Some restaurants are homey because of decor, others because of their food, and still others for their friendly, welcoming service. All three are evident at King's and Queen's, with the added element that you are actually stepping into someone's home. The rambling Victorian on Broad Street (formerly inhabited by the dearly departed Faye's Place) has glass panes in the heavy front door, classic molding on the windows and doorjambs, and a fireplace and mantelpiece in each of the two front dining rooms, as well as the entry room.

On an icy December night (watch those front steps!), we cracked open that door and were greeted by the marvelous aroma of sweet potato pies still in the oven. We arrived early and were therefore the first diners, and I chose to sit in the back room, closer to the kitchen, its tables covered with Kente cloth in cheery yellows and greens.

Co-owner and main cook Joyce King came out to greet us and entice us with her bargain dinners (most under $10; all served with rice and salad) and island-influenced side dishes. We ordered a round of fish cakes (five for $2), some fried plantains ($1.50 and $2) and fried chicken wings ($2 and $4).

Joyce served the wings and fish cakes with two kinds of hot sauce, one her own homemade version, a mixture of mustard and chili sauce that went straight to Bill's heart. The plantains were yummy, sliced thick enough to retain a soft texture inside contrasting with the crisp edges on the outside. The fish cakes, actually small deep-fried fish balls, were also tasty, though quite peppery.

The entire menu reflects Joyce's native Barbados (she owns the restaurant with her son, Carl). There are curry dishes with chicken, beef, goat, shrimp, or vegetables; jerk chicken; oxtail; and fried fish, either red snapper, whiting, or West Indian flying fish, when she can get it. Other variations of chicken include stewed, baked, and fried.

Settling on the curry chicken ($7) and the larger portion of fish ($12), we were quite pleased. Coconut milk laced the curry sauce, with chopped chicken pieces (bone-in) simmered in the creamy and spicy blend. A mound of appealing red beans and rice, as well as a crisp green salad, accompanied the chicken.

Similar side dishes came with Bill's fried snapper, its sweet flesh delicious on its own, but he loved dousing it with Joyce's homemade hot sauce. He was sipping iced tea with his supper, but I tried Joyce's homemade ginger beer ($2.25). It turned out to be a sharp, heady brew, mixed from grated raw ginger, plenty of sugar and water. Good to the last drop!

Other unusual beverages at King's and Queen's are made from a wild green called sorrel (a reddish drink, with an under taste of what many of us know as Red Zinger), from sea moss and from tree bark (called mauby).

Desserts vary at King's and Queen's. Weekdays, you might find pies or Jamaican buns (a yeast-raised fruitcake-like concoction), but on Saturdays, Joyce makes "sweet bread," "pudding bread," and turnovers. Because she was baking the sweet potato pies for a catering event the next day, we were fortunate enough to get a healthy slice, piping hot out of the oven. It proclaimed its yammy origins, refusing to be overwhelmed by sugar or spice, and was topped with wide strips of flaky pastry crust, something I'd never seen before on a sweet potato pie ($2).

Wall accents at King's and Queen's include portraits of Bob Marley, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Sojourner Truth, and the flag of Barbados hangs in the foyer. The Caribbean-born Kings are clearly proud of their shared heritage with African-Americans, and they are eager to introduce their culture to the rest of us in the food presented at King's and Queen's. It's very nice to be on the receiving end of this offering.

Issue Date: January 3 - 9, 2003