Birmingham Restaurant Week: Continental Bakery DT

This week, I'll be eating with people rather than by myself. I love being able to taste, have quiet, and take in the atmosphere at a restaurant, but I love the community that surrounds food. Making it, sharing it, eating it -- all are a regular part of my interactions with my friends. It's how Adam and I started dating, is part of how/what we barter for, and for me, a way to cement friendships.

Today, I'll be eating at Oscar's at the Museum for lunch. Dinner will be a date night (with a surprise location) for my husband. Yesterday, a friend and I went to Continental Bakery Downtown for lunch. It's only the second time I've been in there in the year and change that they've been open, but the decor is still warm and welcoming.

The Restaurant Week menu was entirely light and refreshing, perfect for a meal on the patio. The entrée and dessert were largely in the style of Alice Waters, offering Old World-style cuisine in a New World setting.

I started with the salad because I was craving veggies -- after a couple days of Restaurant Week under my belt, I'm trying to eat salads everywhere I can. The balsamic reduction on the greens was slightly tangy, with the toasted almonds adding a bit of fat to cut the vinegar's acid. Figs added a nice sweetness to add to the crunch of the greens.

The accompanying tuna-filled tomato was fresh. The tuna mixture inside was a chilled mixture of salty olives, zucchini, and fish. All of it was crispy and fresh -- two things good for a sweltering summer afternoon.

But when it comes down to it, the highlight of the meal was the dessert. Like the entrée, it was light and perfect for a summer's day. Since I was little, I've loved pie crust, sometimes as much as (or more than) what's the in the pie.

The ricotta, topped with a honey and lavender mixture, provided a richness and depth to the dish. Seared figs, which were caramelized quite nicely, added sweetness, and the blueberries gave the whole a bit of tanginess and a slight crunch to round out the dish.

So far, Restaurant Week has been an adventure into new restaurants and styles of cooking. I've visited Satterfield's and BYOB, and can't wait to see what else lies in store.

Check out the Birmingham Restaurant Week website and James Martin's blog The Sipologist for more Restaurant Week coverage. 

Birmingham Restaurant Week: Satterfield's

One of the biggest reasons I've been excited to blog about food for Restaurant Week is finally getting to visit places where my friends work. Several of my friends from various points in my life are part of the team at Satterfield's. I was lucky enough to have one of them (hi, Lucky!) as my server for the evening.

When I was looking up info on BYOB's lunch offering, I also checked out the Satterfield's menu. Though I was torn between the two apps and the two entrées, the dessert option had me daydreaming all day. After traveling to New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail last month, I was excited to get some beignets in my life again.

But before dessert, there were two other courses. For the first, I chose the cold corn soup. The rich texture and nutty taste were offset by a slight spice that built a bit with every bite. The corn was sweet, and the Arbequina olive oil garnishing the soup added a lovely richness.

Since I was seated at the chef's counter, I had a wonderful view of the kitchen at work. I got to see both the tile fish and the Fudge Family Farms pork entrées being prepared, and both looked absolutely delicious.

Although the Restaurant Week cocktail sounded tasty, I was more in the mood for a glass of wine. Lucky set me up with an awesome glass of dry white wine that carried a nice acidity and minerality. It was absolutely perfect to cut the richness of the first two courses.

When it came down to it, I chose the pork. When I started eating, I immediately found it was a great choice. From the first bite, it was creamy with a slight crunch from the vegetables. The tomatoes' texture was still spot on, even after their time in the pan, and provided a lovely acidity that balanced the sauce's creaminess.

But the pork was the real showstopper. After it's added to the pan, the sauce cooks down with the meat and the flavors merge. By the time it's served, it's so tender it almost melts into the sauce. I ate all of it, and if the beignets weren't coming, I would've tried to get more of the pasta and vegetable mix -- it was that good.

Last but not least was the beignets. They were fried to a slightly crispy perfection and coated with sugar. The peaches were still fresh and sweet, and with the homemade vanilla ice cream were the perfect accompaniment for the fried delights. You'll probably get tired of my saying this, but Adam and I will be back here for some sort of special occasion. And if you want to eat from this menu, make your reservations now: Satterfield's isn't open on Sundays.

Check out the Birmingham Restaurant Week website and James Martin's blog The Sipologist for more Restaurant Week coverage. 

Birmingham Restaurant Week: BYOB

Yesterday I made my first stop as a Birmingham Restaurant Week blogger. In preparation, I've been drinking lots of water and trying (and mostly failing) to exercise every few days. I've also been struggling with how best to cover Restaurant Week while also treating my service industry friends well.

Though it's a fantastic, budget-friendly way to try out some of the best places in town, it's also a very difficult time for the people who work there. So if you eat out this week, make reservations, dress appropriately, and be on time. More importantly, be patient, be kind, and FOR THE LOVE, TIP WELL. It's your server's primary source of income, and prices are lower than normal, so be generous. </rant>

My first stop on Friday was for lunch at BYOB. Their name, which stands for "Build Your Own Burger" and "Birmingham's Years of Bands," is decorated entirely with photos of local musicians and memorabilia. Only local music played during service, and while I was there, I took a trip down memory lane listening to Wild Sweet Orange.

Then the food came out. Between the burger and the tots, the portions are large enough to satisfy even the hungriest guest. First came the cheesy tots. 

Topped with garlic, cheese, cilantro, queso, scallions, and ghost pepper cheese, the tater tots were rich with a slight spice while still maintaining their crunch. I couldn't stop eating them. I may have spoiled my appetite for the burger.

And then there was the Topper Price burger. Highlights include the lemon aioli, 1/2 pound patty, and crisp veggies. It's rich and satisfying, and even though I ate a very early lunch, I didn't get hungry between then and dinner.

Adam and I will be coming back for brunch. Prices are extremely reasonable on their regular menu, and they had chicken posted waffles as their brunch special -- one of our favorites.

Check out the Birmingham Restaurant Week website and James Martin's blog The Sipologist for more Restaurant Week coverage. 

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.