The Fig Tree Cafe' " The Total Package"

I'm often asked to describe the best place in town to grab a________________ (fill in the blank)
Most of the time I can narrow down a place that has great seafood, great drinks or great steaks.
Well, I'm excited to tell you guys that a couple of weeks ago I found a place that has great EVERYTHING.

The Fig Tree Cafe, a recently renovated  Birmingham based restaurant in the Cahaba Heights area, has managed to nail everything. Expect the unexpected at Fig Tree. This team strives to create one of the most memorable dining experiences ever. Chef JP Holland, a self taught chef, works effortlessly to ensure patrons nothing but the finest quality when it comes to the farm-to-table dining experience. In order to do that, they go several steps further by being hands on when it comes to how the cattle is raised & what they consume. Their cattle is not fed your average run-of-the mill diet. I won't give away the secret, but I could definitely taste the quality in every bite.
The Fig Tree offers a wide variety of locally produced ingredients in pretty much all of their dishes.

We decided to let the chef recommend  & prepare dishes for us. We started out with an order of insanely delicious crab cakes. OMG! I can still taste them. They were made with "fresh from the dock" succulent crab claw meat. Next we were delighted to try the (Alabama grown) fried green tomatoes, accompanied with the PERFECT version of a remoulade sauce.

Delivered from the custom built bar, our cocktails consisted of two of their signature cocktail specials. One was the the Citradelic Martini containing Titos Vodka, ginger syrup, lemon & basil. Also on the table was the Cucumber Mojito, a mixture of Bacardi rum, cucumber lime mint puree, Agave nectar & soda. Drink mixing definitely is a craft here. Any cocktails that contain fruit contains only the freshest fruits. The cucumber flavor in the mojito was just right. Both drinks were perfect pairings to our main entree's. 👌

My entree consisted of their "fresh-from-the-dock" salmon. This was a large, thick cut of perfectly grilled salmon placed upon a bed of fresh, perfectly grilled veggies. Again, their seafood is NEVER frozen.
My dinner companion had the 12 oz rib eye steak accompanied with delicious truffle fries. Not a combination I expected, but it was a great selection.

In addition to amazing, high quality food & drinks, the cafe offers private dining for  larger groups, an impressive brunch menu, and more!
If you're looking for a great spot for a special occasion or to impress that someone special,
The Fig Tree in Cahaba Heights is the total package.
Reservations are HIGHLY recommended.
The best dates to get into this popular spot are Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays. Otherwise, you just might find yourself on a wait.
Thanks again to Justin, Brandon & Chef Jon for the outstanding hospitality.
For more information about the Fig Tree Cafe, visit their website at http://thebirminghamfigtree.com/

Reservations can be made by calling (205) 249-0312 OR look for them on OpenTable.com  
Get a LYFT to The Fig Tree Cafe https://www.lyft.com/invite/RAIDBHAM2017
Thanks for reading & sharing,

The Birmingham Restaurant Raider
"Anonymously Raiding A Restaurant Near you"
#RaidBham

                                                   
                                                     * Click Images to Enlarge*


C/O Intermark Group

C/O Intermark Group



The 12 oz Ribeye (always fresh)

Fried Green Tomatoes w/ Remoulade Sauce

Crab Cakes

Citradelic Martini

The Bubbly Selections



The Salmon

REVIEW: Jubilee Joe's "Authentic Cajun Seafood that's Seaux Good!"

If you like seafood like I do, then you will definitely like the menu at Jubilee Joe's!! Although they are known for being one of the best places to get crawfish and their award winning gumbo, they have a wide variety of just about everything Cajun; crab, Po' boy's,  crawfish, shrimp, grouper and much, much more!

Jubilee Joe's has often been personally recommended by several people. Since I couldn't get full by staring at the menu, I recently took the time out to stop in for a meal. (Also note that they are also a winner of the 2015 Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence.)

 

Atmosphere: Jubilee Joe's has a very pleasant atmosphere. I'd have to say that it definitely has a Louisiana feel to it. They have a bar that is stocked with lots of your favorite brews, ample seating and televisions for your viewing pleasure. My seat was facing the kitchen. I had the torturous experience of watching all of the other meals come out before mine making me hungrier by the minute. They also have outdoor seating to enjoy a meal on a day with great weather.

The Meal: I had the Wild Shrimp Platter. This platter comes with 2 side dishes; a Bayou Side and an On Deck side. I decided to have the shrimp grilled instead of fried with a side of homemade coleslaw from the On Deck side dish menu  and a side of steamed California veggies from the Bayou side dish menu. I was very pleased with the dish overall. The shrimp was grilled & seasoned just right and the coleslaw had amazing flavor. I was thoroughly pleased.

