The Proctor District of Tacoma is now home to Soul, a Latin American and soul food restaurant, which opened mid-August 2013. Housed in the former Old House Café, Soul is bringing a much-appreciated underrepresented cuisine in the area. It is not just for lunch and dinner, either. Locals will be happy to have another breakfast option in the area.

The restaurant is owned by Jennifer Zaskorksi and Natural Allah, who are not newcomers to the restaurant business. They also own Vinum Coffee and Wine Lounge downtown Tacoma. The chef of Soul is Maria Torres, a Le Cordon Bleu graduate.

The dining room is light and bright, with colorful accents offsetting the white tablecloths.

On a recent trip in for dinner, the food did not disappoint. The Southern fried chicken ($14), served with a choice of wings or thighs and two sides, was lightly coated in a crisp and flavorful coating and was some of the best fried chicken I've tried.

The fried okra ($9), coated in the same light batter as the fried chicken, was not greasy and a great way to start the meal, served with a hot sauce for dipping. I am a sucker for jambalaya ($15) and the version at Soul was different than any I have tried to date. The rice - topped with chicken, shrimp and sausage - seemed overly simple at first, but with each bite became more complex in the spices I tasted.

Soul's weekend breakfast looks equally appetizing.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday