Slider Nirvana at Sammy Greens

This was my second visit to @SammyGreens, a locally owned slider restaurant near downtown in Savannah on Abercorn. I could swear that I posted about my initial visit where I ate the Chee Booger and the Danang. However, for whatever reason I can't find it on here...so we march forward with posting about the my second trip.

The process at Sammy Greens is very simple: Walk up to the counter, place your order, have a seat, and feast when your food is brought out to you. Everything is made fresh, but doesn't take long to prepare being that they are small in size. On this trip I ate the Windy City, a Hogzilla, and a Chee Booger (because it is that good).

The Windy City is a Chicago style slider that packs the best of the Chicago Dog into just a couple of bites. This split mini dog is topped with diced banana peppers, minced onion, diced tomato, pickled cucumbers, relish, lettuce, celery salt and mustard. This dog was messy, but oh so good. It was so good that I am tempted to just order a couple of these on the next trip and nothing else.

The Hogzilla is a slow roasted pork shoulder that has been pulled and then pressed together into a patty. Cole slaw, pickles, and their own BBQ sauce round out this pork slider. It was very good, but not one that will have me running back there to try again. I am much more of a fan of their brisket than the pork.

That leads me to the last slider, the Chee Booger. As I stated before, this slider is so good that it is almost a staple to have on your plate each and every visit. Slow roasted brisket, cooked to perfection, is the star of the show, but everything on this slider comes together perfectly. Topped with smothered onions, pickles, American cheese, mustard and Tschirky Sauce...every bit of this slider should be savored.

The menu at Sammy Greens features different sides each week, salads, and a host of other sliders on the pork, brisket, chicken, and hot dog scale. Size wise, 2-3 sliders will have you full and happy when you walk out the door. Also, at around $2.50 a slider...they won't kill your wallet.

Chicken & Waffle Sliders from Rocks on the Roof

At the Bohemian Hotel in Savannah @rocksontheriver is a rooftop bar and restaurant with some of the best views and food that Savannah has to offer. To be exact you have Rocks on the Roof which is the bar that has a smaller menu offerings and there is Rocks on the River Modern Grille which is the full service restaurant.

So last night at Rocks on the Roof I ate one of the most ridiculously amazing things I have ever eaten. This was chicken & waffles taken to the next level and then some. Basically this is a nice size chicken tenderloin that is fried to perfection and then placed between 2 sweet Belgium Waffles. Oh...if it was only that simple.

Combined with these two great items, that were meant to be eaten together, was this red pepper jam that complimented the chicken & waffle perfectly. Just when you think you are hitting the highest point of flavor...you get hit with this sprinkling of Boursin Cheese that is melting with every bite on under the chicken and on the waffle. But that isn't enough! They then drizzle this honey grain mustard syrup combo (I think that is what it was) on the bottom of the plate and sprinkle powdered sugar over everything. Like I said, ridiculously amazing!

This might be a "slider", but this isn't one you pick up and eat. Grab your fork and knife and savor every bite of this treat.

This meal was washed down with a couple of Crown & Gingers. However, the bartender made us a shot that was the perfect compliment to this meal. It was called a "Blueberry Waffle". It was made with non-chilled Blueberry Vodka and Butterscotch Schnapps. The mixture of these two together in a shot gives you the sensation that you just swallowed a warm blueberry waffle. Not bad at all and it went well with the meal.

I am sorry for the dark pictures, but it was very hard to get a well lit photo in there.

Umami - It is all about the taste buds

Umami is a new Asian Fusion restaurant located here in Savannah. They offer a unique take on classic Chinese, Japanese, and Thai dishes. Per their mission statement:

"Umami is not only the mysterious 5th primary taste, it is also the final ingredient to a successful fully satisfied guest experience. We look at Umami as the ingredient missing in all quick casual restaurant experiences… and we have it! Our environment and team members are expressive of freshness, healthfulness, community, flavor, art and music."

They pack flavor and value into these dishes as the menu includes various soups & spring rolls to pad thai noodle dishes and stir fry. The prices on all the dishes are very affordable for lunch and especially for a dinner. On this trip I went with their version of Kung Pao Chicken that is served with a side of Jasmine Rice. I wasn't sure what to expect and in the end I was blown away. The dish is so simple, yet was so good. I realize Kung Pao Chicken is my Asian comfort zone and I look forward to going back to Umami to stretch my taste buds along their culinary road.

