The PubScout is highly impressed with Savorez, where local fare meets Latin flair.

“Get ready to enjoy a foot-stompin’, handclappin’ experience!” read the blurb about Thalian Hall’s presentation of Oklahoma! here in ILM for 10 days.

As a belated anniversary present, I thought it could be a perfect choice, in that the show has been one of the Missus’ favorites ever since she first saw Rodgers and Hammerstein’s very first musical.

So ingrained is the show’s music in her that she needs only to hear the word “Oklahoma” and she busts out into the song for which the show is famous.

It’s pretty funny (well, except for that one time at the funeral of the guy from Stillwater). But I purchased the tickets anyway, and I planned an evening in the Port City to celebrate our first date, back when the Sooner state was still an Indian Territory.

And it was a foot-stompin’, handclappin’ night, for sure. But that happened long before the curtain went up.

To make it a complete night, I looked for a good restaurant within walking distance of the famous theater. There were quite a few, but I was drawn to a Yelp review of a place called Savorez. Something like, “If you’re ever in ILM, don’t leave without trying this gem.”

The gem — and it is every bit of that — is a place with a Latin flair in a small corner building that you might overlook. And it’s just steps from Thalian Hall.

So we parked on the street — free after 5 pm — and went, somewhat concerned, into Savorez, as it was virtually empty. “Not a good harbinger,” I thought to myself.

Wrong.

We sat down at a table in the back, amid some very colorful artwork on the walls, including a few skulls and a raft of awards the place had garnered. Its owner and Head Chef is Sam Cahoon.

The Missus ordered a glass of wine, and I got a beer I’d enjoyed previously from Brunswick Beer and Cider in Leland called Sunny Point IPA. If (when) you go, remember that choice, as it paired absolutely perfectly with every dish we had, save for the Drunken Pineapple dessert. More about that later.

For starters, we ordered tapas appetizers of Vegeta Comida for her and Langousta y Coco for me. I’m not ordinarily a lobster lover, but it sounded good, and anticipating a foot-stomping experience at the theater, I said, “What the heck?” and tried it.

Madre de Dios!

The flavors were incredible. Tender pieces of lobster in layers of wonderfully commingled ingredients that delighted the palate. A lobster ceviche in a citrus coconut ginger marinade with avocado, cilantro, onion and red bell peppers — outstanding!

And four small corn tortillas ready to hold an array of coconut rice, black beans, maduros, salsa fresca, citrus cabbage slaw and avocado. I’m not an avocado fan, either, but there wasn’t a piece left in my dish when Nolan, our server, came to remove it.

We didn’t think our entreés could be better than our appetizers.

We were wrong.

The Missus ordered Vegan Rellenos, a quinoa and black bean stuffed poblano, pan fried, served with salsa fresca, coconut-chipotle aioli, avocado, pickled cabbage and carrots, coconut rice and sweet potato puree.

I could see her leg getting ready to stomp. And had she not eaten the appetizer and some of those homemade tostadas (for which we could not learn the ingredients), she might have actually finished her dish. And as we were headed for the theater, a doggie bag might not have gone over well with those seated near us.

I went for the Shrimp and Grits, although technically speaking, they were shrimp and goat cheese polenta. Very different and really exceptional! Eight grilled shrimp with chorizo gravy, goat cheese polenta, black beans, pickled corn, jalapeno-lime, pea shoots and oven dried tomatoes.

My feet began to tingle. And by this time, the small, previously empty place was packed. Again, the locals know where the food is best.

And when we finally decided we could do dessert, the foot-stomping was imminent.

For her, an utterly amazing Chocolate Chile Flan, and for me, that Drunken Pineapple I mentioned earlier — rum-glazed roasted pineapple, coconut ice cream, honey-chile-lime gastrique and sweet potato chips.

Blew our doors off — and our minds.

And, fully sated, we do-si-do’d and foot-stomped all the way to Thalian Hall.

Albeit somewhat less vigorously than the full company finale of Oklahoma!

By the way, if you’re near the Missus when she reads this, don’t be startled.

Want to go?
Savorez
402 Chestnut Street#4026, Wilmington
(910) 833-8894
savorez.com