Grits Cafe

Grits Cafe Restaurant Review:

Canada natives Wayne and Terri Wetendorf (he's an alum of the culinary program at Toronto's George Brown College) opened Grits Cafe on the square in Forsyth in 1999. The old brick walls of the establishment --- rebuilt entirely after a disastrous fire in 2012 --- brighten with paintings by local artists. Signature dishes include a clever but not overwrought shrimp and grits martini, for which the succulent local shrimp are set on a mound of stone-ground grits, the whole enriched with apple wood-smoked bacon and a mushroom cream sauce. An entrée version of this low country classic adorns the dish with chow chow kimchi and tomato confit. Grass-fed beef comes from nearby Rocking Chair Ranch, while the pasture-raised chicken hails from Grass Roots on the coast. At lunch, enjoy a cup of whatever soup may be in the kettle or the comforting standby onion soup based on a house-made stock. Then try the thickly sliced meatloaf sandwich topped with pimiento cheese. We've also enjoyed the pan-seared sea scallops and the apple cider donuts with caramel dipping sauce for dessert, although the dulce de leche cheesecake merits consideration. Ice creams are made in-house. The wine list supplies plenty of variety to accompany each dish. Ask about wine and special event dinners with visiting chefs. A few tables out front compel al fresco dining in fine weather.