While I was in New York, I was going to meet up with my friend R.A. He turned out to live a few blocks from where I was staying. We decided to meet up for dinner and he directed me to a food spot. I remember him telling me “It’s nothing fancy, but it has good food.” Now anyone that knows Piggy Pay, knows that she don’t care about fancy. Fancy schmancy. As long as the food is good, I basically don’t care if its a restaurant in a shoebox on the sidewalk.

R.A. told me to meet him at Spoonbread Too (Miss Maude’s). Indeed it wasn’t fancy but it was small and cozy and I felt comfortable there. After I complained about the corny christmas songs they had playing, Damian, our waiter that evening, put on a soul CD with classics from artists such as Curtis Mayfield. That really gave the restaurant even a better feel to me.

I couldn’t decide what to choose from the menu so Damian told me to get the sampler’s plate. So I did. Lord it was much but it was good. I got to taste something from almost every plate on the menu. Smothered chicken, spare ribs, shrimp, beef, cabbage, string beans, mashed potatoes, cornbread. I ate so much grease that evening I’m still wondering why I stay so skinny.

Don’t get me started on dessert. Again, I couldn’t choose any from the menu. I still plead for a sampler’s plate for the dessert menu haha. I went with two desserts (greedy piggy). Banana pudding (I love anything with banana) and, because R.A. and Damian insisted, the red velvet cake. (Let me not get into the funny discussion we got over chemicals and hormones in foods…lol.) Oooh how I loved my desserts. I ate so much for my main course that I tasted my desserts and took the rest home in a doggy bag. Shout out to Damian for putting extra banana pudding in the bag.

My experience at this small, not so fancy, but great restaurant was excellent. Great service, great food, great music. And in my case, great company as well. I can definitely recommend people to stop by there if you’re ever in the area.

Miss Maude’s Spoonbread Too
547 Lenox Ave between 137th & 138th St. in Harlem, New York.