Music to my stomach

Damon Hodge

Hungry as a hostage and bracketed by the tent-covered outposts of nearly 20 restaurants, I decide to embark on a soul-food version of Joel Robuchon's famous 16-course tasting menu.

The plan: Eat beef brisket from H&H, chicken from M&Ms and catfish from Seven Seas, then grub from other restaurants.

"Hey, what's that?" I say to a friend. "Barbecue crab? Where'd you get it? I'm there." There: "Excuse me, what's the name of your restaurant?" "Jesus is the Answer."

"That's the name of your restaurant?" "We don't have a restaurant, we're a church."

"Okay. I hear the barbecue crab is the bomb ... [sample a piece] ... I'll take a pound." It smells so good out here.

Four courses down; umpteen to go. Oh, the choices—chitterlings, po' boys, mac and cheese, red velvet cake, hot links, ribs, greens, peach cobbler, yams, gumbo, banana pudding, pulled pork, dirty rice, funnel cake, black-eyed peas. The entertainment's poppin'. Dude on the stage can blow; sounds kinda like Rick James. Look at the old couples get their dance on. I'm eating and singing at the same time. Never do make all 16, but that's okay. What a cool vibe: young and old, the dapper and dressed-down, a Crayola box of skin tones, everybody united by their love of soul food.

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