We were invited to a media luncheon to get a first look at the soon-to-be-open Sissy’s Southern Kitchen and bar located at 2929 Henderson. This is the Lisa Garza concept that she has been working on with exec chef Jeffrey Hobbes. You might recall both of the chefs from Suze restaurant that is still being operated by Gilbert Garza off northwest Highway and Midway.
Lisa Garza grew up in Memphis and spent summers on grandparents Iowa farm and recalls gardening and canning at an early age. In 2008 Garza was featured on The Next Food Network Star program and since opened her own catering and design company.
Jeffrey Hobbes has a more fine dining background but started his career working at Celebration located on lovers Lane in Dallas. He then worked in a series of fine dining establishments such as Riviera, Toscana, Hotel St. Germain and Il Sole before finally becoming a chef-partner at Suze for a span of eight years. Hobbes focus has always been on fresh and local and serves on the board of the of the Dallas Farmers Market Friends.
We recognized one of the servers from her gig with Assassination City
The interior of Sissy’s is fresh, bright and totally unpretentious. The addition of the restaurant makes a bold move to a more simplistic look at dining on the Henderson restaurant beltway. The cooking can probably best be described as low country cuisine, but considered refined country classics. The menu has cute sporadic notations such as the Chili Fried Oysters which have a label “raised in a barn good”.
The cocktail menu is also fresh and fantastic, with nothing resembling mixology. There are choices of alcohol infused teas available which can be ordered by the pitcher as well as some fun punches that will take the edge off a hot summer’s day. The cocktail menu also features a line of classics such as a Sazerac and a powerful Rob Roy.
The dinner menu has starters ranging in price from 7 to 14 dollars, and entrees starting at $11. Sissy’s also sports a substantial late night bar menu featuring Gumbo ($6), Fried Pork Ribs ($9) and Short Ribs and Angel Biscuits ($9).
Look for brunch service to begin in about five weeks. More than likely we will have a more in depth look of Sissy’s and the service Monday morning. The restaurant opens its doors Monday night, February 27, 2012.