Soul Food in Philadelphia

[happy_rooster]

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is "Soul Food"?
A: Soul Food is traditional African American cuisine that
originated in the South in the United States. Today it has
become a highly sought after cuisine. It consists of spicy
ribs, collard greens, fried fish and chicken, freshly cooked
corn bread, and a few side dishes like black eye peas, okra,
or macaroni and cheese to mention a few.

http://philadelphia.citysearch.com/search?lat=399522&long=-751641&miles=&c_zip=&init_search=1&context=restaurants&cslink=cs_topbar_search&started=1&query=soul+food&x=16&y=15

Ms Tootsie's -- Restaurant
1314 South St Philadelphia PA

Savannah Soul Food Bar -- Restaurant
1836 Callowhill St Philadelphia PA

Zanzibar Blue -- Restaurant
200 S Broad St Philadelphia PA

Ron's Ribs -- Restaurant
1627 South St Philadelphia PA

Bluezette -- Restaurant
246 Market St Philadelphia PA

North by Northwest -- Restaurant
7165 Germantown Ave Philadelphia PA

Warmdaddy's -- Restaurant
4 S Front St Philadelphia PA

Delilah's At The Terminal -- Restaurant
1136 Arch St Philadelphia PA

Red Hot & Blue -- Restaurant
Rte 70 & Sayre Ave Cherry Hill NJ

Abner's Authentic Barbecue -- Restaurant
501-505 Old York Rd Jenkintown PA

Bonk's Bar -- Restaurant
3467 Richmond St Philadelphia PA

Broad Street Diner -- Restaurant
1135 S Broad St Philadelphia PA

Patterson's Paradise -- Restaurant
538 N 4TH St Philadelphia PA

Down Home Diner -- Restaurant
51 N 12th St Philadelphia PA

Eg'-Zolt -- Restaurant
2624 Brown St Philadelphia PA

Set It Off Soul Food Restaurant -- Restaurant
2232 W Jefferson St Philadelphia PA

Fatou & Fama's Restaurant -- Restaurant
4002 Chestnut Street Philadelphia PA

Delilah's Southern Cafe -- Restaurant
29th and Market Sts in 30th Street Station Philadelphia PA

Charlotte & Smokey's Soul Food -- Restaurant
2011 Reed St Philadelphia PA

Neice's Soul Food -- Restaurant
2949 W Girard Ave Philadelphia PA

[Exile on Market Street]

Post by happy_rooster
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is "Soul Food"?
A: Soul Food is traditional African American cuisine that
originated in the South in the United States. Today it has
become a highly sought after cuisine. It consists of spicy
ribs, collard greens, fried fish and chicken, freshly cooked
corn bread, and a few side dishes like black eye peas, okra,
or macaroni and cheese to mention a few.

http://philadelphia.citysearch.com/search?lat=399522&long=-751641&miles=&c_zip=&init_search=1&context=restaurants&cslink=cs_topbar_search&started=1&query=soul+food&x=16&y=15

I assume the Citysearch engine returned the following list? If so, I have a

Post by happy_rooster
Zanzibar Blue -- Restaurant
200 S Broad St Philadelphia PA

I believe they do have soul food dishes on the menu, but most of their stuff
is a little more upscale, as is the ambience. Which isn't to say you can't
serve soul food that's classy or in a classy fashion -- B. Smith does it in
her New York and Washington restaurants.

Post by happy_rooster
Broad Street Diner -- Restaurant
1135 S Broad St Philadelphia PA

The Broad Street Diner a soul food joint? Only if proximity to a black
neighborhood qualifies it. Their menu is classic diner fare, nothing more,
nothing less -- with one exception: they do feature ribs.

Post by happy_rooster
Down Home Diner -- Restaurant
51 N 12th St Philadelphia PA

Soul food and down-home Southern (or Southern-influenced) cooking overlap
but are not the same thing. Jack McDavid's diner in the Reading Terminal
Market features the latter, not the former.

Post by happy_rooster
Fatou & Fama's Restaurant -- Restaurant
4002 Chestnut Street Philadelphia PA

This bright little eatery is definitely worth a visit. But the food here is
African and Caribbean, not African-American.

[Andrew Fenton]

Post by Exile on Market Street
Soul food and down-home Southern (or Southern-influenced) cooking overlap
but are not the same thing. Jack McDavid's diner in the Reading Terminal
Market features the latter, not the former.

What's the difference (other than the chef's race, that is)? I ask because I've eaten a lot of country cooking in the South, less (but still a fair bit of) soul food up North,
and I haven't noticed much difference. But I'm happy to be educated.

Also, any recommendations on Phila. soul food that's not on the list? I note that Citysearch didn't mention one of the more interesting variations on the theme: the vegetarian
soul food place (whose name shamefully escapes me) in Northern Liberties. Anybody know if it's still in business?

