Jestine's Kitchen - Charleston, SC

May 1, 2011

      After living in the South for awhile, I figured it was time to try Jestine's Kitchen because I wanted to see what the restaurant's true identity was - a massive tourist trap with tremendously overrated Southern food, or a venerable Charleston institution that was worthy of the label and the long wait in line.  Just reading the reviews made me kind of curious, just to find out if this restaurant was more Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde, because at a certain point, food is either good or not, isn't it?  Unfortunately, the answer to that is actually no, it depends on how much experience you have eating a certain food (i.e. have you grown up with a particular cuisine your entire life, or is it your first time eating it?).  And yes, there is a long line and wait for this restaurant, especially on the weekends, so if you feel like eating here, unfortunately, it isn't as simple as "let me just show up and try their food."  

     So, if you're interested in going to Jestine's Kitchen for the first time, I am going to offer two different answers (they are kind of tongue-in-cheek, only because I figure I might as well have some fun with this), depending on which group you fall into, but y'all are first going to have to answer one question:  Have you grown up in the South, or lived here for more than five years?  If yes, go to answer #1.  If you said no, because you are a visitor from the Northeast, Midwest, West coast, or possibly overseas, I suppose, or you haven't lived in the South long enough to be have tried any, or very little, Southern food, then go to answer #2.  

Answer #1:  You like Southern food.  A lot.  You don't go outside to go and bbq hot dogs or hamburgers, etc., because you know that bbq is properly used as a noun, not a verb - you obviously go and grill out, or cook out.  Sweet tea runs through your veins.  You say "Yes Ma'am, Yes Sir" or  "No Ma'am, No Sir" and possibly "Bless Your Heart" without thinking twice, and will smack your child silly if they don't do the same thing.

     Thus, because you have lived a true Southern life, you are going to be EXTRA irritated by the wait for Jestine's Kitchen.  You are going to grouse about it, complain about all the tourists who don't know any better while waiting in line, and then when you finally eat their food, you are going to be able to easily name five or more different restaurants (either meat-and-threes, or southern buffets) off the top of your head that have better Southern food than this place, which you wouldn't have to wait long for.  So my advice, if you really still want to see what the big hubbub is about, I advise only trying their food in the wintertime during the low tide of tourist season.  Because a long wait isn't worth what you are going to eat, because you have undoubtedly already eaten something better some time during your life here.  And Jestine's Kitchen does offer decently good Southern food (although a bit more expensive than usual), just not enough to justify all the craziness you are going to have to experience just to eat it.            

Answer #2:  You are a visitor that isn't from the South and wants to visit Charleston because you heard it is a nice, charming Southern city (and it is, btw).  You do go out and bbq hot dogs/burgers on the weekend or Memorial Day, and have never been corrected on your usage of the word "bbq".  When you order "tea" at a restaurant, you expect it to be just regular ol' iced tea without any sugar, or maybe hot in a china cup, but definitely not so saturated with sugar that it could possibly put a diabetic person into an instant coma.  If someone says "Yes Ma'am, Yes Sir" or  "No Ma'am, No Sir" to you, you are probably going to look at them quizzically and then ask them to call you something else, because when they say that to you, it makes you feel kind of old.               

      Because you are what Southerners label as a "Yankee" (or even worse, if you are from the crazy West Coast, and don't even get a label), you should go to Jestine's Kitchen for your visit to Charleston whether it is fall, winter, spring, or summer, because it is likely going to be among the best Southern food you are likely ever going to get outside of the South.  You will be ok with the wait, because you probably have waited in line for an hour to eat something before, and it really isn't going to be that big of a deal for you, especially because you are on vacation and don't plan to visit Charleston/the South again for a little while at least.  The food at Jestine's Kitchen will definitely be the most authentic Southern food that has ever entered your mouth, and you will come out of the restaurant happy that you went.        

Ok, now onto the important stuff - the food.  =)  I came with a bigger party for this meal, and so I got to try a lot more food than I usually do.  We ordered an appetizer for the table, an order of fried green tomatoes.  It was decent, but I wish the fried batter coating was a bit thicker, because it flaked off it a bit easily.  

