Mudtown Eat and Drink

A few nights ago I ventured into a small old house that had been converted into a restaurant. It was a neat find in Cahaba Heights. Mudtown serves Southern style bar food- expensive bar food, but extremely flavorful and excellent comfort food. 

Mudtown is tucked into a small corner, one that I would have never happened upon had I not been researching for good southern eats. The first thing I noticed upon entering the restaurant was the atrocious parking, which on their menu they proudly say they have been voted worst parking by their customers. The hill was incredibly steep, and at night with limited lighting, it was definitely dangerous. 

The restaurant offers a humble reminiscent atmosphere that inspires comfort. My friend and I were told to choose a seat and were promptly handed menus by our servers. There are outside tables on the porch which looked inviting, but it was too hot outside to enjoy. We instead chose indoor seating at the bench. I regretted that decision for a while. At 5'4", I am not the tallest person, but the benches I sat at were too short for me, and resting my arms on the table was very uncomfortable. 

I ordered the Jamaica Smokehouse Press with Sweet Tomato Aioli with a side of Gouda grits, which the server recommended to me. The food arrived quickly, and I was impressed by how tender the pork was and the lightly smoked flavor was topped with perfectly melted Jack cheese and tomato chutney. The sandwich was a blast of flavor in my mouth and I was definitely impressed. The gouda grits were delicious as well, with the gouda flavor deeply penetrating in every bite and extremely rich. The meal was great.

 However, after the first few bites, the sandwich started feeling very heavy and salty. My body was dying for some balance to the heavy flavors. When I told the server, he gave me a tiny cup of cole slaw. The cole slaw was different than most I have ever seen, and tasty. Besides the usual ingredients like cabbage and carrots, there were raisins and apple slices that really added to the overall taste. I poured the tiny cup of cole slaw into my sandwich and it made for a perfectly balanced and deliciously messy meal. 

Jamaica Smokehouse Press with Sweet Tomato Aioli with Gouda Grits: $8.99

My friend ordered the Charleston Shrimp and Grits and was not so lucky. The dish looked great when it was brought out and my friend eagerly dove into the cheesy grits with shrimp, andoille sausage, and bell peppers. Like my dish, the flavor  was amazing at first, and both of us couldn't stop shoving more of it into our mouths. However, around bite six or so, both of us felt the salt hit us hard. Suddenly, both of us had downed 64 ounces of water and were still craving for more. I'm not sure if this saltiness was an accident, or if it was how the chef intended, but the dish was definitely ruined by the heavy hand of salt. My friend only got about halfway through the dish before he decided to call it hopeless. It was a big disappointment. 

Charleston Shrimp and Grits: $16.99

I love it when restaurants offer different menus every week. Not only does this make me wish to return to try out new foods, it represents an creative chef that is passionate about his food. Next time I am in the area and feel like some good southern comfort food, I will be stopping by... and telling the chef to lighten up on the salt. 

Service: 4.5/5 

Environment: 3/5

Taste: 2.5/5 

Food Appearance: 3/5 

Total: 3.25/5 stars 

Mudtown Eat and Drink 

3144 Green Valley Rd
Birmingham, AL 35243

(205) 967-3300

GianMarco's Restaurant

First off, I'd like to apologize for my pictures. I only had my iPhone for the occasion and the flash results never turn out very well.

For my birthday, a group of great friends surprised me with dinner at GianMarco's. The location make the place seem like a hole in the wall, and walking inside, I was surprised to see a bar section and a small restaurant section. The bar had a distinct smell of hard liquor and there were many people seated there snacking on appetizers such as calamari or crab legs while they downed their beers and mixed drinks. The olympics games were playing on the large TV screen in the room and everyone was mesmerized by it. The restaurant side of the place was small and cozy, giving off a comforting feel. Candles and bulbs from the kitchen provided most of the lighting in the restaurant.

My friends and I enjoyed the never ending bread baskets, which servers would replace as soon as the basket was approaching empty status. The bread consisted of an assortment of wheat and white bread; I don't think there was anything special about the bread, but we were all really hungry so it tasted delicious. There was a rosemary infused olive oil for us to dip the bread in, and we found ourselves eating several basketfuls- way more that we should have.

Never ending bread baskets

A friend ordered crab legs as an appetizer for everyone to share. They were accompanied with a garlic butter dipping sauce and fresh lemon. The dish looked simple, but the crab legs were really fresh and the sauce paired really well.

