I've always wanted to be a food critic for a restaurant. (Of course, I have neither professional chef training nor any journalism background, but that doesn't seem to stop the reviewers for our local newspaper, so I figure it can't be that much of a disqualifier.) To satisfy my own internal critic, I've decided to do restaurant reviews on the blog.
Savannah has such wonderful restaurants that whenever we have a babysitter for the evening, it's always a tough decision: try someplace new, or hit an old favorite? Last week we went with new, and what a great little jewel it was.
Bar Food is tucked into a strip of shops in Habersham Village, completely unassuming outside but edgy and bright on the inside. Its focus is on small plates (the servings are bigger than tapas, but smaller than usual restaurant entrees), and has a fabulous French-Asian flavor to it. The entrees range from $5 to $12 - a great value, especially in Savannah where restaurants seem to be frequently overpriced. We ordered 4 for the two of us and couldn't eat it all: the Southern poo-poo platter, the vegetable plate, escargot, and the Asian noodle bowl. Everything was fresh (what a treat to have beautifully prepared and seasonal vegetables at a restaurant, rather than the same old tired mixed green salad), creative, and absolutely delicious. The wine list was extensive, with an excellent selection of wines by the glass, which is always appreciated since DH and I rarely want the same wine. Our total bill, for 4 entrees and 4 glasses of wine, and including tax, was $68.
I had two small complaints. Service wasn't great - a smidgen slow and it felt like we were pulling information out of our server (for example: it wasn't until we were ready to order that he told us one item on the menu wasn't available). And the dessert menu was completely underwhelming (as I type, I can't even remember what was available). Despite that, Bar Food is a new old favorite for us.
Must-try if you live in Savannah? Yes
Must-try if you're an out of town visitor? Yes, if you don't mind that it's not quaint or Southern.
Kid-friendly? No.
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We've had a spell of tried and true foods for a while now, and I'm getting restless. I love food magazines, but have forbidden myself from subscribing (or resubscribing) to anything until I get my ridiculously large file of recipes-to-try cleaned out. I've probably got 50 in there, all torn from various magazines and newspapers. I'm determined to clean it out and either try them or toss them, and I'll write about those that I try.
Happy Eating!
