CO is a recent addition to Savannah’s Asian fusion restaurant scene offering banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich), pho, ramen, dumplings, sushi and signature cocktails. It is open seven days a week for lunch, dinner and cocktails and is located at 10 Whitaker Street, Savannah with sister restaurants in Charleston and Myrtle Beach.
As we entered CO, our senses were met with tones of gray, red, black and brown and textures of brick and wood creating an inviting contemporary interior. Seating choices included the bar, kitchen/sushi bar, high and low top tables.
On my first visit, I was curious about the peculiar name and the staircase leading to a second floor. Our server explained that “CO” means “feast” in Vietnamese and that the stairs lead to Cocktail Co., the speakeasy-like bar above the restaurant. Since that first visit, I have been back on two separate occasions and (spoiler alert) like it quite a bit.
The menu has diverse food options consisting of dumplings, small dishes, sandwiches, broth noodles, wok noodles, sushi, and dessert. Prices are reasonable from $5 to $15, and servings lend well to sharing as was the case on all three of my visits. The drink menu has 10 specially drinks considered signature cocktails, rounded out with a small selection of sake, sparkling, white, and red wines and a small choice of draft and bottled beer.
My friends and I sampled several signature cocktails and multiple menu items. One notable signature cocktail was the Jalapeno Guava Margarita made with jalapeno infused tequila, guava nectar and lime. It was excellent and had a nice kick from the tequila and spice of the jalapeno tamed by the sweetness from the guava nectar. A second, less memorable specialty drink was the Mangosteen Red Sangria. It was a touch sweet for my taste but would pair well with many of CO’s spicy dishes.
Of the eight dishes that I sampled during visits to CO, seven were excellent, and one was just acceptable relative to the others. We tasted four dumpling and small dishes. The Pork & Ginger Gyoza is a fried pork dumpling served with scallion soy sauce. The Pork & Crab Spring Rolls are served over a bed of lettuce and cilantro. The Malaysian Chili Wings are marinated with coconut milk, pineapple, ginger lemongrass chili sauce served with a side of slaw. The slaw, consisting of red cabbage, mint, coconut milk, mayonnaise and chopped peanuts, was a pleasant flavor surprise and stole the show with a tasty marriage of unexpected flavors. All three were beautifully presented and noteworthy.
The Fresh Summer Spring Rolls were boiled with shrimp, pork, rice, bean sprouts, mint, cilantro, and hoisan peanut sauce. They were good and healthy, but I prefer the more decadent fried pork and crab spring rolls.
In the salad category, the Ahi Poke Ceviche was out of this world. The tuna was the best that I have had in Savannah, served over mixed spring greens with fried plantain and sweet potato crisps.
For noodle dishes I sampled Curry Laksa comprised of shrimp, shredded chicken, rice noodles, shredded cucumber, Thai basil, and baby bok choy in a spicy red curry coconut broth. The second noodle dish I sampled was the Thai Green Curry with zucchini, red peppers, onions, mushrooms, Thai basil, lemongrass, coconut milk with chicken and shrimp served with steamed rice on the side. Both curry noodle dishes were delicious.
For sushi I tried the Spicy Tuna Crunch made with cucumber, tempura flakes and spicy masago aioli. The sushi was good, but not up to the high standard set by all other dishes. The balance was off with the rice and cucumber overpowering the tuna. However, my friends who also had sushi very were happy with their dishes.
Overall CO has some of the best Asian food that Savannah has to offer. The atmosphere has a sleek, sophisticated vibe. The staff is knowledgeable, and signature drinks are creative. I recommend it and plan on going back. CO has now become my new Asian cuisine favorite.
CO
10 Whitaker Street
Savannah, GA 31401
912.234.5375
