Craves Soul Food

Guided by Ruth "Momma" Scott and her husband Edwin Sr., Craves is founded on heritage cooking, the restaurant actually an acronym for three generations of the family. There's Carmen, Ra'Dana and Ra'Gina, Annette, Vina, Edwin and the surname, Scott - hence, Craves.

So it's clever, homespun and oh, so good - from the name to the sweet "corn corn puffs" dressed in honey and served complimentary before meals. They're like corn muffins, only sweeter, much sweeter, and addictive, so grab one fast before one of your dining buddies pulls a David Copperfield and - voila! - makes the snacks disappear.

Altogether, Craves offers an inviting locale: a jazz mural decorates one wall, the cook-time is swift, and the joint clean, a departure from many vintage soul-food establishments around Charleston. Heck, Craves even has a Twitter account, great for anybody needing updates on oxtail.

But with Craves, virtual memos mean little next to bricks and mortar. Where to start, post corn corn puffs? Perhaps with fried chicken, pork chops, or the fish, cooked in a light, delicate batter. Or better: shrimp and grits, the batch buttery-smooth below a puddle of rich, dark gravy.

Craves also specializes in "Prioleau rice," any combination of meat or vegetable and Carolina rice. Pick your pleasure: collard greens Prioleau, rib Prioleau, turkey Prioleau, pigs feet Prioleau, et al. One entree plus side runs $5.99, two entrees plus side $6.99, meat and three $7.99, and a veggie plate - lima beans, cabbage, blackeyed peas, anyone? - costs $5.99.

Last item: To hear the Scott family, they came up with the name Craves before realizing it to be their initials. The unconscious or divine intervention? Be a believer - choose the latter.

Web: www.cravessoulfood.com.

Address: 616-A Meeting St.

Phone: 577-3773.

Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday.