If You Missed It..."Breakin' Bread Re-cap"

Goodness, I think I'm still stuffed! Sunday's Breakin' Bread event was very fulfilling to say the least!

The annual event featuring over 40 of Birmingham's Originals was a huge success! There were restaurants from all over the Birmingham Metro area, including veterans' like The Bright Star Restaurant and Silvertron Café as well as many new favorites. There were a couple of local farmers including the good folks from Urban Food Project.

 

I was thrilled to see such a large turn out.

Pat yourselves on the back Birmingham! This charity event happens every year so if you missed it, there is always next year! #BuyLocal #SupportAFarmer

Here are the pics. I hope you've already eaten.

( Click photo for larger view)



 

Food Lovers, Start Your Engines!

Hello Friends!

I am SO excited!!

The next few weeks will be FILLED with some amazing events all over the city. So mark your calendars.
Here goes......... *Click photos to enlarge*

Breakin' Bread with Birmingham's Originals

Where can you have unlimited... yes....unlimited samplings from approximately 45 of Birmingham's most popular restaurants? At the annual Breakin' Bread Festival! Come get a taste of all of the fabulous dishes that will be prepared by some of the city's most talented chefs. This annual fundraising event will take place on Sunday October 5th from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Railroad Park downtown Birmingham. This event is open to everyone.

There will be a beer garden, music, a petting zoo

and the "No-Snobbery Wine Tasting".

This event will benefit select charities such as Camp Smile-A-Mile & 

The Make-A-Wish Foundation.

For extended details, FAQ & a full listing of participating independent restaurants,

please visit: http://www.birminghamoriginals.org/breakn-bread.php

The Cahaba River Fry Down





                                      *** As of Sept 28th, this event will be rescheduled***



Click to enlarge

Seafood is probably my biggest weakness, so I will definitely be looking forward to this event. Come witness the show-down between professional and amateur chefs as they compete to determine who will be crowned the Fry-Down champion. The  2014 Fry-Down is a benefit hosted by the Cahaba River Society. It will take place at Trussville Springs along the banks of the Cahaba. Included in the panel of well-known judges will be none other than George Sarris of the Fish Market on Southside. The fundraising event will take place from noon until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday 9/28/14.

"The Fry-Down combines several goals: to bring people closer to the river, build more support for Cahaba conservation, explore the relationship between water quality, habitat, and drinking water, and build new partnerships to sustain our work to ensure our Cahaba River’s healthy future. But, more importantly to have fun in and along the river, and enjoy delicious offerings by our corporate and community fish fry teams."

For more info, visit http://www.frydown.com/



The Taste of Pelham



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If that wasn't enough there is MORE excitement!

The Taste of Pelham is a fund raiser benefitting the Pelham Library building fund. There will be a variety of restaurants, caterers, awesome live music and MORE! Come out to try unlimited (There goes that word again) samplings of a variety of foods and desserts prepared just for YOU! Again, this is all for a good cause. I have a soft spot for good causes.
Wanna see a taste? Take a look at last years Taste of Pelham event click here > 2013 Taste of Pelham
This event will take place on October 5th at 6:00 p.m. at the Pelham Civic Complex. For more information on this tasty fundraising event,
please visit http://www.pelhamlibraryguild.com/Default.asp?ID=288&pg=The+Taste+of+Pelham

We will all go jogging later. =)

Please support these organizations in their efforts to raise awareness and raise money.

*If you can't attend, please consider making a donation.

Thanks for your readership.

~The Birmingham Restaurant Raider

***********Corporate Sponsors & Teams Needed*********

 







Dear Readers,
 
I am reaching out to you today regarding a wonderful & unique sponsorship opportunity for your organization.

On October 10, 2014, the Children's Harbor of Alabama organization will host the annual
Pig Iron BBQ Challenge at the Hoover Met featuring BBQ teams from all over the city of Birmingham. This event will attract dozens of sponsors from the Birmingham area. 

Last year, the Pig Iron Challenge drew over 10,000 attendees and the participation of many well known sponsors from our area.

Children's Harbor invites you to be a sponsor or competing team at this years event. If you are a restaurant owner  that does not specialize in barbecue, please consider a sponsorship anyway. The organizers gladly welcome a variety of other foods to be present at the event.

Sponsorship benefits include the ability for you to distribute promotional materials at your booth that may be used to drive traffic to your establishment. You can even partner with another business to split the sponsorship fee.

There is STILL plenty of time to participate. So bankers, insurance guys & gals, restaurateurs, teams &  business owners of ALL categories are always welcome to sign on as sponsors of this awesome event. See you at the Pig Iron!

http://childrensharbor.com/

Please contact Mr. Jim Ray today for more information by emailing  jim.ray@childrensal.org

*Feel free to share this on social media and pass on to anyone that may be interested.