An order of cornbread - there is no more important accompaniment to any Southern meal than cornbread, and it was decently good here - not dry, and I liked that they put honey with the butter.  

The first of several entrees we ordered for the table - a meatloaf sandwich, with some fried okra (yum, I always enjoy fried okra!) and cole slaw.  

One of the daily specials that Jestine's Kitchen offers - a shrimp and sausage gumbo.  I liked it a lot - it was thick, slightly spicy and very flavorful.  

The entree I ordered for myself - some fried chicken.  The first thing that caught my eye about this fried chicken platter was how GIGANTIC the fried chicken pieces were.  They were seriously the biggest I had seriously ever seen - the photos really don't convey how large it was.  Regardless, the fried chicken was good - it was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, decent amount of salt and other spices.  Not the best fried chicken I've ever had, but definitely within the second tier of good, quality fried chicken.   

The last entree we ordered, the fried pork chop plate, with a side of green beans and mac and cheese.  This pork chop was pretty delicious - I loved the breading on the pork chop, and it was decently juicy on the inside as well.  

For dessert, we ordered a slice of Jestine's Kitchen's coca-cola cake.  This was an excellent slice of cake - admittedly, I didn't taste the coca-cola really, but it was rich, moist, and sweet.  Definitely something you must order if you go.   

Bowen's Island Restaurant - Charleston, SC

April 16, 2011

To me, nothing epitomizes the food of Charleston, SC more than an oyster roast, and if you don't know anyone locally who will throw an oyster roast for you, then the best choice for you is to go to Bowen's Island Restaurant.  I know there are lots of good Southern restaurants in Charleston, but honestly, I feel like if you are a tourist from somewhere else in the United States, a local, or a visitor from somewhere else in South Carolina, you gotta go to this place at least once, especially if you've never been to an oyster roast before.  And even if you yawn because you've been to oyster roasts your whole life, Bowen's Island has great, local oysters that they grow locally, which makes the experience even better because the oysters are that much fresher.  For those of you that don't know what an oyster roast is, look below at the second photo and explanation.

Before I jump into the food, I will note one REALLY important thing:  the wait at this restaurant is really, really long.  Seriously.  They open up at 5 pm - 10 pm, but if you don't come at opening on the weekends, be prepared to wait at least an hour to an hour and half on the weekends before you can even reach the cashier to get a table - it is really popular with the locals!  I heard the wait is not nearly as bad on the weekdays, but I haven't independently confirmed this yet.

Second note:  They have a system going on, which is kind of confusing if you just show up for the first time and don't know what is going on.  What follows is a complete explanation in case you need it - it really isn't as complicated as all the following text implies, but I'm trying to be a little helpful, people!  ;)  

1)  If you look at the above photo, the restaurant is split into two floors - the ramp leads up to the top floor, where you order and can also sit down (there are also larger tables next to the actual oyster roast area on the bottom floor).  Go and line up - if you are lucky, the line will still be inside the restaurant.  And if not, be prepared to be waiting on the ramp outside.  

2)  After you line up, you will probably be passed a plastic menu by the last person in line.  The menu is not long - just about a page.  Basically, what you are ordering is how many oysters you want for your group (you can get all you can eat oysters if you are hungry, which is worth ordering for the table if y'all enjoy oysters), as well as what kind of fried seafood you want (they have a fried seafood platter - it is an assortment of fried fish, fried shrimp, crab cakes, french fries, and hush puppies...gotta love that fried Southern food!).  Bring a book, a good conversationalist that tells great stories, or some knitting if that's your thing, because you are going to be waiting awhile.... =)

3)  When you get to the front of the line, you will finally be able to order your food/drinks, pay the cashier, and give them your name (if you ordered the fried seafood).  They do accept credit cards now (they only accepted cash before, but the restaurant has changed its policy now).  If you are ordering oysters (which you should, why else would be going, anyway?!), the cashier will give you a plastic tag, which indicates how many oysters (or all you can eat) you ordered.  The cashier will also give you some cotton towels and oyster knives to crack open the oysters, just in case you didn't bring your own.  

