Why go: Soul-food joints abound, but none is as appealing as this bustling operation, a joint effort of friends Indiah Wilson and Oji Abbott. For all the heft of the portions, this is detail-driven cooking—from the blend of spices in the fried chicken to the creamy softness of the mac and cheese.
What to get: Definitive Southern-fried chicken (almost exclusively meaty wings); collard greens; the mac and cheese of your dreams; pounded breast of turkey slathered with Cajun seasonings and deep-fried; egg-fortified sweet potatoes.
Best for: Late-night refueling; a quick dinner.
Insider tip: After midnight on weekends, there’s chicken and waffles—a glorious way to split the difference between dinner and breakfast.
Open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner.
>> See all 2009 Cheap Eats restaurants here
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
