Carolina Kitchen
By Noelia Veras
On the corner of Washington Place is the Rhode Island Row location of Carolina Kitchen. This restaurant specializes in comfort food and a wholistic Southern experience, all while providing fresh ingredients and amazing customer service.
When walking in, one is instantly greeted by the famous Carolina Kitchen slogan “welcome, welcome, welcome.” The restaurant is quite large and is bustling with energy. The walls are completely covered with artwork and impressive items, from a glittery image of a Marilyn Monroe to an antique accordion. The atmosphere is lively, with up-beat music constantly playing in the background.
The staff at Carolina Kitchen is charming and exude an air of Southern hospitality. Customer service at Carolina Kitchen is not just going through the motions of saying hello and greeting the customer, rather the staff makes an effort to really get to know people and make everyone feel at home. The welcoming attitude only further emphasizes the Southern roots of the place, making Southern hospitality something one actually feels when they walk in and not just a foreign concept.
“I’ve gone to Carolina Kitchen a couple of times and everytime I just feel so welcomed,” said freshman Kate Janik. “I love the food and highly recommend the black bean burger and mac and cheese.”
This restaurant is extremely ideal when parents come into town or for hanging out with friends. The meals are reasonably priced, ranging from $7 to $15 for most meals and the sides are 99¢ for the most part.
The menu at Carolina Kitchen is ample and includes appetizers, salads, soups, seafood, homestyle meals, sandwiches, and desserts. There are also many sides offered with the meal but the cornbread is far and away the best. The ingredients used are all fresh and the food is authentically soul, as the restaurant mainly uses a blend of cajun and creole spices.
A huge advantage to this restaurant is the proximity of its location to Catholic University. The restaurant is just one metro stop away on the red line, located at the Rhode Island Avenue stop.
The owners of this restaurant, Cathy and Dr. London Nelson, also own the restaurant next door TKO Burger. The restaurant also caters to people from all over the world and pride themselves on their diversity.
“This restaurant is special because the atmosphere grabs people,” said server Charles Crawford. “The customer service, the food, everything. We really pride ourselves on the experience.”
Ultimately, Carolina Kitchen is a huge advantage for Catholic University because it creates a welcoming and friendly environment while also providing authentic and delicious food. This is a great opportunity for students to get off campus when they are tired of dining hall food but do not want to travel too far into the city.