4)  Walk to the bottom floor to pick up your oysters (you can go out the main door you walked in, or you  can go the easier, less-crowded way - walk to the other side of the restaurant, and walk out the side door to a set of stairs on the side).  The bottom floor is pretty simple - just two large rooms made of cinder blocks - follow that hissing sound and you will find yourself at the oyster roast area (photo below).  Wait in line, show the guy your plastic tag, and he will give you a tray of oysters (based on the # of oysters you ordered, of course).  And remember to tip the guy, they are doing important work in that oyster roast area!  =)

5)  Walk back to your table and enjoy your oysters!  Btw, one last tip:  if you are a large party and ordered all you can eat oysters, you might want to sit on the bottom floor, that way, you won't have to walk up and down from the oyster roast area to your table multiple times - it is a pain to walk up the stairs and open the door with a tray of oysters, trust me.  The tables downstairs also have a built-in bucket area in the center of the table, which makes it more convenient for everyone to toss out their oyster shells.  If you sit upstairs, you might have to find a plastic bucket for your table to toss your empty shells into.        

So this is the oyster roast area that Bowen's Island has on the bottom floor.  Pretty simple, but oh, the deliciousness that comes out!  =)  Fresh, locally harvested oysters are constantly being tossed on the grill and steamed until they are cooked.  Oysters roasts only exist in the southeastern part of the United States, and they are a delicious way to enjoy oysters if you like seafood.    

Here is a tray of the oysters that we ordered.  Sooo delicious!  Yeah, it's a little bit of a pain to crack open the oysters, so if you're lazy, you at least better bring someone else to open them for you, but I think it is fun to do - part of the experience of an oyster roast is to open up a freshly steamed oyster with your oyster knife and eat it, the oyster tastes much better when you've put forth all that effort to get to it!  =)  

Lastly, a photo of the regular sized fried seafood platter we ordered.  If I remember correctly, you can also order the fried fish/fried shrimp/crab cakes/french fries/etc. on its own.  The large seafood platter is pretty much the same as the regular, except they have one extra fried fish piece, I think.  They also offer a small little cup of cole slaw...I kind of wish they gave more of the cole slaw!  All the fried foods were fresh and good - not great though...you really should be going for the oysters, if you come here - but it provides a nice variety in between eating all those oysters.      

I can't yet say that Bowen's Island is the best place for an oyster roast in Charleston (there is another famous place, The Wreck of Richard and Charlene, that I definitely want to try in the near future, but they don't have the selection of fried foods that Bowen's Island offers), but even having been to a couple of local oyster roasts after moving to South Carolina (as well as the gigantic yearly lowcounty oyster roast Charleston throws in the winter), I thoroughly enjoyed my experience here, and suggest that everyone go at least once!

Monza Pizza - Charleston, SC

April 16, 2011

      As a big fan of Neopolitan-style pizza, when I visit Charleston, I almost always find an excuse to stop by Monza Pizza at least once during the trip.  Neopolitan-style pizza is not your average American slice of pizza - the base of the pizza, the dough - is thinner and comes out crispy, but it is also soft if made well.  It's usually topped with slices of fresh mozzerella, and if it comes out good, it is uber-delicious!  =)      

      A random side note:  I haven't really taken the opportunity to write about pizza so far on this blog, mostly because my experience with pizza growing up all the way to a couple of years ago was probably like most of America - a mix of the basic chain pizza offerings (pizza hut, dominos, papa john's), your basic local mom-and-pop pizza joints (I feel like everyone growing up here in the U.S. must have memories of at least one greasy pizza joint that they frequented during high school and/or college), with a sprinkling of more upscale-types of pizza - often cooked in a wood-fired pizza oven, and some deep-dish pizza.  All of them were decent, but nothing really ever stood out in my mind (with the exception of Mulberry St. Pizza in Los Angeles, home of the most authentic and delicious NY-style pizza in the Southland - they import their water from N.Y. which is taking things seriously, I must say!).  Some ingredients were more fresh, some less so, some pizzas were greasier, some tomato sauces more spicy, some more bland, etc...you get the picture.  I never really got excited about pizza - not until I tried my first Neopolitan-style pizza place (at some random place in NY, I don't recall the name).  After that, I realized I found my pizza match - my pizza soulmate, if you will ;), and I have been hooked on finding good Neopolitan-style pizza ever since.            

