Soul Food Restaurant Frannie Nicks Lands in Bella Vista With Potato Chip Cookies and a Full Bar | Eater Philly

"Named after her grandmother Frances Nicholson, the new Bella Vista restaurant at 824 S. Eighth Street is run by Ilisha “Fluffy” Sampson and focuses on soul food and comfort food. I describe a short opening menu (with plans to add vegetarian and vegan plates) that includes entrees such as fried whiting, meatloaf, and chicken wings offered with a variety of sauces including one called “honey crack,” each served with a choice of two sides — mac and cheese, yams, greens, string beans, seafood salad, and the vegetable of the moment, cabbage. There are also cheesesteak egg rolls, fries loaded with chunks of fried chicken, jalapeños, fried onions, and a house-made cheddar sauce, plus banana pudding and the chewy butterscotch potato chip cookies (original and strawberry) Sampson is known for — made with Herr’s potato chips per her grandmother’s recipe. The space has a liquor license and a bar pouring drinks like the pound cake (vanilla vodka, Bacardi Limon, triple sec, and grenadine) and the extra-boozy “Uber” (whiskey, spiced rum, vodka, simple syrup, and Coke). It’s open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the week and late on Friday and Saturday with kitchen orders until 11:30 p.m., the space can be rented for private events, and a grand opening was planned for Feb. 1 with Super Bowl specials the next day." - Rachel Vigoda