 Birmingham’s Best Patios
Dine al fresco at Birmingham’s favorite patios, sidewalks, and balconies.
By Jan Walsh
Birmingham metro area boasts al fresco dining options galore. There are patios, balconies, and sidewalks where I can eat lunch and get a little sun or hide under an umbrella table like That Guy, in this month’s Culinary Cartoon. We also have dog friendly outdoor spaces where we can take our pups. And in the coming months I will be publishing a series of patio reviews including dog friendly, in which I will take my own, Wyckie and Rudy along.
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 Chef Features
Chef Andrew’s features at Bellini’s deserve a menu of their own.
By Jan Walsh
Before you order dinner at Bellini’s, look over tonight’s food and drink features. In addition to the featured, seasonal hand-crafted cocktails, Bellini’s cocktail list is segmented by spirit. For example, if you are a bourbon drinker it is easy to find your pleasure, and mine. I also do not often see a restaurant print out their features on a separate menu, in addition to the server describing them at the table. But with a long list it is helpful to see the features and their descriptions. Nice touch.
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 Belated Birthday
Kev’s birthday was snowed in. Now time for birthday night out.
By Jan Walsh
It snowed us in for Kev’s birthday week. So, rather than his wish of reservations at Ocean Restaurant, he got his new wish for homemade chicken and dumplings and a blueberry cheesecake.
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 Downtown Destination
Bistro 218 is a diamond in the Birmingham dining scene.
By Jan Walsh
Downtown Birmingham has been a special place to me since I was a child. Like the old song, “… where all the lights are bright.” As a girl I loved to ride the escalators and try on ladies’ hats at Loveman’s. At Burger Phillips, my friends and I bought prom and pageant gowns. Blachs was THE place for shoes, displayed in their storefront window displays that wrapped around the building. It was the Saks of its day. Before I was old enough to drive, I fulfilled my fetish for shoes, buying shopping bags full on my mother’s Blachs card. At the payment window where I presented the card, the shoe salesman nodded, smiling, and vouching, that he had known me since I was born, to a stern, number crunching lady, who grudgingly allowed me to sign the receipt. Downtown also brought Town into my County life with rock concerts, off Broadway plays musicals, the Iron Bowl, and more. Yet among my most fond downtown memories are restaurants long since gone, including my beloved Joy Young and La Paree.
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 Forever Home
Galley and Garden celebrates 10th anniversary in its Highland Avenue home.
By Jan Walsh
Tonight, Galley and Garden is hosting a VIP Cocktail Party to celebrate the restaurant’s 10th Anniversary. And we are welcomed at the door by the ever present, General Manager, Virgil Morris. Galley and Garden is now ten years old. But its building dates to 1898.
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 Polite Society
Bottega Dining Room is the refinement of fine dining.
By Jan Walsh
There’s no dining like fine dining. It is something to look forward to… With our reservation made, we begin scouring Bottega’s menu online and photos on social media. It is fun to think ahead what we might order, if still on the menu. It is also a night out and a reason to dress up. Heels and jewels for me. That new sport coat and dress watch for Kev.
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 All the Difference
Details are in the distinction of Café Dupont.
By Jan Walsh
Our history with Café Dupont goes back a couple of decades. Kev and I escaped the world for romantic lunches and dinners at its original Springville location. It was just far enough away to enjoy both the ride and the restaurant. As newlyweds we could not get enough of each other and this place. And we were captivated by the cuisine. From the front of the house, we never saw the kitchen. Thus, we never met the talented sous chef, Chef Chris Evans, who plated the perfection we enjoyed.
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 Celebrating Dads
Father’s Day Brunch at Galley and Garden is an annual tradition.
By Jan Walsh
As we valet the car, the garden welcomes us. Friendly flowers, such as Black-eyed Susans and Echinaceas pop with vibrant gold and purple tones. Complimenting Maître D’ Stan Reynolds on the garden, he shares that he also has plums out back… This man’s talents never cease! He came to Galley and Garden in 2014, from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Today not only does he have a green thumb, he has the hands of an artist. Drawing on his art degree from Auburn, he adorns Galley and Garden’s walls with his framed watercolor paintings. We catch up as he pours sparkling water from a glass bottle that we did not order. But he knows to serve.
