Mellow Mushrooms Opens its Patios; Introduces New Spring Menu

 

Hey Birmingham! Grab your sunglasses and appetites!  Mellow Mushroom has opened its patios and introduced a new Spring menu just in time for outdoor dining season, with items available for a limited time.  Guests can get outside and safely visit one of Mellow Mushroom’s patios to enjoy stone baked pizzas, fresh salads, craft cocktails and cold beer under the sun or the moon.

Every Mellow Mushroom patio is unique, just like the restaurants themselves.  Some patios feature bars.  Others, like Washington, D.C., and Nashville, have rooftops that offer outdoor dining with majestic city views.  On many Mellow patios, art plays an important role, for example, in St. Louis, guests will find a 60s inspired LOVE sculpture installation.  In Durbin Park, Fla., the patio is guarded by a Jaguar mural.  And in Brier Creek Raleigh, a submerged Poseidon sculpture provides some whimsy for outdoor patrons.

 “With warmer weather, Mellow locations see a spike in demand for patio seating,” said Anne Mejia, Mellow Mushroom Vice President Brand Development.  “New this Spring are some delicious menu items that are a perfect match for outdoor dining.” 

 The new Spring menu items are available from April 13 through June 14, 2021 and include:

 

Bacon Blue Wedge Salad – A wedge of iceberg lettuce, freshly cooked and crispy Applewood-smoked bacon, chopped tomatoes, bleu cheese crumbles and bleu cheese dressing.

Merry Prankster Pie – An herb aioli base topped with hormone-free Springer Mountain Farms chicken, Italian sausage, freshly cooked Applewood-smoked bacon, garlic, roasted red peppers, green bell peppers, mozzarella and Wisconsin-aged white cheddar, and finished with an herb aioli drizzle.

Campfire Peach Margarita –  An elevated take on a margarita, it combines Casamigos Blanco Tequila, Casamigos Joven Mezcal, house-made agave sour, peach puree, jalapeno and garnished with a lime wheel and half rim of Mellow Mushroom’s custom peach sugar salt blend.  The mezcal, peach, and jalapeno create the perfect blend of sweet and smoke for a delicious cocktail.

Maui Wowie – A pesto base with mozzarella, ham, pineapple, jerk chicken, banana peppers, and Applewood-smoked bacon.

For more information about Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers and to view the full menu of munchies, salads, pizzas, calzones, hoagies and more, go to MellowMushroom.com, follow on Instagram @MellowMushroom, like on Facebook at Facebook.com/MellowMushroom, or follow on Twitter @MellowMushroom.

920 Inverness Corners

Birmingham, AL 35242 

(205) 981-9914

1200 20th St South 

Birmingham, AL 35205 

(205) 212-9420

Thanks for reading & sharing! 

Breezy Sunday Afternoon At The Refinery Birmingham

 

 

Let's face it. It's been a long and trying 12 months. Being away from friends and family has been a challenge. Not being able to do a lot of the things we enjoy has taken it's toll but we've adjusted. 

Since many restaurants have safely reopened with #Covid19 safety protocols in place, I decided to venture out to a suggested local spot to catch up with a long time friend.

The Refinery Birmingham, is a quaint little spot located right in the heart of Birmingham's Lakeview District. 

The interior of the restaurant features bar and also bistro style seating. This establishment is large enough for a modest crowd.

We arrived right at opening time in order to get our choice of seating for a lengthy conversation. 

 

It was a beautiful, sunny day so we opted for a patio seat to soak up some of Birmingham's finest sun rays. 

We decided to split the Baked Mac & Cheese: Cavtappi pasta baked in a 3-cheese bechamel sauce, topped with bacon & chives. 

My companion had the French Dip Sandwich: Succulent sliced roast beef, sauteed mushrooms &  provolone cheese served on cubano bread with a side of warm au jus for dipping. To drink: A Key Lime Martini.

