By Grace Elkus and Brynna Bantley, 2013
A little ways off the beaten path of U.S. Highway 64 lies the Saxapahaw General Store, a charming restaurant and local market that has been serving the community since 2008. Simply a gas station before its present state, members of the Saxapahaw society had a vision to transform it into a gathering place for people to come and enjoy food and drink brought to them by eco-conscious locals.
Having been there multiple times ourselves, it’s fair to say that, in addition to their food being phenomenal, fresh, and tasty, the comfortable and soulful environment enhances the experience entirely. After arriving and having ordered our meals, we went to sit on the outside patio. The latched wooden canopy provides shade to those on one half of the patio while those on the other half are invited to sit and eat in the open air. Strings of lights and potted plants adorn the area and create a blissful atmosphere.
When our food was brought out to us, we were anxious to dig in. We were there on a Saturday, which meant a brunch selection of omelets, breakfast burritos, biscuits and gravy, eggs, and other breakfast fare is served until 2 pm. The ham, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich was prepared on a house made biscuit. With a side of grits, the meal was the perfect size and blend of flavors.
Being from Georgia, I, (Brynna), like to think I know a thing or two about biscuits and grits, two of my favorite southern dishes. The biscuit was fresh, noticeably made from scratch, and was definitely more on the dense side rather than the light and fluffy side. Nevertheless, its bulk added a dimension that was needed for a hearty sandwich, as did the generous helping of country ham. The grits were top notch, ranking high among any I’ve had in Atlanta or Charleston, where grits are a staple. They were thick and creamy, a little shy of butter, but it wasn’t needed. To say the least, I willingly could have eaten the meal twice over.
I, (Grace), ordered the “Basic Breakfast,” which consists of eggs any style, grits or home fries, bacon or sausage, and toast, an English muffin or a buttermilk biscuit. I went with scrambled eggs, home fries, spinach (instead of meat), and a biscuit. The eggs were perfectly cooked — creamy and soft, yet still heated through, and the home fries were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, which is the desirable texture of a home fry. The biscuit was large and flaky, though I was slightly underwhelmed by the homemade jam, and I felt as though the spinach could use more flavor. But overall the meal was presented beautifully, tasted great and was the perfect start to a long day on Highway 64.