As the city’s only smoking lounge, owner Red Marsid prides himself on offering something new, but was unsure of how people in Savannah—with all their gentility— would take to the idea of giant smoking devices, complete with velvet hoses and all, adorning their beloved Broughton Street.

Luckily for Marsid, no one put up too much of a fight and the place has become a smokin’ sensation. “The idea was accepted by the city and more and more by the people of Savannah,” he comments. “Once people get to know what it is, they think it’s cool.”

For the record, a hookah is a water pipe that can be smoked with either flavored tobacco or “shisha,” a non-nicotine tobacco product. The smoke gets pulled through the pipe to the water, where it is filtered and cooled, producing a less harsh smoke than cigarettes. As Marsid explains, “You don’t have to be a smoker to smoke a hookah. It offers a nice smell and flavor, and it doesn’t smell like smoke. It is much lighter!”

20 E. Broughton St. 912.236.5464

To read out more about The Mirage Mediterranean Bar & Grill check out South Magazine’s August September Issue!

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

2. Jerk Fish Tacos

Barberitos

As you anxiously peer over the preparation counter at the new Barberitos, in Habersham Village, ready to place your order, every tempting taco topping waiting on the other side has one thing in common—it’s fresh! Fridays are particularly special at Barberitos because it marks the only day you can order their soon-to-be-famous jerk fish tacos. Generous tilapia filets (delivered fresh that morning) are coated in Barberitos’ own brand of spicy jerk seasoning then placed on the sizzlin’ hot grill. Depending upon your desire for “heat,” you may also wish to top off your creation with one of their four homemade sauces, including chipotle hot sauce, Southwest vinaigrette, chipotle ranch or regular ranch. According to manager Daniel Polk, “Our Fish Fridays will definitely keep you coming back for more. We have a group of regulars who return every Friday just for these jerk fish tacos.” 4525 Habersham Street, 912.349.6750, barberitos.com

3. Spicy Tuna Tar Tar

Tangerine Fusion and Sushi Bar

Tangerine’s signature Spicy Tuna Tar Tar appetizer is a towering, tantalizing treat for both the eyes and the palate. The chef begins by placing several wafer-thin slices of cold, crisp, juicy Asian pear in a decorative fan design on the plate. To this he adds a bed of wakame seaweed salad. The middle layer is a marvelous mixture of fresh sushi grade tuna chunks and soft, fleshy cubes of tree-ripened avocados, covered in a layer of Sriracha sauce. This distinctive hot sauce was named after the seaside city of Si Racha in central Thailand. The dish is artfully topped with matchstick-thin slivers of crunchy, fried crabsticks and drizzled with wasabi. “The inspiration for this dish came when I took my wife on a trip to Hawaii. These were all ingredients we experienced when we were there in the Pacific Rim,” says owner Sean Tran. 11215 Abercorn Street 912.920.5504, tangerinefusion.com

Walk into Leoci’s Trattoria on a Saturday or Sunday night, or Monday or Tuesday or any day for that matter, and you’ll find the same scene: the dark, slickly appointed dining room humming from the duos and trios of diners, and the lamplit patio, lined with long tables stretching under massive umbrellas, smelling of bubbling cheese and crisping crust as the smoke from the pizza oven wafts overhead.

Everywhere discrete waiters circle patrons, blending into the dark-walled restaurant until they emerge from the tiny, open kitchen with a white plate heavy with dewy pasta or fragrant mussels. Watch the food disappear, and sooner or later you’ll see a man in chef’s whites circling the restaurant, shaking hands, and clapping people on the back. It’s Chef Roberto Leoci, and this restaurant is his baby.

Like any good Italian, Leoci grew up in the kitchen. And although that kitchen was physically in Montreal, its occupants—Leoci’s parents, aunts and uncles—were Italian immigrants of Sicilian origin. “Every day was spent dealing with food—what to make, what to eat,” Leoci remembers. “On the weekends we’d have lasagna and seafood, and every Sunday would be a celebration.” A child of one of the most food-centric cultures in the world, it’s no surprise that Leoci aspired to be a chef early on, much to his parents chagrin. “My parents said, ‘That’s not a good profession, you’re not going to make money,’” Leoci says.

