Best Off-the-Beaten-Path Asian Restaurants in Memphis

Indochina Vietnamese & Chinese Restaurant

One word -- egg roll!

(Or is that two words?) Anyway…

I consider myself a connoisseur of sorts, in regard to Vietnamese cuisine. I’ve been eating Vietnamese food, in city after city, for a lot of years. With that in mind, I can honestly and emphatically say that Ms. Bach’s “famous” egg rolls are in the Top 5 of the best things I have ever put in my mouth (not including my foot)! Larger and thinner than the average Vietnamese egg roll, these are stand-out must-eats when dining here. The ample (and inexpensive) weekday buffet offers both Asian and American masterpieces, representing Ms. Bach’s friendly and delightful twist on down-home cooking -- Asian style!

Pho Saigon

This is a great place for scrumptious Vietnamese gastronomy! The Spring Rolls are plump with all the usual ingredients, but the hoisin, garlic, and peanut butter dipping sauces are out-of-this-world! I can eat an order of that alone! The soups, salads, and sticky rice dishes are all prepared with the freshest ingredients that define “healthy” and “delicious”. For me, this restaurant still stands out from most Vietnamese restaurants in town, simply because I have consistently gotten terrific food there. Judging from the crowd they draw, many share the same opinion of this popular restaurant.

China Inn Restaurant

I actually stumbled upon this treasure when I got lost in Whitehaven a couple of years ago. And I’ve never enjoyed being lost as much as I did that day! What a brilliant concept: take both Chinese and Southern Home-Cooking and lay it out in a buffet line oozing of temptation. I don’t even know where to begin to describe how scrumptious the food is here. Of particular note, the spaghetti, turkey and dressing, cooked cabbage, gigantic shrimp in a garlic sauce, greens, corn-on-the-cob, neck bones, fried chicken, homemade breads and cobblers...and, oh yeah, they have Chinese food too. I’m telling you, this place is a GEM! Ummm!

Grand Buffet

Tucked away in a nondescript shopping plaza in Germantown, Tennessee, this Chinese/ Japanese/American buffet restaurant is the consummate Asian-inspired dining experience. Without a doubt, you cannot get a better array of FRESH SUSHI in this town! Yes, I know there are exclusive Sushi restaurants in Memphis, but I challenge any of them to go up against the Sushi experts at Grand Buffet! I also love the seaweed salad and other choice Japanese delicacies. There’s plenty of seafood and other Asian items to choose from -- all extraordinarily prepared and fresh! The BBQ Grill, dim-sum, soups, salad bar, and desserts are also worth the accolades bestowed upon them!

Pho Hoa Binh

This is another great Midtown Vietnamese restaurant. Situated in a shabby-looking strip across the street from the Piggly-Wiggly, Pho Hoa Binh serves some great soups and Bun. Vegetarians flock there for their tofu specialties. The weekday buffet is pretty good too, with an offering of several vegetarian selections, among the soups and entrees also found on the buffet. One thing I must comment on, is that the items can sometimes sit for awhile before being stirred-around or replenished, causing some foods to dry out. That’s a bummer. But the owner is beyond nice, and never misses an opportunity to say, “hello” and show her appreciation for your visit.