WHERE WE WENT:
Sekisui Midtown
25 S Belvedere Blvd
Memphis, TN
WHAT WE ORDERED:
Miso Soup
-The Saint (Blue Crab, Crunchies, Eel Sauce w/ Smoked Salmon & Spicy Mayo on top)
-The Serpent (Crab, Cream Cheese, Avocado, Smelt Roe w/ Eel & Eel Sauce on top)
-Red Birds (Crunchy Crab, Mayo, Sweet Chili Sauce w/ Shrimp on top)
-Grizzlies Roll (Shrimp Tempura, Smoked Salmon, Mayo)
WHAT WE THOUGHT:
Atmosphere - 6
Menu - 9
Presentation - 9
Taste - 8
Price - 7
Service - 7
Overall - 8
Atmosphere - Sekisui Midtown is ... interesting. Walking in, you are immediately greeted by a beautiful water feature built into the wall. The best design aspect is the bar. Set against the wall is all of the alcoholic offerings and in front of that is a display that showcases all of the fresh ingredients that go into their hand rolled sushi. One flaw in this design is that it can only be seen from one angle. It would have been much more enjoyable if it were placed centrally in the dining room so everyone could appreciate watching the sushi be rolled. Apart from the sushi bar, nothing at all indicated that this was an Asian restaurant. Each wall was a different color and an eccentric collection of art adorns
the walls. Some sections seem like they could be from the future, others look retro. The music was an odd hodgepodge, none of which was Oriental. It was also incredibly dim and the seating was very tight. Not only was the theme not congruent with the type of food being served, there was no distinguishable design theme at all.
Menu
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The menu is, in one word, large. They have an extensive drink offering including hot and cold sake, along with signature cocktails. Unless you come in knowing exactly what you want, it will take forever to sift through the dense list of Nigiri, Rolls, hot and cold appetizers, soups, salads, and entrees. While we appreciate all the choices, including uncommon options like tofu tempura, it is just a bit overwhelming.
Presentation - Sushi is as much art as it is food. The presentation of our sushi at Sekisui Midtown did not disappoint. The rolls themselves were absolutely gorgeous. The colors were vibrant and everything looked incredible. They were plated on a flat black cherry wood panel. The minimalism of the dish directed the attention directly to the rolls. The sauce dishes were the only embellishment, with the Sekisui logo painted on the bottom.
Taste - Each of our rolls was delicious. Seafood has to be very fresh and well-prepared to avoid any unappetizing tastes or odors, and this was prepared skillfully. The sweet chili sauce in the Red Birds Roll had a flavor that was different from any other sushi we've ever tasted. The eel sauce was delicious. The rice was delicious and sticky, not too dry. Another standout was the signature Sekisui Punch, a mixture of coconut rum, pineapple rum, orange juice, Sprite and grenadine. One of the best cocktails in Memphis.
Price
- Everything on the menu appeared reasonably priced and comparable to other restaurants of its kind. We have seen better prices though.
Service - Our server was very pleasant, but also very awkward. She
lingered after we had finished speaking to her and created a little bit of an uncomfortable feel. She did however, take decent care of our needs.
WOULD WE GO BACK?
Yes, but next time we'll look at the menu online first and know what we want before we go in. Seriously. Look at the menus.
Here's a link to their website:
http://www.sekisuiusa.com/go/
WHERE WE WENT:
Swanky's Taco Shop
6641 Poplar Avenue
Germantown, TN
WHAT WE ORDERED:
Chips & Queso, Fried Fish Tacos, Build-Your-Own Burrito Bowl w/ Chicken
WHAT WE THOUGHT:
Atmosphere - 7
Menu - 8
Presentation - 7
Taste - 8
Price - 7
Service - 7
Overall - 7
Atmosphere - There's nothing about this restaurant that particularly says Mexican or "swanky." That being said, it is still really cool. The seating on the inside is very open and comfortable. Dark wood, some chrome and red accents create a classic, clean design combination. The high point of design choices is the very unique and funky light fixtures with exposed bulbs that immediately
draw your attention. They have a spacious outdoor patio with overhead lighting as well.
Menu
- Swanky's has a traditional Mexican menu with favorites like quesadillas, burritos, and chimichangas, along with a few unique twists like latin wontons. They also have a full bar with premium tequilas and many specialty cocktails. They've recently added some new vegetarian options as well.
