Powell's Place

511 Hayes, between Octavia & Laguna
Hayes Valley in S.F.

Soul Food:

a. Spiritual nourishment.

b. (U.S. Black Slang) food traditionally eaten by American Blacks, esp. foodstuffs originating in the states of the Southern U.S.

"Lord, bless this bread, bless this meat, And bless my stomach, 'cause I'm gonna eat."

I've been to Powell's Place three times, twice on a Sunday afternoon, once on a Sunday evening. Both afternoon meals were fantastic; the evening meal was awful.

Now, I realize the biggest meal on a Sunday should be right after church, in the early afternoon. Feed the soul, feed the body. If you go to Powell's after five o'clock on a Sunday, don't bother to stay. Get your fried chicken to go.

What can you expect when you go to Powell's? The service will be slow, the drinks will come last, and the food will not accommodate a low fat, low calorie, or vegetarian diet. Nonetheless, you are in for a real treat.

For atmosphere, you can't beat the juke box in front, the upright piano in back, and the occasional presence of the owner, the prominent leader of a great gospel choir. Pictures of famous black singers line the walls, and the music selection ranges from Louis Armstrong to Michael Jackson, with a heavy emphasis on Motown.

You will have to wait for your food (hence our experience with the juke box). The first dish you will see is a platter piled high with fresh-baked cornbread muffins, soaked in butter. These are heavenly, especially to a crowd of hungry dancers. Next come the main courses.

Powell's is famous for it's fried chicken - crisp on the outside, succulent and juicy on the inside, never leaving a telltale coating of grease on the tongue. You have your pick of light or dark meat - legs, breasts and wings.

For a lighter meal, I chose the chicken sandwich ($5.50). I got a fried chicken leg and breast, laid out on two slabs of store-bought whole wheat bread, with a side of potato salad. Never have I seen a such a sandwich. I ate the chicken with my fingers, and dipped the bread in one of the plentiful bowls of gravy. The gravy matched the stereotype of American gravy - thick, brown, warm, and salty, with chunks of mushrooms. It made a perfect alternative to butter on the bread.

There are other excellent dishes you might want to try. The cornmeal-battered catfish proved crunchy and delicious. The sauce for the pork ribs was especially good, spicy and sweet. If you order an entrée, you can choose at least two side dishes: mashed potatoes, collard greens, stewed corn, cole slaw, and potato salad. Be prepared for saltiness. Drinks come last and late.

Thankfully, Powell's provided a gigantic pile of paper napkins to handle the results of eating fried chicken. My favorite part of the meal, aside from the cornbread muffins, was the desserts.

Powell's offers individual pies, cooked in little round aluminum foil trays. Both the sweet potato pie and the lemon meringue were delicious - focus on the fillings rather than the crust. We left Powell's full and sleepy, with perhaps a little more appreciation for the "nothing fancy, just plain good." - Naomi Walenta, April 2001

Food: Two and a ½ stars

Service: ½ star

Price: $

Quick Stats:
Food: Two and a ½ stars
Service: ½ star
Price: $

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