REVIEW: Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen



Two things that  Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen is famous for, the tremendously long wait times and their world famous seafood. Over the years I've heard so many people rave about their experience at the infamous seafood giant. Many of them of course had to visit Pappadeaux locations outside of Birmingham until recently. Since opening their doors several months ago off of Highway 280, the restaurant has drawn huge, impressive crowds. I'm sure their sales volumes are higher than expected.

*While I typically don't review many large, chain restaurants, there are over a dozen people that wanted to know what I thought of this particular restaurant.

Atmosphere: Upon arrival, I was impressed with the landscape and the outdoor seating. The outdoor seating area was quite comfortable and would be an awesome place to eat in good weather. We were told that we would have a 45 minute wait. We decided to wait it out while listening to the awesome live band near the bar area. We could see that is was very crowded which increased the noise level. I would normally leave a restaurant if the wait at dinner time is longer than 20 minutes, but we both wanted to have the experience. I've seen other reviews of Pappadeaux where people have waited close to three hours to be seated. I personally don't have the tolerance for that. Only my mother's home cooked meals deserve that kind of patience.

The Meal: From the "hot appetizers" menu, I had the frog legs with fries. The appetizer contained a generous portion of meaty frog legs, I was quite pleased with this choice. My entrée consisted of the seafood platter: A beautifully presented combination of catfish fillets, shrimp, blue crab cake, stuffed shrimp & stuffed crab on a bed of fries. My dinner companion had the grilled half chicken: A 1/2 chicken, marinated in garlic & rosemary, accompanied by a serving of red mashed potatoes & sautéed spinach. I really hate to say it, the grilled half chicken was the star of the evening. They did an amazing job with the flavor of this dish.

The service: Our service was outstanding! Although there were large parties in his section, he still managed to give us great service with a great attitude each time he stopped by our table. We definitely felt comfortable leaving a generous tip due to his professionalism.

The prices: The appetizer was $10.95, 1/2 chicken entrée $19.95 & the seafood platter was $26.95.

Room for growth & improvement: There are a tremendous amount of on-line reviews about this restaurant. While it's impossible to please everyone, if I were the Pappadeaux management, I would make it a point to address all of the less than favorable  reviews by developing a solution to each issue. "Try" to impress each and every customer that comes in, after all you have a reputation to uphold as being a leader in the seafood world. There are other seafood restaurant leaders already firmly planted  in the Birmingham market that you WILL be heavily compared to.

Overall experience: The entrée I had didn't match the rave reviews I'd heard or read. Maybe I went in with insanely high expectations. I loved the frog legs and the service. I might visit this restaurant again in the future and order something different.  The chicken should not have outshined the seafood where seafood is the specialty.

Have you been to Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen? What was your experience? Leave your comments below the post or send an email to restaurantraider@gmail.com or a comment on twitter @RestaurantRaidr.

 

Frog Legs.... Sorry Kermit, but I couldn't help myself.

The Seafood Platter

The grilled half chicken dinner

 

Big Flavor at Little Italy's Pies & Pints

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There is nothing worse than receiving a restaurant recommendation then you get there and the restaurant doesn't live up to the hype. A happening new pizza joint called Little Italy's on Birmingham's Southside was suggested, over and over ...... and over again. I was told that the pizza was outstanding. I absolutely had to taste it for myself. On this particular visit I met with the founder of Discover Birmingham, to do some brainstorming. When we arrived, it was revealed that he was a regular there. That definitely worked in the restaurant's favor.

Atmosphere: This is a moderately sized eatery with ample booth & table seating, a sizable bar with additional bistro tables. There are televisions mounted for sports lovers. The restaurant was very clean, organized and appeared ready to receive lots of hungry pizza enthusiasts. If you are looking for an after work spot, I'd say this place is worth suffering through the Southside parking maze.

The Meal: We started out with the ridiculously delicious fried ravioli appetizer with ranch & marinara for dipping. This was my first time trying fried ravioli and definitely will not be the last. The main attraction was a large chicken veggie specialty pizza. This is one of the most amazing pizza's since the invention of pizza! It had just the right blend of cheese, fresh veggies and even the crust was flavorful.  Some pizza restaurants do not do enough to nurture the flavor of the crust. My taste buds were extremely happy!

