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Soul food from the heart
Soul food from the heart
November 7, 2005
At Louise’s, longtime cook Louise
Holmes treats guests with homemade meals in an atmosphere where every
day is like Sunday dinner.
Atlanta, Ga – Raised in a family that included nine siblings, Louise
Holmes fondly remembers dinner time at their farm in Waynesboro, Ga. –
which is not far from Augusta. It was a time of home-cooked feasts on
traditional items like catfish, corn, fried chicken, mashed potatoes,
okra and collard greens shared with brothers, sisters, parents and
other friends and relatives.
Now 62, Holmes long dreamed about opening a restaurant where she can
treat her guests to homemade meals similar to those family dinners of
long ago. The former caterer and longtime cook saw that dream realized
when she opened Louise’s with her daughters in April. Located in
midtown Atlanta, in a completely refurbished former Krystal at 428
Ponce de Leon Ave., Louise’s specializes in soul food, most of which is
made from scratch from the heart of the restaurant – Louise Holmes,
herself.
“When you eat here, it’s like coming over for Sunday dinner any day of
the week,” said Tammie Holmes, one of Louise’s daughters who is a
co-partner in the restaurant. “We find that soul food reminds our
guests of their mom’s cooking. They are able to have home-cooked meals
that they don’t have time to make on their own.”
Tammie Holmes, who has a master’s degree in computer information
systems, and her sister, Charla Holmes, who is a registered nurse, are
partners with their mother, who has six other children. Louise opened
Kayla’s Catering in 1997 and saw a growing number of clients, including
Blue Cross/Blue Shield in Augusta, where she prepared breakfast and
lunch for employees.
Holmes considered opening a restaurant in Augusta, but her daughters
encouraged her to move to Atlanta and introduce her concept there. They
found an ideal location along a heavily traveled road and fully
remodeled the former Krystal. The booths remained, and everything else
in the restaurant is new.
Louise’s – which is open for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Monday through Saturday – is also open for breakfast from 6-10 a.m. on
the same days. Southern favorites like bacon, grits with cheese, eggs
with cheese, beef and pork sausage, pancakes, homemade biscuits, beef
links and even salmon patties are on the menu.
The concept of Louise’s is simple and inviting. When guests enter the
restaurant, they follow the line, choose from the breakfast or lunch
items, and pay at the end. Made fresh from scratch is what especially
makes the meals at Louise’s so welcoming. The meat-and-two sides lunch
and dinner options feature soul food classics. Fried chicken and
salisbury steak remain of the menu every day, as does the macaroni and
cheese. The other two meat selections change from day-to-day and
include Italian chicken, beef stew, meat loaf, chicken pot pie, fried
catfish, barbeque chicken and barbeque ribs
Side items feature fresh collard greens twice a week, candied yams,
lima beans that are delectable in a thick, porky sauce, turnip greens,
string beans and black-eyed peas among other options. Guests can even
get rutabagas with their barbeque ribs on Saturday.
The custardy corn bread can be eaten for dessert, but Louise has a
selection of tempting choices made from scratch such as red velvet
cake, caramel cake, chocolate cake, carrot cake and banana pudding.
“I was raised on this food, but unfortunately many people don’t have
time to treat their families to hearty, homemade meals,” Tammie Holmes
said. “It’s my mom’s intention to feed her guests like her mom did for
her and she did for us. Now more than ever, there’s nothing like a
home-cooked meal.”
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Media Contact:
Krista Zilizi
Quantified Marketing Group
706-627-3204
407-936-1010
kzilizi@quantifiedmarketing.com
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