Feed Your Soul: A place serving patience and grace

WEST MONROE, La. (KNOE) - In the Bawcomville area of West Monroe, on your way to Chenerie Park on Edwards Road, sits a small, local food secret, Simply Southern Cafe and Catering. The owner, Rhonda Williams, who many know as Miss Rhonda, has been cooking for a while.

“Well, I started catering about 30 years ago,” said Williams.

But mainly folks come for the food. Ben Cumnock, a regular, says he like the selection.

“Once a week, usually. Different days they have the, you know, a completely different selection every day,” said Cumnock.

Most of it reminds customers of grandma’s cooking.

“That she does indeed cook like her grandmother because I grew up with her,” said Hank Hamilton, a regular at the restaurant.

I tried the liver and onions with a side of greens and a small helping of cheesy chicken spaghetti.

Well, mom was right.

“Mom, If you’re out there now, I understand. If this is the way it is now, I get it.”

But the reason she started the place was to work with more than just food.

“Then, about five or six years ago, we started working with girls in recovery,” said Williams.

Three and a half years ago, she wanted to build a place that could help women who were going through some rough times.

“Decided that they needed a safe place to work. So I said I’m going to build a restaurant in my yard, and I said that there is good food they’re going to find us, and they have found us,” said Williams.

Her girls, who she refers to as her sisters, consider her more than just an employer.

One server, Christina Willis, who has been here for a while, expressed that working here changed her.

“Yeah, it makes a difference when people care about you. Whenever you don’t think anybody does care,” said Willis.

“Here we come here as a family. We leave as family, and then after that, we know that we can call on each other. And that’s the difference. It’s just one big family,” said Willis.

Customers love the atmosphere. The place even has a piano player who comes in daily, Rita Spillers.

So, get to Simply Southern Cafe, where Miss Rhonda and her sisters serve great food, music, and conversation.

“It’s just a friendly, homey place. It’s good, and I like it,“ said Cumnock. “Where else are you going to get this kind of ambiance,” asks Cumnock.

Plus, the added atmosphere will feed your soul.

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