Dayton Daily News 01.19.07

It’s true, it really is. We love Southern cooking. Sweet poatoes. Collard greens. Ribs. Reeeeeeeeeal homemade macaroni and cheese, the kind with that nice brown and chewy crust on top. Mmmmmmmmmm.

So that led us onto our latest adventure: Where in the world can we find, in Dayton, Ohio, the kind of good old down-home cookin’ that reminds us of South Carolina?

All of us had passed Rut’s Eatery at 100 N. James H. McGee Blvd. at one time or another, but had never stopped in. About two bites into our meals we wondered why that was. This unassuming joint displays the food and desserts behind glass cases where it’s easy to see, and, more importantly, smell. And it does smell like South Carolina.

For the unitinitiated, we’re the leadbelly Boys and Girls—three hungry writers, editors and eaters at the Dayton Daily News who are always on the prowl for junk food, fast food, mom-n-pop, diners, county fairs, chains and greasy spoons. if you haven’t heard us say it before, we’re happy to do the tasting so you only havc to if you want to.

We’ve tasted pizzas, burgers, breakfast foods, garlic concoctions, chili—you get the drift. if its food, we’ll eat it Go ahead. Ask. We dare you.

No one had to ask us to eat at Rut’s. We were all curious, and the only thing the curiosity killed was our appetite. The portions were so big that us leadbellies had to share dessert. That may be a first. But when—-not if—-we go back to Rut’s, we’ll have to share again. Unless we’re all going to take a long nap afterwards.

Rut’s serves up a huge menu ranging from burgers, wings and cheese-steaks to classic soul food like pork chops, chitterlings, fish, pigs’ feet, turkey and baked chicken. Most dinner items run about $8, with sides at $2 each. Ribs are $18 for a full slab. Lunch items run from $3.25 to $7.50. And they’ve got breakfast, too! Oh, and carry out.

Here’s the Leadbelly take on things, written only after we could get home and clean up.