by Teresa Gubbins

"T" for Tawanna, thank you very much.

CARROLLTON — Ms. Mary's Southern Cuisine in Carrollton has a new owner and a new name: Ms. T's Southern Cuisine. That "T" is for Tawanna Sields, and she's doing real Southern cooking, she says.

"We do pork chops, meat loaf, fried chicken, chicken & waffles -- real buttermilk waffles, which I do Belgian-style," she says. "My catfish is the bomb. I cook from the heart -- none of that store-bought anything. I do greens, cabbage, black-eyed peas, red beans & rice, candied yams that are off the chain, real mashed potatoes, peach cobbler, and banana pudding from scratch with real butter, real sugar, and Carnation milk."

They have two set prices: $10.99 for meat loaf, baked chicken, fried chicken, or chicken & waffles, and $11.99 for the catfish and pork chops. But on Thursday nights, they do an all-you-can-eat fried chicken and catfish for $10.95, and since they have no liquor license, they pour free cocktails, beer, and wine.

The restaurant has had a rocky path. Original owner Mary sold it to an Israeli owner in 2007 who tried, unsuccessfully, to incorporate Mediterranean dishes; by 2008, the place was in bankrutpcy. Tawanna had been slowly working her way up to owning her own place, with a catering business and a hamburger joint in Oak Cliff. She found Ms. Mary's on the market and took over at the end of 2008.

"I just want to get the word out that the place is back to real Southern cooking," she says.

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