Always regarded as one of Athens' finest dining establishments, The Savannah Room at the Georgia Center "just got better."
The revamping started last September, when the restaurant completed major bodywork, with new decor and color scheme, furniture, wallpaper, and even sound and ventilation systems, the second such overhaul since The Savannah Room opened in 1989. Presently, new menus are in development for lunch, and both lunch and dinner menus now feature seasonal selections. Also, in January, the restaurant began selling wine and cocktails with the evening dinner menu.
According to Lisa Hood, who manages The Savannah Room, and Michael Swaim, the restaurant's executive chef, the changes and new directions add to an already high quality, pleasant experience.
"I think The Savannah Room is the nicest dining room in the Athens area," said Swaim, pointing out that taking care of customer needs is a strength of the staff.
"It is a unique place to enjoy lunch or dinner and to socialize with friends on The University of Georgia campus," said Hood.
Offering a range of gourmet foods, including light dishes and classic entrées, along with its appealing atmosphere, The Savannah Room has become a favorite restaurant of Georgia Center guests and University of Georgia staff and faculty, as well as of the Athens community.
Lunch is particularly popular, as the restaurant is often the place to meet on campus. "Reservations are strongly recommended," said Hood.
For lunch, the menu changes daily and includes a variety of appetizers, soups, and sandwiches, along with gourmet entrees, all served with a fresh garden salad and vegetables. Items are prepared to accommodate the customer's generally compressed time schedule. Favorites include Celestial Chicken, something many would say is aptly named, as well as Louisiana Seafood Cakes, Black Bean Soup, Brandied Pork Loin, Chicken Picatta, and the Georgia Club Sandwich.
"I am currently working on a new set of lunch menus; I want to have at least two sets to rotate in the spring/summer and in the fall/winter, giving guests more of a chance to enjoy foods of the seasons. An example of a spring/summer item would be Grilled Tilapia Anglese, which is a mild fish served on mixed salad greens and topped with chili butter. It's very light, and a 'fit' for the warmer months," said Swaim.
"For the fall/winter months, we'll have heartier and more robust food. But, some items will be on the menus all year," he said.
On the dinner menus, favorites include Grouper Nicoise, Grilled Shrimp and Scallops, Seafood Bisque, Filet Mignon with Wild Mushrooms, and French Onion Soup.
"The dinner menu is designed for food to be prepared as fresh as possible, with refined service. The menu plan is to take the diner from appetizer to soup to entree to dessert, where each course complements the other with interrelated themes. Again, the summer and spring menus feature lighter fare, with heavier, more substantial meals in the winter and fall," said Swaim.
Additional renovations may include switching the Georgia Center's kitchen from electricity to gas, which, according to Swaim, will "provide a more professional medium for 'a la minute' cooking."
Swaim's work recently caught the attention of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which profiled the chef in February (February 8, 1998, "Southern Chefs: Michael Swaim, Georgia Center for Continuing Education, University of Georgia, Athens," by Cat Mantione Holmes). In addition to featuring Swaim's culinary thoughts and skills, the article mentioned an apprenticeship program The Savannah Room and Swaim will begin this fall for the Center's assistant chefs - Kenneth Dover, John Hewlett, and Scott Kennedy. The program is in cooperation with the American Culinary Federation.
Also on both lunch and dinner menus of The Savannah Room is the Georgia Center dessert of legendary status, Strawberry Ice Cream Pie (featured in the Summer 1997 issue of the Georgia Center Quarterly).
Since its beginning, The Savannah Room atmosphere has been one of "casual elegance." The beginning of wine and cocktail sales this year brought an entirely new dimension. "We believe it is a positive addition to the dining experience," said Hood.
The Savannah Room offers a selection of fine wines by the glass and by the bottle, a selection of domestic and imported beers, cocktails, and after-dinner drinks.
Lunch hours are 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Dinner hours are 5:00 to 8:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Special occasion buffets, lunches, and dinners are also served from time to time, such as for Valentine's Day, Football Saturdays, Mother's Day, and others. Reservations are required for these occasions and are recommended for all other times; call 542-6341.
The Savannah Room also offers dinner buffets, in conjunction with the Georgia Center's Masters Hall Performances, a year-round cultural enrichment effort. For information about Masters Hall Performances and the dinner buffets, contact Teresa Nunn, Office of Special Events, Georgia Center for Continuing Education, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602-3603, 704-542-9464, Fax:706-542-5990, e-mail: nunnt@gactr.uga.edu.
For more information about The Savannah Room: Lisa Hood, manager, The Savannah Room, Georgia Center for Continuing Education, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30603-3603, 706-542-6341, or Michael Swaim, executive chef, Department of Food Services, Georgia Center for Continuing Education, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602-3603, e-mail: swaimm@gactr.uga.edu.
Web administrator: webmaster@gactr.uga.edu All contents copyright © 1998 University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education. All rights reserved. Last revised: Wed, Jun 17, 1998, 3:23:53 PM URL: http://www.gactr.uga.edu/gcwin98/savannah.html