The DeLand, Fla., property recently reopened after five months of renovations. The club now features the 140-seat Sparrow’s Grille, formerly Mulligan’s Tavern, under Executive Chef Michael Morrison, and the pro shop was transformed into an event room.
Sparrow’s Grille (formerly called Mulligan’s Tavern) and the pro shop at Victoria Hills Golf Club in DeLand, Fla., were recently closed for five months for renovations, the West Volusia (Fla.) Beacon reported.
The pro shop was turned into an event room, and the tavern and main dining room opened in late February as Sparrow’s Grille, a rustic 140-seat tavern-style restaurant, the Beacon reported.
“We chose Sparrow’s Grille as the name, because the golf course is Audubon Sanctuary cooperative, and the Florida grasshopper sparrow is an endangered species in Florida,” said Food & Beverage Manager Chad Garcia, who has worked for Victoria Hills as a bartender for 11 years before being promoted.
The main entrance is a brick walkway leading to double glass doors in a large brown-and-white cottage. The interior is spacious, with a large oval-shaped bar and wooden tables spread evenly throughout the dining room. Large windows offer views of the golf course, the Beacon reported.
The Sparrow’s Grille menu changes with the time of day. For lunch, there are a variety of sandwiches, salads, pastas and appetizers. During the transition to dinner, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., with those coming in off the golf course in mind, the restaurant offers a tavern menu with small bites and sandwiches, the Beacon reported.
On Sundays, a different menu is offered; each brunch entree costs $11, and the offerings include items such as eggs Benedict, French toast, and The Hot Mess, which is french fries tossed with cheese curds and jalapeños, topped with beef short-rib gravy and a poached egg. All brunch entrees include either a mimosa or bloody mary, the Beacon reported.
Executive Chef Michael Morrison was born in upstate New York and moved to Florida when he was 19, then on a whim, went to California and ended up in San Francisco, where he discovered his culinary passion. “I started out as a server at an upscale Irish house, Johnny Foley’s, and while there found a love for the kitchen, eventually transitioning,” Morrison said.
Morrison became Executive Chef of Ame at the St. Regis Hotel, a Michelin Star Restaurant, and also worked for Loretta Keller at Coco500, another of San Francisco’s acclaimed restaurants. Now Chef Morrison has brought his knowledge, talent and passion for food to Victoria Hills Golf Club, the Beacon reported.
The dinner menu at Sparrow’s Grille shows off what Chef Morrison is all about, featuring a Spanish-style dish of grilled gulf prawns, with sliced chorizo, soft polenta and salsa verde, as well as blue-cheese-crusted filet mignon paired with whipped potatoes, broccoli rabe and a red-wine demi-glace, the Beacon reported.
Appetizers range from house-made pimento-cheese dip and Fritto Misto—a take on fried calamari—to Crispy Duck Leg Confit. There are four salads, including the classic Caesar and a more modern foodie’s fresh beet salad. Entrees include vegetarian lasagna, a slow-braised pork shoulder and a fresh fish option daily, the Beacon reported.
Chef Morrison prides himself on creating sauces from scratch and sourcing fresh products and ingredients, the Beacon reported.
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