The Commercial Appeal - Go Memphis
Eclectic takeout menu from Trap Fusion
Smoked wings, blackened salmon and stuffed turkey burgers are just a few of the dishes on the eclectic menu at Trap Fusion.
Trap Fusion is known for its fromscratch and one-of-a-kind spins on soul food and Southern cuisine. Influences of Cajun and Caribbean fare are evident in many of the items made daily from fresh ingredients.
This Memphis restaurant has two locations — the original opened in May 2019 in Whitehaven and the second opened this past November in Cordova.
Jason Gardner and Monique Williams founded the business, and Markeith Mccoy joined the team as a partner shortly thereafter.
While there are a few core items available every day, the menu changes often.
“Trap Fusion is built off daily specials,” Gardner said. “We want people to eat with us every day. So when they come back, they can have something different to eat every time.”
Each of the locations has a small seating area, but the restaurants are both geared toward takeout — making them an ideal concept while we “stay safer at home.”
I recently ordered dinner from the Cordova location. Right when we finished the meal, my family asked that we order from Trap Fusion again, soon.
We started with the Gang Bang Skrimpz ($13). Plump medium-size shrimp are battered, deep-fried, then tossed in a special “Trap sauce.” Gardner described the sweet and spicy sauce as his take on a North Florida-south Georgia mustard-based barbecue sauce. “Think of it as a Honey Gold sauce with a twist,” he said.
The Trap Wings ($8.50) were quickly devoured. Each wing was tender with just the perfect hint of smoke — the flavor is distinctly there but is not overpowering. The wings (which come three whole wings to an order) are slowsmoked, then flash-fried just before serving to give them a crispy skin. The final touch is a light toss in the restaurant’s house wet sauce.
For our entrees, we ordered the Blackened Salmon and the half rack of lamb chops.
The Blackened Salmon ($14.50) had a kick but was not overly blackened. I am often hesitant to order fish to go, but this dish came with rave reviews so I knew I had to try it. I am pleased to report the fish was still moist and tender, even after the 15-minute drive home.
The salmon is served topped with a spoonful of Trap Fusion’s homemade remoulade sauce. Gardner said the flavor-packed sauce has 27 ingredients — capers, spicy mayo and horseradish being just a few. The fish comes over a bed of Caribbean peas and rice and your choice of two vegetables. It’s a hearty portion.
We also ordered a half-rack of Lamb Chops ($20). Next time, we will order a full-rack. The chops are slow-smoked for 12 hours, then finished in a Caribbean Jerk reduction. Each bite was tender without a hint of the gaminess lamb can sometimes have. Seriously, they were some of the best-cooked lamb chops I have eaten in Memphis.
Trap Fusion offers an assortment of