Meeting Barack Obama’s Nemesis: The Dixie Kitchen/Calypso Café Johnnycake
Many a president has had a regretful dalliance. For Kennedy, it was Marilyn. For Clinton it was Monica. And for Obama: a cornmeal pancake.
In 2001, Obama appeared on Chicago’s citizen reviewing program Check, Please! and talked about gorging on the complimentary basket of Hyde Park restaurant Dixie Kitchen’s johnnycakes saying, “Although those are pretty dangerous ... I’ve learned from my, some past mistakes, you know, that I’ve got to be cautious.... Those Johnnycakes, you know, they’ll get you early, and then you won’t have time, you know, room for the peach cobbler.”
Although they killed his appetite for dessert, you could see a glint in the young senator’s eye, a shine in his smile, regarding that brief affair. He clearly loved the bite, even if it had done him in.
I hadn’t been to Dixie in years, and I didn’t really remember the johnnycakes, so I was as skeptical as a Christian Coalition conservative regarding Obama’s health care plan about how good they could be.
In June, Dixie Kitchen closed because the landlord was redeveloping the property that held the restaurant, and so I figured I’d never get to verify that claim. But sister restaurant and Caribbean eats fave Calypso Café decided to expand its menu and serve the best items from the Dixie Kitchen menu. I went to check it out.
The johnnycakes were no longer complimentary, but offered as a side of 10 for $1.95. The pile of airy golden pancakes that arrived was so warm, it started to melt the two mini-paper tubs of accompanying sweet honey butter. I slathered some on and popped one of the cakes in my mouth, and a corn perfume roiled up in my nostrils as the sweetness of the buttered cake coated my tongue. In a semi-conscious euphoric state I popped four cakes in my mouth in rapid succession before my wits took over and I pulled back. Turns out the president was right, the Dixie Kitchen johnnycake is sugar cornmeal cake crack and one of Chicago’s best deals for serious eats.
Calypso Café
5211 S Harper Avenue, Chicago IL 60615
773-955-0229; calypsocafechicago.com
About the author: Michael Nagrant writes for Serious Eats from Chicago, where he also publishes Hungry magazine. Michael never met an organ meat he didn't like. He hopes to meet many more.
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9 Comments:
Northerners have a habit of sweetening cornbread batter--I've never understood it, but to each their own. With Southern cornbread (or non-sweet johnnycakes), you get a bit more flexibility and can even do some cool things, like topping them with wilted kale, crabmeat, and fresh corn kernels.
The last time I made a batch of johnnycakes it was for a dinner party, and I had a steady procession of dogs and people coming through the kitchen begging for "just a little one, can I have it fresh off the griddle?" There are times when you must make threatening motions with the spatula or dinner will never get done.
Benitowine at 4:20PM on 08/15/09
I like both Northern and Southern style, myself, though I grew up Southern. Can't beat a Johnny cake no matter how you make em'!
reason143 at 6:41PM on 08/15/09
I must try these!
lexophile at 8:02PM on 08/15/09
Ha, Benitowine, I'm the exact opposite. I can't stand nonsweet Southern cornbread. I always top mine with butter and honey if it's Southern.
O_Leaozinho at 10:05PM on 08/15/09
@Benitowine... Not to burst your bubble, but johnnycake originated in New England (that's in the north) typically served sweet. With syrup on as well as a bit of sugar in the batter. Hoe cake or corn pone are southern and typically unsweetened. But I'll let ya in on a dirty little secret. I've lived in Alabama for 12 yrs now, Texas for 5 years before that and I know lots of southerners (who use sugar in their cornbread). Oh the horror! Probably more that do than don't. But that will stay just between you and I.
All things being equal, I love them both sweet and savory. Both are equally versatile and both are equally good.
Can't stand hearing how southerners "don't" use sugar in their cornmeal based breads or cakes as though its a "damned Yankee" thing, and yet it is the "secret" ingredient to so many southern cooks I know, it just makes me wanna laugh!
Pavlov at 11:17PM on 08/15/09
Hey y'all, not trying to re-ignite the Civil War here. :) I actually like molasses or honey on my cornbread, but I prefer the freedom to moderate the sweetness with toppings rather than the bread itself.
I'm also curious as to how the South, a region that will turn iced tea into something akin to pancake syrup, became associated with less-sweet cornbread.
Just had to stick up for the savory variety, and well, I wasn't going to be the first person to use the term "hoe cakes". That tends to get misunderstood by outsiders. And yes, I've actually fixed them on the back of a shovel over a fire of corn stalks.
Benitowine at 12:33AM on 08/16/09
I'm personally partial to the johnnycakes with butter & hot sauce -- it's depressing that Dixie Kitchen isn't gonna be around in Hyde Park anymore, but at least there's still an outpost in Evanston (for the time being, anyway...).
courtguerra at 1:40PM on 08/17/09
I was also going to add that the Evanston Dixie Kitchen is still open and serving complimentary johnnycakes....good lunch specials.
cptmoll at 5:12PM on 08/17/09
Could we have a good recipe for JCs?
Dish at 9:49PM on 08/17/09