-Andree

[Exile on Market Street]

Post by Andrew Fenton

Post by Exile on Market Street
Soul food and down-home Southern (or Southern-influenced) cooking overlap
but are not the same thing. Jack McDavid's diner in the Reading Terminal
Market features the latter, not the former.

What's the difference (other than the chef's race, that is)? I ask

because I've eaten a lot of country cooking in the South, less (but still a
fair bit of) soul food up North,

Post by Andrew Fenton
and I haven't noticed much difference. But I'm happy to be educated.

There are some differences, the biggest being this:

Soul food includes those parts of the pig that were left over after the
white folks got through with the beast. You won't find chitterlings or
pigs' feet, for instance, on a down-home white Southern menu.

Another:

Salt pork figures less prominently in down-home Southern cooking. It's a
major flavor ingredient for greens in soul food cooking (the
health-conscious have started to use smoked turkey butt instead).

Another:

White gravy is less common in soul food cooking.

Post by Andrew Fenton
Also, any recommendations on Phila. soul food that's not on the list? I

note that Citysearch didn't mention one of the more interesting variations
on the theme: the vegetarian

Post by Andrew Fenton
soul food place (whose name shamefully escapes me) in Northern Liberties.

Anybody know if it's still in business?

Vegetarian soul food -- what a concept!

Never heard of this place.

[happy_rooster]

On Mon, 07 Jun 2004 17:27:28 GMT, Exile on Market Street

Post by Exile on Market Street

Post by Andrew Fenton

Post by Exile on Market Street
Soul food and down-home Southern (or Southern-influenced) cooking

overlap

Post by Andrew Fenton

Post by Exile on Market Street
but are not the same thing. Jack McDavid's diner in the Reading

Terminal

Post by Andrew Fenton

Post by Exile on Market Street
Market features the latter, not the former.

What's the difference (other than the chef's race, that is)? I ask

because I've eaten a lot of country cooking in the South, less (but still a
fair bit of) soul food up North,

Post by Andrew Fenton
and I haven't noticed much difference. But I'm happy to be educated.

Soul food includes those parts of the pig that were left over after the
white folks got through with the beast. You won't find chitterlings or
pigs' feet, for instance, on a down-home white Southern menu.
Salt pork figures less prominently in down-home Southern cooking. It's a
major flavor ingredient for greens in soul food cooking (the
health-conscious have started to use smoked turkey butt instead).
White gravy is less common in soul food cooking.

Post by Andrew Fenton
Also, any recommendations on Phila. soul food that's not on the list? I

note that Citysearch didn't mention one of the more interesting variations
on the theme: the vegetarian

Post by Andrew Fenton
soul food place (whose name shamefully escapes me) in Northern Liberties.

Anybody know if it's still in business?
Vegetarian soul food -- what a concept!
Never heard of this place.

I found this on the web. Sandy is welcomed to supplement.

http://library.thinkquest.org/10320/Recipes.htm?tqskip1=1

What we know as "soul food" is the descendant of slave cooking. It is the
brilliant masterpiece that derived from want. Slave cooking is distinct in
its use of greens, beans, and the parts of the pig rejected at the
plantation house: pig's knuckles, ears, tripe, hog maws. These were added
to the corn rations which were sometimes the only food allotted to the
slaves. The meager pantry was further supplemented by wild game and fish
pulled from the streams. Squirrel and possum figure among the meats used,
catfish, trout, and shrimp among the fish. Much soul food requires the use
of only one pot, as time for cooking and money for its tools were both
hard to come by.

In the past, African American foods were prepared in many ways. Since
there were no refrigerators or freezers years ago, meat was smoked in a
smokehouse to make sure it wouldn't spoil. Meats were barbecued, roasted,
boiled, or made into stews. Feathered wildlife was prepared by frying,
baking, roasting, making broths, or simmering to form gravies. In the
rivers and streams, there were lots of fish and other water life that
could be eaten. Vegetables were boiled or fried. Drinks were made from the
juices of fruits.

Meals were cooked in open fires using black kettles or were barbecued in
open pits. The people who cooked just knew how to do it. They didn't need
to follow a recipe.

Back in the days of slavery, slaves were often forced to eat the scraps
that their slave masters did not want. They turned these scraps into
delicious dishes. Some of these foods are black-eyes peas, cornbread,
bread pudding, greens, sweet potato pie, and chitlins.

[Andrew Fenton]

Post by Exile on Market Street
Soul food includes those parts of the pig that were left over after the
white folks got through with the beast. You won't find chitterlings or
pigs' feet, for instance, on a down-home white Southern menu.
Salt pork figures less prominently in down-home Southern cooking. It's a
major flavor ingredient for greens in soul food cooking (the
health-conscious have started to use smoked turkey butt instead).

Hmm. It's true that I've rarely if ever seen chitterlings on a Southern menu
(actually, anywhere: other than at an Asian restaurant). But salt pork? Au
contraire, mon frere! It's in the greens (and the beans) at lots and lots of
places.

