It seemed fitting that for this week’s edition on soul food we had to head South … 8 miles.
From where we stay in northeast St. Pete, we drove to 22nd Street, crossed Central Avenue, and traveled the few blocks to 9th Street South, where we landed at Heavy’s Restaurant. The next day, we went 10 miles southwest to Gulfport and Baja’s Southern Cooking & More.
I know my soul music. You might even say I’m an expert. Soul food. Not hardly. I know that chitlins and gizzards are non-starters. Collard greens and smothered chicken (and pork chops) — I’m in. Turkey wings? They’re something we throw out after Thanksgiving dinners.
HEAVY’S RESTAURANT
Wednesday’s all-day rain and general dreariness had begun to lift when we showed up at Heavy’s at 3 p.m. It’s located in a small commercial stretch of the former cultural nexus of Black St. Petersburg called “The Deuces.” Hip-hop music blasted from a courtyard next door. Worship City Church sat across the street in a block building.
Just inside the restaurant’s front door was a counter lined with tins of food. Katrina — the friendly and loquacious front-of-house person — greeted us…