Butters Soul Food To Go

WHEN THE four-generations-old Young's Candy store was shuttered more than two years ago, it seemed that the 2800 block of Girard Avenue had lost some of its spirit, if not sweetness. And that loss had been preceded by Miss Shirley's passing - she was known for her soul food take-out a few doors down.

Happily, over the past few years, Butters Soul Food To Go has seemed to be putting back some of the flavor and vibrancy in the neighborhood. In fact, chef/owner Kevin Bell once worked for Miss Shirley and took over her storefront to start Butters in 2005. A tribute to her graces the wall.

Each entree comes with two sides, or you can order sides a la carte ($2.75 - $4.25 per container). Any of them would make a welcome addition to a party or buffet table. There are also fresh salads that include Macaroni, Tuna or Potato ($2.75). We sampled the potato and enjoyed the hint of mustard on the obviously freshly cooked red-bliss spuds.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Daily entrees include over a dozen choices, although, sometimes, you have to wait for certain dishes to be done. It's OK. It means they are freshly made.

The Fried Chicken ($7.50 - $9.50, depending on your choice of wing, leg or breast) was first on my list.

The leg was fried to perfection. No greasy aftertaste and the meat was extraordinarily tender. Bell confirmed that the meat had been marinated to achieve that tenderness. It gets a good stretch in hot sauce and seasonings.

The Fried Catfish ($8.50) also demonstrated that Butters knows its way around the fryer. The fish was surrounded by a nicely seasoned, light crust.

We found the Short Ribs ($11.50) to be the only disappointment. They were slightly tough and the white gravy didn't match the beef.

But, what was missing in the short ribs, the BBQ Pork Ribs ($10.50) more than made up for the shortfall.

These were succulent, falling off the bone with a bit of sweet and smoke.

Ideal for sharing, the Baked Turkey Wings with Gravy ($8.50) were tender, and they were smothered in gravy. Be warned, though: Butters has a heavy hand with the salt.

On to the sides, because you'll have choices to make.

My favorite was the Steamed Cabbage. I think this is an often overlooked vegetable. Properly cooked, cabbage can be delicate - just as this was.

Bell adds a subtle seasoning and a little hit of olive oil.

A close second to the cabbage were the String Beans. It may be fashionable to have barely cooked, crunchy beans, but there's a place for the slowly simmered fork-tender vegetable.

Again, in this day and age of local and fresh it seems out of fashion to herald the Corn, Okra and Tomato dish that certainly didn't have an heirloom farmer's pedigree. Still, canned and frozen vegetables properly handled can suit the winter harvest just fine.

The Greens were, however, fresh and had just enough juice to slop over the cornbread that comes with the meal. A hit of good hot sauce and that could be a meal.

It's not comfort food without some carbohydrates.

Of course, my favorite Mac and Cheese will always be my grandmother's - dense and gooey. But, there is also a case to be made for Bell's Mac which is light and reminiscent of a souffle.

The Candied Yams, Black-eye Peas and Rice, and Mashed Potatoes were all hearty examples of making your calories worth it.

Finally, the Cornbread Stuffing was a fluffy mix that sopped up the gravy.

I'm not so much a cornbread fan, but this stuffing could turn me around.

Bell's mother makes the desserts, and they do have the mom touch.

The Sweet Potato Pie ($1.75 a slice) is so dense, it's almost as if you are eating dried fruit. While the crust isn't homemade, you don't really notice.

We also sampled the Lemon Cake ($2.75 slice), which was nice, airy and thick with sweet frosting. Both pair well with a good strong cup of coffee to cut the sweetness.

And while on the subject of beverages, Butters' sweet tea has a reputation for being the real deal. Unfortunately, the tea was missing from the order. An oversight I'm willing to forgive and, anyway, it gave us the opportunity to open up a zinfandel that paired well with the range of spice and flavor of the foods. The residual sugar and tannins worked with the sweet, the creamy and even the bitter greens. *