"Country cooking" always on the menu at Columbus County restaurant | People

TABOR CITY, NC (WECT) –Some people describe southern cooking as 'soul food,' and other call it 'country cooking.' In just about every town in the south, there are restaurants that feature southern cooking, and in Columbus County, you'll find the fried chicken, hot biscuits and banana pudding at the Todd House.  

The sign out front says 1923, but it was recently discovered Mary Todd actually started her boarding house in Tabor City in 1918. 

Regardless of when the business began, what is served inside has never changed - good, home cooked southern meals.  Maybe that is because of the employees who have been in the Todd House kitchen for many years. 

You see, there's nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked biscuits and Louise Elliott knows how to bake them.  She's been working at the Todd House for 36 years.

Or maybe so many people like to eat there because of the fresh vegetables that are on the buffet.  All of the vegetables are fresh and mostly bought from area farmers.

Nelson Lee's family took over the Todd House in 1976 and has been running the place every since. 

"This week, we have been cutting okra, we have cut up about two hundred fifty pounds of okra, so we work to have fresh vegetables every day and I think that is what has brought the people to the Todd House for so many years," said Lee. 

And a visit to the Todd House will always mean a visit with your neighbors, many of whom eat there just about every day.  But it is not just locals who eat there, the Todd House has quite a reputation. 

"We have folks who travel in to eat with us, from folks coming from Charlotte going to the beach, or from Raleigh," explained Lee. "We have some folks that, about every three months or so, get up in the morning and travel down from Raleigh to eat with us for Sunday lunch." 

Lee has been running the business for 32 years, but now his daughter Madison is around to help him out.

But it is as true today as it was in 1918 when Mary Todd served her first meal.  You'll also find some good fried chicken, a mess of greens, home grown veggies, biscuits and a big ole glass of sweet tea, every time you visit the Todd House in downtown Tabor City. 

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