"Barbecue and soul food aren’t just for warm weather months. They’re best bets even on cooler days, providing sweet, sticky satisfaction in the form of perfectly glazed meats and sides. Enter: Barbara Gene’s Soul Food Cafe. Chef Eric Campbell opened his restaurant in late August, and it has quickly become a true Angeleno spot. Over the last century, Los Angeles’s Black population arrived in Southern California with the first and second Great Migrations, when Southern Black Americans moved out of the region for opportunity. Campbell’s family is no different. Thankfully, they brought the culture with them, including ribs, brisket, hot links, and collard greens. The surrounding neighborhood welcomed the soul food spot with open arms, likely due to the Soul Roll: A gargantuan egg roll, stuffed with smoked turkey, macaroni and cheese, and collard greens, and topped with smoked chopped chicken or brisket. The cozy patio tucked on Norton Avenue near Washington Boulevard is a bonus. Sit back while enjoying a full rack of Campbell’s St. Louis-style ribs — marinated overnight, smoked with mesquite, meat falling off the bone. 4053 W. Washington Boulevard, Arlington Heights, CA, 90018." - Eater Staff