To read more about Chef Roberto Leoci check out South Magazine’s August September Issue!

Before Beth and Michael Meeks shared a last name, they spent many a date in the dining room of the Express Café and Bakery, a quaint breakfast/lunch/brunch restaurant tucked to the side of Broughton on Barnard. “This restaurant has been here for 24 years and was a really special place for us.” Michael says. “Everyone has a Café Express story.” The Meeks’ story however is a little different from most.

Both native Savannahians, Beth and Michael left the Hostess City to pursue Michael’s career in corporate radio- a gig that had the two of them moving every two years as they traveled the country flipping radio stations. But, as Beth tells it, they never lost their love for Savannah. “We came back on vacation for five days and wondered why we ever left.” So when they heard that the Express Café and Bakery was for sale, after changing owners several times, the Meeks jumped at the chance to “be managers of our own destiny,” as Beth eloquently puts it.

Want to read more? Check out the full article in the June/July issue of South Magazine

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.

Executive Chef Douglas Miller from Santa Barbara has created this healthy, tasty, fresh salad by first arranging individual, crunchy, baby Romaine lettuce leaves, the most nutritious of all lettuces, decoratively onto the plate. The lettuce is then nestled next to four generous slices of juicy, seared beef tenderloin, with house made creamy Caesar dressing drizzled over the lettuce and herb baked croutons, flavorful parmesan chards, and fresh cracked black pepper. 7 East Congress Street, 912.238.4548, clubcorp.com

2. Lobster Roll

The Olde Pink House

Nothing spells summer’s arrival quite like biting into a fresh Maine lobster roll. So simple yet so delicious!

According to The Pink House’s Executive Chef Vincent Burns, “It should be all about the lobster.” Therefore, he keeps his ingredients super minimal. Starting with 6 ounces of freshly steamed Maine lobster, Vince carefully slices it into large chunks of tender, sweet meat, folding it together with minced celery and tangy chipotle mayonnaise. It’s then scooped onto a buttery, toasted challah roll (a light, airy Jewish egg bread), which holds up well to the lobster. A thin layer of arugula tossed in a light citrus vinaigrette dressing is added before encasing it with the bun lid.

“The quiet dignity and ambience of the dining experience at The Pink House makes it the perfect venue for a business luncheon meeting,” says local attorney Barry Gale. “The wait staff is always attentive yet unobtrusive, when you are trying to conduct or discuss business.”

With the warm weather here, Arches Bar, the newest addition to the establishment, offers both indoor and outdoor dining. 23 Abercorn Street, 912.232.4286

3. Fresh Sauteed Flounder

Skyler’s

When Ron Weller, a vice president with BB&T Bank, wants to take an important client out to lunch, he has one main criterion. “Some places you go, it’s great once, then the next time you go back, it’s terrible. If I take a client out, I know I can always count on Skyler’s. Not only are the service and food top-notch, but it also has a quiet, subdued atmosphere, perfect for conducting business.”

So what’s their best seller? “One of the anchors of our menu and a dish that we’ve been serving ever since we opened 20 years ago is our Sauteed Flounder,” says Charles Coolidge, co-owner and manager. A generous portion of fresh flounder is lightly floured and coated in egg batter, which keeps it moist and juicy while it’s sautéed to perfection. A homemade remoulade sauce laced with capers is then drizzled on top.

Complementing the fish is a heaping mound of oriental coleslaw created from crisp, cabbage, tossed with a sweet vinaigrette dressing. With no mayo added, this alternative recipe makes for a much healthier version of this Southern standby In addition, there’s a serving of fluffy fried rice, flavored with soy sauce and bits of crunchy green scallions to add extra taste and zip. 225 East Bay Street, 912.232.3955, skylersrestaurant.com

John Pinkerton has one-of-a-kind title. As the only Brew Master in the city, and partial owner of Moon River, he’s been brewing craft beer for 16 years, opening in 1999 and providing the city with quality beer ever since. In regards to being the only brewer in town, Pinkerton comments, “It’s magnificent!”

