Downtown Memphis offers several eateries where you can get a good meal. One weekday afternoon, the hubby and I decided to grab lunch at McEwen's on Monroe, which is (obviously) on Monroe Ave, right off of North 2nd St. It's nondescript from the outside, and the sign is a bit small, so if you didn't know to look for it, you might pass right by.
Lunch at McEwen's is a casual affair. Salads, soups, and sandwiches fill the menu. There are just a handful of entrées,but the prices are pretty reasonable. I ordered the chicken pot pie, and Tom chose the Cuban sandwich. My pot pie was surprising light and fresh and not at all heavy. It was a bit lacking in the chicken department, but it had a ton of fresh veggies and the puff pastry crust was nice and flaky. It was served with a salad of mesclun greens and a raspberry vinaigrette. The salad was pretty disappointing overall. The greens tasted like the plastic bag that they evidently came out of, and while the dressing had some tang, it didn't taste at all like raspberry and definitely needed some salt.Tom's sandwich was a decent homage to a classic Cuban. At McEwen's they make their version with a baguette instead of Cuban bread. They kept the traditional toppings: roast pork, ham, pickles, and mustard. The meat was tasty, but a bit dry, and the pickle seemed to overpower almost everything else. (I happen to like dill pickles, but the hubby only likes them on Cuban sandwiches, so he wasn't too impressed).
For dessert, we selected the key lime pie (one of Tom's go-to options for dessert). The texture was extra-creamy (tasted like sweetened condensed milk was involved), and the crust was delicious, but the pie itself was not tangy at all. There was no contrast in flavor between the filling and the homemade whipped cream (which was delicious) on top.
Final Impressions: Before I started my blog, I had dinner at McEwen's, and it was way more impressive than their lunch time fare. Do yourself a favor and try McEwen's at night; the prices are more expensive, but you'll have a more satisfying experience. As with most of downtown Memphis, parking is non-existent. Make sure to bring some cash to use at one of the nearby parking garages, or take advantage of the restaurant's convenient valet parking service.
Tiffany's Favorite Part: Nothing (Uniformly okay, but no standouts)
Tom's Favorite Part: Chicken Pot Pie
Tiffany's Rating :) :) out of :) :) :) :)
McEwen's on Monroe
122 Monroe Avenue
Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 527-7085
Average Appetizer Price: (dinner only) $8-$13
Average Soup/Salad Price: $5-$11
Average Sandwich Price: (lunch only) $8-$12
Average Entrée Price: (lunch) $9-$10 (dinner) $20-$30
Average Dessert Price: $6-$8
Operating Hours
Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:00am-2:00pm
Dinner: Monday-Thursay 5:30-10:00pm
Friday and Saturday 5:30pm-11:00pm
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