When longtime chef Lehman "Pappy" Sammons and business partner Jimmy Mounce opened a seafood restaurant on a quiet block of Madison in 1947, they surely had no idea that were creating a Memphis institution.
Located in Overton Square before there really was an "Overton Square," the Lobster Shack was a collection of small cottages somehow linked together, and then filled floor-to-ceiling with so much bric-a-brac that it makes the Rendezvous seem modern.
Oh, I guess some people came here for the "atmosphere." And I'm sure quite a patrons were intrigued by the bizarre lobster-headed image, which is downright terrifying. But a quick glance —no, actually it takes quite some time to read the entire menu — shows the Shack's true appeal. I hate to say this, considering all the top-notch restaurants in Memphis these days, but it would be hard to beat the astonishing selection that was offered at Pappy & Jimmy's.
I don't expect you to squint at the images here, so let me just sum it up for you.
First of all, as the name suggests, they offered lobster — Broiled Maine Lobster, Lobster Stew in XX Cream, Lobster a la Newburg, Lobster Delmonico, and Lobster Thermidor.
Then there was fish: Smoked Finnan Haddie, Broiled Rainbow Mountain Trout, Fried Red Snapper, Broiled Red Snapper, Broiled Whitefish, Stuffed Filet of Sole, Broiled Shadroe, Broiled Spanish Mackerel, Baked Stuffed Flounder, Baked or Fried Flounder, Fried Catfish Dinner Super, Fried Speckled Trout, and Fried Halibut Steak.
How about a platter of shrimp? Choose from Mobile Shrimp, Shrimp a la Newburg, Shrimp Currie West Indies Royale, Shrimp Creole, Shrimp Chesapeake, and Shrimp au Gratin. If that was too confusing, you could just order Fried Jumbo Shrimp. Keep it simple.
But wait, the oysters! Take them fresh, stewed in milk, stewed in cream, fried, baked on shell, or baked au gratin.
Uh oh, just when you had your mind made up, there's more seafood to consider: Deluxe Deviled Crabs, Fried Deep Sea Scallops, Fried Little Neck Clams, Cherry Stone Clams, Fried Soft Shell Crab, Giant Crablegs Imperial, and Scallops Newberg.
If, for some strange reason, you came to Pappy's and did NOT want seafood, you wouldn't leave hungry. The menu also tempted diners with Chinese Specials (Shrimp Chow Mein, Chicken Chow Mein, and Egg Rolls), Steaks (Special Strip, Filet Mignon, Choice Sirloin, Special T-Bone, Broiled Ham Steak, and Veal Cutlets).
Prefer chicken? Take your pick: Spring Chicken, Country-Fried Chicken with Bacon, or Chicken Livers.
Did I mention the Fresh Jumbo Frog Legs? (Listed, inexplicably, under "Seafood" on the menu).
Now, let me point out that those are just the main courses. For side dishes and appetizers, diners could spend all day snacking on Shrimp Cocktail, Crabmeat Cocktail, Shrimp Gumbo, Chicken Gumbo, Crabmeat Gumbo, Turtle Soup, Vieux Carre Crayfish Bisque, and Treasure Trove Cheese.
Wait, I'm not done. Other side dishes included Pappy's Famous Cajun Salad, celery, celery hearts, french-fried potatoes, french-fried onions, and green olives.
And I certainly hope that, after you've stuffed yourselves to the gills (to use a seafood expression), you left room for dessert: Midwest Ice Cream, Strawberry Shortcake, Peach Shortcake, all kinds of pie, spumoni, and even something called "French Rum Babas" and "Super Alaska."
To wash it all down, Pappy's served Coca-Cola, coffee, milk, hot tea, iced tea, "all brands bottled beer," sparkling water, Tennessee Hillbilly Hard Apple Cider, and even Irish Coffee.
Oh, and they also served a hamburger. No cheeseburger, though. Enough is enough.
Now everything you just read — if you made it through the list — is their regular fare. On the menu in my collection, Pappy's also listed three "specials": Broiled Swordfish Steak, Tennessee Country Ham Steak, and "Houtza Kloutzi Casserole" (a name that sounds made up, if you ask me.)
Now look, I'm old enough to remember when Cokes where a nickel, but even these prices are astonishing. The most expensive item on this incredible menu was the Broiled Maine Lobster, at $4.95. Lobster a la Newberg would set you back $4.90. But almost everything else you've read here was three bucks or less. How about a dinner of TWO Broiled Rainbow Mountain Trout for only $3.90?
I don't know about you, but — wow, I'm hungry!
