Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser of Some Kinda Good in Savannah, Georgia, wishing everyone a ‘Top of the Mornin” from Lafayette Square on St. Patrick’s Day , March 17, 2015.
It’s that infamous time of year in The Hostess City when everyone, no matter who your people are, becomes Irish for a day. Since I met and married a bonafide Savannahian, my life has never been the same. On March 17 each year, come rain or shine, we will don our green and orange, raise our glasses, pack our picnic baskets and join the hundreds of thousands of others in the Spanish moss-covered oak tree city of Savannah, Georgia.
Benton Lee’s Steakhouse reopened its doors to the public in November 2007, after a grease fire burned the restaurant to the ground one year earlier.
Benton Lee’s Steakhouse Uvalda, Georgia
There are steakhouses, and then there’s Benton Lee’s. I have discovered the place to eat meat in South Georgia, y’all. If you’re looking for a good steak, stop your search right now and hop in your car for a drive through the country. Known for it’s large portions and family-centered atmosphere, the restaurant, with its wide front porch and back deck, overlooks the Altamaha River. For many reading this though, it won’t be a surprise. The locals of this community have enjoyed Benton Lee’s Steakhouse for 48 years.
❤ This guy makes my heart skip a beat.
Nothing says romance like eating gator nuggets while watching the sun go down over the Altamaha.
My good lookin’ husband, Kurt, and I drove over to the restaurant from Claxton, Georgia on a Friday night, just in time to catch the sunset.
The child’s portion of Gator Nuggets is $11.
We ordered gator nuggets to start, because that’s what you do when you live in The Fruitcake Capital of the World and no restaurant within a 30-mile radius has it on the menu. Much to my dismay, the gator served at Benton Lee’s is not wrestled and caught from the muddy waters of the Altamaha (ha!), but sourced from a gator farm in Odom, Georgia about 300 miles away. Gator has a tough and chewy consistency, but everyone should try it once. Our server said he liked it better than chicken, but I’ll stick with poultry (spoken like a true resident of Evans County).
My husband and I ordered the Sirloin for two (individually cooked) for $33. This is ONE portion.
The straightforward menu features steaks of all cuts and sizes, plus seafood–shrimp, oysters and catfish–chicken tenders and wild game like quail, gator and frog legs. Staples including hamburger steak, pork chops and chef salad also are available. We ordered the Sirloin for Two: each serving is individually cooked and is at least 12 ounces. In the causal atmosphere, tea and water are self-serve.
The beef served at Benton Lee’s is flown in from Utah.
The hand-cut fries are perfectly salted and crunchy. My steak was cooked to a medium temperature, juicy and just right. Tender and warm from the grill, the steak melts in your mouth. Beautiful grill marks make an appetizing presentation, and a standard salad and roll round out the meal. I am told that once upon a time Benton Lee’s Steakhouse hosted a competition where if you ate six pounds worth of beef, you would get it for free. I don’t understand why anyone would want to do this.
Eating at Benton Lee’s Steakhouse is like visiting your mama and ’em.
The patrons at Benton Lee’s Steakhouse are the same folks you see on the church pew Sunday morning, the moms of the elementary school drop-off line and dads of the community ball field. They’re Southern folks that do life together, that appreciate a good slab of beef when they see it. This is not an audience concerned about locally sourced ingredients, a five star plate presentation, house-made sauces or compound butters. They’re not seeking white tablecloths or organic produce, just a place they can go with the family in tow for a hearty meal and a break from cooking themselves. Down home, friendly and no nonsense. My kind of place!
Framed photos of celebrity visitors greet guests in the restaurant’s entryway.
Celebrity guests have included country music sensation Travis Tritt, the late actress Donna Douglas (a.k.a Ellie May Clampett from The Beverly Hillbillies TV Show), Troy and Jacob Landry from the History Channel’s Swamp People and Duck Dynasty’s Si Robertson. It doesn’t get more country than that, folks!
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The walls contain an eclectic mix of taxidermy and farm equipment familiar to the South Georgia region. An antique hand mixer and some old Coca-Cola bottles decorated the shelf above our table. Every booth and table in the restaurant houses everything you need – paper towels, salt & pepper, ketchup, steak sauces and hot sauce. A well-lit jukebox stands near the doorway. Attentive servers wear bright pink t-shirts displaying the “Don’t Tread On Me” Gadsden Flag.
