LET'S EAT PT. 4 - TREYLOR PARK

This past weekend was a very special one as it was my dear Wesley's birthday.  His mom was in town for the occasion which made it extremely special.  As she trolleyed around the city, Wes and I fasted at work.  By dinner time we were all sufficiently starving.  After hearing great things from friends we decided to try out Treylor Park for the first time - I know, I know we're wayyy late on that one - but we were really glad we finally did.  We had a great time enjoying dinner in the beer garden out back.

We kind of shared a bit of everything from each  others'  plates  to get a better idea of what Treylor Park has to offer.   I've  got  to  say  that the PB & J chicken wings were my runaway favorite.  This may come as a surprise, but I  honestly don't spend all too much of my downtime thinking about crazy chicken wing  combinations that I would like to try.  That being said, the few times I have daydreamed about sriracha honey sesame  fire  wings  and the like, neither peanut butter or jelly came to mind as a winner  for  a  drummette's perfect pairing.  For that I am truly ashamed, because these  were  RIDICULOUSLY  GOOD!   These wings came out super fresh from the fryer and dripping with their peanut butter sauce.  The peach jam comes on the side so you can add as much or as little as you like.  I went  for  it  being that I love my condiments.  I can tell you I will never look at a PB&J sammie the same way again.

For our mains, Wes got the Chupacabra burrito with eggs, sausage, onions, peppers, and a very spicy sauce on top; Mrs. Norvell got the Southern Sloppy Joe with venison and fried banana peppers, and I got the Treylor Park Nachos Grande because I obviously hate myself.  Those nachos were massive!  Yes, they were awesome, but there's no way those are meant for one person.  I'm just glad we all shared our plates because that was a terrifying mountain of spuds I was facing down.  The Sloppy Joe was definitely a winner as well.  Memories from summer camp for sure, but much better tasting.  The Chupacabra was a great breakfast  burrito to really wake you up; tons of heat and everything was cooked extremely well.  

Also on the menu is a huge list of house made cocktails and plenty of beer options for everyone.  The atmosphere inside seemed a bit loud, but if you can find a spot in the beer garden out back, it's a peaceful hideout in downtown Savannah.  Treylor Park is a great place to go try out southern staples with a modern twist. 

And you can't end a proper downtown night without a river view.  We watched the sunset up at Rocks on the River before walking off dinner.

LET'S EAT PT. 3 - CHIVE SEA BAR & LOUNGE

I'm glad to say I am finally back with another Let's Eat post.  Up this week is the ever-popular CHIVE SEA BAR & LOUNGE.  If you live in Savannah, there is a good chance you have encountered the ELE AND THE CHEF restaurant group.  With six different restaurants in the city and a seventh on the way, they've just about cornered the market for Asian fusion in the city and I'm not complaining.  The attention to detail they pay in each of their restaurants is amazing.  I always leave happy when I'm eating with Ele and the Chef. 
We decided to go to Chive with Mom and her two friends who were in town for the weekend.   *NOTE* They came into our dear city to continue on a nine-year tradition of an annual girls vacation.  I'll tell you a bit about it because I think it is the coolest idea out there.  Eight women take a trip every summer.  Two are tasked with planning the trip and the other six aren't allowed to know where they are going.  They are simply told when to be at the airport and are given their confirmation number that morning along with a packing list about a week before.  There are hints along the way but from what I can tell they seem to be used more to try and throw everyone off rather than actually help them with guessing where they are going.  Dinner was spent tweeting and "periscoping" (a new one for me) video chats to the girls so they could ask questions about where they would be flying in the following morning.  The two planners arrive a day early to set everything up, hence dinner at Chive.  That's definitely the shortened version of the whole tradition, but I'm sure you get the idea.* Now, back to the food.
Chive's got one of my favorite atmospheres and menus downtown if you're looking for a more intimate setting. Everyone got something different and we did a bit of sampling from each other's plates which is always my favorite way to go about things.  Everything really was amazingly on point. 

We started off with some oysters on the half shell and She Crab Soup.  Two local staples down here and some of the best you will get in town.  It's pretty much guaranteed that if She Crab Soup is on the menu, Wes and I are going to try it.  It's just kind of our thing to find our favorite in the city.  Chive is definitely in the top three, if not the reigning champion for us at the moment.  And how are you going to argue with something that comes in that bowl?  

On to the entrees.  Above is the tuna ceviche.  This was the winner for me out of everyone's meal.  I will say that if you don't like spice, steer clear.  It's pretty well packed with heat; that being said it is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! Take me back, take me back now, please.  It's listed as a small plate but is easily a full entree.  They do not skimp on the tuna or the avocado and the crispy bits on top are just perfect.  I've got to stop writing about it because now I'm just drooling on my keyboard.  

For my entree I got the prawn risotto which was almost as amazing.  The prawns were cooked perfectly and the serving was massive.  The risotto had a great flavor with asparagus and cherry tomatoes mixed in with a bit of heat creeping through as well.  

Above is the Wagyu steak with the same asparagus and cherry tomato risotto.  Having never had Wagyu steak before, I now understand the hype.  Yes, you really can cut it with a fork and yes, it really does melt in your mouth. 

Lastly we had the seared ahi tuna with spinach.  Honestly, I didn't try this plate as I was hogging all of the ceviche but I was told the spinach was wonderful and the ahi was good but a bit overcooked.  The flavor was all there though, so just a bit of a slip on the cooking time.  All together, the meal was top notch.  I've been there before and I will gladly go back again.  The crew at Chive know exactly what they are doing.  If you are downtown looking for a great meal and a cool setting, this is a must for sure.
The only thing better than the food was the company and the conversations over dinner.  Mark down another great Savannah night with great people.  I'll leave the periscoping to Regina from here on out.