Crab Legs: $? 

For my entree I ordered one of the specials of the night. There were several specials, which our server took about fifteen minutes to explain. I'm still wondering how long it took for him to memorize it all! Though the bad quality from the pictures on my iPhone don't really give the food justice, the stuffed chicken was very juicy and flavorful. The seafood risotto was tasty as well and had a good ratio of rice and seafood. The seafood gumbo was a too salty for me but there was a good amount of seafood in the dish. 

Special Stuffed Chicken Breast over Seafood Risotto and Gumbo: $21

Everyone else really enjoyed their meals and the portions were very large. Leftovers for another meal were taken home by everyone. I would definitely come back to GianMarco's to try out different dishes.

GianMarco's Restaurant 

721 Broadway St
Birmingham, AL 35209

(205) 871-9622

Nothing But Noodles

Located in the same shopping plaza as Whole Foods, I usually stop by Nothing but Noodles after I do my weekly grocery shopping. Though the name suggests to offer only noodles, the place also serves a variety of soups and salads. There are a multitude of noodle dishes, from Italian inspired, like Margherita, to Asian based, like Thai Peanut. The dishes are all vegetarian friendly with an extra cost to add different meats or tofu. Each dish comes with a single garlic breadstick, but there are options to buy potstickers or mozzarella stuffed breadsticks as additional side orders too.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I always like some spice in my food so today I ordered the American-inspired Santa Fe pasta. The dish had a green chili cream sauce, sautéed onions, tomatoes, and freshly grated Parmesan and Romano cheese. The order came out quickly and the portion was large; I knew I would be needing a box to home back the leftovers. The pasta had great flavor l but the cream and cheese combination was a little too heavy for me, causing me to feel stuffed and gorged really quickly. The cream made a nice dipping sauce for the garlic breadstick as well.

Santa Fe Pasta: $6.49

Overall, I enjoy eating at Nothing but Noodles. The service is quick, the location is convenient, and the food is flavorful. I will be coming back to try the other noodle dishes, most likely an Asian-inspired pasta dish, on my next visit.

Nothing But Noodles

2800 Cahaba Village Plz
Ste 140
Mountain Brook, AL 35243

(205) 238-5511

http://www.nothingbutnoodles.com

Trattoria Centrale

One of my favorite meals is Sunday Brunch. It's a lazy day and by combining breakfast and lunch together, I get an excuse to eat a larger than normal amount of food without feeling guilty. My friend introduced me to Trattoria Centrale, which I had heard great things about, and together we went there for good conversation and good food. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Though all the other restaurants around the block were empty, Trattoria Centrale was bustling when we arrived, with the line going all around the seats inside. My stomach growled in anticipation. The brunch menu was short but sweet. There was a nice selection of sweet and savory. I looked around and saw a lot of people eating french toast with bacon on top. The portions were very large. The french toast looked delicious but I was carving something salty and the fried eggs with salsa verde and sausage sounded perfect. Once I rounded around the corner towards the front of the line, I could see the line of food that the workers were preparing. I loved watching them fry eggs to order and take out freshly baked scones from the oven. 

Breakfast Pizza: $3

My friend ordered two breakfast pizzas and I ordered the fried eggs. There were three eggs, a plentiful amount of sausage, salsa verde, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. It was definitely a lot of food... and delicious. The eggs were perfectly runny and the yolk spilled out when I sliced in and the sausages, which are house made, held unparalleled balance to the freshness of the salsa verde. It took me a while to finish my huge portion, but slowly and steadily it was conquered. 

Fried Eggs with Salsa Verde and Sausage: $8

Though the space is too small, I really loved this cafe and will definitely be returning, especially since there is a different brunch menu every weekend. I have also heard great things about the specialty pastas during lunch on weekdays. Trattoria Centrale warrants several trips back and I am really excited for my next adventure here. 

Trattoria Centrale 

207A 20th St N
Birmingham, AL 35203

(205) 202-5612

O Sushi

Sushi is a perfect refreshing lunch for a hot summer. A group of friends and I went to O Sushi for a late lunch and we were all starving by the time we got there. The atmosphere of the restaurant was simple, clean with a Japanese vibe. Because of the time, there were not many others in the restaurant and we were seated immediately by a waitress dressed in a kimono. 

