Back Home Brings Comfort Food and Boutique Browsing to Elizabethtown

A small bridge, trees and an outdoor patio set a pleasantly woodsy tone on the way into Back Home in Elizabethtown. The destination occupies a historic house, and the route to the dining room is more interesting than a simple walk through a front door.

Before reaching the hostess stand, guests pass fudge, chocolate-dipped treats and retail displays. It gives lunch or dinner a little preamble: pause over a sweet, look at the merchandise, then find your way into one of the dining nooks beyond.

Inside, the mood is relaxed and home-like rather than formal. Several tucked-away seating areas keep the old-house setting from reading as one large, busy room, and the conversation-friendly atmosphere suits an unhurried meal.

Back Home's cooking follows the broad, reassuring path of Southern and Kentucky home food. Meatloaf, country-fried steak, fried chicken, pot roast, pinto beans with cornbread, mashed potatoes and hot browns are all part of its comfort-food repertoire.

The appeal is straightforward: substantial plates and familiar flavors that bring to mind a family Sunday dinner. It is a useful stop when one person wants fried chicken, another has a craving for pot roast, and nobody is interested in a tiny, overly clever entrée.

Mashed potatoes have drawn particular appreciation, and sweet potato mash offers another rich side option. Carrots, pinto beans and cornbread also fit naturally alongside the more substantial main dishes.

The hot brown is among the house specialties most closely associated with Back Home. The version is built around carved turkey, bacon and toast under Mornay sauce, with enough care given to the balance that the sauce does not overwhelm the plate.

The toast has been noted for staying firm beneath its toppings, a small but important point with a dish that can become soggy in a hurry. Crisp bacon and tender turkey give the classic Kentucky creation its needed texture.

For a variation on the theme, country ham hot brown has also appeared among documented orders. It is a sensible direction for someone who likes the dish but wants a saltier, more pronounced ham flavor.

Fried green tomatoes make a fine beginning here. Their crisp outer coating gives way to a softer center, and the accompanying dipping sauce brings a tangy, concentrated bite rather than fading into the background.

The menu has room for a few less expected turns. Fish tacos have been a welcome find amid the traditional Southern choices, while the crab dip is served in a notably generous portion.

Sandwich-minded diners can look for a BLT with hot honey, as well as a variation that pairs the familiar sandwich with fried green tomatoes. The XL Toaster Cheeseburger, served with fries, goes in the opposite direction: large, direct and not especially interested in subtlety.

One of the more indulgent combinations is honey chicken over baked macaroni and cheese. The chicken brings a crisp exterior and sweet honey flavor, while the macaroni is creamy and finished with a savory bacon topping.

It is a full comfort-food commitment, not a light lunch disguised as one. For something greener, grilled chicken salad has also been among the restaurant's documented orders, and chicken tenders offer another uncomplicated table-pleaser.

The sweets begin near the entrance, where bourbon chocolate balls and other chocolate-dipped treats add temptation before the meal even starts. They also make the retail area feel connected to the restaurant rather than like an unrelated gift shop.

Dessert choices have included chocolate raspberry cake, peach cobbler and Coal Miner's Cake. Peach cobbler is the natural finish after a plate of country cooking, though a slice of chocolate raspberry cake has its own persuasive logic.

The boutique continues upstairs with clothing and accessories, including pieces substantial enough to make browsing more than a quick pass by a souvenir shelf. A meal can easily stretch into a look around afterward, particularly if someone at the table has a weakness for an unusual jacket, accessory or gift.

Because the boutique is upstairs, it is distinct from the ground-level dining areas. The restaurant itself offers indoor seating, including booths, along with outdoor patio tables for diners who prefer to eat outside.

Back Home has accommodated multigenerational meals, young children and larger parties, including groups of nine or more. The varied food helps: a hot brown devotee, a burger eater and a child happy with tenders do not have to negotiate their way through a narrowly focused menu.

The setting has also served well as a lunch or dinner break for people traveling through the Elizabethtown area, including drives between Nashville, Bardstown and Kentucky Lake. There is a free parking lot with ample parking, which is one less road-trip detail to fuss over.

Occasion-friendly touches have included a large birthday pin for a celebrating guest, and personal greetings from the owner or chef have added to the family-style tone on some visits. After the plates are cleared, the upstairs boutique and the sweets by the entrance provide an easy reason not to rush straight back to the car.