Everyone raves about Mrs. Wilkes, but I thought the better Southern meal experience–though definitely Nouvelle Southern–could be had at Alligator Soul, just a few blocks away from Mrs. Wilkes. It’s located at 114 Barnard Street near the Historic District, in a nicely renovated cellar location–a repurposed granary with windows shaped like eyes, an architectural design that was once believed to create mojo to keep pests and thieves away.

The amuse-bouches of truffled ground beef in a beignet crust and the ancho-honey corn muffins were fantastic, as were the house salad with sundried tomatos, stone-fruit, and goat cheese and the fried green tomatoes appetizer with chipotle mayo and sweet pepper relish.

For mains, Samuel had the soft-shell crab and I had a beignet-crusted Southern chicken breast with a sweet/spicy dried peach bourbon reduction;  they were bursting with wonderful combinations and the portions are quite large for a gourmet restaurant (of course, this is The South.)

The menu changes frequently depending on what’s fresh in the marketplace, and the combinations are inspirational–one of the few meals I’ve had in the past couple years where I’ve stopped mid-mouthful to savor in amazement at the complexity of the flavors.  They offer chef’s tasting menus and wine flights for foodies.  Full bar, good wine list, and a great experience.

The couple next to us wasn’t happy however–their mashed potatoes were cold and there was some problem with their coffee–but they were a little older and I think expecting something conventional.

Anyway–highly recommend it.  Reservations are necessary; it’s definitely the hot joint in Savannah these days.  Oh, and the chocolate pecan pie with butter toffee ice cream was divine, y’all.