Brown Suga Cafe: soul food in northwest Oklahoma City [closed]
by Andrew | June 14, 2008 | 14 Comments
(3.60 with 5 votes) 
Loading ...Brown Suga Cafe is located at 2805 NW 122nd St. in Oklahoma City (map). Visit their website or call them at 405-748-5114.
PLEASE NOTE: Brown Suga Cafe is no longer in business.
If there is one thing I love yet often have trouble finding in Oklahoma City, it’s good old fashioned soul food. Soul food is a Southern-style (not Oklahoma / Texas southwestern southern, but deep-south southern) of cooking that typically marries wonderful ingredients such as lard, butter, and gravy to create tasty dishes that many people refer to as “comfort food.” Brown Suga Cafe is located on the North side of town off 122nd and May hoping to, as they put it, “put a little class in your soul.”
Brown Suga Cafe was actually recommended to me by one of our loyal readers. I had already written about one of my favorite restaurants in town, Mama E’s, when it was suggested that I give Brown Suga a try. When I pulled up, I saw a clean building, a bright and well presented sign, bistro-type outside seating, and inside a nice-looking counter to which you walk up and order. The menu was about what you would expect: chicken, pork chops, roast beef … etc. Unfortunately, the Saturday special of chicken and waffles had a big black line through it. That was disappointing.
Side items were typical as well including green beans, macaroni and cheese, greens, candied yams, and so on. Desserts were cobbler, banana pudding, and German chocolate cake. According to a sign I saw, I had just missed the Brown Suga sponsored event, “Hair Explosion 2008.” I’m always just a bit too late to these advertised events. I was a week late to the “Booty Shakin’ Contest” at Max Burger, I was a day behind the news when Starbucks was giving out free cups of its tasty new Pike’s Peak roast, and now I missed Hair Explosion 2008 by just a couple of days. What luck.
Anyhow, let me tell you about the food. I had to try the namesake, brown suga chicken. It was really good with a sweet brown sugar crust, savory spices, fine seasoning, and it was perfectly cooked. Now, I will tell you I had a friend go at night once and say that the brown suga chicken was a little dried out, as if it had been in a warmer all day. However, that was definitely not the case with my experience. It was tasty, tender, juicy, and fresh. That same friend also said that the collard greens were the best he had ever had. He went on and on about them. Since I hate collard greens I am taking his word for it. I know, lots of people love greens … sorry, I don’t. I hate black eyed peas too, in case you want to start making a list.
For my sides, I tried the macaroni and cheese and green beans. I liked the green beans. They were cooked with bacon and onions and were not cooked to death (although I do like green beans cooked to death too). The macaroni and cheese was not bad, but not my favorite. It appeared to be a stove-top-style mac and cheese rather than a baked mac and cheese. I like it best baked. My favorite place to get baked mac and cheese is in Nashville at Dan’s Grill. In fact, I always made such a big deal about the dish that Mama Dan would invite me back to the kitchen so I could watch them make it. It involved a lot of lard and cheese and it brought tears to my eyes every time. Lard, by the way, gets a bad name. Did you know it has less saturated fat than butter? With all the stink regarding trans-fatty acids, maybe we will see a rebirth of lard. We can always hope.
Wow, that was a bit off-topic. Anyway, last but not least, the meal came with Brown Suga cornbread. I’m not sure if that means it has brown sugar in it or not, but if it did I couldn’t tell. It just tasted like corn bread to me.
So, the food is pretty good, but I also have a few concerns right out of the gate. First, it is hard to get out of there for less than $10 per person. Now, I understand economics. Heck, I have a degree in economics, and I know that NW 122nd and May is not exactly SW 29th and May from a rent perspective. I know they have to pay for their location and cover their skyrocketing food costs. Still, $10 a plate could be tough to overcome, especially when I was the only person there at noon on a Saturday.
Which brings me to my second concern, there was nobody else there. Maybe they have a dynamic business going during the week which would help to ease my concern, but this lack of patronage definitely stood out to me.
Finally, their to-go meal did not come with forks, napkins, or anything. No big deal for me since I needed to stop at 7-11 for a cold can of Dr. Pepper anyway so I just picked it all up there. But this is something to check on if you need utensils. My guess is they have them if you ask.
Despite these concerns, Brown Suga has a lot to offer — pretty good food (from the limited sample I tried and counting on some reports from others), a really good location, and a cuisine that appeals to a broad demographic. Are they the best soul food in town? No. That crown, in my humble opinion, goes to Mama E’s. On the other hand, their mantra of “put a little class in your soul” seems to hold true. These dishes are presented a little more upscale than what I am used to with soul food. A clean, safe, and well-lit dining area is also a bonus (and quite a departure from my normal dining excursions).
So, if you are located on the northwest side of town (or just less inclined to shadiness) and looking for some soul cuisine, Brown Suga might be just what you’re after. Give it a try and please let us know what you think in the comments.
