This installment of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s monthly coastal dining roundup covers a new Savannah restaurant that brings together traditional southern and Korean cooking and a new casual restaurant and bar in Savannah’s Thomas Square neighborhood.
West Broad Bandshell now open on MLK in Savannah
West Broad Bandshell, which specializes in a fusion of traditional southern and Korean cooking, opened in early March on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. The restaurant’s tagline is “Where Soul Meets Seoul.”
“We thought there was good Korean food in Savannah, and we thought there was good soul food, but we wanted to mash the two together,” said co-owner William LaFlower, who also owns Bandana Burger in Habersham Village in midtown.
The West Broad Bandshell menu, developed by the ownership team of LaFlower, Michael Yoon, Tanika Hamilton and chef Romie Cummings, includes entrées like Korean short ribs with root vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes, blackened catfish with a soy lime butter sauce and Korean-style fried chicken with a gochujang honey glaze on the side. Appetizers include Korean corn dog bites and kimchi pancake wedges.
The bulgogi-marinated burger called the Union Station is one of the restaurant’s many nods to neighborhood’s rich history. The establishment is just a block from the site of the grand train station that was demolished to make way for the I-16 exit ramp. For decades in the first half of the 20th century, West Broad Street, which was later renamed in honor of King, was a vital corridor for African American culture and commerce.
Credit: Bill Dawers for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Credit: Bill Dawers for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
LaFlower said that including “bandshell” in the name is to foster a new “third place” and honor the music history of the area. There’s a stage in the main dining room, plus a large courtyard that will be opening soon. A plaque honoring King Oliver (1881-1938), the jazz legend who mentored Louis Armstrong and spent his final years in Savannah, is mounted to an exterior wall.
Bandana Burger, which is open as late as 5 a.m., played a pivotal role in the creation of West Broad Bandshell. Yoon first met LaFlower when Yoon brought a food writer from another publication to check out Bandana Burger. Yoon and LaFlower became friends, decided to go into business together and began talking about a concept that would combine southern and Korean food.
Cummings and Hamilton, whose mother was Korean, are well known around Savannah for their food truck and catering business Tanika and the Chef. They were regular late-night customers at Bandana Burger and had also been considering a concept that combined southern and Korean cooking.
After Hurricane Helene caused extensive damage to Cummings and Hamilton’s house, LaFlower and Yoon stepped up to help, which set in motion the partnership that led to West Broad Bandshell.
West Broad Bandshell recently launched a special Sunday menu that focuses on the southern classics that Cummings remembers from his childhood in Savannah.
“People miss that grandma feeling in the food,” Cummings said.
The owners are also partners on a coffee shop adjacent to the restaurant. Named for Agatha Christie, Orient Espresso is expected to open soon although an opening date has not been announced.
West Broad Bandshell. 514 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Savannah. 912-777-5479, Instagram: @_westbroadbandshell.
Credit: Bill Dawers for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Credit: Bill Dawers for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Rome’s brings unique menu to Savannah’s Thomas Square neighborhood
After a soft opening at the beginning of the year, Rome’s in Savannah’s Thomas Square neighborhood held its grand opening in early March.
The bar and restaurant, which occupies a small commercial building that has seen many uses over the years, sits on a quiet stretch of Montgomery Street but is just a few blocks from the bustling Starland district along the Bull Street corridor.
Co-owner Jerome Steele, formerly a bartender at the James Beard-nominated Lone Wolf Lounge, said that the main goal in developing the food menu was “to bring unique food that’s not offered in other places.”
Credit: Bill Dawers for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Credit: Bill Dawers for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The pierogies, which can be ordered as an appetizer or side dish, are filled with potato, onion, cheddar and dill. They’re served with sauerkraut and sour cream.
Named for a mayor of Providence, Rhode Island during Steele’s childhood, the Cianci is a sandwich with a chicken cutlet, house-made gravy and a blend of cheeses.
Several of Rome’s signature cocktails also reference Rhode Island, including the Narragansett Cooler, Newport Bridge and Rhode Island Red.
“I’m hoping the neighborhood flourishes with new businesses to give (residents) more of a reason to enjoy where they live,” said Steele, who said that he wants to cater especially to locals and industry service workers.
Rome’s. 2310 Montgomery St, Savannah. Instagram: @romes.bar.
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About the author: Bill Dawers is a freelancer based in Savannah. A native of Frankfort, Kentucky, he lived in St. Louis and Philadelphia before moving nearly 30 years ago to Savannah to enjoy the city’s quirks, charms and beauty. He also teaches at Georgia Southern University.
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