Top 5 Bites of 2018

Breaking news: I eat a lot of food. Sometimes more than I want to. I tell people all of the time, we eat a lot of average to bad food in order to find the great food in the area. Don’t cry for me, though. There is no place I’d rather be, doing what it is that we do.

Like all of you, I have cravings. I have ‘go-to’ sandwiches, soups, salads that I just have to have depending on my mood. There are foods in the Savannah Hilton Head area that I love on a semi-regular basis.  I will keep that stuff to myself. Or perhaps share them another time.

All of that said, 2018 was the first time I actually took notes about great dishes I enjoyed throughout the year. It gave me a chance to compare.  I mean, how on earth do you remember a sandwich you enjoyed in February when you have another you love in November? It’s near impossible.

Three qualifiers for my short list: First, every dish I either tried more than once or had someone follow up behind me a short time later to make sure it was as good for them as it was for me. Quality control, you know. Second, This is not a ranking. Will there be consideration for our 2019 Eat It and Like It Foodie Awards? Sure, but this is just a simple Top 5 things I enjoyed in the area, 2018. Finally, this is every day food. Dishes you can go out and enjoy. I enjoy some tremendous food all year long at wine pairing dinners and events like that, but I’m excluding them because you can’t Eat It and Like It based on my recommendation.  This is every day food.

Chicken Clay Pot at The Vault Kitchen and Market – Savannah.     Described as Chicken, Fresh Herbs, Thai Chili, Curry, ginger and Thai Green Eggplant. A simple stew served in a clay pot with a side of sticky white rice. Creamy, flavorful and delicious. I’ve enjoyed it just as much when its 98 degrees outside as I have when it has cooled off.

Potato Chip Nachos at The Fitzroy – Savannah    A bowl of fresh thick cut potato chips topped with ground pork, onion, roasted poblano, bell pepper, cilantro. All of it topped with melted brie. Yes, please.

Jesse Blanco Burger – Lucky Rooster Kitchen and Bar – Hilton Head Island.  Of course it is, right? Yeah yeah yeah. It would be easy to pick this burger simply because it was named after me. But if it wasn’t one of the best burgers I had all year, I just wouldn’t do it. Plain and simple. Double patties, Fried Chicken Skins, Smoked Gouda, Chipotle Aioli and Bibb Lettuce. Add a few slices of Jalapeño for good measure. As soon as it was added to the menu (Sundays only at Lucky Rooster) it quickly became their top selling burger. Shameless self promotion aside, facts are facts.  Defibrillator sold separately. Why is it named for me? Read that story here.

Red Chile Tempura Cauliflower Tacos – Bull Street Tacos – Savannah. I admittedly had these on a lark. Bull Street does a great job with their tacos. When the server suggested I tried their tempura cauliflower I figured, sure why not? Incredible with sautéed chilies, basil crema and toasted sesame seeds. Absolutely outstanding.

Braised Rabbit Dumplings – Farm Bluffton – Now, to be fair, these were a special. But they are simple enough to make an appearance again on their menu. When? I am not sure, but if you find them, you need to grab them. Chef Brandon makes his dumplings out of a biscuit dough. They are huge and they are dense. Not what you would expect a dumpling to be. A serving is two. They are phenomenal. Chef tells me he uses that same dumpling and stuffs it with sausage gravy during brunch.  I haven’t tried those yet, but they sound amazing. The rabbit dumplings (as is EVERYTHING they do at Farm Bluffton) are incredible. If you’ve not been to Farm Bluffton yet, you need to put it at the top of your list.

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