By Sean Daly

Memphis cuisine is not for the squeamish. Or the dieting. Or vegetarians. But if you're in the mood for life-affirming (if possibly life-shortening) food, this is the place for you. Here are a few culinary musts (much to our dismay, we couldn't find any fried peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches):

              Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

              310 S Front St., (901) 527-4877

B.B. King, Norah Jones and Samuel L. Jackson swear by this local staple, where the piles of golden-fried chicken are epic and the beer comes in .50 40-ouncers. The concrete walls are prisonly in tone, but the jukebox is a gem and the prices are cheap.

              Rendezvous Ribs

              52 S Second St., (901) 523-2746

You could do a weeklong tour of brilliant Memphis BBQ joints if you dared. But you can't go wrong with this downtown fave, which is situated in a back alley and in a cellar. Rendezvous does things differently, serving spicy dry-rub ribs instead of the more common "wet" variety, but two squeeze-bottles of sauce (sweet and vinegar) are on your table. A full rack runs .95.

              Flying Fish

              105 S Second St., (901) 522-8228

This casual carryout, across from the historic Peabody Hotel, serves raw bar, grilled fish, snow crab legs. But do yourself a favor and test out that fryer. The "Hog Wallow Fry" gives you catfish, shrimp, oysters and slaw for .99. Go for a walk along the Mississippi after you eat. You'll feel less guilty.

              The Arcade Restaurant

              540 S Main St., (901) 526-5757

From the sweet potato pancakes to the country ham platter, the Arcade has been slinging comfort food for nearly a century. Get there early in the morning, and you just might have a shot at sitting in Elvis' regular booth it's at the very end of the long front window.

              Earnestine & Hazel's

              531 S Main St., (901) 523-9754

You'll want to end your night here, preferably past midnight, when the beloved dive starts jumping. This former brothel, now a supposedly haunted juke joint, serves up what many locals consider the best late-night sandwich in town: the thick, tasty Soulburger, which only costs a few bucks but will stay with you for hours. (NYT)