Back
in October of 2012, the gang of four (Terry, Ellen, Richard and
I) set off on a journey to Savannah, Georgia. The adventures were
chronicled here on the In My Backpack web site, and also
included in my 20016 travel book (Something
Old, Something New).
In
the heart of Savannah is an absolutely legendary hidden treasure,
Mrs.
Wilkes’ Dining Room. I have said, on several
occasions, that this restaurant is… bar none… the best restaurant
I have ever set foot inside. Brilliant. Outstanding. Delicious.
Incredible. In summarizing of our lunch, I stated that our one
visit featured several of the greatest meals I have ever eaten.
(And honestly, it might not even be close.)
I
recently heard from a very special lady about her experience reading
my book, and I was grateful for her kind words. She made several
wonderful observations, but one in particular nudged me to action.
It was pointed out to me that I didn’t really describe much of
what happened at Mrs. Wilkes’.
And
so… I’m offering this up as a way to step back in time a bit.
I grabbed my original notes, reviewed a few things, and set off
for 2012 and Savannah…
~
~ ~ ~ ~
I
am convinced that one of the greatest resources any traveler could
benefit from is the average person right there on the street.
And such a resource is, sadly, far too often never acknowledged
or explored.
The
premise is simple enough. As an example – You’ve spent the morning
doing something… shopping, visiting an attraction, walking around
gazing at sights… and it’s almost lunch time. Walk up to a cashier
at the shop… the front desk representative at your hotel… a park
ranger… and ask some version of:
“We’re
out here on vacation. If you were getting ready to head to lunch
nearby, what place would be the best to stop at that I won’t
find near my home?”
Yes.
I’ve simplified things here. It works best when you have established
some type of connection with the person you’re asking as opposed
to someone you blindly approached. The question can also be modified
for any dining, sightseeing, and more. But I think you get the
idea. People that live and work in an area know more about that
area than someone around for a few days.
And
so it was that on the afternoon of October 2, 2012, Terry, Ellen,
Richard and I found ourselves in a gift shop on Bull Street. We
had been to a nice railroad museum, a breathtaking cathedral,
and moved around to a variety of places in Savannah. Mom has trained
me well—always take a moment for any store themed to Christmas—and
we are looking around one last place before heading off to lunch.
The connection is made…
We
have selected a few items for purchase, and while bring them to
the counter and looking around just a bit more, we have an ongoing
conversation with some of the people working there. Turns out,
we all share Rhode Island in our history. We talked and laughed
and exchanged all sorts of observations and stories. And then…
we were ready to head off to lunch. But not before they asked
us a question:
“Are you going to Mrs. Wilkes’?”
A
brief detour…
If
you were to sit down at your computer right now, pull up your
favorite search engine, and look for the best things to do… the
must things to do… or some variation of that idea for Savannah,
Georgia, you will get:
Referrals to trolley tours
The Savannah Bee Company
Details about all of the historic squares
Details about all of the historic mansions
Forsyth Park
Hanging moss
River Street
We
could go on, but the general idea I want to establish is that
even with an occasional mention of Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room to
come across… you are going to find other places noted more prominently,
and are actually far more likely to find restaurant information
for The Lady & Sons. And dear lord, in my opinion, such misinformation
and poor references as presenting the Paula Deen landmark over
The Wilkes House should be punishable with jail time.
I
have no clue how we entered Savannah without knowing about Mrs.
Wilkes’ Dining Room. But I have looked around since we’ve returned,
and I cannot find a way to be certain it was our fault for not
knowing of it. And yet, because of a casual conversation with
some area residents, that wove in and out and around several topics
before arriving at heading off for lunch, there we were, presented
with:
“Are
you going to Mrs. Wilkes’?”
On
that day, we were not. But we were curious and had another day
or two in the city. They filled us in on most of the details and
told us to arrive early. These notes were much appreciated, as
apparently Mrs. Wilkes’ was able to pull off a few quite unique
and amazing business practices. For your consideration:
(1)
Cash only. Credit cards are not accepted.
(2)
Hours of operation cover fifteen hours. (Each week. No, really.
Just fifteen hours of open doors every week. Open Monday through
Friday, from 11am to 2pm. Closed on weekends. Closed in the
evenings. Closed for the month of January.)
(3)
There is a menu section on the Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room web
site. You will never be handed a menu inside.