The Service: We received great service on this particular night. Everyone we encountered was both friendly and accommodating.

The Prices: I was very impressed by the menu & prices of all of the dishes. Appetizers are $2.99 & up, salads range from $3.99 to $7.99 including Greek salads. They also have a great selection of pasta dishes starting at $9.99. Pizzas are of course priced by size & a little extra for added toppings. Their prices will definitely not break the bank at all. Quality food for reasonable prices is something a food enthusiast can appreciate. Especially if you're splitting the tab.
Get $2.00 off all appetizers (excluding wings) between 5 & 7 p.m. daily!

Room for growth & improvement: Even though Little Italy's is new to the 5 Points South area, I would strongly suggest a great marketing campaign to promote growth & visibility. This is right in the heart of a college community.
When the growth spurt hits... remember to maintain QUALITY.

Overall experience: I loved the atmosphere, the service, the prices and the taste.  This is a spot that I would recommend for after work meetings or a simple dinner with friends & family.

For more information about Little Italy's Pies & Pints visit their website at
http://www.littleitalyspiesandpints.com/

"Like" them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/littleitalysbirmingham

Follow them on Twitter at https://twitter.com/5pointspizza

Fried Ravioli

Chicken Veggie Pizza

EVENT: EAT / DRINK BIRMINGHAM

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Mark your calendars: Saturday, March 14, 2015. 2-6PM

I am super excited about this upcoming event.

There is lots of buzz generating about EAT/ DRINK Birmingham. This is an exciting event for food & drink lovers everywhere. This event is predicted to sell out so buy your tickets today.

Visit eatdrinkbham.com to get details about everything from event parking, the dress code and a list of all of the participating restaurants. Although, attendees will have the opportunity to sample alcoholic beverages paired with the chef created dishes, non-alcoholic beverages will be provided by Red Diamond.

Details:

Alabama's craft brewers are teaming up with Birmingham's independent restaurants on March 14 to showcase the unique and diverse culinary culture of the city. Guests will enjoy unlimited samples from Birmingham's best local restaurants with craft beers that have been expertly-paired with each dish. Learn about the joy of pairing food and beer from local chefs and brewers.

 

Eat Drink Birmingham is also the only place to find draft of St. Stephens Stout. This statewide "collaboration beer" was conceived and created by the members of the Alabama Brewers Guild and is the first beer produced in collaboration across the state.

 

 

100% of the proceeds from Eat Drink Birmingham benefit the Alabama Brewers Guild, a driving force behind the craft beer movement in our state. This is a 21 and older event. 

Who: The brewery members of the Alabama Brewers Guild and the restaurant members of the Birmingham Originals
What: Eat Drink Birmingham
Where: SoHo Square in Homewood
When: Saturday, March 14 from 2:00PM to 6:00PM

 

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Frios Gourmet Pops - Heating Up The Frosty Competition.

I'm fully aware that it's way too cold outside to even mention frozen treats, but I'm going to do it anyway.

So I'm scrolling along my Twitter timeline one day and I see a picture indicating that there might somehow be a Moon Pie flavored popsicle in existence. "No way", I told myself. That's got to be the most ridiculous thing ever. I've GOT to have one!


Frios Pops Birmingham is the latest company vying for the title of frozen treat supremacy. I met with Michael Weidenbach, the spearhead of this chilly operation. He gave me a great overview of Frios Pops and even let me get an up close and personal look at their awesome truck.

Although I had to restrain myself from trying them all, I did try several of the amazing pops.
The individually wrapped Moon Pie, King Cake, Banana Pud'n and Tiramisu ALL have real pieces of the deserts right INSIDE the popsicles!

I also sampled the root beer float, creamy coconut & sweet tea pops. All very true to their descriptions.

They have an impressive list of  list of several fun and delicious flavors:

Available flavors:

- Moon Pie

- King Cake

- Tiramisu

- Peanut Butter & Chocolate

- Banana Pud'n

- Creamy Coconut

- Sweet Tea

- Root Beer Float

- Pink Lemonade

-Chocolate & Caramel  

And many more to come!

I'm excited to announce to you that Frios will be opening in their permanent location on March 7th in the Southbrook Shopping Center in Alabaster at  569 1st Avenue Southwest, Alabaster AL 35007.

