Since the closure of Anderton’s Restaurant in Midtown some years ago, Memphis has had a noticeable lack of decent seafood restaurants, and several attempts at it in recent years have not fared well. Nevertheless, good seafood, especially Gulf seafood, is something that I always crave, so when I heard that the good folks at Elwood’s Shack had opened a new place called Elwood’s Shells which specializes in seafood, I had to try it.
Elwood’s Shells sits in an old house next door to Tsunami in the trendy Cooper-Young neighborhood, amidst a very small parking lot. With nearby lots restricted to other establishments, parking is the restaurant’s biggest challenge. But the space is attractive, its interior a riot of coastal and tropical colors, with folk art by local Memphis artist and musician Lamar Sorrento.
The menu is remarkably large, and fairly unique by Memphis standards. There is fried shrimp of course, but also croaker (a kind of fish), grouper and redfish. There are entrees prepared in both the pontchartrain and meuniere styles that visitors to New Orleans or Biloxi have learned to love, and there is also a selection of po-boys and sandwiches. On my first visit, I tried the fried shrimp, and found them delicious, although they were far larger than the medium gulf shrimp that one usually finds in Pensacola or Mobile. They had a delicious breading, and the french fries that accompanied them were equally delicious. A slice of key lime pie to follow was the perfect ending to the lunch. Service was fairly slow but cheerful.
Unfortunately, my one big disappointment was the price. Elwood’s Shells is relatively expensive, doubtless because of the cost of bringing in quality seafood from the Gulf of Mexico. The food is good, and probably worth the price, but I will have to reserve Elwood’s Shells for special occasions or times when I have extra money. But it certainly deserves a visit.
Elwood’s Shells
915 S Cooper St.
Memphis, TN 38104
(901) 552-4967