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True Southern Cooking in DC/MD/VA - where?

Cucina

By Cucina
in D.C. & DelMarVa: Dining

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Cucina

Cucina

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Is there a restaurant in DC/MD/VA that serves true southern cooking (as opposed to pretentious nouvelle Southern cuisine?) It doesn't have to be fancy at all - I just want one that serves some of the following:

Sweet Tea with Lemon - (don't laugh but the only place I've found that has tea made right is Chick fil A - the fast food chain out of GA that has a few locations around town like the Ballston Mall)

Cornsticks - not corn bread but individual corn sticks. Made in a cast iron pan so tha they have a crunchy exterior. Not sweet or fluffy cornbread either.

Fried Chicken - made the way my grandmother's cook made it - no egg batter. Just shaken in a bag with flour, salt, pepper and some spices.

Peas - not green - but blackeyed, pinkeyed or lady peas - and the small kind too! Have you noticed that the only peas they have at any of the farmers markets in the spring and summer are picked too late so they are huge and not tasty like the small peas you get at farmers markets in the south

Greens - mustard or collard stewed with a piece of ham all day long so the pot liquor is a brown and rich - oh yes, and pepper vinegar sauce on the table please.

Butter beans - same rules apply as the peas - not the big kind but the baby lima's - cooked long enough to be tender but not so long where they become mushy.

Pole beans - also cooked with a piece of ham and yes please, more pepper vinegar sauce on the table.

No need for dessert - just plenty of second helpings please. Oh and please don't tell me to go to Vidalia's or such - it will only show that you don't understand what I'm talking about. (I'm not knocking Vidalia - they have good food but I'm looking for something closer to what my grandmother would have put on the table).

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eunny jang

eunny jang

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Hmm. There is a similar topic floating around here....

I think you'd probably find some of what you're looking for at some of the soul-food carry-outs, but the ugly truth is that the neighborhoods that house many of them are not particularly friendly.

The Florida Avenue Grill, maybe. Madam's Organ advertises itself as a blues bar and soul food restaurant, but I'd rather cut out my own eyeballs than go to Adams Morgan at night.

:sad:

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JPW

JPW

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At Southside 815 be sure to stick with the southern dishes (gumbo, jumbalaya, etc.) the other dishes tend to pale in comparison

If someone writes a book about restaurants and nobody reads it, will it produce a 10 page thread?

Joe W

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Cucina

Cucina

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I would check out Southside 815 in Old Town Alexandria.  815 South Washington Street.

I second this recommendation. Food so good and southern, Strom Thurmond once had a mild heart attack there.

Geez - you must be in marketing! That's an excellent tag line that would have folks lined up out the door! Thanks to both of you for the recommendation!

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The Doctor

The Doctor

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I'll third Southside 815. I haven't been in about two years, but it was quite a memorable (and reasonably priced) experience.

In fact, it was the first place (and possibly only place) I've ever been to where I actually wanted MORE of the greens and grits.

Website: http://www.southside815.com/

Holy moses, I just started looking at that menu. It's cheaper than I remembered! Take a look at the "land and sea" combos. Those were big hits when I went, and the portions were so large people had difficulty finishing.

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Cucina

Cucina

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Okay - I looked at the menu of Southside and it is tempting and I'll try it but it's not exactly what I'm looking for - they have a menu that tries to appeal to anyone from any southern state. I want a simple soul food kitchen.....surely we are not below the Mason Dixon line if one doesn't exist? HELP!!!

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cjsadler

cjsadler

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Okay - I looked at the menu of Southside and it is tempting and I'll try it but it's not exactly what I'm looking for - they have a menu that tries to appeal to anyone from any southern state.  I want a simple soul food kitchen.....surely we are not below the Mason Dixon line if one doesn't exist?  HELP!!!

Well, there's the legendary Florida Avenue Grill, which serves most the things you mention. 'Greasy spoon' does not even begin to relate what this place is like, though-- grease seems to cover every available surface inside. Consult your cardiologist first.

Chris Sadler

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Chantilly Bob

Chantilly Bob

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Okay - I looked at the menu of Southside and it is tempting and I'll try it but it's not exactly what I'm looking for - they have a menu that tries to appeal to anyone from any southern state.  I want a simple soul food kitchen.....surely we are not below the Mason Dixon line if one doesn't exist?  HELP!!!

I have no doubt there are places in DC that would fill the bill but to find the best, I suspect, you are going to have to do some reconnoitering of neighborhoods in the eastern half of the city. Unfortunately, the gems in those areas do not get much press.

OK, who am I kidding? They get no press. :angry:

Actually, I just thought of one place I do know of: Flavors Soul Food, in Falls Church. Fried chicken, pork chops, fried whiting, sweet potato pie, sweet tea, etc. :raz:

Website: http://www.flavorssoulfood.com/index.html

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spaghetttti

spaghetttti

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I've been to Flavors in Falls Church, a soul food place and it's pretty good. I haven't had it yet, but I've heard that their fried chicken is very good. However, the collard greens, yams and mac & cheese are delicious. The greens are prepared with smoked turkey rather than pork, so they're especially good for those who don't dig on swine.

Edited by spaghetttti (log)

Yetty CintaS

I am spaghetttti

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phifly04

phifly04

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Okay - I looked at the menu of Southside and it is tempting and I'll try it but it's not exactly what I'm looking for - they have a menu that tries to appeal to anyone from any southern state.  I want a simple soul food kitchen.....surely we are not below the Mason Dixon line if one doesn't exist?  HELP!!!

I beleive what this person is looking for is a "Platter" :wink: Damn and im from the city!!!! Dave s

"Food is our common ground,a universal experience"

James Beard

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Gastro888

Gastro888

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I've been to Flavors in Falls Church, a soul food place and it's pretty good.  I haven't had it yet, but I've heard that their fried chicken is very good.  However, the collard greens, yams and mac & cheese are delicious.  The greens are prepared with smoked turkey rather than pork, so they're especially good for those who don't dig on swine.

Flavors is fantastic!!!! Their fried whiting is superb. It's perfectly fried and not greasy at all. The fried chicken doesn't have a heavy batter - just flour and seasonings. Personally, I like the fish better than the chicken. The sweet tea is quite nice as well. Oh and they have the best cornbread. I had four pieces in one day...oops. :biggrin:

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