Blowin’ Smoke reopened recently in its new location at the corner of Habersham and 33rd streets.
During its first five years on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Blowin’ Smoke primarily served BBQ, but the new menu is much broader and more inventive.
Reflecting the fresh business model, the restaurant is now known as Blowin’ Smoke Southern Cantina (http://blowinsmokesavannah.com).
Sol, a much-loved restaurant with a large clientele of regulars, previously occupied the comfortable indoor-outdoor space. Sol took over from Queeny’s, which opened in 2005. It’s almost unbelievable to remember that Queeny’s had to fight hard to get approval for the outdoor seating and liquor license.
Predictably, as soon as Blowin’ Smoke opened, neighborhood residents like me immediately began going there.
And going there again.
The Habersham corridor north of Victory Drive is home to a number of establishments that rely significantly on business from the immediate neighborhood.
And that means the residents also rely on the businesses, which serve as crucial points for sharing neighborhood information and forging new relationships.
I’ve been to the new Blowin’ Smoke twice so far – once for a late-afternoon bite at the small bar and then with friends for a more relaxed dinner outside.
The best items I’ve tried so far have been the Baja shrimp taco ($4), the smoked pork enchilada plate ($10) and the side dish of fried mac and cheese ($4).
Whether one is buying a full dinner or mixing and matching individual items, it’s easy to eat for $10 or so, before tax, tip and drinks.
In addition to all the basics, the bar menu offers some tempting specialty cocktails. The restaurant will also continue to host occasional live music, as it did on MLK.
Blowin’ Smoke is open every day from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at 1611 Habersham St.
The Brick House opened a couple of months ago in the former Blowin’ Smoke location on MLK.
Is there a future for food trucks in Savannah?
About two years ago, there seemed to be some real momentum behind the creation of an ordinance that would open the door for food trucks in Savannah.
Then the energy dissipated.
In an excellent guest editorial recently in this newspaper, attorney Dana Braun pushed the issue to the fore again with the example of Brittney Blackshear, who moved her business Crepe A Diem to Nashville because food trucks are allowed there.
Two weeks ago, The Tennessean did a nice feature on Blackshear’s snazzy new food truck.
My guess is many Savannahians are overestimating the business that food trucks would do here, but that’s no reason we shouldn’t have an ordinance that allows them.
Since those tentative efforts in 2011, food truck ordinances and policies have been created or expanded in a variety of cities that we could use as models, including Atlanta, Asheville, Charleston and New Orleans.
We can consult Atlanta’s ordinance for guidance regarding applicable state laws, and we can look closely at Charleston’s even-handed approach, which limits mobile vendors so that brick-and-mortar establishments are not unduly impacted.
I hear lots of ranting about how Savannah has “banned” food trucks, but that’s not true. There has been no vote to ban anything. We just haven’t crafted the necessary legal language.
Given the recent history of food trucks in other southern cities, it’s likely that Savannah’s elected officials would approve a finely tailored food truck ordinance.
But someone has to make the sustained push.
Transitory Facebook rants are generally not sufficient to change longstanding bureaucracies.
Of course, Savannah already has one food truck, of sorts.
The Slider Truck is operated by Bon Appetit Management Company, which handles food service for the Savannah College of Art and Design.
The truck is set up in SCAD parking lots from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. A recent article in SCAD’s student publication District noted that the food is only heated up on the truck, not prepared there.
It’s possible that some city official is already looking at a potential food truck ordinance, but we need a few engaged citizens to step up and present some ideas. Those folks could work through an existing business organization or just get together on their own.
Two years ago, crafting an ordinance would have been complicated and contentious. That process would be a lot easier today since so many cities have already tackled the issue.
City Talk appears every Tuesday and Sunday. Bill Dawers can be reached via billdawers@comcast.net and http://www.billdawers.com. Send mail to 10 East 32nd St., Savannah, Ga. 31401.