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 Last Chance
We landed at Ocean’s bar for the final Tuesday Takeover.
By Jan Walsh
Ocean Restaurant reopened on Tuesday nights last fall. And to get the party started they launched Tuesday Takeover, featuring half priced sushi, buy one get one raw oyster specials, and brought back their famous Lobster Pot Pie!
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 Counting Candles
From birthday bubbles to blowing out the candle, dinner at Bocca is extraordinary.
By Jan Walsh
This year we celebrated my birthday at Bocca Ristorante. They start dinner service at 4:30, which we take advantage of because we like to eat dinner early, and natural light is best for my food photos. A valet is waiting as we arrive. And we are not the only ones who have early reservations. Gathering on the sidewalk are four young couples dressed in evening gowns and tuxedoes. Must be prom night. Glad I dressed up.
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 Our Ocean
For fresh seafood, all roads lead south… to Southside.
By Jan Walsh
Our favorite seafood restaurant, in the world, is located at 20th Street South. Chef George Reis’ Ocean Restaurant has it all. Fresh fish, shrimp, oysters, scallops, and more from the Gulf of Mexico, lobster from Maine, and an array of sushi. But you don’t have to be a seafood lover. Ocean is also a destination restaurant for carnivores, with the finest cuts of beef grilled to order over hickory wood.
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 Champagne Brunch
Galley and Garden’s Sunday brunch is a time-honored classic.
By Jan Walsh
Growing up, my hometown had no Sunday brunch offerings. Few restaurants were open on Sunday other than the Dairy Queen. So, my first restaurant brunch experience was as a teen, at a little hole in the wall, in Birmingham. Here cheap sparkling wine was promoted as “Champagne Brunch.” And although it was not impressive, the idea of bubbles with brunch became hardwired in my brain that day.
Today’s champagne brunch is at Galley and Garden, one of the most beautiful restaurants in the city and state with an award-winning wine list. We are warmly welcomed, as always, by Maître D' Stan Reynolds, who is a fixture here. His delightful personality and attention to the smallest detail is the cherry on top of every dining experience at Galley and Garden.
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 Chef Saab, Two Ways
If he is not in the kitchen, he might be the guy in a suit, sitting at the bar.
By Jan Walsh
Chef Tom Saab’s restaurant philosophy is that the focus should be on the food—not the chef. And when Saab and wife, Christina opened Bistro 218 in 2012, this perfectionist put the lid on some amazing dishes from the start, many of which remain on the menu tonight... There are crab cakes, pommes frites, house cured pork belly, BLT salad, duck confit, shrimp risotto, prime New York strip, and “Hellefied” file gumbo… Wait, I recall file gumbo. What is hellefied?
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 Autumn Perspective
Chef Evans hones heartwarming, fall dishes at Café Dupont.
By Jan Walsh
Executive Chef, Chris Evans’ tenure at Café Dupont started at Springville in 1997. There he was the sous chef at the restaurant’s original location until 2000, returning later when Café Dupont moved to Birmingham in 2003. Fast forward to 2022, he and wife, Angela, who had also had her own stint here as pastry chef, became the owners of the restaurant.
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 Oodles of Joy
Chef Frank Stitt’s secret ingredient is unmeasured joy.
By Jan Walsh
Years ago, a local chef asked me privately, “Frank’s restaurants are always filled… How does he do it?” I paused and replied, “Joy.” He looked puzzled and changed the subject. But it is still true today. I have seen the joy in his kitchen for cooking demos and as he stops by for table visits… Whenever Chef Stitt talks about food, his eyes light up and a smile comes across his face. From his delight in a simple, spring asparagus to the pleasure of making fresh pasta, he is immersed in food and finds joy in his life’s work.
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 Shared Happiness
Gather the family for a farm to table feast at FoodBar.
By Jan Walsh
Tonight, we bring our son Jordan here for the famous (off menu) burgers. But we bite off much more…
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 Primo Brunch
Bocca Ristorante breaks some eggs in sell out Italian Sparkling Wine Brunch.
