Dishin’ It with Alexis: Theresa’s Soul Food Restaurant

Dishin’ It with Alexis: Theresa Soul Food Restaurant

1677 Main St
Springfield, MA 01103-1213
(413) 737-7685

I smell the aroma of collard greens soaking in meat, sweet creamy candied yams, and the crisp spiciness of chicken right out of the fryer. It’s that down home sensation that makes people flock to Theresa’s Soul Food Restaurant on Main Street in Downtown Springfield. The restaurant has only been open 3 months, but already there’s a buzz around town about the home cooked meals at this new spot. Theresa, the owner and head cook, told Dishin’ It her cooking is rooted in the church. She spent many a Sunday cooking up church dinners for her congregation. Theresa served these dinners right out of her home and many church goers would make sure to stop by for a hearty bite after leaving the pews.

As a child I remember going to my grandmother’s Baptist church on the south side of Chicago and while trying to stay focused on the minister’s word, my mind would drift off to thinking about the after sermon treats. Every Sunday after the service, my grandmother’s church would serve a meal downstairs on the lower level of the building. Nostalgic soul food treats like baked macaroni and cheese, collard greens cooked in ham hocks, peach cobbler and fried chicken were common staples on the Sunday menu.

My stomach would rumble during the service as I fantasized about what scrumptious home cooked meal the church ladies would make that day. I hate to admit that one of my favorite parts about attending church with my grandmother was the meals afterward. But maybe I’m not alone. To me Theresa’s Soul Food Restaurant is a memorial to my good-old days of childhood, where eating was a mere pleasure for me and never was there a concern about calories or fat intake.

Obviously, soul food cooking is known to be rich, hearty, and not necessarily low fat. I cringe to think how many grams of fat lie in a slice of that beautifully golden baked macaroni and cheese; that’s why I don’t think about it. Soul food for me is a treat I try to restrict to festive family dinners, but for Theresa soul food is a way of life. For many years Theresa dreamed of opening her own soul food restaurant in Springfield. Thanks to the help of a generous loan from the Latino Chamber of Commerce, Theresa has been able to make that dream come true. She has turned the space where an old diner used to be into her own down home dining room style restaurant. The place isn’t very decorated at this point, but it does maintain an intimate feel with a few tables and counter seating. The restaurant needs more garnish to complete its down home feel in the way Theresa says she envisioned it. But she’s off to a good start.

Theresa makes many of the dishes to order so don’t expect speedy service. She told Dishin’ It, “You gotta be patient when preparing soul food. It takes a lot of slow cooking.” For some diners in a hurry this may not be the best spot for a quick meal. But if you have time to chat and catch up with people in the neighborhood and maybe have a few laughs while waiting for your food, then this is a great spot for you.

On my first visit to the restaurant, Theresa tried to persuade me to try her chitlins and pig feet. Now, I’m going to bring you back to my childhood again for a moment. Although these interesting parts of a pig can be seen as a soul food specialty and are very popular among certain people, I don’t do pig feet and I don’t do chitlins.

Growing up I remember smelling the pungent sour odor of chitlins cooking in my grandmother’s kitchen. I always felt rather skirmish by the thought of eating these smelly little buggers, despite older family members trying to convince me of their yummy potential. Reverting back to my childhood, chitlins slightly scared me. This may sound funny but childhood memories tend to stick sometimes. I couldn’t seem to force myself to try this delicacy, despite my usual adventurous nature. Theresa says she does an extensive job at cleaning and boiling the pig feet, which is comforting. But if you’re a fan of these types of pork treats I suggest you try some at Theresa’s and tell me how it goes.

Theresa’s fried chicken is delightful if you don’t mind a few extra calories. The chicken is fried fresh to order. Theresa says she puts her own secret blend of spices in the flour, which gives the chicken a crunchy savory taste. Kernel Sanders you might need to watch out! The baked macaroni and cheese is golden, creamy, and extra cheesy.

The cheddar cheese used in the dish exudes a strong flavorful taste mixing salty and sweet. At first bite it melts in your mouth, yet has a good consistency without a mushy texture. I also loved her collard greens because Theresa boils the greens with turkey meat instead of ham hocks. The greens are very well seasoned and feel like a healthier alternative to those cooked in pig fat. Her candied yams reminded me of my mother’s holiday dinners (my mom really only cooked these kind of heavy meals on holidays.) Rich, velvety, and orange the candied yams are like a desert in itself.

I love to take a spoonful of yams and collard greens and put them in my mouth at the same time, giving my palette a flavorful overload of salty greens and sweet yams.

Theresa exudes a sense of pride in her food as she shimmies her way from the kitchen out to the dining area to greet her guests. This lively mother of ten grew up in Georgia and brings a touch of Southern flare to Springfield’s downtown. She told Dishin’ It she is used to cooking for large numbers of people since she has such a big family. One of her daughters, an aspiring singer, almost lost her life in a traffic shooting. Theresa says her daughter is a true survivor and thinks it’s a blessing that she can help assist her around the restaurant.

Theresa works some pretty long hours at her restaurant. This soul food joint stay open from 11am to 11pm. So, if your in the mood for some down-home cooking anytime of the day even in the late night hours Theresa’s got a plate served up for you. That’s it for this segment of Dishin’ It. Until next time, remember food is life, food is love, food is community. Bon Appetite!

Written by Alexis Miller