By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
Janet Morris is honoring her late mother’s memory in the most delicious way possible. Starting Sunday, October 27, the Texas City native will open Betty Jean’s Soul Food at her Upscale Lounge on 6th Street, serving up her mother’s beloved recipes to the after-church crowd and beyond.
“My mamma always told me I could do anything I wanted to do,” said Morris.
And Morris has done plenty. This isn’t her first rodeo—she’s owned a hair and lash salon, co-owned a BBQ restaurant also on 6th Street, run several other small businesses, and worked for 12 years with CPS. But after hitting a bump in the road over the past couple of months due to illness, Morris had to step back from operating Upscale Lounge. Now she’s back with a renewed sense of determination and a mission: to share her mother’s meals with her community.
Morris will be doing all the cooking herself, starting early in the morning. “I’ll be in the kitchen cooking in the morning from 8 a.m. till 11:00,” said Morris. Along with cooking, she’ll continue operating Upscale Lounge.
The menu features traditional soul food favorites: smothered pork chops, fried chicken, mustard greens, sweet potatoes, cornbread, fried fish, oxtails, and turkey legs. Morris is planning a Sunday buffet with a selection of menu items available throughout the week. She’s even adding her mother Betty Jean’s amazing smash burger to the lineup.
And what pairs better with soul food than a perfectly mixed cocktail? Diners can enjoy a cool, refreshing lemon drop martini, a simple shot of whiskey, or choose from a full list of cocktails at the bar. Morris intends to continue operating her bar and hookah lounge alongside the new food service.
“I’m stepping out in God’s faith and remembering my mamma’s words. I’m going to keep going,” said Morris. Her mother passed away about two years ago, but her memory lives on in the newest addition at Upscale Lounge on 6th Street in Texas City.
For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/UpscaleLoungeOn6th