Chorizo Omelette from J. Christopher's

Been a while since we have hit up J. Christopher's as it can tend to be pretty pricey for breakfast, but today we decided to head downtown and partake in their brunch menu. I found this little diddy on the "Today's Specials" menu and decided to give it a shot. This omelette was loaded with tons of ground chorizo sausage, roasted red peppers and topped with buffalo mozzarella. I got it with a side of potatoes and it came with an english muffin. I say an english muffin, but for some reason this came out with 2 english muffins. The omelette was very good, but it actually could have benefited from less sausage or having it sliced instead of ground. I enjoyed eating this very much, but I just think it would have been better served with less or sliced.

It was about 25 degrees outside when we got there and had to park a couple of blocks away. Since I mentioned that, a huge negative with going anywhere below Liberty here in Savannah is having to try and find a parking space. It can be quite a challenge and a hassle. Today we were fortunate to find a space not that far away, but yet still far enough that it made for a very cold walk. So I decided to warm my bones with a hot chocolate, since I am not a coffee drinker. This was a pretty run of the mill hot chocolate, but it did hit the spot.

Also, I would like to recommend the Caprese Benedict, for those that like Caprese salads and like Eggs Benedict...this is a match made in heaven for you. My wife got it and enjoyed every bite. Think buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, basil on top of an english muffin and then topped with your egg and Hollandaise Sauce. I didn't take a picture of it, but it looked excellent.

New Chinese Takeout Place: China Taste

I don't think I have eaten as much Asian food as I have over the past few weeks. China Taste opened last week next to Food Lion on Skidaway here in Savannah. This place is churning out fresh Chinese food quickly and for the most part it was pretty good. The kitchen is wide open and you can see everything being cooked to order right in front of your own eyes.

As usual I got the Kung Pao Chicken (my Chinese comfort zone). The menu at China Taste is packed with options, including about 30 quick lunch options. The lunch items are served with either chicken or pork fried rice and a drink for around $6. The Kung Pao Chicken was very good (filled with fresh vegetables, water chestnuts, peanuts, heat, and chicken), but the rice was way over done. It was over cooked to the point that it was almost mush. I can look past that though since the dish itself was good and the bad rice was probably the exception and not the norm.

Don't worry if you see a long line when you get there as things move pretty quickly. They could probably benefit from one more person working on the front end helping to hand out orders while the other person is taking them & ringing up the sales. Just a minor detail, but it would help with the traffic flow as they are packing customers in right off the bat.

Greek Burger from Crystal Beer Parlor in Savannah

Yes another tasty burger and quite unlike any burger I have ever had. Crystal Beer Parlor is one of our favorite places to go for a good, yet quick, bite to eat in downtown Savannah. They have a wide range of burgers and today I decided to jump out on a limb with the Greek Lamb Burger.

The burger is ground lamb that is then grilled to perfection. It is then topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, Tzatziki Sauce, and I added on feta cheese for the extra dollar. It was like having a Gyro as a burger, but only better. As always I got the onion rings as my side. It is a must that you always get the onion rings when eating at Crystal Beer Parlor.

Costanzo's Jersey Style Pizza

Some of the best pizza in Savannah has gotten better. Costanzo's Pizza is now under new ownership and while many things haven't changed, the quality of the pizza has changed. The ingredients are the same, but the quality control is now in place and it is producing a much better pizza than before. Tonight we went with a large (18") mushroom pizza, with 1 slice of it cheese for our son. This thing was so good, I felt like I could eat about 3 of them.

Costanzo's is Jersey Style pizza and they also offer pizza by the slice. They have a great Monday - Friday lunch special of 2 slices & drink for $5.00. One of the best deals in town for one of the best pizza's in town.

This pizza came from the original Waters Ave location across from Memorial Hospital, but they also have another location further down Waters at Eisenhower. They offer dine in, take out, and delivery services.

Goose Feathers Cafe in Downtown Savannah

Looks like we have found a new spot for a lazy Sunday breakfast in Savannah! Goose Feathers (@GooseFeathersCf) is an express bakery and cafe right in the heart of downtown at Ellis Square. This area has been renovated over the past couple of years and this restaurant is perfectly located right on the square across from Jazz'd Tapas Bar.

Goose Feathers has all your quick breakfast favorites, hot and cold, as well as fresh baked goods and quiches. They also have a line of signature sandwiches, soups, and salads that are available for lunch service. I went with the Quiche Loraine and an Everything Bagel with Lox, Cream Cheese, and Tomato. Both were very good and the quiche was heated up to perfection.

