Chef Esco Kitchen is a Late-Night Diner’s Dream
Ever wake up in the middle of the night wanting more than just a snack, left a party or a bar unsatisfied, or craved dinner later than traditional hours?
Chef Esco Kitchen—at 3931 Hanging Moss Road—was made with the late eater in mind. The restaurant's nocturnal hours are 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. during the week, and open until 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Where to Find Late-Night Fine Dining in Jackson
"I've always been a person to be up all night," said Restaurant Owner, Adrian Esco. "It gives people something different to eat besides Waffle House and Whataburger, the usual stuff that's open 24 hours. So just imagine you wake up and you want steak or lamb. I'm the guy you call for that."
The call could also include sauteed Creole shrimp, grilled salmon, and Chef Esco's special pasta. Esco learned his skills working his way through the kitchen at Metro restaurants like Local 463 and Anjou. He has also been a caterer since 2021. Most of his catering gigs are for people in the nightlife — musicians, bands, and producers — who also tend to desire upscale after-hours dining.
From Local 463 to Late-Night Success
"I just took what I learned and applied it to myself and my own business, and that's how it started," said Esco, a Jackson native also known as the Lamb God. "We have tables and chairs. So you can sit down and eat if you want, but most people take their food to go. The lamb chops are the main dish, and then the ribeye, and the salmon pasta."
Chef Esco honed his fine-dining preparation techniques not through culinary school but through hands-on experience and has been passionately passing his skills on through a 10-episode cooking series on a WLBT food segment. Some clips are available on the @chefescotv channel on YouTube. There's a mouth-watering clip of Meteorologist Dave Roberts enjoying a chop.
"It's so juicy," Roberts said.
The Lamb God's Specialty Dishes
Lamb chops are Chef Esco's specialty, and his melt-in-your-mouth recipe is his gift to Jackson. When he started catering and serving on his own, he felt a meat-lollipop void at local restaurants. It was a tender market for him to tap into. So it's always been the feature dish on his menu. Every entrée is cooked on the grill and made to order.
"You just have to taste these lamb chops," said Chef Esco, who often talks through his food prep as the temperatures rise and the ingredients sizzle.
Chef Esco Kitchen is closed on Sunday and Tuesday.
