The local reach and popularity of African American food continues to go beyond the bounds of the inner city, as Pot Liquor Southern Food (925 Madison Ave., South Milwaukee) evidences. The owner, whose full-time work centers on Medicare insurance sales, opened days before Gov. Tony Evers’ COVID-19 lock down measures, but her facility is open again for sit-down dining.
Pot Liquor’s iteration of shrimp & grits is certainly worth taking a seat for. The shrimp is served atop corn hominy infused with cheese topped with a Louisiana-inspired spice combination balancing sharp heat with smoky flavor. Pot Liquor’s meatloaf is cut into thick slices under a lake of rich, brown gravy. Among side dishes, the finely diced white cabbage and carrot of Pot Liquor's coleslaw is steeped in a piquant, vinegary base. Mac & cheese here isn't the cheddar-yellow amalgam of dairy and pasta often featured as a soulful side but is less messily prepared with a patina of white cheese and parsley.
Banana pudding receives a novel spin as well, served as a parfait wherein what tastes like Graham cracker pie crust separates layers of pudding crowned by whipped cream and a vanilla wafer cookie. It makes for a filling dessert to top an already fulsome take on the hearty fare Pot Liquor delivers.
