NOTE: I wrote several things for AOL's laughably incomplete "African American Local Scene" feature. This is one of them.

There's barely enough room to sit down, and the line often stretches right out the wrought-iron front door. Still, scores of people flock to this Crenshaw diner for some of the finest and least expensive soul food in town. Oh sure, there's better fried chicken (by a very thin margin) at the Kitchen on 43rd Place, and Simply Wholesome offers more health-conscious choices, but the combination of taste and price make Chef Marilyn's something few can turn down once they've discovered the distorted chef statue out front and found a parking spot next to the liquor store. Serving up catfish strips for a dollar each, $2 salmon croquets that are so good they're almost erotic, short ribs and a host of side orders that succulently seduce the senses of smell and taste. Chef Marilyn is also a busy caterer (which sometimes explains shortages on one dish or another) who often works the register herself.