2008 Woodie Awards
...Invoking your senses
Ryan Harris
Issue date: 2/16/06 Section: Exposure
Five Senses, owned and operated by brother and sister Mitchell and Mollie Murphree, is an elegant mix of modern and classic décor, balanced with a variety of local and regional cuisine.
The menu is small but offers a decent variety of flavors and styles. I started with a server-recommended Fried Oyster Salad. The remoulade was fabulous but the lemon-vinegar dressing didn't suit the dish.
For the main course I decided on the Braised Lamb Shank with mushroom-barley risotto, feta cheese, sundried tomatoes and oregano. At $18.00 I was looking forward to this Mediterranean dish. I enjoyed the risotto but was disappointed to see it overshadow the lamb. The risotto was like nothing I'd ever had before, but it's abundance of flavor made the lamb appear bland. Still, the sundried tomatoes and feta cheese complimented the flavors of the risotto and the lamb very well. It was obvious that Chef Murphree has spent time studying the correlation of flavors.
The restaurant itself is very open. The kitchen, bar and dining area are all in the same room. This is both entertaining and unique. The open kitchen allows for chef-customer interaction which is something not commonly found. The deep colored walls are plastered with hand painted quotes about food-"There is no sincerer love than the love of food," read a quote by George Bernard Shaw.
I watched numerous dishes leave the kitchen area, all of which looked amazing. The presentation at Five Senses is far beyond any other Murfreesboro eatery. The stuffed chicken breast and tomato-poached Mahi-Mahi both looked quite appealing. The entrees ranged from $13 to $20.
The wine list was interesting, offering a few classics with a number of intriguingly original wines like the Australian Shiraz, You Bet. Many of these wines are rare to the middle Tennessee area making Five Senses a gold mine for unique wine.
The service was attentive and quick but on the verge of overbearing.
The desserts ranged from a Southern Peach and Pear Cobbler to Peppermint Crème Brûlée. I chose the Black Devil's Float, which was an interesting chocolate cream-filled chocolate cake served with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. The dessert was worth the $5 paid.
Overall it was a good experience. The people at Five Senses are there to please the customer. It was evident that regulars were there along with new customers. It is the best fine dining in Murfreesboro. I highly recommend Five Senses to anyone wanting a unique and gourmet meal without leaving the Murfreesboro city limits.
The menu is small but offers a decent variety of flavors and styles. I started with a server-recommended Fried Oyster Salad. The remoulade was fabulous but the lemon-vinegar dressing didn't suit the dish.
For the main course I decided on the Braised Lamb Shank with mushroom-barley risotto, feta cheese, sundried tomatoes and oregano. At $18.00 I was looking forward to this Mediterranean dish. I enjoyed the risotto but was disappointed to see it overshadow the lamb. The risotto was like nothing I'd ever had before, but it's abundance of flavor made the lamb appear bland. Still, the sundried tomatoes and feta cheese complimented the flavors of the risotto and the lamb very well. It was obvious that Chef Murphree has spent time studying the correlation of flavors.
The restaurant itself is very open. The kitchen, bar and dining area are all in the same room. This is both entertaining and unique. The open kitchen allows for chef-customer interaction which is something not commonly found. The deep colored walls are plastered with hand painted quotes about food-"There is no sincerer love than the love of food," read a quote by George Bernard Shaw.
I watched numerous dishes leave the kitchen area, all of which looked amazing. The presentation at Five Senses is far beyond any other Murfreesboro eatery. The stuffed chicken breast and tomato-poached Mahi-Mahi both looked quite appealing. The entrees ranged from $13 to $20.
The wine list was interesting, offering a few classics with a number of intriguingly original wines like the Australian Shiraz, You Bet. Many of these wines are rare to the middle Tennessee area making Five Senses a gold mine for unique wine.
The service was attentive and quick but on the verge of overbearing.
The desserts ranged from a Southern Peach and Pear Cobbler to Peppermint Crème Brûlée. I chose the Black Devil's Float, which was an interesting chocolate cream-filled chocolate cake served with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. The dessert was worth the $5 paid.
Overall it was a good experience. The people at Five Senses are there to please the customer. It was evident that regulars were there along with new customers. It is the best fine dining in Murfreesboro. I highly recommend Five Senses to anyone wanting a unique and gourmet meal without leaving the Murfreesboro city limits.
