The couple talk about what Lowcountry cuisine means to them and why Savannah will always be home.
Written by ALLISON ARBUTHNOT SANDERS
Photography by TOM SANDERS
ERICA DAVIS IS NO STRANGER to the Savannah food scene. With deep roots in both the city and its seafood (Erica’s grandparents opened Savannah landmark Russo’s Seafood 79 years ago), Erica began her catering business 20 years ago on regional staples like Lowcountry boils and oyster roasts, using recipes and techniques taught to her by her father. Though she moved around a bit, catering in Charlotte and Charleston, Erica eventually returned home with her husband, fellow Savannah native Dwight Davis.
Together, they’ve grown their business, Erica Davis Lowcountry, into a successful restaurant and catering operation that won in three categories in this year’s Best of Savannah reader survey: Winner, Best Seafood; Winner, Best Date Night; and Runner-up, Best Caterer (tied). And they are still growing, now offering both delivery and pick-up catering options from their new catering kitchen around the corner from the restaurant on East Victory Drive. They also have their eyes set on a possible restaurant expansion in the next year or two.
Here, Erica and Dwight talk about what Lowcountry cuisine means to them, why Savannah will always be home, and how it feels to be recognized for doing what they love.
On authentic local Lowcountry cuisine …
Erica: My family still owns the seafood market on 40th and Abercorn. As kids, we were out in the boats, we were fishing, we worked in the market. We knew all about the seafood and what was fresh and local, and that’s what we aspire to serve our guests every day: fresh and local. Our Georgia shrimp come directly from the fishermen. We get our stone-ground grits from Freeman’s Mill [in Statesboro].
Dwight: We like to put things on the menu that remind us of growing up. When I was a kid, I used to go with my grandparents to the farm, and my grandmother would send me out into the butter bean patch and say, ‘Hey, fill up this 5-gallon bucket.’ And I’d come back, and the three of us would sit there on the porch drinking Cokes and eating peanuts and shelling butter beans. When we start putting fresh peas and beans on the menu, it reminds me of my mom and my grandmother. So we’ll get with Sherry over at Davis Produce, and she’ll go to the farmers and get zipper peas or white acre peas for us. A lot of the recipes that we are using are recipes that are local to Savannah, like the red rice. That recipe has been passed around all over the city. The one that we are using in the restaurant is based on what Erica’s dad did, and we made some changes to suit our palate in the restaurant.
On why Savannah will always be home …
Dwight: When you come home [to the Islands] from Savannah, you come across the bridges and you see the salt marsh and kind of just take a deep breath and let it go. That’s one of my favorite things about living here.
Erica: I used to be a corporate flight attendant for 18 years. I’ve flown around to so many places, but Savannah is completely different from any other place. Now, I enjoy being able to do the things that we grew up doing and have our three kids do the same, like going out on the boat, going fishing and crabbing, and going to the beach.
On appearing in three of the Best of Savannah categories …
Erica: The catering is my baby, so I like to be recognized for that for sure. Many years of hard work in that one. We’ve won Best Caterer four years in a row now, so it’s nice to keep that going. And Best Seafood means a lot because there are so many other seafood restaurants in town.
Dwight: We are always trying to evolve a little bit. We’re looking to start offering a lot more grilled fish, which is something that our customers have been asking for, so to me, the seafood award is probably the thing that I relish the most. A lot of what we’ve been able to achieve has been with [the help of] our staff over the years. We wouldn’t have been able to do it all by ourselves without their input. We have people that have been working with us for 10 years now, and they’re important parts of the team. We’ve been very lucky.
Erica Davis’s Crab Cakes
1 pound lump blue crab meat, picked through for shells
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup brunoise (small dice cut) green bell peppers
1/2 cup brunoise celery
1 cup brunoise onion
1 egg, beaten
1 Tb. yellow mustard
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp. salt
Saute trinity (in Louisiana cuisine, “trinity” is onions, celery, and bell peppers) in oil until translucent. Set aside and let cool.
Combine egg and mustard; mix thoroughly, then fold in the crab and breadcrumbs.
Add sautéed trinity to crab mixture and mix well.
Separate the mixture into 4-ounce portions. Use a greased pastry ring to press the portions into crab cakes.
Cook the crab cakes over medium-high heat on a well oiled cast-iron or nonstick pan until brown, flip and brown both sides.
Let cool for a few minutes before plating.
