What's on the Menu: Week of Feb. 25*
A Girl Scouts-inspired subscription drive, my perennial love for the fisherman aesthetic, Victoria Shore's seafood-forward tapas at The Thompson, and more.
*This is an early edition of this week’s newsletter, as I am on call to report for jury duty Monday morning, making me anxiously get ahead on some work deadlines in case I am required to spend my week at the courthouse.
Related, I threw myself a pity party about this all weekend long.
But as I was walking down Bull Street on Saturday and encountered some entrepreneurial Girl Scouts slinging cookies in front of Neighborhood Comics, I had an epiphany of sorts.
First, let me back up a bit. The real reason behind my sour mood, even more than the dismal prospect of jury duty, is that I wasn’t chosen for something I *actually* wanted: a scholarship grant to attend the inaugural M.F.K Fisher Symposium for Women in Food & Storytelling in Nashville this April.
As a former PR prop and now freelancer writer, I’m quite acquainted with the concept of rejection. But this one stung. I really want to attend this event.
Without the scholarship, I could still pay out of pocket to attend. On one hand, I probably should. This symposium is a rare chance to hear from and meet with so many of the female writers I admire—those who have chartered the career course I aspire to follow.
On the other, in this economy? Every penny counts. And while I’m thrilled to be staying busy with enough work to cover my day-to-day expenses, there just isn’t enough saved in the bank right now to travel to a writer conference without some support.
This brings me back to the Girl Scouts. While I was never personally a scout, my family and I have always participated in the annual cookie fundraiser. Of course, I enjoy the Tagalongs, Samoas, and Thin Mints as much as the next gal, but the real reason I hand over $20 every year is the mission behind the sale: teaching young girls valuable business skills like sales, marketing, and customer service while generating funds for things like camping trips, community projects, and other educational experiences.
I believe in this mission wholeheartedly. So then, why is it so hard for me, a 33-year-old woman to do the same when it comes to promoting this newsletter?
I realize there has been an influx of creators moving over to Substack who are simultaneously asking you for $5 each month. Just like there are countless Girl Scout Troops across the country, among so many other worthy causes competing for your dollars and attention right now.
So, here’s my pitch to you: if you subscribe to my Substack for $5/month—the cost of a box of Girl Scout cookies—you will get a weekly dispatch of Savannah dining news. In turn, I will put the money back into local restaurants, bars, and adjacent businesses, or spend the money on educational opportunities—like the M.F.K. Fisher Symposium—to better improve the quality of food storytelling for you, dear reader.
Before hotel accommodations and travel expenses, the cost of admission to the Symposium is $425. That is 85 new monthly subscribers, or about 7 annual subscribers purchasing a yearly rate of $60.
Thank you so much to those of you who have already signed up and are joining me for the Substack journey. Your support is making it possible for me to do what I love.
Now, with the housekeeping stuff out of the way, let’s dig into the food!
Here are the five things to know about Savannah’s dining scene this week:
1. Spring hours return at The Wyld Dock Bar in March. According to Architectural Digest’s brilliant Sydney Gore, everyone is hooked on the fisherman aesthetic right now.
This resonates deeply with me, as my husband and I bought our house partly because it’s walking distance from The Wyld (2740 Livingston Ave.) My marriage proposal to me was also inspired by one of our favorite Amsterdam restaurants, Mossels & Gin; their menu hangs on our wall at home.
Dining on the deck at The Wyld during golden hour is the closest thing to being out on the water without having a boat. We love to look for bright white birds popping out from the green marsh grass and glassy blue water.
So naturally, I’m thrilled when The Wyld brings back its spring hours, meaning the marshside dive stays open longer as the sun sets later. Catch me here for all the crispy okra, fried shrimp, cold drinks, and soon, soft-shell crab.
Just remember to always check their Instagram page or the flags to confirm hours of operation before you arrive by land or by sea. A pirate flag means the bar is closed to the public for a private event.
2. Harriet’s Bar, a pop-up by Fleeting’s Executive Chef Victoria Shore, takes over the restaurant inside The Thompson Savannah Feb. 24-25. If your version of the fisherman aesthetic skews more to the north of Spain or Italy, head to Harriet’s Bar—a seafood-forward pop-up at Fleeting, the seasonally driven restaurant inside Eastern Wharf’s anchor hotel.
The Mediterranean-inspired menu draws inspiration from Shore’s travels abroad and promises perfectly paired wines and cocktails. Tapas are reasonably priced ($8 for one, $15 for two, or $22 for three), followed by a short selection of cold and hot plates ranging from beef carpaccio to fritto misto and squid ink spaghetti.
Held for two nights only from 5-9:30 p.m., Harriet’s Bar continues Fleeting’s ongoing pop-up series and chefs-in-residences (including stints from chef/oysterman Chris “Chino” Hathcock, among others), making it one of the most interesting places to dine in Savannah lately.
Last year, I had the opportunity to attend another one of Shore’s standout pop-ups, Bazaar. The very personal menu Shore created was inspired by her time in Morocco— early experiences that helped lead her to become a chef. Among dishes like wood-grilled kebabs, vegetable salads, and spreads (and the breadbasket of my dreams), I was especially intrigued with her take on b'stilla, a savory-sweet pie with precious saffron in a crisp phyllo-style wrapping. Considering I'm still thinking about it many months later, I am very excited to taste what Shore fired up for Harriet’s Bar.
3. While you’re at The Thompson, take a look at the hotel’s brand-new baby grand piano. A spokesperson for the hotel shared that the lobby bar debuted its first-ever piano night on Saturday evening with two hours of a solo performance by Spencer Thomas of Futurebirds. Pretty rad, huh?
4. A slice of nostalgia from Vinnie Van GoGo’s. In case you missed it: Savannah made this New York Times’ list of five destinations for spring break travel with kids.
Reading the story, I felt a swell of pride—not just because my adopted hometown is recognized alongside cities like Montreal, Mexico City, Portland, Ore., and Washington, D.C., but also because I was first introduced to Savannah as a kid on spring break.
The article’s author, Emily Goligoski, rounded up several great options, including the delicious pies at Vittoria Pizzeria in Starland Yard.
Her account reminded me of fun dinners spent with my parents and siblings on the patio at Vinnie’s. I still love frequenting this City Markert institution ($4.99 for a solid cheese slice that is the size of your head is hard to beat) and reminiscing on those family vacations. It’s easy to do, as not much has changed in 20ish years—though they do accept cards for payment now. Pro tip: don’t sleep on the fresh spinach salad with feta cheese, either.
The next time my sister and her kids come to town, I hope to continue the tradition.
5. Of course, my weekly diet isn’t all dining out, pop-ups, and pizza. While getting a check-up from my favorite eye doctor (Dr. Erika Morrow at ForSight Unique Eye Care & Eye Wear), she reminded me to make sure I’m getting enough greens for healthy vision.
I certainly try—I love roasted broccoli and kale salads. Still, to make eating more veggies more interesting, I set a New Year’s resolution to cook with more leeks this year. Lucky for me, Ali Sagler recently published this recipe for Miso-Parmesan Noodle Soup in NYT Cooking. The recipe is for one, but easy to double, and comes together in 25 minutes. Best of all, the ingredients—including leeks—are affordable. We stocked up on our provisions at Enson Market, where there is no shortage of lush greens to get your fill.
Now, if anyone has any tips for surviving jury duty (I can pack snacks, right?), send ’em my way.
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Got a hot tip or a story suggestion for a future newsletter? Email me at colleenmcnallyarnett@gmail.com.