Hearty soul food, with a side of therapy

I CONSIDER MYSELF a professional diner and if there were an NFL (National Foodie League), I'd have a number, locker and uniform. So, like any athlete who senses that her game is slipping, I found myself unnerved to discover for three years I had dropped the ball and failed to notice a soul food takeout blocks from where I live. I can see how over time 10,000 losses can happen.

Deborah Harrison-Muhammad is the owner of this family takeout business that is near Girard College and - note this for your playbook - a few minutes from the Girard Avenue exits of the Schuylkill Expressway.

Call ahead and you've got dinner on the table as soon as you pull into the drive. Wipe down the steering wheel, though, so no one will be any the wiser that an extra order of wings just got you through the rush-hour traffic jam.

Cooking has always been a family affair for Harrison-Muhammad. She learned to cook at home from her mother, Lueanna Harrison, who managed a cafeteria for the Philadelphia School Board. She's still in charge of the potato salad and if there's a shortage of that favorite side, she's ready on the sidelines. Her practiced hand gives it the perfect ratio of potato, mayo and sweet pickle.

As Harrison-Muhammad's kids were growing up, she started cooking for all the youngsters who gravitated toward her kitchen. That included her nephew, Marvin Harrison, now number 88 and wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts. When he's in town, he'll stop by for a taste of his aunt's turkey chops, fried chicken, and Vegetarian Beans.

Several years ago, one of Harrison-Muhammad's sons passed away. Through the grief, cooking continued to be a way to nurture others and forget.

Marvin Harrison put a plan into motion. He bought the building at 2608 Girard, reserved the phone number with the last four digits D-E-B-S and, when the time was right, he suggested she start the business.

Harrison-Muhammad says, "I needed something to do to cope and I love what I do here. My mind is occupied the entire time." She adds, "Marvin is a great support."

At Deborah's Soul Food the philosophy is to make simple food as close to home cooking as possible. Daily platters come with a choice of two sides, are reasonably priced, and ample portions. The Baked Mac and Cheese and potato salad are 50 cents extra.

The Short Ribs of Beef platter ($10) is worthy of a Super Bowl. Flanken-cut short ribs are tender and meaty – and you get those little nubs of bone to suck on. (Come on, it's takeout and you are in the privacy of your own home!) For this dish, choose the Rice and Gravy and Steamed Cabbage for sides - it's a perfect play.

Barbecue Chicken Breast platter ($8.50) comes with the wing and the breast. The chicken is simply cooked and comes with a sweet barbecue sauce served as you would gravy.

I will say, I was slightly disappointed in the Fried Chicken ($8.50) and found it a little dry. But, fried chic is a stylistic appreciation and I'm for the heavily coated version with a little cayenne kick. Deborah's has a light dusting of flour with simple seasoning.

There are specials that run various days of the week. I was happy to see Chicken and Dumplings ($8) made the way my grandmother did - with baking powder dough cooked right in the gravy. More often here in Philly you'll find it made Amish-style with thick noodle squares instead of the dumplings. Chunks of white meat chicken make this a hearty option.

Other sides worth noting are the candied yams - sweet chunks dressed up with nutmeg. The Baked Mac and Cheese is simple, straightforward basic cheese sauce and macaroni.

All of the foods cooked at Deborah's are "with the blessings of no pork."

The collard greens are seasoned with smoked turkey, as are the string beans. They were as good as any I've had seasoned with salt pork.

All the desserts are made by Harrison-Muhammad, but she named the baked goods side of the business "Girlie's Goodies." Her nickname in the neighborhood since she was a baby has been Girlie, so this way the longtime residents will recognize her name on the door.

Whether you call her "Deborah" or "Girlie," the sweets take the cake - and pie. We are talking sweet with soul food desserts, so make sure you can handle the sugar rush.

Don't miss the Sweet Potato Pie ($2.50) which is creamy and redolent with spices. The crust is par-baked so the bottom doesn't get soggy.

Peach Cobbler ($2.25) has some spice as well as peaches blended with a baking-powder biscuit style dough. On the Banana Pudding ($2.25) a minor quibble is that I'd prefer freshly whipped cream in keeping with the home-style emphasis.

Strawberry Shortcake ($3) is a nice dense cake with lots of strawberries. It's considered a personal favorite by several in the shop and I won't argue with that call. *