Around the World: International Eats in Jackson MS

If you thought you had to board a plane to indulge in the world’s cultural tastes, you’d be wrong.

Sushi from Sakura Bana in Jackson, MS

Jackson has a host of locally owned eateries with international flair, from Asian to Caribbean. If you’re looking to expand your palate, here are just a few of the city’s options for global cuisines.

Taste of the Island

Taste of the Caribbean – 141 East Capitol Street

Taste of the Caribbean has found a new home in the heart of downtown Jackson — where The Elite restaurant once stood. The Jamaican-focused kitchen is known for its jerk chicken, curry goat, and fried plantains, with rice and peas, steamed cabbage, patties, and other island staples rounding out the menu. The new downtown location adds a full bar, couches, and televisions, giving it more of a night-out feel while staying rooted in the culture that made the original spot a Jackson staple.

For more information, follow Taste of the Island’s Facebook page.

Sakura Bana – 4800 I-55

This spot was Jackson’s first-ever sushi restaurant when it opened in 1987. Sakura Bana serves traditional Japanese dishes, as well as fresh, high-quality sushi. The menu is massive and offers a wide array of sushi types, including nigiri (thin-sliced fish over rice), sashimi (thin-sliced fish for eating with soy sauce) and more familiar maki (rolls featuring fish, vegetables and seaweed).

For those looking to enjoy a roll without the rice, Sakura Bana also offers no-rice rolls. These rolls are comprised of just fresh fish, vegetables and sauce. The paradise roll is made of fried salmon on the outside with rock shrimp, crab and avocado on the inside.

For more online ordering and the full menu, visit their website.

Green Ghost Tacos

Green Ghost Tacos – 2820 North State Street

This Fondren favorite serves up delicious, small-batch-made food crafted from secret family recipes handed down through generations with various traditional tacos, burritos, enchiladas and fajitas.

Popular menu items include shrimp, redfish and carnitas tacos. Most tacos on the menu are served traditional style with just onions and cilantro on top. However, you can “Americanize” your toppings by also adding cheese, lettuce and tomato.

Green Ghost also serves birria tacos, those cheesy, dripping fried tacos you’ve likely seen all over social media recently. You can order these with traditional shredded beef or chicken.

Learn more or see the full menu at greenghosttacos.com.

Tuk Tuk Boom. Image: Andrew Welch

Tuk Tuk Boom – 4500 Interstate 55 North, Suite 153

A fusion of fresh Thai favorites and sushi rolls, Tuk Tuk Boom in Highland Village is perfect for when you’re craving something fresh, quick and with a refreshing coastal atmosphere.

The menu here consists of traditional Thai dishes, poke bowls and salads, sushi, cocktails, and frozen drinks. The house poke bowl is made with sushi rice, avocado, spicy tuna, salmon, edamame, carrot, red onion, seaweed salad, sesame, and topped with Kabayaki sauce and Tuk Tuk sauce.

If you’re looking for something with noodles, try the Spicy Beef Noodles, made with rice noodles, beef, wok egg, tomato, broccoli, onion, green beans, Thai basil. Otherwise, you can’t go wrong with an island roll: seasoned tuna, crab, cucumber, avocado, sweet bell pepper and scallions, topped with pink sauce and Kabayaki sauce.

To learn more or see a full menu, visit tuktukboom.com.

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Author

Rebecca Fending

Rebecca is the past editor for Eat Drink Mississippi and a contributor for Visit Jackson. As a food, writing and travel enthusiast, writing for these publications is the perfect marriage of her professional interests.