John and Linda's Diner

There are three good indicators that immediately signal a worthy restaurant—your nose is engaged by enticing aromas of food, there is a line to get in to eat the food, and the laughter is heard in abundance.

John and Linda’s Diner, located at the intersection of State Street and MLK on the edge of DeTonti Square, arrested me with all of these upon entering. But let me tell you first to how I got there. I would love to say I “found” this place, but I am a mere follower.

Last summer I ran into an acquaintance from New York City who had recently passed through Mobile. He went on and on about a place downtown with the best soul food he had ever tasted. But he could not remember the name. After searching around I found the name, but could not locate the restaurant.

If I eat at the same place twice in one week, as I have with John and Linda’s, I am either obsessed or the experience is incredible. Here it is both.

Getting there the first time was a little confusing. I commandeered a friend to go along and try it. We were both apprehensive. Entering via the MLK side, one comes upon a large union hall all set up with twinkling lights and long tables and chairs—empty, but as if waiting for an important event. At the end of the room laughter was escaping through two louvered doors. Joyful servers stood behind a handcrafted steam table. Wooden framing encapsulates wide expanses of glass, displaying abundant choices of food. No lie.

It is a happy place full of just about all walks of life. A little low on the silk stocking crowd, but plenty of every day folks mixed in with office ladies, docks workers and the like. The second time I ate there, I entered through State Street and brought two initiates. There is a parking area to the side and a street entrance here that brings you right into one of the two dining rooms.

A small window to the kitchen is placed behind the ladies serving. Each genially hollers through the window for fresh food, even sparing the last serving of an entrée or vegetable to provide eaters with the new. Each day brings five to six entrees that are offered with two or three vegetables depending on your entrée selection, along with corn muffins.

My visits came two Fridays in a row so basically the same things were found both times. Ribs, fried chicken, smothered fried chicken, oxtails, Cajun baked chicken with dressing and fried flounder with shrimp were among the selections. Several salads are available as side dishes—green salad tossed with a creamy unassuming ranch, cole slaw, fruit along with others I cannot remember. The entrees, vegetable and atmosphere are the stars. Macaroni and cheese (thick and rich, like your grandmother makes), fried okra, green beans and collards were the vegetables that I had to eliminate down to two my visits.

I chose the Cajun baked chicken with dressing and two sides. One-half of a succulent chicken was crammed with a moist, peppery stuffing. The meat was juicy and the spices were evident throughout the piece. Their turnip greens are very tender and sweet – softly cooked and not bitter. I am a sucker for fried okra and while I wondered if Jim and Linda’s is homemade, the crunchy outer shell was dusted with just enough salt to be sublime.

On my next visit, the Cornish hen, stuffed with another, more subtle tasting dressing, leaped out at me. The sweet hen was as plump as the chicken and tasted extremely moist. The macaroni and cheese is made the old fashioned way, not overly creamy but baked with a hardened outer coating of cheese. The collards were more bitter than the turnip greens by their nature, but I found no need to douse them with pepper sauce as they were perfectly cooked.

All three of my companions were immediately lured to the large whole flounder crisply lying under the warm light. This alone would be enough for lunch or dinner. But John and Linda’s partners the flounder with three (one time four) fresh, hot and LARGE butterflied shrimp. The fish was crunchy, tasty and mild and served as perfect foil for the succulent shrimp. The batter has some cornmeal in it, but is not overly applied. Among these three, different vegetables than mine included white beans simmered with ham and cole slaw.

We sauntered through the crowded line while surveying the room from a table. The room reminds me of another place. We felt as if we were away from Mobile for an hour. The character of the place envelops you. As you come to the end of the line and receive your corn muffins, you encounter the drink selections.

Many colorful choices are presented. Orange, grape and red punch percolate bursts of color through the machines I remember as I child at the Woolworth counter downtown. These sugary drinks, along with sweet tea and water can be yours for a mere $1.09.

Price is your friend at Jim and Linda’s, for the plates are more than plentiful and anyone can get out for under $9. Fridays are the best of all—it is coupon day at Jim and Linda’s. The cashier greets you by your entrée, followed by the presentation of a foil-covered prize box. My first visit garnered me $2 off and my friend $1.

Now you have even more to celebrate about on Fridays. But any day at Jim and Linda’s is more than worth it. The restaurant is open Monday through Sunday for breakfast, lunch and an early dinner (before 5 p.m.)

Kinnon Phillips is Lagniappe cuisine editor. Contact him at kphillips@lagniappemobile.com.

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