Mama Lou's Comfort Food

I stopped in for lunch today after noticing my leftover salad went brown.

Being on the south side, I was really hoping for some kickass soul food. It was not kickass, but it was a good solid meal.

I ordered the smothered chicken, candied yams, and greens. The chicken was not as hot as it should have been and I did not like the smothering, but the meat underneath was tender and juicy. With your meal, you get a napkin about the size of a tissue square which mocks you from the outset. There is no neat way to eat this chicken.

The greens were lovely. They were perfectly cooked, not mushy or slimy, with a nice balance of vinegar and pot-likkery goodness. I didn't see any meat in there but they tasted vaguely hammy.

The yams were delicious, heavy on the candy. They were like little cubes of sweet potato pie, just the right texture and swimming in a spiced, sweet sauce that could easily sell by the pint as an ice cream topping.

The corn muffins were not done when I arrived, but I was brought one before I got halfway through the meal. It was fantastic, and I am generally not a fan of corn muffins, as they often lean towards dry and heavy. This version was neither too sweet or bland, fluffy on the inside and crisp out, and though it came with a packet of butter, it didn't need it, although the muffin wasn't particularly buttery. It was just a solid, old-fashioned corn muffin, made even better when dipped in pot liquor or yam sauce.

The price was certainly right; two thighs, a scoop of yams, a scoop of greens, a corn muffin and a bottle of water came to $9.33.

The place is attractive, although it was like eating in a kiosk. I didn't understand why I would get a three-compartment styrofoam container of food instead of a plate; they obviously must have proper washing equipment if they make fresh muffins. Ditto for the packet of plasticware. A gnat sneezed and that napkin was spent; their backup option was taking paper towels from the kitchen or offering another packet. That fork couldn't spear shit, causing me to employ beastly medieval eating techniques on that poor chicken. They had a trash can about the size of one you'd see under an office desk, so after I threw my container in there, it was nearly full. I felt like once soul food season is over, they will be replaced by a Spirit Halloween Headquarters followed by H&R Block, only to return again on April 16th. Hopefully I'm wrong and they are just finding their groove. I really hope they succeed, because not only do they have a friendly staff and tasty chow, my only other option nearby is Jimmy John's.

Mama Lou's Comfort Kitchen
124 E 35th St
(between Indiana Ave & Michigan Ave)
Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 326-6400

Oops! Sorry. Thanks Dave!

I think this is a thing.




Untitled by boudreaulicious, on Flickr


Untitled by boudreaulicious, on Flickr

Martha Lou's is a wonderful spot in Charleston. If you're down there, don't miss it!

Martha Lou's Kitchen
1068 Morrison Dr Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 577-9583

And YES, I did just post pictures. Hold your applause

boudreaulicious wrote:And YES, I did just post pictures. Hold your applause

Yowzah!! Good for you, I'm going to have a drink to celebrate