Goat Island Grill’s quaint little restaurant on historic Front Street is a pleasant surprise. Though the menu is haute, the staff’s laid-back, Lowcountry charm sets the tone for a relaxed upscale dining experience.

We were lucky enough to grab a table on the restaurant’s back deck overlooking the Sampit River—the sunset and sailboats perfect preludes to our meal, which, to our delight, was prepared exactly how we wanted. We began with the G.I.G. Sampler, a mélange of fried zucchini, okra, shrimp, and oysters—the batter light and well seasoned.

Admittedly, it was difficult to choose among Goat Island Grill’s array of mouthwatering entrées, from the Blue Claw Crab Cakes with a sun-dried tomato chevre sauce to the Grouper Gumbolaya, chock full of seafood, smoked sausage, and okra, on a bed of fluffy rice. Ultimately, I settled for the Portabella Mushroom Filet, an eight-ounce filet mignon topped with portabella-mushroom demi glace, cooked to a succulent medium rare and served with luxurious bacon-and-cheese smashed potatoes and sautéed fresh spinach. My companion opted for an Asian-influenced tempura-fried grouper with teriyaki glaze, accompanied by grilled zucchini slices and tender white rice.

Goat Island Grill’s well-appointed wine list stands up to its decadent cuisine. We sampled California’s Carmel Road Pinot Noir, a perfectly matched fruity red, but with enough bite to complement the bolder notes of my steak as well as my companion’s sweet-savory teriyaki-glazed fish.

We had just enough room to round out our meal with a homemade dessert. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of our experience was choosing among Goat Island Grill’s winning endings. But ultimately, the Cookies and Cream Cheesecake capped off our evening, a satiny and satisfying end to a meal well done.

Goat Island Grill
Location: 719 Front St., Georgetown, (843) 527-3500,
www.goatislandgrill.com
Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 11am-9pm; Friday-Saturday, 11am-10pm
Average price of entrées: $9, lunch; $19, dinner