Lunches are served Monday through Friday, 10 till 1 sharp (those who arrive at 1:01 pm go home hungry!). Business types with beer bellies under pink striped shirts switch their blueteeth off as they file in to mingle with random shoppers, bicyclists and other locals for a filling, indeed, agony-inducing heap of southern cuisine. A cafeterial stainless steel (well-stained with use) steam counter simmers a scheduled rotation of "vegetables" and two or three "meats" every day. Mondays and Wednesdays feature a good, shredded pork "BBQ" which although probably not truly barbecued or smoked on the premises (I haven't seen the appropriate facilities) is nevertheless juicy and tasty. Thursdays feature a waistline-busting entree of chicken and stuffing (both part of the "meat") .
Food is plopped out of an extra-large cafeteria scoop by a large black woman with a surly attitude towards indecisive newcomers who commit the grievous sin of waiting two or three seconds after her curtly delivered query. Still you have to pity the steadily increasing stream of newcomers as they slowly, painfully deliver, hemming and hawing, their tentative choices, necessarily changed mid-order two or three times, while the lunch lady has long since turned her attention to the next customer, leaving the newcomer high and dry. However, she is not being rude, just efficient. She is unlikely to notice any special requests or mid-order changes that would drop this efficiency rating. Once the scoop is in your styrofoam tray, the die is cast. Alia jacta est. She has the divine presence of Aslan the Lion. You just sense, know and feel that you can't ask her to change her mind or give you anything special, and that you'd better order extremely quickly and make way for the next customer. Do not ask "is there meat in that?" or, "are those organic sweet potatoes?" or any other of the myriad useless questions which are as likely to be met with a snub or stare as an answer. The stare means that she is waiting for you to come to your senses and order something before she decides to drop the scoop and return to the back to slice deli meats or mix egg salad.
She will ask if you want cornbread or roll, and if you want it wrapped. You don't need it wrapped. Just be sure to grab a utensil packet (and any condiments you need), before leaving the counter. Get your drink from one of the scattered beverage refrigerators in the market and go to check-out line. The meat & 2 (2 stands for "too much") is 5.50 or so. 2 sides, as indicated, is plenty, but if you don't need vegetal variety, 1 side will also fill you up. read more
