Photos by Elizabeth Gelineau
Stepping into Oschcola’s Home Cooking is like walking into your grandmother’s house for after-church lunch. You’re immediately overwhelmed by nostalgia and the aroma that perfumes the dining room. The indulgent Southern fare on the hot line glistens from butter, gravy and potlikker — just as good comfort food should. Only, this isn’t exactly like the comfort food you grew up with. It’s transcendent.
As a child, Oschcola’s owner Gin Arnold learned to dual wield at his family’s hunting camp — a deer rifle in one hand and a seasoned wooden spoon in the other. Camp Chef Oschcola helped him hone his knives and culinary skills. “Oschcola had me start cooking with her when I was just a little boy,” says Arnold. “She knew all good Southern recipes start with a roux, and she had me stirring her roux before I could see over the stove. I thought about her when I was planning out this place. You know, ‘Oschcola’ doesn’t mean anything to most people yet — just me and a few other people who still remember her. But hopefully one day it’ll be synonymous with elevated Southern cooking.”
Arnold has a storied history working in the food industry. “I’ve worked in restaurants since I was 15 years old,” says Arnold.
“I started by washing dishes, then I moved to cooking hamburgers and frying shrimp. I believe I’ve peeled and fried more shrimp than there are stars in the sky. Eventually, I moved on to working at a family restaurant with a buffet. We’re a new business, but I have a lot of experience from that. I learned that, really, people want good food at a reasonable price. We get to serve food that everybody likes, and we’re very happy about that.”
Oschcola’s is where piquancy, nostalgia and simplicity meet. The open-concept dining room features an exposed-brick wall and rustic wood paneling. Customers sidle along the buffet, place their order from the carte du jour and grab their to-go box at the end of the counter. It’s a run-of-the-mill process for food that’s anything but. “What we’re doing here has really exceeded my expectations,” Arnold says. “Our menu changes very little. We’ve found that the dishes we have are what people want, and the response has been tremendous. People will come in and thank us for being here and serving the food they grew up with.”
Arnold has transformed his childhood inspirations into a new Mobile institution. To eat at Oschcola’s is to experience authentic Southern cuisine in its purest form.
On the Menu
Fried Pork Chops
If this is the chef’s favorite thing on the menu, you know it has to be good. Tender pork enveloped by a seasoned, golden-brown crust is a must-have at Oschcola’s.
Collard Greens
Slow-simmered greens, ham and seasonings served in potlikker are a Southern meal mainstay. However, the collards served at Oschcola’s are in a league of their own.
Red Beans & Rice
Creamy, slow-cooked beans, Conecuh sausage and an abundance of spices ladled over tender white rice elevate this beloved side dish to a main course.
Cornbread
With crispy golden-brown edges and a pillowy crumb, the cornbread alone is worth a trip. It’s not a side dish. It’s an integral part of the meal.
Oschcola’s Home Cooking • 3696 Airport Blvd, Mobile, Alabama • Sun – Fri 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., closed Sat
