Where to get real soul food in Boston

By adamg on Mon, 10/12/2015 - 7:59am

Candelaria Silva could hardly believe that a recent Globe article on healthier soul food pointed to two white-owned restaurants that don't really serve soul food and only one black-owned soul-food place, so she compiled a list.

Neighborhoods:

Boston

Topics:

Dining

Free tagging:

soul food

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Comments

Coast Cafe

By anon
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 8:30am

http://www.coastsoulcafe.com/

i only eat

By Scumquistador
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 9:46am

at restaurants owned by certain races too

Save your typing

By BostonDog
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 11:46am

This isn't a reverse racism case. The author of the linked article is rightly calling out the Globe for claiming that Blue Ribbon BBQ and Sweet Cheeks are soul food. I'm no soul food expert but neither of these places even *claims* to be soul food.

If someone posted a restaurant review saying "Only Greek restaurant owners make authentic Greek food" would you be upset? Judging by the comments on the article about just that a few days ago, no, you wouldn't care at all.

I'm white and I found her article helpful, not racist. She isn't saying whites should avoid soul food restaurants. She's not saying that blacks can only cook soul food. She is saying that to claim southern BBQ = Soul Food is patently wrong and I've got to agree. She then lists a bunch of places I'd like to try.

Unfortunately for you

By Jeff F
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 12:15pm

The places she lists are clearly not 'soul food' restaurants either - they're 'just' BBQ joints or places with some fine southern dishes on the menu (admittedly, many of them are really really good - but they aren't soul food restaurants and they aren't 'healthy').

The only real soul food eatery she mentioned is the United House of Prayer Kitchen.

the fact

By Scumquistador
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 2:51pm

that you even used a term that has no literal meaning (reverse racism) is pretty funny. my point was:

the race of a restaurants owner has fuck all to do with the food

Very True!

By Sammy
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 5:05pm

And lets be real, to paraphrase Anthony Bourdain -no matter what the food, there are always Hispanics in the kitchen.

First time for everything....disagree 100%

By Mario Batali's ...
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 8:36pm

I worked in a restaurant where there was not one Hispanic in the kitchen. They were all Haitians and one gringo.

Were you in Haiti?

By Sally
Tue, 10/13/2015 - 7:58am

Kidding but tbh I have never seen or heard of such a thing.

We were at China Pearl a couple of weeks ago though and were surprised to see two Spanish-speaking bussers on the floor. It was such a strange thing--I have literally never seen a non-Asian person working in a Chinese restaurant.

cauc

By Scumquistador
Tue, 10/13/2015 - 3:57pm

asians are still asians!!

UNITED HOUSE OF PRAYER IS OPEN??!!

By bibliotequetress
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 10:02am

Best! News! Today!
I thought UHOP had closed down the lunch service for good-- the last few times I tried to go (2 years ago, maybe?) they had "temporarily closed for repairs" signs up-- I assumed after a few tries it wasn't temporary.

Best fried chicken (when they have it) and green beans in Boston.

Downhome Delivery is awesome.

By Sally
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 9:54am

I still wish they had a brick and mortar spot but they're terrific.

yes!

By bibliotequetress
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 10:03am

Even if he just opened up he truck over at the Brewery again.

Food trucks at the Brewery Complex

By BB from Dot
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 4:12pm

Sadly the food trucks that use Crop Circle Kitchen at the Brewery Complex do not serve food there. I don't know if they have some non-compete clause with Ula's or Bella Luna, but they only load up there, they don't operate as food trucks there. Perhaps they did in the past? But they haven't in the six years that I've worked in one of the Complex buildings.

the problem

By Steeve
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 9:56am

Isn't the problem here not that the places are white-owned, but that no black-owned joints are serving anything healthy? It might be a bit more constructive to implore more owners to give healthier options, if you indeed would rather only support minority-owned business.

The problem

By lbb
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 11:36am

That may be the problem as YOU define it. When you are creating lists, you should create them to address issues, needs, problems, etc. as YOU define them. Other people will create lists to suit their purposes. If you don't like someone else's list, make your own, don't insist that they make your list for you.

thanks

By Steeve
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 12:08pm

However, if that's the case, the response was a bit of a non-sequitur, no? The original list was a list of healthier restaurants, and the response...just a list of restaurants.

