Gino W.
Yelp
During the pandemic, a friend sent me a list of restaurants to try. Simply Shae was on the list. Because I lived north of downtown Chicago, I rarely got to Hyde Park, let alone to the South Suburbs. Now that I live in the South Suburbs, I had no excuse.
Simply Shae is a small walkup, so having a sit-down meal is not an option. Food is cooked to order, not reheated, which means there will be a wait. And if there is a long line before you get there, the wait is that longer. My experience with the cashier was one of quality service. She kept repeating my order -- I ordered three meals -- to make sure she had exactly what I ordered.
The stuffed catfish with dressing and yams were outstanding. The shrimp alfredo for the stuffing was just right, not overboard. The yams were Grandma perfect. And the dressing had a hint of sage, not an abundance of it. The fried catfish with spaghetti and greens took me back to Mississippi. The spaghetti was more savory than sweet, which scores high points. The greens were flavored nicely without being too much. The stuffed salmon with garlic mashed potatoes and greens were what I had for lunch later in the week. Talk about some good eating.
The portions are large. Some restaurants skimp on side dishes. Not at Simply Shae. Another thing I liked was that the side cornbread is more savory than sweet. They will get my dollars, for true. But they'll get my business before the crowd starts coming.