Of course, I forgot to take an outside photo of Monza Pizza, *sigh*.  So, although I can't help you find the restaurant (hopefully I can add a photo some other time when I get back to Charleston), I can point out the most important thing in Monza Pizza - their wood-fired oven.  Although it isn't essential (Varasano's in Atlanta, the best Neopolitan-style pizza I've had in my life so far - and a place that I will definitely write about soon - uses an electric oven), something about the wood helps a lot, for some reason....I think the wood imparts a slight smokiness that adds an additional dimension to the flavor of the dough.          

Monza Pizza doesn't just serve pizza...they also serve pastas (I never tried, but then again, the pizza here has been so tasty, why would I want to?), as well as decent selection of antipasti and small salads that serve as a nice addition to the main pizza meal.  The photo above is of their antipasto plate - a selection of salami, prosciutto, cheese, pickled vegetables, and olives.  

A beet salad - just a simple mix of arugula, beets, some ricotta, and balsamic vinegar.    

The first photo of some of the great pizzas they have at Monza - this is called the "Fangio" - a pizza for those who like it a little spicy, with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, housemade sausage, jalapeños, and onions.  A random note - each of the pizzas (and theme of the restaurant itself) has a fun, interesting name centered around Italian motorsports, which I find amusing =).        

Up next is my favorite pizza at Monza, mostly because I love myself a good slice of prosciutto - the "Volpini", made with tomato sauce, prosciutto, a generous helping of arugula, and dusting of pecorino romano.

Lastly, another favorite of mine at Monza - the "Count Louis".  It is made with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, mushrooms, and pepperoni, and the fact that I find it delicious with the pepperoni is pretty unusual for me - I usually hate pizzas with pepperoni, because the quality of the pepperoni is usually not the best, which makes the pizza really greasy because the pepperoni releases all that grease when it is baked.  But, they use good quality pepperoni here, and so no greasiness, yay!  I wish they put more mushrooms on the pizza, but that is the only complaint I have for this one, and that is a nitpicky one, at that.    

All in all, I definitely enjoy Monza Pizza - while it isn't the best pizza I've ever had (I have a definite Varasano's addiction...), it is definitely the best pizza I've had here in South Carolina so far.

Cypress - Charleston, SC

March 29, 2011

Cypress definitely is one of my favorite restaurants in Charleston.  It is run by the same owners as Magnolia's (posted earlier), but in terms of the cuisine it offers, it is a whole world away than the more traditional Southern food dishes offered by Magnolia's.  Cypress was recommended by a good friend of mine who lived in Charleston for many years, and as is usually the case, you can never go wrong with the experience and knowledge of the locals!  =)  Because this restaurant is in the South, you can definitely see a Southern inspiration in some of the dishes they offer, but like a lot of new "american fusion" restaurants these days, the menu also is inspired by flavors from lots of other locales as well.  So why do I like Cypress so much?  Frankly, every time I have had a meal there, at least one dish has been fantastic - in general, the dishes have been consistently cooked well, always balanced with both great flavor and texture, and I also love the vibe of the restaurant.      

I don't usually take photos of the interiors of restaurants, but for me, the interior design of this restaurant adds a lot to the enjoyable vibe of the restaurant.  For instance,  the lights on the ceiling change colors occasionally - blue in this photo - but it isn't intrusive at all.  The restaurant dining area has several large open areas, yet the feeling is also intimate - I suggest reserving for one of their booths if you are on a date =).  Lastly, the lighting is fantastic - it is dark enough that each table is private, yet each table is also illuminated with a light discreetly set in the ceiling above the table, which makes the food easy to see and photograph as well.  Yay, no dark photos!  =)

Our first set of appetizers, sashimi tuna & oysters on bottom (with a cilantro-lime glaze and pineapple wasabi), and a carolina cup oyster on top (garnished with green tomato and wasabi, served with a horseradish-lemon mignonette)   To be honest, I don't usually make a habit of trying japanese-style dishes when I am not in a japanese restaurant, but the sashimi tuna & oysters were surprisingly good.  I enjoyed the contrast of the raw tuna with the raw oyster, the seafood was quite fresh, and the cilantro-lime glaze added a nice subtle tang to the dish.    

