The Darling Oyster Bar’s Shrimp and Grits | Video

By: Maggie Ward

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At The Darling Oyster Bar in Savannah, shrimp and grits is more than a menu staple. For Marcus Brown Phillips, it’s the kind of dish that feels like home.

“Any restaurant I go to, I always look for shrimp and grits,” Phillips says. “I grew up eating shrimp and grits a lot. It was a big dish in my house.”

At The Darling Oyster Bar, where Phillips has worked since 2019, that familiar Southern combination gets a version all its own. The restaurant’s shrimp and grits layers local ingredients and coastal flavors into a dish that feels right at home in Savannah.

Phillips starts with shrimp in a hot pan before adding fennel, red peppers, and ham. A shake of Old Bay brings in another layer of seasoning, followed by a generous helping of butter. Once everything has cooked down, he adds the ingredient he considers essential to getting the dish right: The Darling’s housemade shrimp stock.

“The key to the shrimp and grits is the shrimp stock,” Phillips says.

Made by simmering shrimp with celery, carrots, salt, pepper, and Old Bay, the stock concentrates the briny, savory flavor of the seafood and forms the base of the sauce. As it reduces with the butter and vegetables, it thickens into a rich coating for the shrimp.

The grits keep the dish rooted close to home. The Darling has sourced its grits locally for years from Marsh Hen Mill on Edisto Island, preparing them simply with water, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. That creamy base is topped with the shrimp and its buttery pan sauce before crispy brussels sprouts add texture and acidity. Finished with red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper, they bring a bright counterpoint to the richness underneath.

For Phillips, part of the appeal is just how approachable the dish remains. “Anybody can make it. It’s real easy,” he says. “It gives a home feeling.”

That sense of comfort extends beyond the plate. Phillips has spent years growing in The Darling’s kitchen, a place he credits with giving him opportunities to advance his career.

“I’ve gotten way further than I have in all the restaurants that I’ve been to,” he says. “The Darling is my place to be.”

It’s a fitting sentiment for a dish built around the same idea: a Savannah take on a Southern classic that, above all else, tastes like home.

Shrimp and Grits

Recipe by The Darling Oyster Bar

recipe

yields

1 serving

ingredients

8 shrimp, peeled and tail removed
¼ cup red bell pepper, julienned
¼ cup fennel, julienned
Pinch of country ham, small diced
1 teaspoon cooking oil
⅓ cup shrimp stock
4 cubes cold butter
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
Pinch of kosher salt
Pinch of black pepper
1 serving cheesy grits, prepared

steps

Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the oil.
Add the julienned red pepper, fennel, and diced country ham. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften and the ham becomes lightly caramelized.
Add the shrimp and cook until approximately 75% done.
Pour in the shrimp stock and bring to a simmer.
Add the butter and swirl the pan until the butter is fully incorporated and the sauce is slightly emulsified.
Season with the Old Bay, salt, and pepper.
Continue cooking until the shrimp are fully cooked and the sauce lightly coats the vegetables and shrimp.
Spoon the cheesy grits into a serving bowl and pour the shrimp, vegetables, and sauce over the top.
Deep fry brussels leaves until crispy. Add a little salt and red wine vinegar.