Reviewers do not notify restaurants in advance of their visits. The Savannah Morning News pays for all meals.

3 Stars out of 4
Pete Lamb’s scoring of one to four stars indicates his impression of food, service, ambiance and value. E-mail Pete at pete.lamb@comcast.net

The Olde Pink House
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 11a.m.-11 p.m.; Sunday-Monday 5-10:30 p.m.
Address: 23 Abercorn St
Telephone: 232-4286
Reservations: Yes
Credit Cards: Yes
Bar: Yes
Lunch for two without alcohol: $28-$50

To loyal fans of Alligator Soul the restaurant is as main stream as any Savannah fine dining destination.
To those unfamiliar with the basement level eatery, it’s mysterious, off the beaten path and, too often, overlooked.
But for those fortunate to have followed the smells of cooking food and sounds of music down the stairs beneath the Telfair Square Post Office, Alligator Soul has become a cozy respite, a place to unwind or to celebrate. It’s menu is decidedly masculine, but presented with such elegance that it’s a a favorite evening out for many women I know – foodies who appreciate wild game, fois gras and the manly art of grilling.
Chef Chris Dinello is the talent in the kitchen, hand-picked by the restaurant’s late founder and chef, Hilary Craig. He has stepped into the big shoes left by Hilbo, as he was known to his friends, and preserved the founder’s vision – while giving dishes his own touch.
The fire place was crackling when we arrived and light jazz music filled the air. Owner Maureen Craig moved from table to table, checking on guests’ comfort, explaining a dish here and there and happily hugging returning guests who have become more like family than customers.
Ms. Lamb began with Borscht ($12), Chef Chris style. Diced beets played second fiddle in the flavor department as house made sausage and saut

To borrow from Monty Python:
“Now for something completely different.”
I have something of a reputation as a carnivore in insatiable pursuit of all things meaty: smoked pork, rare steak, seared foie gras, fried chicken and falling off the bone, savory, more-delicious-than-deserved braised lamb shank.
But this week, dear reader, I want to talk to you about salads.
I fell off the wagon, the meat wagon, for a couple of days, kinda, and experienced a mixed green epiphany. Yes, there was still meatiness involved (chicken and seafood) but the darned greens and veggie portions were so overwhelmingly delicious, I must comment.
First, lets visit the garden salad with chicken from Cafe 37. It didn’t hurt that I was there to taste some elegant wines from South Australia’s Torbreck Vineyards. Then owner and chef Blake Elsinghorst delivered a salad that was a masterpiece.
With a bed of mixed greens, dried cherries and candied pistachios, the salad’s construction insures a delicious bite of goodness with every forkful.
Two crostini topped with baked goat cheese perch atop the greens, ready to deliver nice acidity that complements a sweet, gentle dressing of honey and white truffle vinaigrette.
I pointed out to my companions that Chef Blake must have made this salad over and over, eyeballing it each time to make sure it looked as perfect as it tastes.
Plump cubes of marinated chicken breast added some weight, but I learned that I would find this salad a complete and delicious lunch – even without the meat.
I’ve been a longtime fan of Ruth’s Chris Chop Salad – a wonderment of construction that arrives a tightly packed tower of greens and other goodies. The first forkful releases its pent up energy and the salad spreads across your plate.
This dish is a Ruth’s Chris original: julienne iceberg lettuce, spinach and radicchio tossed with sliced red onions and mushrooms, chopped green olives, bacon, eggs, hearts of palm, croutons, Bleu cheese and lemon basil dressing – served with cherry tomatoes and topped with crispy fried onions.
The freshness and complexity make it plenty satisfying as a meal when paired with an appropriate glass of wine.
Do keep a lookout for a special salad that crops up from time to time at Ruth’s Chris.
The Lobster and Shellfish Salad is a showroom of fresh greens and seafood.
Jumbo Gulf shrimp, A whole Maine lobster claw and lump crab are tossed with mixed greens, tomatoes and died peppers – then dressed with a vibrant lemon and olive oil dressing.
Again, this is a special, but one worth asking about on your next visit to the steak house.

For all salads in this review: 4 stars.

Pete Lamb’s scoring of one to four stars indicates his impression of food, service, ambiance and value.

