Thai Tuna and Spinach Salad
North Beach Bar and Grill
Sandwiched between the beach and the Tybee Lighthouse, lies the North Beach Bar and Grill, a weatherworn beach shack that has been serving up laid-back libations and fantastic fare for over 15 years. Whether you decide to down a quick bite before you head to the beach, or stop in after a long day in the sun, the Thai Tuna and Spinach Salad is sure to be a palate pleaser. Layered upon a mound of fresh, raw spinach leaves are four succulent slices of rare sesame-encrusted seared tuna, topped with slivers of red onions and whole cashews. It’s accompanied by the chef’s homemade Thai salad dressing. “It’s not a complex salad, but it’s an example of what can happen when you get all the right ingredients working in tandem together,” says co-owner George Spriggs. 33 Meddin Drive, Tybee Island, 912.786.4442

Warm up this winter with a holiday herbal treat from some of the best Savannah has to offer.

When you eat in the South, dining out can often mean weighing in after you’re finished. With great-tasting but waistline-expanding options like fried chicken or macaroni and cheese, it’s easy to see why patrons sometimes choose to stay in and cook a homespun meal. Fortunately, in Savannah you can venture beyond your kitchen. Many restaurants offer healthier options for the more calorie-discerning consumer. Whether it’s the way a dish is prepared or the kinds of ingredients used, we’ve got you covered for a more wholesome dining experience. Each of these seven dishes offers great taste without feeling like you ate an elephant.

Places to Remember your Diet

K Bella

Why? For a healthy meal to go. Choose from their rotating menu based on seasonal specialties  and local seafood, produce and meats. They also have a wide variety of options for vegetarians and event catering. 119 Charlotte Road, 912-897-4026, kbellagourmetcarryout.com

1.Black Bean Noodles

Umami Asian Kitchen

All diners have at some point experienced the intensity that somehow eludes definition: that enigmatic fifth taste known as umami. And Umami Asian Kitchen lives up to its unique name. “Every meal here at Umami has a distinctive taste and is freshly made to order,” says Steven Sanders, the owner of the new addition to the Twelve Oaks Shopping Center. One such dish worthy of sinking your chopsticks into is their black bean noodles. The key to unlocking these flavors is the heat, both in terms of the temperature and the spice. All stir-fry and noodle selections at Umami are quickly seared in a wok at a temperature of 700 degrees to lock in color, nutrition and freshness. The chefs create this popular entree by combining crushed black beans, ample chunks of red bell peppers, stalks of bok choy cabbage and slivers of flavorful onions and scallions: all stir-fried together with thin, tender yet firm rice noodles. You may also request that they toss in some chicken, tofu, beef or shrimp. And voila, noodle nirvana!

5500 Abercorn Street, 912.692.1411, Iwantmyumami.com

1. Ceasar Salad with Seared Beef Tenderloin

First City Club

Nestled among the tops of the majestic live oaks in Johnson Square, the First City Club epitomizes the charm, elegance and sophistication of the South. When looking for a spot to dine, Joe Steffen, legal counsel for Savannah State University, finds that “the First City Club is the perfect place for a business lunch because it has high-quality food, served in a truly unique location downtown.”

Petere Gushanas, the new manager of this members-only dining club, recently unveiled a new menu with some fresh additions. This new twist on an old classic, the Caesar salad, is sure to capture the attention of business people looking for a lower-calorie, lower-carbohydrate alternative to a sandwich, but it’s also a meal into which you can really sink your teeth.

1 FRIED GATOR
Alligator Soul
Alligator tail, like venison or ostrich, is an exotic treat for the truly adventurous carnivore. The basement level restaurant Alligator Soul specializes in preparing this rare cut of meat allowing foodies to try the dish with no gator wrasslin’ necessary! Created by Executive Chef Chris Dinello, this distinctive, signature appetizer begins with fresh, farm-raised Florida gator tail, thinly sliced, then lightly fried and served with a Creole-spiced gravy. It’s then seated next to a bed of crispy, fresh mesculin greens, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and lemon dressing and topped with a vibrant red pepper coulis. According to Mike Finkenaur, sous chef, “We kept trying until we hit upon the best way to prepare it so it wouldn’t be too chewy. First, we soak the gator in alcohol, lemon, and buttermilk. Next, we pound it with a meat tenderizer to soften it up even more. Before frying, we dip it in flour, egg and a special Cajun seasoning patented right here in Savannah by the original owner, Hillary Craig.”
114 BARNARD STREET, 912.232.7899, ALLIGATORSOUL.COM

Huey’s Southern Café
Beignets

Bite into a beignet (ben – YAY) and you’ll get much more than a face full of powdered sugar. These sweet, little dough pillows are lightly fried clouds of heaven found right here in Savannah. At Huey’s Southern Café on River Street, an order consists of 3 beignets, served hot with a warm southern pecan praline dipping sauce made from brown sugar, creamy butter, real vanilla and laced with tiny pieces of crunchy, chopped pecans. “We make the dough here fresh daily,” says Ginger Sommers, assistant manager. “They are cut into rectangles, deep fried, and sprinkled with lots of powdered sugar. In season, we probably go through at least 50 lbs of powdered sugar each week…We sell so many of them on the weekends that we have someone in the kitchen solely dedicated to making beignets 6 hours each day.”

Bar • Food: BBQ Wontons

Nestled in the Habersham Village, Bar Food proprietors Johnny Baker, Alicia Cannon and Paula Letcher have created a back-to-the-basics approach to their French–Asian-themed restaurant. Each dish is priced under $12, and the menu is refreshed with new selections weekly. “We look at what is selling the most and listen to our clientele to guide us when changing up the menu week to week,” explains Baker, “but the BBQ Wontons aren’t going anywhere.” It’s a good thing they’re sticking around. The tasty pork pieces are slow cooked for 12 hours and spun with sesame and sauce. They are served in bite-sized crispy wontons, also made daily in the kitchen. Simply delicious. Bar Food, 4523 Habersham Street, 912.355.5956, www.barfoodsavannah.com

Bistro Savannah
Shellfish-Stuffed Black Sea Bass with Clam Sauce. One bite of this flamboyant sea-inspired dish and you may not want to venture back to shore. Bistro Savannah Chef Danny Kim uses fresh local seafood, infusing lumps of blue crab meat, shrimp, scallops with cream and saffron, wine and even a hint of fennel, all topped off with a rich clam sauce. “The dish became popular in Savannah because of [its] presentation and the flavor of fresh local seafood,” says Kim. “This dish, I believe, is what Savannah seafood is about.” Bistro Savannah, 309 West Congress Street, 912.233.6266