I went to was Ooh's and Aah's, being first generation from Mali my parents didn't really expose me to soul food also I grew up in Spanish Harlem so that and African food was what I was exposed to. I remember the first time I tried soul food I was about ten years old and my dad's friend invited him to a family dinner and I went with him, the food was delicious. Since then me eating soul food was sporadic I didn't go out of my way to eat it until I got to D.C and saw my friend post Ooh and Aahs on his snap chat I knew I needed to go.
Ooh's and Aah's is a very famous soul food restaurant in DC many celebrities have gone just to taste this famous food. When I got to the restaurant I was a bit overwhelmed at the choices but the man was very friendly and patient with me, I thought that the place a bit small but then I was told that there was an upstairs. I got chicken and waffles and a side of mac and cheese, before this experience I was extremely underwhelmed with chicken waffles so tasting this was a relief.
Going to this restaurant relates to the course because it shows the relationship that food has in Black culture. Throughout the time, of course, we learned about the different staples in African American culture and food was definitely one of them, food was a sense of comfort when they had nothing else or the fact that food brought the family together. Also, the circumstances in which the slaves were in caused this kind of food to be made. The very fact that certain foods are even on the menu in most American restaurants today tells a story of how Africans came to this country and what happened when they got here. The discussion also covers how Southern cooking has come to be known by some as soul food, what that means and what it doesn't, and how the term "soul food" has come to mean more than just food." Due to slavery, a new form of food was created.
Going to an actual soul food restaurant and experiencing the staple of the people and a specific region in Black culture (the South) was unforgettable and when I get back home I'll definitely going to Sylvia's in West Harlem.
