Best soul food and gumbo explosion

Out of a tiny shack in Del Paso Heights, this twin-sister operation churns out excellent soul food—fried chicken, smothered pork chops, mac 'n' cheese, black-eyed peas and so forth. But the biggest flavor explosion comes from the gumbo, thick and loaded with tender shredded chicken, sliced sausage, shrimp, okra, bell peppers and other veggies. It's textured, rich, spicy and like nothing else in our Creole-deprived city. The side of hot-water cornbread—more like a huge, buttery cornbread pancake—doesn't hurt. 1525 Grand Avenue, (916) 646-6038. J.B.