First impressions
On bustling Roosevelt Road across from Mt. Carmel cemetery, this cafeteria that once housed a Sizzler restaurant offers ample parking and a franchise-restaurant ambience. Inside are bright lights, ceiling fans and seating for 220.

On the plate

The cookie-cutter status ends with the decor. This is the made-from-scratch, real-deal cuisine that earned Southern cooking its reputation. Should you have a special craving, check the calendar. Some dishes only appear once a week, such as Wednesday's liver and onions and Saturday's ribs. A wall-mounted menu lists 21 side-dish possibilities, which rotate as well. Butter beans or navy beans? Macaroni and cheese or broccoli salad? It's a chance you'll have to take. Not such a bad thing.

At your service
Friendly, courteous, sincere and a bit uneven. Don't expect franchise finesse at this family business open less than a year. They're still working out quirks. And preparing food for a diverse clientele who place orders by pointing out dishes resting in a steam table offers timing and texture challenges for some of the fare. Lunchtime bustles with a business crowd. Dinner offers a more relaxed down-home atmosphere. The server who came to our table with drink refills offered timing advice: Keep ahead of the crowd. For weekday lunch, it's best to arrive before noon; for dinner, before 6 p.m. Check in before 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Second helpings
Fried chicken. Fried chicken. Fried chicken. The only entree to bank on for a daily appearance deserves special consideration. If there was a chicken-fryer hall of fame, Priscilla Redmond, who co-owns the restaurant with husband, Mansfield, would be a contender. Her brilliantly seasoned flour provides flavorful, crusty coating for tender, expertly fried meat. Oxtails (available Thursdays) are fork-tender and tasty. Sweet potatoes deserve special mention as both side dish and dessert. One taster (born and raised in the South) looked up with a wistful expression after one bite of pie. "It tastes like my grandmother's recipe," she said.

Take a pass
Selecting dishes from a steam table requires close observation. Bypass anything resembling past prime-time fare such as the dried-out spaghetti and meat sauce or sad-looking clumps of navy beans on a recent visit.

Extras
Kids' meals, for up to 12-year-olds, include one meat, two side dishes, bread, cookie and a drink.

Thirst quenchers
Milk, coffee, tea, bottled water, apple or orange juice. Free refills on punch and fountain drinks.

Price range
Main courses, $5.99-$8.99; side dishes, $1.69; desserts, $1.99; drinks, 99 cents-$1.09.