d i n i n g
Do You Want to Behave or Misbehave? George’s Menu Offers Both b y M a r y We l c h
D o you want to “behave” or “misbehave”? Or do you want to be a little bit of both? At George’s at Alys Beach, you can choose. George’s is an upscale, casual restaurant that brings regional coastal flair to Alys Beach. What makes their menu truly unique is that it is divided: Behave and Misbehave. The Behave section features organic, spa- inspired dishes such as jerk crusted Gulf snapper, seared sea scallops and angel hair with kale arugula pesto, while the Misbehave side offers stuffed sea bass, certified angus ribeye and pistachio crusted rack of lamb if decadent is your preference. “George’s is a quaint place where you walk in and feel cozy, like you’re coming into someone’s home,” says Christy Spell Terry, managing partner of the Spell Restaurant Group. “Our menu is centered around the flavors and ingredients available on the Gulf Coast; everything is fresh, organic, and locally sourced.” The chef is Camille Withall, who was born and reared in the Philippines and joined George’s in 2014 as a sous chef and advanced to Executive Chef in 2015. Some of the most popular menu items are the lobster quesadilla, grouper sandwich, spicy salt & pepper shrimp, the catch of the day, and the sesame crab & avocado salad. There is seating for about 100 with two side porches and a two-story upper deck, which offers a great view of the Gulf perfect while waiting for a table. Twice a year the menu is altered a bit with the fall/winter menu being a little heavier in substance. As many ingredients as possible are from local merchants like WaterStreet Seafood, Buddy Gandy’s Seafood, Southern Craft Creamery, and City Produce. “We try to get the most out of what’s fresh, seasonal, and of high quality. We are very lucky that we have a great abundance of seafood locally and fresh produce that we get weekly not only here but from Louisiana and Alabama as well,” she says. George’s is one of the Spell Group’s seven restaurants: six of which are along the Panhandle, the other in Memphis, TN. Locally, the restaurants are: George’s at Alys Beach; La Cocina in Seacrest; Saltwater Grill in Panama City Beach; La Crema Tapas & Chocolate, and Edward’s Fine Food & Wine, both in Rosemary Beach, and Grits & Grind in Seacrest Beach. The Spell Restaurant Group was formed when Christy, an accountant, and her father, Rick, a director at Raymond James in Memphis, bought a sports bar, Brookhaven Pub and Grill, as a side business. The two corporate types found they enjoyed the restaurant
and her boyfriend Drew Terry went to 30-A for the summer and decided not to leave. “From a business standpoint, it made sense. But, honestly, we really love it here and we looked at each other and asked why we would want to leave. The answer was, we didn’t want to.”
We don’t just take orders or cook food, we want our guests to have a whole experience.
By 2017 the group had six Florida restaurants and one in Memphis. Christy married Terry, who now works for the company handling facility man- agement and the administra- tive side. Her husband is the only one with restaurant experience, but Christy says they run the restaurants like a business and everyone does their job. “We’re always looking to enhance things to make them better. We’re putting money into the business and give our team the best tools they need to do their
Cornbread Bread Pudding
jobs. Our staff knows there are a lot of eating choices, so we make sure everyone feels like a member of the family. We take care of our guests above and beyond.” Walk into George’s — or any of their restaurants — and the experience will be the same, she says. “We don’t just take orders or cook food, we want our guests to have a whole experience. An experience of having the freshest, best ingredients that are locally sourced. We want them to feel the love and attention and always remember George’s. We want them to come back and back.”
Rabbit Rillettes
business and in 2015 they were approached to purchase George’s and La Cocina. She eventually realized she couldn’t keep her corporate job and handle the restaurants. “I was really drawn to the restaurant side, so I quit my day job,” she says. “I liked the
Stuffed Sea Bass
challenges and dealing with people. It wasn’t boring and there was something new every day.” For about a year she traveled between Memphis and the Gulf Coast; (acquiring two more restaurants in the process); until she
Open daily for Lunch: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.; Dinner: 5-9 p.m. 30 Castle Harbour Dr., Alys Beach, FL. 32461; (850) 641-0017 www.georgesatalysbeach.com.
2 8 | T H E T H I R T Y- A R E V I E W | J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online