SIGNATURE DISH: Austin’s Firegrill and Oyster Bar’s grouper is quite a catch

ALBANY — When diners are searching for that go-to place that has a family friendly atmosphere, competent and courteous staff, live entertainment, and, most importantly, a menu of fun appetizers, crisp and decadent salads, original mouth-watering sandwiches and signature entrees that both delight and satisfy, Austin’s Firegrill and Oyster Bar stands out as one of Albany’s most delectable destinations.

Independently owned and operated, Austin’s offers a hometown restaurant experience where patrons feel welcome when they arrive and satisfied when they leave.

“It’s funny really, I never liked to cook. I still don’t like to cook,” Austin’s owner and operator Austin Newman admitted. “But I like people and I know what tastes good.”

Newman, who received a hotel/restaurant institutional administration degree from Georgia Southern University and worked for years as a food and beverage rep, said he fell in love with the hospitality business, but not the hours.

Wanting to spend more time with his family, Newman finally made the leap into restaurant ownership and Austin’s BBQ opened in 2009. A year or so later, the restaurant moved to its current location at 2817 Old Dawson Road and was officially renamed Austin’s Firegrill and Oyster Bar.

“The opportunity came along to buy this building and land, and it’s just been a home run,” Newman said. “The restaurant business has about a 20 percent success rate. People don’t realize that. So, we really appreciate our patrons and want to provide them with a great experience. There is a lot of alcoholism and heart attacks in this business, too, but, for whatever reason, God has given me the ability to cope and honestly, I wouldn’t know what else to do.”

When asked what some of the most popular dishes were, Newman was quick to suggest one of his favorite appetizers (Buffalo Chips), salads (The Gobbler), and for the main course, a signature entree of the Albany eatery — the Shanghai Grouper.

The appetizer came first and timely; homemade potato chips drizzled in Austin’s wing sauce with chunks of blue cheese. The chips were crisp, the sauce had bite and the blue cheese crumbles finished off the flavor of the popular starter with a creamy twang.

Next up was the salad. The Gobbler salad is made with fresh romaine and iceberg lettuce topped with cheddar jack cheese, diced tomatoes, egg wedges and bacon. Additional salad toppers are available, such as pulled chicken, as well as a variety of dressings.

The Gobbler could be a meal in itself and it satisfied in every way.

Lastly, the entree came out. The plate arrived steaming.

The dish consisted of a generous portion of fresh-grilled Gulf grouper served over sticky white rice on a bed of sauteed spinach with a ginger/scallion soy sauce.

The grouper was seared to a golden brown and offered a delightful texture on the palate. The subtle sweetness of the ginger/scallion soy sauce provided a complementary balance to the soft bitterness of the spinach. Mix all of that with the sticky white rice and the entree provides a low-calorie, highly flavorful meal that will satisfy any seafood lover.

“I sometimes pick up dish ideas from places that we eat while on vacation or traveling,” Newman said. “We go to a place called Mitchell’s Fish Market when we are in Sandestin and they had a Shanghai sea bass that was delicious. I kind of took that formula and tried to improve on it. My wife loves grouper and it has now become one of our favorites.”

Newman explained, his secret is to help his employees achieve their full potential by fostering their natural skill set.

“I am not a chef by any means; I am an operator of people,” Newman said. “I believe that I manage people. I don’t manage food. I don’t manage beverages. I manage people. If you got good people, everything else will be good. I have been very lucky to be able to help people, through this restaurant, from various fundraisers to simple gainful employment. In my mind, its about the positive footprint that we leave on this world before we’re gone and I want to leave a positive footprint in this community. Community is number one.

“So, to both help the restaurant and the community, Austin’s is reaching out to the culinary program at the local tech school and to the local high schools to offer extended educational/training opportunities for those interested in working in the restaurant business. I believe opportunity is key and I want to extend that opportunity to anyone who wants to work hard.”

Austin’s Firegrill and Oyster Bar is open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. seven days a week.

Patrons can cozy up in the secluded bar, have a family dinner in the main dining room or enjoy live acoustic music on the patio during the weekends. Austin’s offers something for everyone.

For more information call Austin’s at (229) 883-4482.

Signature Dish is a weekly series on metro Albany and Southwest Georgia cuisine. If you have a suggestion about a “signature dish” you enjoy at a restaurant that you’d like to see in this series, let us know. Email us at [email protected] (please include Signature Dish in the subject line), call (229) 434-8783 and leave a message, or send us a message on Facebook or Twitter.

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