There's a MAD moon on the rise...

Well, after I got my little tantrum off my chest, maybe it’s better we move back into civility and…. Food.   Well, places that serve food anyway.  Readers know that I am partial to “local” places, and recently I visited a couple of sort of new ventures here around the Park.  

The Coffee Quarter in San Souci Plaza was kind of a fixture there for a while, offering locally roasted coffee and a side room that offered more privacy than the big boy up the road.  They off and on offered alcohol in one form or another along with sandwiches, wraps, and salads.  The sandwiches were constructed with Boar’s Head ingredients and weren’t bad in general.  It was purchased from the original owner by Sunny who presided over Bollywood next door which eventually moved up the road into “Lenny’s”.  I guess the hassle of two separate venues caught up with him and he eventually sold it. 

Within the last couple of months, a new resident has moved in, setting up a more or less same themed place, oddly named

Whose web site proclaims: “Mad Moon Café & Lounge is no ordinary coffee shop. This is your local chill spot that's family friendly and locally oriented. We pride ourselves for having small batch locally roasted coffee (Virginia), organic fair trade loose leaf teas, craft beer and specialty wines, non-GMO fruit smoothies…..etc”.  besides the usual java preparations, they also offer breakfast sandwiches, soups, salads and the like.    The menu slings around “house made” quite a bit…

I met a friend there the other day for morning coffee and conversation.  Pretty much the same layout as the previous occupant

With maybe not quite the warm feel as before with those cool tones.   The (local)art on the wall is for sale they continually remind you with signs.  But good to be offering local art.

Ordered my usual, and it was.  Conversation was good!

Cuppa Joe..

The second place I visited is a new landing spot for somebody who’s been around for a while,  You know that odd circular shape  building (see Lagniappe note below) on Shangri La Drive just south of the “Roost”?  well it is now (permanent?) home to St. Inie's Coffee. 

offering

Their locally roasted coffees have been available and poured at local Farmer's Markets and some functions, but now you can go see them and sit down.  Besides taking their coffee seriously, they also take the “community” part seriously and the community seems to be responding.   The service area is in “the middle”, and the two circular rooms are set up with tables for sipping or small meetings.  We’ve been visiting Cole Travel (across the street) a lot lately (saying good bye to our Columbia River trip, thank you very much pulmonary disease) and there seems to be a steady stream of people going into the coffee shop for those “community” purposes.  Most carrying binders and notebooks and little brief cases, a sure sign of meetings..

They have created plenty of room for such endeavors, in pleasant surroundings

And if you just want to relax there are several bookcases containing things to escape reality with.

And in talking with the proprietor they books are from the annual Friend’s of the Library book sale, which is not far away incidentally. 

Coffees are for sale and listed and described on their web page (there is also a facebook page)

Interesting that they describe their coffees using “coffeespeak” terms (hints of.... overtones of... etc.) like wine folks do as the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe I wound up with

is described as: “Sweet with Tropical Fruit, mango, hops, pineapple notes"; Maybe their use of winespeak is not surprising as her background is with some well-known Southern Maryland wine folk. They now have a Keurig grind which i used.  It was quite good and maybe I convinced myself got overtones of pineapple (in coffee?).  

Anyway, they seem to be a good addition to our community. 

Late Breaking Lagniappe:  I find out there is a storied history about that “round” building.. will follow up with more research and report later..

"Q"

And finally, I saw a commercial on TV the other day (I see a lot of TV) for a BBQ place called “Dickey’s Barbecue Pit”.  Often seeing a commercial for something not already around here portends its appearance.   Although I keep seeing Jersey Mike’s commercials and so far we haven’t been graced with their presence (Hard to imagine). 

Anyway, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is: “is a family-owned American barbecue restaurant chain based in Dallas, Texas. Travis Dickey established the restaurant in 1941. The restaurant is the largest barbecue franchise (with nearly 600 locations in 43 states) in the United States” has anybody ever seen one?  Their menu is full of the standard (smoked) stuff, brisket, pulled pork, chicken breast, ribs, etc., all of which they claim are smoked on site.  Absent are “burnt ends” a staple in classic KC joints. They also have an unusual something they call “Butcher’s tacos” which are things like a Brisket and Cheese Taco: Slow-smoked beef brisket topped with delicious cheddar cheese.  The shell looks more like a pita than a tortilla.  Watch out. They may be “coming soon”.

okay, enough of a tour.. almost time to go get

DFD