14 Comments So Far. Tell Us What You Think
You can leave your thoughts on this article and see what others have to say using the Facebook comments box below or our built in comments system.
Comments On This Site Only
Comments left here use our built-in system and show up on this website only. You can leave your own comments here if you prefer not to leave them via Facebook.
June 16th, 2008 at 9:46 am
My wife and I have had the chance to visit and eat at Brown Suga on two separate occasions. My wife visited first and tried the chicken, she thought it was wonderful. The mac & cheese was good but not out of this world. She loved the peach cobbler. On my visit, I had the pot roast. Wonderful just wonderful. Great flavor juicy, melted in your mouth. The beans and rice were somewhat dry could have used some more juice. The cornbread was somewhat dry and even with some extra butter was just so so. All in all the main course on our visit was good, they just need some help on the sides.
Thanks, T & S
June 20th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
I have purchased meals to go several times, and joined friends (who happened to be eating there) once. I have tried the chicken once, but each time since have not been able to resist the roast beef. (I always request a little extra gravy on my cornbread). I found my entire menu each time to be perfectly delicious and served with a smile. I think that what I really love about this cafe is the fact that it is a family venture and the recipes have come down through generations. By the way, their peach cobbler is “to die for”. I rate this eatery a 5!
June 20th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
I agree, the side dishes aren’t the star here. I have had others say the exact opposite, however. I don’t know, it’s out of my way in the first place. If I get the hanckerin’ for a little soul food I’ll probably just head to Mama E’s. Although, both of you make compelling arguments for the roast beef.
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Well, this is when I wish I lived a lot closer to the restaurant you’re talking about!
)
How could a dish called Brown Suga Chicken made in a restaurant/cafe called Brown Suga be anything but wonderful?
I just ate lunch, but this still sounds perfect!
(T’was a great article, too!)
Cindy
http://www.jbkpottery.com
August 12th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
I visited brown sugars with the hopes of a good soul food dinner but was a little disappointed. The main course I selected was the pot roast, it was pretty good but the mac and cheese tasted like it was made with a prison budget. The corn bread was also awful! I began 2 get suspicious when my server began adding water 2 everything 2 freshen it up. I shouldve listened 2 my instincts and the deserted lobby and tried another resteraunt. Take my advice and learn from my 25 dollar gift 2 brown suga’s
August 13th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Wasn’t the best..When I think of soulfood I think..neckbones,oxtails,chitterling etc..I’m a big fan of greens (baked) mac and cheese etc..and Brown Suga Cafe didnt do it for me..kinda bland..I wont be back…..I might try out Mama E’s instead.. I hear there good.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:50 am
I like Brown Sugar, for the most part. They have good peach cobbler, and awesome sweet potatos, but I didn’t like how the whole family(kids) hangs out in the lobby and shuffles out of the back office during business hours. So unprofessional. Purses sitting out and about and the bathroom was not clean. They also need to wipe their stainless steel equipment down, and do something about some additional seating. Oh and their Sunday hours are real bad. 11-3? What’s that about – people don’t get out of church until 3 … Oh well, business must be good, but if they don’t learn any business ettiquite, it won’t eb for long.
March 18th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
this place is just not consistent at all one day the macaroni is good, next its dry, then its runny. have had the same problem with the pork chop and pot roast as well one day its good next its so off, therefore i decided to give them a much needed break. Now so far so good with aja bleu on western and hefner
May 3rd, 2009 at 4:00 pm
UMmmm…………I Love it
July 22nd, 2009 at 5:16 pm
If Andrew doesn’t like greens or blackeyes whats he doing in asoul food place? That’s what is all about you can get meat and potatoes anywhere!!
August 9th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
they’ve moved to a new location at Sante Fe & Memorial. http://www.brownsugaokc.com/Cafe.html
September 24th, 2009 at 11:02 am
I’m with Stevie. Had a good experience the 1st time. Took my folks and Aunt and Uncle the 2nd. Chincy portions. My dad is a big man and they gave hime a small thigh and wing for his dark meat chicken dinner. A wing is white meat. I had puchased the half off deals through channel 4. They would not let us use them for lunch.. Said we had to buy the combos. Then when we got our food and it seemed to be about half the portion as normal???? Why? I still have cerfificates left and it will be a looooong time before I go back if at all. They got their money. Why can’t we use the certificates on what we want. There were no stipulations on use when I purchased them. So be warned if you want to use your certificates on this one. My mom ate the catfish. She got 3 pieces over cooked and not much bigger than a pencil. My prok chop was 1/2 the size of the one on my 1st visit. Don’t go for the reception. There was no personality of staff on either visit. Felt like we putting them out and the cornbread is awful.
March 1st, 2010 at 2:23 pm
Brown Sugar has moved again. I believe they are exclusively on Council Road. They move too much for my taste, besides, only their green and cobbler is what’s good about them.
May 15th, 2010 at 8:15 am
too bad this place has closed … missed an opportunity to try it out … as of May 2010 it’s a vacant space
Please tell us what you think.