First, just a few tiny quibbles to get out of the way: The service at the new location of Louise's World Best Soul Food, which re-opened in Gwinnett on Jan. 9 after two years as a popular cafeteria on Ponce in Midtown, is not exactly speedy. Also, the decor is a little uninspiring. No noticeable cosmetic alterations have been made to the former Ruby Tuesday, other than switching out the signs and placing bonnets and little painted barns in odd places.

But if the service and style seem spotty, it's OK. That's not why you're here. The little handwritten sign on the way in proclaiming this to be the "world best" soul food may be telling the truth. So sit back and be patient. It's worth the wait.

GAVIN AVERILL/special (ENLARGE)
Leroy's pork ribs are slathered in Louise's father's rich barbecue sauce.
GAVIN AVERILL/special (ENLARGE)
The restaurant has real-deal fried green tomatoes, unadorned with aioli or goat cheeses.
GAVIN AVERILL/special (ENLARGE)
Banana pudding is one of the homemade desserts on the menu.
MOST POPULAR STORIES Fantasia brings song, comedian Rickey Smiley adds laughs Matt Damon's wife Luciana gives birth to girl Next 'Bachelor' is 'Bachelorette' reject Rihanna, Pink, T.I. added as performers at VMAs Ricky Martin a father of twin boys, publicist says
EMAIL THIS PRINT THIS MOST POPULAR

Louise Holmes has been cooking since she was 11 years old and has a satisfying repertoire of recipes learned from her parents and tested on her nine siblings, her own nine children, and through several cooking and catering jobs. The food at the new spot is mostly the same as it was in Midtown, with the addition of table service and an appetizer section that includes a real-deal fried green tomato. Unadorned with aioli or goat cheeses and served with nothing more than a lemon wedge, it's simple, fresh, well-seasoned and crisp.

Seven meats, out of the 17 listed on the menu, are prepared each day. A chalkboard or server will tell you which ones are being served. If you order an item that comes anywhere near barbecue sauce, you won't be disappointed. Leroy's pork ribs, slathered in Louise's father's rich barbecue sauce, fall off the bone the second you put them in your mouth.

Barbecued chicken and chopped barbecue are also good bets as is the fried chicken, which is available almost every day. Each entree comes with cornbread and a choice of two sides. The candied yams — Louise's mother's recipe — the collard greens, and the fluffy macaroni and cheese make you wish they came from a buffet so you could go back for more without having to wait for a server to return.

Three out of the nine desserts are made fresh each day, but only the red velvet cake was available on a recent visit. Crushed walnuts hiding inside each creamy layer gave a sweet and crunchy surprise. It's a good thing Louise is so secretive about her recipes because if you're watching what you eat, you probably don't need to know what's making this cake so moist. The million-dollar dessert is a family favorite made of pecans or walnuts, vanilla pudding and Cool Whip in a homemade crust. And Louise2/3s banana pudding received raves from an AJC food critic during the restaurant2/3s Midtown tenure.

In November, Louise and her two daughters and owning partners, Tammie and Charla, were profiled in the old Ponce location on the Food Network's "The Secret Life of" program, which proclaimed Louise's to be the best soul food, though whether this title was earned against Atlanta or the world is still unclear. Either way, the Holmes family offers a written guarantee you won't taste any better, anywhere you go.

• Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays
• Recommended dishes: Fried green tomatoes, barbecued chicken, Leroy's ribs, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, candied yams, red velvet cake
• Price range: $6.99 -$7.99; entrees $6.99-$10.99; desserts $3.69-$4.29
• Web site: www.louisesatlanta.net
• Verdict: Delicious, comforting and lovingly prepared Southern favorites are worth the unpredictable service and strange decor at this new location of a former beloved intown cafeteria.