Southern Specialties up North in Harlem

It's a shame that, at a school as far uptown as Columbia, the student body spends more time in SoHo than in Harlem. There are plenty of reasons to make the short trip north at mealtime to taste some examples of fine cuisine. Not only is the food delicious and filling, but the atmosphere is fun, vibrant, and rich with culture.

Take Amy Ruth's for instance--known by its regulars as "the authentic soul of New York." The oversized paper menu explains how the restaurant was named after and dedicated to the chef and proprietor's grandmother, who taught him to love both his family and southern cuisine. It's clear that this genuine ardor for cooking pours into every entree ($9-15) Carl Redding prepares.

Finger-lickin' good is a most appropriate description for the restaurant's specialty, Southern Honey-Dipped Fried Chicken--also known as "the Councilman Bill Perkins"--which is made with honey fresh from the beehive on the restaurant's roof. The spare ribs are another mouth-watering treat, prepared in a special pineapple-mustard Amy Ruth's topping before being baked and slathered with barbecue sauce. Cooked to perfection, the tender meat falls right off the bone, and, even as someone who rarely enjoys red meat, I found the tasty ribs to be delightful.

The extensive waffle menu is full of odd combinations of steak, shrimp, and chicken wings. Among the best sides--there are two included with every meal--are candied yams, black-eyed peas, macaroni and cheese, and buttered corn. The portions are large and the prices are cheap, but keep in mind that even the less rich items on the menu are quite heavy and filling.

On the other end of the spectrum is the less typical and more upscale Bayou. This unassuming Lenox Ave. eatery could be easily overlooked, but anyone who knows of Bayou is sure to return again and again. A refreshing Cajun-style menu that changes daily, combined with an extensive wine list and affable servers, makes Bayou a desirable and relatively inexpensive choice for a date or a special occasion. Appetizers range between $5-11 and entrees between $14-19, and are comparable in quality to downtown dishes that are twice as expensive. The boisterous crowd and the view of the heart of Harlem add to the dining experience.

What makes the food so great is not the core ingredients, but the sauces that accompany them. The Chopped Salad is the only salad I've ever tasted that I would describe as sinful, due solely to the truffle vinaigrette that is drizzled on top. Although the fresh vegetables are delicious and impressive for this time of year, the truffles steal the show. Similarly, the Crab Cakes--my favorite--are scrumptious because the crisp greasiness of the finely ground cakes is cut with tomato salsa. Other signature starters are Turtle Soup, Fried Oysters, and a Shrimp and Okra Gumbo. The entrees arrived after we were so full from the appetizers that they were almost difficult to stomach, but the Red Snapper in a unique vanilla-lemon-butter sauce must be mentioned. Again, the fish itself was not as magnificent as its topping. Finally, the frozen lemon pie is the ideal palate-cleanser to top off a Bayou meal. Bayou is a nearby site certainly worth visiting for an altogether a wonderful dining affair.

A trek uptown is an overall invigorating experience, so different from the overly-hip restaurants in lower Manhattan and the stuffy, expensive venues of the East Side. The food is reasonably priced and the helpings are huge. There is something for everyone in Harlem. Find soul food galore, either at Amy Ruth's or a much closer Miss Mamie's on 110th and Columbus, or discover fine, somewhat hidden surprises like Bayou or the famous little Italian place called Rao's. Everyone has tried Toast and Max Soha, but the true culinary gems of Harlem are further north, just waiting for the Columbia community to discover.

Amy Ruth's is located at 113 W. 110th Street. Phone (212) 280-8779. Bayou is located at 308 Lenox Ave. Phone (212) 426-3800.