Second Helpings: Slice

I love food. I love fixing it, eating it, and writing about it. After finding out that I would be one of the bloggers for this year's Birmingham Restaurant Week, I was excited for the excuse to eat all the food. But I was also extremely relieved to reach my last meal for BRW.

Slice is a great place to go for date night. Splitting a pizza, talking over a couple beers, enjoying either the AC or the patio -- there's not much that can beat it. Their Restaurant Week entrée is meant to be split, and it's enough food for even the hungriest couple. There are also a lot of different possible meals that can be put together since the meal is your choice of a salad, a pizza, and a dessert.

Adam and I chose the Summer Salad to start. This massive pyramid of watermelon, snap peas, tomatoes, feta, and peach vinaigrette brought together a lot of different flavors in a great was. The watermelon brought the cold sweetness, while the tomatoes and balsamic glaze added a bit of acid for balance. The feta rounded it out with a bit of fat and richness.

We decided on The Chilton. Almost every summer food I look forward to every year topped this pizza: braised pork shoulder, Chilton County peaches for sweetness, peppery arugula, well-cooked caramelized onions, and three types of cheese. All of it was topped off with a generous drizzle of balsamic glaze.

As the last dessert of BRW, we went with the salted butterscotch cheesecake drizzled with molasses. The texture was spot on: creamy and smooth, but not mouth-countingly fatty or sickly sweet. I'm not usually huge on butterscotch, but this worked for me. Adam and I spent the first few bites savoring it with lots of nodding, but without talking. The bit of saltiness balances any bitterness from the other ingredients (it's science), and made the filling's texture seem richer without adding weight.

While we were eating, the sun was getting lower. If we'd been on the main patio, we could've watched the sun set behind the Slice building, but we had places to be and things to write. Next time, we'll stay and watch.

For more Restaurant Week and Second Helpings coverage, check out the BRW website and James Martin's blog The Sipologist. 

Birmingham Restaurant Week: Second Helpings

"But, Clair," you might say, "Why are you still posting about Birmingham Restaurant Week? It ended yesterday!" You'd be partially right since Restaurant Week itself ended yesterday. But 11 local eateries are extending their special menus until Saturday for a good cause. Called Second Helpings, this limited BRW extension gives people the chance to keep eating for a good cause. A portion of the proceeds from every meal purchased between now and Saturday at these locations will go towards to REV Birmingham's Urban Food Project's Farm to Corner Initiative.

During the ten original days of Restaurant Week, we bloggers managed to hit most of the Second Helpings participants. Links to reviews that have been published are included below.

Black Market Bar & Grill - Five Points South Chez Lulu (review is of the Continental Bakery DT menu) East 59 Café The Grill at Iron City Little Savannah Moe's Original BBQ - Lakeview Oscar's at the Museum Primeaux Cheese + Vino ROJO Silvertron Café Slice

For more Restaurant Week and Second Helpings coverage, check out the BRW website and James Martin's blog The Sipologist. 

Restaurant Week is here!

Last night, I was so excited for the start of Birmingham Restaurant Week that I had a bit of trouble sleeping. This year, I'm one of the two bloggers burdened with the glorious purpose of covering as many participating restaurants as possible.

Over the next 10 days, I get to eat a lot of fantastic food. Restaurants all over the city are offering prix fixée menus for $10, $15, $20, or $30 for lunch and/or dinner. A bargain and a great meal? Yes please!

I also get the chance to experience and chronicle my service industry friends' work. As much as I will enjoy doing it, I'm also a bit nervous about making sure that the descriptions of what they're doing are accurate and fully represent their work. No pressure, right?

Today, I visited BYOB for lunch and will be headed to Satterfield's for dinner. Before Restaurant Week, I hadn't eaten at either, so it'll be a great chance to try new things. On the 12th (A.K.A. last Wednesday), the Summit Club hosted the sold out Birmingham Restaurant Week Preview Party. Some of the highlights are included below, but I didn't take pictures of all of the tasty food I ate at the event.

Rusty's Bar-B-Q's ribs: amazingly tender ribs with their tangy, slightly sweet vinegar sauce. Also sampled: their sweet, spicy, and white sauces.

Dixie Fish Co. brought a Piña Colada Cake. Their chef, Rick Trent III (or BB, as I know him), wanted something that "tasted like summer."

Slice's bites: thinly sliced watermelon radishes topped with goat cheese, candied pecans (I think), and greens.

The Pantry by Stone Hollow Farmstead brought their A-game with ginger snaps topped with chocolate chevre and candied lemon rind (right) and flatbread topped with soft cheese, caramelized onions, and local tomatoes (left).

Regretfully not pictured: a delicious Krispy Kreme bread pudding from a source I will have to track down and some spicy authentic Thai food.