For more info, visit
www.facebook.com/friosbirmingham
www.twitter.com/friosbirmingham
www.instagram.com/friosbirmingham


Thanks for reading.

~The Birmingham Restaurant Raider

#CenturyOfLove Valentine's Day Dinner Give-Away!!!

Great news!!

After my recent visit to Century Restaurant at the Tutwiler Hotel in Downtown Birmingham, I thought it would be awesome for someone else to experience this elegant Birmingham restaurant. So my friends at Century Restaurant at the Tutwiler Hotel are sponsoring a dinner for two on 2/14/15!

Check out the details below for your chance to enter a photo of you and your sweetie in the #CenturyOfLove twitter photo contest. The picture with the most likes/ faves at the end of the contest wins!

Contest ends at noon on 2/13/15.

Feel free to share this link on all social media outlets or with friends & family.
Twitter users can vote for your entry.

You can share your entry on all social media outlets, but the votes will only be counted on twitter.

If you missed it, click here to read my recent review on Century.

Good Luck!

Click for larger view

Slice Pizza- Servin' It Up With Style

 

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One of the greatest debates ever will always be about who has the best pizza in Birmingham. Just like the rib debate, this could go on forever. There is a poll on the full version of the site containing a list of many pizza joints in Birmingham. Eventually, I will eat my way through the list. However, this particular evening, I ventured over to Slice on Birmingham's Southside. Located right next to Moe's Barbecue, Slice is right in the heart of the Lakeview area and definitely seems like a popular spot.

 

Atmosphere: From the looks of it, Slice is a perfect after work meeting spot. There seemed to be a lot of college aged patrons on this particular night. There was unused outdoor seating, probably due to the chilly temps on this evening. The acoustics inside definitely reflected a busy environment. Lot's of conversation.

 

The Meal: My dining companion and I shared what was described as a "small plate" of  the

Garlic Cheese Bread- House Cheese Blend, Olive Oil, Garlic, Fresh Thyme. I'm sorry, but the plate was BIG and so was the flavor. Their garlic cheese bread is the absolute truth in my opinion! Wondering if this will be hard to top as I journey through the pizza community in Birmingham. For our main pie, we shared a pizza called The Lakeview - Braised Beef Short Rib, Caramelized Onion, Roasted Tomato, Asiago, Arugula, Red Onion & Horseradish Sauce .When I read the description, I thought... These people are insane! Never in a million years can they pull off blending these ingredients on a pizza. Well guess what, they did it and did it well. The Lakeview was like having a full course meal all on a slice of pizza. I was impressed.

 

The Service: Excellent. I always test the servers knowledge of the menu. Although the restaurant was packed, our service was faster than expected. Fast and hungry definitely go together.

 

The Prices: Pizza prices start at $15.00 and go up depending on the item. They also have a "build your own pizza" feature which is great for picky eaters. They also carry soups, salads, desserts and an extensive beer menu for all of you brew heads.

 

Room for Growth & Improvement: The only observation I would make is to focus on up-selling at the time of order. Although, there are soups & salads on the menu, a good business move would always be to offer those items even if the customer doesn't buy. This is not a criticism, just an observation.

 

Overall experience: Even though I am not ever fond of the parking on Southside, I loved the food and will definitely be a repeat customer.

 

For more information on Slice, visit their website at http://www.slicebirmingham.com/

 

Thanks for reading,

~The Birmingham Restaurant Raider

The Lakeview

The pizzas are served on these neat little serving platforms

Aerial view

The Garlic Cheese bread Small Plate

 



 





 



 

 



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

Roasted Garlic Hummus Appetizer

Yummy, warm, delicious bread

Chicken Picatta

Angus Ribeye
 

BABALU TACOS & TAPAS "Bringing Latin Flavor to Lakeview"

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I have to admit, the first time that I heard  about BABALU, Desi Arnaz crossed my mind. As a massive fan of "I Love Lucy", my favorite episodes are always the one's where Ricky Ricardo performs live at the Tropicana. I figured a restaurant with such an infamous name should definitely offer a memorable culinary experience. When I mentioned that I was going to BABALU, the recommendations came pouring in about what I should try. Trust me, I wanted to eat the entire menu.

