I just returned from a quick trip to Austin, where I ate the best barbecue. Ha ha, just joking. Joking. I didn’t really eat any barbecue when I was there, so no point in comparing. As my stepdaughter has said for years when I’ve visited:

“People from Memphis shouldn’t come to Austin to eat barbecue.”

$10 Deal: Tamales at Emilio’s Grocery

Oddly, I didn’t even eat Torchy’s, knowing that it’s going to open in East Memphis later this month. But I ate excellent Thai food and had a taste for more on Monday. I had to go to Cordova on other business, so I arranged to meet a friend at Emerald. When Bhan Thai closed last month, folks on our Table Talk Facebook page discussed their favorite Thai restaurants.

It’s been a while since I’ve eaten at Emerald, the thread reminded me of it, I decided to eat there on Monday, and anyway, that’s almost how I ended up at Memphis Mojo Café in Bartlett.

COVID. Of course it’s COVID, which has been much worse but has certainly been wrecking plans for the past 15 months. Emerald hasn’t reopened its dining room; it’s open for takeout, but it was hot and there was no way we were going to look for a park. We remembered Thai Bistro, a couple of miles west on Highway 64, and so we caravanned that way.

But! I mentioned this was on Monday, right? Sorry: Like half the restaurants in town, Thai Bistro is closed on Monday. However, it’s in the same center as Memphis Mojo Café (it even shares ownership). At this point, we were ready for food, and that is how I ended up eating catfish on a bun instead of under a spicy curry.

$10 Deal: RP Tracks

That doesn’t mean we got it right then, because the small restaurant was already almost full when we arrived — there was one table open — and the line grew to about 10 people deep just after we ordered around a post-1 p.m. lunch. Forget distancing, if that’s still a thing with you.

But let me tell you, that $8 cheeseburger was mighty good, even if it came in a clamshell Styrofoam box. It’s 6 ounces of meat, almost thin enough to call it a smash burger and with a few crisp bits around the edges. The Mojo Burger, the one we ordered, comes with mustard, pickle and onion, and you better love all three condiments, speak up, or order something else. They double up on the mustard, dressing it with ball park yellow mustard and whole grain, and the red onion is serious enough that I pulled a few slices off.

$10 Deal: Panda Garden’s lunch special is hard to beat

But the burger ($7 if you don’t get cheese) was very good, and while the chalkboard makes it clear that it’ll be cooked medium-well or well unless you ask otherwise, I forgot to ask. It was medium-well, but it was fine that way, not at all tough or dry.

We actually made it an $11 meal, because we added fries and a drink ($3 for both; $2 if you only add fries). The fries were ordinary, a prepared product dusted with seasoned salt, but the onion rings that came with the catfish po’ boy ($9 sandwich; $12 combo) were very good, thick and hearty, breaded in Panko and fried until crisp.

The catfish was also good, though the meager hoagie bun is a po’ excuse for po’ boy bread. I had to resort to a plastic knife and fork sandwich after a couple of bites. I didn’t really mind as I try to avoid bread unless it’s special, but you might actually want a sandwich when you order one, so keep that in mind. You can get the catfish on sliced wheat bread if you prefer.

The menu is large; there are close to a dozen burgers, sliders, a chicken sandwich, catfish and other po’ boys, desserts and appetizers such as fried jalapeños and loaded fries. The burgers are all 6 ounces except for the Super Burger, which weighs in at 12 ounces and $12, the sole item on the regular menu that exceeds $10.

Memphis Mojo Café, 7124 U.S. Highway 64, suite 101; call 901-207-6041.