Sincerely,
The Birmingham Restaurant Raider

Experience Casual Elegance at Cedar's Grille

The recent development of the Chace Lake area has brought a number of delightful things to the Hoover area. From a range of beautiful new houses, retail shops and most importantly new eateries.
My discovery of Cedar's Grille was purely an accident resulting from a detour from the Highway 31 rush hour madness. Cedar's offers a wide range of authentic Mediterranean dishes, a great atmosphere and casual elegance.

Atmosphere: This restaurant is very spacious. The aroma is indescribable. You'd have to smell it for yourself in order to understand. The authenticity of the décor added a nice, elegant feel to the experience. Music is very important to the dining experience.Cedar's did not disappoint in that area. The outdoor seating is the perfect place for a sunset dinner.

The meal: Started off with an amazing appetizer called Sambuska-triangular pastries filled with seasoned ground meat and vegetables. The entrée was a mixed grill dish- this is a combination platter consisting of a side of hummus and pita bread, 2 lamb chops, a chicken kabob, a veggie kabob and a serving of kafta all on a bed of aromatic "pasini" rice. Enough for 2 people with modest appetites or one person with one big appetite. My drink was a delicious, hefty sized Vitamin C smoothie- a blend of peaches banana's and orange juice. Cedar's also offers a wide variety of health drinks and virgin cocktails.

The Staff: The service was friendly. Was able to withstand my infamous questions about the cuisine and ingredients. I love a good menu knowledge test.

Prices: The mixed grill dinner was $21.00, the Sambuska appetizer was $7.95

Overall experience: This is a restaurant that I would definitely visit again. The atmosphere combined with the food and service was extremely pleasing. This is an awesome place for a family meal or a date night.

*Cedar's also offers a lunch menu and a Sunday brunch.

For more information about Cedar's Grill at Chace Lake, visit their website at http://www.cedarschaselake.com/

*To view updated version of this site visit http://birminghamrestaurantraider.blogspot.com/

SAMBUSKA

VITAMIN C SMOOTHIE

MIXED GRILL DINNER
 

Foodie Event Alert!

*To view the desktop or mobile version of this site, visit http://birminghamrestaurantraider.blogspot.com/

Mark your calendars!

The Shelby County Schools Education Foundation is hosting the 7th Annual Taste of Shelby County on Thursday, September 11, 2014, from 5:30p – 8:00p at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center, 3660 Grandview Parkway, Birmingham, AL 35243.

There will be vendors from all over Shelby County and the surrounding area offering a “taste” of their specialty dishes from their menus at the event. Vendors include restaurants, caterers, wineries, breweries, and more! There will be a myriad of treats for you to enjoy! Bring your spouse, family, friends, or even make it a date night. What a deal for $25...dining, live music by the Duke School of Music, and each ticket includes a door prize ticket. You may purchase additional door prize tickets at the door for $5/each or 5 for $20.

Tickets are $25 in advance, and $30 at the door. You may purchase tickets in advance over the phone at 682.5255 or visit www.shelbyedfoundation.org  to purchase tickets online through September 10, 2014 and pick them up at Will Call at the event. Discover, M/C, Visa and American Express are accepted online.

 

 

 

The Taste of Shelby County

Thursday September 11th

Buy Tickets Here: http://www.shelbyedfoundation.org/purchase.html

 

Olexa's Cafe- Infamously delicious.



 

*To view the full version or mobile version of this site visit http://birminghamrestaurantraider.blogspot.com/

 

I mentioned the name Olexa's to several people in Birmingham and most everyone I spoke with swooned and raved about their cakes. I've had a slice of their infamous cake and YES.... it is delicious. However, I was intrigued by their awesome looking menu and decided to venture out to an active area of Mountain Brook with a friend to have this highly anticipated lunch.

Atmosphere: This is nothing like I have ever seen. A quaint indoor café with an outdoor feel. When you step inside it feels as if you've entered into a French courtyard. There are trees, street lamps and balconies. There is an ample amount of table seating. The hard to ignore bakery display is in the rear of the restaurant and filled with Olexa's infamous baked goods. Just try not to look while eating your lunch. It's hard, but you gotta be strong.

What I/we had: The shrimp, crab & lobstertini appetizer. This is a shrimp, crab & lobster mixture blended with a house made dressing called Louie dressing, with a lemon garnish and served in a martini glass. I'm tearing up just thinking about this. With every bite, I am thinking "the shrimp cocktail just lost it's place in  seafood history".  Our main entrees consisted of The Savory Trio. We both had the half turkey Panini, a 1/2 strawberry mandarin salad and a cup of soup. I had the tomato basil bisque and my fellow foodie had the white chicken chili. Everything tasted amazing.

