Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The Pita Cafe-"Mediterranean Food Perfected!"

Finally!!!

The Pita Cafe sits in Hoover, AL on highway 150  in a little shopping plaza across the street from
Wal-Mart. To think that I was about to let my dinner date talk me into pizza. HA! Thank goodness for my adventurous taste buds. There were not a lot of cars in the parking lot so we assumed they might be closed. But after going inside and being hypnotized by the aroma, we decided not to leave. Probably one of the best meals of my life.


Atmosphere: very charming, quaint, modest in size restaurant. Not huge, but not tiny  either. Just right.
They have 3 televisions featuring multiple programs at all times. Something for everyone.
Staff: Extremely friendly! Attentive and helpful.
What I/we had: The shrimp special- a plentiful helping of deliciously seasoned, grilled shrimp over a bed of wild rice, a fresh, crisp salad w/ house dressing (vinaigrette),warm pita bread and a side of hummus. My dinner date had the gyro special-sliced gyro meat with an AMAZING taste. This also came with rice and a salad, but with a wonderful gyro sauce instead of hummus. We shared banana pudding for dessert- also divine!
Price: $10.95 for the shrimp and about $9.95 & around $2.50 for the banana pudding.
On a scale of 1 to 10 I give The Pita Cafe a rating of ... drum roll, please........ 10!
#QualityMeal
I highly recommend this place. They put a lot of care and time in preparing their dishes and it shows in the taste. They also have a great kids menu & catering services. Keep them in mind for Super Bowl Sunday!
They do not have a website, but for more information:
The Pita Cafe is located at  2801 John Hawkins Pkwy Ste 137J Birmingham, AL 35244-4006
205-402- 7482




Tuesday, January 18, 2011

CHUY'S MEXICAN FOOD- Prepare your tastebuds!

1/15/11

Uh oh! My favorite Mexican restaurant had better look out! Chuy's is coming up the side lane fast and they just might take the lead in this race.
I must admit, the Summit shopping center is not my favorite place to be on a Saturday when there is good weather. However, my lunch compadre had heard nothing but rave reviews on Chuy's so I decided to give it a try. This ended up being one of the best decisions I have made all year. When we arrived we were told there would be a 35 minute wait on a table for 2. But within 5 minutes we were alerted that our table was ready. Thank goodness!! Because I was so hungry I would have eaten a table leg at that moment.
Atmosphere: at the peak of lunch time on Saturday, it was pretty busy. The decor was very unique lots of things to see. There was a car filled with salsa and chips in the bar area. It was too crowded to take a photo. (will add later). We had a great view of the lower level of the Summit.
Staff: Very friendly & knowledgeable. There were several servers on staff this day. The manager walked around a good bit as well. Everyone was doing something constructive.
What I/we had: I had the #5 combination-chicken chalupa & enchilada all the way with beans and rice. My friend had the 12inch chicken burrito with beans and rice. Both were topped with cheese and filled with "melt in your mouth" chicken. We also had  complimentary chips w/ chile con queso dip & freshly chopped salsa. The cheesy queso dip is VERY good. But watch out for the spicy kick. It's definitely worth the burn.
Price: Combined, our lunches were  a little over 20 dollars with one drink and one glass of water.
On a scale of 1 to 10 I give Chuy's Mexican Restaurant an 8.5
Want more info on Chuy's? Go to http://www.chuys.com/


Chips N  Dips

#5 Enchilada/ chalupa combo

View from the window

   
12 inch chicken burrito....umm bring a friend -
they should consider renaming this the "big foot"

 


Sunday, January 2, 2011

Nino's - "Truly Authentic Italian Food"

12/29/10
I have never had the pleasure of visiting Italy, but I would have to say that my recent  visit to Nino's  in Pelham, AL was the closest I may ever come. If you are in search of "real"' Italian food I'd say Nino's is the place. They have a wide variety of entree's and pizzas with over 2 dozen toppings, calzones & sandwiches. If you want your kids to eat healthy, they have great choices on the menu for the little ones. I would highly recommend this place- even for the picky eater in your family. If you are having a special event, check out the catering menu!!!
Atmosphere: Very charming, lots of Italian character, a very "like able" environment. There were several families eating dinner this evening.They have large screen televisions and they also broadcast many pay-per-view events.
Staff: One of the owners, Walter greeted us and made us feel like we were coming into his home to eat dinner. He, as well as the other staff, continued to walk around and either sit with or talk to all of the guests. They were all amazing. (Eli Gold, I am told, is a "silent" partner)
What I/we had: I had the chicken parmigiana w/ linguine. My dinner guest had the linguine & marinara sauce. We were also served a hearty basket of garlic bread. We also splurged for the Italian creme cake and Chocolate Ecstasy cake. The Italian creme cake was just okay, but the chocolate was insanely good.
Price: Chicken parmigiana $ 10.95, Linguine w/marinara $6.95, $4.95 & $4.50 for dessert. We had a $20.00 voucher from Livingsocial.com to absorb the bulk of our bill.
On a scale of 1 to 10 I give Nino's Italian Restaurant a 9.
I can't wait to return to this place. The staff & service is worth the return.
For more information & a full menu, visit http://ninos-pelham.com/
* Be sure to let them know you read this review.