Sweet Georgia Brown Music To The Ears, Food For The Soul
Sweet Georgia Brown opened its luxurious doors only four years ago in the spring of 2002. New to the Greektown scene, SGB brought its own flair of elegance and southern style. A Detroit favorite since its grand opening, SGB offers patrons an upscale dining experience with sophisticated jazz, superior service and classic American cuisine. Yet it seems the owners of SGB wanted to offer even more to their loyal fan base. Thus in the spring of 2006, SGB created an even nicer ambience and added a few finishing touches to Chef Jerry Nottage’s already award-winning menu. “I’m excited to improve on what my customers have fallen love in with … this truly should be a ‘grand’ re-opening,” owner Frank Taylor said.
With a newly redesigned bar complete with tranquil soft lighting, a running indoor stream and a crystal clear waterfall amongst the backdrop, SGB has definitely stepped up its game. Beautifully modern booths and tables adorn this first-class eatery and make it all the more comfortable to unwind while listening to sweet music — which is always jazz.
On the menu side of things, the restaurant features everything from delectable appetizers to mouthwatering entrées, homemade breads and pastries as well as signature desserts. So CPC made sure to sample all that SGB had to offer.
CPC fell in love with Chef Nottage's Grilled Chicken Quesadilla. Unlike any other quesadilla, Chef Nottage combined Fontina cheese, grilled chicken, pepperoni and caramelized onions in what CPC would like to rename "melted heaven."
Other items that the CPC could not keep our hands off of were these ever-popular appetizers and dishes: Yukon Gold Potato Bisque drizzled with truffle oil and cognac, the Mixed Seafood “Martini” (a seafood melody tossed in a pickled tarragon, champagne vinegar and truffle oil), the Bronzed Barbequed Salmon served on a bed of grilled corn and crabmeat hash and the SGB Trio (fried lobster, crab cake and a petite filet). These house specialties are just a small example of what SGB can whip up.
Venturing further into “all that jazz,” SGB’s menu also includes such CPC favorites as the Detroit’s Original Fried Lobster and the Cornmeal Crusted Sea Bass. The Detroit’s Original Fried Lobster is an exquisite dish with twin lobster tails flash-fried, served on a base of Creole dirty rice and broccolini which is garnished by a Woodford spicy bourbon mustard sauce. The Cornmeal Crusted Sea Bass caught our attention because of its simplicity and Chef Nottage’s creativity when it comes to combining unique flavors. For this dish, the Sea Bass was lightly coated in cornmeal and served on a sweet potato hash and dressed in a Dijon Vermouth cream — simply amazing.
Just as amazing is the large selection of specialty salads and exotic side dishes. But when all is said and done, there is only way to end such a meal — with this restaurant’s Southern Sweets. In particular, the Sweet Potato Torte and the Lemon Meringue Tart were just the right sized after-meal treats. These hand held creations give patrons a guilt-free option. But, if you’re anything like CPC, be bold and very guilty as you order “Big Mama’s” Chocolate Cake or Georgia Peach Cobbler with Specialty Peach Ice Cream. Both of these desserts pay true homage to all that is down South home cooking.
Accompanying SGB’s elegance and southern style menu is also a vast selection of spirits and vintage rare wines from around the world. So, there really isn't any reason why one should not make their way out to SGB and enjoy a full course elegant dining experience any night of the week. | RDW