Aunt Kizzy's Backporch - Southern/Soul Food - Marina Del Rey, CA

Soul food and Southern style cooking has always had a special place in my heart...err, I mean stomach. There's something about that style of cooking that just speaks to my soul...must be how the food got the name. While i've never been to the deep south (other than just passing through during the drive out west from Baltimore) and experienced real, in it's element, southern cooking, I can only assume that it is as good or better than what i've experienced at the random soul food restaurants I have been to over the years. Regardless of my inexperience, I love it none-the-less and Aunt Kizzy's definitely fits the bill...

For almost every style of food that I have had, I usually have a standard dish that I like to order when trying a new restaurant. Having a standard dish gives me a frame of measure for the food that the resaurant makes...a yardstick if you will. For Southern Style food, that yardstick for me is fried chicken...there's nothin that speaks to the soul better than some good friend chicken. And Aunt Kizzy didn't dissapoint.

Wait, we need to back up for a second...i'm getting ahead of myself. Before the entrees, I HAVE to point out one thing...the cornbread muffins. First off, I love bread as a pre-meal appetizer, but I absolutely LOVE good cornbread. And Aunt Kizzy's corbread muffins are king. They're the perfect balance of sweet, moist and chewy. Absolutely delicious. Good thing they only bring a few out at a time as I would surely keep eating them if given the chance. I could probably fill up on the muffins, call it night and be happy...they're that good. The only cornbread I like better is my wife's...and no i'm not saying that out of obligation...

Ok, back to the topic at hand....the entrees. Aunt Kizzy's has a good selection of southern dishes from Chicken & Dumplings to Pork Chops to Jambalaya to Short Ribs to Fried Catfish...the tantalizing list goes on and on. Everything on the menu sounds extremely appetizing, but as I said earlier...gotta stick with the yardstick. So Fried Chicken it was for me and man was I impressed. The Colonel ain't got nothin on Aunt Kizzy! Even Popeye himself is a weakling in the presence of Aunt Kizzy!

This fried chicken is battered and seasoned well then deep fried to perfection. The first bite into my leg was met with a nice crunch from the skin followed by a rush of flavor from the juicy meat inside. Fried chicken doesn't get much better than this. For sides, I got the Macaroni and Cheese, Mashed Potatoes (both also old stand-bys for me) and cornbread stuffing (did I mention I liked cornbread?). All served as the perfect accompanyment to the fried chicken. I was in heaven and my soul definitely wore a big grin at the end of this meal.

My wife, who accompanies me on most of my eating trysts, ordered the Deep Fried Catfish. For sides, she settled on the Collard Greens (she loves Collard Greens), Macaroni & Cheese, and white rice w/ gravy (must be the asian thing). I got to sample her catfish, and thought it was pretty decent. My wife on the other hand just thought it was "ok". She thought it was missing something...maybe lacking a little flavor. For me, it definitely was overshadowed by the Fried Chicken. Had I just had the Catfish by itself, my opinion may have been better but the chicken definitely skewed my taste buds. I guess another trip is in order just to try the catfish or some of the other dishes, but knowing how good the chicken is, it will be hard to order anthing else...

Aunt Kizzy's is rumored to be the best Southern Food in LA. Based on this experience, I wouldn't doubt it. The Fried Chicken alone is worth the drive from anywhere in the LA area....maybe even further. Just make sure to bring your appetite because the portions definitely don't disappoint...especially if you ask for more cornbread muffins.

Aunt Kizzy's Backporch
4325 Glencoe Avenue
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
(310) 578-1005
http://www.auntkizzys.com