What makes a family? For Barbara Collins and Lillian Rambus, the mother and daughter behind Simply Soulful, itâs their rock-solid, got-your-back attitude that centers closeness amongst both their biological and chosen kin.
Barbara and Lillian bring this familial energy to their Seattle soul food parlor. Currently tucked in a snug corner of Madison Valley, Simply Soulful opened its doors in 2014, after making a humble start as a farmersâ market pie stand. Barbaraâs specialty was sweet potato pie, which enticed marketgoers from Seattle to Tacoma. Barbara had perfected the recipe while caring for her elderly mother, Elizabeth, who was born and raised in Clay County, Mississippi.
âEvery night I had the opportunity, I would make the sweet potato filling,â she tells me. âIâd bring it to her and ask: âDoes it taste right? Does it need anything else?â And sheâd tell me what it needed without even asking what I had put in it.â
Grandmaâs sweet potato pies were simple, with only six ingredients to the filling. And as the pie stand grew in popularity, Barbara and Lillian warmed to the idea of a permanent cafĂ©.
âWe wanted something that was small, where people could eat good food,â Barbara says. The family found a small unit on E Madison Street, rigging the space with just a five-burner stove, a regular household fridge and freezer, and a deep pot turkey fryer. Despite the austerity of these appliances, Barbara, Lillian, and their small team have been churning out generous portions of delicious fry, stews, and sides for the last seven years.
Sometime soon, likely by the end of this summer, the Simply Soulful family will move to a new location in the Central District, at the Jackson Apartmentsâ retail pavilion on 23rd and Jackson. The new place is larger, more central, and permitted to serve alcohol, and it reflects renewed Black ownership in an area severely impacted by gentrification.
As Barbara and Lillian recount their story to me safely over Zoom, Barbaraâs level-headed energy feels like a ballast, dependable and grounded. Her gravelly voice resonates through our digital connection. She doesnât get much free time from Simply Soulful, she reflects, but she doesnât mind. âI get two days off. On my days off. I actually donât do very much. Iâm 72 years old. I enjoy my rest.â Other days, Barbara is steadfast behind the cafĂ© counter, stirring beans or serving grits. âWednesdays are my day alone at the restaurant. Even though itâs a lot of work, I spend a lot of time at the restaurant. Iâm comfortable there, you know?â
Like Barbara, Lillian carries herself with an anchored assurance, although her open laugh and adventurous spirit also shine through. In her free time, Lillian travels, exploring regional cuisines and cultures. âMy favorite place that Iâve been is Cuba,â Lillian lists. âBut I also loved Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil. And Bahiaâthatâs where all the Black people are. I just came back from Florida. I visited Vegas recently. And San Antonio. Youâd love San Antonio,â she tells me, after learning that I was born in Texas but had never been to most of its major cities.
In the beginning, Simply Soulful served but a few soups and salads, along with its beloved pies. Lillian encouraged her mother to expand the menu over time. Lillianâs own spiced chicken rub turned into âChicken Dinnerâ at Simply Soulful, which was the first addition to the small menu. âLittle by little, our menu grew,â Barbara narrates through her video screen. Behind her, morning light peeks through the uncovered windows of her living room. âI would always say, âI donât think we can do that up in this little place.â But Lillian would respond, âYes, we can do it!â And then Iâd say, âOk, we can try.ââ
âThat is how we started with the soul food part, the chicken and greens,â Barbara continues. âWe were already doing the biscuits. And then we added the black-eyed peas and ended up with the oxtails.â Even with its modest variety, Simply Soulful keeps simplicity at its core. âWe cook with as little salt as possible, we donât use a lot of stuff. When you eat our food you eat the food, and not the spices,â Barbara concludes.
As Barbara, Lillian, and I chat, my mind drifts to when Alex Dorros, of Siembra (another family-forward operation) and I convened over containers of oxtail, rice, and black-eyed peas from Simply Soulful. The thick tailbones, mantled in tender meat and delicate fat, were perfect for uninhibited chomping. It made me smile. Grease oozed off the bones onto the bed of white rice below, hugging each grain with a deep, brothy flavor. Hymns could be sung about the black-eyed peas, each one cooked soft but not smashed. I wanted more of those creamy legumes, but between Alex and my two bottomless bellies, the peas were soon more memory than meal.
But itâs not just Barbara and Lillian who do all the cooking. Their family helps; thereâs also a team of three who know the recipes as closely as the back of their hands. The dynamic of their kitchen, Barbara says, âWe try to make people feel like they are family. We try to make sure they feel appreciated, if they need any help weâll step in and help them. For us, itâs more family-oriented than business.â All in all, she adds, âItâs such a small space, so we have to all be in there like weâre family.â
At their new and bigger location at 23rd and Jackson, Barbara and Lillian intend to keep the grounded vibes going, never straying far from their humble roots: a small soul food cafe, a pie stand, and a recipe from Clay County, Mississippi. âWe hear a lot âI feel like Iâm at grandmaâs house!ââ Barbara tells me. âA lot of the young people call me âmommaâ and thatâs fine with me and I try to be a mentor to them too. You never know what a personâs day is like. I try to make sure they feel like theyâre just part of the family.â
She cherishes the community around Simply Soulful. âYou canât be phony with people. We try to be truthful about how we feel and show appreciation. Try to make everybody feel like theyâre at home.â
Lillian and Barbara share the vision for their upcoming place. Although sad to be leaving their first cafĂ© behind, the pair are ready for a change, and looking forward to new beginnings. âThe design of our restaurant is so that there could be lots of art on the walls,â Lillian describes. âAnd we want it to feature BIPOC artists. Itâll change up, like an art exhibition.â She keeps on. âAnd the interior will be contemporary southern. Woods, farmhouse. Weâre going to get reclaimed furniture, have it represent Seattle and the Central District. Thereâs going to be jazz on the patio. Weâll keep it with a Southern feel.â
âBut we havenât figured everything out!â Barbara adjoins. âMy thing is I am just gonna be so happy to have a commercial kitchen. I cannot wait to have an air conditioner. Just being a part of the Central District. Itâs gonna be a lot of fun. Weâre excited about it. The overall thing of being part of the community.â
For both Lillian and Barbara, Simply Soulful has been one of the most challengingâand rewardingâexperiences. The work has put their savvy, resilience, and teamwork to the test. âYou use what you got to get what you want,â Barbara reflects. âItâs been a struggle, but itâs something we enjoy. We enjoy feeding people, we enjoy cooking. We have a lot of fun doing what we do.â