Food, George McMillian
Photo by Katie Turpen
For local chef George McMillian, the art of making delicious and unique Southern food runs in his family. His passion for cooking at a young age led to his decision to attend culinary school and eventually run his own restaurants.
“I’ve always had a passion for food. I cooked a lot growing up,” McMillian said. “My grandmother is one of those true Southern cooks.”
The experienced chef recently brought his culinary expertise to Cahaba Heights. McMillian, former owner of the restaurant Daniel George in Mountain Brook, founded FoodBar in Heights Village in September. He said he wanted the community to have a casual neighborhood bar and restaurant where they could come and relax after a long day.
“I thought there was a void of casual upscale dining in the Vestavia market,” McMillian said. “I think people’s palates are adventurous. My goal with FoodBar is to give people creative food and cocktails in a casual, comfortable atmosphere.”
The restaurant’s specialty cocktails revolve around liqueurs infused with seasonal fruit. Drinks include the Dr. Lull, which consists of bourbon, Solerno, peach preserves, clove syrup and lemon, and the Harvest Cup, which contains blood orange bourbon, house sage liqueur, apple cider, praline liqueur and cranberries. Guests can also choose from a selection of local beers on tap and various wines.
With the specialty cocktails come inventive entrees. McMillian said his favorite is Breakfast for Dinner: pork belly, stone ground grits and quail egg in the hole. Other unique entrees include the House Cured Bacon Wrapped Rabbit Loin, which is served with butternut squash risotto and thyme-infused rabbit broth, and the Lacquered Pork Roast, which comes with house kimchee, sticky rice and Owl’s Hollow Butter Bibb.
Dessert cannot be skipped as offerings include the Lavender Pound Cake with crème Chantilly and macerated berries as well as the Pumpkin Bread Pudding with maple-cinnamon crème anglaise.
The restaurant’s ingredients come from local providers including Snow’s Bend Farm, Michael Dean’s Terra Preta Farm, Petals from the Past, Farmhouse Produce and various local meat purveyors.
The farm theme extends from the ingredients to the restaurant’s décor. Handcrafted wood tables fill the dining space, and reclaimed wood taken from a barn in Selma covers the walls. McMillian’s family photos and local art hang from end to end, adding a personal touch to the dining experience. An expansive, curved bar rounds out the room.
“I tried to use as much reclaimed wood as I could as part of the décor,” McMillian said. “I chose the family photographs because I think black and white is just timeless.”
Asked his favorite part of being in the restaurant business, McMillian says it all comes down to that daily process of producing inspired meals that continually satisfy the customers.
“Being able to create dishes each day while meeting that 5 o’clock deadline,” McMillian said. “I feel privileged to be able to do this. It’s a true culinary adventure.”
