Savannah’s next big opening Downtown is at 107 West Broughton Street, and it’s not what you’d expect to find on Broughton Street. Broughton Reserve is different, but comfortable, elegant but approachable. I think we are going to like this one.
The bourbon
I’m told they’ll open with roughly 400 different bourbons. All the names you know, of course, and obviously some of those you don’t. Whether that makes it the largest bourbon list in town is a fair argument. Congress Street Social Club and Husk both have serious selections. We can debate size another time, but the point being, Broughton Reserve belongs in that top-three conversation, and that’s a lot of bourbon in a roughly 160-seat room.
The plan is flights and half-ounce pours, so you can explore without taking out a second mortgage. Nobody’s giving it away, but it’s built for curiosity rather than sticker shock.
The kitchen
The menu comes from two local chefs, Garion Henry, Executive Chef and Sous Chef Hoss Czup, both of whom have worked around Savannah for years. They know this town’s palate. Together with ownership, they built a menu of elevated Indian street food. This food is fantastic. When I asked if Indian Street food is a fair description, they agreed only asking that it not be labled ‘fusion.’
They are safe with me, I don’t think I’ve used that word since 1992.
Everything the guys make is made from scratch, starting with five house chutneys that make the rest of the menu work. The chaat fries, which are street food in fry form, come with several of those sauces for dipping. Lamb meatballs were the only dish I didn’t love. Good? Absolutely. I look forward to trying them again down the road.
The centerpiece of this menu appears to be chef’s sourdough pizza, (photo above) with dough proofed in-house from a starter the chef has been carrying around for years. The Orchard and Blue, with thin-sliced pear, prosciutto, blue cheese, hot honey and scallion, is the one worth ordering first. The chicken tikka pizza, with masala red sauce, jalapeño and a ranch drizzle, is right behind it. The mango square, with graham cracker crust, dark chocolate and toasted coconut, finishes the meal nicely. There was also talk of a Chai Tiramisu dessert complete with pistachio and rose petal.
Didn’t I tell you this place was offering something different downtown? For those of you keeping score, yes, I know this isn’t Savannah’s first Indian restaurant. That’s the good part. The better part is that there are no big heavy entrees here. This is shareable, casual eats with a beautiful backdrop. If you’d like to listen to my full review, check out the podcast embedded above.
Why it matters
That’s part of what I love about this. Savannah has long needed more depth in its ethnic food. We’ve seen it lately with steaks and pizza, great. But Broughton Reserve will add a real new lane right in the middle of downtown. Pizzas, fries, meatballs and shareables should also keep prices friendly. This isn’t a $60-steak menu. I also suspect a lot chefs will be eating here.
Add insulated walls and ceilings built for good music, plus a planned third-floor private club down the road, and you have a place made for a few drinks with friends and a table full of small plates.
Broughton Reserve is a welcome addition to the food scene, and I think you’ll eat it and like it. Look for them to open Thanksgiving week.
