Mama's Eats-N-Sweets

One day, I asked some foodie friends to share their thoughts on the best dish for a first-timer like myself to try at Mama’s Eats-N-Sweets.

The response was overwhelmingly decisive: without a doubt, one must try their pork chop plate. Considered a necessary rite of passage for southern cooking, the pork chop is one by which you can test the soul in any down-home type of restaurant.

The restaurant has tables for dining in, though most customers I observed were getting their orders to go. The line was long and the door was continuously swinging open. Service was swift and friendly, with counter service check-out and your choice of tea or lemonade as you exit.

I got in line and followed the norms of those in front of me. I checked out the day’s menu offerings on the hot bar, mainly for the sides, because I already knew my meat choice would be the pork chop. To my surprise, the smothered pork chop came with rice and gravy and I could still choose two additional sides. I went with the greens and yams. After all, it is hard to go wrong with those two staples I thought.

The pork chop was a good-sized portion in thickness and overall cut and I found it to be tender. The gravy was plentiful and added complimentary flavor to the pork.

I noticed some homemade cakes in a case on the counter, where I presume the “Sweets” in the name is derived. Unfortunately, I could not indulge, but I hear from some Jackson Foodies the desserts are made-from-scratch and with lots of love. Reflecting back to my lunch meal, I may have traded some of the calories for a slice of that cake after all.

My sides were slightly underwhelming, but they satisfied my lunch break needs for a hot bar lunch and that, alone, will not be a deal-breaker for my return. The price point was reasonable and the overall time of the visit may have been 10 minutes at the most.

If I’m in the area around my lunch hour, I’ve got a new place to visit for a standard meat and two (or three). I’ve heard their barbeque and fried chicken are worth the trip back, so I may head back that way sooner, rather than later.

Mama’s Eats-N-Sweets is located at 2017 Boling Street near Medgar Evers Blvd. at Highway 49 North.

Carlyn Hicks

Carlyn Hicks, founder of Jackson Foodies, lover of all things culinary, pro-Jackson advocate. All opinions expressed in this post are the opinions of the writer and not necessarily those of Sipp Jackson.