STEPHANIE'S II - GREENSBORO, NC

Every so often we find that one diamond-in-the-rough that turns out to be one of our favorite places. This weekend we found Stephanie’s II in Greensboro, NC. Stephanie’s II is home cooking done well. Just really good food without any frills or fanfare.  

The location is nothing to write home about. The building has seen better days and the inside isn’t going to win any decorating awards.  The tables and chairs are well worn and if you’re looking for luxury you will not find it here. It’s seen better times but with the first bite you really don’t care much.

We started with the Fried Chicken Wing appetizer. According to the menu they use Granny’s secret recipe to prepare three whole jumbo wings, fried to golden brown and served in a basket with celery sticks and ranch dressing. It was $5.99 or an order, $8.99 for a double order. Big Daddy and I both agreed that we could have eaten the fried chicken wings for days and I’m still kicking myself for not ordering a to-go order. Right now, hands down, Stephanie’s II has won the trophy for the best damn fried chicken since my own grandmother’s and Big Daddy’s mama fried chicken for us. It was that good! The ranch dressing is also homemade and some of the best I've ever tasted. This was truly a winning combination.

We were both in a fish dinner kind of mood so Big Daddy ordered a two-piece Fried Whiting Fillet with their world famous Macaroni and Cheese, Cream Potatoes and hush puppies. I ordered the two-piece Catfish with Collard Greens, Pinto Beans and cornbread. We washed it all down with Sweet Tea. Stephanie’s II makes real sweet tea, slow brewed with plenty of sugar. That in itself was a plus for me.

So where do I start? The whiting was much better than the catfish. Fried to a beautiful brown, it was seasoned to perfection. The portions were oversized and one-piece would have been sufficient. The macaroni and cheese was melt-in-your mouth perfection, creamy and homemade good. The potatoes weren’t spectacular but then I’m not a mashed potato fan like Big Daddy. The catfish was just okay for me. It was heavily peppered and I’m not sure why. Although I would order it again if necessary I would definitely order the whitefish first. Now, the cook(s) are truly Southern. The collard greens and pinto beans both were cooked with a hint of sugar. I’m not a fan of sweet pinto beans. I don’t mind it in the collard greens. I think the sweet takes away from the pintos so I didn’t finish them but the greens were nicely cooked and I enjoyed them. I would order the greens again. I also loved the cornbread. And that’s loved with a capital L! 

They have an impressive list of famous faces who've graced their dining room, including our illustrious President, Barack Obama. Not too shabby for a mom and pop hole in the wall! Stephanie’s II has a diverse menu of home cooked goodness that will not disappoint.

The whole meal was immensely satisfying. The portions were excellent and as my father would say, the chef put his foot in that meal! We’re already planning our next trip and my mouth is watering thinking about the Fried Pork Chop Dinner, and the BBQ Ribs, and of course, the Fried Chicken. And this time I will not leave without trying the Sweet Potato Cobbler!