By Jan Walsh
Ever wonder what Chef Tom Saab would do with brunch? You are not alone. Bocca Ristorante took a crack at Sunday brunch and sold-out all reservations in less than an hour, without even sharing the menu! And I was the first reservation.
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 Appreciative Audience
Bellini’s Ristorante and Bar has a loyal lunch following.
By Jan Walsh
Fine dining restaurants off Highway 280 are uncommon. And finding one open for lunch, anywhere is novel, especially with outdoor dining. Most tablecloth restaurants open only for dinner and maybe Sunday brunch. Yet Bellini’s Italian infused steakhouse checks off all these boxes.
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 Bar Hop
Before dinner drinks at 5 Point, dinner at Ocean’s Bar
By Jan Walsh
Back in the pre-Uber days, designated drivers or cab were necessary to bar hop. What fun to pop in and out, having one course at each restaurant bar, starting with apps and ending with dessert. My preference remains dining at the bar of restaurants, to a table. But these days, rather than hopping from place to place, I make reservations at one spot and stay put for the evening. In fact, I loiter there.
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 Holiday Brunch
Galley and Garden is the place to celebrate.
By Jan Walsh
My family and I have a tradition of celebrating holidays at Galley and Garden. From Easter to Thanksgiving with Mother’s Day and more in between, this is the place to be for the holidays. Galley and Garden is one of the most beautiful restaurants in town, and Chef Jessica Lindeen always has special dishes on the holiday, prix fixe menus, which have a history of being well priced. And today Kev and I arrive to a valet in waiting for Easter Brunch. General Manager, Virgil Morris and Maître D’ Stan Reynolds greet us at the door, and Stan escorts us to our favorite dining room table in front of the fireplace.
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 Time Honored
Celebrating my Birthday at Chef George McMillian’s FoodBar
By Jan Walsh
FoodBar is the newest member of Birmingham Restaurants. But it is not a new restaurant. Renowned Chef George McMillian opened his farm-to-table, Cahaba Heights restaurant in September 2013. So, tonight is a two-toast celebration: my birthday and FoodBar’s upcoming 10th Anniversary in September.
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 Valentine’s Dinner 2023
Bistro 218 woos with a special 4-course Valentine menu.
By Jan Walsh
Pulling up to Bistro 218 we are impressed by the new awning. Wow! Newcomers will not have any issues finding Bistro 218 among the other historic, downtown storefronts. With the color of an aged Cabernet Merlot blend, signage in white, and the bistro’s gold logo atop, the awning spans the width of the bar and dining room. The awning is also deep enough to cover several, new four top tables, which are decked with matching wicker chairs. Voilà, a covered sidewalk café!
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 Ageless and Elegant
Newly renovated Bottega Dining Room is a beauty.
By Jan Walsh
After closing for renovations in March 2022, the formal Dining Room at Bottega recently reopened. Her paneling and trim are painted dark, showing off her architecture like a black, cocktail dress. Her slender sconces resemble drop earrings that catch the light. In this same classic style, her chandeliers, drape from above, like opera style necklaces. Crisp, white linens smile across her, wide open space. And Bottega Dining Room is well heeled with a newly tiled floor, which is a replica of the vintage flooring in its owners, Frank and Pardis Stitt’s Birmingham home. Make a reservation. The formal side of Bottega is back!
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 Auld Lang Syne
Toasting farewell to 2022 at Café Dupont, on New Year’s Eve
By Jan Walsh
Every New Year’s Eve we plan dinner at a favorite restaurant, reserving our favorite table. Typically, the choice is not an easy one. Yet this year, with Café Dupont back as a Member of Birmingham Restaurants (under the leadership of Owners, Chris and Angela Evans), the choice is apparent.
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 Farm to Sea
Ocean serves local fruit and veggies with seafood from coast to coast.
By Jan Walsh
We came to Ocean tonight craving seafood. Yet we find so much more. From heirloom tomato salad, sweet pea pasta, fried okra, to blueberry cobbler, owner chef, George Reis brings an abundance of local fruit and veggies from start to finish. And he sources fish and seafood from the finest purveyors from the Atlantic to the Pacific, in addition to our Gulf Coast.
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 Dupont’s Duet
Café Dupont is in chefs’ hands with new owners, Chris and Angela Evans.
