NORTH BALTIMORE — If you want a homemade meal like mom used to make, swing by the North Baltimore
American Legion for lunch sometime.
But only Thursdays through Saturdays, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., because that is when Carol Smith is in the
kitchen.
She’s been working in the restaurant business for more than 50 years, since she was 15, and has been at
the legion part time for three years.
Her sausage and gravy with biscuits sells out every Saturday morning.
“They love it,” Smith said.
If she didn’t make it, “they would throw me out.”
A North Baltimore native, her first job was at the former M&R Restaurant which became the Whistle
Stop Inn in town. She also has worked at the former L&K off Ohio 18, Tony’s in McComb and
Findlay, the Elks Club in Findlay, and Bowling Green State University.
She even landed a waitressing job after three days in Florida.
Her mom always worked in restaurants, and that is where Smith picked up her cooking skills.
Many of the recipes she uses at the legion are her mom’s.
“If they knew half the stuff I use, they wouldn’t eat it,” Smith joked.
She is always thinking about her customers.
Some don’t like peas in the tuna casserole, so she serves them on the side.
Others don’t like onions, so Smith makes sure to chop them really fine.
Nothing comes from a box, “not unless I have to.”
So her goulash, mac and cheese, lasagna, beef stew, meatloaf and open faced roast beef sandwiches are the
real deal.
And her bean soup and chili taste just like mom’s, especially if mom adds V8 juice to her chili.
Smith adds ginger to the bean soup because she said it cuts down on gas.
Her shifts bring in the most customers to the legion, “because they know I’m cooking.”
She also sets homemade muffins and cookies out every shift.
Smith finds it hard to cut back on portion sizes when cooking at home, and often runs food to her
neighbor, sister and daughter.
After heading home from the legion, she watches three of her grandkids.
If Smith ever wins the lottery, she promises to open her own restaurant, Carol’s Cafe, downtown.
She doesn’t see anything spectacular with her cooking.
“It’s just comfort food. It’s not fancy.”
Fancy or not, a trip to North Baltimore is highly recommended.