We're never quite sure what to expect when down home Southern cuisine is billed as FINE dining. When we search out down home Southern cuisine we're looking for comfort food that feels like it came out of our ancestor's kitchens. We're usually not wanting fine china and linens. Recently we dined at SOUTHEN KITCHEN in Richmond, Virginia. It came highly recommended so we had high hopes.
SOUTHERN KITCHEN is a busy little spot at 1726 East Main Street and within minutes of the doors opening, a party of twenty was in full swing in a rear party space and a good many of the tables were occupied. The atmosphere was pleasant and although simplistic, there was an underlying warmth that was still reminiscent of home. Service was okay. Nothing exceptional. Our waitress was pleasant but didn't go out of her way to stand out.
SOUTHERN KITCHEN is a busy little spot at 1726 East Main Street and within minutes of the doors opening, a party of twenty was in full swing in a rear party space and a good many of the tables were occupied. The atmosphere was pleasant and although simplistic, there was an underlying warmth that was still reminiscent of home. Service was okay. Nothing exceptional. Our waitress was pleasant but didn't go out of her way to stand out.
They started the meal with corn bread. Hot from the oven, buttered corn bread! This was, by far, some of the best corn bread I've ever eaten. It was an explosion of texture and flavor that left me wanting more. I ate my piece, his piece, and ordered another piece it was so good. I ate it so fast I forgot to take a picture of it! I could eat the cornbread every day and be very happy. 
My guy ordered the Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, and the Collards. I opted for the Fried Catfish, Macaroni and Cheese and the Collards. The macaroni and cheese was really good. It reminded me of my grandmother's cheesy perfection. We both also enjoyed the greens. The chicken was well seasoned with a nice crust. It did not however win the award for Best Fried Chicken. I thought the fish, however, was exceptional. You could order one or two pieces and I definitely needed two. It came with a slice of a slice of Texas Toast which I could have easily done without. Cornbread would have been so much better. The greens and the mashed potatoes were basic; tasty but nothing overly special.
The sweet tea was blah! Definitely not sweet enough so that was a miss for us both, but all it all we would definitely eat here again. It was a good meal with nice portions. It's a bit pricey but since you have to pay for that FINE dining and the food wasn't bad, we really couldn't complain but so much.
It was two thumbs up for the both of us!
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