Elwood’s Shells restaurant opens in Cooper-young
The idea of Elwood’s Shells has been simmering in the mind of Memphis chef and restaurateur Tim Bednarski for years.
The newest addition to the Cooper-young dining scene brings to Memphis the recipes and dishes of Bednarski’s childhood on the Gulf Coast.
“I wanted to bring the flavors of my childhood to Memphis,” said Bednarski, who grew up in the Galveston, Texas, area and spent his youth traveling to visit family in New Orleans. “We have lots of good seafood restaurants in Memphis, but none with the flavors of my childhood.”
Elwood’s Shells opened in the freestanding house just to the north of Tsunami Restaurant on South Cooper Street. The building most recently was home to the Thai restaurant Jasmine.
It’s Bednarski’s second Memphis restaurant. Many will recognize the name from Elwood’s Shack in the parking lot adjacent to Lowe’s in East Memphis.
The menu at Elwood’s Shells is large for a small establishment, offering everything from po’boys to upscale New Orleans fare, including Grouper Pontchartrain.
“I have been working on these recipes for decades,” Bednarski said. “These are the dishes I serve at home to my family and friends. I’ve been taking meticulous notes over the years perfecting each recipe.”
Bednarski offers not one, but two, gumbos. The seafood gumbo ($6 for a cup, $12 per bowl) is full of seafood — shrimp, oysters, crab and fresh fish — as well as okra and andouille sausage. It’s the real deal. The fried oyster gumbo ($6 per cup, $10 per bowl) is just what the name says, a tasty oyster gumbo topped with fried oysters.
Elwood’s Fondue ($13) is the first item on the menu and a flavorful shareable appetizer. Not a traditional cheese fondue, the dish is more like a seafoodbased creamy spinach dip. Served with multi-colored tortilla chips, this sinful fondue is made with shrimp, lobster, crab, mushrooms, spinach, Gruyere and Parmesan.
Bednarski’s Shrimp and Grits ($18) is a total original. Jumbo Gulf shrimp and a mound of cheesy grits are served with a tasty sauce made from smoked andouille sausage and smoked plum tomatoes. The sauce makes the dish. The flavors are bold but perfectly balanced.
Seafood will be brought in from the Gulf Coast, and Bednarski is focusing on grouper, red fish and croaker, offering variations on each fish.
Lemon Croaker ($18) is a surprisingly light yet flavorful dish. Similar to black drum, croaker is a light, mild-flavored white fish. In this dish, Bednarski pan sears the filet and tops it with crab meat, shrimp, fresh spinach, heirloom tomatoes and a lemon Meuniere sauce.
Other croaker preparations include fried croaker and chips ($14) and blackened croaker with olive salad and crawfish ($18).
For lunch, po’boys are a good option. Elwood’s Shells has all the classics — fried shrimp, fried oyster and debris roast beef, to name a few. The Blackened Bar Trash Po’boy ($10 half, $15 whole) is an original creation. It’s loaded with shrimp, oysters, crab and crawfish. The po’boys are served on bread that is baked daily and come “dressed” with shredded cabbage, mustard, mayonnaise and pickles.
The interior of the restaurant features brightly colored tables with a tiedye design that gives a pop of color to the dining room. The space, which can seat up to 45 guests, is inviting. A bright yellow banquette lines the south wall of the space, offering casual and comfortable seating. A large round table in the front window is perfect for big groups or to be used as a community table. Eclectic artwork by Memphis artist Lamar Sorrento lines the walls.
The service staff is clad in brightly colored tie-dye T-shirts, with service that is friendly and laid back.
Elwood’s Shells is open for breakfast with items including Bananas Foster Waffles ($8) and a Debris Burrito ($9) that is stuffed with New Orleans-style roast beef, egg, shredded hash browns, jalapenos, onion, tomato and cheddar cheese. Breakfast is served until 10:30 a.m. daily.
And if you have ever wondered about how Bednarski decided to name his businesses Elwood’s, here’s the scoop.
“Elwood’s is an old family name. My Uncle Elwood was a great cook, and my cousin and I had this running joke that someone should open a restaurant named after him. So when I opened Elwood’s Shack, that’s what I did.”
Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler @commercialappeal.com and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.