 

 

 

I decided to have the Turkey Club: Deli sliced turkey with bacon, provolone cheese, arugula and stone-ground dijon mustard on a fluffy croissant.(tomatoes were eliminated by request) This is indeed one of the best sandwiches in the city.👍 Their amazing waffle fries were definitely a hit. To drink: A classic mimosa. 

 

Overall, the service was great. The atmosphere on the patio was very nice due to social distancing. It was not too crowded inside or out. 

We will definitely revisit The Refinery to try some of the other tempting menu items.

 

For more information on The Refinery, visit their website at https://www.therefinerybham.com/. 

 

Thanks for reading & sharing! 

The Birmingham Restaurant Raider

Est. 2009 

#RaidBham

 http://birminghamrestaurantraider.blogspot.com/

 

Celebrate National Margarita Day with Mellow Mushroom

Mark your calendars and pull up a seat to the bar. National Margarita Day is Monday, Feb. 22, 2021 and Mellow Mushroom has a selection of margaritas made with premium tequilas featuring unique flavor profiles for margarita lovers everywhere.

 To celebrate National Margarita Day, Mellow Mushroom guests at participating locations can enjoy a $10 large cheese pizza to pair with their favorite margarita. 

Mellow Mushroom offers three versions of its classic RB Margarita.  All three versions begin with a traditional margarita recipe featuring premium ingredients – Casamigos Tequila, Bauchant Orange Liqueur for extra richness, and a house-made fresh agave sour.  By customizing the tequila in each margarita version, Mellow Mushroom has created three  unique flavor profiles.

 

• The RB Margarita is made with Casamigos Blanco Tequila and a half sea salt rim.  The Blanco tequila is a classic margarita base and gives this cocktail the flavors of vanilla and grapefruit.  The half salt rim, gives a slight boost to the cocktail without becoming overpowering, and the salt intensifies the sweet and sour flavors of tequila, agave and orange liqueur. 
• The RB Margarita Made Wild features Casamigos Reposado Tequila and a half Himalayan pink sea salt rim.  The Reposado tequila is rested for seven months in oak barrels, giving it the flavors of caramel and cocoa.  The rich flavors come through by using Himalayan pink sea salt, which is milder than its traditional sea salt counterpart.
• The RB Margarita Gone Feral uses Casamigos Anejo Tequila and is garnished with a custom-made dehydrated blood orange wheel dusted in gold with a half sea salt rim.  Anejo tequila brings a mix of sweetness and spice.  The dehydrated blood orange wheel highlights the flavor of the Anejo and helps to elevate the aged quality of the tequila while still bringing out the brightness of the cocktail.

 

“Last year we revamped our cocktail menu and placed special focus on elevating our margarita offerings,” said Kelly Hendriksen, Mellow Mushroom Director of Beverage Marketing.  “Margaritas are the most popular cocktail in the United States and our margaritas feature premium tequilas with subtle flavor notes that set them apart from your typical margarita.”

For more information about Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers and to view the full menu of munchies, salads, pizzas, calzones, hoagies and more, go to MellowMushroom.com, follow on Instagram @MellowMushroom, like on Facebook at Facebook.com/MellowMushroom, or follow on Twitter @MellowMushroom.

Birmingham locations include: 

1200 20th St South

Birmingham, AL 35205

(205) 212-9420 

920 Inverness Corners

Birmingham, AL 35242

(205) 981-9914

Thanks for reading & sharing! 

~The Birmingham Restaurant Raider

http://birminghamrestaurantraider.blogspot.com/

Birmingham Restaurant Week 2021

Web View: http://birminghamrestaurantraider.blogspot.com/

 

Birmingham Restaurant Week (BRW) 2021 - Winter Edition presented by Spire is set to take place Thursday, Jan. 14 through Sunday, Jan. 31. The 18-day Winter Edition seeks to further support the restaurant and bar industries during a time when it is more crucial than ever. This event will boast to-go and curbside pickup options as well as the traditional, but limited, dine-in options, as health precautions are still being mandated.