Serving on the national Board of Directors for The Brewer’s Association, Pinkerton is always looking for ways to further advance his craft. After attending brew school in Boston and working for Frederick Brewing Company (now Flying Dog Brewery) Pinkerton’s brewing talent comes from almost two decades of dedication.

Want to read more? Check out the full article in the June/July issue of South Magazine.

Stay tuned for a exclusive video tour of Moon River Brewing Company on South TV!

“We spend a lot of money to get the best seafood around,” he proclaims. “It’s as fresh as you can get.” Fiddler’s steamed seafood platter is a head-turning maritime celebration that is one of the restaurant’s signature dishes. Wells piles a tin platter high with piping hot steamed Georgia shrimp, crawfish, oysters, mussels and clams. Crowning the top of the feast are straight-from-Alaska snow crab legs. Plenty of butter and a few choice spices are all he needs to accentuate the flavors that just arrived fresh on the truck.

Order it with a friend and you both get side choices including potatoes, coleslaw, stone-ground grits, hush puppies, corn or Savannah red rice. Wash it all down with a beer or glass of wine from Fiddler’s extensive list, and there’s no doubt you’ll walk out later to stroll the river’s edge with a smile on your face. “It’s nothing fancy,” Wells says. “It’s just that we’ve gotten it down right.”

Chef Wells and his co-manager, Tye Munn, work together to make sure Fiddler’s has both great food and a memorable atmosphere. “It’s a fun place,” Munn explains. “It’s casual, with our outdoor seating and laid-back feel, but you can have a very upscale meal here.”

The restaurant is known for more than just the steamed seafood platter. Jumbo lump crab cakes and Buffalo shrimp, breaded in a special recipe, are two of the kitchen’s most popular appetizer requests. And the Fresh Catch Savannah dish is always a menu star with its pasta, béarnaise sauce, mushrooms and green onions. “The kitchen is my comfort zone,” Wells says. “We work hard to make it seem like a family here and I think that shows.”

Photography by Angela Hopper

2 BABY OCTOPUS
Ta Ca Sushi & Japanese Fusion
People aren’t the only ones creating a space for themselves on Facebook. Food has edged its way in there, too. In February, there were 342 loyal fans on the “Eating Baby Octopus” Facebook page. Through them, the experience of consuming these tiny mollusks has come out of the dark and into the limelight. Judging from comments such as “OHHHHH YYYYYYEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!,” and “I’m having a MAJOR craving!,” these miniature creatures have captured the attention of diners the world over. Mike Ta, Ta Ca’s executive chef and owner and formerly the sushi chef at Kyoto Japanese Steak House, grew up in Vietnam and has proudly brought this unusual delicacy to Savannah. Eight steamed tiny baby octopus are first marinated and then gently placed on a bed of cooked seaweed, garnished with a delicate, thinly-sliced cucumber fan, and sprinkled with savory sesame seeds and crispy green scallions. Octopus, when cooked properly, has a luxurious and meaty texture somewhat akin to a scallop, but with a tad bit more chew to it. The flavor is unique, yet mild.
513 E. OGLETHORPE AVE, 912.232.8222, TACASUSHI.COM

3 BRAISED PORK CHEEKS
Noble Fare
If you’re wondering to which “cheeks” of the pig we are actually asking you to sink your teeth into, take a guess. Cheeks are one of the best cuts you can buy for braising, which is exactly the approach the chef at Noble Fare uses. “The inspiration for this dish came from my grandmother’s pot roast, which was slow cooked all day and oh, so good.” says Patrick McNamara, the executive chef and owner. First, he marinates the cheeks in red wine “to add flavor and tenderize.” Next, they’re braised by browning them in a little fat and simmering them in liquid. Cheeks are not suitable for fast cooking. They need a low, slow heat to allow all the fibers, made tough from activity, to break down and become soft. McNamara serves up these rich braised pork cheeks nestled in a pool of cauliflower puree, lying next to fresh, perfectly-cooked, bright green haricot verts, a dollop of crunchy, sweet corn relish, and a drizzle of basil oil.
321 JEFFERSON STREET, 912.443.3210, NOBLEFARE.COM