Our second appetizer, a roasted beet salad.  Now, I'm not sure if I will ever find a beet salad as fresh and delicious as the one that I had at Marche Moderne, but this one was pretty tasty as well.  The salad was served with a goat cheese mousse (from Split Creek Farms, a local farm in the area), toasted hazelnuts, mache, and a red wine vinagrette.

This pork chop was one of our two main courses, and it was a huge highlight of the meal.  This photo doesn't come even close to doing justice to the dish - it was a bone-in, thick-cut fresh pork chop from a local farm, Eden Farms, who evidently supplies FIG as well...FIG evidently isn't the only sustainable cuisine game in town ;).  The pork chop was extremely juicy and flavorful, perfectly seared and simply seasoned with some sea salt and other spices (possibly some paprika and fresh pepper, I didn't ask though).  In fact, this pork chop was the BEST pork chop I have eaten in my young-ish life so far - if every pork chop was as good as this one, I would be ordering it everywhere (and slowly getting fat and broke).  I particularly enjoyed the thick cut of the meat (like a really thick ribeye steak).  Ha, I have been rhapsodizing so much about the pork chop that I almost forgot about the sides served with the dish: brussels sprouts, bacon, chestnuts, and sage.  

P.S.  As a side note, although it isn't photographed here, I also recommend the rack of lamb offered at Cypress.  They definitely cook their meat well here!

The second entree we ordered was a crisp wasabi tuna glazed with a ginger-garlic sauce, served with edamame and shiitake mushrooms.  Unfortunately for the tuna, the pork chop was so awesome that it completely overshadowed this dish.  It was fresh and well cooked, but not even close to as good as the pork chop.  

Err, here is dessert.  Sorry, I can't be more descriptive than that, but I forgot to write down what we ordered, so you can just make up a name for it - I'm just going to call it "chocolate hazlenut yummy-ness", not that I actually remember what it tasted like - and acribe whatever your favorite dessert flavors are to the dish.  Sometimes, your imagination can be better than the real thing.  =)

Jack's Cosmic Dogs - Charleston SC

March 28, 2011

Before I start this post, I have to disclose the complete and utterly strong bias I have in favor of local hot dog/sausage joints (not larger franchises, I thinking of you, Jodi Maroni's...) .  I LOVE these places - maybe it is because I have fond memories of hot dogs from childhood (dodger dogs are awesome!) - but most likely it is because I know how great these places can be, having lived near the best local hot dog/sausage joint in the world:  Top Dog on Devine St. in Berkeley, CA will always be my all-time sentimental favorite, although Hot Doug's in Chicago definitely gives it a run for its money.    

So after I heard about a local hot dog joint in Charleston, I obviously got very excited and had to make a special trip to it! (well, it actually ended up being two during that weekend).  Jack's Cosmic Dogs is technically in Mt. Pleasant (with a new location on Folly Road in James Island), and although it is a bit off the beaten path (at least for the typical tourist who is in downtown Charleston), it is a fun place for those that appreciate a simple hot dog and fries...and as anyone who likes these places knows, a place that specializes in just hot dogs/sausages is few and far between.          

So, I actually first went to Jack's Cosmic Dogs shortly after another meal (because we were passing by it and I wanted to try it as soon as I could), so I only ordered a hot dog and fries.  First positive for Jack's Cosmic Dogs - you can order fresh-cut fries - awesome! - I always get a little sad when I can only order potato chips.  

A close-up photo of the hot dog I ordered during the first visit - a galactic dog (chili, cheese, and cole slaw), but I subbed the spicy mustard out for the sweet potato mustard after hearing that Alton Brown (of Food Network fame) said that the sweet potato mustard was the best mustard he had ever had.  To be honest, even though I had eaten just a little bit earlier, I kind of wished the hot dog itself was bigger, considering the cost of it.  And the chili could have been more flavorful.  And the sweet potato mustard was good, but it made everything just kind of sweet.  Regardless, I still loved eating the hot dog and fries....remember my bias?  =)      

So, we passed by Jack's Cosmic Dogs the next day, and I got another hot dog, just for fun =).  This time, a Planet Dog - a hot dog with jamaican relish and yellow mustard.  The jamaican relish was just a bit too sweet, but I still enjoyed it, although that's really not a surprise, is it?

