Charleston Hominy Grill

Frommer’s Review

Owned and operated by chef Robert Stehling, Hominy Grill features simply and beautifully prepared dishes inspired by the kitchens of the Low Country. Since its opening, it has gained a devoted family following, who come here to feast on such specialties as barbecue chicken sandwich, avocado and wehani rice salad and grilled vegetables, okra and shrimp beignets, and — a brunch favorite — smothered or poached eggs on homemade biscuits with mushroom gravy. At night, opt for one of the down-home specials such as grilled soft-shell crab with baked cheese grits and almond slaw, or else country-style pork ribs with red rice and pinto beans. For extra flavor, you can slather your chops with some blackstrap-molasses barbecue sauce. Stehling claims that he likes to introduce people to new grains in the place of pasta or potatoes; many of his dishes, including salads, are prepared with grains such as barley and cracked wheat. The menu is well balanced between old- and new-cookery styles. Dropping in for breakfast? Go for the buttermilk biscuits, the meaty bacon, and the home-style fried apples. There’s even liver pudding on the menu. A lunch of shrimp gumbo with cornbread and salmon potato cakes is a temptation on a cold, rainy day, and the banana bread is worth writing home about.