By Jan Walsh
Entering Café Dupont’s stately Bar conjures up a Déjà vu experience. I go way back with this café¾all the way to its origins in Springville. Thus, it is natural to recall my long and storied relationship with the restaurant. Yet I am not here for a trip down memory lane, but instead for a fresh start with its new owners and chefs, Chris and Angela Evans. Chris was sous chef at the original location in Springville from 1997 until 2000, and back at Café Dupont since it opened in Birmingham in 2003. Angela was his pastry chef for several years before taking the position of Culinary Instructor at Clay Chalkville High School in 2021. Yet she still makes time to help with the desserts when needed.
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 World's Best Eats
Best seats for The World Games are at our restaurants.
By Jan Walsh
Birmingham Restaurants welcomes visitors to The World Games 2022. Get a taste of the best restaurants in the Birmingham metro area. No matter which venue you attend, we have restaurants nearby. And we have destination restaurants, which lure many out of towners, who come to Birmingham just to dine.
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 Enchanting Evening
Kev and I celebrate our 26th Anniversary at Bocca Ristorante.
By Jan Walsh
Tom and Christina Saab have gotten fine dining right—twice. Bistro 218 and Bocca Ristorante are two of the best restaurants in Birmingham. We dined at Bistro 218 for Valentine’s Day 2022. And tonight, for our anniversary, we choose Bocca Ristorante.
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 Under the Umbrella
Bellini’s Ristorante and Bar’s patio is a date night favorite.
By Jan Walsh
We arrive at Bellini’s for our 5:30 p.m. reservation. All sidewalk and brick walled patio’s tables are taken by other couples, except our corner table displaying a “reserved” sign. We nestle into umbrellaed table where large rectangular flowerpots line the top of the walls above us, heightening our privacy with vibrant colors and sweet aromas.
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 Ocean’s 20th Anniversary
Tonight, we celebrate 20 years of food memories at Ocean Restaurant.
By Beau Gustafson & Jan Walsh
Kev and I have been dining at Ocean Restaurant since it opened in March 2002. I have reviewed dinners here more times than I can count. Yet we can never get enough of one of our favorite restaurants in the world.
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 Rosé Wine and Roses
Valentine’s Dinner at Bistro 218 boasts aromatic bouquets.
By Jan Walsh
I made reservations well in advance at Bistro 218 for the Saturday before Valentine’s Day. Afterwards, owner and executive chef, Tom Saab decided to open the restaurant on Monday night for Valentine’s dinner with a special, four courses with options, Valentine’s Menu. Oh, my! He had me at “Butter Poached Lobster Risotto.” Fortunately, by popular demand, this special menu is served this Saturday evening too.
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 Tales and Tails
Tonight, we celebrate Kev’s birthday at Ocean’s bar.
By Jan Walsh
I offer Kev dinner at any Birmingham area restaurant for his birthday. And he responds, “Let’s go to Ocean’s bar and eat baby lobster tails!” I am not surprised. He often suggests Ocean for dinner, although he claims I am the seafood lover, and he is the meat guy.
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 Day After Party
My family forgoes leftovers and gathers round the window table at Bottega.
By Jan Walsh
Beyond blessed to have my family here for Thanksgiving. But how can you top the perfect turkey day? Mid-afternoon meal the day after at Bottega.
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 Common Ground
Sunday brunch at Galley and Garden pleases carnivores and vegans.
By Jan Walsh
The patio at Galley and Garden is common ground for both meat loving foodies and those who prefer plants. There is also live music for all to enjoy and a garden view.
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 Al Fresco Escape
Bellini’s patio is our private, mid-day getaway.
By Jan Walsh
Bellini’s Ristorante and Bar is a short, scenic drive from Liberty Park. We go “the back way” down Sicard Hollow, onto Grants Mill Road and over Lake Purdy, to hit Highway 119. And in ten minutes we are there.
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 Gone Fishing
I know a great spot to catch fish: Ocean Restaurant.
By Jan Walsh
Ocean’s seafood is unsurpassed. From day boat Gulf fish to cold water crustaceans, owner and executive chef, George Reis serves it all.