 

TORTUGA'S PIZZA

From fine dining to down-home cookin’, food and drink lovers with a taste for adventure can enjoy special two and three-course breakfast, lunch and/or dinner prix-fixe menus ranging from $5 to $50 per person – making it easy and affordable for everyone to enjoy a taste of Birmingham’s diverse dishes and sips. BRW 2021 - Winter Edition aims to keep bellies full, restaurants cooking and jobs safe.

 

BOBBY CARL'S TABLE

BRW is more than eating and drinking, it is about supporting local restaurants and giving people an opportunity to enjoy the South’s most vibrant culinary destination by offering incentives for patrons to revisit their favorite restaurants, bars and food trucks or to experience new ones. With aims to keep guests warm, fed and safe and to allow for al fresco dining no matter the weather, restaurants are making special accommodations to safely serve diners during the winter by offering outdoor high-powered heaters, cabana tents and “igloos” to expand upon outdoor and patio seating. 

 

UNOS TACOS

According to the National Restaurant Association:

• One in six restaurants, representing close to 100,000 units, are closed either permanently or long-term, and one in three restaurants will close by year end.
• In Alabama, the leisure and hospitality industry has accounted for 49 percent of all jobs lost since March.
• Now, the state’s $9 billion restaurant economy is at a more severe risk as over 75 percent of Alabama’s 8,620 eating and drinking locations are in danger of closing permanently amidst the ongoing pandemic. 
• With business conditions deteriorating, assistance is critical for the survival of many restaurants as 209,900 jobs could be lost.
• Twenty-one percent of Alabama operators say it is unlikely their restaurant will still be in business six months from now, if there are no additional relief packages from the federal government.

The Birmingham community should use their voice on behalf of local restaurateurs to support the Restaurants Act that if passed will generate $1.8 billion economic benefit for Alabama. 

 

BLUE ROOT

Because of the negative effects that COVID-19 had on the restaurant industry, BRW 2020 – held Aug. 14-31 – strived to go above and beyond to make certain that participants saw meaningful results. Post-BRW survey statistics showed a 54 percent average increase in sales for participants vs. recent non-BRW weeks. According to Matt Viscaino, owner of Tortugas Pizza - a first-time BRW participant, the local pizzeria saw a 125 percent increase in sales during BRW vs. a recent non-BRW week. Further, when comparing its sales as a participant in BRW 2020 vs. sales from 2019 during the same time as a non-BRW participant - they saw an impressive 141 percent increase in sales - in a pandemic!

 

JUICED UP ESSENTIALS

With almost 60 participants, BRW 2020 had a whole new recipe with the new to-go and curbside pickup options. Only locally owned businesses were allowed to participate, and menus included family-style meal options, cocktail kits and to-go alcohol, easily some of the biggest successes of this summer’s event. Giving back to the community has always been an essential component for BRW with more than $75,000 raised for local nonprofits in its 11 years. Organizers donated $2,500 to the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama after BRW 2020 to help aid in its mission to end hunger tomorrow.

 

LOU'S PUB

Organizers are excited to announce the unofficial list of approximately 50 Winter Edition participants, as applications are still open to allow restaurants, bars and food trucks to register for the event. (See release.) Menus will be unmasked on Jan. 4 on the Eat/Drink page of the BRW website (www.bhamrestaurantweek.com).

Official Hashtag: #BhamRestWeek #BRW2021

 

#RaidBham

 

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

 

I get a lot of inquiries about my favorite places to eat. It's hard to pick a favorite because there are SO many awesome places here in the Birmingham metro area. However one of my favorite menu items is the Old Berlin Beer Cheese Soup at Customs Cafe. Served with their house made cheese wafers, it makes for great comfort food. Another option I like is to pair it with jumbo soft pretzels for a game day treat. This has often been compared to the beer cheese soup at Birmingham's infamous Baby Doe's Matchless Mine Restaurant. Customs Cafe's soups can be purchased via dine in, carry out and delivery. They can also be found at area Piggly Wiggly stores. Follow their Instagram page  and watch for details on how to win a large container of their beer cheese soup this week in the upcoming "Free Food Friday" giveaway.

 https://www.instagram.com/customscafe/

Old Berlin Beer Cheese Soup

Next Up...... 

