LCBF and I ate our way across two states today and it was awesome. The last time I was in Savannah (a decade ago), I was more interested in drinking various frozen mixed drinks out of red plastic cups than tracking down good vegetarian food. This time was more fun.
After roaming about the riverfront for a bit in the early afternoon, we headed out to the Starland District (a not-yet-too-touristy neighborhood) for lunch at the Starland Cafe (11 East 41st Street) and dessert at Back in the Day Bakery (2403 Bull Street). The Starland Cafe/art gallery is located in a charming old house next to the Savannah Dog Park. We ate on the front porch, but sadly there were no dogs out today to observe.
Starland Cafe
Neighboring Dog Park
Meal details after the jump:
The menu is largely paninis, salads, and soups and has a number of vegetarain/vegan options. I opted for "the kitchen sink" salad and LCBF had the "CBG": Chicken, Bacon, Guacamole panini:
"The Kitchen Sink"
"CBG"
I like a salad with a lot of stuff in it (by which I mean, not simply some lettuce and tomato thrown together), and this one did not disappoint with its tower of romaine, grapes, apples, marinated artichoke hearts, raisins, dates, asparagus, roasted tomatoes, crunchy lo mein noodles, and a few other things I can't even remember. It was one good salad! LCBF really enjoyed his panini as well: "it was a BLT with chicken on steroids." I think that's a compliment. It's also worth mentioning that the staff was incredibly nice and helpful.
After lunch we wandered about a block and a half north to the retro hipster Back in the Day Bakery. They serve both sweet treats and lunch here (soup & sandwiches, mostly), so this would have been another good vegetarian option. We were on a dessert mission, however, and decided on a Lavender cookie for me and a Red Velvet cupcake for LCBF:
Mmmm . . . velvety
C is for Cookie
The bakery itself is super cute and inviting, though a bit over air conditioned for January.
So we got our goodies to go:
We didn't actually wind up eating them until we got home, but they were pretty awesome. LCBF's eyes got huge when he took a bite of the cupcake: "That is GOOD!" he said. Then I stole it and had a baby bite. Very good indeed. The cake was moist, but the cream cheese frosting is what clearly makes this cupcake. My lavender cookie was very good too. I don't think I had ever eaten lavender before. I wasn't sure what to expect. I kind of thought it would taste like lavender smells, but what would that really mean? Like a flower? As it turns out, it has a distinct taste that is not unlike thyme, yet it still worked well in a sugar cookie. Cookie horizon, consider yourself broadened.
There is another restaurant in the neighborhood that we didn't get a chance to try: the Green Truck Pub at 2430 Habersham Street. Word on the street is that they have one of the best house-made veggie burgers around (don't get me started on restaurants that serve sad frozen Gardenburgers. That's just lazy, y'all). If you go, let me know!
After our bakery stop, we headed for Forsyth Park and stopped for coffee at The Sentient Bean on the South end at 13 East Park Ave. I had read excellent reviews online, so I was a bit disappointed with our visit. It just seemed like an average college-town type coffee shop (perhaps, as someone who spent the last nine-odd years sitting in coffee shops in college towns, my perspective is skewed). LCBF had an "okay" Americano. Though, in fairness, we did just get back from a trip to Seattle where he had been going to Seattle Coffee Works, so he might be spoiled.
Not in Savannah
At any rate, I had read rave reviews of the vegan baked goods at The Sentient Bean, so I was excited to try some. I settled on a strawberry cobbler bar, which I ate as we strolled through the park. It wasn't bad, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what it tasted like. Then LCBF had a bite. "It tastes like that bar with the fruit filling inside, you know?" he said. That was it. A Nutri-Grain bar. A fancy $2.50 Nutri-Grain bar. I didn't finish it.
We did a good bit of park meandering and then decided to head home. Luckily, our route back to my parent's house took us past the Hilton Head, SC area, where we stopped off for a light dinner at what is currently my favorite casual restaurant: Amigos Cafe y Cantina in Bluffton (133 Belfair Town Village; and there's another location on Hilton Head).
This was our second visit in as many weeks and the employee (owner?) recognized us. Does this make us regulars? We're trying to eat as much Mexican food as we can before we head back to Berlin with its sad lack of tacos. The restaurant serves casual Baja Mexican fare and is tucked away next to a Kroger in a strip mall (because Bluffton/HH = trees + "classy" strip malls + golf). Lots of vegetarian options here, but I got the veggie taco for the second time, because it's awesome. A great assortment of really fresh grilled veggies, cilantro, and lard-free black beans (I asked):
LCBF had the chicken taco (Pollo Asado), which he liked, but said wasn't as good as the Carnitas (shredded pork) taco he had last time (which he really liked).
And that is what we ate today. Exhausting!
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