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 Beyond Words
I need a new thesaurus to describe dinner at Bistro 218.
By Jan Walsh
If you look up “delicious” in a thesaurus, there are hundreds of synonyms. And you can check off each-and-every one of them to describe dinner at Bistro 218. It has always been so. I have reviewed this restaurant many times over the years, since Tom Saab opened his dream. Each bite of every night has been praiseworthy. And tonight, he continues to wow me!
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 Craving Wednesday’s Special
I came for Bottega’s veggie plate.
By Jan Walsh
Summer brings Bottega’s Vegetable Plate each Wednesday.
As I make reservations for Wednesday, I can taste the vegetable plates of my childhood. I spent most of the first eight years of my life on my grandparents’ farm, a self-sustaining farm with a cash crop of cotton. My grandfather grew enough food to feed this household all year, as my grandmother canned and froze vegetables, and made jams and jellies from the fruit of the trees. There were Pink Eye Purple Hull Peas, Big Boy and Better Boy Tomatoes, Silver Queen Corn, watermelons, cantaloupes, okra, squash, collards, turnips, cucumber, figs, apples, peaches, and strawberries. Lunch was called dinner. Dinner was called supper. And both meals boasted a table filled with bowls of fruits and vegetables. There was no meat or poultry served except for special occasions when my grandmother would fry a chicken or the annual pig roast. And I never outgrew my craving for a Southern vegetable plate.
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Silver Anniversary Brunch
At Birmingham’s romantic restaurant, Galley and Garden
By Jan Walsh
Our 25th Anniversary fell on a Sunday. So, the obvious choice is a restaurant known for romance, Galley and Garden. Here they serve a prix fixe menu of two or three courses for Sunday brunch.
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 Bottega with the Boys
We celebrate Mother’s Day weekend with dinner at Bottega.
By Jan Walsh
I am very blessed to have both my sons, Jordan and Ross, home from Florida, for Mother’s Day weekend. And we choose Bottega for our celebratory dinner.
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For the Doughnut
“There’s a food critic in the house!”
By Jan Walsh
Kev and I ended my birthday week with dinner at Bocca Ristorante. We arrive at Chef Tom Saab’s Italian sister restaurant to his French, Bistro 218, to find a valet and our favorite table waiting.
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 Date Night, Done Right
In the mood for romance? Get a table, at Galley and Garden.
By Jan Walsh
Galley and Garden has a reputation for romance. Whether it be drinks at the bar, Champagne brunch on the patio, or popping the question over dinner. But it doesn’t stop here. The restaurant and its private dining rooms are also popular for wedding parties and rehearsal dinners. Thus, it is no surprise that one of Galley and Garden’s most recent accolades is being named “Alabama’s Most Romantic Restaurant,” by Eat This, Not That.
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 Birthday Bliss
Lunch at Chez Fonfon’s patio lifts my spirits and feeds my soul.
By Jan Walsh
Kev and I arrive for my birthday lunch at Chez Fonfon, coincidentally on the first day the dining room is reopened, April 6. This is a wonderful gift in itself. But not today... Today we have reservations on the patio. And there is not a cloud in the sky, although April 6 is historically rainy. Last April 6, rain was the least of my limitations, as there was not a single restaurant open to celebrate my birthday.
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 Sensational Steaks, Fantastic Fish
Ocean’s steaks are as awesome as the seafood.
By Jan Walsh
Tonight, Kev and I take our regular seats, in the corner of the bar, at one of our favorite restaurants, Ocean. Lucky us, we have gift cards in hand from our son, Ross! Here we watch the action in the open kitchen and hang out with our bartender pal, Robby Greenwood, who is also the bar manager at Ocean. We opt for his recommendation of food friendly Aimery 1531 Cremant De Limoux Brut. As Robby pours our bubbly, owner and executive chef, George Reis takes a break from the kitchen for a visit. It is great to catch up and fun to watch him take on Chef de Cuisine, Ric Trent’s role tonight, who is off this evening. So, we keep our visit short to let the man get back to cooking.
