A Place with Soul

...and Catfish

I held the first bite in my mouth letting the initial seasonings osmotically enter my tastebuds, and then I bit into the softly crisp batter and experienced another taste sensation. I was in heaven and I still had a plateful of fried catfish to consume, along with fried okra and pasta salad. That first bite told me I had just run across the best-tasting catfish in Columbus, MS—bar none. Cliff and I had made our first visit to Soul Fish Grill on the outskirts of Columbus on Highway 69. Next year, the cafe will have to change its name due to some agreement they have made with another restaurant in Tennessee with a similar name, which was established first. But for now look up Soul Fish, Columbus, Mississippi, and go as soon as you can. You don't even have to be a catfish fan to enjoy their other cuisine, all the creation of Chef Tavern Johnson. He studied culinary arts at Columbus's Mississippi University for Women (now co-ed) and simply referred to as "the W". According to Miss Barbara, Tavron's mother, Tavron has had plenty of restaurant experience, and I have to say his schooling and experience have come together to make one of the most authentic Southern cafes where I have had the pleasure of dining.

From the moment you drive up to the cafe and go on into the interior, rustic and down-home are words that come to mind. The ambiance of the place is rivaled only by the food, and it's the sort of place where you can watch the locals come and go, mainly waiting for take-out (at least on a week night), and the wait for the food to be prepared is worth every bit. Don't go on a Friday or Saturday night and expect to be seated right away. In its eleven months in existence, Soul Fish has developed quite a customer base.

And as in all the places I have been in columbus and elsewhere in Mississippi, people are friendly, eager to break into conversation, and Miss Barbara and Tasha were more than willing to talk to me and Cliff as we waited on our food, or to advise us on which desert to try, and to let Cliff take their picture, with me in the middle (fat and satisfied with my meal and the wicked wicked desserts Cliff and I shared, consisting of pound cake and peach cobbler).

Miss Barbara Johnson (left) Tasha (God Daughter)(right)
and me in the middle.

The atmosphere of the cafe is enhanced by the music, which the Chef also chooses. That night it was traditional blues and filled the cafe from an excellent sound system. Tavron on comes out of the kitchen, according to Miss Barbara, to change the music.

The cafe also serves wine and beer, along with soft drinks, tea, and coffee. The food menu is diverse and should be able to satisfy many palates, although when I venture into a new southern restaurant and catfish is on the menu, that's what I choose. Plan a trip to Soul Fish. Cliff had the shrimp and grits (a new favorite of his, which he has tried in at least three different restaurants in the area.

Finally, I have to say that I didn't like catfish before I moved to Mississippi. This can be explained by the fact that I spent most of my life in the desert of Southern New Mexico and any fresh fish we might have had access to was caught in our lakes or rivers and prepared by amateurs at home. The rest of our fish comes frozen and inevitably tastes fishy, and in the case of catfish, kind'a dirty. But since I've been in Mississippi, I've had nothing but fresh fish, and the catfish here is surprisingly light, tender, and white. I've had it grilled and fried, and there's just something about battered and fried that can't be beat.

Further, I've had to give up on getting authentic tasting Mexican food here in Columbus. But that is to say, authentic according to what I grew up with, including the famous Hatch chile, which you can now get across the country by savvy restaurants. But those down-home seasonings that distinguish New Mexican Mexican food just aren't replicated here in Mississippi, and so I've had to make catfish my food of choice when it's offered in restaurants I go to. Other cafes offer BBQ and chicken dishes, and when it's Southern it's the best. There are still many many area restaurants and cafes that I haven't been to yet in either Columbus or any number of towns within a hundred-mile radius, but so far, for my money I nominate Soul Fish Grill as the best.