Wow, what a pleasant surprise! Originally planned to go to Poke Express next door but totally forgot that they are closed on Wednesday so we decided to visit Ella Em for some soul food grub.
We were warmly greeted at the door by Victor who seated us right away. Entrees were a little bit on the high side ($9-15) yet still not too expensive considering you get 4 large sides including the corn bread. We also learned that lunch specials tend to run between $7-$9 and it comes with 2 sides. They also offer 10% military discount.
We ordered:
Pork chop - This reminds me of how we cook pork chop in the Philippines! Well seasoned and tasty.
Rice & gravy - Basic rice here, nothing to write home about. The gravy was nice and and you get to choose between chicken and beef gravy. Both were delicious, but I prefer the beef gravy. I would probably skip this next time and order another side in the future.
Collard greens - Not a big fan of collard greens in general but hubby said it was good (But he had better when he was in Mississippi).
Fried cabbage - DELICIOUS! Sooo homey and definitely a big hit for both of us and we licked that bowl off for sure! We should have ordered more of these.
Fried chicken (2 pcs) - Juicy and crispy! I love fried chicken cooked this way, lightly battered and seasoned with Granny's special seasoning.
Mashed potatoes - Tastes like how we make it at home. Between my husband and I we could have skipped it but my daughter will probably not like that cause it's her staple.
Yams - Soooo good. Sweet with a touch of cinammon!
Corn bread - I love their corn bread but it was waaay too tiny. You can order more for 50 cent a piece. Wish they would make it thicker.
All the food that came out were freshly made and the service was friendly, we felt like we're eating home cooked meal on Thanksgiving. The kitchen is super busy with several to-go orders and it was barely 4pm, but we never felt neglected by our server. We will be back to try their catfish, oxtail, and peach cobbler. Was it authentic? I possess no authority whatsoever on southern-style cooking, but my soul was definitely tickled with such a positive dining experience.