Have you been feeling the urge for a little southern comfort? Fresno City College students and faculty members can add Makhenda’s Girls: Southern Cuisine to the growing number of restaurants within walking distance of the school.
Located one stoplight east of Blackstone Avenue at 2605 E. McKinley Ave, Makhenda’s Girls has been serving classic soul foods and Midwestern barbecue since last November.
For a main dish, customers can choose from barbecue ribs, beef brisket, fried chicken or fried fish. Makhenda’s side dishes include candied yams, collard greens, mac and cheese, French fries and potato salad. Refreshments include sweet tea, mango lemonade, red Kool-Aid, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Diet Coca-Cola and 7-Up.
Makhenda’s combination lunches are relatively inexpensive. Combination plates come with your choice of meat, your choice of sides and cornbread. Customers who present their student I.D. card will receive a $1 discount on their combination plate.
This was my first visit to Mahkenda’s. I purchased fried, spicy basa combo with candied yams, collard greens and cornbread for the discounted student rate of $6.99, plus tax. This is the sort of restaurant where customers can listen to their feed being prepared in the next room. A few minutes later I was presented with a large plate of food.
My “one choice of meat” combination plate came with three large pieces of fried fish, generous portions fantastic yams, collard greens and a hearty cornbread muffin.
Mahkenda’s Girls breaded their fish differently than most other American restaurants. Their crispy, flavorful Southern style caters perfectly to basa meat. This gives their fish a texture that may seem a bit unfamiliar to some. I highly recommend expanding your fish fry horizons.
Customers would do well to arrive with a big appetite. Larger combination plates offer a choice of two or more meats along with three or more sides and extra cornbread. If customers manage to save room, Makhenda’s desserts include sweet potato pie and peach cobbler.
Mahkenda’s offers an excellent deal for students with constrained budgets. I highly recommend that students take a short walk to see what southern comfort is all about.
Makhenda’s Girls: Southern Cuisine is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
