Good Eats | Skewer Memphis

August 14, 2014

With so many cool restaurants to visit around the city, “I don’t know what I want to eat” can take on a whole new meaning. Recently I decided to try out Skewer (5101 Sanderlin Ave, Suite 105), an eatery specializing in modern Japanese cuisine. Not only do they carry the traditional fare (sushi, ramen, etc.), but they’re also the first to offer Yakitori meals in the city. Locally owned and operated, they’ve only been open a little over 6 months, but to deliciousness of the food would suggest otherwise.

To start off, I noshed on a little edamame, which is a go-to for me whenever I visit a Japanese restaurant. I was craving ramen, so I decided to try the Gokumiso Ramen (yellow noodle, miso/tonkotsu blended broth served with roasted pork, spicy ground pork, soft boiled egg, cabbage, bean sprout, corn, sesame seed, mayu****and chopped green onion), and veggie skewers. The roasted + spicy pork were tender and seasoned to perfection, and because I like my food spicy, they gave me a special paste to kick it up a notch.

I hadn’t had sushi in a while, and knew I didn’t want to cook dinner, so I also had the All for One, which is perfect for a group of 3-5 who need to grab a light quick bite before they head over to the movies. It has the following: Skewers: miso salmon, beef tenderloin, scallop, shrimp, negima, pork tenderloin, mix veggie —— Nigiri: yellowtail saikyo (1), soy tuna (1), ikura (1) —— Sashimi: salmon (2), tuna (2) —— Zushi Roll: avocado, spicy tuna.

The sushi was some of the freshest I’ve ever had, and the skewers were yummy as well. I had a stop to make at a friend’s house before I went home and because it was so much (much more than I thought, lol), I shared it with and her boyfriend as well.

For “dessert” I had a green tea latte that I’m still dreaming about today. It was so creamy and refreshing, and the cute mason jar glass it was served in gave it a homemade touch.

While there I talked to one of the owners, Ying Saisuhaluck, and prior to opening, the team did their homework. They traveled to NY and Japan to help them develop their menu, because they didn’t want to just offer the same old thing. The food is extremely fresh and made with high quality ingredients, and trust, you can taste the difference. One of the things that I also like is that the master-chefs and staff understand the art of presentation, because not only do you want food that tastes good, you need it to look good too (so that you can share it on IG, duh!).

I thoroughly enjoyed my meal and will be going again. It’s quality food that’s not overly expensive, so this is a spot you can frequent for lunch or dinner without worry that you’re breaking the bank. You can also bring your own wine (no corkage fee). How cool is that?

Visit www.skewermemphis.com to check out their full menu and to make reservations. Also check to see if they have any promotions going on if you’re looking to save a little extra as well.