I used to be pretty good at keeping up with restaurant openings in Nashville. Not “scouring the beer board meeting agendas and stalking the local business license listings” good like other reporters in town, but I felt like I generally had my fork on the pulse of most fun new spots in town.
But man, at the pace that restaurants are opening and closing in this town, I don’t see how anyone can keep up. So I wasn’t surprised — and was actually quite pleased — to receive a reader tip about a new Vietnamese cafe that recently opened in the former home of the original Buds & Brews in Germantown at 1244 Third Ave. N. I remember sampling the dab bar experience on my first visit to Buds & Brews and then sitting in my car in the attached parking garage for an hour until I could remember how to get back to Hillsboro Village, so the prospect of some bracing Vietnamese coffees in lieu of a depressant immediately intrigued me.
The Em and Mẹ family
Em and Mẹ is definitely a family affair, run by the husband-and-wife team of JB Pounders and his wife, Tu Trieu. Trieu’s mother and brother are also important parts of the team, and the siblings started the ColorMe True Nail Bar on the same block as Em and Mẹ. In fact, the name of the restaurant comes from the Vietnamese words “em,” meaning “little one,” and “mẹ,” which means “mother.” The words reflect each other as past generations pair with present day to move the family and the business forward.
Tu moved to America when she was 15 from the Mekong Delta region, which she jokingly calls “the Mississippi of Vietnam.” In this agricultural region of the country, almost every family was a farmer of products like mangos, cashews and especially coffee. Vietnam is the second-largest exporter of coffee beans, but specifically the Robusta species. Compared to the better-known Arabica, Vietnamese Robusta has an earthier, more bitter taste — and nearly double the caffeine. That’s why traditional Vietnamese coffee drinks are made using sweeter condensed milk instead of regular cream or milk.
Many of the coffee drinks on the Em and Mẹ menu are served with ice or as part of a traditional phin service, which involves a slow drip through a filter, sort of like a French press. The experience is meant to be leisurely, waiting seven to 10 minutes at a rate of one drip per second into a cup prefilled with condensed milk or a sugar-free version. Then patrons can stir it up and enjoy it hot or served over ice, which is the more popular method in the sultry climate of Vietnam.
The baristas also offer specialty coffee drinks, or just drip coffee made of a 70/30 blend of Arabica and Robusta imported from Vietnam and roasted locally for a more North American flavor profile. I really enjoyed a Vietnamese Egg Coffee topped with a creamy egg yolk cream.
The owners recognized the need for some more substantial food early on in the planning process and turned to a lot of family recipes to fill out the all-day cafe food menu. JB is originally from Florence, Ala., so he asked for some Southern/Viet fusions like their version of steak-and-eggs called Bánh Mì Chảo. It's kind of a deconstructed Bánh Mì served in a skillet with eggs, steak, tomato sauce and Tu’s recipe for vegetarian pâté made with mushrooms and cashews. I thought it was a fantastic breakfast dish, and sopped up most of the dish with the accompanying toasted bun.
Another play on a traditional Southern dish is Cháo Lá Dứa Tôm Kho, or Vietnamese shrimp-and-“grits” with a silky rice congee subbing in for the traditional corn porridge. A great morning option is Tu’s mother’s recipe for 10-hour homemade yogurt, served in a bowl with strawberries, bananas and granola. I didn’t get to sample more of the menu on my first visit, but I will be back to conquer additional sections!
Honestly, I would rush back even if the food and drinks weren’t as spectacular as they are — just so that I could experience the vibe of the place again. I’ve never visited Vietnam, but I recognized and appreciated so many thoughtful elements in how the family designed the welcoming space. From an outdoor grass patio seating area to plants all over the space that take advantage of overnight grow lights, Em and Mẹ is an urban oasis. The two unisex bathrooms feature video displays that project scenes of beautiful rice paddies swaying in the breeze and a scooter ride alongside the shore.
While I was there for my visit, a large group came in and took over a big table in the corner of the restaurant with a real tree growing through the middle. Ordering through a QR code, they interacted with the staff only when their food arrived. The rest of the time, it was clearly a family meal that was made possible by having this sort of space to gather next to the ancestor wall at Em and Mẹ. They paid on their phones, helped to bus their table, and then departed to head their separate ways until it was time to reconvene for another communal meal. It was really nice to see people taking advantage of a space that had been thoughtfully designed to provide exactly this sort of experience.
The library at Em and Mẹ
A library of English and Vietnamese books is available for borrowing, or just to read in a comfortable chair while sipping on a coffee drink, and other shelves are stacked with lovely memories of the country. More organized gatherings are frequently scheduled, including trivia nights, bingo, singer-songwriter performances, a regular jazz trio gig and spoken-word open-mic nights. It is genuinely a neighborhood resource that has quickly become an essential gathering spot.
If for some reason you don’t want to be part of the scene at Em and Mẹ, they do a strong business through carryout and delivery. But as good as the food is, you’re really missing out if you don’t take the time to enjoy your meal in situ where you can soak up the deeply intentional and welcoming vibe.
1244 Third Ave. N.
Tuesday-Sunday: 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
Monday: closed
