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If it's Genuine, then it's the real thing

Bakery-cafe looks like a shop, but it tastes like home

IN ALL MY years of food writing, I have never encountered a place so aptly named. In fact, at Genuine Bread and Specialty Shoppe, on Springfield Avenue in University City, owner and chef Barbara Abel even asks her staff before the food goes out, "Is it genuine?"

Yes, indeed. It is genuine. For the most part, this is home cooking for retail. The creamy coleslaw with a hint of vinegar is a taste from "way back" when our family's vacation started with my grandmother packing fried chicken lunches for the roadside picnic tables (remember them?). Ditto the potato salad.

Genuine was the brain child of Abel's mother, Doris Truluck, 13 years ago.

At age 70, she realized there were a lot of seniors and not many affordable high quality meals around. Abel left her job as a financial analyst in Chicago to come home and bake, then cook as the business expanded.

Truluck still has her hand in, and on most days will greet you from her post at the door.

The breads, cakes and pies all have the home-cooked touch. These are what Abel calls "American" breads. They are not quite as crusty as European style, but a far cry from the supermarket sponge. The texture is perfect for sandwiches.

I bought a loaf of the cinnamon bread ($3.50) and made grilled peach crostini that got thumbs up at a brunch the next day. The light-as-air biscuits ($1 each) didn't make it past the second trolley stop.

Dinners are value-priced at $6.50 and come with two sides and a roll or cornbread. Meal service usually begins around 2 p.m. and goes until the food runs out.

Now, a Genuine customer has to understand a few things. Act like a guest in your favorite aunt's home and you'll be fine. Don't ask for substitutions and definitely don't ask for the salt shaker. Don't be impatient.

Part of the fun is the community that takes up residence on the sidewalk tables and chairs. You yak a bit to your neighbors and the time goes by until your order is up. If you want to keep the conversation going, by all means stay and eat.

If you want to have an inkling of what's on the menu - it changes daily and even sometimes on a whim - pick up a copy of the "Breadline," Genuine's monthly newsletter. You'll also get some homespun wisdom in the editorial.

Go on a Saturday when grill master Harry Abel is tending several grills in the alleyway. You know this is serious barbecue when you see that Abel carries the tools of his craft in a briefcase. Now that's a professional.

His apron proclaims, "King of the Grill" but when I asked him if he truly was the monarch he democratically replied, "I let the people decide how good the food is."

The people have spoken. Long live the King.

On a recent Saturday I tried the brisket, rib and fried chicken dinners. Harry Abel uses applewood or mesquite for long smoking. To my delight, the brisket had the telltale reddish ring of a long smoke and was tender and flavorful. My taster and I made a sandwich with the oversize roll that comes with the dinner, and garnished it with coleslaw ($2.50/pint) that you can pick up in the a la carte fridge.

Next up: the pork ribs, which were also accompanied by a big, luscious roll and seasoned rice. The meat was tender and succulent with just the right amount of sweetness in the sauce to highlight the smoke.

I wanted to also try the oxtails, but realizing there is much truth to the eyes being larger than one's stomach - and the hips even more so - I opted for the fried chicken.

There's nothing worse than fried chicken that's essentially a soggy biscuit with chicken in it. Sadly, that's the food chain norm. This, on the contrary, was much to my liking - pan fried with just a slim jacket of flour.

On Thursdays, Janice Trapp makes her signature shortbread and a rice pudding ($3/pint) that is more like a custard.

My only real disappointment was the peach pie ($3 for a small slice). It was so sweet you couldn't taste the fruit. The crust didn't have the flaky texture I expect.

On the other hand, the Lemon Cake ($3 for a large slice) was delightful. The cake was light and fluffy and soaked in real lemon juice to give it just the right amount of pucker.

My guess is, you'll genuinely like Genuine. *