There has been a whole lot of buzz about Nellie’s restaurant the past few months. Seems
the folks from The City have discovered Oakland’s best fried chicken and soul food.
Nellie’s isn’t fancy. It’s located on 3rd Street, just off 880, about 3 blocks from West
Oakland BART, kinda under the BART tracks. In other words, it’s not a place you
“stumble upon”. You need to know it’s there, and you need to know the secrets of
Nellie’s.
First, it’s about three things here: batter, oil and daily specials. Everything else falls a
distant second. Second, service is S-L-O-W. If you’re on a schedule, let ‘em know –
they’ll take care of you. But otherwise, just chill out, grab a Red Stripe from the bar next
door, and settle in for a meal that will induce food coma. Finally, the hours are funky. C
& I haven’t quite figured them out yet. It’s not a bad idea to call before you go.
C and I have fallen into a comfortable pattern for dinner here. We start off with an order
of Oysters & Fries ($9.95) – five plump, juicy, briny oysters, deep fried so beautifully they’d fit
right in at Casamento’s in New Orleans. Fries are nothing to write home about,
though I still manage to eat more than a few. The Texas Toast that comes on the plate,
however, is another story. C has been known to distract me momentarily in order to do
away with the last pieces. It’s THAT good.
Fried chicken reigns at Nellie’s, and I generally order a Two-Piece Dinner ($13.95). The shatteringly crisp skin packs a bit of heat, and protects the piping hot, juicy-tender meat beneath. If you order half a chicken, know that they will sometimes bring you out a couple of pieces at a time – this is a GOOD thing, people.
C has taken to ordering something off the daily specials menu, and most recently had the Smothered Steak ($14.95). Now, don’t all y’all city folk go asking for your steak “medium-rare”. This is soul food, remember? That means inexpensive cuts of meat cooked for a looooong time. The steak, while flavorful and truly SMOTHERED in mushroom gravy, can be a bit inconsistent. But when it’s good, it’s REALLY good.
Other daily specials include Oxtail Stew, Liver & Onions and, of course, Chitterlings. C’s FAVORITE special happens to be a side dish: Macaroni & Cheese. If you a mac & cheese lover, you’ll want to make Friday your night at Nellie’s, since it’s the only day they serve this oozy, gooey, salty goodness.
Speaking of side dishes, every dinner at Nellie’s comes with your choice of three of them. Their yams are exceptionally good (and this is coming from someone who doesn’t usually care for them), and the green beans are… well, homey. I’ve gotten them twice now, and they’re always a little different, but always kind of stew-y and flavorful. C liked the black-eyed peas the one time he got them, and we both like their greens, though they are definitely sweeter than the collards we’ve had elsewhere. Okra & Corn is another great choice, especially for people who think they don't like okra - Nellie's version mitigates the slime factor quite well.
The cornbread, which also comes with most dinners, can be hit or miss. Usually though, they have a crisp, browned cap with a tender and yielding crumb inside. In the past, they have been a bit eggy for my taste, but that only happened once.
A word about service at Nellie’s – while they are extremely friendly, most of the crew are… how to put this? Forgetful.
For example, most recently, it took us about 15 minutes to order because we got our beers from the bar, and no one could remember who had gotten it for us, so no one took our table. Then, when our dinners came, my yams were missing. Our waitress said, “Oh, I think we’re out of yams, is that OK?”
Still, we tend to find ourselves back here once a month. It’s such a warm place, and people are always happy to be there, eating comforting, nourishing food in a completely un-stuffy atmosphere.
Nellie's Soulfood
1155 3rd Street
Oakland, CA
510.625.1350
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