What to order: The Lobbyist’s yams crowned with an airy kataifi
On the table, The Lobbyist's yams (bottom left), crudo (bottom right) and The New York Times–recognized Corn Mash (top). (Ellen Chamberlain/The Daily Memphian)
Ellen Chamberlain
Ellen Chamberlain is a global citizen who is happy to call Memphis her forever home. The Michigan native has worked in media for nearly 25 years as a radio broadcaster, journalist and ghostwriter. As The Daily Memphian’s food and restaurant writer, she gives readers inside perspectives of their favorite restaurants and the people behind them, suggestions for the best bites around town and the latest food news from in and around Shelby County.
From the outside, Downtown’s The Lobbyist may look like the kind of fine-dining room that could intimidate the casual diner. It’s polished, hushed and confidently dressed, with warm lighting, deep blues and wooden accents.
But chef Jimmy Gentry’s vegetable-forward menu is inviting, full of creativity, comfort and the kind of small surprises that make the room feel more approachable with each bite.
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