(4)
If you are in line an hour before the 11am opening, you might—stress
might—be seated before noon. (I cannot prove it… but
I would advise you that it’s worth believing if you are even
thinking of going: if you are in line at or after the 11am opening,
keep your fingers crossed that you’ll get inside. (Yes. Get
there early.))
We
arrived for our meal of a lifetime on Wednesday, October 3, 2012.
I dropped off Terry, Ellen and Richard before parking the car.
The clock had not yet reached 10am by the time I joined them in
a line that was beginning to wind along down the sidewalk on West
Jones Street.
While
we couldn’t be certain, a quick estimate of the number of people
ahead of us created a feeling that even on a beautiful autumn
Wednesday morning, having arrived more than an hour ahead of opening,
we might not make the cutoff for the first seating. By 11:15am,
we had reached the doors and were part of the last table filled
for the initial service of the day.
I’ve
been trying to decide how to describe the interior of Mrs. Wilkes’
or the experience of the meal service. And it’s not because there
are no words. Instead, it’s because offering up a list of those
words begin with expressions of comfort… pleasantries… caring…
and, in essence, almost a family reunion being held at a place
quite familiar to every person attending.
For
example… let’s head to Walton’s Mountain. Did you ever watch The
Waltons?
Seven
children in that family. Small town folks in Virginia, where everyone
knew each other by name. Running a family lumber mill. Living
together in a big house, trying to survive and make things better.
Now
let’s move away from The Waltons as a show, and if you
can just try to picture that family… seven children… and that
setting a generation later, gathering in that home for a meal.
It’s a place they had been in so often that numbers could no longer
count the hours spent inside. And for this meal, with husbands
and wives and children and so on, there could easily be two or
three dozen people arriving at that home.
Tables
would be set up wherever they could fit… most of the chairs might
not match… the food would be served, would be hot, and there would
be plenty of it. Smiles… laughter… great food and good conversation.
And
with such an image, welcome to Mrs. Wilkes’.
When
you arrive in the dining area, you will be seated at a table with
others. Just about every table is set for ten, and I think chances
are very good that your party won’t be that large… meaning you
will get to meet some wonderful people that will be dining with
you.
I
remember each table as being a bit different. Meaning everything
at one table would match from the place settings to the chairs,
but the tables nearby had a slightly different look and arrangement.
I recall a rectangular or oval table next to a larger round table.
Chairs that matched for one group did not match those for the
next. Yet it all worked. It all seemed perfectly in place. And
it all created a warm atmosphere… one that almost said the hosts
welcomed the additional people and simply found a way to have
a seat for everyone in their home.
The
food defies the proper superlatives. It is delicious. It is amazing.
And it has a way of making you feel wonderful beyond any comfort
food you could imagine.
Officially,
there is no menu. You will not be presented with anything to order.
The biggest decision you may have to make is what to drink… and
that means sweet tea or water. (Ok… I believe it could also mean
unsweetened tea. But it arrived in pitchers and you made the selection.)
Once
your table has settled in, the food begins to arrive. Entrees
and side dishes and biscuits and more. A general rundown from
our day: friend chicken, meat loaf, beef stew, pulled pork, green
beans, turnip, squash, black-eyed peas, carrot salad, collard
greens, red rice, okra, mashed potatoes, corn bread, and… about
two dozen different items were served between the main course
and dessert. (I need to mention the banana pudding and blueberry
cobbler.)
The
experience is a celebration of quality and comfort and food and
friendship. And I cannot stress that word comfort enough. There
is nothing flashy or shouting for attention. It’s a place where
“family-style” captures more than passing food around the table.
Family-style is the entire visit from the moment you step inside
until you leave.
As
I sit to write this, it’s been more than four years since I joined
my friends for a meal at Mrs. Wilkes’. If I close my eyes I can
remember the arrival of the food at the table… I can see the faces
of those sitting with us… and I can feel myself moving around
after, as we paid our bill and purchased copies of the signature
cookbook, knowing it was time to go but feeling something pulling
me to stay.
More
than anything else, I remember taking it with me in a way I had
really never encountered on any vacation before. This was a welcoming
place, where it seemed like you belonged. I may not recall the
decorations on the walls… I do know that I felt as if I was joining
a family for dinner. Much more than a restaurant, Mrs. Wilkes’
offers the culinary equivalent of a hug, which is no small achievement.
I
don’t know that I will ever go back again. Not that I wouldn’t.
If offered an opportunity, I would gladly sit down for another
helping or two. I simply don’t see how any future visit could
match the magic of that October day with good friends, both long
known and just met.