Anytime I've ever eaten a quail dish, I'm usually hungry immediately afterwards unless I order an appetizer prior to the main course. I recently ordered an incredible entree featuring bacon wrapped quail over savory cheese grits, sprinkled with fresh greens. Just to be on the safe side, I ordered an appetizer of their Redneck Rockefeller oysters. These oysters on a 1/2 shell are baked & topped with collards under a bed of a creamy warm cheese blend. It was VERY filling. 

 For details or to make a reservation at SoHo Standard, visit https://standard.sohosocial.bar/

Redneck Rockefeller Oysters

Bacon Wrapped Quail Over Grits 

Thanks for reading & sharing! 

~The Birmingham Restaurant Raider

The Seasons 52 Rosé All Day, All Summer Menu

Rosé is the drink of summer ― perfectly refreshing when the days are long and temperatures keep rising. Even in 2020, rosé continues to be among the fastest growing wine category. Seasons 52 is celebrating all things rosé with the return of Rosé All Day, All Summer, a curated menu that celebrates the favorite summertime wine, complete with rosé cocktails.

Here are the details:

·         Now through Sept. 14, guests are invited to come in and sip popular labels by-the-glass, such as Vanderpump Rosé and Jansz Brut Rosé, as well as the signature Rosé Lemonade and Rosé Sangria.

·         Pair with Season 52’s new summer menu, highlighting peak season ingredients in dishes like the new street-style Wood-Grilled Corn Wheels and Roasted Corn & Bacon Flatbread, to make the most of the warm weather.

Roasted Corn Flatbread

 

Wood Grilled Corn Wheels 

·   For those looking to partake at home, guests can purchase rosé by the bottle to go, along with the summer dishes. To provide guests with a cocktail option for home, Seasons 52 is sharing the recipe for its wildly popular Honey-Lavender Sangria, featuring Royal Post Rosé, which can be purchased by the bottle.

 

Rosé All Day Summer Array

Seasons 52 is located at 245 Summit Blvd. in Birmingham. For more info, visit Seasons52.com. For more information about what guests can expect dining at Seasons 52, click here.

Honey Lavender Sangria

Honey-Lavender Sangria
Inspired by Rosé All Day, All Summer event at Seasons 52

 

Ingredients:

·         3 oz. Royal Post Rosé

·         1½ oz. honey-lavender syrup

·         1 oz. white cranberry juice

·         ½ oz. lemon juice

·         3 oz. club soda

·         1 lavender sprig

·         1 lemon wedge

 

Procedure:

·         Pour rosé, syrup, juices and club soda over ice and stir.

·         Garnish with lavender sprig and lemon wedge.

 

Tools Needed:

·         Wine glass

 

Makes 1 cocktail.

Thanks for reading & sharing! 
The Birmingham Restaurant Raider

Mellow Mushroom Takes a Trip Through Time for Way Back Wednesdays

You may have heard of #throwbackthursday, but Mellow Mushroom is introducing "Way Back Wednesdays".  Every Wednesday, starting now – September 2, Mellow Mushroom will offer the Way Back Wednesday meal package for only $19.74 – in honor of the year Mellow Mushroom was founded.

The Way Back Wednesday package includes one small cheese pizza, one small pepperoni pizza, and choice of pretzel bites or a regular Caesar salad.  The offer is good for online orders only and can be placed at order.mellowmushroom.com.

“The Way Back Wednesdays meal package is a nod to the brand’s evolution,” said Anne Mejia, Vice President Brand Development.  “At 46 years, Mellow Mushroom is going strong.”