Atmosphere: This contemporary- casual restaurant had an amazingly comfortable feel. With bar seating, plenty of tables and an outdoor seating area, there is lots of space for a moderate sized crowd. They have an open kitchen, with lots of busy staff that seemed to be focused on creating lots of visually enticing dishes. This is a great addition to the Lakeview area of Birmingham's Southside.

The Meal: I had an appetizer of their fresh Pico de Gallo w/ house made chips. I love, love, love Pico! I typically never pass up a chance to have it no matter where I am. The house made chips were very good in my opinion and would accompany any kind of dip just fine. I got some to go and they were even great as a snack  by themselves the next day.

My entrée consisted of the combination taco plate. Their tacos are made with blue corn masa tortillas that are made in house. If you are expecting anything close to Taco Bell, have a talk with your taste buds before trying this item. These soft shells have more of an authentic Latin cuisine flavor. My combination taco plate consisted of one Pollo (chicken) taco , one beef tenderloin taco and one Ostra(oyster) taco topped w/ hot sauce slaw. I thoroughly enjoyed them all, but I enjoyed the Ostra taco the best mainly because I'd never had an oyster taco.

The Service: The service was very good. I was greeted & seated immediately. My server was extremely friendly and also made more recommendations. She also knew the menu which is a huge plus for me!

The Prices: The appetizer I had was $4.50 and the taco combo was $8.95.

Overall experience: I enjoyed my visit to BABALU and will return to try other dishes and hopefully some of the many recommended dishes. I appreciate authenticity so if they continue to focus on the impact of flavor and the introduction of new menu features, I think they will see longevity in Birmingham.

For more information & to view extended item descriptions, visit their website at http://babalutacos.com

Follow on Twitter @BabaluBHM

Thanks for reading,

~ The Birmingham Restaurant Raider

Pico de Gallo w. House Made Chips (click to view larger)



Far Left: Pollo taco Middle: Aspen Ridge Natural Beef tenderloin taco Right: Flash Fried Ostra Taco (click to view larger)

Cue the theme music below. =)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu6Ra59RSis&index=1&list=RDFu6Ra59RSis

Salem's Diner - "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" Or At Least How You Like Your Eggs.

 



 





It was a rainy Saturday morning. I could hear the sound of rain outside and the sound of thunder. No wait, that's not thunder.... that's my stomach =\

I decided that I would take the journey out to a spot that is famous for it's custom home style breakfast meals. I'd heard a great deal about Salem's Diner in Homewood, AL.
According to their reputation, Salem's is apparently the place to go if you want a warm breakfast, a memorable omelet and  great conversation with lot's of locals. They also received a mention on Late Night with Craig Ferguson. (see the website for the actual clips)

Atmosphere: Salem's is a modest sized eatery. It has booth & bar seating with a couple of tables outside. It seems there were LOTS of regulars and yes, every one knew everyone else by name. The staff appeared to know what many of the guests wanted to eat as they walked in and were seated.
I felt as if I'd walked into the home of a relative or an episode of Cheers.

The Meal: I didn't see a breakfast combination that suited my finicky taste buds at the time. So I ordered everything A la carte. I had orange juice,  cheese grits, cheesy hash browns with diced onions and bell pepper, wheat toast, a slice of grilled Conecuh smoked sausage and a sample of Salem's signature ground sausage patty. While Conecuh sausage is great, the ground sausage patty was PRETTY AMAZING!! During my breakfast I was offered a sample of fig preserves to spread on my toast, eliminating the need for the jelly I'd requested. I am now a fan of fig preserves.

The Service:  I absolutely loved the service. This has to be one of the friendliest restaurants in town.
The entire staff made everyone that walked in feel welcome. I love that. I totally wanted to move in.

The Prices: The prices here are pretty reasonable. Although I designed my own meal completely from the side dish menu, it's more practical to order a breakfast from the plate menu. Salem's also has a great looking lunch menu with all of the sandwich & burger combos under $10 dollars.

If you would like more information about the hours or to view the extended menu at Salem's Diner, visit their website at http://www.salemsdiner.com/

Follow them on Twitter at @SalemsDiner1

Check out their Facebook page here Salem's Diner Facebook Page

Thanks for reading,

~The Birmingham Restaurant Raider

"Yo' Mama's Meals Made Fresh" Get In!

