For almost 10 years, Savannah can lay claim to having hosted its fair share of sunset worshippers, its laid back atmosphere drawing in a wide mix of people that pass by this spot on San Antonio's hip Sunset Strip. As well as attracting a glamorous crowd from across the world, the place is also one of the nicest places to start the day. There is the classic English breakfast, trendy avocado and feta toast or the supremely healthy açai bowl. Looking out from this vantage point for me is one of the best early morning eating experiences there is.
The main difference between daytime and evening is the ambience. During the day, the vibe is chilled and relaxed and when evening starts and in the run up to that sunset, it's soothing chill out music. The tempo rises when the fiery ball dips below the horizon, with cool resident DJs, including live broadcasts on Ibiza Global Radio on Mondays and the famous Tuesday event headed by DJ Oliver. On the performance side and coming up soon is a the fabulous Barbara Tucker on 31 August and 14 September and then on 16 September, look out for a night of Lovely Laura's sweet saxophone sounds. Yes, you really could spend a whole day here.
The evening was when we found ourselves here to review Savannah and try the menu for that part of the day. This is a mix of tapas style starters (which you could have on their own), salads, wok dishes served with Japanese udon noodles and a set of classic dishes and grills. There's also a bit of a taste of Mexico here, with things like nachos, a Mexican salad and the hugely popular sizzling fajitas.
Wings of desire
So with all that in mind we got a selection of starters to share. We chose the chicken wings with yakatori sauce which my colleague raved about, because they were properly sticky, juicy very meaty and just what a decent wing should taste like. Then more juiciness with some tempura prawns and a delectable sweet chilli sauce, a kind of upmarket scampi and a whole lot better and very yummy. We also went for one of their salads, in this case a chicken Caesar one, topped with big pieces of the bird and that famous creamy dressing, here made into an art form.
Classic fare
For mains we had a selection of some classics, starting with the Savannah burger topped naughtily with bacon and cheese and handily some salad. A great bun on this patty and the chips were thin and crispy style, ideal for this poshed-up sandwich. The tuna steak came perfectly medium rare, which for many is a must and easy to get wrong. It comes perfectly spiced with black pepper, adding a touch of heat to the proceedings as well as a rocket salad with some tasty baby tomatoes. Steak fans will love the Argentinian fillet we had, nicely aged, tender and full of flavour and again served with that rocket and tomato salad combo. All I'll say is that my other colleague didn't leave much in his plate.
Time for pudding
Finally to desserts with lovely salted caramel profiteroles, adding a new dimension to this traditional dessert and a couple of their tasty home made brownies – all of which got ate up quite quickly. The brownies were moist and very lovely with the ice cream giving a nice balance to the richness of this dessert.
Other good things to know are that if you have children, there's a €7 menu just for them that includes a drink and an ice cream at the end. You might want to try one of their cocktail classes that are run regularly in the afternoons where you get to learn from their master mixologists. For my money, I'd love to learn how to make some of their excellent and very varied list of gin and tonics, but that might mean I never go home and well, I suppose I would have to at some point.
After this fine feast there was literally room for no more, so we sat back and listened to the sublime vocals of Barbara Tucker, singing some cool disco classics. Savannah has been around a while for good reason, with its mix of great food and entertainment creating the perfect Ibiza day or night out. We are sure you'll enjoy it as much as we did.
Quick Facts
What? Savannah
Where? Sunset Strip San Antonio
When? 11am to 4am everyday of the week from 1 May to mid October
Why? An original and cool Sunset Strip spot
Average spend per head? Around €50 for a starter, main course, dessert and glass of house wine
Veggie Options? There are vegan and veggie breakfasts, vegetable fajitas and a vegetable wok as well as a couple of the salads
Disabled Facilities? Yes indeed, plus there is parking nearby next to Mint Lounge for Savannah customers. Just show your receipt to the parking attendant when you leave.
Top tips? The evening entertainment and the sunset are well worth going along for. Also, booking a table is advised as the place gets very busy.
WORDS | Julian Heathcote PHOTOGRAPHY | Peter Young
