Let me begin this post by noting that DH and I can be a bit finicky when it comes to restaurants. Really, we're spoiled by living so many years in Charleston, Chapel Hill, and Savannah - the trifecta of excellent Southern cuisine. The problem with being so spoiled is that it has made our standards high. We have those favorite few, and it's hard to be patient when others don't live up. All of that to say, it takes a lot to become my New Favorite Place.
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With that said, let me introduce you to my new favorite restaurant in Savannah - Circa 1875. If you are visiting or live here, this is a must try. How have we lived here almost 4 years and missed it all this time? We had dinner there for the first time this weekend, and it was nearly perfect in every way.
First: making reservations. We called Saturday afternoon for last minute reservations, and got a message that they would open at 5pm, with instructions to leave our information for a return call, which we did. Promptly at 5:01, the hostess returned our call and worked us in at our first choice time. (You would have to live in Savannah to know what a stunning display of customer service this is, but let's just say they don't call it Slo-vannah for nothing.)
Second: the ambiance. Could. Not. Be. More. Charming. When you call for your reservations (seriously, do it now), be sure to ask if they have a table available in the wine cellar. It's fabulous. Exposed brick, racks of wine, tiny enough to feel intimate, but not claustrophobic.
Third: the food. Did I mention it's a French restaurant? And perfect? Seriously - every single thing we had was amazing. Hot bread, crusty on the outside and tender inside; herb butter served at just the right temperature (is there anything more annoying than ice cold butter that's impossible to actually spread on your bread?); garlicky escargot; super fresh chicken pate served with grainy mustard and pickled vegetables; mussels swimming in a butter and wine broth; wild boar chops with sweet potatoes...everything we ordered hit all the right notes. My stomach is growling as I type at the memory of it all. For all that, plus wine and a shared dessert, our bill was just under $100 before tip. Call the babysitter, and put it on the list.
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It can be hard to draft a post and watch the Tar Heels play, but Gary Williams has helpfully called 2 timeouts in the first 10 minutes of the game. I think he's taking a page from Pete Gillen's playbook.
