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The Backyard Cafe
"He builds a good lunch, don't he?"
I overheard this sitting at lunch today, as a man walked past me laughing, his tray loaded down with ribs, cornbread, turnip greens, sweet iced tea and a big bowl of banana pudding. I picked up the last rib left on my plate, and had to agree.
If you are really hungry, if you want some of best Southern food Mobile's got to offer, get on over the Backyard Cafe on Springill Avenue, in Creighton.
The food's served luncheon style. Pick up your tray and silverware at the end of the counter, and walk down the line. Chat with the ladies behind the counter as they hand your food over with a smile. Ribs, catfish, flounder, lasagna, salisbury steak and beef tips are some of your choices for entrees, and you can follow it up with macaroni and cheese casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, rice, turnip greens, black eyed peas, red beans and rice or green beans. Get a roll or a piece of cornbread and you're ready to go... but don't forget the sweet tea and banana pudding.
I mean it! Get the banana pudding!
The South has a tradition of excellent ribs to uphold, and someone must've taught Kendall right. His ribs are amazing. The Backyard Grill is right across the street from where I work, and I smell ribs cooking all morning long. It's maddening. I'll take these over Dreamland's or The Brick Pit's any day. They are just right, smoky and tangy, the meat almost melting off the bone, and when the lady behind the counter puts 'em on your plate, she ain't stingy.
This place is no trendy theme restaurant. It's not part of a chain, there's no hostess and no muzak playing in the background. There are no TV's up in the corner. There are, however, friendly people, clean tables, a dining room full of sunlight and people talking and laughing, and most of all eating good, honest-to-God Southern cookin'. This is the kind of place you can say grace before your meal and not have some yuppy or college student look at you like you're mad.
I try to get over here once a week or so. I usually get the catfish, and almost always get some turnip greens and cornbread. I think it's starting to put the pounds on me, but I can just see my grandma telling me I needed some fattening up anyway. My little brother can stick with his nutrition shakes and workouts. If I need fattening up, this is how I wanna do it.
Catfish, hush-puppies, cornbread, collard greens, macaroni & cheese casserole, sweet tea and banana pudding. Hot peppers in vinegar mandatory.
So let's give a shout out to Kendall for bringing this place to us. Ya'll get over there and try it out, and if you want some of this food on your home turf, they do catering too. Check it out, it comes highly recommended.