The Prices: The value / quantity seemed to be fair in this case. Seafood can sometimes have a
"market price". However, most of the menu items at Jubilee Joe's have set prices.
They also have a reasonably priced kids menu as well as a  great looking dessert menu as well. 

The Staff: The server that I had was pretty friendly. This  visit occurred after the mid-day lunch peak time. The restaurant only had about 3 tables seated, so there wasn't much noise or or any major concerns with service. There was only one small issue that I saw that could be corrected. A message was sent to their staff.

Overall experience: I enjoyed the experience! The food alone is enough for me to want to return. I am a seafood fanatic and a recent fan of crawfish so this will definitely not be my last visit.

The 2016 Jubilee Joe's Crawfish Boil will take place  April 23rd at 1:00 p.m. at
3050 Lee St. Pelham, AL 35124 
This event will benefit the Hand In Paw organization. 
*They will also have a crawfish race for kids ($50 gift card to Toys'R'Us) AND a crawfish eating contest where the winner will receive $500!!!!!!! *

You can also check out the the world famous, alternative rock band  Everclear ,who will be headlining the event.

Can't make it to the crawfish boil, make a donation by visiting http://www.handinpaw.org/index.php 
For tickets please visit http://jubileejoescrawfishboil.com/tickets-2/

Visit their website at http://jubilee-joes.com

Follow them on Twitter at @JubileeJoes

Like them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Jubilee-Joes/

Thanks for reading and sharing!

~Regards,
The Birmingham Restaurant Raider
"Anonymously Raiding A Restaurant Near You"
#RaidBham 

*Click photo for larger image

 
 

The Crawfish Boil is a benefit of the Hand In Paw Organization

REVIEW: Mikey's Grill "Have An Encounter With Seafood"

When you visit the Mikey's Grill website it notes that veteran chef  Michael "Mikey" Lee was recognized at one of Birmingham's "hottest young chefs" in Birmingham Magazine several years ago. Mikey's Grill, located in Hoover is the result of that. Mikey's offers a wide variety of dishes including seafood items that have been kissed with creole & Cajun flavors. After reviewing their on-line menu, I decided to add them to the list of places to try. They are recognized as a 2014 winner of the OpenTable.com "Diner's Choice Award". 

Atmosphere: I have to admit, when I saw the word "grill" on the sign, I assumed that it would be a sports bar. Mikey's is anything but. Inside the restaurant, there were linen table cloths, with matching sheer curtains. A nice wine rack sits just inside the doorway behind the hostess stand. There is a full service bar and plenty of table seating. This would be a great place for special occasion dinners and business meals.

The Meal: I actually combined 2 separate visits in this post. The first visit, I had a cup of their seafood gumbo. This gumbo was packed with tons of flavor and chunks of seafood in every single bite. I will admit, this is some of the BEST gumbo I've tasted so far in life. I also decided on the crab cake sandwich. I know you're thinking... crab cakes on a sandwich? It was pretty darn good. It was a lightly fried crab cake on a soft bun with lettuce, tomato and a light cream sauce. The sandwich was accompanied by fresh, fried sweet potato chips.  It was a pretty good sized sandwich. I was only able to finish half. On a separate visit, my lunch companion and I both decided to have a shared basket of sweet potato chips & 2 large bowls of gumbo. We also decided to try the alligator strips with remoulade sauce. WOW!! If you've been thinking of trying alligator, but haven't quite gotten up your nerve, I'd recommend the alligator strips appetizer at Mikey's for $7.75.

The Prices:  A cup of gumbo runs $5.75 & $8.75 for a bowl. Their impressive appetizer menu prices range from  $7.75 & up. Soups, salads & sandwiches from the lunch menu shouldn't break the bank either. They also offer a dinner menu that includes meals for a heavier appetite and lots of seafood delicacies.

The Staff: No problems with friendliness from this staff. Our server had a great personality and was very attentive. We were accommodated very well.

Overall experience: The food was enough to keep me coming back for more. I loved the flavor of everything I tried, the atmosphere, the staff and the sweet tea. I look forward to returning for more outstanding gumbo and possibly to have dinner soon.

For more information,directions or to make a reservation at  Mikey's Grill visit http://mikeysgrill.com/


Thanks for reading as I #RaidBham

~The Birmingham Restaurant Raider
"Anonymously Raiding A Restaurant Near You" 

Smaller "cup" of chunky seafood gumbo w/ soft rolls & crackers

Crab cake Sandwich w/ Sweet potato chips

Alligator Strips w/ Remoulade sauce

Larger "bowl" of chunky seafood gumbo