Johnson Sarr Soul Food - Paterson

First, I’d like to mention that I’m pregnant, so my taste buds are heightened. I can pick up on every ingredient and flavor, even those I might have overlooked before. For me, well-balanced ingredients can create a delicious dish, but if there's too much of one thing or not enough of another, it can really affect the meal. Because of my changing palate, I often find it challenging to select the right meal, so I tend to order several dishes. Today, I particularly wanted to try the smothered pork chops, but they were sold out. Instead, I ordered the fried tilapia dinner with rice ziti and the BBQ rib dinner with collard greens, mac and cheese, and a side of potato salad (don’t judge me, I’m eating for two!). When my order arrived, my baby and I were thrilled because it smelled fantastic. However, upon opening the bag, I immediately noticed that my potato salad was missing. Then I opened the containers and was almost brought to tears. First, the tilapia was overcooked. It was evident that they used old oil for frying. Fish should always be fresh, and this tilapia seemed to have been cooked earlier in the day and then either refried or microwaved before being packaged. No restaurant should serve pre-packaged fish. If I wanted farm-raised, packaged fish, I would have gone to Walmart and cooked it myself. Restaurants should only serve fresh, wild-caught or market-fresh farm-raised fish. While the flavor of the fish was decent, I couldn't enjoy it because it was far too tough. Next, the white rice that accompanied the fish dinner was undercooked and completely lacked flavor. The menu didn’t specify the type of rice, and I mistakenly assumed it would be flavored rice. The ziti, however, was the highlight of the meal—it was slightly sweet but had good flavor. As for the rib dinner, it was disappointing as well. The collard greens were overwhelmed with pepper, which masked all other flavors and made it hard to enjoy. The mac and cheese also suffered from the same issue, needing a better variety of cheeses. The ribs were acceptable, but they weren’t properly cleaned, being too fatty and still having the membrane attached. They also had a slightly odd taste, possibly from hot sauce in the barbecue sauce. With so much pepper in both the collard greens and the mac and cheese, it was difficult to appreciate the seasoning of the ribs. Overall, the flavors were not well-balanced and probably shouldn’t have been served together. It was clear that none of the food was made fresh. The food was likely prepared earlier in the day or even the day before. Fresh food should always be a priority. I had high hopes for this place because Paterson has yet to offer a soul food restaurant that can sustain itself, and I’m tired of driving to Essex County for a decent meal. I urge them to stop serving old food, ensure that all ingredients are fresh, follow a recipe, and always taste the food to ensure that flavors are balanced. Additionally, proper planning should be in place to make sure that all menu options are available from opening until closing. If these changes are made, I would definitely be willing to give them another try.

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I absolutely love their food!