Most of my friends ordered lunch bentos and sushi rolls. I was craving sashimi and decided on a chirashi. Our server was really attentive and pleasant, but the food took a while to come out. However, we were a group of seven, and most of the guys ordered two items off the menu. Also, it was later and there was only one sushi chef working at the time. 

My order was the last to come out, but it was worth the wait! It had been a long time since I had any sashimi and I really enjoyed the fish O Sushi prepared. The dish was fresh, balanced, and delicious. There was a good variety of different sashimi, including tuna, salmon, and yellowtail. The sushi rice underneath was well seasoned and paired really well with the sashimi. 

Chirashi: $19

Many of my friends got a lunch bento box, which had a lot of food for the price. There were several choices that they could choose from for their box. One of them chose sashimi and a spring roll, both of which they enjoyed thoroughly. However, the steamed vegetables did not have any flavor.

Lunch Bento Box: $11.95

Most of my friends got rolls, which they all really enjoyed. They looked well made and I will definitely try them on my next visit here.

O Sushi is one of the best Japanese restaurants I have been to in Birmingham, and I have been searching around for a while. The seafood is fresh and our server was really pleasant. I am already excited for my next trip here!





O Sushi 

5519 Grove Blvd
Ste 101
Hoover, AL 35226

(205) 733-3736

Sitar Indian Restaurant

Lazy Sunday afternoons are the perfect time for buffets. My friend and I wanted to gorge ourselves on something creamy and comforting, perfect for an even lazier food coma. We went to Sitar which offers a lunch buffet for only $7.99. 

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

For the price and restaurant atmosphere, which is decorated nicely with Indian influences, there is a good variety of food for the buffet. I normally eat a lot already, but I didn't have breakfast so I was ravenous. I had four full plates of rich curries, rice and naan. I had several pieces of tandoori chicken; some of them were tender and juicy but others were too dry and overcooked. My personal favorite of the five different curries was the vegetarian korma. It was full of flavor and went really well with the rice. However, I wish all of the curries had more spice to them like more authentic Indian cuisine. 

The naan was somewhat carelessly made. Instead of the flatness that is typical of most naan, the ones at Sitar were very thick and tasted more like thick sheets of pita bread rather than naan. Naan and curry combinations are one of my favorite and I was disappointed that the naan wasn't up to their usual standards. 

                     

Indian desserts are known to be sickly sweet. They're usually too sweet for my taste buds, but I enjoyed the rice pudding. It was very sweet but I liked the texture of the rice. The other dessert offered at Sitar is a sticky donut hole-like ball. This is coated and soaked in a thick syrup that only increases the sweetness of the dessert. For me, the ball is too much for me but my friend enjoyed it thoroughly and had five of them. 

              

  

Sitar is a great place to go to for a great amount of food for a cheaper price. The food is relatively tasty and my friend and I left full, happy, and ready for a big food coma to set in.




Sitar Indian Restaurant 

729 20th St S
Birmingham, AL 35233

(205) 323-6500

Izzo's Illegal Burrito

Today was another day of shopping and my friend and I were craving burritos. We walked passed Izzo's Illegal Burrito and decided that we need to try it out.

Rating: 3 out of 5 

It was my first time at Izzo's. When I walked in and looked at the menu up ahead, I realized that this was set up almost exactly like Chipotle, one of my favorite fast food restaurants. The atmosphere of Izzo's was similar to Chipotle, with more colors. The prices were higher, but they had more ingredients to add in the burritos, like sautéed mushrooms and onions. 

I decided on getting a burrito bowl, which is what I usually get at Chipotle. The portion was smaller than that of Chipotle, but there was still a good amount of food. The rice did not have much flavor and was not very fluffy. The chicken was a little dry but it was seasoned well. I wish the hot sauces had more heat so that part was disappointing too. I love mushrooms and onions, so I really liked that Izzo's included the those. 

Chicken Burrito Bowl: $9.10

Overall, Izzo's was enjoyable and I left with a very full stomach. I can't help but compare Izzo's to Chipotle because of the many similarities between the two, and Chipotle wins out. I probably won't be returning here because I know I can get a better burrito elsewhere. 

