Savoring Savi lives up to its name

The name says it all. Located on 1324 Theater Dr. in Towne Centre, Savi Cucina+Wine Bar is the hottest new Italian restaurant in Mount Pleasant.

The decor is beautiful and refreshing, with artworks of dashing blue and white oysters. It’s a much brighter atmosphere compared to the dark reds and blacks of Napa, the former Italian restaurant Savi is replacing. In both restaurants, the bar is in the same location (right when you walk in) and had the same upscale restaurant feel. 

But you could tell the new owners of Savi opened up the seating space, adding an extra “wine room” behind the bar mainly for drinks and small appetizers, which is beautifully decorated with dark green lounges and gold accents.

My friends and I find the menu a bit expensive, being teenagers, but everything is worth it — from the fantastic service and atmosphere to the delicious food. It’s about 5:30, so we get the dinner menu. Savi is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and Sundays 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

For appetizers, we order the Burrata ($13.50), a fresh Italian cow milk cheese made from mozzarella and cheese. The Burrata came with pistachio pesto, prosciutto, arugula and spicy local honey on focaccia, but Savi presents a twist to the traditional burrata classic — it’s almost like a toast with all the different layers on top of the focaccia. Focaccia is a flat oven-baked Italian bread, similar to the texture of pizza dough. 

Afterward, we order the meatballs ($3 each) bathed in Pomodoro (tomato sauce), house-made ricotta and grilled “SAVI” bread. These are absolutely amazing — I had also tried the ones at Napa, but both are equally good. I am in love with the sauce on the meatballs, and there’s a lot of it in this dish. 

For our main courses, I ordered the Mediterranean Salad ($14.50). It’s one of the best Mediterranean salads I have ever had — so fresh, with roasted red peppers, olives, artichoke, tomato and white balsamic vinaigrette. Last, we all shared the Margarita Pizza, which is a thin crust, medium-sized pizza and one of the best I have had since living in New York. 

Overall, this restaurant is great if you are looking for a nice night out with your friends or family with outstanding, modern Italian food.