Levi's Port Cafe
Barbecue, Southern/Soul
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$$$$
A nautically-themed hole-in-the-wall just up from the Navy Yard, Levi's serves Southern style dinners and North Carolina BBQ that taste like they came out of a country kitchen. The ribs are cooked in a vinegar-based sauce that, while sweet, balances the smoky taste of the ribs. Fried chicken is cooked to order and has hints of salt and pepper. Gravy-soaked liver and onions are also a popular choice, but I have yet to try them. Main dishes come with two sides. The sides alone are worth a trip to Levi's. The macaroni and cheese is creamy without being too overpowering, while the cole slaw is the perfect accompaniment to the ribs. The candied yams are cooked to perfection, but serve up a heavy dose of brown sugar that can be lapped up with some cornbread.
If you have room for dessert, dive into the peach cobbler a la mode or hope for red velvet cake. The sweet potato pie is also a fitting end to such a Southern meal.
The sugar-laden sweet tea had too much sweet and not enough tea for my taste, but I blame myself for not being able to handle the Southern delicacy. Lemonade is a safer bet for those unaccustomed to the sugar rush of sweet tea.
Levi's operates an all-you-can-eat buffet for $12.95 on Sundays during the summer and a breakfast buffet from 7-10:30 a.m. Monday-Friday.
-- Erin Hartigan
This Navy Yard-area treasure offers sweet tea and red velvet cake in addition to quality barbecue in a setting that feels as familiar as a favorite pair of jeans.