Izzo's Illegal Burrito

300 Summit Blvd
Ste 104
Birmingham, AL 35243

(205) 970-3001

http://www.izzos.com

Great Southern Cafe

A group of friends and I went to Santa Rosa this past weekend for some play time at the beach. We spent most of our time cooking at our beach house, eating the usual burgers, hot dogs and pasta. On our last day we decided to eat brunch before our last round of the beach. We biked to a little plaza down the street from our beach house and found the Great Southern Cafe, which looked very inviting. The chalkboard advertised fresh seafood, and we all went in hungry and very excited. 

Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

We were a large group of 14 and were immediately seated at the front of the restaurant. The seats were very dirty, which was discomforting to many people in the group. Once we were seated and given waters, the waiter asked if wanted separate checks, which we agreed to. After we placed our orders, the server informed us that the check could only be split three ways. This made no sense to us at all and we were annoyed that the waiter did not tell us this until after we had placed our orders. 

After arguing with the waiter and threatening to walk out, the server informed us that individual checks would be possible after all. Even though we got what we had hoped for, we were still really annoyed at the inconvenience. 

I ordered a light salmon salad, because I wanted to taste simple fresh seafood. The presentation of the dish was nice, but there was not as much of it as I had hoped. The focus was the salmon as well as roasted vegetables. There were only three slices of carrots, a slice of squash, and a slice of zucchini, which was not much. The salmon was the most disappointing part. It was overcooked and the fish was not fresh. There was no lightness that salmon a salmon salad should have, and it was dry. It was a big letdown, especially because the restaurant is located right next to the seaside. 

Balsamic Grilled Salmon Salad: $16

There was more confusion that happened when the checks were brought; the server only split it into two checks. There was a lot of arguing that had to happen and soon as a manager was requested, the server brought out separate checks for everyone. With that kind of service, and subpar food, neither my friends or I will be coming back.



Great Southern Cafe

83 Central Sq
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
(850) 231-7327

Stix

I went shopping today with a friend and after five hours we were completely starving. We didn't want to go far from the mall so we decided on Stix. The restaurant has a hibachi side and a Chinese side. We chose the habachi side for a good show and delicious food.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 

The decor has a modern twist to Asian architecture but the vibe is very relaxed. We looked around at the other tables and discovered that the portions were huge so my friend and I decided to share the combination shrimp and chicken hibachi. The waiter took the order and offered to split the bill between the two of us, which we agreed to happily.

I was craving some sashimi so I also ordered a simple tuna roll. The sushi rice was well prepared and the slight sweetness was really balanced with the freshness of the tuna.

Tuna roll: $2

We also received a complimentary soup and salad as an appetizer. (Well, we thought this was complimentary, but more details on that later.) The soup had a strong onion flavor but was too salty for my taste. The salad dressing had a miso dressing that was both sweet and salty. However, towards the end the salad became a dressing soup; there was just so much dressing. Way too much.

Soup and salad: $3.95

The habachi chef came over a few minutes later and began performing his tricks. Many of them were the ones typically found at any other hibachi place: egg tossing, huge flames, and onion volcanos. The chef did fling shrimp into our mouths as a final trick. I thought the shrimp would miss my mouth completely but the chef had great aim.

When the food was split onto our plates, I was really shocked at how much there was. Even with the amount split, there was so much for the both of us. The food was on the salty side. The shrimp were cooked well and they were naturally sweet. However, the chicken was a little overcooked and dry. I wish there were some more vegetables, although they were still too salty. I did enjoy the fried rice. There was no corn, which I was really pleased about. It's not an ingredient that fried rice is supposed to have, but I've been seeing it pop up at a lot of restaurants.

Chicken and Shrimp: $19.95

There was so much food that both my friend and I had enough food remaining for another meal to take home. We were pretty excited: good show and so much food at only $10 between the two of us. However, the checks came and we were surprised by the additional cost. The waiter had failed to mention to us that when he split our dishes, we had to pay an additional $4 for the soup and salad that neither of really enjoyed. Especially when the main dish was only $10 each, the soup and salad cost was really annoying.

I left the restaurant on an irritated note, but the amount of food I got to take home with me made me happy again. I get to eat delicious leftovers for lunch tomorrow... or maybe for a late night snack tonight.

My fortune

Stix Restaurant 

3250 Galleria Cir
Birmingham, AL 35244

(205) 982-3070

http://www.stixonline.com

Flip Burger Boutique

After an exam, all I want to do is eat. Okay, I confess... I always want to eat. But especially after exams, my stomach grumbles nonstop and I reward my long nights of studying with a good meal. And today was the day of rewards. 

