A taste of soul food

Is Minnesota ready for soul food? It seemed to be, judging from the long line Monday when Soul Daddy opened its doors at the Mall of America. The opening was the culmination of the nine-week TV reality show, "America's Next Great Restaurant," or as it's referred to on Twitter, #angr.

Anyone expecting a traditional taste of soul food will be in for a surprise since the premise of this restaurant is soul food with a twist -- a healthier, lighter version -- or as the subtext of the restaurant says, "new home cookin'." There's no mac-and-cheese or fried chicken on this menu. But there are ribs, pulled pork, baked chicken, biscuits and buns, albeit whole wheat ones.

Highlights:

Corn bread waffles. If these were what Jamawn Woods, winner of the reality show, was serving from his home catering business in Detroit, no wonder he had a following. Wouldn't mind those waffles for breakfast, should Soul Daddy want to open earlier.

Cheese grits. Very good, though I speak as someone who doesn't have a long history with grits. Other diners complained vigorously that the grits were too salty. Ash King, general manager, suggest these as the kids' meal version instead of mac-and-cheese.

Pulled pork sandwich with cole slaw: Very good, moist and flavorful, though the whole-wheat bun is no match for the bread Alex Roberts uses at Brasa in Minneapolis and St. Paul for his Caribbean-based dishes that include pulled pork.

Sweet potato salad: Think potato salad, but with the sweet variety. Served cold, with a vinaigrette dressing rather than mayo. The sweetness of the potatoes comes through. Great side dish.

Soul Daddy is located next to Tony Roma's and a few doors down from Famous Dave's. If you're going to compete with ribs, they better be good. Soul Daddy's were tender, spicy and served dry, with sauces to be added by the diner at the table. At $11.95, it's the most expensive item on the menu and the three ribs don't fit the "value" concept that Bobby Flay harped on. Other dishes range from $4.95 for a pulled pork sandwich to $8.95 for the pork, chicken or rib meals.

Despite the fact that much of the staff had had only a few days training, and some only a single day, service was smooth and swift, given the potential for chaos.