2 Chainz’s Esco Restaurant and Tapas Opening in Memphis: What to Expect
The Memphis location of this restaurant owned by rapper Tawhid “2 Chainz” Epps and businessman Michelle “Snoop” Dillard opened Oct. 25 at 156 George W. Lee Road. It’s the fifth Esco restaurant to open within the restaurant group, and the primary in Tennessee.
Count on shareable tapas plates, distinctive menu gadgets like Turkey Ribs (learn on to be taught extra about that) and seafood mac n’ cheese, craft cocktails, a DJ, and the occasional go to from 2 Chainz.
How did Isco come to Memphis?
Two Memphis {couples} — Dundalene Sinn and Chloe Grey and Mowbray and Sherena Rowand — are bringing the franchise to Memphis.
Senn mentioned that when he and the Rowlands household noticed the restaurant in Atlanta, they knew they wished to carry it to the Bluff Metropolis.
“Our restaurant can have the identical ambiance and high quality that it has in Atlanta,” Sain mentioned, including that its location one block off Beale Road can have some distinctive additions to Memphis.
What’s on the menu at Esco?
The menu is an eclectic mixture of shareable tapas dishes, plus salads, sandwiches and entrees.
Signature tapas embody dishes like Smoked Salmon Rolls (blackened salmon atop crispy wonton wrappers with tomatoes, purple onions, remoulade sauce and bitter cream) and Escobar Rolls (that are crispy spring rolls stuffed together with your alternative of mac & cheese, collard greens, or combined greens, served with Candy chili sauce (chili sauce).
Signature dinner entrees embody choices like shrimp and grits, lamb chops with chimichurri sauce, and a turkey burger filled with feta cheese and spinach.
Dishes distinctive to Memphis embody seafood and cheese with shrimp, crab, lobster, and Belle Road corn (which is avenue corn with what Sen describes as “Memphis taste”), Sinn mentioned.
“The turkey ribs can be our signature dish,” Sen mentioned. “I believe we’ll be the one restaurant in Memphis that serves them.”
This spin on Memphis barbecue ribs options darkish meat on turkey ribs. The lunch portion accommodates two ribs and a facet dish, and the dinner portion accommodates three ribs and two sides.
Along with lunch and dinner, breakfast can be served. Count on dishes like Peachy Praline French Toast with Hennessy syrup.
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Go for a meal, however benefit from the ambiance
Esco and Tapas is greater than only a restaurant.
It options full bar service with signature drinks just like the “Head Huncho” (Bullet Rye, Basil, Raspberry, Lemonade, Grapefruit Juice and Bitters) and the “Girls Evening” (Gin, Cointreau, Cranberry Juice and Lemonade). It additionally affords a choice of perforated dishes referred to as “Fish Bowls.”
As a result of the restaurant was co-founded by a musician, music is a part of the eating expertise. Along with a curated soundtrack on weekdays and at brunch, Esco will characteristic DJs on weekends and particular occasions. “We have now a gold DJ Benz sales space,” Sen mentioned.
The restaurant additionally affords shisha. “You may have dinner, have a very good time and smoke shisha after you end your meal,” Sen mentioned. Hookah flavors embody Blue Mist and Watermelon, in addition to signature blends like Snoops Hideaway (freezing robust and peachy with a base of ice notes, lemon and mint).
It is all in regards to the vitality at Isco
The 5,600-square-foot house, which was previously a music station owned by Morgan Freeman, has been fully renovated. The one factor they saved was the 37-foot tape, Sen mentioned.
“It is a fully completely different feeling,” he mentioned. “Everybody will explode.”
The eating room seats 229 friends. The seating choices are deliberately designed to offer experiences for an evening out for 2, a meal with associates or particular events, Sen mentioned. “We have now tables for 2 or 4, in addition to tables that may accommodate as much as 20 friends,” he mentioned.
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Esco Restaurant is designed to have distinctive eating options for teams and particular events. There are two eating areas within the “sunken” lounge that every seats 10 friends. Company can reserve one or each elements.
There’s additionally a “secret” V-VIP room behind the bar. “This room is for basketball gamers and celebrities,” Sen mentioned. “It has its personal again door.”
The restaurant can even have an outside patio with a 20-foot pergola and panoramic home windows connecting the patio to the inside house. There are 20 seats on the patio.
Plans for the grand opening celebration that includes 2 Chainz haven’t but been introduced.
Atlanta-based Esco Restaurant and Tapas has three places within the Atlanta space and one in Columbus, Ohio. A restaurant in Dallas can be below building.
Jennifer Chandler is the meals and meals reporter at The Industrial Enchantment. She could be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com and you may observe her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.
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Esco and tapas restaurant
the place: 156 Lt. George W. Lee Ave.
hours: 11 a.m. – midnight Sunday by Thursday; 11-2am Friday-Saturday
telephone: (901) 808-3726
Linked: escorestaurant.com
