Walking into 441 Public Kitchen and Bar. A great atmosphere and friendly service are things that you can find at many restaurants in Statesboro, but 441 Public Kitchen and Bar offers a unique dining experience.
“What we do here is special because we do it all ourselves. It’s a very personal experience… We make everything from the hamburger bun to the condiments…we ground the beef and make the broths for soups,” said the owner of the restaurant Alabi.
Being in the kitchen is nothing new to restaurant owner, Seni Alabi. Alabi’s previous restaurant, South and Vine Public House unfortunately burned down but he didn’t let that stop him from starting fresh. Although Alabi hasn’t had any background education or lessons, Alabi has been cooking since he was a young boy.
“I’ve been cooking since I was about 8-years-old. I’d be in the kitchen with my grandma and momma stand on a step stool. Breaking down crabs, chickens, peeling shrimp, chopping stuff. It’s just normal to me,” said Alabi.
Along with making almost all of the food from scratch, the menu changes from day to day. But don’t worry, there is a tight menu of meals that don’t change. Some favorites that will always be able include shrimp and grits, roasted chicken, gumbo, cornmeal fried shrimp and the classic burger.
Dining at 441 Public Kitchen and Bar will make you feel like you’re not in Statesboro anymore because Alabi incorporates many cultures into his cooking.
“You will find selection from various cultural backgrounds .You will find classic American dishes, Creole, Southern, Italian, Asian influence, Caribbean, classic England, West African,” said Alabi.
Alabi said the kitchen and bar tries to cover the gamut of cuisines thoroughly. They [the specials] won’t be there constantly but there will be a constant flow of specials that will be available. Customers don’t know what they will get on a given night.
The price range averages from $10-$15 for small plates and $15-$30 for the entrees. Occasionally the prices can exceed that limit for luxury items. Alabi said he won’t be focusing the more expensive plates though because he tries to keep everything as affordable as possible.
Drinks
The kitchen & bar doesn’t stop at their amazing menu. The drinks are made special to match the tone of the menu that night.
“Pairing drinks with food doesn’t necessarily have to stop with wine. You can pair [food] with beer, cocktails. You just have to have someone willing to go that far in the bar program. And we definitely are,” said Alabi.
The owner tries to stay away mainstream drinks. You won’t find domestic and light beers on the menu, but you will find beer from the local brewery in Statesboro. 441 Public Kitchen and Bar serves whiskeys, bourbon, gins and craft cocktails made with fresh juice.
The Private Experience
Something new that 441 Public Kitchen and Bar offers is a private dining experience. This isn’t something offered in any restaurant in Statesboro.
“We have the ability now, which we didn’t have at the old place to soft of tailor the experience to your needs… We like to keep it small, 50 people or less…If you can work within those numbers we can have some pretty unique food experiences for catered events upstairs.”
For customers that want a more intimate experience, the chefs table is available. It’s something that wasn’t available at the old restaurant.
“The really neat part is the ability to do a chef’s table…where you can have up to 12 people where I make a custom menu for you and your guests personally. I will get to cook for your party with wine beer drink parings.”
Seni said that there are no limits at the chefs table, it’s just how adventurous you want to be.
The opening date of 441 Public Kitchen and Bar has not yet been named, but it isn’t far away.
“People are really anticipating the opening. It’s very important to do it right and do your best job possible. People have waited quite a while for this; I’ve been waiting quite a while for this. To get to this point and rush it and not give people the best possible experience I think would be a disservice to a lot of loyal and hungry guests,” said Alabi.
The 441 Public Kitchen and Bar is located on South Main Street and has a little more adult feel to it than the previous restaurant.
“This is a little more grown up atmosphere than what we came from but that doesn’t change the come as you are is always the policy. Everyone’s always invited and welcome. You don’t have to get dressed up to come and hangout with us,” said Alabi.
441 Public Kitchen and Bar really appreciates the support students and the community has given them. Alabi and his restaurant is in here for the long-run and coming back stronger than before. Make sure you stop by and get the full 441 Public Kitchen are Bar dining experience for yourself!
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