The Driftwood Bistro: Best of the Jekyll Island Restaurants for Southern CookingThe Driftwood Bistro on Jekyll Island is making a name for itself. And it's all good. This great family restaurant (located at Villas-by-the-Sea ) is fast acquiring a reputation as the best all-around restaurant on the island. We haven't eaten there yet, but after all the glowing reviews I've read, it's at the top of my must-do list for our next Jekyll Island Family Adventure. Southern Cooking, Anyone? At some point on your island vacation (especially if you have kids) you'll hear something like "Hey, Dad - we're tired of seafood. Can we get some old-fashioned Southern cooking tonight? Please? Pretty please?" We'll, you can - at the Driftwood Bistro. Start out with an appetizer of fried okra. It's not your average fried okra, however. You get whole okra pods, flattened and permeated with seasoned corn meal, before being deep-fried to a golden brown. Folks say they've never had okra so good - sort of like a veggie potato chip. You can also get fried mushrooms or fried green tomatoes. Detect a theme here? What's Southern food without frying. But not everything is fried. You can also order wings or Wild Georgia Shrimp as your appetizer. Delectable Entrees Driftwood Bistro offers something neat. You can get a regular size meal for around $12.95 (at this writing), or a petite plate at $9.95. Most folks say the petite is plenty, but if you have a Jekyll Island Adventurer's size appetite, go for the larger size and see if you can put it away. You can always burn off those extra calories on the tennis courts or golf course. Partake of your choice of Blue Ribbon Meat Loaf, Yankee Pot Roast (doesn't sound Southern, does it?), Stuffed Flounder, Chicken, Shrimp Creole, or something called Stuffed Collard Greens (whole leaf collards stuffed with seasoned ground beef baked in a scrumptious Creole sauce - I've heard it's delicious). Then there's the Wild Georgia Shrimp platter (deep fried, grilled, or blackened); Fried Catfish; Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin; a wonderful Shrimp and Grits dish; or a Sirloin Steak. Vegans can also get a Veggie Platter at a slightly less price than the regular or petite entrees. The restaurant also serves up a full complement of mouth-watering salads. Salivating for something grilled? Try the Driftwood Bistro's Red Neck Reuben (what's more Southern than red-necks?); the Cracker Cuban; or the Mahi-Mahi Sandwich. Or bite into a huge, savory , juicy burger. Grilled dishes run about $9.00; burgers start at $6.50. Savory Sides, Kid's Meals and Desserts What's Southern cooking without side dishes? Sample green beans; black-eyed peas; sweet Southern slaw (I'm not partial to sweet slaw, but, hey, each to their own tastes); rice pilaf; collard greens; mac and cheese; steamed cabbage; cheese grits; fried okra; squash casserole; steamed broccoli with cheese sauce; glazed carrots (which I've heard are mouth watering); fries; mashed taters; creamed corn; beets (yech - I hate beats, but maybe the Bistros are good); or fried green tomatoes. Kids 12 and under will eat well here, too. Order up Chicken Fingers, Fish Fingers, Pizza Bites, Fried Shrimp, or a Hotdog (all served with fries) for $4.25.
Key Lime Pie - Eat Only Pie; Leave Only Crumbs (photo by Little Blue Hen - Flickr) The Bistro's dessert menu is to die for. Check out Georgia Bourbon Peach Cobbler (and the Ala Mode version); Chocolate Lava Cake (also comes Ala Mode); Ice Cream; Key Lime Pie; or Augusta's Bread Pudding. Desserts are rather pricey for my taste, but they make 'em fresh and I've heard they're good, so maybe worth a try. You can get your choice of soft drinks, tea, coffee or milk to drink with your meal. Or, if ordering an entree, take advantage of the Driftwood Bistro special and get a full bottle of wine for only $10.00. Can't finish it? They'll re-cork it for you and let you take it home. Service with a Smile Over 90% of the reviews I've read have have only good things to say about the service at the Driftwood Bistro. Wait staff seated customers promptly and took orders quickly. And the management is responsive to folk's needs, as is evident from one customer's remark that the Driftwood Bistro was "...willing to stay open past posted closing hours to accommodate weary travelers." The Driftwood Bistro is a must-try venue, a delicious restaurant that's also one of the most cheap restaurants on Jekyll Island. I'd recommend it, even though we haven't tried it yet ourselves. But don't worry. We're chomping at the bit to give it a try on our next upcoming Jekyll Island Family Adventure. Return from Driftwood Bistro to Eats and Treats Page |
