Wildly Popular New Joliet Restaurant: 'A Taste Of Love And Home'

JOLIET — There is a lot of buzz these days on Brian Bessler's Facebook page, Joliet Area Bar & Restaurant Guide, surrounding Tamu Underwood's new sit-down restaurant along the entrance into Joliet's downtown.

After months of remodeling, decorating and purchasing all-new kitchen appliances, the former long-time chef at Joliet's Hollywood Casino, formerly Empress Casino, opened All That And A Touch of Soul on June 25.

"I wanted to be right here in town. I love it," she said of her location on the gateway into Joliet's downtown.

All That And A Touch Of Soul is at 318 S. Chicago St. There is a large parking just north of the brick one-story building that sits along the busy Route 53 corridor.

"I come here for lunch three times a week. Yep, three days a week, I'm in here," remarked Joliet resident Jerry Hervey, a frequent visitor at Joliet City Council meetings in recent years. "The food is fresh, the service is great, and I'm only 13 minutes from my job."

Hervey's favorites include the catfish, macaroni and cheese, plus the collard greens. He predicts that All That And A Touch Of Soul will be around in Joliet for many years to come.

When asked to describe the menu, Hervey replied, "Something here for everybody."

"We don't have any more soul food restaurants around here, they're the only one," he said. "We know that they're known, and this is a spot that used to be Family Choice, which was also a soul food restaurant, so this helps, and it's in the exact same place."

As the proud owner of Joliet's only soul food restaurant, Tamu Underwood is garnering lots of positive feedback and new customers. One family of three that came for Thursday's lunch told her they drove 45 minutes to get here.

Her weekly specials are delicacies you won't find at most Joliet restaurants. Take Thursday's daily specials: "Turkey Legs or Cornish Hens."

"Customize your meal with our succulent turkey legs or Cornish hens, topped with your choice of cornbread dressing, spicy Alfredo, or jambalaya for a unique and hearty fish," All That And A Touch of Soul's menu teased.

Friday's daily special will feature "Seafood Boil Bags."

Saturday's special will be the Smoked Brisket with two sides, pulled pork with two sides or the BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwich.

"And Sunday is our biggest," Underwood explained. "Oh yeah, that's our soul food Sundays. I love seeing all the people from church come here. It's like an after-church meeting."

As far as her food, "We do salmon patties every day now, because people want them for lunch and dinner," Underwood explained. "Our biggest sellers are smothered pork chops and fried catfish and the smothered chicken. Everything is made from scratch."

The cozy little Joliet restaurant's walls are decorated with oversized utensils, vases and zebra-themed black trim and pink-painted walls. Underwood said her sister Gwen Warfield, who runs a party planning business, Iconic Eventz, did her decorating.

"She transformed this place in four days for me. Zebra prints, and I love pink and black," Underwood told Joliet Patch during Thursday's interview.

Breakfast Debuts In 2 Weeks

All That And A Touch Of Soul is open six days a week. It's closed Mondays and open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

And at the end of August, Underwood plans to introduce her breakfast menu and expand her hours, opening 8 a.m. instead of 11 a.m. "In two weeks, we'll be starting our breakfast, end of August," Underwood proclaimed.

The breakfast menu is called "Gourmet Breakfast Delights" and will include salmon patties, chicken and Belgian waffle, shrimp and grits, eggs your way and buttermilk pancakes.

Everything on the regular menu, except for a few daily specials, is less than $20. The gourmet sandwiches, for instance, range from $9.99 to $14.99.

"People often (complimentary) say, 'Oh, my God, the prices," Underwood said. "I just wanted to be fair. I'm not trying to be rich."

Restaurant Becomes Family Affair

Before embarking on her first sit-down restaurant, Underwood said some people suggested she open in Bolingbrook, but she's a homegrown Joliet product, a graduate of Joliet Central and Joliet Junior College, having worked for 27 years at Empress Casino and Hollywood Casino Joliet.

She also runs her own catering business and provides two meals per day for Joliet's Stepping Stones Treatment Center.

Just like Joliet's iconic 109-year-old Milano Bakery just a couple blocks down the street, All That And A Touch of Soul is a family affair.

Underwood keeps several relatives busy in her kitchen, preparing food, cooking meals or greeting customers and serving their meals and operating the cash register. Underwood's three grown children, daughters Arteshia and Dennishia, son Kaveion, along with her two godsons, Keaton and Omari, were busy during Thursday's hectic lunch rush crowd.

As the owner and chef, Underwood isn't an invisible figure, either. She is a constant presence in the dining area, serving customers their fresh meals or helping new walk-in guests find the right table.

"Welcome in everybody, hey ladies," Underwood exclaimed during Thursday's lunch rush.

"I didn't think it would take off this quick, like it did," Underwood told Joliet Patch's editor. "Yesterday, I had someone eat here from Indianapolis. We've had someone here from Texas. I love to greet everyone that comes in and know where they're coming from.

"I want everybody to come and feel like they are at granny's table," Underwood remarked. "Everyone that comes in here says they love it."

All That And A Touch of Soul comfortably seats 25 to 30 customers. A lot of people coming inside for a takeout order change their mind once they see the interior decor.

Comforting signs displayed around her restaurant exclaim:

• "Relax And Unwind."
• "Good Food Good Friends Good Times."
• "The Best Things In Life Are The People We Love, The Places We've Been And The Memories We've Made Along The Way."

Underwood is pleased with her restaurant's ambiance.

"They come for to-go, but they want to stay," she said.

Bessler's Joliet Restaurant Facebook Group Praised

Underwood said Brian Bessler's Facebook page, Joliet Area Bar & Restaurant Guide, has been incredibly helpful for All That And A Touch of Soul's rising popularity.

"There's been so many people coming from word of that Joliet restaurant site," Underwood said. "And they have been so nice."

What can new customers expect when they step inside All That And A Touch Of Soul?

"They're going to be getting a taste of home, and love, of course," Underwood promised.

Photos of the entire menu are posted below.

To learn more, visit Underwood's website for All That And A Touch of Soul.