California meets country

ACROSS from the Eagle Rock Baptist Church, a new soul food restaurant has opened in a sweet little 1911 bungalow with a wraparound porch. Partners Larkin Mackey, the chef; Joshua McBride, who runs the front of the house; and sous-chef Rick Rowan have been working overtime for months to make it all happen, after long delays. But it’s here, and none too soon.

Finally, something that’s not Italian or tapas or sushi. Larkin’s revels in Southern cooking with a contemporary spin. The copy on the restaurant’s website goes a bit over the top, hailing Larkin’s debut as “a new era in soul food.” But you have to love the partners’ enthusiasm.

The fact is, Larkin’s cuisine really is something different. That’s because Mackey, who can trace roots back to New Orleans, grew up in Southern California -- a vegetarian. And he weaves the Mexican spices and California accents of his youth through his tribute to all things Southern.

The dining room, with its antique stained glass behind the bar, sash windows and mismatched chairs, is very country and charming. Soon, they’ll add outdoor seating in a garden in progress out back, and on that inviting porch. Tables are set with casual posies. And the walls are hung with evocative art photos. Walking in for the first time, you find a happy hubbub of eaters. The Ball canning jars used as water (and wine) glasses were inspired by “The Color Purple,” according to McBride, but wine drinkers may want to bring proper glasses. Until Larkin’s wine and beer license comes through, it’s strictly BYOB.

Our waitress sashays over to the table in a pretty retro-print dress, ready to take our order. Starters include a wedge lettuce salad with blue cheese dressing garnished, oddly, with a frizzle of fried onions. A salad of heirloom tomatoes paired with warm fried okra is a terrific concept, but the okra on a recent night is fried to hard pellets. Chili verde, made from the chef’s grandfather’s recipe, is comforting and delicious. Salmon cakes, though, are bland and undistinguished.

For those always on the lookout for a good fried chicken, I can say that Mackey makes a mean one -- cooked the way it should be, in a heavy cast-iron skillet to give it the requisite crunch. It comes with red garlic mashed potatoes and a little gravy. Jambalaya is nice and spicy. There’s corn-battered and fried catfish too. Southerners, though, may find the fish somewhat lacking in that tasty funk they expect from catfish. It could be any fish at all under that batter. And the smothered pork chop comes not only without the bone, it’s enclosed in a pasty gravy. Back to the drafting board on that one.

Most main courses come with sides, but you can order extra, or different too, including “Aunt Carolyn’s potato salad,” the creamy old-fashioned kind, both sweet and spicy, or skillet-sauteed collard greens with tomatoes, hot pepper and garlic. Sweets include sweet potato pie -- how could you not? -- as well as banana pudding, strawberry red velvet shortcake, fruit cobblers and whatever else strikes the cook’s fancy.

Though the kitchen has some trouble getting all of the food for a table out at the same time, the place is so endearing and the owners enthusiastic, it’s hard to be grumpy about the opening snafus. They’ve worked so hard and waited so long for this moment. And here it is.

virbila@latimes.com

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Larkin’s

Where: 1496 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock

When: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; brunch, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays

Price: Starters, $7 to $9; main courses, $12 to $19; desserts, $7 to $9; sides, $5; drinks, $2. Until the wine and beer license comes through, it’s BYOB with $5 corkage. Street parking.

Info: (323) 254-0934, www.larkinsjoint.com