Saturday, December 5, 2009

Mama Nems' Soul Food: Mama Not-So-Bad


Just off Kirkman Road North is Mama Nems'. Or Mama Not-so-bad (read on and find out why). A few people had recommended this place a while back and I decided to check it out one fine afternoon last week. I had envisioned this place as being a rather old, bustling local diner circa 1970's with green linoleum flooring. In reality, it was quite a surprise to see this place with modest-yet-tasteful decor and generous lighting. However, there were no expectations in this aspect and I would have been fine with either situation.

I did have an expectation for good soul food. And nothing, and I mean it, NOTHING in my opinion is better to prove if the joint has soul than if the collard greens are worth selling your first born for a bowl of goodness. I ordered it right away. When they came out, they looked fine. The collards had retained their wonderful shade of green and the steam from the bowl wafted lasciviously around my head. However, Mama was disappointed in the taste- I wanted to go into the kitchen and tell her to use ham hocks rather than turkey for that feel-good flavor. The greens were a tad salty and I wish they were rendered further to a less-chewy consistency. So, I didn't feel the need to sign away my future child for it. B- , Mama.

Moving on to some fried green tomatoes, lima beans, mac-n-cheese (or Cheese and Mac as they call it probably for litigious reasons). The tomatoes were scalding hot which were great (exceptionally hot food = plated food came straight from the kitchen to your table. No I-4 traffic jam/stalling along the way). The rest of the sides were flavorful and decent. Mama, you get a B+ for this round.

The second test of good soul food is cornbread. One word- disintegratable. This Jiffy Cornbread Mix probably was tweaked in the wrong direction- it broke apart so easily that I had difficulty even tasting it before it landed everywhere except my mouth. Mama, you cut corners here. You get an F-.

The third test- Fried Chicken. It was delightful. Not too salty, perfectly cooked to crispy oh-my-g*d-my-arteries-just-screamed-but-I-don't-care goodness. This is probably the best fried chicken I've had in Orlando so far. Mama needs to enlighten me on a few chicken cooking secrets... either that or just mail me a box of that yum-yum every weekend. A-.

The waiter that greeted us was professional, honest, and above all, there to serve. His service was quick and well received. He brought a few slices of fresh pineapple with our meal that perfectly finished the main course on a sweet note. I especially enjoyed this smart and simple culinary touch.

IN A NUTSHELL- Good, but I didn't leave feeling the urge to revisit Mama soon. I did leave feeling satiated- and that's important for soul food. Final score? Mama's not so bad. If you go, try their fried chicken and 2 sides deal for a good (and cheap) bite. Hopefully, Mama will read this and take a hint on the cornbread.
Mama Nems' Soul Food on Urbanspoon

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