The Birmingham Restaurant Raider: REVIEW- Experience The Midtown Elegance of Century Restaurant at The Tutwiler Hotel

First of all I'd like to say thanks to all of the subscribers and followers that reach out to recommend restaurants. My list keeps growing and I promise, I will eventually visit them all. One restaurant that has been recommended multiple times is the Century Restaurant at the historic Tutwiler Hotel in downtown Birmingham. For those of you who didn't know, The Tutwiler Hotel is one of the oldest lodging properties in Birmingham. Now operating under the Hampton Inn umbrella, the hotel has not lost any of it's charm at all. The history of the hotel itself can be found on their BhamWiki.com page. Given the significant history of the hotel, my expectations of Century Restaurant were definitely high.

Atmosphere: This is by far one of the most beautiful restaurants I've ever been to. The color scheme was very chic. The bar area seems like a nice place to meet with friends after work, there was a television and a bartender seemed to have everything under control.
The dining room was equally as nice. It had simplified elegance. The ambiance was absolutely perfect. I like an atmosphere where you can actually hear the person sitting across from you.

The Meal: My dining companion and I shared the initial serving of warm, sliced bread & butter. Next, we had an appetizer of roasted garlic hummus. The dollop of sun dried tomatoes on top, made this one of the most unique variations of hummus dip I'd ever had. My entrée was the Angus ribeye steak topped with Cabernet glazed mushrooms. The side of roasted asparagus, carrots and potatoes excellently complimented the steak. I actually cleaned my plate! My dinner companion had the chicken picatta with a side of grilled veggies, Sherry new potatoes & lemon caper sauce. This was also an amazing dish.

The service: Everyone from the valet to the server we had was very professional. The restaurant validated our valet parking ticket since we were not staying at the hotel. Our server, was extremely accommodating, attentive and very personable. We felt very welcomed and comfortable.

The prices: The soup/salad menu ranges from $6 to $14. Appetizers from $8 to $14. Dinner entrees start at $19. Their lunch entrees are roughly 50% less than the dinner.

Room for growth & improvement: Aim for a larger crowd on weeknights and test server menu knowledge of ingredients and descriptions. These are not complaints just suggestions.

Overall experience: Amazing! Century Restaurant is the ideal "special occasion" restaurant. I will definitely go back. Hurry and make your Valentine's Day reservations! They will be offering a special menu for $39.95 per person. The night will include a live jazz guitarist and free valet parking.
To reserve your table, click this link Valentine's Day 2015 at Century Restaurant & Bar

For more info on Century Restaurant & Bar, visit their website http://www.centurybirmingham.com/
Follow them on Twitter @CenturyBham

Thanks for reading,
~The Birmingham Restaurant Raider