Even though I’ve grown up in Oakland, I’ve never been to Brown Sugar Kitchen, a popular restaurant for soul food.

Not only did I want to come to Brown Sugar Kitchen because of its popularity but also because chef Tanya Holland is one of the contributors of In Situ. Her well known dish is currently on our menu and she even came in for dinner one night! I went to Brown Sugar Kitchen for Sunday brunch and it was poppin’. The menu is more limited on the weekends (so if you want to have more options come during the week) but all the dishes I wanted to try were offered that day.

Hot Chocolate with Marshmallow (9/10).

This hot chocolate was the perfect drink on a cold rainy day. It was just the right amount of sweetness with a sprinkle of cocoa powder and marshmallow that melted in your mouth.

Chicken Apple Sausage (8/10) and Black Eyed Pea Salad (5/10).

The chicken apple sausage was great with a nice crust on the outside but the black eyed pea salad severely lacked seasoning.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Cornmeal Waffle with Brown Sugar Butter and Apple Cider Syrup (8/10).

The chicken and waffles were pretty bomb. The chicken was super crispy yet moist and the fluffy waffles were scrumptious with the brown sugar butter and apple cider syrup.

Creole BBQ Shrimp and Grits (8/10), Featured at In Situ.

The shrimp and grits, currently on our menu, is one of the most popular dishes since it sounds delicious and it’s from a local chef. The grits were creamy and velvety with Tillamook white cheddar folded into it. The shrimp are sautéed with aromatics and red and green bell pepper and then tossed in a robust sauce made from wheat beer and worcestershire sauce. Definitely order this!

I’m really happy that I finally came to eat at Brown Sugar Kitchen. Overall my rating is an 8/10.