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By Jennie Guido

We are lucky in our area to get the chance to experience more than just American cuisine and flavors at our local restaurants. Of course, we have quite the selection of stops when it comes to Mexican food. To be honest, I would categorize that as a part of our local cuisine.

However, in recent years, we’ve seen more international influences in our restaurant offerings and have grown to embrace it.

 

Asian

Planet Thailand and Little Tokyo

While Planet Thailand has been a staple in downtown dining for many years, I didn’t become a fan until I moved back home from college. And with the addition of Little Tokyo in the past few years, we’re set when it comes to Asian cuisine.

Sushi was something I had to acquire a taste for; but once I did, I was a fan for life. At first, I only ate the vegetable rolls when my roommates wanted sushi for dinner. Then, I introduced the cooked and deep fried options to my list. Mind you, there wasn’t a place to get sushi in Cleveland, Mississippi, at the time. We had to travel to Greenville or Oxford for this delicacy.

Finally, once I came back to Natchez, I fell in love with all forms of sushi – raw, cooked, and even sashimi.

At Planet Thailand, I have several that I like to order but my go to roll is the Penny Roll. Sometimes, I ask them to add Salmon to the roll. Most times, I ask for a side of eel sauce because who doesn’t love that sweet little addition to each bite?

If you’re not into sushi, the Crawfish Fried Rice is also something that can’t be beat on their menu.

Now for Little Tokyo, many may flock to it for the hibachi offerings, but I (again) am just a fan of the sushi. My go to roll here is the Natchez Roll. It is deep fried, but those flavors all melt together perfectly in one big bite!

 

Mediterranean

Farrah’s: The Guest House Restaurant

Mediterranean and Greek food was something that was not around in Natchez when I was growing up. Center City Grill did give it a try for a while there, but I wasn’t ready to branch out at that point.

Once Farrah’s opened in The Guest House, everyone in town was craving this international cuisine and ready to give them a try. The flavors are delicious. Each dish is authentic. It’s a gem of downtown!

What do I like? I love the hummus. It’s some of the best I’ve had, and I can easily fill up on just that and pita bread alone. I also am a fan of the Mediterranean Pasta Salad because every bite is full of delicious vegetables and not overpowered by the dressing.