Post by Exile on Market Street

Post by Andrew Fenton
Also, any recommendations on Phila. soul food that's not on the list? I

note that Citysearch didn't mention one of the more interesting variations
on the theme: the vegetarian

Post by Andrew Fenton
soul food place (whose name shamefully escapes me) in Northern Liberties.

Anybody know if it's still in business?
Vegetarian soul food -- what a concept!
Never heard of this place.

Here it is: Patterson's Paradise, 538 N. Fourth Street. 215 925-8355. I've
been once, and it was OK: since I'm not a vegetarian, there are better options
elsewhere. But it was interesting to try.

-Andrew

[happy_rooster]

Just came across a review of a soul food restaurant.
I wonder if the food can still be considered as soul
food if pork is minus from the cooking.

http://www.zabihah.com/_details.php?rest_id=734
Garden of Bilal

Soul Food (4 reviews)
1616 Wadsworth Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
[phone]
Halal Authenticity: Unverified

Rating: 4.0

Great food attractive setting, modest pricing, and good portions. Highly
reccommended!
Submitted on 2003-10-07 by Muslimah Abdur-Rahman

A mountain of fresh fish hot off the fire. Clean, friendly, attentive
service. My lady friend's mom loved it, & We took some home. Modest
prices. Location in Mt. Airy is remote for out of towners (but I departed
very happy.)

Submitted on 2003-07-07 by Al Cyrus

they have live jazz music is haram right food might be halal but the
setting isnt
Submitted on 2003-03-08 by Anonymous

Garden of Bilal is a family owned halal restaurant that serves African
American soul food. As far as i know the owner does the slaughtering
himself. it is definitely Halal. The food is good- kind of like mom's home
cooking. It has Middle Eastern decor- very pretty. Cheesesteaks are good
and the atmosphere is very nice. Good family restaurant.

On Mon, 07 Jun 2004 17:27:28 GMT, Exile on Market Street

Post by Exile on Market Street

Post by Andrew Fenton

Post by Exile on Market Street
Soul food and down-home Southern (or Southern-influenced) cooking

overlap

Post by Andrew Fenton

Post by Exile on Market Street
but are not the same thing. Jack McDavid's diner in the Reading

Terminal

Post by Andrew Fenton

Post by Exile on Market Street
Market features the latter, not the former.

What's the difference (other than the chef's race, that is)? I ask

because I've eaten a lot of country cooking in the South, less (but still a
fair bit of) soul food up North,

Post by Andrew Fenton
and I haven't noticed much difference. But I'm happy to be educated.

Soul food includes those parts of the pig that were left over after the
white folks got through with the beast. You won't find chitterlings or
pigs' feet, for instance, on a down-home white Southern menu.
Salt pork figures less prominently in down-home Southern cooking. It's a
major flavor ingredient for greens in soul food cooking (the
health-conscious have started to use smoked turkey butt instead).
White gravy is less common in soul food cooking.

Post by Andrew Fenton
Also, any recommendations on Phila. soul food that's not on the list? I

note that Citysearch didn't mention one of the more interesting variations
on the theme: the vegetarian

Post by Andrew Fenton
soul food place (whose name shamefully escapes me) in Northern Liberties.

Anybody know if it's still in business?
Vegetarian soul food -- what a concept!
Never heard of this place.

[happy_rooster]

On Mon, 07 Jun 2004 05:07:09 GMT, Exile on Market Street

Post by Exile on Market Street

Post by happy_rooster
Zanzibar Blue -- Restaurant
200 S Broad St Philadelphia PA

I believe they do have soul food dishes on the menu, but most of their
stuff is a little more upscale, as is the ambience. Which isn't to say
you can't serve soul food that's classy or in a classy fashion -- B.
Smith does it in her New York and Washington restaurants.

I assume Zanzibar Blue's Southern/Soul Food cooking is somewhat akin to
what is now called the New Southern Cuisine.

http://www.bryanfoods.com/allabout/food.html

New Southern Cuisine:
This is a term that upscale restaurants like to use when they combine
elements of traditional Southern cooking with new recipes straight out of
the East Coast cooking schools. Some examples might include the following.

Coconut Shrimp and Grits
Monkfish with Braised Cabbage and Sweetbreads
Braised Pork Loin with Mustard Greens

[Exile on Market Street]

Post by happy_rooster
I assume Zanzibar Blue's Southern/Soul Food cooking is somewhat akin to
what is now called the New Southern Cuisine.
http://www.bryanfoods.com/allabout/food.html
This is a term that upscale restaurants like to use when they combine
elements of traditional Southern cooking with new recipes straight out of
the East Coast cooking schools. Some examples might include the following.
Coconut Shrimp and Grits
Monkfish with Braised Cabbage and Sweetbreads
Braised Pork Loin with Mustard Greens

Yep. That sounds about right.

The restaurant bills its fare as "international jazz - cuisine," however.

[bebopper]

DeBreax - City Line at Overbrook Train Station (although she fries the
chix in olive oil.)

- bebopper