Cafe 37
Hours: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Dinner, Thursday-Saturday, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Address: 205 E 37th St
Telephone: 236-8533
Reservations: Yes
Credit Cards: Yes
Bar: Beer and wine
Dinner for two without alcohol: $25-$40

Ruth’s Chris
Hours: Monday-Thursday 5 p.m.-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 5 p.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 4-9 p.m.
Address: 111 W. Bay St.
Telephone: 721-4800
Reservations: Yes
Credit Cards: Yes
Bar: Yes
Dinner for two without alcohol: $100-$150

The Benihana restaurant chain might have popularized the teppanyaki, or hibachi, style of Japanese cooking in America, but it didn’t take long for imitators to spring up – and become nearly as ubiquitous as The Golden Arches.
Ms. Lamb and I had Sunday dinner at Savannah’s newest incarnation of this combination of culinary skill, bad comedy and hot and tasty food.
In a year that found many restaurant owners tightening their belts, I watched as Miyabi Japanese Steak House and Sushi Bar rose up from a plot on Eisenhower Drive. It is without doubt, the city’s largest teppanyaki steak house. The interior is beautifully designed, comfortable and lends itself to the kind of fun-loving atmosphere diners must adopt.
No, dear reader, this is not a quiet dinner for two. Family-style seating around the cooking surface creates forced intimacy that some might find uncomfortable. If so, plan on taking other friends to fill the table’s eight seats.
All entrees are accompanied by Japanese Onion Soup, which we found hot, savory and enjoyable. A crisp, fresh salad of lettuce and cucumbers also accompanies. I chose soy dressing, which I found refreshing with a hint of citrus. Ms. Lamb went with ginger dressing – but agreed my dressing was more interesting.
But wait, there’s more.
A few grilled shrimp dressed with teriyaki sauce and grilled veggies (zucchini and onion) present a pleasing hot appetizer course – a stage setter for the main course.
A huge mound of fried rice, shaped, as our server said, like “Sponge Bob No Pants,” was portioned out to each diner. The portions were massive. Ms. Lamb only accepted half and still left rice on her plate. We learned at meal’s end that the restaurant naturally assumes every diner will want a take-home container.
I chose Hibachi Scallops ($17.95) and received about 8 medium sized scallops that had been beautifully caramelized, then seasoned with more soy sauce. The sizzling saute on the grill top insured that each scallop was hot and perfectly cooked. I left one on my plate – I simply couldn’t eat another bite.
Ms. Lamb chose Rib-eye Steak and Shrimp ($13.95). The shrimp were prepared as the appetizer course had been and the 5-oz. rib-eye steak was trimmed and quick-grilled to her preferred temperature of medium rare. Again, seasoning of soy added flavor; the steak was tender and juicy, the shrimp firm and fresh.
Our only disappointment was the Sushi Appetizer ($6.50). The four portions of California roll were poorly constructed and fell apart. Wasabi mayonnaise was a far too prevalent flavor. Three pieces of nigiri-style (with white fish, salmon and shrimp) also suffered from poor creation. The fish portions were too large and far too tough to bite through. Even the butterflied shrimp was impossible to bite – and the rolls were too big to put in my mouth at once. The sticky rice came apart – and I was left holding large, raw portions of fish that I couldn’t bite.
Still, the lively atmosphere, hot and hearty grilled dishes and wild floor show, make Miyabi a good destination for something different – or a group party.

Reviewers do not notify restaurants in advance of their visits. The Savannah Morning News pays for all meals.

Three Stars out of Four
Pete Lamb’s scoring of one to four stars indicates his impression of food, service, ambiance and value.

Miyabi Japanese Steak House and Sushi Bar
Hours: 4:30-10 p. m. Monday-Thursday, 4:30-10:30 p. m. Friday, 4-10:30 p. m. Saturday, 12:30-2 p. m. and 4-9 p. m. Sunday.
Address: 200 Eisenhower Drive
Telephone: 352-7300
Reservations: Yes
Credit Cards: Yes
Bar: Beer and wine
Dinner for two without alcohol: $25-$40

Wiley and Janet McCrary spent more than a decade shuttling a portable smoker aorund the country competing in sanctioned barbecue contests. On off weekends, they catered for a Who’s Who list of Atlantians and dreamed of a slower lifestyle.
That’s what they thought they were getting when they took over a former restaurant space on Whitemarsh Island. After all, a little restaurant with less than 30 seats and a carryout service couldn’t’ be that demanding, could it?
Now, with a couple months history behind them, the couple hustle from one catering to another, all fueled by the success of their cozy little restaurant that serves world-class barbecue.
Pulled pork, beef brisket, chicken and St. Louis cut ribs form the foundation of the menu and, not coincidentally, are categories in which the couple hold “best of” awards. Check out the wall of the restaurant, it’s a monument to Wiley’s mastery of the pit and Janet’s preparation and palate.
My friend Jim, a life-long Savannahian and veteran barbecue consumer, joined me for lunch one chilly Saturday. We came hungry, we left groaning with pleasure.
We started with split orders of two popular appetizers – deep fried sliced dill pickles and okra. Each was perfectly fried – and accompanying jalape