NEWS

Mara’s Homemade, which opened in May in the Muttontown Plaza on Jericho Turnpike in Syosset, is the new incarnation of a former restaurant in Manhattan with the same name. Mara’s in Manhattan, which had been open for seven and a half years, closed on May 14; the Syosset restaurant opened 12 days later.

Mara’s Homemade is a family enterprise. Mara Levi is the chef along with her son, Josh, a Johnson & Wales graduate; her daughter Chana runs the front of the house.

Ms. Levi hails from Texas; her husband, David, who works as the buyer for the restaurant, is from Arkansas. A specialty of Mara’s, along with the food of New Orleans, is Arkansas barbecue, which the Levis define as a cross between Texas and Memphis varieties. The dry rubs and the emphasis on beef come from Texas, the use of dry coleslaw on sandwiches from Memphis. In a telephone conversation after my visits, Ms. Levi laughingly said, “Only we and Bill Clinton are sure what Arkansas barbecue is.”

The décor is a salute to New Orleans: posters from the city, neon signs advertising Louisiana’s Abita beer, Mardi Gras beads and masks, depictions of crawfish, and walls painted the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold.

The staff is warm and friendly but not always on its toes. Water glasses were never refilled, and the ice cream on our otherwise exemplary bananas Foster had turned to soup from sitting too long before the dish was delivered.

Our favorite appetizer was the crisp-fried green tomatoes with light cornmeal crusts. Fried pickles had the same noteworthy crusts, but were too sour to eat on their own as an appetizer. They would have been better as an accompaniment to a sandwich.

We liked the light, greaseless hush puppies (balls of fried jalapeño cornbread dough) served with whipped herb butter. No bread is served gratis, so this $7 appetizer is a must-order.

The two salads we sampled were winners: the house salad of chopped romaine, hard-boiled egg, avocado and tomatoes tossed in Italian dressing, and the more elaborate salad of baby spinach, spiced pecans, red onion, blue cheese and Italian dressing with three crisply fried oysters on top.

Among the Louisiana entrees, the fisherman’s platter is a standout, with very fresh Mississippi farm-raised catfish, small Gulf Coast shrimp and Gulf Coast oysters, all in light cornmeal coats. The huge portion of seafood arrived with hush puppies, skins-on garlic mashed potatoes and a spicy rémoulade sauce. One diner at our table asked for tartar sauce, but it was not available.

We also liked the crunchy Southern fried chicken paired with cheese grits. We gave a thumbs down, though, to the New Orleans barbecued black-peppered shrimp: jumbo Gulf Coast shrimp, served with their shells and heads on, that had been baked in butter and spices. The shrimp had a mealy texture, and the bubbling-hot butter sauce made it impossible to shell them while the dish was still hot.

Selections on the barbecue side of the menu made a good showing. The baby back ribs were falling from the bone, the smoked brisket fork-tender. We also liked the pulled pork sandwich served on a sesame seed bun and topped with a bit of crunchy slaw.

Smoked meats and ribs are served on round trays with a wedge of moist jalapeño cornbread and a choice of two side dishes. We gave high marks to the cubes of crunchy fried okra, the tasty corn pudding, the smoked baked beans and the collard greens lightly sautéed with onions and garlic.

Desserts are made in-house. The best was the chocolate cream pie with chocolate cookie crust and a layer of whipped cream. The Key lime pie and peach cobbler came up short; both needed whipped cream or ice cream. The melted bananas Foster is best forgotten.

But don’t forget Mara’s Homemade, a place for spirited Southern cooking and tasty Arkansas barbecue.

Mara’s Homemade

236 West Jericho Turnpike

Muttontown Plaza

Syosset

(516) 682-9200

marashomemade.com

WORTH IT

THE SPACE Basic storefront serving New Orleans food and Arkansas barbecue. Complete wheelchair accessibility.

THE CROWD Groups of friends, families and couples. Some children. (There is a children’s menu with entrees from $5 to $10.) The staff is warm and friendly but could be more efficient.

THE BAR A stainless-steel bar with six stools. The restaurant serves specialty drinks like hurricanes and Cajun martinis; Abita beer from Louisiana, as well as a few Long Island beers; and 40 wines by the bottle ($28 to $95) and 24 by the glass ($9 to $15). Wine prices are high, given the casual surroundings and the food prices.

THE BILL Lunch entrees, $8 to $26 (for rib combo); brunch entrees, $12 to $19. Dinner entrees, $10 (sandwiches) to $33 (smoked meat combo or shrimp feast). Specials are listed on a blackboard without prices; some are over $30. Some seafood appetizers cost $22, but sandwiches are inexpensive. American Express, Visa, MasterCard and Discover are accepted.

WHAT WE LIKED Fried green tomatoes, house salad, spinach salad, hush puppies, Southern fried chicken, fisherman’s platter, smoked brisket, baby back ribs, fried okra, corn pudding, baked beans, sautéed collard greens, chocolate cream pie.

IF YOU GO Lunch: Monday to Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Brunch: Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. Dinner: Sunday to Wednesday, 4 to 9 p.m.; Thursday to Saturday, 4 to 10 p.m. Reservations are accepted and are essential on weekends.

RATINGS Don’t Miss, Worth It, O.K., Don’t Bother.