Beans and Cornbread is a restaurant specializing in southern cuisine in Southfield.
Pros:
- Atmosphere
- Music
- Unique dishes
- Affordable
Cons:
- Dishes hit or miss
- Located in plaza
- Limited parking
Atmosphere
Beans and Cornbread is located off of Northwestern Highway in a plaza storefront, so it is somewhat small. It is, however, laid out with booths and full-size wooden tables to take advantage of its limited space. It is decorated in yellows, blues and greens with a brightly colored mural over the kitchen at the back of the restaurant, and jazz music forms a backdrop to the dining experience. There is also a martini and wine bar next door.
Food:
A basket filled with tiny, sweet-potato muffins – a definite favorite -- and traditional corn cakes gives the diner a great first impression. The menu itself is loaded with soul food favorites, such as Salmon Croquettes, Down Home Chicken Wings, Collard Greens and Fried Catfish Fingers.
The Louisiana Gumbo was loaded with big chunks of chicken, sausage and rice. In fact, it was substantial enough to be a meal and a good choice for those who don’t like their gumbo spicy hot.
Chicken Wings and Waffles was the daily special. The dish included three, enormous chicken wings with drummettes, so there was plenty of white meat. The chicken was traditionally fried and literally dripping with grease – the secret ingredient in fried chicken as far as I’m concerned. The inclusion of the waffles, however, was something of a head scratcher. Apparently a twist on a potato for starch, the two, small waffles were an afterthought on the plate. They tasted reheated and were heavy, mushy and unappetizing.
The Barbeque Rib Tips dish was something of a surprise. The portion was large, but the dish consisted of cross-wise sections of a large rib, meaning that each thick slice had a round chuck of bone in the center surrounded by a round section of gristle and sometimes very tough meat. If nothing else, it was hard to eat. There was little solid bone to grab onto with your fingers and a fork wouldn’t do to search through the slice for edible meat.
While the food was somewhat hit and miss, it was certainly a good value in terms of price and portion.
Service:
The service was prompt, friendly and efficient.