A sign posted on the front porch of the property sums up the philosophy of Benton Lee’s well. Come hungry and come as you are.
New to Some Kinda Good?
Georgia native Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser is a freelance writer, entertainer and food enthusiast who writes and speaks about her love of good food and the Coastal South. A Season 2 Contestant on ABC’s “The Taste,” she is the former Statesboro Herald food columnist and past host of the television program “Statesboro Cooks.” From 2012 – ’14, she appeared regularly as Celebrity Chef at the Statesboro Main Street Farmers’ Market and wrote as a guest blogger for Visit Savannah and The Local Palate. In addition, her work is published in Moments magazine and Connect Statesboro. Her culinary accomplishments are recognized in two publications: She is a featured alumna in Georgia Southern Magazine (Spring ’14) and the “Go Girl!” in Moments magazine (March 2104), a tabloid for moms and modern women. To learn more, visit RebekahFaulk.wix.com/RebekahFaulk.
“The Pat Conroy Cookbook is more than just that. It’s a virtual ‘Ode to Joy.’ Read it; cook from it. You will eat better than you ever have in your life, and will know more about Pat Conroy, perhaps, than he would ever tell you.” – Anne Rivers Siddons
The news of author Pat Conroy’s death just yesterday evening (March 4, 2016), has wrecked me. Pancreatic cancer took him from us at the age of 70. To feel such a connection to a man I’ve never met, never looked in the eye or shook hands with is surreal. As we take in the tragic loss of one of the greatest writers to ever grace this earth, that feeling of closeness and sense of shared place is exactly what so many of Conroy’s fans are experiencing. Continue reading “Farewell to The Great Pat Conroy”→
Rebekah’s favorite book of all time (that’s saying something!).
Have a man close by when you read this one!
Fun read for an aspiring Food TV Host!
I’ve always been one to excel more at the reading and writing side of school–the arithmetic, not so much. There was a time in my life though, when I never read fictional books; I considered myself more of a realist who only read books I could apply to my life. I would read biographies, self-help books and books about others’ real life experiences, but didn’t have an appreciation for the wonderment or escape of letting my imagination run wild or getting to know characters conjured up by someone I’d never met. I look back at that old self now and think, “Live a little, sister!” Continue reading “Food & Fiction – Four Books Worth the Read”→
Champagne Cupcakes with Raspberry and Orange Buttercream Frosting is a “sweet” way to say “Be My Valentine.”
They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and with Valentine’s Day just a few days away, it’s time to get cookin’! All jokes aside, I don’t think there’s a better way to show you care than by cooking or baking for someone you love. I’ve got a special recipe to share today, and it’s exciting for two reasons: 1) It’s seriously Some Kinda Good (you get to bake with champagne!), and 2) It’s developed by a really inspirational person I had the privilege of meeting and competing with on ABC’s The Taste. Continue reading “Champagne Cupcakes: A Labor of Love”→
Guacamole is a mixture of avocado, onion, tomatoes, garlic and jalapeno.
Full disclosure: The first time I set out to make guacamole, I had no idea my avocados needed to be ripe. So, you can imagine my disappointment when I got home from the grocery store with all my ingredients, and sliced open my hard-as-a-brick, bright green avocados. Much to my dismay, the avocados needed a few more days to become soft and able to mash. Fast forward to today, and guacamole is one of my favorite appetizers to make. Continue reading “Your Go-To Guacamole Recipe”→
In a culinary destination like Charleston, South Carolina, finding a place to eat can be really overwhelming. With so many popular, highly acclaimed places to choose from and a lot of healthy competition, I can understand why I am often asked for restaurant recommendations. While it would take a lot more time than my year in Charleston to explore all the city has to offer, I did discover some pretty delectable dishes during my time there. These unforgettable appetizers and entrees from my culinary explorations are both classic and out-of-the-box, but they all possess one common denominator: Fresh food made with quality, local ingredients, presented in style. Continue reading “Best of Charleston: Top Eight Most Memorable Plates”→
I posted this tweet expressing my excitement last year on moving day bound for the Lowcountry.
Life is full of curveballs. One year ago on this very week, I was packing my bags for Charleston, so excited to begin my new job in a brand new city. I wrote to update you on my whereabouts; you may remember the post “All Things New in 2015; Some Kinda Good Greets the Lowcountry.” Today, I find myself packing yet again, this time for a city not-so-brand-new, and with feelings more somber than excited. Continue reading “When My Job Quit Me”→
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