Dining out in Savannah, Georgia
One of my favorite things to do is to check out great local restaurants. Honestly, I love to eat, but the whole experience of a unique restaurant in a new town is what I love the most. Checking out a brand new menu, seeing how the bar tender is mixing my Bourbon that night, and eyeing the food of others adds to the overall experience. Throw in a great server and good company and life is grand. Before I get to reviewing Common, let me first jump back to earlier in the day.
We had a great trip to Savannah, even if it was not the best of days to visit. If you have not yet, take a minute to read Callie’s post on our adventure that day. As we made our way through the city, that mid-afternoon craving came on. While I love a good Bourbon at night, I sure do need that 2pm coffee to keep me going. We satisfied that afternoon craving for the whole family, as we wandered between the city greens only Savannah can boast, at Gallery Espresso. This place was fantastic. A little funky, the aroma of fresh coffee and baked sweet treats. All together it reminded me of Tryst in Adams Morgan. The barista hooked us up with two latte’s and two killer fresh made hot chocolates for the kids. They loved the custom designs drawn into their cocoa with the hot steamed milk. Hats off the barista.
Now powered with hot cocoa and caffeine, we headed back out on our tour of Savannah. So now for details on Common. First, I have a secret, I hate calling restaurants. Maybe it was from the years of being a server and having to answer the phone to take reservations or to-go orders, maybe I just hate being on the phone when things can be done digitally. Whatever it is, I just refuse to call a restaurant. If the restaurant does not have online reservations, I am moving on. Just ask my wife, it drives her nuts (because if we really want the restaurant I hint around until she calls). The other secret (well not really a secret but advice from a traveling father) when it is time to feed the family, food better be close. They will turn on you faster than a fat kid chasing an ice cream truck (wrong I know, but I laughed when I wrote it). My family has done a lot of traveling and I have learned the wrong way, make sure you have dinner plans, and better than that, make sure you have a reservation.
So as the day worn on I saw the looks in their eyes saying, “feed me and feed me soon”. With the dog leash in one hand, holding a coffee with the other, all the while directing the kids across the street, I jumped on the Open Table app and looked for anything nearby. I scrolled through a number of places and Common jumped out to me. A combination of location, style, price, and menu made it the winner, and we headed that way.
Common was an unexpected highlight of our day. We had one of the best waiters to date. My man was upbeat, friendly, super knowledgable of the menu (said he was one of the first employees), and on the spot with anything we needed. I had to take the dog back and re-park the car after getting the family settled. When I walked back to my seat, my wife had a Bacon Old Fashioned waiting for me. She knows me oh so well. This thing was money, with a big old piece of candied bacon. Anything is better with bacon right?
Common does a great job of presenting excellent southern style cooking with an upscale twist. Remember I said to make sure to feed your kids when hungry. My 8 and 10 year old children (who never seem to order from the children’s menu) took one look at the menu and knew exactly what to order. Chicken and Waffles for Sloan and Lobster White Gumbo for Jackson. Needless to say I was happy to taste the chunks Lobster, blue crab, andouille sausage, & okra over cheese stone ground grits myself. Callie and I went for Oysters as they were in season. I had never heard of or imagined Chimichurri Oysters, but let me tell you, I am now a fan. Super tasty, a little spicy, a little tangy. We had a great meal and were way too full to even glimpse at the desert menu. In Savannah make sure to check out Common Restaurant and Bar on 118 East Broughton St.
