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Chicken fried steak, fried okra, and chicken fried chicken

Chicken fried steak, fried okra, and chicken fried chicken

Chicken fried steak, fried okra, and chicken fried chicken

If by chance you are traveling down Blackstone River Road in the old Quinsig Village section of Worcester, you might very easily drive right by Sweet T Southern Kitchen. This unremarkable little storefront doesn’t stand out with high-end curb appeal, but if you are looking for outstanding quality food, served with real southern hospitality by a staff that is truly excited to do their job, then make sure you try this restaurant.

The atmosphere is casual and extremely unpretentious. The owners are genuinely friendly and happy to do whatever they can to make your dining experience memorable. The food is outstanding, the portions are generous and the prices are ridiculously reasonable…add the BYOB component and Sweet T Southern Kitchen is a restaurant that needs to be on everyone’s short list.

The food at Sweet T’s is homemade and cooked fresh. You start by deciding what type of a meal you will have…Option 1 – one meat with one side dish, Option 2 – one meat with two side dishes, Option 3 – just three side dishes or choose from one of the daily specials. You can also add additional meats or sides at very low additional prices.

I chose the chicken fried steak with a side of fried okra, but also added an extra chicken fried chicken portion. The chicken fried steak and the chicken fried chicken had a thin batter that helped seal in the juices when fried in the peanut oil (very southern I was told) and provided a crispy and salty texture to the very generous portions of protein. Having never had okra before I was excited. The small pods of okra were lightly covered with a cornmeal batter and fried to perfection, again, crispy, salty on the outside, moist, and tender on the inside. I also tasted my dining companion’s catfish special and again, Sweet T’s delivered with a very flaky and tender whitefish that when combined with the crispy and salty batter offered an interestingly delicious meal.

For dessert, we were treated to a rich and creamy buttermilk pie. The crust was buttery and flaky and the custard-like filling had a slightly tart taste with hints of vanilla and sugar on my tongue. A truly unique southern dessert that created the perfect ending to a great meal. -JG

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Pulled pork, fried okra, collard greens, and corn bread

Pulled pork, fried okra, collard greens, and corn bread

Pulled pork, fried okra, collard greens, and corn bread

Sometimes the best places are those off the beaten path, little hole in the wall restaurants that you just happen to stumble upon. Sweet T Southern Kitchen is a small neighborhood restaurant that you both want to tell everyone about and keep a secret. Upon entering the restaurant, you are warmly greeted by the staff. There are a number of tables and a buffet full of tempting sides. We sat down and opened our beer and wine (BYOB) while Tony and Michaun stopped over and explained their ever-changing menu, philosophy, and how they started the restaurant. It was nice to see the passion and dedication they had for Sweet T’s. Michaun’s personality steals the show as she is full of life, energy, and stories. Yet Tony’s dedication to his cooking shines through as well.

I was tempted by so many items that making a decision was difficult. In the end, I ordered pulled pork, fried okra, collard greens, and corn bread… then, for good measure, I threw in a side of chicken gumbo. I typically do not like okra, so the first order of business was to try their version. Perfectly fried small pieces of okra had me rethinking my dislike of this savory side. The batter fried crisp morsels were just what was needed to change my thoughts on okra. Next stop was to the collard greens—they were just the right consistency and served with lots of small pieces of bacon. The pulled pork was lean, perfectly cooked, and moist. The variety of sauces to choose from on the counter accompanied the pulled pork perfectly; my only suggestion would be to have better labels on the condiments. As I was starting to get full, I realized that I still had the other side that I ordered. The chicken gumbo was worth making room for. Large pieces of chicken, okra, and tomatoes all melted in your mouth with the delicious spices and rice, a dish that could have been a meal by itself. The last item on the plate was the cornbread. The cornbread was somewhat of a letdown after such a great meal. The cornbread was a little dry and could have used something to kick it up a little bit.

Overall, it was a great local find. There is something to be said for small restaurants that try to use local fresh ingredients and stay true to their roots. The food was fresh, the employees were friendly, and the prices are a bargain. As a side note, I chose to bring my coworkers the next day- so the secret is out and the chicken fried chicken was delicious. -DO