Bluff City Vegan Eats: R.P. Tracks

Memphis is barbecue city. In about two weeks, we'll play host to the annual World Championship Barbecue Cooking Festival, a giant meat-fest that draws competitors from around the world. Our pulled pork and barbecue ribs are said to be the best in the country. I wouldn't know. I've never tasted a bite of my city's beloved meat barbecue. I mean, I had barbecue as a kid back home in Arkansas, but I've never tried the 'cue here.

Unless you count the to-die-for Vegan BBQ Tofu Nachos at R.P. Tracks:

This college bar & grill serves tangy fried cubes of bbq tofu several ways — in nachos, in burritos, and in sandwich form (if you order the sandwich, be sure ask them to leave off the coleslaw). I always order my nachos with the chips on the side (that's how they're pictured here ... I just stuck a few chips in so y'all can see they're nachos).

The vegan nachos come topped with bbq tofu, black beans, lettuce, tomato, and jalapenos. They used to serve guacamole, but unfortunately, they stopped a few months ago. Our server told me they weren't selling enough guac and it was going brown too fast. But I've just started bringing in my own guac. And sometimes I also bring along a tub of Tofutti sour cream.

The nachos are best enjoyed with my favorite beer — Pyramid Apricot Ale — and my friend Vaughan (pictured in the background):

But if hard liquor's your thing, R.P. Tracks offers half-price shooters anytime a train rolls by. The restaurant is located right next to a set of pretty active tracks. Though the barbecue tofu is divine, R.P. Tracks also makes some mean roasted red pepper hummus that's best enjoyed on pita bread with a side of sweet potato fries.

R.P. Tracks is located at 3547 Walker Avenue, near the University of Memphis campus. They don't have a website, but the phone number is (901) 327-1471.