So, Cha Bella is one of the last few places in Savannah that I hadn't yet tried--not surprisingly, one of the more expensive too (hence the not having been there before-ness). But the ingenious Living Social daily emails offered a $70 voucher for only $35 to Cha Bella, so I snatched it up. With the next two weeks being totally packed (this weekend I have a volleyball tournament in Charlotte, then next Wednesday my mom and sister are coming to town for a long weekend), Gary and I decided to have a date night before the madness. Anyway, Cha Bella did not disappoint. Although we didn't get to sit in the dining area because they were booked (on a Sunday!), we sat at the bar area where the bartender/our waiter recognized Gary from playing flag football against him earlier in the day (small world!). They joked about the game (is flag football like Fight Club? The first rule of Flag Football is, you don't talk about Flag Football) and I ordered a red sangria (using fresh fruit they grow themselves, giving it a very citrus-y and refreshing taste, although I couldn't really taste the wine flavor!). Cha Bella's "thing" is that they are known for their sole use of organic and local produce. They use cheese from a dairy farm in Richmond Hill (didn't even know they had one!), have a farm where they grow their own produce, and have daily shipments of fresh fish and other meats. Gary ordered the short ribs with gnocchi, and it was truly cooked to perfection and the gnocchi were the biggest I have ever seen and the best tasting in the states (still can't beat my first gnocchi experience in Rome, but that's probably impossible to do anyway). My fish of the day, sea bass, was also cooked perfectly and definitely tasted fresh. However, truth be told, it was just a good piece of grilled fish, nothing special really--but I am totally spoiled because Gary makes A-mazing fish at home. Anyway, I should have went with my initial choice, the yellow fin tuna (cooked like a steak--Gary and I aren't brave enough to try that at home yet); guess I will have to wait for another Living Social or Groupon email! All in all, I would say Cha Bella is worth going to for a special occasion and I love their standard of using fresh, organic, and locally grown everything only. Very cool.
Brian & I just ate there, too, using our Living Social deal. Yum, yum, yum. I'm a fan of their Shrimp Risotto. They raise their own shrip & they are tasty. I love knowing where the food came from & am considering their organic box delivery. Have you tried?
ReplyDeleteFyi - Their outdoor patio (equipped with some couches) is a great spot for a drink & little snack in the summertime. You don't have to splurge in order to experience it.