HUEY’S ON THE RIVER: A SAVANNAH STALWART
By Mike May
In Savannah, Georgia, restaurant dining is taken to an entirely new level. In Savannah, meals are relished, not rushed; enjoyed, not engulfed; and savored, not swallowed.
In a nutshell, every bite to eat in many of Savannah’s leading restaurants is a gastronomical delight. In Savannah, dining destinations take eating (and serving) so seriously that they are ready to prepare not three, but four meals a day – breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. One of those dynamic dining destinations in Savannah — where the food is delicious, delectable, and affordable — is Huey’s On the River (hueysontheriver.net; 912-234-7385; 115 East River Street, Savannah, Georgia). Located in the heart of Savannah’s world-famous, cobbled River Street, Huey’s is named after Huey Pierce Long, the former, flamboyant governor of Louisiana. At Huey’s, you’ll find menu items which are a blend of New Orleans Cajun cuisine and true Southern cooking. Huey’s helps set the standard for serving and dining excellence in Savannah, one of the South’s most historical cities.
First of all, Huey’s is open seven days a week because people are meant to eat seven days a week. The feeding ‘frenzy’ at Huey’s starts with breakfast which is served at 7:00 am during weekdays and at 8:00 am on weekends. If you tend to sleep late, that’s not an issue since breakfast is served till 3:00 pm daily. Its world-famous beignets are also served every day, all day long at Huey’s, as you would expect of a restaurant with roots in the Louisiana bayou. It’s worth noting that breakfast has a strong Benedict-like and egg-like theme as you can order traditional eggs Benedict, crab cake Benedict, and fried chicken Benedict. With eggs, there are four types of omelets on the menu, as well as eggs Sardou, eggs Blackstone, steak & eggs, and catfish, eggs, & grits. With Savannah being in the South, you knew that grits would appear somewhere on the menu. And, as you would expect, grits appear elsewhere on Huey’s menu for lunch and dinner in the form of shrimp and grits. At Huey’s, shrimp & grits is one of the more popular menu items.
A popular drink at Huey’s is the bloody Mary, widely considered the best one in Savannah. That’s high praise, indeed. Other popular drinks at Huey’s include the Ghost Coast Mule, Cucumber Collins, Pineapple Express, Savannah Peach Tea, and the Huey’s Hurricane. Beer lovers should sample one of the four local craft beers on the menu: Service Compass Rose IPA, Tybee Island Blonde, Scattered Sun Belgian Wit, and Two Tides Six Foot Hazy IPA. Cheers!
For sandwich lovers, there are three delicious po boy sandwiches on the menu — shrimp po boy, oyster po boy, and the roast beef po boy. For those that need to know, the po boy is a popular sandwich from New Orleans, created in 1919 by the Martin brothers, which consists of a 6-inch long French bread, French dressing, lettuce, tomatoes, and a choice of meat or fried seafood.
If you want Cajun cuisine, it all starts with gumbo. It’s a must. The gumbo is so good that you can taste every ingredient with every spoonful. Mmm mmm good! Gumbo is served as an appetizer in a cup or a bowl. At Huey’s, you can order back-to-back bowls of gumbo, which would be a meal. In keeping with Savannah’s Southern spirit, you are allowed to substitute the rice for parmesan grits with the gumbo. Adding a side dish of those delicious fried green tomatoes would be a wise decision, too. The fried green tomatoes are as delicious as the movie by the same name is entertaining. Other Cajun classics at Huey’s which will tantalize your taste buds and satisfy any hunger pains are shrimp creole, shrimp or crawfish etouffee, pasta jambalaya, shrimp & scallop thermador, and red beans & rice.
If you have room for dessert, they will be worth every bite and calorie. The key lime pie, bread pudding, pecan pie, praline cheesecake, and its beignets are all house-made, there in the kitchen at Huey’s.
Clearly, any trip to Savannah would be incomplete without a visit to a classic dining destination. And, Huey’s On the River fits that description as it would clearly be a great choice if you want to relish, enjoy, and savor your next dining experience – whether it’s breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.
