Civil War Gen. Ulysses Grant would be proud to know that his Yazoo Pass Expedition still lives in Coahoma County.
“I was aware of the Civil War mission,” Meri Tenhet confessed recently. “We brainstormed for weeks to come up with a name for the business. We thought and thought and finally settled on Yazoo Pass, thinking it was logical as we were located on Yazoo Avenue and people might tend to call it ‘The Pass.’”
And that is just what has happened as the corner of Yazoo Avenue and East Second Street in Clarksdale is now referred to as “The Pass” and has become a popular restaurant where people meet and greet each other throughout the day, not just at mealtime.
“Let’s meet at The Pass at 10,” they’ll say.
Tenhet is the active partner in the venture, having designed the full-service restaurant, planned the menu and selected the furniture that adorns the business.
“It was not supposed to be a full-service restaurant in the beginning,” she says with a laugh. “I had envisioned just a coffee shop and bakery. It just kind of morphed into this.”
A Clarksdale native, Tenhet has been a foodie all of her life, catering and cooking.
She and her husband, Tim, and daughter, Elliot, are happy to call Clarksdale home.
“Elliot is a good cook, too. Only time will tell if she joins me in the restaurant business,” she says with a smile.
Local attorney John Cocke and his wife, Robin, are also partners in the restaurant.
Another Clarksdale citizen, Jack Bobo, manages the restaurant.
The old Woolworth’s building that houses the restaurant was a renovation project that was overseen by local entrepreneurs Jack Denton and Bubba O’Keefe, who is developing The Traveler’s Hotel, another business venture in downtown Clarksdale.
“I hope to be involved with the hotel as well,” Tenhet says.
Bobo refers to Tenhet as “the brains behind the venture.”
Tenhet said, “I wanted a coffee shop, but didn’t want the word ‘coffee’ in the name. We have a liquor license, but I didn’t want the word ‘bar’ in the name, either.”
The signature dish at Yazoo Pass is the maple-glazed salmon served with ginger and fused jasmine rice and roasted asparagus.
“Whenever possible, we use Mississippi Delta products,” Tenhet said, “so our rice is Two Brooks Rice from Sumner.”
Yazoo Pass employs 20 full-time people and Bobo calls the place an “economic engine” for the city as “the money made here stays here; it doesn’t go anywhere.”
Tenhet points out that the restaurant is not only a convenient meeting place, but a special place to get together for special dishes during the work week.
For example, Monday nights are reserved for homemade spaghetti and meatballs highlighted by Mary Evelyn Stonestreet’s mini-bread loaves. Tuesday night’s hand-thrown margaritas go well with pork nachos. Thursday night brings tuna nachos while Friday night’s Surf and Earth features crab cakes and fried green tomatoes and sesame-fried shrimp baskets.
Of course, filet mignon and ribeye steaks are available every night.
Tenhet cooks at The Pass, but has taught others to cook in “Pass style” so that the dishes are consistent.
The restaurant caters in-house only but hosts all types of events, from office parties to engagements, from retirement parties to just plain fun parties.
There’s no plans for expansion, Tenhet said, as she and her staff are kept plenty busy.
“If I were younger or had more energy, I’d love to open a place in Oxford,” she said with a mischievious smile, “but this keeps me busy enough right now.”
Tenhet is a civic-minded person.
She recently hosted an event in conjunction with the Clarksdale Police Department titled “Coffee with Cops” and had customers sharing a cup of coffee with members of the local police force with proceeds benefitting local non-profit groups.
“People come in here and meet friends and just sit and chat,” Tenhet said.
“We love it. It doesn’t cost anything after all. It’s a win-win situation.”
Yazoo Pass is open from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday thru Saturday and is welcome to all.
“There’s no charge just for sitting.” Tenhet said.