Presentation - The chips and queso were very plainly presented with the chips served in a paper tray and the queso in a bowl that did not even coordinate in color. It was unimpressive. Fortunately, as the meal progressed, we became more and more fond of the way each dish was presented. The BYOB was served in a trendy looking white bowl with an asymmetrical lip that was very appealing. The fish tacos were served open-face so that the round tortillas contrasted with the square plate. The colors in that dish were gorgeous. we almost didn't want to ruin it by eating it.
Taste - The were made in house, and tasted like it. They were crisp, light and not at all greasy or stale like most pre-packaged chips. The queso was decent, but a little bland. It definitely could have used some chopped peppers mixed in. The burrito bowl was delicious. The chicken was cooked perfectly and marinated well. The mix of mild and medium salsa had a delicious flavor and a sweet heat that complemented the flavor of the chicken and the veggies and was kept in check by the sour cream. All of the
vegetables tasted fresh. The fish tacos were good, but we wish we would have got them grilled. The batter on the fried fish overwhelmed the taste just a bit. Otherwise, the slaw and sides were excellent and meshed well with the tacos flavors.
Price
- Everything on the menu was reasonably priced and comparable to other restaurants of its kind.
Service - We walked up to the counter to place our order, so we did not have an official server, but everyone we encountered was friendly and welcoming. When we needed more salsa, they went out of their way to provide us multiple kinds to be
sure we were satisfied.
Extras - They host trivia every Thursday night at 8:00 pm.
WOULD WE GO BACK?
Yes. Our food was delicious and the friendly staff made us feel welcome.
Here's a link to their website:
http://www.swankystacoshop.com/
WHERE WE WENT:
Slider Inn
2117 Peabody Avenue
Memphis, TN
38104
WHAT WE ORDERED:
Mix & Match ( Mushroom Swiss, Original Memphis, The Big Deuce, Flat Iron, 2 Buffalo Chicken) French Fries
WHAT WE THOUGHT:
Atmosphere - 8
Menu - 8
Presentation - 8
Taste - 8
Price - 7
Service - 6
Overall - 8
Atmosphere -The inside of Slider Inn provides an awesome retro vibe mixed with modern hipster flair. Dark colors combined with chrome give the interior a 50's dive/biker bar feel which corresponds beautifully with the logo. Large chalkboards around the bar inform guests of the specials with artistic scrawl. The real party is outside. They have a large deck with more seating capacity than the inside, cordoned off for a smoking and non-smoking area. Pets are welcomed on the deck and the day we went, the gorgeous
weather prompted all the patrons out to the picnic tables along with their dogs. The atmosphere was very relaxed and casual.
Menu
- The name of the restaurant clearly indicates what they specialize in, sliders, served three at a time. We think the best deal is to do the mix & match so that you can get a little taste of everything. They offer a variety of different sliders with beef, chicken, and even a few vegetarian options such as a falafel patty or a peanut butter and preserve slider. They do have other options apart from sliders, like wings, nachos, and a signature lobster roll. The physical menu itself is aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate, with a level of visual creativity that matches the level of the food.
Presentation - The sliders come out on a round brushed metal tray, giving the same impression as the interior of the restaurant as retro or vintage. Any additional condiments come in silver bullets as well. All aspects of the dish looks very cool, except for the french
fries. They were served in a paper basket, which next to all of the other metal damages the aesthetic.
Taste - The mix and match was a great choice, because we got a chance to experience all kinds of unique flavors. Overall, each slider was delicious. The Original Memphis was relatively plain and simple but tastes exactly like a quintessential American hamburger should. The Flat Iron was juicy and cooked to perfection. The only complaints we have are with the Mushroom Swiss and the Buffalo Chicken. The Mushroom Swiss slider was not nearly as flavorful as it could have been, especially compared to some of the other burgers of the same kind that we've tried. The Buffalo Chicken was hot, too hot. We started to lose the flavor to the heat. Buffalo should always strike the perfect balance.
Price
- Although the portions are small, they have big taste. Everything evens out. You get three burgers for the price of one.
Service - Our service was sub-par. We waited a LONG time after we sat down to even be acknowledged by our server. She was very slow throughout the meal and walked past us several times while we tried to get her attention.
WOULD WE GO BACK?
Sure, especially if the weather is good and we can sit outside.
Here's a link to their website:
http://thesliderinn.com/
