Originally published in the March 25, 2009 edition of The Coast Report
by Michelle Slieff, Staff Writer
As I pulled up to Memphis Soul Café and Bar I noticed that from the outside it looked like nothing more than an average bar. I expected fried buffalo wings and nachos, but the experience was surprising and pleasant from the moment I walked in the door.
Chef Diego Velasco offers a sophisticated menu with a presentational twist on common comfort food. Specials are prepared daily and are kept secret until five minutes before dinner service.
Walking around the corner you spot a full bar to the left and a room filled with strategically placed light wooden tables. The lighting is dim and cascades warm yellow hues throughout the room. The atmosphere is elegantly casual.
My guests and I were immediately greeted and told to sit wherever. We walked to the back to sit outside in a covered patio. Candles were lit and heat lamps were close by.
The dinner menu includes salads, gumbo and dinner items. The prices range from $7 to $20.
The shellfish jambalaya for $18.50 is a bowl full of flavor with smoky seafood broth, dirty rice, gulf prawns, mussels and Manila clams. Not only is this jambalaya fun to eat as you pull apart shells to get to marinated seafood, it also doesn’t leave you feeling sluggish like other more hearty jambalayas do. The broth texture was more like a soup than a stew.
The fried catfish for $17 is offered blackened or grilled and served with collard greens and hush puppies. Roasted jalapeno tartar sauce is what makes this dish. That or the hush puppies. Each piece of the dish textually complimented another with a smooth aftertaste of tangy tartar sauce. If you go fried you don’t feel that guilty.
The grilled eggplant napoleon for $15 was definitely the leader of the night. It featured zucchini, roasted red bell pepper, potato pancakes, oyster mushrooms, and barbecued corn on the cob. The tomato sorrel sauce was rich in flavor and very filling. This plate is one of those vegetarian dishes where you think it must have meat in it because it tastes so good.
What I appreciated about Memphis is the beautifully artistic plate presentations. This is where you go when you’re looking for a good plate of food, a warm inviting atmosphere and friendly service.
Memphis is at 2920 Bristol Ave. in Costa Mesa. Memphis features brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. They are open daily for lunch from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., and dinner is served Monday through Saturday from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m.
The restaurant turns into a small lounge and dance club after 10 p.m. featuring local DJs. For more information visit memphiscafe.com.
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