Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits.
Carl Sandburg
When someone tells me there’s a new
restaurant serving homemade biscuits and pour-over coffee, I don’t hesitate to
haul my butt out of the chair. Couple that with the quaint Mississippi Gulf
Coast town of Ocean Springs, and you’ve got a winning deal.
Greenhouse on Porter only serves coffee, beer and delicious crispy homemade biscuits. The
day I visited I sampled a savory cheddar and mushroom biscuit that was
out-of-this-world good, followed by a sweet potato biscuit with honey butter.
The insides were soft and chewy while the outer skin a nice brown crust.
Perfection. They serve Reve coffee out of Lafayette, my town where said chair
is located, so I was familiar with this craft coffee roaster and knew of their
rich, smooth javas.
The Ocean
Springs restaurant is located in an actual greenhouse. Co-owner Kait Sukiennik
said the greenhouse had existed on the spot for years, fallen into disrepair.
She and partner Jessie Zenor lovingly renovated the greenhouse, although it
still owns a rustic ambiance — no air conditioning but fans, plants everywhere,
free books inside an old suitcase and poetry lining the walls and hanging from
the ceiling. |
| Kait Sukiennik |
Sukiennik
sold her biscuits at farmer’s markets and other places and when she decided to
open a storefront did so with only $10,000 to her name. The front of the house
(which is air conditioned by the way) contains a tiny kitchen and seating area
for about six to eight people, plus a restroom. The seating was made by hand
using bare particle boards (although you hardly notice) and the front of the
counter is an old door, glass knob still attached. Sukiennik said they used
lots of recycled architecturals in the design and enlisted the help of family
and friends to help build the interiors.
The walls
are filled with local artwork, various works of poetry and posters by Amos
Kennedy. Greenhouse also offers special events such as meditation classes,
benefits, cat bingo and live music.
If only I
lived closer!!
 |
| Poetry lining the walls at Greenhouse on Porter. |
 |
| The tiny kitchen with a door as the counter. |
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