It's like if I, rather than address your points, instead decided to post my shopping list in response. Hey, it might not be relevant, but it's a list, and it's mine that addresses my needs. I was raising a point worthy of discussion based on the topic, while you are seemingly just here to toss around some capsrage.

You think Sweet Cheeks is healthy?

By Sally
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 11:55am

Not knocking it because I think they're great, but I know (to my dismay) that that broccoli cheddar casserole probably has more fat and calories than a pint of Haagen Dazs. Soul food and Southern food both suffer from the same problem--the elements that were a "special occasion" food for poor people--fried chicken, pork, etc--became, once people had a little more money, everyday foods. The healthier stuff--the collards, the rice and beans and black-eyed peas, etc receded a bit. Pretty common really--you could say the same about Chinese or Mexican or a lot of other cuisines. The really delicious fatty, salty stuff becomes the main star when it started out as a complement or a once in a while thing (not to mention as food for people doing a lot of manual labor and needing more fuel.)

No, not at all

By Steeve
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 12:07pm

However, if they are indeed "reducing fats and sodium", they are a bit healthier than other options that may not be making any sort of effort.

That said, you probably shouldn't ever eat this sort of thing, but that's neither here nor there.

Historically, Healthy Soul

By Kenneth Johnson
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 5:22pm

Historically, Healthy Soul Food is an oxymoron, if you are looking for healthy soul food, you should take your punkass to a vegan eatery and stop half-stepping.

healthy soul food google.com/search?q=healthy+soul+food&tbm=isch

By theszak
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 10:18pm

healthy soul food
https://www.google.com/search?q=healthy+soul+food&...

Chinese

By anon yan
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 10:16am

I know a Chinese couple who can't cook Chinese food.

My Italian grandma

By anon
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 4:15pm

Thought canned store brand tomato paste was an acceptable substitute for tomato sauce.

Ribs on Wheels , Jackson

By kvn
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 10:18am

Ribs on Wheels , Jackson Square , mmm good ! ( need Mr. Whoopee's Wayback Machine though )

I'll take "What is lazy

By Anon
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 11:23am

I'll take "What is lazy reporting" for 200, Alex.

Seriously, Blue Ribbon isn't in Boston, most of its dishes are utterly unhealthy, and it doesn't even call itself "soul food." It's southern.

To be fair

By Sally
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 6:25pm

She says that these were suggestions from the crowd at the event, not a result of reporting. I agree that she should have researched a little harder.

Darryl's

By Ishmael Jones
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 11:51am

My wife and I like this place for the food, the service, and atmosphere, the music and art on the walls. The greens and macaroni and cheese are delicious, as are the catfish and chicken. They used to have chitterlings on Thursday, but no longer serve them, too bad. I don't care if the food is healthy or not, just that it tastes good.

I've only eaten there once,

By Joe Blow
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 8:41pm

I've only eaten there once, and it made for a nice evening. The staff were all really nice.

She didn't say those two restaraunts weren't serving soul food

By Jeff F
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 12:08pm

She simply said they didn't claim to be "Soul food" restaurants (but rather BBQ places with southern 'roots'). Like a Japanese Teishoku restaurant that included sushi in its set box meals not claiming it was a "Sushi restaurant."

What I don't get is how her list is any better. Most of the places on it aren't soul food restaurants either - 'merely' BBQ joints that also serve a few side dishes like collard greens often associated with soul food cuisine.

The only place she mentions that I think could legitimately claim to be a soul food eatery (ie lots of regional dishes, served commensally) is the United House of Prayer Kitchen. And aren't Mama Ely's and Chef Lee II still around?

No Coast Cafe on the list?

By anon
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 12:27pm

No Coast Cafe on the list? What a sham.

M & M Ribs

By Cappy
Mon, 10/12/2015 - 12:49pm

Did you ever try M&M truck? I used to go to Speed Dogs then M&M when they were right near each other and then lay down somewhere and bask in my fullness.

They are good! I don't know nor do I care what the definition of soul food is according to whomever but this is authentic, good barbecue and lots of sides that rock.

https://twitter.com/THERIBTRUCK

Where to get real soul food in Boston

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