurant at 2125 Madison Ave. is in the heart of Overton Square in the 6,500-square-foot building that was formerly Bar Louie.

The restaurateurs are known for their fine dining concepts that offer a Southern-inspired menu and impeccable service.

“We decided to open a restaurant in Overton Square because of Bob Loeb’s vision in growing Midtown,” Graham said. “We are excited to play a small part.”

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The parlor

The renovation to the building was extensive, and the end result is a white tablecloth restaurant with seating for more than 200 people inside and out. The restaurant is unrecognizable from its former life as Bar Louie.

The attention to detail is impressive.

“The building was built in 1908, and we wanted to embrace the era in which it was built,” Graham said.

The bar and the entry are tiled with period-specific Belle Epoque tiles. Gas lanterns hang not just above the front door, but throughout the restaurant. Chairs and banquettes are covered in a rich chocolate brown leather.

A majestic, hand-carved wooden bar covers the entire length of the wall in the front room.

The center detail is a carved face of a black bear. “Natch was the savior of Overton Square, so we thought we would give him homage,” Graham said as he recounted how the Memphis Turtles baseball team mascot lived in Overton Square and his home eventually became the site of the Memphis Zoo. “Midtown would be totally different if it wasn’t for that bear.”

The bar, which seats 42, includes traditional bar seating as well as table seats.

As Graham pointed out that they kept the original curved shape of the exterior wall, he explained that in the early 1900s this was the end of the trolley line. “The trolley hugged the side of the building as it turned the corner to go back downtown,” he said.

The main seating area is divided into three rooms, giving the dining space an intimate feel.

The smaller room behind the bar is being called “the parlor.” The cozy leather banquettes in this dining room are sure to be sought-after reservations.

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The porch

As the name suggests, this Southern restaurant has a grand front porch.

With seating for almost 100 guests, the outdoor patio will be one of the largest in town.

Close to half the seats are under the covered front porch and will be able to be enjoyed year-round. “We will have ceiling fans as well as heaters,” Graham said. Plans are also in the works to enclose the area during winter months.

The menu

Expect something unique as while their fine dining restaurants have a few things in common, the menus at each have their own signature personality.

"We view it as an opportunity to create something different, to delve into new culinary territory," Powers said in an interview in April.

The steak house-themed menu was designed by the restaurant group’s executive chef, Eduardo Murillo.

All the traditional cuts of steak — from filet to New York strip to a bone-in rib-eye — will be offered. What will be a unique offering is Porch & Parlor's selection of Snake River Farms Wagyu beef. Known for its flavor and marbling, Snake River Farms is one of the premier sources for U.S.-raised Wagyu. The opening menu offers this premium beef in a filet and a rib-eye.

An assortment of sides, including dishes like Lobster Mac-N-Cheese and Fontina and Truffle Mashed Potatoes, are available to accompany your steak.

Also on the menu is a selection of seafood dishes like Shrimp and Grits.

“Eduardo traveled to places like New York and the wine country and sampled a lot of different dishes when working on this menu,” Graham said.

One such dish he brought back with him was the Bacon Sampler appetizer. Four different bacons — ranging from wild boar to candied millionaire’s bacon — will be served on a specialty-crafted cutting board with a hanging clothesline that displays the bacon.

Embracing the Belle Epoque theme of the decor is a scallop and puff pastry dish. Tableside, servers will add a champagne cream sauce with caviar to the dish.

Save room for dessert. Pastry chef Franck Oysel has designed the dessert menu. Expect classic French desserts, as well as items like Baked Alaska and a Caramel Lava Cake.

Also expect a top-notch wine selection.

“We have taken what we have learned at Flight — which has been named best wine menu for the past 10 years — and applied it to the menu here,” Graham said.

Jake Wise is the managing partner for Porch & Parlor. “We are looking forward to our guests experiencing our Southern hospitality in these four walls,” he said.

Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com, and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.

At a glance

Porch & Parlor

Where: 2125 Madison Ave.

Hours: 4-10:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 4-11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 4-10 p.m. Sunday. Saturday and Sunday brunch will begin in the spring.