The Staff: Friendly, upbeat and attentive. Lots and lots of smiles.

Prices: $8.95 for the shrimp & crab lobstertini, the Savory trio $12.95.

Overall experience: Had a great time, great tasting food, great service. I would definitely return to Olexa's.
If you would like to get more information, order a cake or to inquire about catering for your next event visit http://www.olexas.com/flash.html

Follow them on Twitter & Facebook



Shrimp/Crab Lobstertini

 

Savory trio w/ Strawberry mandarin salad, 1/2 turkey Panini and white chicken chili

Savory trio w/ tomato basil bisque

 

"Easy as 1-2-3" Connect To Catering - An Event Planner's Dream Tool



Any event planner knows that great food is probably the highlight of any event. Collecting catering quotes can be rather time consuming. Searching requires hours and sometimes days of contacting several restaurants or caterers and making call after call or composing tailored email requests for catering.  

ConnectToCatering.com has developed a wonderful website to take the hassle out of finding just the right caterer and the right menu. This user friendly site offers lots of specials, game day and even same day catering options.

Listed as one of Birmingham Business Journal's "People On The Move" Angela Olexa, the marketing guru at Connect to Catering offered a delightful conversation about the business.

Restaurant Raider: Who came up with the concept?
 
Angela Olexa: ConnectToCatering.com is the brainchild of a Birmingham woman who watched her husband face weekly challenges with ordering catering for business functions. It was a cumbersome process to play phone tag with caterers, track down current menus and confirm orders. Her solution was a website that streamlined local catering menus to one place and offered online ordering. 

RR: What has been your success rate?
 
AO: The concept has been very well received due to it's fast, easy and convenient method for customers to order catering. Because it is a virtual shopping mall of caterers/restaurants that allows the customer to find what they need for every occasion, it takes much of the 'legwork' out of catering by putting all of these menus and information on one site. With just a few clicks, customers can place their orders and mark the task off their list for the day. The site is for personal use and business use but currently our biggest clients are corporate customers who order lunches throughout the week. Since the initial launch in 2010, the site has built a loyal following of these customers that order consistently for corporate purposes and that following continues to grow.  

RR: What features do you plan to add for the upcoming year to enhance the experience for caterers & users? 
AO: ConnectToCatering.com is always adding new Catering Partners to the mix. Customers will find up-to-date menus, monthly specials and catering ideas for any occasion, including working lunches, tailgating, dinner for guests, weddings and other special events. The catering categories listed on ConnectToCatering.com that help a customer based on his/her catering needs are: Everyday, Same Day, Event, Game Day (Tailgating), Holiday, and Specialty Treats.
 
One of our newest features on the site is in our Event Catering category. It allows a customer to complete a simple Request for Proposal (RFP) from various caterers. This is very helpful when planning for an event. By filling out an RFP, a customer can learn about a caterer's menu, service, set-up, cost, etc. for an event--large or small. Brides-to-be and event planners especially find it to be a time-saving tool. Customers can complete RFPs for multiple caterers for the same event and then compare all of the proposals to make a final decision about what caterer to use. It's quite a handy tool that eliminates hours of research and phone calls.

The busy fall football season and the holidays are two of the most popular catering seasons. They are right around the corner!  During football season, our caterers provide numerous options to make the tailgating experience easy. The holidays are a time for parties and special dinners when our caterers provide delicious seasonal menus, offering both delivery and pick-up options.
 
RR: The site mentions that you cover Birmingham & Montgomery mainly? Do you service any other areas?

AO: Not YET. :)

RR: Is there anything not on the website that you would like to feature. 

  AO: I think our main push is the convenience of so many options in one place and the opportunity to browse/compare menus and complete an order with very little time commitment. 

http://www.connecttocatering.com/ 

Follow Connect To Catering on  Facebook , Twitter  & Pinterest

*Visit the full version of the Birmingham Restaurant Raider site at http://birminghamrestaurantraider.blogspot.com/

I ATE YOUR HOMEWORK!



I have a soft spot for culinary students. Reason one: I love to eat and reason 2: I love to eat. You get the picture. After receiving an article about a great new spot that so happens to be inside of the Jefferson State Shelby campus, I decided to investigate.

Bistro ProVare is the restaurant operated by students at the school's Culinary & Hospitality Institute.
Feeling supportive of the educational process, I took a look at the menu and immediately decided to make a reservation.

Atmosphere: This is a modest sized restaurant. Seats roughly 40 people. That is why reservations are highly recommended. The lighting is moderately bright. There is also a clear view of the chefs in training hard at work in the kitchen.

