Tallahassee is in the north of Florida but in the south of the United States. Southern cooking can be difficult to find here, but at Cassie’s Southern Cuisine it’s the specialty of the house.
As I entered Cassie’s, the inviting aromas of soul food filled the room. The polite workers approached me and my friends as we made our way to the buffe-style serving area.
Cassandra Singleton-Bowden opened Cassie’s Southern Cuisine in mid-September. Nestled among the large trees on South Monroe Street, this soul food restaurant provides just what you need when you are looking for homestyle cooking.
Prepped and cooked fresh every day and paired with its mellow environment, this is the place you would like to be if your tastebuds are searching for tasty food similar to yours in the kitchen.
The Tuesday schedule consisted of collard greens, fried chicken, yellow or white rice, cabbage, yams, oxtails, shrimp and broccoli and carrots.
One of the friendly employees, Jennifer Bell, has been with the restaurant since its opening earlier this fall.
“Everything that we cook is freshly made. Our hospitality and environment is what sets us apart. The people that I work with are amazing and I love being here,” said Bell.
For my meal, I chose to grab the fried chicken, yellow rice, greens, roasted potatoes and cornbread. The flavors from these dishes were incredibly prepared. My favorite part was eating the collard greens; it was my very first time trying it with neck bones in them. The plate was put together cleverly. They provided aluminum foil for the sides that did not have juices to cater to all types of eaters.
Singleton-Bowden knew when she opened this place, that her ingredients had to be fresh and healthy.
“When our customers dine with us, they dine with family. Our chef cooks dishes and uses products that you would use in your own home,” Singleton-Bowden said.
The vast amount of options that they offer weekly and the great tasting food is what keeps individuals coming back.
Cassie’s also offers discounts for college students with a valid ID and drive-thru pickup when you call ahead.
Senior social work student Keslene Etienne was thrilled to finally find authentic soul food in Tallahassee.
“It’s been quite hard trying to just find one restaraunt whose food is tasty. Today when I tried the food at Cassie’s I knew that was the place,” Etienne said.