A Taste Of The Georgia Coast
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Cuisine Style: Seafood, Southern, Cajun
Dined in May 2017
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
Jekyll Island in Georgia is just off of I-95 just below St Simons Island and nearer to the Florida State line, 90 miles south of Savannah. It is part of what is known as the Golden Isles and a summer retreat for the Crane family, the Pulitzers, Morgans, Vanderbilt's, Rockefeller's, and Goodyear clan. The surrounding water has a large population of bass, shrimp, redfish, spotted sea trout, flounder, jack crevalle, tarpon, Sharks, Tripletail, and much more. The Jekyll Island Seafood Company restaurant owned by Global concessions focuses on fish from this coastline plus other Southern and creole favorites. The restaurant is located in concourse F of the Atlanta Hartsfield Airport, and a second was due to open on Jekyll Island, but never did come to pass.
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Restaurant Owners:
Global Concessions, Inc.
Main review:
Going through Concourse F of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport you have several choices in food from quick grab and go places like The Varsity, to nicer sit down locations with great wine selections of Ecco Restaurant. to get that taste of the Georgia coast then the seaside-inspired menu c with regional favorites like shrimp and grits, fresh oysters and seafood gumbo is right up your alley. The menu also offers foods for the ‘land lover’ as well, paired seamlessly with a selection of boutique and classic wines, local beers and signature cocktails to compliment the meal. Global Concessions started in 1990 and now runs twelve Atlanta airport restaurants and bars.
Menu:
- Starters
- Salads
- Soups
- Sandwiches
- Entrees
- Desserts
I had about an hour to kill before boarding my flight, and had walked by the Jekyll Island seafood a few times in the past when traveling through Atlanta, and noticing some interesting menu selections. I started my meal with some wine and a small cup of gumbo soup with white rice. Mildly spiced with a hint of cajun flavors, but it could have used more. It had one small piece of andouille sausage and not much seafood, mainly tomato and vegetables.
Next was a fried calamari dish served with French fries, a classic Italian dish that I was in the mood for, even though I knew that it did not come from Jekyll Island, but more likely from the Sysco food truck delivery instead. It had good flavor, with a basic presentation in a plastic bowl with parchment paper to hold the grease.
Though I did not order it, the table next to me had the shrimp and grits which looked just divine. I’ll have to try that the next time I’m there. Other items of interest from the menu that looked appetizing wee the crap cakes with apple corn relish and remoulade sauce, a shrimp burger, coastal tacos with shrimp from Jekyll Island, coleslaw and pineapple relish.
Dessert:
Key lime and chocolate lava cake summed up the desserts, and being from Florida and this being a small airport kitchen, ten to one odds are that both of these desserts are pre-prepared and frozen, delivered on that same food truck along with the fresh water tilapia from the menu.
Other Noteworthy New American / Seafood Favorites:
The Mill Restaurant New American fare with a southern spin in St. Petersburg, Florida
Alinea Highly creative new American molecular gastronomy tasting menus in Chicago, Illinois
Chill Restaurant & Bar New American Cuisine, tapas, and exotic cocktails in St. Pete Beach
Zink Bistro and Bar Southwestern-inspired new American fare in San Antonio, Texas
Z Grille Colorfully inspired twists on American Classics in St. Petersburg, Florida
Harvest Moon Café Farm-to-Fork Daily changing new American fare menu in Sonoma, California
Seafood:
Hank’s Seafood A classy southern seafood eatery house in Charleston, South Carolina
Moshulu New American dining on a restored ship in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Sea Salt Fine-dining & innovative seafood with raw bar in St. Petersburg, Florida
Other Pictures:
Final notes and observations:
What is a restaurant review? Is one better than the other? How does the rating system work? Most reviews you read online are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsibly, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience. My job is to put you at the table with me, and to try and be objective to the best of my ability. Being impeccable with my word, never taking anything that happens personally, being honest in the review, never making assumptions, and to always write to the best of my knowledge. My ratings are notated by the level of stars I award (from 0 to 5). The star rating is based on the calculation and point accumulation of six separate factors with nearly seventy questions broken down by my individual experience. This includes: wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, plus a bonus section I call wow factor. To see more details on how I do my ratings read this article:
Over all from this experience, and using my rating system linked above, I give Jekyll Island Seafood Company a 1 out of 5 stars, meaning that they an average dining experience like most restaurants. The six factors used to get this rating are scored in the chart below.
