Under the branches of some new olive trees on the patio, Donna McPherson, owner of Golden Isles Olive Oil, took in the hustle and bustle of the market, restaurant and wine bar on Frederica Road.
It was just past 10 a.m., opening time, and the staff were hurriedly walking back and putting the finishing touches on the bar and seating area while others led customers around the store.
A lot went into rebuilding the interior of 1609 Frederica Road — formerly the home of Outback Steakhouse and later Sapelo Crow. It’s easily three times as big as Golden Isles Olive Oil’s old home in Redfern Village, but that just provides more space for all the good stuff.
Among her favorite parts of the new spot is the patio, which she had to get special dispensation from the Glynn County Commission to build.
“People love the patio, it helps with the ambiance,” McPherson said.
To add a little to that ambiance — and live up to the name — McPherson picked two olive trees from a farm in Lyons to eventually provide more shade to the patio. The trees are about 10 years old, so they’ve got a lot of room to grow.
“They can be very adaptable, we’re trimming them to be shade trees,” McPherson said.
In the fall, be on the lookout for a ‘shake the olive tree’ party on the patio.
“I don’t know how that’s going to work, but it sounds fun,” she laughed.
If anything was a challenge, it was taking up all the space in the new location.
McPherson loves the new space, or relatively new, as the move officially happened in January. With much more room, the kitchen has room to breathe and the establishment now boasts a full bar mainly focused on wines.
That neatly ties into what she had planned for this weekend — a celebration of Mother’s Day.
If you’re just looking to buy something to take home to mom, she says it’s hard to go wrong with DeChancey Crémant de Loir, a sparkling Rosé.
“But we would recommend any sparkling rosé,” McPherson said. “They’re always a winner. You can pair them with chocolate and a cheese.
“This Crémant is a strawberry flavored wine with a richness and lovely flavor, sure to be a mom favorite.”
Rosés are versatile and pair well with a wide variety of cheeses and chocolates, she said. She suggested pairing it with some Manchego cheese, Flouwer Co. crackers, currently very popular, and some chocolate from Sugar Marsh Cottage in Darien, which the McPherson keeps on the shelves.
For Mother’s Day, she’s also offering a Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and a take-home breakfast charcuterie board. The special menu features quiches, but also some Southern staples like biscuits and gravy.
She’s proud of the board — called A Brunch of Love — and incorporating sausage balls, scones, deviled eggs, prosciutto and Manchego cheese and crackers — it’s a great breakfast-in-bed gift for any hardworking mom.
“It’s important to make mom feel special,” McPherson said. “She works hard, so it’s important to take some of that off her on Mother’s Day.”
