Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Soul Food the way it should be

FCA Day #5Kountry Kitchen Soul Food    1831 N. College Ave Indianapolis, IN 46202



 
 "It's like the door to the Temple of Doom..."  Bryan

When we discovered this gem, we just had to launch to the top of our list.   Kountry Kitchen sits on a lonely corner of College Ave and 19th Street, with parking on the street or next to the building.  The building itself is fairly intriguing if you have never been there before, with floors changing elevations as you walk and the ultra short bar stools at the counter.  It wasn't pretty to look at to be honest - it had a worn down Great Depression era feel to it that made you feel sorry for the place.   But it was clean, and that is the only thing I ultimately require to at least sample the fare at an establishment.


The staff was very friendly upon our entry and our server was hilarious, making us feel at home.  She was even more enthused when she found out we had never been there before.  

Bob, Ian, and myself started with a round of homemade lemonade, which has to be some of the best I have tasted in a long time.  Served in mason jars, it really does taste authentic.  Brad opted for unsweetened homemade iced tea.


The food...   Let me start by saying that we had high expectations, both because of other reviews we had read, and because we drove so bloody far to get there for lunch.  The menu was fairly large, with items that ranged from fried catfish to chicken wings to mustard greens and roast beef.

What caught my eye was the quarter fried chicken of white meat.  Add a side of mac'n cheese and some mustard greens and we were in business.  The mac'n cheese was sub par, a little dry and something that even my cooking can top (I say this modestly), but the greens were awesomely pungent, perfect with a splash of vinegar.  The chicken!!!  This was the highlight for sure.  Fried crispy, yet juicy when you pull it apart and slather it with hot sauce.  FANTASTIC!  Accompanying the meal was a slab of airy cornbread that was refreshingly different.


Ian's meal was nearly identical to mine, only he went with the baked beans instead of greens.  I guess 'it's hard to make beans exciting (at least while you are eating them), so the highlight for him was also the chicken.  He felt the same about the mac'n cheese.

Brad decided on jumbo chicken wings, meatloaf, green beans and collard greens, with a house salad on the side.  He enjoyed the greens and mentioned the salad was actually pretty good as well.  Little was said about the green beans (our server told it is was the only item on the menu that is not made fresh from scratch - ie. it's from a can) and he considered the chicken a typical chicken wing, just big in size.  The meatloaf had too much ketchup plopped over it, but the meat was moist, if not a little on the bland side.
 

Bob enjoyed a hulking plate of ultra tender roast beef with a side of fried corn and mashed potatoes (with lumps...  nice!) all smothered in homemade gravy.  Honestly, I think he was the winner this day.  He left with a huge smile on his faceHe thoroughly enjoyed his massive meal, though he ended up groaning in pain for most of the afternoon.  





As a place for soul food, Kountry Kitchen really does deliver.  I think we created so much hype for ourselves that we were slightly let down by how simple the food was.  But soul food IS SIMPLE food, and after reflecting I do believe we got what we were looking for.  I would go back for the chicken alone. 


The Scale:
  Ian: Meal: 7, Experience: 8
  Bryan:  Meal: 8, Experience: 8.5
  Brad: Meal: 7, Experience: 9
  Bob: Meal: 9, Experience: 9