Come hungry! That’s my one piece of advice when choosing to dine at Southern Kin Cookhouse, the ultimate Southern style restaurant in Somerville’s Assembly Row.
When you walk in, you are immediately hit with the aroma of freshly cooked fried chicken. The restaurant is buzzing, with every table filled and country music playing in the background. Upon arrival, General Manager William Johnson greeted us at the door and showed us to our table.
The menu is massive with choices ranging from Redneck Nachos ($9) to Mississippi Spotted Cat ($23). With a group of eight people, we ended up ordering an assortment of classic Southern dishes.
“What’s great about Southern cuisine is that it’s all about sharing. It’s all about conversation,” said head chef Bill Brodsky. “All the dishes come to the table and there’s oohs and ahhs, and everyone gets to try everyone else’s food. Sometimes when you’re dining at a fancy French restaurant, there’s not lot of sharing going on. Here it’s encouraged, and in fact, it’s a necessity.”
By far, the best dish is the Griddled Cornbread ($7). Served with whipped honey butter and a berry jam, the cornbread is griddled to golden perfection. A little crispy on the outside with soft cornbread on the inside, this dish will not disappoint.
If you’re looking for a vegetarian savory Southern meal, order the Sweet Baby Cakes ($21): three tasty sweet potato/black eyed pea quinoa cakes on a bed of chipotle creamed corn topped with farmer’s cheese and a green onion sauce. Vegetarian or not, this dish is delicious and will fill you up.
The most classic dish we ordered was Chicken N’ Waffles ($22). Two big pieces of juicy fried chicken atop a cheddar-chive waffle drizzled with a Fresno pepper-maple syrup and a Louisiana honey-hot pepper sauce. An insane twist to your typical chicken and waffles.
For drinks, the pitcher of lemonade with fruit infused ice cubes is a must. It completes the southern experience and pairs nicely with every dish on the menu.
To finish off the night, nothing is better than the mud pie ($8). If you have a major sweet tooth, this is the pie for you. With a slice as big as your head, this delectable combination of pure chocolate and a gooey fudge brownie will only guarantee you come back for more.