Reviews › Casually Upscale

Bistro 218 Hellefied File Gumbo

What is hellefied? 
 
Chef Tom Saab recalls, “I was sitting at the bar at Bocca one night in street clothes, and a gentleman from New Orleans was telling the bartender that he dined at Bistro recently, and they made some ‘Hellefied’ gumbo down there.” And thus, the name!  “So that is why you walk around in a suit sometimes, incognito like Howard Hughes, to see what is really going on?” I jokingly ask. “Pretty much,” he says. “He did not know who I was.”

Walking Frito Pie 

Dreamland Bar-B-Que CEO, Betsy, McAtee shares recipe + chili.

Dreamland’s walking recipe is perfect for game day tailgating, especially if "That Guy!" has your tailgating chair… and your beers. 

Frenchies Bread 

I got my first bite of Frenchies at Tasting TBL.

By Jan Walsh 

Frenchies will be a multidimensional, Frnech restaurant. In addition to the  restaurant and bar, the space will include a late-night bar and al fresco event space, pâtisserie and café for breakfast and lunch, full-service catering options, and e-commerce meal delivery for businesses and families.

Poulet de Bresse Primer

Hunter Chicken Course at Tasting TBL 

By Jan Walsh 

Hunter Chicken is our incredible entrée course at Tasting TBL tonight. Fit for a king? The story goes that Henry IV, having stopped off at Bresse following an accident with his carriage, tasted a poulet de bresse and commanded it be added to his menu.

Contagious Dish

A good food photo goes viral, triggering recipe requests.

By Jan Walsh

I recently purchased 10 vintage crab ramekins from the 1940s to make deviled crab. I crave it at but don’t find it often in restaurants. After scouring the internet for five-star recipes, I took a little bit of this and a little bit of that to create my own.

dolester miles coconut pecan cakeSweet Treat 

Pastry Chef Dolester Miles shares recipes, tips, and techniques. 

By Jan Walsh 


Pastry Chef Dolester Miles has been one busy lady since she was named, Outstanding Pastry Chef, 2018 by James Beard Foundation Awards. But she took time to share her pastry kitchen with me today, making strawberry crostata. And we have as my special guests, Kate Hartman and Rima Hartman, who were the winners of this “Behind The Scenes” experience auction lot from the Birmingham chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier’s annual fund raiser, Southern Soirée. 

fresh organic cranberry sauce spread Fresh Organic Cranberry Sauce & Spread Recipe 

My favorite Thanksgiving cranberry sauce doubles as a Christmas appetizer. 

By Jan Walsh 


I grew up watching the two generations, before me, open cans of jellied cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving. It would slide out of the can whole, and presented circular can impressions on the slimy, giggly, log, which would then be cut into slices. Hmm, guess the slicing is what those circles were really for… But I never understood why such an otherwise beautiful Thanksgiving meal had to be accompanied by canned cranberry. Even if you liked it, which I did not (at least the one bite of it I ever tasted), it was not worthy of the turkey and dressing it was there to enhance. 


chez fonfon coconut cake tarts

Bottega Cafe and Chez Fonfon's Coconut Pecan Cake Recipe

 

Make this famous cake for the holidays. 

By Jan Walsh 

It happens every year. People want Bottega Cafe and Chez Fonfon's famous coconut and pecan cake for their holiday dessert. And if you order early, it can happen. But many procrastinators wait until the last minute and some even ask me if I can get one for them. How about this instead? Try baking it at home. Thank you, Frank Stitt for sharing the recipe with us at Birmingham Restaurants. 

Bottega’s chef, Frank Stitt makes pasta a delicacy.

By Jan Walsh

Photography by Beau Gustafson

Silk Handkerchiefs, a crab and veggie stuffed pasta, is one of my favorite dishes at Bottega Cafe. And today I am in the kitchen at Bottega Restaurant with executive chef, Frank Stitt and team watching their performance of making, rolling, cutting, cooking, folding, and stuffing these pasta delicacies. For this farm to table pasta dish, Stitt sources the eggs from his and wife, Pardis’ farm, Paradise Farm. The cherry tomatoes came from Harvest Farm, and the crabmeat is from Greg Abrams Seafood. 

Chef Abhi synthesizes a world of flavors in this dish. 

By Jan Walsh

Photography by Beau Gustafson

Chef Abhi Sauju is cooking for us today at Abhi Eatery and Bar. Here Sauju shares his recipe and procedure for chicken rendang, a dry chicken curry dish is rich in flavor and a hint of spice. Abhi is located at The Summit and is one of Sauju’s two new restaurants, including Mo:Mo: located at Pizitz Food Hall.