I had dinner at Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement this weekend. Minnie Bell’s was originally located in the Emeryville Public Market and opened their Fillmore location last April. The original Emeryville location has since closed.
Interview with chef and owner Fernay McPherson, who grew up in the Fillmore, on KQED:
Menu
I had a 2 Piece Fried Chicken ($20), which comes with your choice of side - I chose the greens - and a piece of cornbread. I asked for dark meat. They actually gave me three pieces! There were two pieces of thigh and one drumstick. Quite generous of them. The chicken was delicious. The skin was craggy and crispy and crunchy and well seasoned. There is some rosemary in the coating. The meat was tender and juicy and flavorful. There was Crystal hot sauce available, and they also gave me some of their house made hot sauce, which was very spicy and vinegary. They should maybe try bottling it up. The greens on the side were also very good. They were tender but not mushy, and even though they are vegan they had a lot of flavor. I ended up finishing the greens and sopping up some of the pot liquor with the piece of cornbread. The cornbread was good, and a little sweet which I don’t think is Southern style but I do like sweet cornbread.
For dessert I had the Brûléed Banana Pudding ($10), which was great! The top was brûléed like a crème brûlée - thin and shatteringly crisp caramel. The inside had a creamy vanilla pudding, ripe slices of banana, and spongy Nilla wafers or the like that had soaked up some of the pudding. It was a delicious dessert.
Delicious chicken, very good greens, great banana pudding, and very friendly service at the bar.
