815 S. Washington St., Alexandria, Va. (703) 836-6222 Hours of Operation and Prices Open: M-Th 11:30-10:30, F-Sat 11:30-11, Sun 2:30-10:30 Entrees: $5.50-$14 Brunch: Sun 11:30-2:30, $5.75-$7 Other Information • Credit Cards: All major • Reservations: Accepted for 6 or more • Dress: Casual • Parking: Free lot • Handicapped accessible

Okay, so you want something lighter? There's a thick, grilled tuna steak, flavored with lemon and pepper. But be warned: As good as the tuna is, it pales beside its vegetable accompaniments of peppered and vinegared Southern greens, wildly rich cream grits and those drive-you-crazy mashed potatoes. Another of the potential stars on this menu is Charleston Chicken, the breast topped with shrimp, corn and sausage in sherry butter. The sandwich choices are equally interesting, from the catfish po' boy to the pulled pork to the burger with fried oysters.

With all this, you surely don't need an appetizer. But there are oysters three ways, which means with heady seasoned spinach (Rockefeller), creamy crab (Virginia) and bacon (Maryland). It's enough for two to share, as are the crab and corn drop fritters and the sweet potato biscuits smothered with crab, Virginia ham and cream gravy. Likewise, you ought to share a side dish of fried green tomatoes. The only trouble is, the kitchen is no longer reliable as it was in Southside 815's early days. You can hope to catch it on a good day.