There are two restaurants that opened this spring in Homewood — one is Holler and Dash, which is Cracker Barrell’s first try at fast-casual, with an emphasis on all things biscuit.
It’s corporate but cute, and one gets the sense the designers spent a lot of time on Pinterest.
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The star? The biscuit. In fact, there are 11 variations on the biscuit on the menu (you can get a yogurt parfait or even a salad, but it feels as though coming here and ordering something other than a biscuit would be like going to a steakhouse and getting the fish).
Among the offerings: Chicken Holler (hot chicken, cheddar, pickles in medium, hot, or “make ’em holler”), Andoille Hustle (andoille and cheddar over sausage gravy), Kickback Chicken (fried chicken, goat cheese, green onion, sweet pepper jelly), Hollerback Club (bacon, guacamole, fried green tomato, ‘hollerback sauce’)…here, plain ol’ biscuit
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Leslie and I had the flying frittata (roasted vegetable egg white frittata, kale, herbed Greek yogurt, dash of hot sauce). Good. 
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We were invited to the soft opening of Real and Rosemary, which is also in Homewood, close to Holler and Dash. It’s decorated simply and sweetly
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We got to meet the owner and saw a few media friends; the food was served family style for this event so we could have a taste of everything. Here, the collard green pesto, and a dab of honey ricotta dip
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Southwest salad with apples, tomatoes, chicken, pepperjack, beans, avocado and tortillo strips, with a chipotle lime dressing
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beet, fig, and goat cheese sandwich on cranberry walnut bread
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bacon, lettuce, and fried green tomato sandwich
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I noticed one of the desserts mentions Pastry Arts, which is just up the street from Real and Rosemary. If you haven’t been to Pastry Arts, go ahead and fix that as soon as you can. Their baby bites (like cake balls, but they’re flat and un-iced on the bottom) are incredible.
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yasssss.
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Do you think in a couple of years we’ll be able to look back at the last decade in restaurant history as the ampersand years? In 2014, Eater ran What’s in a Name? The Year of the Ampersand. Last year the Washingtonian had Why do so many Hot New Restaurants Have Names that Sound the Same?:
As my colleagues Anna Spiegel and Ann Limpert pointed out recently, Ampersands are as common right now in area restaurants as dishtowel napkins and dainty grandma plates…