Tattoos, Piercings, and Eats | Hungry Memphis

Tattoos and rooster wraps are among the many “menu” objects at The Rook x Raven Tattoo Inventive. Prospects who wish to get inked or pierced can seize a chew to eat or drink at The Rook x Raven Espresso x Kitchen.

“That’s one thing I got here up with,” says the tattoo store’s proprietor Ian Brown. “As a result of in all of the years I’ve been tattooing, tattoo artists in all probability eat simply very, very dangerous. I needed to offer us with one thing to maintain the blood flowing, the thoughts sharp — low-calorie tremendous meals that preserve us going.”

They provide espresso, together with cappuccino and lattes. “We additionally drink lots of espresso. I figured I’d add all that collectively. We even have smoothies.”

Brown, who added the kitchen two years in the past, says they make wraps, salads, and bowls in rooster, fish, or veggies. The menu “varies occasionally,” he says.

He desires to serve wholesome meals, Brown says. “We’ve gotten so used to consuming issues that aren’t actual. We don’t know what actual meals tastes like anymore. I used to be simply making an attempt to get us again within the swing of meals which have vitamins in them, which can be contemporary. I don’t compromise on the standard.”

And, he says, “We don’t do something frozen.”

Besides the smoothies, in fact.

Brown practices what he preaches. “I grew up with a grandmother who was actual large on contemporary greens and ensuring there was loads of fruit in the home. She was well being aware and aware about what we consumed. I discovered rather a lot from her.”

He transformed a part of the tattoo store right into a kitchen, he says. “I truly gutted what was a station and turned it into the kitchen.”

Prospects can’t eat rooster bowls or different Rook x Raven delicacies whereas they’re getting inked. “You’re not going to eat whilst you’re getting tattoos. However it’s not unusual for somebody to return in for an appointment and seize one thing to eat, seize espresso, after which get a tattoo. You’ll be able to have drinks again there. And we provide you with time to eat. 

“I’m bizarre about any person sitting there consuming whereas I’m tattooing. I’d simply relatively not have a complete lot of motion and stuff occurring. An occasional sip of a drink is okay, however I attempt to preserve all people centered on what’s occurring. We will take a break they usually can simply eat and we will get again to work.”

Born in Michigan, Brown grew up in Memphis. Tattooing was all he needed to do when he was at Germantown Excessive Faculty. “I’ve been drawing so long as I can keep in mind having the ability to decide up one thing and draw with it. I used to be all the time the go-to individual to get any person to attract one thing.”

He didn’t begin drawing professionally till he graduated. “I’d gotten an apprenticeship,” Brown says. “I used to be at neighborhood faculty and bought the chance to apprentice. Just about that day I gave up neighborhood faculty and pursued that. I keep in mind my mother giving me a tough time about that call. I believe I made your best option. I’m comfortable.”

His first store was a partnership in Contact of Ink in East Memphis. He then grew to become sole proprietor of The Cranium & Rose, which was on South Second subsequent to Paula & Raiford’s Disco. “We used to throw large artwork exhibits and smaller concert events.”

He opened Rook x Raven in 2016 whereas he nonetheless owned The Cranium x Rose. He finally gave up the Downtown store and targeting his Cordova store. 

Brown named it “Rook x Raven” as a result of a rook is the other of a raven, he says. It simply has a white beak. “So, I used to be pondering in my thoughts like a yin and yang type of a factor.”

Amongst his tattoo designs are detailed drawings of Mohammad Ali and Elvis. “I’ve performed so many Mohammad Ali’s. After we had been Downtown we did a lot Elvis, man, it was ridiculous.”

Brown used to alternate between cooking and tattooing, however now his spouse, Tay, is “just about taking good care of it.”

Tay discovered to prepare dinner from her grandmother. “I used to be all the time in there together with her, serving to her,” she says.

Requested what are their hottest menu objects, Tay says, “I might say the rooster bowl and the salmon wrap.”

The rooster bowl is “baked rooster, wild rice, sautéed bell peppers, onions, and black beans. And I put slightly avocado in it.”

The salmon wrap is “spinach blended with basil. And it has bell peppers and salmon, in fact. And I make some spicy mayo. So, it’s a mix of mayo, sriracha, and slightly oil.”

The Rook & Raven Tattoo Inventive is at 2821 North Houston Levee Street, Suite 106, in Cordova: (901) 570-3161