FIG - Charleston, SC

March 28, 2011

Adding to the large amount of posts, comments, yelps, etc. about this acclaimed restaurant almost seems unnecessary, because pretty much everyone who has been to Charleston has probably been to this restaurant, or has heard of it.  And what is there not to like about it?  First off, the name is simple, but whimsical - FIG stands for Food Is Good - after I saw that on the restaurant's website, I was pretty much sold without even looking at their menu, so amused I was by the name, as well as completely in agreement with the owners of FIG about the phrase (I wish I had though of that name for my blog!).  Second, they are completely committed to local, sustainable sources for their foods, which is always great.  Third, there are a ton of positive comments, rave reviews, etc. about it.

So why did I even bother with this post?  Well, after going to FIG, my general feeling about this restaurant is:  YMMV.  I have absolutely no complaints about the food at FIG - all the ingredients were incredibly fresh, the flavors were light, flavorful, and served as a good accompaniment to the food without overwhelming the freshness of the food, the dishes were plated well, there was a lot of variety to choose from on the menu, and the restaurant's design was clean and modern (a little crowded though, and also kind of dark, which made my photos come out bad, apologies for that).  But, while everything was good, nothing about the food or the restaurant was particularly great or memorable to me...hence, no comments about each individual dish from me for this post.  And my friends and I tried a pretty fair portion of the menu.  I'm completely glad I went to try FIG, but there are other restaurants in Charleston that I've enjoyed more (offhand, Cypress, Justine's Kitchen, Bowen's Island, and most of all McCrady's are in my personal tops, all of which I will post about when I can).

So, with all that being said, YMMV.  Maybe you'll have an absolutely great meal, like a lot of people other than me have experienced.  Or maybe you will be like me, and get a really good, but not memorable meal (maybe my expectations were too high?).  Anyway, I've been writing too many of my random thoughts about the restaurant without showing the food, so without further ado...                            

P.S.  At least for my own purposes, this is more of an "American fusion" kind of restaurant (i.e. a restaurant that incorporates a lot of different flavors from different cuisines), rather than a restaurant that serves Southern food.  I have a feeling that most Southern restaurants don't generally have a mezzeluna knife to make their pasta with.  ;)  

The first of five appetizers we ordered to share for the table - a kobe-style wagyu beef tartare, served with a parsley salad and potato wafers.

Second, chicken liver pate, served with pickled grapes and toasted brioche.  In keeping with their sustainable cuisine philosophy, the chicken liver was provided from a local farm, Keegan-Filion Farms.

The third of the appetizers, crispy pork trotters from Caw Caw Creek (another local farm), served with a sunny side up farm egg, endive leaves, and a mustard vinaigrette.  I do have a distinct memory about this dish, but not a good one - the fried pork trotters, while beautifully presented, were also kind of greasy =P.

The fourth of the appetizers, a sheep's milk ricotta gnocchi bolognese.  

The last of our appetizers, a sweet potato mezzeluna, with pecans from John's Island (really local, John's Island is approximately 15 minutes away from downtown Charleston), sage, and parmesan.  

The first of two entrées, an Eden Farms boneless pork chop, with a sweet potato puree, brussel sprouts, and pink lady apples. 

The second of our entrees, Strube Ranch wagyu bistro steak, with hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, salade verte, and a sauce agrodolce.

For dessert:  a sticky sorgum pudding, with pecan ice cream.  

Hominy Grill - Charleston, SC

March 26, 2011

Finally back to food posts again... =)


I feel like every city where you can find a lot of good food always has at least one small, charming, crazily busy and popular breakfast place.  In my childhood hometown (the SGV), that place was Marston's in Pasadena - insanely long lines for breakfast, at least an hour or two by nine am on the weekends (what is it about weekend breakfasts that make everyone think it is ok to wait that long for breakfast food, lol?  That is a rhetorical question btw, kind of anyway).  

