Thousands of Savannah’s visitors and just as many locals know Vic’s on the River as a comfortable and elegant dinner destination. In an age when menu prices keep climbing and climbing, Vic’s still maintains great value in an unsurpassed setting on the city’s historic riverfront.
But for me, Vic’s is a quiet lunch getaway, a place where I can conduct business over good food in a setting that belies the bargain price. The lunch menu has incredible depth, and no dish soars past the $15 mark.
There is the obligatory shrimp and grits — grits laced with cheese and bacon. Crab cakes are popular, as is Vic’s comforting plate of home style veggies and old–school meatloaf.
But on my recent visit, I spied a sandwich plate I had not seen before, a marriage of a contemporary food trend and a traditional Southern protein: chicken liver sliders.
Many of you are wincing, scrunching your faces up into horrific caricatures that mirror your disdain for liver. I grew up on the stuff, yet another bounty of the farm that we ate, or ate nothing, when it was served. A properly breaded and fried chicken liver is a perfect example of textures, flavors and satisfaction.
Vic’s pair of sliders were just that. The liver were lightly breaded with slightly seasoned breading, fried to a crisp exterior, but not so overdone as to diminish that little moist, tender spot in the middle of the portion. Each sublime liver was topped with tangy Creole–style cole slaw and wrapped in a housemade yeast roll.
I am not usually a fan of seasoned French fries, but Vic’s Old Bay seasoned fries have flavor without the displeasing coating of so many commercially prepared potatoes.
The bar gets lively after 5 p.m., especially late in the week. Service, especially on the bar side of the house, is exemplary.
26 E. Bay St./821–1000
Thanksgiving eats
Don’t wanna cook for the holidays? There are plenty of options, ranging from an expansive buffet at Aqua Star at the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf & Spa Resort to carry–out from some of the city’s most desirable restaurants. For a large list of restaurants open on Thanksgiving to other holiday foodie events, check out my website, www.savannahfoodie.com.
Sunrise surprise
The last menu change at this popular group of Savannah/Tybee Island restaurants was six years ago. The menu took a swing last week when it received a face lift. Among the new additions are, yes, a bacon waffle — pretty self–explanatory choice and one well worth pursuing!
Also, check out the BELT, a BLT with egg, the breakfast burger (burger, egg any style, cheese, mayo on a toasted English muffin), and the breakfast dog — a Nathan’s All–Beef Hot Dog topped with egg cooked to order, cheese and bacon.
Looks like Sunrise is going extreme American menu — fun stuff. Of course, all of your usual breakfast favorites remain. Find a location near you and view the full menu on Facebook, keywords “Sunrise Restaurant.”
