17. Tortugas Island Grille

former Maryland residents, Anne and Craig Vaselaros, moved to Savannah a few years back, and recently opened a new restaurant, Tortuga’s Island Grille, in Thunderbolt. Tortuga’s mixes the serenity of an island getaway with a homey twist. The pale green walls decorated with various turtle art, as well as photos taken around the local marshes and beaches compliment by the fresh plants and flowers, cute mismatched tables, and array of displayed coffee mugs (here no two mugs are the same) give customers an enjoyable spot to sip their morning coffee. At breakfast, there is a wide variety of fluffy omelets and classic southern cooking to choose from. You can also try the homemade buttermilk biscuit, or English muffin Egg Sandwich that is topped with scrambled egg, your choice of bacon, ham or sausage, and melted cheddar cheese. Definitely don’t expect your typical McDonalds Egg McMuffin from this sandwich, it is warm and fresh, while the biscuits literally fall apart and melt in your mouth, putting the fast food breakfast distributors to shame. Also available in the morning is a wide variety of omelets ranging from the Western Omelet that features ham, cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses, Vidalia onions, as well as green and roasted red peppers, to the Thunderbolt omelet that is mixed with shrimp, spinach, and Monterey jack cheeses. All of their omelets are two eggs, cooked delicately to provide a warm fluffy shell for the toppings, served with a side of grits and a homemade biscuit. Though breakfast is outstanding, there is no comparison to their lunches. Tortuga’s is an excellent spot to run to for lunch rather than hitting up the local subways or fast food restaurants. The lunch menu has a variety of salads, including their Intercoastal salad, which is crisp lettuce topped with pineapple, grapes, grapefruit, and red onions sprinkled with toasted pecans with honey buttermilk dressing served on the side. Their panini’s put Panara Bread’s to shame by mastering a crisp buttery texture on the outside, and delicious fillings, like their popular Shrimp Panini, fresh caught shrimp matched perfectly with a sun dried tomato pesto on the inside. Though the salads and sandwiches are all outstanding, their Maryland Crab Soup is to die for. Rather than the popular cream based crab soups served in the area at places like Barbara Jeans, this soup is tomato based, with a mixture of perfectly cooked veggies including: celery, onions, potatoes, peas, green beans, and carrots, and topped off with old bay seasoning. This soup has quite a kick to it, so it is not for tamer taste buds. Through the dining experience the owners had great interaction with all of the tables, making sure that everyone was enjoying their meal. When asked where the odd name of Tortuga’s came from, the owner, Anne Vaselaros said “Tortuga’s came from our home state. The University of Maryland’s mascot is the Terrapin, which is a turtle. We chose to call our place Tortuga’s because it means turtle in Spanish, and sounds a bit more interesting than ‘Turtle’s Island Grille’” When asked how they ensure that their customers are happy and well taken care of, Anne replied “We employed an excellent wait staff, and by interaction by myself, my serves, and my chefs with the customers. After all, communication is the most important part of the hospitality industry.” Tortuga’s Island Grille is open Monday through Friday 7am-3pm and Saturdays 8am-3pm, and closed on Sundays. The average breakfast will cost you about $5-7, with lunches ranging from $8-11. Located on River Drive in sunny Thunderbolt, there are a few parking spaces immediately out front, with more parking available in the rear. Be sure to check this rising hot spot out.

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