Local soul food favorite hopes to build new restaurant

Kountry Kitchen Soul Food Place has filed plans with the city to build a new restaurant just south of its current location on the near-north side. Plans call for a two-story structure, large enough to hold banquets, to be constructed on a vacant lot near College Avenue and 19th Street. Kountry Kitchen is seeking to rezone the nearly one-acre parcel for restaurant use and also wants a variance to allow for outdoor dining, according to city documents. Kountry Kitchen owners Isaac and Cynthia Wilson did not return phone calls from IBJ seeking additional details about the project. Their request was set to be heard Thursday but has been rescheduled for May 23. Kountry Kitchen is a local soul food destination that's also popular with athletes and celebrities visiting the city. Its website and Facebook page boasts several photos of  distinguished guests over the years, including President Obama. The restaurant was founded in 1988 by “Ms. Jessie,” who loved to cook for her family and friends by preparing Southern dishes, the website says. The Wilsons since have taken ownership of the restaurant, whose many menu items such as shrimp, catfish, chicken, pork chops and cornbread are served the way Hoosiers like it—fried. Puzzello is the project’s architect.