by Andrew Chalk
Very impressive food. Choose the tasting menu to get the broadest appreciation for chef R.J. Yoakum’s talents. Add the paired-wine selection ($75) for some really adept sommelier work. The Tasting Menu changes monthly, so specific recommendations may be unobtainable, but Duck Confit Tortellini harmoniously wed the pasta with rich umami-loaded dashi. Alaskan Halibut cleverly wrapped the fish in a cylinder bound by its skin and paired it with a mild coconut curry. “Snacks” is the prosaic title appellated to the first course, a course that must set the expectations and, wow, it really succeeded in setting them high. Three winners. Butter-poached lobster, uni toast, and “McDouble”, a cheese and meat square. The order was clever here. Served as listed above, they were, first, the unusual, second, the avant garde and, finally, the familiar. Dead right for playing on the emotions.
I have been to three Michelin * restaurants this year and I was hard put to understand how Georgie did not get one in Michelin’s inaugural carpet-bombing of Dallas. RJ provided insight: they started inspecting early in the year, when Georgie was still being defined. They are already working on next year's guide and I would expect Georgie to get a star. My one concern would be the service. It was sometimes superb, and sometimes too lackadaisical. Stealing a strong FOH manager from a steakhouse might be in order.
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