Vic's on the River

Vic's on the River in Savannah is quite a local icon. I decided to make reservations a week in advance, so that I would be guaranteed the opportunity to dine at such an historic restaurant. Vic's is located on the Savannah riverfront. We deiced to have dinner at Vic's around 6pm. This ensured we were still early enough to enjoy the amazing view. The entrance from the riverfront is somewhat bizarre. You enter through a coffee shop to get to the elevator, which then takes you to the dining room. Things were very hectic when we arrived, but were seated relatively quickly. We were given a table for two by the window.



For those of you who don't know...before starting my company I worked in several restaurants. I've owned a café division, worked at two local restaurants and was on the original staff that opened a fine dinning establishment in my area. I've worked the "front of the house," "back of the house" and in-between. I wouldn't say that I'm "picky" but I do enjoy good food, clean presentation and warm service. These are a few basic criteria that I like to use when comparing restaurants and their culinary creations.



 Let's started with what I did like about Vic's. Vic's has a gluten free menu that has several options to choose from. This took away any ingredient guess work out of the equation. I appreciate that Vic's has gone to the effort to go through ingredients and prepare this menu for gluten free dietary restrictions.

Lump Crab and Mango Tower

 

For our appetizer we decided on the Lump Crab and Mango Tower. I'm a huge fan of the somewhat intense, peppery, flavor of arugula. (Actually, I just finished an arugula salad with Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette...love arugula.) The natural flavor of this green was a good contrast to the sweet mango.  However, Kevin & I both thought the dish hadn't been seasoned. I decided to season it with pepper and salt at the table. This adjustment made a huge difference in the overall dish. After the dish was seasoned, we enjoyed it quite well.

 

"As is" Petite Iceburg Wedge Salad
(Yes, it looks like I went crazy on the pepper here as well. )
 

I appreciate good service. I always try to treat my servers with respect...I was one you know? Strangely enough, our service was not what we expected from Vic's on the River. Honestly, I'm not sure if I didn't look like a big tipper or what the issue was. (Which I am a big tipper, by the way.) Our sever seemed very friendly with other tables in her section, but the level of service we were hoping for, wasn't there. She seemed happy to snap pictures all around, but seemed to neglect the simple detail of a smile to other guests. Also, I think black table cloths are extremely elegant in a dining room. However, let's not forget crumbs are very, visible on black tables. On behalf of Vic's, I saw other servers crumbing their tables throughout the evening. Perhaps it was just an off day for our sever. I could go on about the issue...but I won't.

 

Wild Georgia Shrimp & Smoked Cheddar Ground Grits
 

For my entrée I ordered Shrimp & Grits. This is quite a popular dish in Savannah. The shrimp were a nice size and cooked perfectly. They topped the dish with bacon which played off the smokiness of the grits. Our first two courses came very quickly. However, our entrees took longer to arrive. I never complain about the amount of time it takes for excellent food to arrive. I do wish the staff would have noticed the sauce splatters along the plate. Just taking a few seconds to wipe down the edges of the plate, would make a world of difference in the overall presentation of the dishes. (See above photo. Sorry it's a little blurry.)


Pan Seared Jumbo Scallops
 

Kevin decided on the Jumbo Scallops. This was the second time he had scallops in Savannah. I'll let him make additional notes if he wants later. I sampled his dish and found the scallops were very moist and tender. We both thought the clear winner from the night was the Shrimp & Grits.

After finishing our entrees, our server returned to our table. She asked, "Are you going to have dessert? The "only" thing you can have is the Sweet Potato Crème Brulee." As appetizing as my option sounded...we decided to call it a night.

 

 

I had mentioned to a local, Savannah foodie that we had reservations at Vic's. He suggested that we try Noble Fare. He said that in the past he'd enjoyed Vic's, but recently it hasn't been up to par. Since we had reservations at Vic's already we decided to go for it. I'm not sure if Noble Fare will accommodate a gluten free diet, but I'm checking in to this for the future. This wasn't an easy review for me to write, but I'm truthful, and it is...what it is. Thankfully, gluten free dining is getting easier. Long gone are the days of naked chicken and salad. With that comes expectations...especially at the $20-$30 a plate.

 

If you'd like to learn more about Vic's on the River you can check them online. http://www.vicsontheriver.com/

Kayak Kafe



Initially, I was a little nervous when I began investigating gluten free options in Savannah. In the past Savannah hasn't really been know for gluten free fare. I spent more time researching for this vacation that any trip I've been on in the last 8 years. I began by looking at the top rated restaurants in historic Savannah. Then I went over online menus, one by one...in hopes of seeing some mention of food allergy or gluten free accommodations. I'm typically, a gluten free menu kind of girl. There are a few chain restaurants who offer the typically items. However, I quickly noticed that many of the restaurants in Savannah are locally owned. This turned out to be a very good thing. If a restaurant is developing their own menu and purchasing all of their ingredients locally...they know what's in every single dish! Isn't that a beautiful concept?

