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For the last few months my pals Peter Engler and Rob Lopata have spearheaded an ambitious project: a survey of soul food joints, with a particular focus on the many little places that exist all over the south and west sides, quietly serving their neighbors with nary a mention in the media. I’ve been lucky enough to tag along on most of these forays, and so far I’ve been present for a few remarkable finds, one of which I wrote about in Omnivorous this week, recalling the momentous day when Peter found a place that sells Mississippi Delta-style hot tamales.
I wish I could give you a little more background than that. In person the operators are as nice as can be, but so far every time I’ve called up for a chat I’ve been offered a big bowl of “get lost.” According to a commemorative plaque on the wall they’ve been around since 2000, but as far as I can tell Doggy’s has been overlooked by every search engine, forum, and food writer in town. They’re obviously doing just fine without the help.