Each week I receive several suggestions regarding new restaurants and "must try" dishes.

I'd been hearing great things about a happening new spot in the downtown Birmingham area with a snazzy name. Many of the people that I follow on social media were posting tons of awesome photos of the meals served at "Yo Mama's". I decided that I absolutely HAD to get in on the action.

Atmosphere: This is a moderate sized eatery which features  contemporary brick walls with chairs in their signature color of bright green. There's also a generous amount of daylight coming in through the large windows. While ordering at the counter I caught a glimpse of the cooks at work which made my decision just a little harder. This visit took place a little later in the afternoon near the end of their lunch service. As I waited for my food, I swooned over the other lunches that were being delivered to nearby tables. The chicken and waffles seemed to be popular.

The Meal: Despite the social media fame of the chicken and waffles, I had the shrimp tacos: two soft tacos filled with plump shrimp, accompanied by a side of delicious black beans and Spanish rice. I am not the worlds biggest black bean eater, but these were good. Menu items that have the symbol "GF" are gluten free or have a gluten free option.

The Service: I experienced no problems with the service at all during this visit. Everyone was accommodating. They are experiencing the normal "new restaurant" streamlining. If they continue to focus on making sure that everyone knows the menu, that would be a huge plus!

The Price: My lunch was $9.95. I think this was pretty reasonable especially with the current rate of seafood prices.

Overall Experience: I will definitely look at visiting this spot again when I am in the area. Yo' Mama's restaurant is only open Monday-Friday 10:30- 2:30. This is awesome for the downtown lunch crowd. I hope that they take the opportunity to explore expanding their hours of operation. Birmingham social media has been very vocal about this. I have my fingers crossed that one day we will see a dinner menu.

For more information about the menu, catering and to sign up for the "Daily Meal" email alerts, visit http://www.yomamasrestaurant.com/ 

Follow them on Twitter at  @YoMamasMeals

Grilled shrimp tacos w/ black beans and Spanish rice
*Click to enlarge

Ah Ha! The Greatest Last Minute Gift.. FOOD!

Looking for a last minute gift for that one friend or relative that might be a little picky?
This should be perfect!

PRESS RELEASE:

 

Birmingham Originals eGift Card Is The Perfect Holiday Gift

Instantly available gift cards valid at 21 Birmingham Originals’ member restaurants

 

(Birmingham, Ala.) – Give the gift of local flavor with a Birmingham Originals eGift Card this holiday season. The eGift card is accepted at 21 Birmingham Originals’ member restaurants and can be purchased online at BirminghamOriginals.Instagift.com.  

 

The Birmingham Originals eGift Card is instantly available upon purchase, which makes it the perfect gift for last minute shoppers. The cards can be printed, emailed or redeemed from a mobile phone. Gift cards are available in the amounts of $10, $25, $50, $100, $150 and $200 and never expire.

 

Participating restaurants in the eGift Card program are: 26, Asian Rim, Avo, Bellini’s, Bistro Two Eighteen, Cantina, Cosmo’s Pizza, dg, FoodBar, Homewood Gourmet, Hot & Hot Fish Club, Iz Café, John’s City Diner, Little Savannah, Nabeel’s, Ocean, Silvertron Café, Slice, Ted’s Restaurant, The Bright Star, The J. Clyde and V. Richards. Others may be added.

 

 “Our eGift Card is a great holiday gift for friends, family and co-workers,” said Jerry Hartley, president of Birmingham Originals and owner/operator of The J. Clyde. “It’s exciting to know people can give the gift of some of Birmingham’s best restaurants.”

 

For more information, visit birminghamoriginals.org.

 

 

 

About Birmingham Originals

Birmingham Originals, established in 2002, is an organization of local, independently owned and operated restaurants with passionate restaurateurs seeking to increase awareness of Birmingham’s unique regional flavors and locally produced food, as well as give back to the community in which they serve. With its approximately 65 restaurants and community members ranging from upscale to down-home, the coalition strives to elevate the Birmingham community not only through its food, but also its charitable and cultural contributions.

FEED THE FIREHOUSE

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http://birminghamrestaurantraider.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

 

Please join the Magic City Bloggers on Thursday December 18, 2014 from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. as we partner with World Of Beer in 5 Points South to collect food for The Birmingham Firehouse Shelter.

