Since my wife moved her women’s group to meeting on Thursday evenings, I’ve been taking that opportunity to try places that might not intrigue her as much as they do me.  Soul food restaurants generally fall into that category, as she tries to eat healthy and the places that I usually go for fried chicken do not fit that plan well.  I had read about Roc South Cuisine in an article about fried chicken in the ATL and I headed to Buford Highway to check it out.

When I pulled into the parking lot, and saw the valet stand, I realized this was not the cinder-block-wall, meat-and-three I was expecting.  Maybe it’s because it was at the Buckhead end of Buford Highway <g>. 

This was definitely the most bougie soul food restaurant I’ve ever been to.  I started with their jasmine rice seafood gumbo,

with chicken and beef sausages and shrimp and crab and I don’t know what all.  This was one of the best gumbos that I’ve ever tasted.  Full of the flavors of the sea, yet not fishy.  And  I ordered the fried chicken for dinner,

with macaroni and cheese and candied yams.  The chicken was covered in a honey hot sauce and was good, but not great.  The yams were more savory than sweet and the mac and cheese was fine.  But the dinner was way overshadowed by the gumbo. 

There were downsides – it was pricey (the meal, with no beverage, topped $50.00, thanks to an automatic 18% gratuity – which I often see as a disincentive to good service – it was tonight) and a two hour table limit – which never concerns me.  I’m rarely at a restaurant more than 60 minutes, if the food arrives quickly.  But that gumbo?