Her Name Was Special, So Was The Food.

The best part about exploring and throwing caution into the wind is the fact that you will find the best places merely by taking a chance or by what would be described as total accident. That was the result of the drive Christine & I took on Saturday and Gloria's Soul Food, along East Main Street, was our accident.

After working up a sweat losing to Christine (again) on the tennis court, we hit the ground running scavenging the Memorial Day weekend barrage of yard sales and various bicycle shops in hopes of finding a decent set of leisure wheels for summer cruising. Around mid afternoon we found ourselves on Columbus' Near East Side. This area has some great history and architecture, but unfortunately portions of the neighborhoods have fallen into unsatisfactory condition. Working up an appetite from playing tennis and searching yard sales, we set out to find some grub.

Riding along East Main Street we decided to assist in what looked to be a new venture, Gloria's Soul Food, as their "Grand Opening" banner swayed in the wind just below the main sign along the top of their building. Now many people would be turned off if a place wasn't easy on the eyes or didn't give you that feeling of "come on it, we'll take care of you", but looks can be deceiving as we all know. I mean no disrespect, but Gloria's had just recently opened and was still working on getting their eatery up to par. The place at the corner of East Main and Berkeley Road needs more than just a little TLC. They know it, but looking pretty will only get you so far. That's the phrase they pride on.

Step inside and you can see the remnants of previous establishments that once inhabited the place (a little character never hurt anyone) . You arrive at the counter and find a wide range of meat dishes, soul food staples and house specialties. Once you select your cuisine you take a seat and wait for your meal to arrive. Waiting for our food and talking with the wife of the cook/owner we discover that Gloria was the late mother of the chef. The chef had always wanted to open a place of his own in her honor. Now Special, the wife of the cook and, yes, that was her name (though it could have been a nickname), tells us that they had been open for about four weeks and had seen a steady flow of customers. Though with it being Memorial Day weekend many people were grilling or just enjoying the unofficial start to summer which meant Gloria's crowd was a little thinner than usual.

She apologized for it being a bit humid inside the dining area as she detailed that they didn't find out until after renting the place that the copper pipes connecting the air conditioner had been removed. It was slightly humid, but not enough to deter anyone from enjoying themselves. Besides Gloria's was about the food, not the atmosphere. For example, your choice of beverage came in a can chosen from the refrigerator sitting behind the counter. It was the type of sliding glass door fridge normally seen at the beverage aisle at your local convenient store. Your choice of condiments came in the same container you would find in a grocery store for such things as ketchup, mustard, relish and others. You had to request them. They were not at your table and there were only so many of them to go around. This, Special says, are how they keep their prices affordable and their costs down. The food is the key, not the amenities. The interior needs work, but you are greeted with pictures of Gloria and family photos of Special, her husband (the cook) and their daughter.

For our meal I order the smoked turkey leg with a pair of sides: mac & cheese and fried okra. Christine went a bit more adventurous by selecting the "House Special" chicken (two pieces) and a pair of sides: collard greens and potato salad. We had to wait a little while for the food, but it wasn't a ridiculous amount of time. We enjoyed ourselves by taking in the unique scenery. When our orders arrived Special made it a point saying she was sorry for the wait, but wanted her clientele to understand that they are not a fast food operation. In her words, "We fry when you buy." In a nutshell, whatever you order is made when you order it...and isn't sitting waiting to be revived in a microwave or wilting under a heat lamp. The food is fixed when you request it. That's a good thing folks.

The food is not for the full-on health conscious. This was soul food cooked the way it was meant to be. The kind that would make your arteries wave the white flag and surrender. My turkey leg was a nice size, savory, fall off the bone, slightly crunchy on the outside and full of that great smoky flavor. The fried okra had a wonderful crunching coating, but still had that okra tang on the inside. It wasn't over done. The mac & cheese was buttery with enough cheese to satisfy most fans of this childhood staple.

The "House Special" Christine ordered was rather unique. This was chicken that was fried, then barbecued and smothered with gravy. Just reading the description would make your heart skip a beat. Special assured us that it may not sound appetizing, but it was something we wouldn't regret trying. And, of course, she was right. All the flavors intermingled well and it came across robust & juicy. Both of us were taken back at how different, yet well conceived, Gloria's "House Special" was. This is something you have to try in order to understand it. Aside from that, Christine's collard greens were tender and bathed in a broth with a great ham flavor. The mustard-based potato salad was chunky and tasty, no complaints here.

Remember Special's details on what they do in order to keep prices to a minimum? Well that was obvious as our bill arrived. In all we had two entrees (one being the House Special), a pair of sides for each of us and two drinks (along with complimentary water). The grand total came to: $13.50. That was it! No more, no less and I nearly fell out of my chair. And the food was absolutely great!

Sure, Gloria's may not be easy on the eyes (inside or out) and they could use some sprucing up here and there. But if you are looking for good food at a price almost anyone can afford, you need to look no further. You can even order take out (which a few of our fellow patrons did), if you have the patience to wait for it. For those of you who want to eat healthy, this may not be the place for you. I know I definitely could not eat there on a regular basis, but it is a wonderful place when it comes to time to let your guard down and splurge.

You may drive by and thumb your nose up at what you see or have reservations about the neighborhood, but you would be missing out on a great chance to meet some "real" people who know how to cook and treat their customers with respect. If you would like to create your own Gloria's adventure you can find them at 1615 East Main at the Berkeley Road intersection (two blocks east of Kelton Avenue). You can also contact them at: (614) 252-3580.