 

The Firehouse Shelter provides a wide variety of needs to homeless men in our area.

 

We will be collecting dry goods and canned goods at this event.

 

Bring your entourage & have your photo made in the fun photo booth!

 

For more information about the shelter, please visit http://www.firehouseshelter.com/

 

For information about World of Beer and their food menu visit http://worldofbeer.com/docs/default-source/westchase/fivepoints_tavernfare.pdf?sfvrsn=0

 

Connect with World Of Beer on Twitter.com

 

Connect with the Firehouse Shelter on Twitter

 

Connect with Magic City Bloggers on Twitter

 

See you there!

 

~The Birmingham Restaurant Raider

Click to view larger image



Ivory LeShore - A Master of Sweetness

*If you received this post via email, you can also view the full version of the site at http://birminghamrestaurantraider.blogspot.com/

Tis the season to cheat on diets, Fa-la-la-la-la, La-la-la-la! Each holiday season, many of us have the opportunity to try different types of sweet treats. Whether it be an office party or a holiday potluck dinner, you will come face to face with a variety of awesome sweets.

Don't go empty handed. An edible gift from Ivory LeShore's Gourmet Bread Pudding & Cheesecakes would be an awesome holiday addition to any gathering. 

If you have a sweet tooth, then you will love this story. I recently had the pleasure of meeting Ivory LeShore III, one of Birmingham's most creative bakers and boy am I glad!
Ivory has been in the culinary world as a cook for over 20 years. Anyone who has cooked with the likes of Chef Franklin Biggs carries a lot of credibility in my book.

In January of 2014 he confidently made the leap of faith to start his own business. He is taking Birmingham by storm with his collection of signature desserts. The popularity of his products have  received the attention of several retailers in the area, most notably V. Richard's market. The ingredients are clearly marked on each label.

In order to be able to convey to you exactly how good his products are, of course I had to face the difficult task of tasting them.

Here is a list of what I sampled:

The White Chocolate bread pudding- served warm, with soft, melted white chocolate in every bite.

The Sweet Potato w/ white chocolate mousse cheesecake-flavored with significant elements of sweet potato throughout.

The Reese's Peanut Butter Cheesecake w/ white chocolate mousse-a combination of creamy cheesecake, whipped with white chocolate mousse & Reese's candy baked inside!!!!!

Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake- Yes! I know it sounds insane and it also tastes insane! Insanely good that is. This cheesecake is topped w/ a cream cheese icing and pecans, with red velvet cake lining the bottom.  OMG! This is one of those things you have to eat before you die!

And last but not least, the Alabama Goat Cheesecake w/ white chocolate mousse. It should be a sin for ANYTHING to taste this good.
These are only a few items from the collection.

Ivory LeShore's gourmet desserts can be found at the following retail outlets:

• Cowboys on 280
• Allen's Food Mart Exxon in McCalla Exit 1
• Shell on Highland Avenue
• Chevron on 150 across from The Embassy Suites
• V.Richards

If you are a retailer or would simply like to order a dessert for your upcoming holiday event or if I've simply made you hungry, you can place an order by calling (205) 218-2057.  
Ivory LeShore's Gourmet Bread Pudding and Cheesecakes offices are located at 3439 Lorna Lane, Hoover, AL.
Follow him on TWITTER
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/leshore.ivory
Instagram 4allthatmatters
*minimum orders may apply

All products are labeled and neatly packaged

The lids are off!

A tasty combination of ingredients

Red Velvety Goodness!

 

Dale's Southern Grill- Warm, Southern Deliciousness!

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I have so many places that I've been hearing about and have been "meaning" to go. As I gain new followers, the list keeps growing. Since I can't clone myself, I assume that I'd better buckle down on my foodie bucket list.
Dale's Southern Grill has been around since about 2003. Technically, I've eaten their food in the past, but only at event's catered by the restaurant. I managed to journey over to grab what I anticipated to be one of the best lunches to date.

Atmosphere: I liked the atmosphere. They have a bar, lots of seating. Since I'd taken a late lunch, so  it was not too crowded. I sat in a spacious, but cozy booth next to the bar.
The name "southern grill" definitely suits the place.

