Local 11 Ten

With plane tickets booked for Savannah and accommodation sorted in the city’s Old District, it was time to turn attention to places to eat. As it was a family trip rather than the usual solo jaunt, restaurant choices had to be carefully made so that anywhere we went met the needs of my children’s more conservative palates while I was looking for places that were more unique to Savannah and the South. With two teenagers we weren’t fussed about going to more formal high end places where there was a risk of them becoming uncomfortable. Most of all I’d hope they’d enjoy themselves and hopefully learn to appreciate what good food can be. I’d been allowed one evening to go out by myself and explore the menu that appealed the most to me. Looking through websites I narrowed my choice down to Local 11 Ten or A.lure who both offered tasting menus and an interesting a la carte. In the end, the visit to Local 11 Ten was selected for a family excursion.

Local 11 Ten is in the Victorian District and well away from where most restaurants are concentrated. It occupies an old bank building on the corner of Duffy Street and Bull Street one block south of Forsyth Park. The kitchen is run by Executive chef Brandy Williamson, a North Carolina native and their menu is based round locally available seasonal ingredients.

Our visit was preceded by a stroll south through Forsyth Park on a warm, humid evening that only leant itself to mild exercise. Presumably the locals were more used to the conditions because it was football training night and large groups of kids were being put through intense drills 

When we walked through the front door the restaurant seemed surprisingly busy even though it was early. The evening of our reservation coincided with a sale of the artwork on the wall combined with a chance to meet the artist. This provided some entertainment as we tried to figure out who the artist was while we waited for menus, drinks and starters.


A generous portion of crusty bread accompanied by whipped butter preceded our orders

The starter part of the menu is divided into four first and four second courses. The obvious choice for me was the seared sea scallops with peach preserves, pickled ramps, confit chilli-champagne vinaigrette and toasted almonds. While not the best looking plate of food, it was a good blend of flavours and textures. The sweet seared scallops were nicely caramelised and were predictably tender so the crunchy nuttiness of the almond was a great partner. The mild tasting vinaigrette had a subtle heat that built on the palate. The pickled ramps were possibly my favourite ingredient after the scallops and had a delightfully vinegary edge that lightened the sweet peach. This provided a persuasive argument that Local 11 Ten was my kind of place.

If further confirmation was needed then we didn’t have long to wait. I’d spent forever trying to figure out whether I wanted the duck or the octopus main.  Honey lavender Szechuan marinated duck breast served with mushrooms, pickled green beans, squash, courgettes and grapes turned out to be a thoroughly delightful plate of food. The dish was rounded off with a Szechuan infused red wine reduction. This was a collection of strong bold flavours that played incredibly well with each other. The rosy tender duck revelled in the company of the chanterelles and hen of the woods. The kitchen again showed their skill with pickled ingredients with the superb green beans. I’ve had bad experience with lavender and duck in the past but here the more muted lavender providing more subtle hints worked really well. My notes say the glaze was perfect and all in all this was excellent. Easily the best dish I ate in Savannah.

One of the lovely considerate touches at Local 11 Ten is their prime meats and seafoods menu. If you’re not sure about ordering the mains with their long, involved descriptions then it’s possible to order a main ingredient with a sauce and side of your choice. My teenage children are finding their feet with restaurants and this alternative was perfect for them. Even though it was a simpler approach the food was still very good. Another star of the menu could have been easily overlooked as it was relatively hidden on the menu amongst the sides. The smooth smoked cheese curd mashed potatoes were unbelievably good with their homely combination of creaminess with a strong hint of smoke.

There was no way we were leaving without trying dessert. The creamy blueberry cheesecake with blueberry compote was not as impressive as the previous courses but it was still a lovely way to wind down the meal.

I wasn’t sure about Local 11 Ten beforehand but came away a total convert. My one criticism is that the plates could use some attention to presentation but the food itself was excellent. The composition of the dishes was very thoughtful and the flavours worked together really well. The attention to detail is impressive when a side plate (smoked cheese curd mashed potatoes) is more impressive than the food we had in many other places.

 I loved the atmosphere of the restaurant. But huge credit goes to the wait staff who were friendly, knowledgeable and happy to chat so they made you feel really welcome, not something that I’ve noticed in many US restaurants.

Next trip to Savannah, Local 11 Ten is top of my list of restaurants to return to and next time I’m doing the tasting menu.

Overall Rating – 4.5/5