POWYS has a plethora of dining options, but you’re unlikely to find anything quite like what a Presteigne family will be cooking up come the end of September.

Having spent most of their family holidays travelling America, Joanne Goodwin and daughters Lucy Goodwin and Charlotte Kehoe have developed an obsession with American soul food.

Whenever they wanted a taste of it at home, the closest thing to US cuisine they could get was McDonald’s, so Joanne and the girls learned how to make their own authentic soul food at home.

And now they are launching Dolly's Soul Food starting a delivery service on Saturday, September 30.

Expect items on the menu such as okra, mac ‘n’ cheese, gumbo, cornbread, biscuits and gravy, fried chicken, Louisiana sea food boil, beignets, grasshopper pie and much more.

County Times: Expect items on the menu such as okra, mac ‘n’ cheese, gumbo, cornbread, biscuits and gravy, fried chicken, Louisiana sea food boil, beignets, grasshopper pie and much more Expect items on the menu such as okra, mac ‘n’ cheese, gumbo, cornbread, biscuits and gravy, fried chicken, Louisiana sea food boil, beignets, grasshopper pie and much more (Image: Dolly's Soul Food)

The country living loving trio say delivery is available to Presteigne, Knighton and Kington initially, while they hope, with enough interest, they could take Dolly’s on the road or even open a restaurant in the future.

“We spent a good portion of our childhood visiting the US, usually making the trip every other year if not more regularly,” said Lucy, 25.

“It was here that our love affair with American soul food began. Whether it was a little southern style diner in Orlando, a beat-up old café on the wrong side of Washington DC, or the home of the ‘Queen of Soul Food’ herself, Sylvia Woods, in Harlem, we were hooked.

“Then we would return to the UK and the option for American food was…McDonald’s. Or some other variation of burgers and fries.

“So, between us, we started to learn how to make authentic soul food right at home. Having such a large extended family meant that serving many people at a time was no stress for us.

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“For years we have been asked when we’re going to start our own restaurant. There was only one other thing we might have loved equally about America other than the food. Country music and western style. Hence our namesake and our theming.”

The expression ‘soul food’ originated in the mid-1960s, when soul was a common word used to describe African-American culture.

Branded as “good ol’ home cookin’”, some of the first dishes the family will be offering are cornbread, flame-grilled corn and slow cooked BBQ brisket.

County Times: Having spent most of their family holidays travelling America, Joanne Goodwin and daughters Lucy Goodwin and Charlotte Kehoe have developed an obsession with American soul food Having spent most of their family holidays travelling America, Joanne Goodwin and daughters Lucy Goodwin and Charlotte Kehoe have developed an obsession with American soul food (Image: Dolly's Soul Food)

The menu on opening night, meanwhile, will be a mix of BBQ pulled pork, cooked over eight hours with a secret recipe sauce, man ‘n’ cheese and fried okra and jalapeno coins, a southern staple with a TexMex twist - all for £12 with a slice of pecan pie an additional £5.

“While we start out from home, expect to see speciality menus popping up around every two weeks,” added Lucy, who said the family have lived in Powys since moving from Manchester in 2016.

“We have the whole of the USA to tour with our food and we hope to show off as much soul food as we can."

For the September 30 opening, orders will need to be placed by Thursday, September 28. To order, email dollys.soul.food@gmail.com or text 07902 477098.

Also, check out the Dolly's Soul Food Facebook and Instagram pages.