Like many area residents, I occasionally drive down Martin Luther King Jr. St. in the area between 16th and 30th streets, which has been undergoing a neighborhood renovation.
Down Home Cookin’ restaurant has been located on that strip for quite a while now, but I had always passed it up to go to another popular restaurant in the area, which turned out to be a mistake.
As President Dwight Eisenhower said when he appointed Earl Warren to the Supreme Court in 1953, it was “the biggest damnfool mistake I ever made.”
Usually, I don’t feel trepidation walking into a restaurant. However, while entering Down Home Cookin’ during a recent busy afternoon, I thought to myself, “Lord, I hope this place lives up to its name.”
Fortunately, I finally saw what I had been missing: a promised land of well-prepared, tempting soul food.
Items at the restaurant are served-cafeteria style; you just pick out what you want and the servers will get it ready. Guests will find a variety of tasty, traditional favorites with a home style touch such as meat loaf (which is what I chose) covered with an amazing sauce and green pepper and onion, as well as seasoned baked chicken, smothered pork chops and meaty, tasty ribs.
Most of the main entrées range in price between $8 and $10, and you can enjoy some enticing cornbread and two sides with each of them. Popular side selections include satisfying collard greens, universal favorite mac and cheese, green beans and sweet potatoes.
If you have enough room for dessert, don’t forget to pick up some blackberry cobbler, caramel cake, chess pie or peach cobbler even if you have to order it to go.
Between the awesome selections and the clean, neat and warm atmosphere, you will feel almost like you’re at home enjoying a meal prepared by that relative who happens to be the best cook in your family.
I’m getting hungry just writing about this restaurant, which has never happened before. So we will finish this review here so I can grab my coat and head back to Down Home Cookin’, and you can do the same. Look forward to seeing you there.
