High Eating in the Low Country

From Another Cook in the Kitchen

Savannah, Ga., is everything I recall it being. A charmingly small city located on the U.S. Intracoastal Waterway, everywhere you look is a town square studded with statues and fountains. Pure white churches and rotundas tower over a mass of trees heavy with Spanish moss. The humidity not as thick as it should be this time of year, my coworkers and I walked quite a few blocks from our Hilton DeSoto looking for a good yet casual meal.

So it's fitting after eating breakfast in Arlington at Luna that I ended my day in Savannah at Moon River Brewing Company. Half-bar, half-restaurant, Moon River is just two streets away from the water on Bay Street (and one door down from what apparently is a pretty kickin' bar judging from the thigh-high boots a patron was wearing outside).

While we waited for a table (20 minutes on a late Wednesday night), we mulled over the many brewed beers available on tap. The beers range from $7-$9, mostly a mix of IPAs, a stout or two and some wheat beers. Sadly as soon as we'd made our selection, it was time to be seated.

And in retrospect, I'm glad I didn't get the beer, because this place was true to its Southern roots: This food is heavy. After going back and forth between the crab stuffed chicken and the chicken and sausage creole, I figured it'd be best to go for the gumbo. After all, I can get all the crab I want when I go home.

From Another Cook in the Kitchen

Served with one side dish (which I think is a little awkward with such a one-pot classic), the chicken and sausage were mixed into a tomatoey red roux and served on top of dirty rice. Not as spicy as advertised by the waitress, the dish was true to its roots. The sausage was mild and kielbasa-style (if I had to make it myself, I'd substitute andouille for some kick) while the chicken was awkwardly still in one piece and ever so mildly dry. The sauce was spot on though, and the dish overall was a success.

The highlight of the meal (and all of our meals since we all opted for it) was the side of au gratin-style potatoes smothered in gouda. The dish was ever so slightly smokey and unbelievably filling. You could probably order just this and soup and feel full for the night.

One of my fellow diners, whom it should be mentioned was born and raised in Annapolis, got salmon and a crab cake topped with a cream sauce. She said that while the crab cake was different than what she's used to, it was definitely 100 percent crab and got her seal of approval. The other girl ordered the low country crab melt, texas toast topped with crab salad, monterey jack and parmesan sauce. She said the dish wasn't what she suspected, but that it was tasty, as evidenced by her empty plate at the end of the meal.

The prices at Moon Brewery range from under $10 sandwiches and wraps to the fish and southern-style entrees, available for between $15 and $20.

More reporting from Savannah tomorrow!