1974 was the year Mellow Mushroom first opened for business.  Since then, the brand has expanded to 21 states and 178 locations.  Each Mellow Mushroom restaurant is unique, incorporating custom artwork from local artists, and often celebrating the brand’s history. 

Visitors to the brand’s web site are often delighted by the Do Not Touch button, taking guests on a trip through time to the restaurant’s first website built in 2001.  Games, cartoons and other original website features are available for longtime Mellow fans to relive, and new guests to discover. 

Birmingham locations include: 

920 Inverness Corners

Birmingham AL 35242

Phone: (205) 981-9914

 

1200 20th Street South, Suite 100

Birmingham AL 35205

Phone: (205) 212-9420

 

For more information about Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers and to view the full menu of munchies, salads, pizzas, calzones, hoagies and more, go to MellowMushroom.com, follow on Instagram @MellowMushroom, like on Facebook at Facebook.com/MellowMushroom, or follow on Twitter @MellowMushroom.

About Mellow Mushroom

Mellow Mushroom was founded in Atlanta, Georgia in 1974 and today operates in 21 states under the name Home-Grown Industries of Georgia. Each Mellow Mushroom is locally owned and operated.  For over 40 years, Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers has been serving up fresh, stone-baked pizzas to order in an eclectic, art-filled, and family friendly environment. 

SoHo Standard "Superior Cuisine. Superior Class"

The expansion of the SoHo area is never ending. Upgrades, openings and restructuring are apparent whenever you visit the area. We recently visited the new SoHo Standard Kitchen & Bar and were pleasantly surprised by the menu, the concept and all they had to offer. 


Atmosphere: SoHo Standard is a contemporary/casual little spot with an upscale flair. The clientele seemed to be a slightly "white tablecloth" crowd for lack of a better term. There are ample amounts of tables including bistro tables. There is a well-stocked bar inside with a wide selection of spirits to suit just about every taste. This is a very quaint atmosphere. There is also a very spacious outdoor area with bar stools and outdoor string lights, perfect for a spring night of socializing.  

The Staff: Our server was outstanding. He was patient with us as we studied the menu. Everything sounded REALLY good. He was friendly and very accommodating. All of the staff members around us appeared to be personable.

The DIP

What we had: All of their menu items are described as one word. We had the "DIP" appetizer: a melted mozzarella and goat cheese blended dip, with smoked tomatoes and pistachio pesto. There were also cloves of garlic blended in to this warm, cheesy concoction.  It's served with bread for dipping. Next time I get this dish I'm getting everyone their own. Definitely don't want to share this next time, LOL! The first entree' was the "CRAB": Gulf crab cakes on a mound of creamed collards and shrimp maque choux. 

The CRAB

This dish was bursting with flavor. The crab cakes are definitely a winner. Entree' number two: The "STEAK": Cuts of filet, cooked (medium) of course, accompanied by gnocchi mac & cheese, verde, and instead of the okra, I got a serving of their perfectly cooked and seasoned collards. Cutting into this filet was like cutting into butter. The tenderness was magnificent. One of the best meals I've ever had. 

THE STEAK

Overall: SoHo Standard can easily turn into one of those places that I'd highly recommend to out-of-towners, clients and couples looking for a perfect date night spot. Enjoyed it!! 

For more information about SoHo Standard, please visit  http://standard.sohosocial.bar/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sohostandardhomewood/
Reservations: https://resy.com/cities/hmw/soho-standard

Thanks for reading & sharing! 
The Birmingham Restaurant Raider™
Est.2009 
@RestaurantRaidr

Tre Luna "Contemporary Dining At It's Best"

Travel down Stadium Trace Parkway and you'll run into a "new-ish" retail plaza called Brock's Gap in the Hoover area. One of the highlights of the area is the Tre Luna Bar & Kitchen. I've heard fantastic things about it so I decided to sneak in with a co-conspirator & raid the place. 

