Dayton residents can expect a variety of soul meals served with their choice of two sides. Meals include salmon patties, tilapia, whiting, cod, catfish, half pound of shrimp, chicken wings, soul fried chicken chunks or hand-breaded porkchops. Sides include macaroni and cheese, candied yams, collard greens, cabbage, French fries, sweet honey corn muffins, coleslaw, potato salad or rice and gravy.
Other items on the menu include seafood boils (only available on Saturdays) and “The Lizzy Green,” a sandwich inspired by the owner’s great great grandmother featuring white bread, one piece of catfish, lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese and soul sauce served with fries.
Customers can also get fried green tomatoes, hush puppies, fried okra, jumbo fried okra, strawberry banana pudding and Mz. Jade’s Kool-Aid.
Naiyozcsia King Thomason, otherwise known as “Mz. Jade,” was born and raised in Arkansas before moving to Detroit, Mich.. She started cooking at six years old with her grandmother.
“By the time I was 11, I could cook like I cook now,” King previously said. “I learned everything from my grandmother. She taught me everything that I know.”
Her grandmother sold fish for a living and King recalled cleaning fish for a quarter when she was growing up. She’s the first person in her family to own a restaurant.
When asked what’s her secret to success, King said, “I put love in my food. People really don’t get home, soul food like they did back in the day.”
Other factors that have contributed to her success include consistency, transparency and being community based.
Mz. Jade’s Soul Food is joining several other vendors in the food hall, located at 1100 W. Third St., including The Lumpia Queen, SOCA, Taco Street Co. and The Tap at W. Social.
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