While I spent most of the holiday weekend at home, on Memorial Day Tony and I decided to ride our bikes to Cheffie’s Café by way of the Memphis Greenline. If you haven’t dusted off the bicycles and discovered the Greenline, please do. There’s some shade even at noon, and the wildflowers are putting on quite a show, particularly trumpet vine, Queen Anne’s Lace, and purple vetch.
To get to Cheffie’s from the bike path, head north on High Point Terrace for about two blocks. The cafe, operated by chef and cookbook author Jennifer Chandler, is quite the magnet for bicyclists, among others. When we arrived, about two dozen bikes were parked in the racks, and I couldn’t help but say, “I feel like I live in Portland.”
Inside the café, at least 20 people lined up to place their orders for the café’s salads and sandwiches, priced from $7 to $9. You might remember Chandler’s first Cheffie’s, located in East Memphis in the former Squash Blossom space. Happily, the stainless steel salad bowls are back, the perfect vessel for ten signature salads with house-made dressings. Or you can build your own.
I opted for the “Curry,” a very large serving of mixed greens topped with two scoops of curried walnut-apple chicken salad. The chicken salad was excellent with a mild curry taste, and the greens could not have been any fresher.
Tony ordered a sandwich called “Crunchy Roast Beef,” a robust stack of meat dressed with cheddar, French-fried onions, lettuce, tomato, red onions, and horseradish. The sandwich was made with soft sourdough, but you can pick from a number of choices, including artisan wheat, multigrain, or a ciabatta.
There’s also a wine and beer bar at Cheffie’s and a charming setting. In fact, the polished cement floor, rustic pine paneling, and wrap around deck with shade trees feel as fresh and healthy as the café’s mix-and-match menu. Cheffie’s Café, 483 High Point Terrace, cheffies.com (343-0488)