In Charleston, that place is definitely Hominy Grill.  Ever since I've moved to the South, I've had a continual interest in finding the best of four different kinds of southern food: fried chicken, bbq, sweet tea, and grits.  In my visit to Hominy Grill, I was hoping to be lucky enough to find the best grits in the South (or at least a reasonable facsimile to compare to all the other grits I've tried).  And at least from the sign for the restaurant on the side of their building, it looked like I went to the right place!  

So, especially in the summertime, the waits on the weekend get really long (the typical hour or two that I mentioned above for Marston's is your typical guideline for a breakfast place like this), because it is a charmingly, but slightly irritatingly (at least while you are waiting) small place.  In Charleston, the long wait for table at Hominy Grill most likely result from all the tourists that come into the area from the North (and West) looking for a good ol' Southern breakfast. I've been to Hominy Grill on two occasions now - the first time on a Sunday in the summer, and the second on a Sunday in the last week of January.  The photo above is a partial view of all the people waiting outside for breakfast on a summer day - I actually couldn't get the whole group into the photo - and when we went in the dead of winter, there was no line - we walked right in, no wait, plenty of tables to choose from...well, you get the picture.  =)  I definitely enjoyed the second visit more - it felt much more intimate, with just locals sitting there and enjoying the beautiful mild winter day.  Is it worth the wait in the summer?  Hmm, difficult question, with no good answer - if you are a breakfast connoisseur, then probably.  If you aren't, then the wait might irritate you, especially if you are hungry.        

The first of a series of photos from our first summer breakfast at Hominy Grill, of a mimosa - (OJ and champagne, in case you've never ordered one) and a plain old cup of OJ that I ordered for myself off to the side.  What better to start off a breakfast on a nice day than people's two favorite drinks - OJ and alcohol?  =).

We ordered some fried green tomatoes with some ranch dressing (another one of those southern dishes you can only find in the South) as an appetizer.  They weren't particularly memorable to me - they just kind of filled me up, and I ended up feeling like I should have not ordered them...

The first of our main dishes for sunday brunch - an order of shrimp and grits.  Although there may be places with better grits (if you know of any, please tell me so I can try them!), these are the best I've had so far in the South.  It's kind of hard to explain why they were better...something about the texture and taste - smooth and creamy, yet also slightly thick and gritty, but also not too watered down.  I've had plenty of grits at different places before this, and have not been too impressed so far, but after eating the grits here, I understand why people can like them so much.  Cooking grits must be an art, not a science.  Anyway, I'm getting off topic.  The shrimp sauteed with mushrooms, bacon, and scallions on top was a sophisticated twist on the simple shrimp and grits I've had elsewhere, and were delicious also.  

The shrimp and grits came with a side of cornbread...

And you have to balance a savory breakfast dish with a sweet one, so we ordered some french toast - in this case, cinnamon french toast with an apple maple syrup and pecan butter.  The french toast was slightly crunch on the outside, thick and soft on the inside, and the cinnamon provided a nice spice contrast with the sweetness of the apple syrup.

This was the second of our sunday brunches at Hominy Grill, this time in January - although we were lucky, it was a gorgeous, warm day in the 60's, so we got to sit outside again.  I didn't feel like breakfast this time and I also saw a daily special on the menu that interested me more - a sliced pit roast lamb shoulder po' boy sandwich with molasses bbq sauce, on a french baguette.  It was served with a side of ginger cole slaw (vinegar based) and a piece of pickled okra.  I like the sandwich - the french baguette was soft, and the lamb had an slightly smoked flavor and a chewy texture.           

After enjoying their grits so much the first time, I of course had to order them again, at least a side of grits.  Just like last time, it was smooth, creamy, and thick (without being too thick that you it could hold up a spoon).  

We also ordered their onion, leek, mushroom, red bell pepper and goat cheese omelette (I think it was also a daily special, but I'm not sure).  This was actually the better of the two dishes - very tasty, and the goat cheese was mild, but flavorful.  It was served with home fries and toast.

We ordered dessert the second time around - we heard that their buttermilk pie was good, and so I couldn't go without ordering a slice!  It was incredibly delicious...I couldn't pick out the buttermilk flavor, but it was sweet and creamy, with just the slightest hint of lemon.  Awesome dessert, definitely a must try!