Atmosphere: The environment here is quite appealing. The lighting was perfect for this Italian themed eatery. The space is definitely adequate enough to handle a large hungry crowds without making each table feel crowded. The noise level was not bad even with the moderate crowd on this particular night. They also have an incredible outdoor area that is well lit with overhead string lights, bistro tables and a wide open area to accommodate parties, meetings or social groups. 

The Staff: After having arrived at our reservation time, we were greeted by the friendly hostess and quickly seated. Our server, Jessica, greeted our table with enthusiasm. She was very knowledgeable about the menu and convinced us to have their daily specials. 

Beef Carpaccio

What we had: We started out with a shareable appetizer, the Beef Carpaccio: paper thin sliced beef, topped with capers, horseradish sauce and shaved Parmesan reggiano. My dinner mate opted for the "Fish Of The Day" feature which was a perfectly grilled grouper. This fish was accompanied by a serving of roasted potatoes & romanesco broccoli. If you've never had romanesco before, it's pretty much what happens if a stalk of broccoli and a stalk of cauliflower got married and had baby vegetables. It was crisp, delicious and all topped with a light butter sauce. (click images for larger view)
 

Grilled Grouper

My entree consisted of another daily special, which was the "Squid Ink Seafood Pasta": a generous bed of perfectly cooked pasta dyed with squid ink, topped and surrounded by roasted cherry tomato halves, jumbo shrimp, jumbo scallops and calamari. The flavor of this dish was amazing. The serving size was pretty large so at least half of it went home. I also had a half dozen Bombolini (Italian donuts) for dessert. These came with chocolate & whiskey caramel dipping sauces.

Squid Ink Seafood Pasta

Bombolini

Overall: Tre Luna got it right. The atmosphere combined with the food & service puts them on my list of favorite places. 

Fore more information or to view the menu, please visit https://www.trelunabarandkitchen.com/

The Birmingham Restaurant Raider©
"Anonymously Raiding A Restaurant Near You" 
Est.2009
http://birminghamrestaurantraider.blogspot.com/
 

"Support The Roverchase Foundation Contest"

Hey Birmingham! 

A new year is a great time to start new habits such as charitable giving. To celebrate the beginning of our 11th year, we'd like to start a new tradition. We will periodically partner with a local charity to boost donations with a delicious incentive.

During the month of February, make a donation of $50.00 or more to The Roverchase Foundation by February 29, 2020 and be automatically entered to win a $100.00 gift card to Highlands Bar & Grill! 

All donations will benefit The Roverchase Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to helping individuals with medical disabilities obtain life changing, professionally trained service dogs.
Donate by visiting http://theroverchasefoundation.org/. Click the DONATE button at the top of the page. 

According to the International Association of Assistance Dog Partners, service dogs can assist with lots of critical tasks including the following: 

Service Dogs Basic Tasks

• Answers when someone’s at the door by pulling a lever.
• Brings or retrieves stuff to its owner, such as the mail, medicine bottles or any other items.
• Barks, summons or alerts someone in the other room, for the owner who cannot get to them.
• Helps his owner get around, or get up from his seat, or climb the stairs at the home or in public establishments.
• Be his owner’s steady support, in case he experiences an imbalance while doing activities.
• Carries medicine and other provisions for his owner in a specialized back pack.

Service Dogs Tasks During Emergencies

• Brings the phone to his owner to call 911 or a relative.
• Knows how to bark at a speaker phone to signal for emergency.
• Interrupts or tags its owner during a trigger or psychiatric occurrence.
• Alerts other people when its owner is in distress.
• Leads other people to its owner, who could already be down on the floor after an episode or a suicide attempt, especially in cases of depression and mood disorders.
• Alert its owner in cases of fire or burglary attempts.

For more information about the Roverchase Foundation, contact them at   Info@TheRoverchaseFoundation.org.

Disclaimer 

*Contest ends 02/29/2020 at midnight. Winner will be announced 03/03/2020 after a random drawing. This contest is solely sponsored by The Birmingham Restaurant Raider. Highlands Bar & Grill is not affiliated with this contest.