Respect never tasted so good.

Food Justice: Take A Bite Out Of Culinary Crime!

You will not find any super heroes here or at least find anyone wearing a cape and possessing extraordinary powers. Though, you will find people spreading the word that what you are eating may be contributing to the destruction of your well-being. Their weapon of choice: educating the public that you don't have to be vegan or vegetarian to get the benefits out of your food. Rather, you just need to understand what you should be eating...and why.

That, my friend, is what they call “food justice”. This is the premise that places how and what a community eats squarely in the context of community building and social change. One of the groups heading this movement is Columbus' own Greener Grocer. On their web site the grocer explains that it, "...is built as a Social Enterprise model". "Um...what?” you might say. Well they go on to explain that they, "...are a business that was formed to generate social value, not just to generate profits. Social value is created when dollars and programs are combined in a creative way to generate improvements in the lives of individuals and the community as a whole. Make money by doing good." Hence: be profitable by offering local food, produced by local people.

The Greener Grocer: http://www.thegreenergrocer.com/

That is the for-profit portion. The main cog is the non-profit sector of The Greener Grocer. This falls into the hands of Local Matters. They play a vital role in ensuring that the entire community of central Ohio has easy access to local, healthy food. No, you don't have to eat like a rabbit and be a so-called "tree hugger" to understand the organization's drive. Trust me; I'm not hugging any trees (the bark tends to chafe a bit too much for my taste). Nor do I eat like a rabbit. Unless those cute, furry little guys have suddenly become ravenous carnivores (I smell a screen play on the horizon!). Although they do believe that locally grown and healthy food has the power to transform, sustain and build community in Central Ohio.

Local Matters: http://www.local-matters.org/

Yes, you CAN eat meat. No is saying "you can't" or "you shouldn't". There aren't any food Nazis here. They just want you to be wary of how much meat and processed food stuffs you scarf down. Local Matters believes, "...they can harness the power of healthy food as an important key to community change." They go on to say that, "Just as healthy food nourishes the individual’s body and soul to create health and well being, so it is capable of nourishing and transforming the neighborhoods we inhabit into healthy communities by affecting systemic social, economic and environmental change our region."

For instance, many underserved neighborhoods either don't have the access to the sorts of locally grown foods they need or are unaware of the importance such foods are to their well-being and the lives of their children. If parents understood the benefits and how easy it is to create a healthy lifestyle, imagine the change that could take place in our children. You know those whom we will be determining our future. (I know....details, details, details)

One of the programs Local Matters has that is geared toward aiding this process is the Veggie Van. This "Mobile Farm Market", which began last fall, distributes locally grown, fresh and nutritious foods in underserved communities. The van makes two hour, predetermined stops in various neighborhoods. Last year the van and its band of food justice defenders hit a handful of neighborhoods each week. This year its popularity is bursting at the seams with 36 locations wanting the Veggie Van to spread its good food will all over the Columbus and Central Ohio. They plan to conduct demonstrations and educate the public on how they, too, can be good stewards of our future by growing their own food or buying locally grown food.

The Veggie Van: http://www.thegreenergrocer.com/content/veggie-van

There is a cost that comes with the food the Veggie Van peddles, but you can expect it to be a bit more reasonable than what you may find at your typical grocer. Also, the Van is equipped to accept EBT cards (Food Stamps) in addition to credit cards and cash payments and follows through on Local Matters mission of addressing food justice in our community. Again, no super heroes needed. Just a group of people with the drive to educate the public on the power of fruits and vegetables.

Local Matters, and The Greener Grocer, assist the local community and economy by offering products that come from Columbus-area farms. Even the dollars you spend at The Greener Grocer on their goods and services allow them to subsidize the Veggie Van, donate healthy items to local food pantries and support local farmers by paying them a fair price for their goods.

Folks, farming is still a major part of our economy. They, like you and I, are working hard to be successful in Central Ohio. It isn't easy by any means, but they love (and trust) in what they do. If you haven't taken a look at your local farms, you should. You will get a better idea of where your food comes from and how important it is to sustain yourself as well as local farmers. You can do this by taking that extra step and contacting one of our area agriculture experts. If you don't know how to find a local farmer, I'll give you a little help. The Wayward Seed Farm (in Marysville) is an operation run by Adam Welly & Jaime Moore, good friends of mine. You don't necessarily have to purchase anything from them, but use them as a source for answers on local farming, local food and how they arrived to where they are today. Though, be careful....it is hard for Adam to slow down once you get him started!

The Wayward Seed Farm: http://www.waywardseed.com/

Having grown up in agriculture rich Southern Ohio, and coming from a farming family, I think I may have had this knowledge fed to me from the start without really knowing what it meant. And I am better for it. I'm smart enough to understand that.

No one is saying you shouldn't eat out, you shouldn't eat meat or you should drastically change your approach to food. You can even indulge every now and then. But what they are trying to do is to get you to think more about what you eat and what you put in front of your children. Go ahead, you can be finicky. Just be finicky about where your food comes from, what it is made of and how much of it you eat. You can even expand your horizons. For example: what fruits and veggies haven't you tried? There are thousands of ways to fix various veggies that ACTUALLY taste great. You just need to do some research and experiment. Your body, and children, will thank you for it in the long run.

Food Justice - taking a bite out of culinary crime one plate at a time!