Review basics:
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5 stars
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An Extraordinary Experience
Worthy of a Michelin rating
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94 - 100% (105% with full bonuses added)
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4 Stars
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An Outstanding Experience
(Top of its class)
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87 - 93%
|
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3 Stars
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Exceeded All My Expectations
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80 - 86%
|
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2 Stars
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Far Above the Average Experience
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72 - 79%
|
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1 Star
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An Average Dining Experience
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66 - 71%
|
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0.5 Star
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The Restaurant is a very Basic Experience
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65 - 61%
|
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0 Stars
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ALERT: Poor, or Appalling Experience
(Do not waste your money or time)
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60% or below
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Overall Star Rating:
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1 of 5 Stars:
An Average Dining Experience
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Corkage fee’s:
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No outside wine permitted
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Restaurant style:
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Casual
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Cuisine style:
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Seafood, American, Southern, Cajun, Pescatarian, and Vegetarian
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Reservations:
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Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted
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Dress code:
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Casual, or Conservative attire
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a child’s menu or cater to them; however for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended for children not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette. If not then
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Trendy, Great bar, Rustic, Tourist grabber
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Airport lot
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Low to Medium
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant
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Patio:
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No
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A few Atlanta restaurant reviews on Wine, Dine, and Play:
|
Seasonally inspired continental European fare, downtown Atlanta and airport
|
Boutique bistro, new American, & Southern favorites Atlantic Station
|
Upmarket Brazilian chain Churrasco in Buckhead
|
Other Georgia favorites on Wine, Dine, and Play:
|
Modern Gastro Whole Animal Cookery
Buckhead
|
Hip burger chain with space-age decor
Midtown, Atlanta
|
Classy steakhouse in
Griffin
|
|
Modern and contemporary American cuisine
Peachtree Corners
|
Yearly Sci-Fi Convention Event at the Hyatt & Hilton
Atlanta
|
Farm-to-Table Southern bites spot Sandy Springs
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine, Dine, and Play Article Glossary”
Jekyll Island Seafood:
Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport
6000 North Terminal Pkwy
Atlanta, Georgia
30320
Contact Information:
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Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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(404) 209-0907
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Mon-Sun
9:00 am - 11:00 pm
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Email contact:
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list based on who is writing about them, and it changes on a regular basis. My list of best reviewed restaurants here on Wine, Dine, and Play is based on a rating number at 4 or 5 stars. From the 350 + published reviews as of summer 2017, less than 15% hold these prestigious rankings, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. I have dined at restaurants on five continents from cafés, chains, and fine dining spots including a few that are rated on the Michelin one to three scale. Below is a sampling of some from my list, which include mom and pops + holes in the wall. These places can be just as good, or if not better than a top ranked restaurant of the world in my opinion. To visit my full list of best places follow this link:
A few to tease you with…
|
Rustic New American Fare
Saint Petersburg, Florida USA
|
Elegant Modern Australian with Molecular Gastronomic dining
Melbourne, Australia
|
Haute Gastronomique French restaurant & bistro
Bordeaux, France
|
|
High Rise Fine Global Dining, Highest Restaurant In The World
Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE
|
Acclaimed high-concept inspired Farm to Table tavern
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Highly creative new American molecular gastronomy tasting menus
Chicago, Illinois, USA
|
|
Impeccably prepared French fine dining
Dublin, Ireland
|
Contemporary, African-French Tasting Journey
Franschhoek, South Africa
|
French-American Fine Dining
Yountville, Napa, California, USA
|
So many great wines in this world, here are a few boutiques, cult wines, and favorites:
|
20+ Blue Ridge Handcrafted Wines
Asheville, North Carolina, USA
|
Big, Bold, Cult Cabernets
Oakville, California, USA
|
|
A Cru Bourgeois Supérieur
Cussac-Fort-Médoc, Bordeaux, France
|
Agincourt, Waterloo, Salamanca
Yarra Valley, Australia
|
|
World Class Oregon Pinot Noir
Willamette, Oregon
|
Not Kehlsteinhaus, Exceptional Shiraz
Constantia, South Africa
|
Reviewed by:
Sean Overpeck (CFE)
Executive Chef
Father, Husband, Wine Drinker
Restaurant nut, History and
Star Trek lover
I am a Florida guy, and have worked in the food service industry for over twenty years, and am currently with the American Embassy in Iraq. I have worked with contractors in Afghanistan, and Antarctica. The idea for Wine, Dine, and Play started in 2012 after a trip to Jordan. Since then over 350 articles have been written, including some San Pellegrino, Michelin, and Elite Travelers Guide restaurants. Other articles include food recipes, and a Grand Food Dictionary; ethnic country cuisines such as Afghan and Peruvian; tasting tours; and of course wine from vineyards in the old and new world alike.
Who is John Galt?
Other articles of interest on Wine, Dine, and Play:
The Complete A to Z Food and Beverage Grand Dictionary If you're looking for it, then you found it
Afghan Cuisine + Markets Recipes, culture, history - A culinary tour of Afghanistan during the war
Sydney Wine Tasting Yearly tasting event at Hyde Park in Sydney Australia
Burj Khalifa Tower Take a tour of the tallest building in the world, Dubai, UAE
Converting a recipe card from Imperial to Metric Cooking Conversions made easy
Bordeaux - A Sip and Taste Wine tours and restaurants in Bordeaux, France
Fugitives Drift Lodge and Zulu Battlefields African Cuisine Buffet, Kwa-Zulu-Natal, South Africa
Thanksgiving in Antarctica An American tradition with turkey and football at the bottom of the world
Tipping in Restaurants Etiquette, customs, cultures, and assumptions
Clearwater Beach Taste Fest 2017 music, food, and wine near Pier 60, Clearwater Beach, Florida
Gourmet Wine Tours of South Africa A wine and food tour of Stellenbosch, South Africa
(Articles coming soon)
Petra, Jordan
A Taste of Dubai
A Taste of South Africa (multiple volumes)
Wine, Dine, And Play’s “best of”
FOB Shank - Cooking with Incoming
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
TTFN