The Meal: I had the Hawaiian Sirloin, cooked medium, accented with mango salsa. YES!!!! I'm a mango salsa fanatic so this was a special treat.The number one sign of a good steak is "no steak sauce needed". This perfectly cooked sirloin passed the test. There was also a moist cornbread stick, with side dishes of perfectly roasted new potatoes and turnip greens. On my way out, I ordered a delicious bread pudding with warm rum sauce. I didn't mean to, it just happened.


The Service: The service was ok. Nothing spectacular. I don't like it when I don't get my water or drink refilled. Other than that the service was pretty average this day.

The Price: The Hawaiian sirloin lunch w/ 2 sides was $8.99. The bread pudding dessert was $3.99.

Overall Experience: Their menu looks SO amazing. I'm excited to try something new on my next visit so please send me your recommendations via email, twitter or in a comment below.

For more information about Dale's Southern Grill, please visit http://dalesgrill.com/
Thanks for reading!

~The Birmingham Restaurant Raider
restaurantraider@gmail.com

Cocina Superior, Superior Food Or Just Hype?

Having grown up with a mom that has always been pretty practical, I can tell you that rarely does she ever feel ripped off. She wants the most for her money and knows how to look for great deals. Her teachings have rubbed off on me. The fact that I know how to spot a pretty good deal shouldn't surprise anyone that knows us both. However, I have come to a bump in the road.

Typically, I rarely have that "ripped off" feeling after a meal. I've been fortunate enough to have the experience of finding some really great deals during my days of raiding restaurants. My followers tend to keep me informed of great deals and steals around town. (Thanks everyone!!)
I've heard so many people rave about the food at Cocina Superior.
I thought that it was high time that I stepped in to see what all of the fuss was about.

Atmosphere: A very appealing, casual dining atmosphere. Not too busy on this particular day. They have a contemporary outdoor seating area and a view of the kitchen from the sidewalk outside. It was fascinating to see the kitchen staff at work in front of the tortilla machines pressing out & cutting the fresh tortilla rounds.

The meal: I had the Chipotle Shrimp. This consists of  grilled shrimp tossed in chipotle butter served with rice, a side of fresh pico de gallo, sliced avocado & topped with tortilla strips. For dessert I had the Tres Leches, a fluffy vanilla sponge cake soaked in three types of milk w/ lemon/ lime icing accompanied by sliced strawberries.

The staff: My server was really nice and knew the menu. I did, however, observe a couple of things in the server/ side prep area that I will discreetly mention to the manager. I'm pretty sure this was not okay.

The Prices: For what they charged, I was expecting something a little more than what I got in terms of quality.  Maybe I should have gotten a recommendation on which dish to try before this visit. The Chipotle shrimp dinner $17. The dessert $6. The feeling that I'd been ripped off = Priceless.

Overall experience: I was underwhelmed.  I don't see what the fuss is about. This was the disappointment of the year. I hope this wasn't too harsh as I don't really like to give "bad" reviews. :(
Hopefully Cocina will continue to observe opportunities to improve upon quality and enhance the dining experience for future patrons.

If you have visited this restaurant and had a great experience, please let me know by emailing me at restaurantraider@gmail.com or sending a tweet to me at @RestaurantRaidr

*I retract my statement about always giving good reviews.

Chipotle Shrimp



Tres Leches


 

Me In the Car

Rib Rivalry-Who's the greatest?

***UPDATE*** This poll is now closed. Moe's  Original Barbecue received the most votes***
I can pretty much guarantee that MOST people have engaged in a debate about where the best ribs and /or barbecue can be found in Birmingham.
Well, it's time for the people to elect a favorite.

The results will be revealed on 10/31/14.

You are allowed to vote once a day.  

Start up the conversation by sharing the link with friends, co-workers and family members.

*If I left out your fave, please let me know by tweeting your favorite rib spot to @RestaurantRaidr OR sending an email to RestaurantRaider@Gmail.com.


If you received this post via email, click here to  Vote For The Best Barbecue in Birmingham 
*The poll will be located on the right hand side of the webpage.



P.S. Don't forget to buy your Groupons when you visit The Birmingham Restaurant Raider by clicking the banner at the top of the webpage.

Thanks for reading,
~The Birmingham Restaurant Raider

#TweetWhatYouEat