hello, awkward coffee shop picture!

**Edit on 5/14/11: Memphis Brew is now closed.**

This is me. Awkwardly holding up my frappe at Memphis Brew, a new-ish (new to me, at least) coffee shop in Memphis.

Jeff and I are here on a Wednesday early eve, reading and blogging, with an Americano and a sugar free vanilla frappe.

sounds || the heat clicking on and the TV a couple rooms away

sights || one other person reading, besides Jeff, scatterings of what I presume to be local art on the walls

thoughts || I wish there was some easy, low music playing, but otherwise it's really nice to have peace in a coffee shop and not constant rushing and way-too-loud music. This is actually perfect for my dull headache that's been with me for a few hours now.

layout || a variety of seating areas, some at ground level, some at a basement-ish level; couches, tables, bar stools, group tables.

I read some reviews before I came, and I hear their cold brew is really, really good. But unfortunately, they're out of it right now! So, we'll have to come back very soon, on the hunt for this cold brew.

fast food... "with avocados, please!"

When we're on the road, it often feels like we simply have no choice but to swing through the drive-thru, get our sugar-loaded Dr. Pepper, and oh-so-delish Mickey D's fries; we all know they're the best. This, we speculated, might be one of the hardest habits to break as part of our "No Chain Challenge".

But we were actually wrong.

On our last trip down I-55, towards the warmer land of South Mississippi (Hattiesburg, we love thee), we had some good food in tow. Specifically, these sammies with turkey (veggies only for Jeff), carrots, avocado, bell peppers - so good and fresh that no condiments were necessary!

And it only took me (Abbye) about 10 minutes to get these sandwiches together, and that's pretty ding-dang fast!

local: doesn't always mean kind

Have you ever been chastised when you walked in the door of a cute little coffee shop, the one you like to frequent on Sunday mornings with your journal and book and a mostly-good cup of coffee? Me neither; that is, until about a month and a half ago.

Oh dear, I've debated writing this blog. But, if I'm taking a "No Chain Challenge" in favor of local restaurants, telling you all the reasons that local is generally a better choice, then I also have to tell the truth about these experiences - even the ones that are less than desirable.

The victim? Poplar Perk'n (or me, depending on how you look at it). The crime? Pen marks.

What? That's right pen marks. One Thursday morning, I go in to get my coffee, and 3.8 seconds after I walk in the door, I hear, "Hey, you're the one who was in here on Sunday. You got pen on our couch." Stunned. "What is she talking about?" I think.

"What? I'm so sorry..."

"Yeah, weren't you writing over there? Well, you got pen all over our couch; we'd just gotten it that morning." ("We're not mad at you or anything," another barista chimes in.) Really? Seems you're not happy with me either.

The story could be longer, but I'll stop here. I'm sorry about your couch; I'm sorry I brought a pen anywhere within 100 feet of your couch. But don't worry; I won't be coming back anytime soon. I'm too embarrassed and shocked that I was treated like a 5 year old.

The point is this: local establishments still choose their standards; they still choose who to hire; they still choose how to (or how not to) value their customers (who, honestly, didn't mean to get pen marks on that nice, new couch). This is by far uncommon in local, Memphis restaurants (though I can think of one other coffee shop that makes me feel not-cool-enough when I visit).

But still - go there. Support local business. Figure out for yourself. But dear friend, please don't take an ink pen through those doors...

Mosa: rainbow curry recommendation

Lemongrass, coconut milk, cilantro: we could call these the trinity of goodness in this dish. This red curry (looks more orange-y, actually) is too good. Perhaps too rich for my usual lunchtime dining, but that is no complaint! The cilantro garnish - another Pates favorite - added a real clean, crisp taste. (Any cilantro lovers out there? We find that folks either love or hate our favorite herb!) Mine featured tofu, which gloriously takes on the good flavors in this dish. Of course, you can order it with your preference of meat.

Panang Rainbow Curry is the name, and you won't find it on the menu at Mosa, but you can expect to hear it as a recommendation from the owner (who has been there almost every time we've visited) and listed on the specials board.

And what is Mosa? Locally owned, dishes inspired by the many flavors of Asia, this restaurant boasts great food and an owner who isn't beyond taking orders and sauteing veggies on the stove - in other words, he knows his restaurant.

Jeff's dish: the Korean BBQ, also on the "specials" board. Since Jeff is already a lover of Korean BBQ, he really liked this dish. Though it was nice reminder of his time in Vancouver (10 weeks during college), it wasn't the same. Should you order it? "Absolutely," is Jeff's response. But if you have not had homemade Korean BBQ, you'll need to book a flight to Canada and make some Korean friends with a grill and a hankering for a good feast!

Visit them at one of two locations: 850 S. White Station, Memphis, TN; or 1825 Kirby Pkwy. As they say on their website, "...make the Mosa your day!"