The Rev. Al Sharpton, Amy Ruth’s, Harlem
Janette Rucker’s Red Velvet Cake, Amy Ruth’s, Harlem
Janette Rucker’s Red Velvet Cake, Amy Ruth’s, Harlem
Carl Redding grew up in NYC but spent his summers as a child in the South with his grandmother, Amy Ruth Moore Bass. Shirking off outdoor chores assigned to him and his brothers, Carl often weaselled his way to his grandmother’s side in the kitchen and assisted her as she prepared the meals of the day. As Carl grew up he perfected the art of canning, freezing, and cooking southern soul food under his grandmother’s direction. In 1998 he opened his own restaurant in Harlem and named after Amy Ruth.
After a futile attempt to try to go see the Colosso Colon (it was closed early!) we headed over to Amy Ruth’s to have some down-home cookin’. Everything on the menu is named after influential African-Americans. For example, The Attorney Johnnie Cochran is fried or smothered pork chops and The Rev. Al Sharpton is chicken & waffles. The signature entree is The Councilman Bill Perkins, which is southern honey-dipped fried chicken, made with honey from the restaurant’s rooftop apiary. Side dishes are standard southern fare like grits, collard greens, yams, okra, and macaroni & cheese.
Our waiter had on a nametag on that said “Papa”. Voicing what we were all wondering, Jeannette asked if his name was really Papa. He said “My name is papa, but I’m not a papa.” Overall, I think everyone was pretty satisfied with the food. The waitstaff was attentive and there was no wait to be seated. I would go back. Harlem isn’t even that far. I think it’s farther mentally than it actually takes to get there. If you get on the A Express you go from 59th to 125th with no stops in between. It takes 5 minutes. (Honestly! We timed it!)
More Information:
- Amy Ruth’s website
- Tien’s post on dinner at Amy Ruth’s
- Amy Ruth’s on Citysearch
- New York Magazine’s Review
- On beekeeping in NYC (it’s illegal!)
18 responses so far ↓
1 tien mao's little read book... // Oct 23, 2003 at 11:57 pm
No Colossal Colon, but Colon is in Use
Colossal Colon it was not, but the honey-dipped fried chicken was D-licious. Tonight, the plan was to go up to Harlem and visit the Colossal Colon, which is in fact, a colossal colon. It’s a 40′ long, 4′ wide…
2 tien // Oct 23, 2003 at 11:58 pm
i love that 2nd photo. damn your pictures of cake. now i want some more.
3 rachelleb // Oct 24, 2003 at 8:05 am
that was goooooood cake. i had like 10 photos of it. the camera was sitting on the table and i just kept pressing the button.
4 Richard Bowden // Oct 24, 2003 at 8:23 am
I’ll bet dad would love it there.
5 Bobo // Oct 24, 2003 at 9:06 am
You really like taking pictures of food, eh?
6 joel // Oct 24, 2003 at 9:35 am
bobo - you ain’t seen nothing. I think Rachelle might be reading tony’s site a little too much. That guy is the KING of food photography.
7 rachelle // Oct 24, 2003 at 9:55 am
that guy’s a king of photography. PERIOD. everytime i go to his site, which is often, im amazed
8 joe // Oct 24, 2003 at 3:31 pm
I live down two buildings and across Lenox from Amy Ruth’s! Did anyone have banana pudding? Mmmm. You folks need to go back on a Sunday morning after church lets out. On another note, I managed to make a brief visit to the colossal colon yesterday morning. It was very informative, the colon is impressive, and they were giving away “Check Your Insides Out” frisbees! I may go back for another tomorrow morning.
9 rachelle // Oct 24, 2003 at 3:59 pm
aw. i want a “check your insides out” frisbee! nobody ordered the banana pudding. they sat us at a table that was right next to all the cakes so for my entire meal i stared at them trying to decide which i wanted. I didnt even notice the banana pudding.
10 tien // Oct 24, 2003 at 5:00 pm
no joke, she wanted to skip right to the cake. and when papa asked if we wanted desert…she was all over that. she likes the chocolate.
11 rachelleb // Oct 24, 2003 at 11:13 pm
mmmmmm chocolate!
12 laurene // Feb 15, 2004 at 10:33 pm
I saw Amy Ruths on HGTV. I saw a fish made & fried & then dipped in the honey & other ingredients. The cook said exactly what he used but I missed it, It looked so incredible. Anyone know what the receipe was? I live in Florida & will never get to the City to enjoy his food. Thanx Laurene
13 ferando seda // Jun 22, 2004 at 1:06 am
I visited Amy ruth’s a couple of weeks ago from Jersey. and i definetly have to say the councilman bill perkins was phenomenal. A sinerely slice of heaven for fried chicken lovers….
14 Nikki // Oct 11, 2004 at 12:43 pm
My boyfriend took me there yesterday and I must say the food was very good. I’ve never had chicken with my waffles…lol, and now I must say it is a very good thing. I hope to be back real soon.
Nikki
*from Philly*
15 Randy Goodman // Dec 23, 2004 at 10:17 pm
What a great place to eat! I had the salmon cakes, my wife had the pork chops and my neice had the chicken. All most excellent. I ordered tea and it was already sweetened, just as I like it. One problem, I got charged for a tea refill.
What’s up with that?
16 Mike // Mar 7, 2005 at 4:06 pm
Please email the type of waffle mix you mentioned on the today show with Al Roker? I think it was Golden ??? malted. Where can you buy it? Thank you, Mike
17 dan // Sep 15, 2005 at 5:27 pm
I took your advice and ate there on my trip east. yum http://danbennett.blogspot.com/2005/09/salmon-croquettes-collard-greens-and.html
http://danbennett.blogspot.com/2005/09/chicken-and-waffles-for-dinner-yes.html
18 Shawn Dessesaure // Oct 10, 2005 at 4:47 pm
I just want to say thank you so much for that down home cooking I have always shied away from chicken and waffles but my goodness I have never tasted anything so good in my life. every time I come back home to New York From Baltimore my first stop is at Amy Ruths and everyone I bring can not wait to come back you are the best. God Bless.