Uptown Grand (CLOSED)

A wave of uptown gentrification means Harlem’s old-school, no-frills soul-food joints are now rubbing elbows with yuppie eateries. The cavernous Uptown Grand (formerly Gospel Uptown) attempts to straddle both worlds with a menu broken into cutesy categories like “Meditation” (salads) and “Preludes.” In the latter group were appetizers, like sweet-potato ravioli, featuring a tasty, well-seasoned filling encased in gummy, overcooked pasta. Sadly, it seems soul is exactly what was lacking in the Southern-inspired main courses, like a bowl of scallops, creamed leeks and dense grits in cloying crayfish butter. Live music and a friendly, well-informed staff prove the place has heart, but fried chicken this bready and bland is inexcusable—especially when juicier contenders are within walking distance.