The Distillery is here!

ON SUNDAY TIM AND I ventured out into the rain to pick up a Christmas gift for my dad. We ducked into The Distillery for a quick lunch (and shelter from the chilly, wet weather). Located next to Old Savannah Tours, the new bar/restaurant makes great reuse of a gorgeous brick building near the Visitor's Center, in the thick of the city. 

It's one of those places that is classy, yet cozy. It's expansive enough to accommodate a crowd yet the tables are set up to ensure an intimate meal or drink, if that's what you're up for. 

It was ironic, given the goal of the day, that one of the menu items was a childhood favorite, one that I shared with my dad when my family travelled  to my brother's away-basketball games in the diners of cities and towns that surround my hometown of Omro, Wisconsin (Berlin, Clintonville, Little Chute, Ripon, Waupaca and Winneconne, to name a few). 

Tim agreed to share the open-faced hot roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes platter, and Chef Matt Kubiak's version did not disappoint. Because a full order would have been more than I could eat, and a shared platter was not quite enough for Tim, we also ordered a side of pretzels. Tim had tried the bite-sized, warm, lightly salted appetizers earlier in the week and enjoyed them enough to ask for an encore. 

I have to say that the restaurant's choice of natural, white bread for this entree is what made it special for me. The beef and gravy (not too much and not too heavy)  was atop a thick, flavorful slice of the artisanal bread. Matt told us that after shopping around, the restaurant decided to order their breads from Masada Bakery in Decatur, Georgia. The certified organic products best fit their menu needs.

Beer lovers will be glad to know that The Distillery specializes in American craft beer. Tim wrote on his site www.savannahfoodie.com: "The restaurant’s tightly constructed menu is built around made-to-order, fresh foods. Beer, of course, plays heavily into many recipes — from chili to beer-battered onion rings to French fries flavored in Stout. With 21 beers on tap and more than 30 in bottles, The Distillery offers beers ranging from bright and hoppy to dark and rich."

Owner Michael Volen, general manager Chris Hubbard, Chef Matt and the rest of the staff -- which includes two of Volen's daughters -- said they look forward to serving the residents and tourists in Savannah. For more information, call 236-1772.

Yours,
Miss T. J.