A great type of supper club is where a group of friends go to a restaurant together. This type of club is great because it requires virtually no work for the supper clubbers. If you live anywhere near Memphis you have to check out Raven and Lily in Oakland Tennessee. Justin Young is the owner/chef and the guy can flat out cook.
Justin is a rare talent. He is a classically trained chef who went to culinary school at Johnson and Wales in Charlotte. He earned his stripes at La Tourelle in Memphis. He then did a stint working at a three star restaurant in Lyon France. Justin has also worked on and off for years for Erling Jensen’s Memphis’s premier white tablecloth restaurant.
Past his restaurant experience chef Young worked for me at Kraft Food Ingredients as our executive chef. I have worked with many chefs over the years. Justin was always the guy that could put things together that most would never think of, but were simply amazing.
Susan and I had dinner at Raven and Lily the other night and were wowed by Justin’s food. The menu is extensive with a wide range of offerings. We opted to let Justin put together a tasting menu together for us with:
Sweet Potato with Bacon and Blue Cheese
Signature Shrimp and Grits, Tasso and Andouille Cream, Holland Cheddar Grits
Fried Oysters with Cheese/Lamb Risotto with a Lemon Caper Remoulade
Beef Rib Eye Deckle Roasted Vegetables, Bordelaise
Oakland is a bit out of the way, but Raven and Lily’s is worth the trip. Simply put, the food at Raven and Lily is better than any restaurant in the Memphis area. Justin keeps his costs down and offers an amazing value to his diners. The cost of dinner is 40% below what you would pay at a mid-town restaurant. To make it more of a value you can bring your own wine.
Whether it is date night for two or a supper club for 20, go to Raven and Lily’s and you are in for a treat.
If you enjoy this blog and similar other stories/supper club lessons subscribe to get future blogs at www.impromptufridaynights.com/blog and be on the look out for my book Impromptu Friday Nights a Guide to Supper Clubs. Morgan James Publishing published the Kindle-Version on September 5, 2017 and the hard copy coming out January 30, 2018.