Common Restaurant
Ponzu Oysters (left) and Gin and Tapenade Oysters (Right) at Common Restaurant in Savannah, GA
For all my careful planning as a reviewer (and a diner), sometimes the best experiences happen by chance. Case in point: today I ended up in Savannah, and—unplanned—I had the opportunity to try @commonrestaurant for a late brunch. The happiest of happy accidents, and boy am I glad!
Quality service, energetic vibes
Obviously there’s something to be said for a leisurely meal, but Common has a much livelier vibe which really suits it down to the ground. The service was absolutely excellent, which isn’t a given with the quick pace of the food. For all that, not for a second did we feel rushed. It was a tough balance to strike, but Common struck it admirably!
But that’s not what you’re here for. You want the good stuff. So...
Here’s what we ordered:
Smoked Oysters Rockefeller - Sherry, creamed collards, pork belly, cheese. The combination was super creamy and delicious. I’ll warn you; these oysters were HUGE! Big enough that you’d almost need to eat them with a fork and knife.
Ponzu Oysters - Ponzu, mandarin, and pickled ginger. Wonderfully fresh, and one of my favorites from the meal. These start with a light and refreshing burst of mandarin, fade into ponzu, and finish on a strong ginger flavor. Gorgeous.
Gin and Tapenade Oysters - Another clean-tasting combination: nice crisp beginning that fades into a briney olive flavor. Really lovely.
Strawberry Shortcake French Toast – Say your prayers: this is bread pudding made into French toast with strawberry sauce. You’d think it would be overly sweet, but it really wasn’t. It was perfect, almost shockingly so. Tender interior, crispy exterior. Truly sinful.
King Lobster and Shrimp Roll – I must say, a very interesting sandwich. Delicious, but a few bites were more than enough. It featured fried Brussels sprouts instead of lettuce, which I loved, because they still had a bit of crunch in them. Frankly, the almost Asian-inspired sauce was very sweet. It wasn’t my favorite lobster roll, if I’m honest, but I’m glad I ordered it. Served alongside perfectly salted fries with nice, crispy edges. Can’t fault that.
Avocado Toast - A great avocado toast! It was light and bright, with a nice acid from the pickled onions, balanced by the sweetness from balsamic. The creamy, roasted feta was great, too. I personally didn’t pick up any lavender flavor from the salt, as advertised, but that’s me. All in all it was a very good avo toast, but at the end of the day, there’s only so much you can do to make it unique.
A pleasant surprise
Common wasn’t on my radar, but I’m definitely glad I stumbled into it. If you’re ever in Savannah and looking for a stellar brunch with exceptional service, definitely check out @commonrestaurant! You won’t regret it.