Photography by Katie Dunkle

Charlie Russo’s seafood on Abercorn Street traffics the latter category. Russo is a second-generation fishmonger who talks about Georgia fish almost like they were family. He can be found in the back of the shop, dressed in a purple rubber apron and a black University of Georgia hat, overseeing the deconstruction of loads of fish that were flapping on the deck of a boat just a few hours ago. Fish is in his blood, he says.
“It’s got to be in your blood, the fish business,” he says. “It’s a hard business.” Russo has an encyclopedic knowledge of the fish that run in the waters from Darien to Bluffton. He has many charts of fish species that line the walls of the store and his office. The greatest resource of coastal Georgia to him, however, is shrimp.
“The local shrimp we get in these waters, the greatest in the world – tastewise, the supply, the quality—we don’t fool with anything else that’s imported, no pond raised stuff,” he says. “The shrimp here is our biggest commodity.” The Russos are a fish family—Charlie’s father opened shop in 1946, and now even his grandson and great-grandson are working there. They aren’t the only ones. Savannah is filled with people who have a passion for fish. Here’s where the fish go next:

GROUPER
There may be no restaurant more synonymous with the image of Savannah’s mix of elegance and familiar comfort than Elizabeth’s on 37th. Located inside of a restored mansion, it feels more like going to someone’s house for dinner than going out to eat. Co-owners Greg and Gary Butch can be found waiting tables—and Gary has an archival knowledge of wine that rivals Wikipedia.
Dedicated to using fresh, local ingredients, everyone that dines in the restaurant gets a taste of a small salad harvested from their front and back gardens—in early February it had fennel, lettuce and small pieces of mint garnished with goat cheese. Elizabeth’s also serves fried Bluffton oysters served with a smoky tomato aioli over shredded Daikon radishes.
There’s no way to go wrong on the Elizabeth’s menu, but an especially stunning selection is a sesame-crusted grouper served with potatoes and an apple fennel hash. This three-act whirlwind takes you from a powerful, nutty fish to catch your breath on a crispy potato and then sink into your chair with a refreshingly cool hash. As for the wine, let Gary take care of you.
“People think it’s going to be fussy—it’s white tablecloth, in this big, beautiful mansion. But our food is very simple, very humble, I like to think,” says Chef Kelly Yambor. “I don’t like much fussy stuff on the plate, and I don’t like people to sit down and feel intimidated.”

SPECKLED TROUT
In the past few years, using fresh ingredients from local suppliers has become a revolution in the country’s biggest cities, and both the minimalist decor and small delicate plates offered at Local 11 Ten give Savannah a taste of this haute cuisine.
One side of the restaurant is a long, banquet style seat, where people from different parties sit next to each other.“We wanted this to be a place where locals could come, and at the same time tourists could come as well, and eat side by side,” says Jamie Durrence, general manager. “The whole mantra is local—local people, local food.”
Their menu changes constantly based on the season, but on a Tuesday in February they were serving an elegant take on a Southern classic—creamy grits over brioche topped with butter poached shrimp and a single small quail egg.
Aside from staples like shrimp, the menu varies from shad in January and speckled trout in the spring to a brief appearance by king mackerel in the summer. At Local, each day is different because each catch is different—every day at around three, their supplier shows up with the freshest fish he has, and the chefs decide what to do with it afterward.

SCALLOPS
The Georgia coast isn’t the only culture that values fresh fish, and Garibaldi’s offers a menu of Georgia fish prepared in the style of Northern Italy. All the fish is personally purchased by head chef, Gerald Greene, who buys all his fish whole—looking at the gills and the eyes is the best way to tell how fresh a fish is, he says.
Some restaurants will stretch a fillet for a few days after its expiration date but not Garbialdi’s. Green orders in small batches to avoid extra food; he’d rather run out of fresh fish than have old fish left over. A highlight of the menu is the cornucopia of seafood: a scallop wrapped with flounder, topped with clams and crab. A light butter and wine sauce perfectly touches off the lingering taste of the rich, flaky fish.
Greene is an avid fisherman and will go out with his friend Vinnie Burns, the head chef from the Olde Pink House. Sometimes, a lucky customer may have a main course caught by the chef the day before. “You can say—the chef just caught that. It’s funny,” he says. “When people know that the fishes are fresh, they’ll always come back.

