Queenie's Soul Cuisine

Queenie’s Soul Cuisine

2956 Richland Ave.

Hikes Point

http://www.queeniesoul.com/

LPG was eager to draw one of the few soul food locals in our pail – and we did just that preceding our most recent adventure.  We came across Queenie’s Soul Cuisine doing a search online for soul food back when we were initially filling our lunch pail with options….it looked cool, it is locally owned, and we all love some good down-home cookin’- so we put it in.  Not knowing what to expect, we left the confines of our office on a road trip to Hikes Point. 

Tucked back behind the Baskin Robins in a strip mall off of Taylorsville Road stood our destination.  We walked into a very clean, nicely decorated space that smelled of fried food and cornbread – not too shabby!  We were immediately seated in a large dining area – probably 30 tables total, 5 or 6 of them were occupied by 11:30 when we arrived….promising!   Our waitress came by to take our drink orders, and let me tell you, she was the best part of our experience at Queenie’s. Sarcastic and sassy, she fit right in w/ the gang – we got along splendidly.  After bringing a round of water, tea, and grape Kool-aid, she presented us with a basket of warm cornbread to help subside the yearning of our imploding stomachs.  This cornbread was remarkable – sweet, moist, w/ a hint of what we decided was cinnamon…but we’re probably wrong…   

The lunch menu gives you a choice of a meat w/ 2 sides – dinner is the same, but double the portion of meat.  I went with the smothered pork chop, greens, and mac-n-cheese. Others in the party got salmon croquettes, fried chicken, and smothered chicken…sides varied, but primarily mashed pertaters, green beans, black eyed peas…etc.

I think I had worked myself up and expected a whole lot from Queenie’s – especially the sides.  Could be that I used to work with a lot of wonderful ladies who would bring in hot water cornbread, greens, mac-n-cheese, chicken, and other deliciocities that make my mouth water, still, just thinking of them…

Our wonderful waitress brought out our lunch pretty quickly and we all started to dig in.  I grabbed my fork and went right for the mac….ouch….not gonna say much about the mac – 'cause I’m not mean, but lets consolidate what could be a lengthy description to just “bland”.   So…I went for the greens – the greens lacked seasoning…Lets move on to the good stuff – the “smothered” part –  the gravy that coated my bone in pork chop was delicious!  So delicious that I sopped it up with the some of the 2^nd basket of cornbread that had graced our table – all the way to clean plate status!   The consensus among the attendees was consistent – sides need some work, but the main dishes were right on point!  Man 1 and Otis loved the seasoning on the fried chicken, Chickadoo liked her Salmon Croquettes, and Candypants was impressed with her smothered chicken!

As much as it pains me (please understand, it’s necessary for me to remain in good order with the gods of the food blogosphere) it is my duty to give a somewhat stale review.  If it wasn’t for the sides, I’d go back in a heartbeat – if not just to visit with our waitress!  We also found out that Queenie’s has breakfast on Saturday’s – Chicken and Waffles anyone?