Soul food favorites keep Meta's customers coming back
BY COURTNEY GAILLARD
THE CHRONICLE -
Almeta Poole knows what her cus
tomers want when they come through the
doors of her restaurant. Poole, who doubles
as owner and chef of Mela's, likes to know
each of her customers' culinary preferences
down to the drink order.
"I try to know all of my customers, and
the ones that come back constantly, I try to
know their names and how they like their
food (cooked). This is what the line servers
focus on - knowing the customer and mak
ing them feel at home," said Poole, who
also runs Dudley's Cafe in Kernersville.
Poole describes her menu as "true
Southern cuisine" dished out in a cafeteria
style setting. Poole hand-picks most of the
food from the vegetables, fruits and meats,
which she promises are brought in fresh
Phuto by Courtney Gaillnnl
Owner Almeta Poole cooks nearly all the food that is served at Meta's.
daily.
"Our meals and our veggies do not have
sodium and the artificial preservatives that
other restaurants have because it's all fresh.
A lot of people think that because it's
Southern food that it's fattening," Poole
said.
Located on the bottom floor of the Reg
ister of Deeds building, Meta's has been at
its downtown location on Third Street for
almost nine years. A former employee of
the federal government, Poole operated a
catering business called Vimcta's for three
years before opening the restaurant Poole
dropped the Vi - named for her partner at
the time, Vina Johnson when Poole start
ed the restaurant. Poole still caters events
upon request.
Beef tips,.salmon patties, fresh fish,
rihs, cube steak, baked and fried chicken,
and pork chops are offered every day.
Mela's also boasts an array of homemade
cakes, including strawberry, lemon, pound.
Oreo and coconut Pics, cobblers, puddings
and specialty breads all made with real but
ter also make the dessert menu.
"I don't consider it to be soul food for
black people (only). I think of it as soul
food for all types of souls, whether they are
black, green, purple or whatever... (The
term 'soul food') that's just an old Southern
tradition," Poole said
Ask Poole what her signature 3ish is on
the menu and she will tell you "every
thing."
"Everything is prepared with the inter
est of the customer in mind and that means
keeping each individual happy," Poole said.
Lunchgoers can expect to pay around $5
for a meal with the price increasing $1.25
after 3 p.m. for dinner.
Poole said she will extend the restau
rant's hours of operations during the
National Black Theatre Festival to accom
modate festival performances and atten
dees.
Rep. Larry Womble
NC House of
Representatives
71st District
Tel (336) 784-9373 H||
Fax (336) 784-1626 |||||
Email: LWistm@aol.com
Home Address
1294 Salem Lake Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27107