We had planned on visiting Drew McLeod’s restaurant, Savour, for our tenth wedding anniversary this past February. Unfortunately, the pandemic got in the way. Members of the staff tested positive and the restaurant had to shut down for two weeks. While we were disappointed, we were glad the owners kept the health of both their patrons and staff as their priority. I finally got it rescheduled when I was planning our May “date night” which coincided with my birthday.
It was a wonderful evening. The staff was welcoming and very attentive. They had a “Happy Birthday card” on the table. We ordered a couple of glasses of prosecco and ordered our meal.
Teresa “Birthday Card” Yours Truly…
We started off with the baby iceberg wedge salad with heirloom tomatoes, bacon, gorgonzola crumbles, tarragon ranch, and tobacco onion strings. This dish is a personal favorite and Teresa indulges me by sharing it. They did a fabulous job. It was crisp and cold. The bacon and onion strings were both done right and everything was balanced. I was one happy birthday boy!
We shared the Florida blue crab cakes next. They were almost all crab and featured a green tomato chow-chow and charred jalapeño remoulade. Cooked to perfection and the flavors perfectly balanced again!
For our third course, we shared the Honey & Bourbon Beef “Burnt Ends.” A verbal description doesn’t do this dish justice. It features marinated and cold-smoked beef tenderloin, local mushrooms, caramelized onions, and grilled garlic ciabatta. Almost a perfect bite except that it almost demands you have some bread to soak up the sauce at the end.
For our main course, we had the pork loin special. Both the presentation and taste of this dish were exceptional. Teresa and I both agreed, this dish would be one of the five best we have ever had. As you probably know, we like to eat, so making our “top” list takes some doing.
We finished up with Savour’s “Adult” Key Lime Pie. This features fresh key lime, a Grand Marnier and Patron Silver custard, and a crushed walnut crust We had tried this on our first visit to Savour two years previously. It was well done, but not as good as we remembered. The pie was very tart. The sauce and cream could have been a touch sweeter to offset, but we enjoyed the dish just the same.
All in all, just a fabulous birthday meal. I always enjoy sharing a meal with my wife and she makes me feel like I am the center of the universe. I am sure the experience was enhanced because it was almost “normal” after the past year and a half. Savour Tallahassee has made the top of our favorites list.