Carla Hall, celebrity chef from “The Chew”, opened “Carla Hall’s Southern Kitchen” in Brooklyn. She has a small quaint corner location near the water. The restaurant was much smaller than I anticipated but it has quite a bit of charm. It seems to be more of a take-out restaurant due to its size. There are three picnic style tables which seat approximately 14-15 people and a few stools along the window. My cousin Cary was gracious enough to spend an afternoon with me sampling the food. We shared our table with two very nice women who gladly offered their opinions of their meals. Initially I was uncomfortable sharing our table with strangers but it turned out to be a great experience.

Carla’s main dish is authentic Hot Nashville Chicken. The chicken is sold by the piece, plate or bucket. You choose the “Hoot n’ Heat” level you want for your chicken. I ordered the basic Southern chicken because I don’t care for spicy food. Cary ordered his chicken with a touch of heat. We both enjoyed our chicken. I have to say it was very juicy. We also ordered a bucket of the Tangy Chili Wings which are tossed in the “Hoot & Honey & Sweet Heat” sauce. I enjoyed the wings more than the Southern chicken. The combination of the sweetness with the heat provided a great flavor and a nice contrast.

For our sides we ordered the Candied Yams, Collards n’ Pot Likker, Baked Mac n’ Cheese and Sweet and Yukon Gold Potato Salad. We both agreed the Candied Yams were our favorite side. The Baked Mac n’ Cheese was also good. I was a bit skeptical when I saw it was not made with traditional elbow macaroni but the creamy cheesy taste was a pleasant surprise. I was not a big fan of the collard greens because they were prepared with vinegar although one of the women sharing the table with us liked them for that very reason. The potato salad was not like the traditional potato salad I am accustomed to. It was very crunchy; almost too crunchy for potato salad.

For dessert I ordered Bread Pudding to go. As you can see in the picture the icing is solid. Once I got it home, put it in the oven to warm up and let the sauce melt, it was good. I do think it was a bit overpriced for the portion. The serving size was smaller than the palm of my hand.

Overall, my visit was a pleasant experience. Good food and good company always make for an enjoyable day.

Regards~Allison