Who says you have to go to the South for some 'real' soul food? Not when you've got Brown Sugar Kitchen. Located way down Mandela Parkway (if you're walking), in the heart of West Oakland, Brown Sugar Kitchen takes the 'soul' of the south and transports it into its food.
Early Saturday its packed, which in itself could prove the place is worth it. The hostess with a huge smile leads us to our front row seats. The cool, black, spotless counter space is in the center of the action with the open air kitchen situated along its front. Slicing, dicing, scooping and hollering is all part of the experience with your meal.
It has the taste and hospitality of a traditional soul food restaurant with a fine dining touch. Exact portions, positioned food instead of the fall-where-it-may culinary style of many 'comfort food' restaurants and a staff so used to interacting with customers the manager tho
ught I was a regular's girlfriend.
The food, oh the food! On my student budget, I bought a few of the stables; gumbo, mac n' cheese and a breakfast dish with eggs and potatoes. The mac n' cheese was the true test of how authentic the soul food was and Brown Sugar Kitchen passed. The perfectly positioned eggs and potatoes dish spiced with fresh basil and served with two of the thickest pieces of toast I have ever seen made me jealous that I had not ordered it myself. However, the chicken and shrimp gumbo was a little watery from what I'd expect an authentic gumbo to be. Be prepared for the towel-like napkins as well, they are a novelty item in themselves.
The meal came out to about $25 for two people and my party and I were in and out within 45 minutes. The walk there seems daunting but its well worth the journey.
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