By Sharon Murra-Kapon/south news editor

A fancy restaurant with formal service would fall short compared with an average place with great food and friendly customer service.

Hatch’s Corner at 6950 Forest Hill Drive offered me a challenge: I had never eaten serious soul food.
Upon entering the two glass doors, my friend and I were immediately greeted.

A cafeteria-style display with wonderful looking food is a few steps from the entrance. My friend ordered the rib plate for $7.90 with greens and macaroni and cheese.

Her plate held five juicy ribs, perfectly cooked.

I had the vegetable plate for only $2.99 with three choices. I am a big rice eater and cook it quite often at home, but when I tried Hatch’s rice, I knew my cooking had a long way to go before it could get that good.

The mashed potatoes with brown gravy were mouth watering.

Hatch’s menu includes fried chicken, whole beans, steamed vegetables, chicken fried steak, liver and onions, meat loaf and grilled pork chops.

My friend suggested I try the peach cobbler, which was absolutely delicious and fresh. We were pleased with the food and the warm service, as though the Hatcher family welcomed us into their home kitchen.

What really impressed us was that Howard Hatcher, the owner, had no idea we were there to review his food. He came to our table to make sure everything was all right and offered to serve our drinks.

This restaurant is the kind where customers get their own drinks, but that was not an issue with him.

He introduced himself to us and said to let him know if we needed anything.

One of the restaurant’s customers, Brenda Whittine, hires Hatcher to cater for Eastern Hills Elementary School, where she works. She has been going to the restaurant since it first opened 22 years ago.

Hatcher first attended cooking and baking school when he was in the Army in Oklahoma. He also had the opportunity to work as a food advisor in a restaurant in Germany while he was stationed there. The restaurant served 600 people a day.

When he returned home, he worked as a chef for Colonial Cafeteria in Fort Worth and was named chef of the year.

Hatch’s Corner serves approximately 200 people a day, and much of its business is take-out and catering. The Hatchers also have a catering business at the DFW Airport managed by son Stanley Hatcher.

Hatcher said he has been in business so long because his food is so good. And we and those who loyally visit for lunch and dinner agree with him.

It was definitely a great experience to be introduced to soul food at Hatch’s.