Chef Marilyn's Soul Food Express2638 Crenshaw Blvd
Los Angeles
323-737-8101
Why is The New Diner not eating at Phillips BBQ, when he is on Crenshaw Blvd? Well the first time I went to Phillips, I saw a long line, going out the door, at Chef Marilyn's Soul Food Express. So I stopped in and grab a few items and was impressed.
It has been awhile but I finally made it back to Chef Marilyn's. Talk about perfect timing, I went on the weekend when they were celebrating 20 years in business. Everything was 99 cents!!!
So I got mac and cheese, hot link, mashed potato, fried chicken breast, and smothered pork chop. I also ordered the short rib, I'll get to that later.
The mac and cheese was great. Perfectly cooked pasta, lots of melted, gooey cheese, rich and flavorful. Regular price is $2.50.
The hot link is regularly 99 cents. It is drowned in a sweet BBQ sauce. The link, which is all beef, starts out fairly sweet, then it kicks in and a nice spiciness fills your mouth. A good size and a steal at 99 cents.
The mashed potatoes are also, regularly 99 cents. They were just OK. They had a bit of a tangy flavor to them. I think mashed is the wrong word, it is blended. I have never had mashed potatoes with texture like this. I wouldn't order mashed potatoes from here again.
The smothered pork chop was a boneless pork chop covered in a rich gravy. The pork chop was a good size and was tender and flavorful. But I was say the last few bites was nothing but fat. I wish they would have cut the fat in the pork chops. The gravey was rich and added flavor to the pork chop. Other than it being fatty I did like the pork chop.
The fried chicken breast was pretty good. The skin isn't crunchy but crisp. The breast was a bit dry but not too bad. I think I should have ordered the smother chicken to moisture.
Service was average but friendly. Ok the line was loooong. At 99 cents per item, nobody is going to turn down this deal. But while waiting in line you get an order form. I put the five items I reviewed PLUS the short ribs. I get my order and she charged me for five items, missing the short ribs. I was walking over to take pictures of the food and checked my order. I was missing the mac and cheese. I went back and got the mac and cheese. I could have made a big deal about the short ribs but I already had ribs for lunch so it wasn't that big of deal. So they could make sure the orders are correct and while I understand it was busy, it doesn't take much to make sure the orders are correct. But they were nice and friendly and corrected their mistake without any problems.
I do like Chef Marilyn's and I will go back. There is usually a line, 5-6 people, every time I've been there. This was the longest line I've seen but then again it was the best deal. You get good food, at good prices. But be careful when going at other times. Only certain items are 99 cents.