What I/We had: A shared appetizer of the Crispy Shrimp Spring Rolls with sweet chili sauce, Sautéed Scallops with Pasta and creamy garlic sauce, the Grilled Strip Steak with roasted new potatoes, asparagus, topped w/ mushrooms. For dessert -a sweet pastry concoction surrounded by mixed berries, drizzled with caramel and scoop of mascarpone ice cream. Holy Moly! 

The Staff: The students are awesome! I appreciated the fact that they take their hospitality training  very seriously.  

Prices: This is the best part. The salads and appetizers started at $3, entrée prices start at $13 and desserts range from $3 to $4.

Overall experience: Loved it! I shall return.

If you would like more information on Jeff State's Culinary & Hospitality Management program or to inquire about classes, please visit their website at http://www.jeffstateonline.com/programs/hospitality-management/
For reservations at the Bistro, please visit the site at http://www.jeffstateonline.com/programs/hospitality-management/bistro-pro-vare/ 
OR call (205) 983-5214
Follow on Twitter @JeffState
Web Version http://birminghamrestaurantraider.blogspot.com

Bar 31 Soul Food Kitchen- "Homestyle Cooking Behind The Music"

It's not often that you'd find some of the best home-style cooking in a place known for it's bar  atmosphere. Bar 31 in Vestavia Hills has demonstrated that you should never judge a book by it's cover. This live music venue recently made a smart decision to capitalize on it's space and day time availability to begin offering a variety of home-cooked menu items during the weekday lunch rush.
Conveniently located right off the I-65 Montgomery highway exit is a quality lunch experience. Their lunch hours are currently 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. week days.

Atmosphere: This is a live music venue/bar. Located right at the foot of the Comfort Inn in Vestavia. It's spacious, has television, a stage (for evening performances) & a billiards room. The billiards room and stage were not occupied during lunch. This made it easy to transition into a full service restaurant. It was not noisy like a bar would typically be. Thank goodness. If you work in the area, I would definitely suggest this as a regular stop for lunch.

What I had: From the lunch menu, I had the grilled pork chop- (a thick, quality cut of pork) seasoned just right. I also had a side of fresh, steamed broccoli topped with cheese sauce,  a side of delicious fried green tomatoes and a PERFECTLY cooked cornbread muffin. (Nothing like a bad cornbread muffin to ruin a meal.) This one was baked just right.

Staff: Friendly, attentive and overall awesome. Sally provided wonderful service and I will ask for her on the next visit. She did try relentlessly to get me to try one of the most beautiful strawberry shortcake desserts I'd ever seen, but I was good =) . Maybe next time.

Price: The price of lunch is $7.50 for a meat and 2 veggies. A great value for a lunch in Vestavia Hills. The strawberry shortcake was priced at $2.50.

Overall experience: I loved it and I shall return.

Follow their daily tweets & Facebook updates to see the daily lunch menus and other specials at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bar-31/431240960246802?ref=ts&fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Bar_31_Bham

For more information, directions or to order take out or even the "forbidden" strawberry shortcake, you can reach Bar 31 at (205) 824-3160.

John's City Diner- " Birmingham's American Culinary Experience"

When in discussion about John's City Diner, many people I've talked to say that it's one of those places where you can always get a great meal. Others tell me that it's one of those places that they've "always meant to go". If you have not had lunch or dinner at John's, you are missing out.
John's is a Birmingham landmark that has been in the downtown Birmingham area for many, many years. Plenty of time to have demonstrated their passion for great food, great atmosphere and awesome service.

Atmosphere: The restaurant was busy, but spacious enough so that we didn't feel crowded. Booth and table seating was available. Not too noisy. Great nostalgic tunes played throughout the restaurant.

What I/ we had: I had the beautifully plated Beeler's pork chop, with a side of John's famous smashed potatoes. I am not a green bean eater so I substituted for fried green tomatoes and was glad that I did. My lunch companion had the "Famous Meatloaf" topped with red wine mushroom gravy, crispy onions and a side of smashed potatoes. Overall both dishes were bountiful and flavorful. On a separate visit, I visited during John's Happy Hour. I had the "Oysters Rock-A-Fella" from the small plates menu- fried oysters over creamed spinach topped with a balsamic reduction. This dish is insane!!!  (Phylliss you're amazing)

(*all items on the small plates menu are 1/2 price from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. weekdays)

The Staff: Attentive, pleasant and never left our glasses half full. Ralph provided us with outstanding service. (HIGH FIVE)

Prices: John's lunch menu prices range from $8.50 to $16.50 depending on the dish.


Overall Dining Experience: Great!

For more information on John's City Diner or to view the full lunch and dinner menu's please visit http://www.johnscitydiner.com/mobile/index.php or  for catering or to book a private event
call (205) 322-6014




Famous Meatloaf w. smashed potatoes & crispy onions



Pork chop w/ smashed potatoes & fried green tomatoes

Oysters Rock-A-Fella small plate