Soul food can soothe ails of broken-hearted

Published: Friday, May 1, 1998

Friday, May 1, 1998

RESTAURANT: Country kitchen offers L.A. diners cozy, cafeteria-style meal

By Vanessa VanderZanden

Daily Bruin Staff

It lies in the midst of a strip mall, between a sterile yuppie cafe and an unwelcoming Koo Koo Roo, like an oasis of comfort. Hiding tight in the corner, only a mini wooden porch stoop with an antique rocking chair visible to passers-by. However, once diners cross the threshold to Aunt Kizzy's Back Porch, the recollection of the smoggy world outside disappears.

Located in Marina del Rey, Aunt Kizzy's Back Porch has been serving hungry customers for the past 12 years. Every night the homey soul food restaurant provides live blues entertainment via the small keyboard setup at the front of the establishment. As patrons listen to the performer wail about being mistreated in love, they have plenty of atmosphere to take in.

Half of the cozy complex lies under a corrugated metal roof, covering a raised, rickety faux-side porch. Fake plants creep across the front wall, giving it the fertile feeling of a lush bayou. Meanwhile, an array of broken-down antiques, like cracked washboards and rusty tea kettles, clutter a shelf that wraps around the entire space.

Glass cabinets bearing more knick-knacks of yesteryear jut out of the walls, just above diners' heads. Autographed photos of celebrities ranging from Eddie Murphy to Gregory Hines coat every square inch of leftover space. And at the back end, a small cafeteria windowed nook exposes the chef and his work.

However, the cook's duties mostly involve scooping the pre-made menu items onto customers' plates. Though this method results in less than gourmet cuisine, it allows for fast service and hearty down-home cookin' with little room for improvement. After all, it is a paper napkin sort of a joint.

The meal begins with a choice of bottomless lemonade, iced tea or soda. And while the lemonade ($1.50) comes from a can, and the iced tea ($0.95) is probably Lipton, both are refreshing. Served in jelly jars for effect, the beverages are fun to sip.

Two baby muffins of corn bread accompany these treats. Though a little dry and served without honey, the morsels satisfy. For a quick service place, the bread is at least warm and soft.

The main courses arrive soon after a difficult perusal of the menu. The entree options range from sausage and chicken jambalaya to ribs, pork chops or meat loaf, with every dinner including a choice of two side vegetables. The fast, friendly servers have the food on the table within five minutes of ordering.

As it can be hard to find chicken and dumplings at just any restaurant, it seems appropriate to order them at Aunt Kizzy's. For $10.95, the unusual dish involves strips of dough clinging to stringy portions of rare cooked chicken in a thin yellow cajun broth. Flavorful but not spicy, the well-seasoned meal may have customers spitting out pieces of bone and cartilage. But in this setting, it seems only appropriate.

The strangely pleasing, sloppy stew receives an extra kick when treated with any one of the table sauces placed by the standard salt, pepper and ketchup bottles. The Country Kitchen Hot Sauce, with a red pepper base, proves zesty without ruining the meals' own seasonings. The other spicy concoctions include a Red Rooster flavoring, tabasco sauce and an unusual jar of thumbnail-sized light green peppers in vinegar.

A nice vegetable complement to the runny concoction comes from the steamed collards and black-eyed peas. While the collards remain almost imperceptibly sweet, they maintain a crisp form, being neither undercooked nor overcooked. Likewise, the black-eyed peas, which are actually more like legumes, come in a bland gravy which offsets the meal nicely.

Aunt Kizzy's fried chicken ($10.95) has customers smacking their lips as well. The juicy meat comes embedded in zesty, crispy skin which crackles with each bite. The lumpless gravy, coating the accompanying portion of smooth mashed potatoes, adds a filling, lackadaisical delight.

Creamed corn and steamed vegetables complete the palate. While the broccoli, carrots and cauliflower mix nicely with the spillage of gravy, they take on an irresistible quality often unknown to the vegetable world. Likewise, the creamed corn melts in the mouth, sweet and light without feeling stewy.

And, though the meal will sit heavy on the belly, dessert can not be avoided. Not when the choices include sweet potato pie, pecan pie and sock-it-to-me cake, to name a few. Priced reasonably at $2.50 each, the inclusion of dessert is a must.

One concoction, the peach cobbler, proves a decadent selection. Spiced with nutmeg, the tiny bowl of candied peaches revel in a thick, gooey sauce alongside a flaky pastry breading. Though absolutely dunked in the mellifluous peach portion, the pastry escapes sogginess.

Though the entire meal, with beverage, entree, dessert, tax and tip borders unexpectedly on $20, the large serving portions somewhat negate the cost. Still, for a cafeteria-style cuisine, some may say the bill is a bit steep. However, where else can one go to chew on dumplings in a cozy setting, while listening to the harmonious sounds of the blues?