Soul Food and Southern Restaurants in Manhattan

If anything good could be said to have come out of the events of September 11, it's that the world got to see something most New Yorkers have known for years - that beneath the city's brusque exterior beats as warm a heart as ever was. It is, after all, its emotional depth, and its extraordinary sense of soul, that's made the city so appealing to artists and writers for generations. So in the spirit of celebrating a quality that's now forever linked to New York, here's a look at a handful of spots in Manhattan where a similar vibe is the order of the day: soul food restaurants.

AMY RUTH'S 113W. 116th St., 212-280-8779

Ever since it opened for business in Manhattan, Amy Ruth's has established itself as one of the city's most reliable restaurants for traditional southern cooking - it's not hard to see why. Despite an over-lit dining room closer in mood to a bus station donut shop than a traditional restaurant, Amy Ruth's manages to convey plenty of familial goodwill - not surprising, given that owner and chef Carl Redding named the place for his grandmother. It's an approach that's apparent in everything that arrives at the table. As we've come to expect where soul food is concerned, bountiful is the operative word here. So whether you order the fine bourbon-glazed ham (a Sunday night special), the perfect honey-dipped fried chicken, or the two-fisted pork chops smothered in gravy, you can be assured of leaving the table at minimum satisfied and more likely vowing to forego food for days. Of course, there's also the full roster of classic Southern sides to choose from, desserts including an intensely sweet red velvet cake, and a full waffle menu, which can be had with a variety of fried accompaniments, from chicken to shrimp.

JEZEBEL 630 Tenth Ave., 212-592-1045