The staff was very friendly and service was quick. We look forward to going back, trying different things, and having one of their signature "Whoopie Pies".

Lovin' Spoons Self Serve Froyo

@lovinspoons is a brand new Frozen Yogurt concept shop in Savannah and Pooler. The second you walk in you are greeted with the self serve wall of frozen yogurt machines. It is a grab your cup and go to town concept. They do have kids cups available upon request, as well as tasting sample cups. The cost of your dessert depends on how heavy your cup is after you make your way through the yogurt machines and the bevy of toppings to choose from. Everything is there...from sprinkles and fresh fruit to your favorite cereals and candies.

Once you get through the toppings you then head over to the sauces. Here there are hot fudge, chocolate, fruit syrups, caramel, and many others.

I went with a half cookies & cream flavored froyo and the other half a red velvet cake flavored froyo. The Georgia Peach was my favorite from those I sampled, but I couldn't think of what toppings would go best with it. I put some oreo's, chocolate chips, sprinkles, waffle cone crumbles, a drizzle of hot fudge and a drizzle of marshmellow creme. A little whipped cream on top finished this treat off.

This is a great place to take the kids (the even have half of an old VW Bug inside for kids to play in) and the options are limitless. We look forward to going back, trying different flavors, different combinations, and letting our creative froyo minds run wild.

Green Truck Neighborhood Pub

This is a new restaurant here in Savannah that offers fresh food with the best in local and organic ingredients. The majority of the menu is their grass fed 100% beef burger selection. I went with the Flathead (burger with sauteed mushrooms, onions, and provolone cheese) and I must say that this was a tasty burger.

Keeping with their theme of fresh, they make their own ketchup at Green Truck. I will admit that I am a Heinz snob. I actually frown on restaurants that use Hunt's products and think that if they are skimping by using Hunt's...what else are they skimping on? The homemade ketchup took a little getting used to, but it worked perfectly on the burger and was a nice compliment for the seasoned fries.

The unknown is now known and I will gladly venture down this road again to try some of the other burgers on the menu.

The Mighty Eighth Burger from B & D Burgers

The food there is much better in the restaurant than it is to go. Tonight we needed to get our food to go and I wasn't happy about that one bit. That being said, this burger was still pretty tasty burger. The Mighty Eighth comes with sauteed onions and provolone cheese, along with the standard lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles.

As for the fries, B & D always has a special "French Fry of the Week". This week it is Sour Cream & Chive Fries. Figured what the hell and gave them a try. They were ok, but the fries were cold and limp by the time I got the food home. Would have much rather had steak fries, but those weren't on the menu tonight. :(

B & D is still one of the best burgers in Savannah and is always a good place to drink lots of beer, watch sports, and catch all the UFC pay per views.

"Your Pie" in Savannah

Your Pie, @YourPie, is a new made to order pizza restaurant in the heart of downtown Savannah (located behind Five Guys & Ruth's Chris). The concept here is very simple...everything is fresh and made to your order. You have several different sauces to choose from, several cheeses to add, and then every topping under the sun to put on top of your pizza. Your crust options are white, wheat, and gluten free. The pizzas are then baked thin crust style in a giant open flame brick oven. Our pizza was out to us in under 5 min. Now that is a quick fire! The pizzas are 10" and are perfect size for an individual meal or make a few and share them with everyone at the table.

As for my pizza: I went with a basic marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, mushrooms, green peppers, capicola, and garlic. This pizza was amazing, but next pizza I get, I might go without the garlic. The garlic pieces on the pizza were huge and I feel like I might be breathing garlic fire for the rest of the weekend. I can't wait to go back and come up with new and creative pizza combos.

My wife got the Caprese Salad in the wheat bread bowl. She added garlic to her salad and had the same complaint as I did. It is just too much. The garlic needs to either be minced or cut into smaller pieces. How they make the bread bowls for the salads was pretty cool as well. They keep a stone bowl in the oven until it is needed to make a bowl (all salad bowls are made to order). The then take the dough and place it over the bowl, which then goes back into the oven. A couple of min later they pop it off and just like that you have the pizza crust bread bowl.

The kids meal (we just got our son a simple cheese pizza) comes with a small gelato. They have about 10 different flavors on hand and we chose to go with the Cookies & Cream. It was also very good and was a nice way to cap off the meal with everyone getting a couple of bites.

All in all it is nice to have a new-fresh dining option in Savannah. These always seem few & far in between. We look forward to going back and wish Your Pie nothing but huge success!