Ed. Note: It's a four-day week! Most of you won't read this until later because of the power outages! But still, who doesn't love a good foodie blog post?! We're doing a food post every day this week! Get excited! This is Day One. Read Day Two's post here. Here's the first from contributor Daniel Bastardo, giving us his thoughts on the revamped LYFE Kitchen downtown. 

I became a fan of LYFE Kitchen quickly after they opened in Memphis. Their food is always fresh, healthy, and reasonably priced; not to mention it's all made with local ingredients. The downtown location of LYFE Kitchen has undergone major renovations and the end result is amazing.

The New LYFE Kitchen in the Chisca Hotel takes the dining experience to another level. Forget about waiting in line to place your order at the counter and then waiting for the server to find you and bring you your food. This new LYFE Kitchen offers full service, the first of its kind in this now Memphis-based chain.

Walking into LYFE Kitchen + Chisca Bar, as it is now called, is like transporting yourself into a dream vacatios you’ve been thinking about for years but haven’t taken yet. Or at least that's how I keep feeling every time I go; I have been three times already since they reopened in March. (I probably need a vacation!)

They now take reservations, but don't be intimidated by this. Walk-ins are more than welcome (I personally haven't done a single reservation yet) and super fancy clothes are not necessary. Food is amazing. Seriously. In terms of appetizers, you can never go wrong with their flatbread; I have actually had it as a dish while drinking a cocktail at the bar (...we need to talk about their cocktails) and it does the job pretty well. Cucumber bites are also pretty good.

If you are looking for something relatively small to eat, I suggest you try their tacos. If shrimp is your thing, or if you feel adventurous, I recommend the BBQ shrimp tacos. The first time I read it on the menu, I thought the idea of cooking shrimp with BBQ sauce was crazy, but once I had them...I immediately had a party on my palate.

The tacos are very flavorful, and colorful - they taste as good as they look. I had them with chips and salsa verde, but you can get an organic arugula salad also. If you want a true main dish instead, then you should definitely have their coffee + cumin rubbed pork tenderloin. I don't think my English vocabulary is extensive enough to describe how good this pork tastes with all the other flavors and textures combined into a single dish. An absolute favorite, totally worth the extra bucks.

Good dining experiences not only involve good food but also good drinks and service. LYFE Kitchen + Chisca Bar seems to know this well. Their cocktails are spectacular. I suggest you sit at the bar and talk to Alyssia, their bartender. She is the bomb! Tell her what you like to drink and she will take you through a paradisiac tour of her cocktails.

I'm a vodka kind of guy and I found the Chisca Cosmo and Tito's Sunset particularly outstanding. If tequila is your buzz, then go for a Smoky Rita and you will not be disappointed. Craft beer is also available on tap.

Finally, there is dessert. If you like chocolate, get a chocolate nut crunch parfait. You can thank me later...

To make things more exciting, LYFE Kitchen + Chisca Bar now hosts live music on their patio every Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. By the way, I wouldn’t be surprised if their patio becomes a favorite in town; it’s large and spacious with several flat screens, ideal for watching our Memphis Grizzlies grit and grind during the season. LYFE Kitchen + Chisca Bar hours: Monday - Thursday : 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. For all of the brunch lovers out there, brunch is served every weekend from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Although I didn't explore them in this post, there are plenty of vegetarian options available along with a kid's menu.   Pro-Tip: Download the LYFE Kitchen app and use it to accumulate points that you can redeem for meals. The app will give you access to special offers, free appetizers sometimes, and a free gluten-free cookie for your birthday :) Go there: LYFE Kitchen + Chisca Bar 272 S Main St Memphis, TN 38103 (901) 526-0254 lyfechiscabar.com