Omnivore - Home Grown hits a home run

We visited Home Grown for lunch Tuesday and were happy to see the breakfast-and-lunch restaurant crowded, as it has been every day for weeks.

Credit the critics in part. I wrote a positive “first look” about it soon after its opening in early July. Chrisitane Lauterbach positively reviewed it in Knife & Fork and, strangely, John Kessler’s approving review was published twice by the AJC.

Wayne and I both ordered the Cuban-style roasted chicken Tuesday. Wayne ordered a la carte and got a larger portion — three pieces of chicken with fried green tomatoes and cornbread. I got a smaller portion — a breast with creamed corn and cornbread. It’s hard to spend over $10 here.

I also made myself order the “grits pie,” which I have conscientiously avoided during earlier visits, because it sounded so unappealing. But it was absolutely delicious. It’s actually a creamy custard to which grits left over from the previous day are added. It’s made daily, along with other desserts, by Ashley Thaxton, a recent culinary school graduate.

Chef/co-owner Kevin Clark told me that he and his partner, Lisa Spooner, are “seriously” considering opening evenings.