WILD GEORGIA SHRIMP
As a rule of thumb, one does not go into the heart of a city’s tourist district to find good food. Thereare, however, exceptions, and Vic’s on the River is one of them. Vic’s is a relatively new white linen restaurant that occupies three floors looking out over the Savannah River. They serve modern Southern cuisine that’s like mom’s home cooking transposed to an elegant dining experience.
Chef Dusty Grove grew up in Savannah, and cut his teeth as a chef at Elizabeth’s on 37th. After stints in Atlanta and Florida, he came back to Savannah to let his kids grow up with the special relationship to food that develops on the coast. “After I had a few kids I really wanted to move back to the water. I Grew up on the river and missed it. I wanted my kids to have that same value system that I grew up with here, being responsible for what they eat,” he says. “My kids love seafood and love crab, and there’s a lot of work that goes into picking crab.”
Grove says that when a tourist comes to Savannah, they’re expecting alot of food, and they’re expecting it all fried. He accommodates that desire for traditional Southern cooking, but with his own twists. Like Local, he offers his own take on the classic Shrimp and Grits this time with a barbecue sauce whose smoky flavor is accented by rosemary, providing a light floral taste that sits on top of the heavy Southern staple. The shrimp, of course, is wild Georgia shrimp.

Photography by Angela Hopper

Two artists at the Telfair Museum’s Jepson Center work under a particularly challenging set of circumstances: Their paintbrushes are sharp and made of metal, their paints are perishable and from the earth, and they create their artwork every day, in a tiny, hot studio for a set of buyers with a seemingly insatiable hunger for their work. Their names are John Deaderick and Michael Pritchard, and together they’re the chefs behind Café Zeum.
Last year, when the Jepson Center decided to open up their in-museum cafe to outside restaurateurs, Pritchard and Deaderick were high on their culinary wish list and approached the pair with the idea. Evidenced by a cult like following at their other restaurant, the Starland Cafe, the chefs were comfortable with the lunchtime setting, but had their doubts about how they would fit into the museum environment. “We walked into the meeting just to see what they had to say,” Deaderick says. “For about an hour and a half, they described our business and our philosophy. It was a perfect fit.”

DINING DISCIPLES

The chefs say the partnership with Café Zeum made good sense for a number of reasons (like the optimal kitchen setup and lunchtime hours), but the truth is they felt the museum was ultimately the perfect place because the presentation of their food is downright artistic.
The pair started perfecting the art of the lunch menu 15 years ago at their first Savannah cafe, Good Eats, where they solidified their style. “The general theme for our food has always been global,” Pritchard says, adding that global cuisine, however, does include its share of Southern comfort food. But for these chefs, comforting doesn’t mean fried or baked, greasy or starchy—it means fresh vegetables and food made entirely from scratch—soups to salad dressings–the way your mom might have made things– if she spent hours carefully arranging lettuce leaves on your plate.
“If it’s not labor intensive, it’s not good,” Pritchard laughs. “We can take something simple and add five steps to it anytime.” Their famous Kitchen Sink Salad is a good example of this practice. Sure, they could simply pile on the ingredients—dates, grapes, apples, asparagus, artichoke hearts, golden raisins—and they’d have a tasty salad. But instead, they carefully chop each component into bite-sized portions, taking the time to build an edible masterpiece. “We do think about balance on the plate—how our colors work together, how the textures work together, what the plate is, what the space is, and how they all work together,” Deaderick says. “When you’re building the salad, how each ingredient falls on the salad is important because you really want a distribution—all of those pieces come together to make one beautiful plate of food.”

Want to read more? Check out the full article in the February/March issue of South Magazine.

For an exclusive, behind the scenes look at the making of “Masterpiece Meals”, check out our video.