I found such a jewel, hiding in the historic district of Savannah... Kayak Kafe. It's tucked away on Broughton Street. I love walking from square to square in Savannah, so this makes their location perfect. In front on the café you'll find the very popular alfresco dining. The tables outside were full the day I dined, so I slipped inside to find a table. The décor and overall feel of Kayak Kafe is very casual, which is nice for a quick bite.

My tablemates with gluten free smiles...

I realized after a while that there is a fitness center in the other section of Kayak Kafe. Which somewhat makes since. The food here is a great separation from the typical "southern fried" food. I'm from the South and I'm not knocking fried foods, but it felt great to be eating this way...healthy and freash.  Kayak Kafe is known for featuring local ingredients and organic when possible. After we found a place to sit we began reviewing the menu. Right at the top the menu, which you can check out here...it mentions that most items can be made gluten free.


Famous Roasted Tilapia Tacos

We decided to sample several items, including their tacos. The tacos can be served with a corn tortilla option, which is gluten free. They have mixed greens on the side, which have been tossed with a light vinaigrette dressing. To finish off the dish, the tacos are served with fresh limes and an herbed sour cream. The Tilapia in the Famous Roasted Tilapia was so moist. The fish had the perfect amount of seasoning and was topping with a fresh salsa. The acidic component in the salsa balanced out the mild fish perfectly.  



Roasted Lime Chicken Tacos



My other favorite taco was the Roasted Lime Chicken Taco. The cilantro, sweet corn and cabbage that topped the taco, with the contrast of the creamy avocado... brought so many different textures and flavors in each mouthful. These tacos were absolutely delicious!

 

Broughton Cobb with Creamy Ranch-Substituted Feta for the Gorgonzola 

 

We enjoyed our food so much at Kayak Kafe we made a second visit late one night. Kayak Kafe is open later than several of the other area restaurants. We took in a show at the Savannah Theater and headed over to the café for a late dinner.

 

Southwestern Wild Shrimp Tacos

 

There are several things I enjoyed about Kayak Kafe that brought me back the second time, in only three days.

 

1-The food was fabulous...some of the most flavorful I found in Savannah.

2-The cost...Kayak was one of the most affordable restaurants I dinned at during my visit.

3-The portions....so much food was offered that I couldn't finish my entrée. (There's usually someone in the group that can!)

 

 

If you'd like to learn more about Kayak Kafe you can check them out online. http://eatkayak.com/

 

 

 

Your Pie

I know it may seem that I'm obsessed with pizza, but I’m really not…well maybe just a little. I know it’s weird, but when I travel to a new town, I have to see if there’s a pizza joint in the area that offers gluten free pizza. During a recent trip to Savannah, I made no exceptions in my exploration for good, gluten free pizza. I heard that Your Pie had some gluten free options so I decided to check them out.

I arrived around 11:30 at the downtown Savannah location. The place was bustling with the lunch crowd. When I walked in to Your Pie, I wanted to make sure that they did in fact carry gluten free pizza. Thankfully, they had their gluten free information posted for all to see. I quickly scanned the interior of the restaurant. The overall atmosphere is fun and funky...the typical, hip pizza joint. The pizza chefs behind the counter were busy making pizzas with numerous toppings, sauces and cheeses. As you walk in, to Your Pie your are guided to a line, which proceeds to the counter. When I got to the front of the line, I nearly panicked. I looked down and there was flour on the prep counter and dough flying everywhere. I took a deep breathe, smiled by biggest smile and began explaining my issue with gluten. The response was, “no problem.” My order was given to another pizza chef standing in the area. He immediately took off his gloves and washed his hands. Now, I knew we were in gluten free business.

I took a sigh of relief when I saw “Zach” our pizza chef, slip off to the back room to safely prepare my pizza. So, the big question is, “How was the pizza?” My pizza had an amazing texture, with a thin crisp crust. I actually prefer my crust to be crunchy on the edges. There was no “bean” after tastes or any other offending flavors. I couldn’t eat my whole pizza, maybe half of it.

My hubby finished his pizza and polished off the rest of mine. He was hungry and it was literally "that good." The toppings I chose were marinara, pepperoni, red onions, banana peppers and mozzarella. "Zach" was so attentive to our order. When he delivered our pizza to the table, he was concerned that everything was to our satisfaction. Actually, I was pleased with both my pizza and the service I received while at Your Pie. Everything was so excellent, I had to make a second visit during my stay in Savannah. This time we also sampled a pepperoni pizza with fresh pineapple.

 

The have also have gluten free cider and beer as well. Here's a insider note...while we were dining, someone asked us if we were going around town sampling all the gluten free crusts at different restaurants in Savannah. The light bulb went off...there are more pizza places in Savannah that have gluten free crusts. Very interesting....guess those pizzas will have to wait until our next visit. 

 

To learn more about Your Pie, you can check them out online. http://www.yourpie.com/

By the way, I'm head over heels in love with Savannah....there's more on that adventure, so stay tuned!