Savannah at the Beach

When one thinks of coastal dining in Orange County, Huntington Beach is usually an afterthought, its presence dimmed by the shadows of the twin bastions of beachfront glamour known as Newport and Laguna. Admittedly, I am far too often trapped by this mindset, as I chiefly link food and “Surf City” in terms of quick convenience, since I only reside a few blocks from its eastern border. However, this pattern of thought is rather foolhardy, as its pier-anchored downtown area boasts many fabulous dens of culinary wonder. And as my wife and I found out recently, Savannah’s at the Beach beautifully reinforces the notion that an exceptional dinner on the coastline can indeed be enjoyed west of the Santa Ana River delta.

The first thing we noticed about Savannah’s is that it arguably has the best location in the downtown area. While it is nestled adjacent the base of the legendary pier, it is tucked below the level of both the street and the pier’s foot traffic, thus making it secluded from the bustling crowds and assorted riff-raff that tends to descend upon the region. When you add its beachfront outdoor patio and open, airy interior space to the equation, you get a venue that feels like an upscale seaside hideaway.
Since this ambience was impressed upon our psyche –and when you are mere steps away from the sand of Southern California’s most celebrated beach, such an impression is bound to occur – we felt it apropos to begin our meal with Savannah’s seafood-centric Sampler Platter. The appetizer, presented rather regally on a long, rectangular plate and accompanied by a lovely arrangement of intriguing dips tasty enough to make a tin of tartar sauce feel shame, contained enough oceanic goodies to constitute a meal in itself. The light, sweet flavor of the superb lobster fritters enabled them to stand out amongst the fried calamari, ahi rolls, and the coconut shrimp, which were still very good in their own right. Additionally, the presence of the tender and flavorful filet mignon skewers gave the starter a miniature surf’n’turf aura.

The meal’s prelude was so good, we felt compelled to extend the culinary plundering of King Neptune’s bounty through the main course. And just like the appetizer, our entrees proved that Savannah’s knows how to handle seafood in an expert fashion. The trio of pan seared scallops that my wife ordered was ideally tender throughout – an impressive feat given their imposing size was roughly that of table shuffleboard pucks – and its natural succulence was perfect when paired with the medley of mashed potatoes, corn, asparagus, and mushrooms that served as a soft bed for the mollusks. Meanwhile, the sea-farer dwelling within me was struck with intrigue at a chef’s special called Seven Seas Curry. The charm of the entree was immediately evident upon its presentation, as it came to our table concealed in a delightfully rustic bright red cassole that would have been right at home in the confines of my aunt’s kitchen cabinet. Inside the pot resided an all-star conglomeration of crab legs, shrimp, clams, and fish, covered in various stages of drench by a brown curry sauce, giving the dish the feel of a fine bouillabaisse or a cioppino with a Far Eastern twist. The thick, dense curry was not overtly spicy, which completely worked in this case, as it helped to enhance the natural flavor of the seafood rather than burying it. The accompanying dish of rice did well to further the Eastern sensibilities of the dish in addition to creating a nice texture to each bite.

Our gastronomic sensibilities returned to dry land long enough to share Savanah’s cointreau crème brulet for desert. The treat was light and refreshing custard, and its lemony zing contained enough of a counterpoint to the flavors of my entrée to give my palate a full, well-rounded workout. Certainly, it was a very lovely way to end a very lovely dinner.
The fantastic experience that we enjoyed at Savannah’s not only left us completely satisfied, but it left us rather enlightened, as well. Simply stated, Savannah’s delightful cuisine and atmosphere makes it impossible for us to completely ignore Huntington Beach when we have a desire to dine along the Orange County coastline going forward.

by Rich Manning
www.culinaryadventures.com