From Pascals to Pican, rolling out the red carpet on Dec. 31
Find oneself in Oakland for the end of the year, and there is still an option for succulent Southern food. Pican, at 2295 Broadway, has a four course prix fixe dinner with early and late seatings.
Party on the patio at Simply Wholesome in Los Angeles where the live reggae music begins in early afternoon at the health food store and restaurant at Slauson and Overhill.
There are party favors and champagne with the buffet at Jazz at Jacks in the Denver Pavilions at 500 16th St.
B. Smith's Union Station in Washington, D.C. has a five course New Years prix fixe dinner wtih an open bar and champagne toast at midnight from 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Doors open at 10 p.m. at Sylvia's for a New Year's Eve bash with the Queen of Soul Food at 328 Lenox Ave. in Harlem.
A good place to mark the passing of the year is Beans and Cornbread, for 14 years rated as Detroit's best soul food restaurant.
Of course, if your luck suggests that you really need the greens and black eyed peas, there are special holiday packages that can feed dozens from LaWans in Charlotte and Levi's in Mitchellville, MD.
It is all preparation for the second annual Black Restaurant Month in March, sponsored by BlackRestaurant.NET and ReUnion: Education-Arts-Heritage. Highlights include the 25th annual Black Cuisine Festival in San Francisco and the announcement of BlackRestaurant.NET's Top 500 Black Restaurants.
Say Grace and Wipe Yo' Hands... The BlackRestaurant.NET Guide to America's Black Restaurant is a new book that answers the age-old question: Where can I find a black restaurant? It is an exhaustive guide to the $6 billion industry.
Other to-go options include the 120 locations of Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery in nine states; the 57 sites of Williams Fried Chicken based in Dallas or the Chicago-area outlets of Harold's Chicken Shack.
Some of our other favorites include:
- Eagles Restaurant in Birmingham
- Daddy's in Miami
- Queenie's Louisville
- Cork Bar and Grill, LaLouisianne, Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles, Chef Marilyn's in Los Angeles
- Seven Seas, TC's Rib Crib and Big Mamas in Las Vegas
- Papa Lew's and Peachtree in Kansas City
- Kountry Kitchen in Indianapolis
- Just Oxtails and This Is It in Houston
- Queens Louisiana Po'Boy, Farmer Brown's, Sheba Piano Lounge, Savannah Jazz Club, Auntie Aprils, Sam Jordan's Bar, Big Nate's Barbeque, Frisco Fried, Rasselas Jazz Club, Monte Carlo, Gussie's Chicken and Waffles, 1300, Cafe Golo in San Francisco
- True BBQ in Columbia, SC
- Ernie's BBQ in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
- Gladys Knight and Ron Winans Chicken and Waffles and Justins in Atlanta
- Mert's in Charlotte
- Soully Vegan, Brown Sugar Kitchen and B-Side BBQ in Oakland
- Red Rooster and 40-40 Club in New York City
- Neely's and Interstate Barbeque in Memphis and Nashville
- Ben's Chili Bowl, Ben's Next Door, Indulj, Ghana Cafe, Oohs and Aahs along U Street in Washington, D.C.
- Dooky Chase, Olivier's, Two Sisters Kitchen, Praline Connection, Tee Eva's and Dunbar's Creole Cooking in New Orleans
- Big Mommas and JT Bones in Milwaukee
- Desiree's, 2Brothers Seafood, A Taste of Soul, Caribbean Delight, Chef Gerard's Kitchen, Ms. Tootsies, Classic Ladies and Dawn's Soul Food in Philadelphia
- Mrs. White's Golden Rule Cafe, Chile Con Soul, Off Da Hook in Phoenix
- EJ's Soul Food, Food 4 the Soul and Big Mamas House of Soul in Pittsburgh
- Broadway Soul Food in Sacramento
- Alligator Soul in Savannah
- Willie's Taste of Soul, Thad Martin,'s Uncle Thurms in Seattle
- Kinfolks Soul Food Kitchen in Tulsa
- Calvin's Soul Food and JJ's Soul Food in Little Rock
- Adelia's Soul Food and Auntie's Soul Food in Jacksonville