I love burgers; I love fancy; I love different. What better place to go to than Flip Burger Boutique? 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

I've been to Flip Burger multiple times and each time I get a different burger. I love trying new combinations and Flip Burger is the best place to go to for the most unique burgers. Chef Richard Blais is a culinary star (he won season 8 of Top Chef All Stars) and his creations are pure magic on my palate.

One of my favorite parts about Flip Burger is that the menu never gets old. Chef Blais changes up the menu every couple of months so that things stay fresh. The classics remain, but whenever I go I see three or four delicious new burgers.

When my friend and I entered the restaurant, we were greeted with the trendy atmosphere of red and white. Everything is very modern and a bit futuristic looking, making the place hip. We chose to sit indoors in nice air conditioning because the Southern humidity is too much for me. 

How cool is the seating?!

Usually I order sides because burgers go great with them (this is where I had my first southern sweetbreads- surprisingly delicious), but today, my friend and I decided that there were too many new delicious burgers on the menu that we had to try. So we did the only other reasonable option and each chose two burgers. 

During the last few times I've been to Flip Burger, I always chose the specials because I didn't want to miss them after they were taken off of the menu. I love meat in everything, so I'd also never had vegetarian burgers before. My philosophy is always to try new things, so today I went and chose the two vegetarian burgers on the menu. One was clearly Mexican inspired, with cilantro, tomato, salsa, with a bean and corn patty. Having spent half of my life in California, I love Mexican flavors and this choice seemed golden. 

I often visit my friends at UC Berkeley when I go home. My best friend there introduced me to falafels and I have been in love with them ever since. The Fauxlafel was therefore another straight choice. 

The burgers do take a bit of time to come out, but it's to be expected since a lot of care goes into them. The restaurant is usually at least half full as well, so the kitchen does get backed up. However, when the burgers came out, the wait was well worth it. 

I took a first bite from the Fauxlafel and it was like being taken back to the little cart on College Ave. and I grinned with happiness like a little kid. There was a perfect balance between the slight tartness of the pickled vegetables and the coolness of the Tzatziki sauce. The arugla provided a nice freshness to it and the chickpea patty was perfectly seasoned and seared on the outside. It was the best burger I had ever eaten, and it didn't even have meat! Maybe I might branch out to my inner veggie side more often... 

Above - Mexican-style veg: $8
Below - Fauxlafel: $8

I had high hopes for my Mexican burger, but I was disappointed to find the patty mushy and plain. It didn't give me the spice and the heat that I expected from a Mexican inspired dish. Even though there were a lot of ingredients, like the corn, the onions, the avocado, and the cilantro, somehow the dish seemed... plain. I think the salsa could have been spicier to give it a kick; it tasted more like regular diced tomatoes from a can. The most disappointing was the patty itself. This is what I fear most veggie burgers are like. It didn't have the sturdiness or texture that meat patties usually do. 

My friend ordered two very meaty burgers, which I was more than happy about since I knew I'd be stealing a couple of bites. Her Chorizo burger is one of my all-time favorites. I ordered it the last time I came, and my favorite part about it is the fried egg with the deliciously runny yoke that drips down when you bite in. I love the smokiness of the mayo that balances out the kick and heat from the chorizo pork patty, and the paprika adds another delicious dimension to the mix. 

Her second burger was the Carnitas, which she did not enjoy as much. I, however, thought it was really good and helped her finish it. I really love pork cheek, and this was cooked really well in the burger, something that is really difficult to do. The fat from the pork cheek and the pork patty was a nice contrast to the shredded cabbage and I loved the slight hint of lime from the special mayo.  

Left - Carnitas: $8
Right - Chorizo: $8.50

The liquid nitrogen milkshakes are one of the biggest parts of coming to Flip Burger, and I usually always order the Nutella and Burnt marshmallow. However, this time, after eating two of my own burgers and another half of my friend's, my stomach could do no more. I'll have to come back again to drink that AND try another new round of burgers. 

Flip Burger is a great place to stop by to try something unique and flavorful. Although around $8-14 a burger, the quality and creativity of the burger is well worth it. The atmosphere of the restaurant is hip and modern, and the outside view is beautiful. I would come back over and over, and I will. 

Until next time! 

Flip Burger 

220 Summit Blvd
Ste 140
Birmingham, AL 35243

(205) 968-2000

http://www.flipburgerboutique.com