Savannah Dining Tidbits

Every Wednesday, from 5 to 10 pm, EOS takes you to Australia, Napa, Italy, Spain, France and more….For $4 a glass you can sample wines from around the world, or $2 an ounce. Tasting menu also aboard!  EOS is always fine fun and great tastes, but Wednesdays promise to be a special delight!

Big appetite, small budget?  Get over to Kroger’s and get their Monster Roast Beef Sandwich, a foot long sub filled with an inch-thick layer of thinly sliced, perfectly medium rare, juicy roast beef, topped with a sprinkling of shredded lettuce and a hint of onion.  It’s big enough for lunch for four, although we have to admit it was so delicious that two of us gobbled down the whole thing. Felt as stuffed as the little pigs we were afterwards, though.  Only $4 bucks!

New summer menu at The New South Cafe is all-around terrific. But the unique star of the show is the Coffee-Crusted Tenderloin of Beef!  We tought it sounded pretty strange, but knowing the talents of chef Matt Cohen and being big fans of the restaurant, we decided to give in to curiosity and try it.     This little gem proved to be, hands down, the best steak we’ve ever eaten!  Served with sour cream mashed potatoes, sauteed mushrooms (shitakes the night we were there) in an espresso cream sauce, the best all-new culinary find we’ve sampled in a long while.   

We’ve been talking up a storm about this new little hot-spot…be sure to check out our review!

Matt Cohen never sleeps. That’s the only conclusion we at SavannahBest.comcan draw about the owner/chef of The New South Cafe, founder and non-stop participant of the Coastal Catering Alliance as well as the Destination Management Company. Now, to top off all of this, he’ll be doing a new, weekly radio show, The New South Journal, on AM radio,  Star 1400.  Oh yes, and he just won the Small Business Chamber’s New and Emerging Small Business of the year award! 

Seven wine purveyors, 35 wines, and featured items from their great menu. This should be a great evening, Sat., May 10, 6 pm to 8:30 pm. Advance tickets $40/person. Call 238-2400.  

From the chef at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel come these words of wisdom about cooking with flowers:

Incredible, Edible Flowers! - Chef Abigail Hutchinson

     With all the flowers blossoming and brightening our lives, I’d like to share some fun things with you. How about cooking with flowers?

     Pansies, mint, daylilies and squash blossoms are just a few of the flowers that we love to get and play with. They can accent desserts, appetizers, soups, salads and entrees in various exciting ways. Their colors and flavors can take any dish to the next level. Whether you’re just topping off a chilled Champagne and strawberry soup with a pedal of a pansy, or you’re adding a sprig of mint to your raspberry mousse, flowers tend to open the senses.

     I enjoy rough chopping a few varietals, mixing them with a dash of Chambourde and maybe a hint of cinnamon, and then using the mixture as a side garnish for a dessert such as cheesecake or a Bavarian cream. Or, for the same application, using aged balsamic vinegar instead of the Chambourde is nice as well. This gives an extra spike of flavor that will surely “turn on” the tongue sensors.

     Our chefs also enjoy stuffing squash blossoms and offering them as an appetizer special in the Grand Dinning Room. 

Good news for downtown Savannah and especially, this coming Sunday, for mothers in Savannah. Owner Maureen Craig tells us that starting on Sunday, Mother’s Day, May 11th, Alligator Soul will be  open regularly on Sunday for its regular hours. Regular patrons of this fine restaurant have been requesting Sunday hours for a long time, according to Craig. 

Just stopped by to sample the new brunch menu at Eos, and it appears that this little eatery is already living up to its name, Eos, which means Goddess of the New Dawn. i tried, appropriately enough, the The New Dawn, two eggs, sunny-side up (or however you prefer them) with sauteed mushrooms over spinach and pan-roasted tomatoes, all served with sourdough toast and homefries or grits. The whole works–eggs, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes and maybe best of all, that superb sour dough toast, was fit for, well, a Goddess.

My companion tucked into the salmon BLT. Beautifully grilled salmon  served atop a lovely fresh croissant, with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and a delectable side salad, all with a beautifully aromatic aioli sauce.  Couldn’t be better, he prounced it.  

Later in the week, I’ll be doing a detailed review for SavannahBest.com of both the brunch and dinner menus of this delightful eatery, but meantime, I say it’s a winner!  Oh yes, took my beloved dog, Athena along. The owners provide dog bisquits and are definitely doggie-friendly.  

Maureen Craig, owner of Alligator Soul Restaurant, tells us that they now are offering a Chef’s Table in the kitchen for those patrons who would like to dine and watch the workings of a real kitchen in action. Should be great fun! Like being on stage while a production is going on! If you’d like to join the excitement, be sure to reserve your Chef’s Table in advance!