Upon arriving at Papa’s Soul Food Kitchen and BBQ ten minutes before the doors open, several people were already eagerly waiting in line.
Papa’s Soul Food (400 Blair Blvd.) is in the Historic Whiteaker Neighborhood. Their slogan is “Taste So Good It’ll Make You Wanna Slap Yo’ Mama” is high praise. The doors opened promptly at 5 p.m. sharp and I was greeted by a very friendly staff who quickly sat us outside on the patio. The patio is decorated with hanging twinkle lights, tables and wooden benches – it even has a backyard where you can eat at a table in the grass versus the patio.
I almost forgot I was at a restaurant simply because the ambiance feels like home. Each table was clad with mason jars for water beside the silverware. Once I opened the menu, I was pleasantly surprised. Everything is reasonably priced (you could easily eat a meal here for $20 with a drink), and the menu is unlike anything I had ever seen at a restaurant before. It was decorated with illustrations of each item on the menu. I decided on ordering fried chicken ($11) with mac ‘n’ cheese ($1), and cornbread ($1). My company, Kayla McGill ordered jambalaya ($9) and potato salad ($1). The food arrived soon and the restaurant was filling up quickly.
The jambalaya is a mixture of craw-fish, shrimp, andouille sausage, white rice and spices. It was finished on top with sprinkled paprika and chopped green onions. Kayla described it as “delicious, with the perfect amount of spices.”  It paired nicely with my potato salad, which was just as flavorful. My plate was huge and could have easily fed two or more people. I had three pieces of fried chicken on my plate, a generous helping of mac ‘n’ cheese and a small loaf of corn bread all to myself.
I tackled the fried chicken first – being mixed, half-Caucasian and African-American, I have tried a lot of soul food in my life. I can say the chicken was amazing. The batter was perfectly crispy – not greasy, dry or overdone. Each bite of chicken was tender and full of flavor. My mac ‘n’ cheese was rich, and the sauce was on point. Lastly, the cornbread was perfect, topped with melting honey butter.
Although Kayla and I only made it half-way through our meals, we happily left with leftovers and full stomachs. Upon leaving, the patio area was completely full and more guests were entering. Families, couples, young, middle aged people and elders all gathered to eat. This alone speaks volumes for the restaurant itself, in saying, that Papa’s Soul Food can attract and appeal to anyone.
Kayla described the restaurant as, “Casual, laid back with a typical Southern barbecue vibe. It’s unlike any other dining I’ve had in Eugene and reminds me of eating with my family in Louisiana.” I’m happy to have discovered Papa’s Soul Food and will be dining there as much as possible throughout this year.
Follow Katie Wideman on Twitter @KatieWideman