Georgie, Reimagined

Georgie, the upscale restaurant on Travis Street, has mostly escaped the editorial eye of Observer food writers since it opened in 2019. Originally a partnership with celebrity chef Curtis Stone, Georgie leaned on the high-end steakhouse theme, and a $390 bone-in wagyu ribeye flown in from Australia was the centerpiece of the menu. In a 2019 essay, former food critic Brian Reinhart pointed to the steak as an example of meals found in so-called “servant restaurants,” which tend to cater to the ultra-wealthy, often at the expense of creative freedom from their chefs.

Georgie owner Stephan Courseau rightly pointed out in a follow-up essay in the Observer that the $390 steak was designed to feed as many as six people, while many of the ingredients — sourced from local farmers and ranchers — naturally cost more to procure. Regardless, dinner at Georgie remained an expensive proposition that didn't offer much creativity in return.

Georgie has recently undertaken something of a renovation. Executive chef R.J. Yoakum left his job at Thomas Keller’s Michelin-starred French Laundry in Napa Valley to take over the head role at Georgie earlier this year.

“I was actually about to move to New York to work at Per Se [Keller’s other Michelin-starred venture on the East Coast],” Yoakum said. A professional acquaintance in Dallas mentioned Georgie's opening.

“I was going to be doing the same thing at Per Se that I was doing at the Laundry, so I took a leap of faith and moved to Dallas instead.”

This past summer, Georgie quietly dropped Curtis Stone’s name from the masthead, and Yoakum went to work on revamping Georgie’s menu. There’s been a buzz around Yoakum’s cuisine, including his recent win of the people’s choice for best bite at this year’s Chefs For Farmers, so we decided it was time to take a deeper look at Georgie for ourselves.

“I don’t want to make this a chef-driven restaurant,” Yoakum told us when discussing the changes. “I want it to be guest-driven, where everyone feels special.”
While eschewing the "chef-driven" label, there’s little doubt that Georgie now sports a menu that puts Yoakm’s copious talents on display. It starts with small details, like the miniature sourdough baguettes that appear on the table accompanied by French butter kissed with garlic and lemon zest that balances the imported butter’s extra richness. And save some of that bread for your order of the French onion consummé ($19). Instead of being topped with cheese that everyone eats straightaway like traditional French onion soup, Georgie whips and toasts gruyere cheese and a cube of brioche in the bottom of a bowl, then pours the rich onion broth over it tableside, stirring to blend the velvety flavors.

Georgie’s entrees have skewed away from a steak focus with an ample selection of fish, pastas and fowl (although beef eaters still have a quintet of cuts to choose from, including a 16-ounce wagyu ribeye for a menu-topping $195). We steered towards lighter entrees on our visits, which also happen to be more affordable if you’re watching your wallet as well as your waistline.
A pink snapper filet ($45) dazzled with complex flavors from a thin arugula pesto and a citrusy panade that kept the fish tender and flaky. Scallops poêlée ($46) sported a textbook golden sear; our only request is more of the melted leek and spinach puree to spoon onto the buttery scallops.

Pastas are another Georgie strong suit. Agnolotti ($35), filled with a lemony ricotta and served in a hazelnut brown butter sauce, was a winner. We also tried the mushroom cavatelli ($32), served in a light cream sauce with bits of duck confit and topped with slivers of maitake mushrooms, although we struggled to detect any of the horseradish mentioned on the menu description. Speaking with Yoakum, we get the feeling that he may make small adjustments to dishes on the fly that may not show up on the menu.

Yoakum tells us vegetables are one of his favorite things to prepare, and again, the menu offerings are executed with panache. Harissa roasted carrots ($16) were a flavor-packed delight, and the roasted maitake mushrooms ($18) were bathed in a house-fermented hot sauce with a fiery kick. Georgie’s crispy Brussels sprouts rosettes ($17) are thoughtfully prepared, knife-split before blanching to open the blossom, then roasted crisp and served with Yoakum’s nod to classic dijonnaise sauce for dipping.
Dining at Georgie is a feast for the eyes, as well. The bar and dining room exude retro cool, with glossy mid-toned woods accenting ruby, gold and orange hues, and curves of low-backed banquettes upholstered in plush velvet. That same upholstery covers the barstools, although we imagine the narrow seats might be a challenge for the wide of hip. Speaking of the bar, the cocktail and spirits list is long and distinguished. We found the El Cubano ($20), with its blend of bourbon, scotch and Drambuie particularly enjoyable. The wine list stretches from affordable glasses to baller-level bottles, like a 1985 Rothschild with a $4,500 price tag.

Georgie is still an expensive choice for an upscale dinner, but Dallas' restaurant patrons appear to have little concern for the cost of a delightful evening meal. A six-course tasting menu is just $135 (wine pairing is another $75), which may be one of the best tasting values in the city. Service is attentive and informative without being overbearing.

Gone are boring takes on steaks served at inflated celebrity chef prices. Instead, Georgie's price of admission leans into relationships Yoakum has built with ranchers and farmers, who provide the ingredients that are prepared with skill by a chef lifted straight from one of the country's most acclaimed restaurants. Georgie might stretch the budget for most, but at least creativity is back on the menu.

Disclosure: Despite our attempts to dine anonymously, Yoakum recognized us on three visits, and provided two complimentary appetizers. We added the cost of those dishes to our tip and did not include them when writing our review.

Georgie, 4514 Travis St. Monday, 4:30–9 p.m.; Tuesday – Thursday, 4:30–10 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 4:30–11 p.m.; Sunday, 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. and 5–8:30 p.m.