He Said: Biscuits is the Southern-style breakfast joint you’ve been looking for
Jan 21, 2016, 10:21 AM | Updated: 11:25 am
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After spending years in the South and getting addicted to biscuits and gravy, I have been on the lookout for that delectable breakfast here in the Valley.
I think I found my new favorite spot: After a rather long hike on South Mountain, I was craving something filling and thankfully I was in the right spot, as Biscuits in Phoenix was just five minutes away off Elliot Road & 48th Street.
This locally-owned-and-operated establishment is not to be confused with a national chain with a similar name, Biscuits Café.
Biscuits is the real deal: Home cooking at its finest with local, organic ingredients used whenever they can get their hands on them.
From the outside, it looks like every other strip mall joint, but on the inside you are greeted with a country barn motif. From haystacks with quilts to sit on while you wait for your table, to a quirky wind chime of forks and tea pots, it’s simple down home comfort.
We were greeted with a smile and had a short wait, but it was noon on a Sunday. The service is friendly and on-point but in some ways reminded me of a mom serving breakfast to the family: Quick and busy.
Given the size of the place and the wide variety on their menu, I was pleasantly surprised when our food came out only 10-15 minutes after we ordered.
The look on my face must have said it all. Our waitress started laughing when she saw my expression as she laid the beautiful plate on my table. I ordered the South Mountain Scramble with southern grits and it was wonderful.
The fluffy yet dense open-faced biscuits were laid down first then covered with scrambled eggs with diced country ham and smothered with a country gravy that was so thick and, frankly, smelled like heaven.
Let’s take that again but in slow motion, so as to describe each layer: The biscuit was the size of my fist and golden brown. It had the fluffy insides and crunchy outsides every biscuit should consist of.
The diced ham in the scramble was almost sweet, yet savory as well. I would imagine, as a side, that ham would make me wonder if bacon is in fact my favorite breakfast meat.
The eggs were light and complimented the ham and biscuit while keeping an understated flavor, as the obvious primary of the dish was the country gravy.
This gravy was thick and the perfect white with dark specs. Again, I tasted a dash of sweet enveloped by a savory and spicy.
Together, these ingredients were simply wonderful. As a side to this winning breakfast dish, you can get hash browns, country potatoes with peppers and onions or Southern grits.
I realize grits aren’t for everyone. I gained my love of them during my years in Alabama, where I learned Southern grits are quite different then grits from the rest of the U.S. These grits are salty and almost cheesy and you think you could almost cut it. If you are looking to try true Southern grits, and you have never had the opportunity, Biscuits has your chance.
The rest of the menu look equally exciting and every dish that passed by looked tasty. The pancakes were the size of a Frisbee and they had other classics as well: corned beef hash, chipped beef, steak and eggs. They even have fried Spam!
Their lunch menu is varied and just as classic but I have a feeling it’s going to be some time before I get to it. There are too many things I want to get through on their breakfast menu first.
For more information on Biscuits visit their ingredients page at WhereShouldWeEat.com.