Visit the new home of Tropicaleo Puerto Rican Kitchen

FINALLY! One of Birmingham's favorite pop-up kitchens has a permanent home.

I was recently invited to view the new location of Tropicaleo, an authentic Puerto Rican restaurant located in the Avondale community. They use as many locally sourced ingredients as possible in their recipes. Many of their beverage choices, brews, soda's & coffee's are from local vendors as well.

For quite sometime, the amazing food creations of Tropicaleo has been featured around town with their pop-up kitchen at many breweries and outdoor markets as they showcased their authentic cuisine. They now have a place to call home and everyone is invited for the Puerto Rican experience.

*Click photos for larger images*

 I started out with an order of their infamous Plantain Chips w/ vegan mayo. This is a great appetizer. I'm not the biggest mayo fan, but it's an excellent compliment to the plantains. (pictured below)

Next I was treated with a serving of bruschetta topped with locally sourced goat cheese & a drizzle of house made vinaigrette. Loved it!!! Hopefully this will become a part of the permanent menu.

The 3rd item consisted of a delicious serving of  Puerto Rican alcapurrias or (fritters).
 These are pretty solid. Definitely loved the flavor. A must have.

Then there was a "different" kind of fritter. These are made of fried corn grits and might I add they are truly delicious!!

Next up was an entree of beans & rice accompanied by succulent fried pork. This my friends is definitely a "stick- to- your ribs" dish. Put a couple of spoon fulls of their rice on top of the beans and it's heaven in your mouth!

But Wait! There's more!

Even though I was STUFFED from all of the tasting, no Tropicaleo meal experience is complete without a deliciously sweet piece of their authentic flan for dessert.This is some of the best in Birmingham.

Having been previously featured in a previous write up on The Birmingham Restaurant Raider, the team at Tropicaleo, continues to impress with each visit.They even have hand made Vejigante masks as their featured wall art.

If you are looking for a unique experience, great food and a welcoming environment, stop by Tropicaleo! They offer drink specials, a fantastic weekend brunch and stellar catering! Look for them at your local food festivals as well. 

 For more information please visit their website at http://www.tropicaleo.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tropicaleobham/

Twitter: @tropicaleobham 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tropicaleobham/

Tropicaleo
4426 4th Ave S
Birmingham AL 35222
(205) 643-5956

Tweet  photos of your experience using the tag #RaidBham
Thanks for reading & sharing!

"Fillin' Up At The Filling Station"

Thanks again to all of those who take time out to recommend all of the awesome places to eat in B'ham.
Lot's of people have been raving about a great little spot on Crestwood Boulevard
called The Filling Station. 
This place has been suggested over and over again. So I journeyed out to try them out to see what all of the excitement was about.

Atmosphere: This is a cozy spot to get together with friends and family. Whether you're looking to watch the game with a cold one or enjoy a meal,  the atmosphere is accommodating to just about every occasion.  There is spacious patio seating, a nice sized bar and lots of tables depending on your preference. Parking was also hassle-free.

The meal: Although I knew I would not be able to finish it all, I ordered the 12 inch, hand tossed Bama Vegetable pizza. This cheesy pie consists of Queen olives, sweet bell peppers, golden mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, grilled artichoke hearts and I had them to add chicken. This was one of the best pizzas I've had this year so far. After a few large slices, I was ready for a box. They also offer a wide variety of appetizers, salads and other entree's along with a wide selection of beers and spirits.

The Staff: I received OUTSTANDING service from everyone I came in contact with. I opted for a comfy seat the bar, however, everyone who passed by acknowledged me.
It left a lasting impression & I hope that this level of service continues.
My server was friendly, knew the menu and made sure that I didn't go without anything. 😊

Overall Experience: I could see myself becoming a "regular" here. If everyone turns around and yells out "Norm!!! ", that will be me!
The location, food, atmosphere and service makes this place a winner in my book!

Visit their Facebook page & check out their extensive menu by going to
https://www.facebook.com/ThefillingstationBHAM/ 
Follow them on Twitter at @TheFillingSBHAM

The Filling Station is located at

5524 Crestwood Blvd

Birmingham, Alabama

Call (205) 592-3455 to place an order today! 

Don't Drive Get a Lyft https://www.lyft.com/invite/RAIDBHAM2017

Thanks for reading & sharing! 

Use the hash tag #RaidBham when posting your food pics. 

~The Birmingham Restaurant Raider

"Anonymously Raiding A Restaurant Near You"

Follow me on Twitter @RestaurantRaidr

*Click to view larger image*

The Bama Vegetable (w/ added chicken)

 

Review: Rowe's Service Station "Go In For A Fill Up"

If you are looking for great places to eat, then make your way over to Avondale. Avondale is fast becoming the  growing "go-to" area to find restaurants that are "off the beaten path".

Several people have recommended Rowe's Service Station. After about the 300th suggestion, I decided to grab a friend and scurry on over to this infamous food joint. My head was spinning a bit from all of the suggestions on what to eat. However, I was definitely able to narrow it down to one dish that stood out on the menu.

Atmosphere: Rowe's offers a casual dining atmosphere. There is indoor table seating, bar seating and several seats to enjoy the outdoors on a nice day or evening. We opted for comfortable table seating indoors on this particular evening.

The Meal: This was a truly a hard decision to make. After viewing SOOO MANY great looking options on the menu, I decided to have the Bistro Filet, a succulent cut of steak cooked medium with a side of their excellent grilled asparagus topped with with house made Brown Butter Vinaigrette and shaved Parmesan along with a side of delicious sweet potato hash. This was one of the best dishes I've had all year and will be put on my list of favorites. My dinner companion, decided on the chicken & waffles: moist fried chicken portions served with Belgian style waffles cut into triangles.

The Prices: I was pleasantly surprised by their prices. Rowe's is a place where you can get a lot of food for a reasonable amount of money. The Bistro Filet dinner was $14.00 and the chicken and waffles came to $9.00. Not bad for a dinner for two.

The Staff: The staff at Rowe's was friendly, accommodating and gave us service with a smile during this visit. On top of a great meal, this was one of the highlights of the visit.

Overall Experience: Rowe's definitely lived up to all of the great things I'd heard over the past few months and the food was as good as I'd hoped. In addition to dinner, they offer great breakfast options, local beers and a brunch menu that attracts a standing room only crowd. I shall return!

For more information about Rowe's Service Station & to view the most up to date menus, visit their website at www.http://eatatrowes.com/

Like them on Facebook at RowesServiceStation

Follow them on Twitter @RowesAvondale
Thanks for reading!

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

Bistro Filet

Chicken & Waffles