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 Holiday Cake
The joy of not baking…
By Jan Walsh
I like to cook. I hate to bake. Cooking can be forgiving. Can taste as I go, adding touches of this and that until my savory dishes taste just right. But not with baking, is too mathematical for me. Precise temps, pre-set baking times, and exact measurements must be followed. Plus, there is a science to baking that most recipes don’t account for, such as humidity, altitude, and atmospheric pressure! Thus, the only cake I bake is a cheesecake. It has no flour, baking soda, etc., so it can’t fall far. And I can get creative with the toppings.
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 French Kiss
Dinner at Bistro 218 brings us back to life.
By Jan Walsh
I miss my life. Many things I took for granted are now missing from my days and nights. Looking forward to has been replaced by fear of what’s next. But not tonight… Tonight, we escape the madness with dinner at one of our favorite restaurants Bistro 218.
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 Rivestimento D’argento
Bocca Ristorante debuts as the silver lining of 2020.
By Jan Walsh
Chef and restauranteur, Tom Saab shared his vision for Bocca with me in 2017—before it had a name. I shared it with my followers—but only as a rumor, at his request, because the idea was still up in the air. And everyone was as excited as I. We all imagined Chef Saab translating his success at Bistro 218, from fluent French to incredible Italian…
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Surf and Turf, Curbside
Bellini’s claws, beef sliders, burger, and crab salad all travel well.
By Jan Walsh
 Bellini’s Ristorante is situated between Jordan’s Shelby County law office and our house. So, when working there, Jordan often treats us to take out from area restaurants. And tonight’s take home dinner comes from Bellini’s Ristorante and Bar, located on Cahaba Valley Road, just off Highway 280.
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 Better than Ever
Dinner at Galley and Garden is incredible, from start to finish.
By Jan Walsh
This afternoon, we dine at Galley and Garden for dinner. They reopened a few nights ago with dinner service starting at 4:30. They have also started wine events again on the patio. The next event is a Summer Rosé Celebration on June 11 at 5:30.
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 Starving Here
What’s for lunch?
By Jan Walsh
When the lockdown first started, I had mass quantities of food groceries delivered. But getting food in the house and actually cooking it, soon proved to be too much. Every day there they were—food—just sitting there chilling in the fridge, waiting to be cooked. Fresh farm eggs couldn’t wait to be fried. Potatoes threatened to sprout. And mold married my strawberries overnight.
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  Endless Effervescence
Galley and Garden’s Sunday brunch now boasts free flowing bubbly.
By Jan Walsh
New at Galley and Garden: pair the purchase of a Sunday brunch entrée with free-flowing mimosas and sparkling wine for $10 per person. Today Kev and I get an early start with 10:30 a.m. brunch reservations at Galley and Garden. I order sparkling wine. He orders mimosas…. And throughout brunch the refills arrive in fresh, appropriate Champagne stemware with thin rims. Am I dreaming?
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 Recipe for Success
First Anniversary Dinner boasts the best of Blueprint of 3rd.
By Jan Walsh
Tonight’s first anniversary dinner begins with a prayer. And ends in a toast. And in between we discover new, highly recommended dishes at Blueprint on 3rd.
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 Power Lunch
Never underestimate the ladies who lunch at Chez Fonfon.
By Jan Walsh
Chez Fonfon is a favorite lunch spot for both business and pleasure. And today I am here for some of both with a biz friend. We catch up, sharing the latest happenings in Birmingham’s restaurant scene and best practices of driving internet traffic to restaurant clients.
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Little Bit Country
Galley and Garden’s Country Ham Benedict satisfies my soul.
By Jan Walsh
I love farm egg Benedicts. No matter which bread or protein, I am in.
And for those of us who grew up eating country ham, Galley and Garden’s Country Ham Benedict takes us back… Atop a warm, halved buttermilk biscuit, are thick, generous slices of country ham, fresh spinach, poached farm eggs, and house made hollandaise. The yolk runs down, onto the salty slices on first cut. And bite after bite, this comforting dish brings a down home deliciousness to the table. It is served with an arugula salad and potato hash.
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Captain’s Catch
Enjoy fresh seafood from Gulf Coast fishermen at Dyron’s Lowcountry.
By Jan Walsh
I went fishing once, when I was four-years-old. On my first cast, the line got caught in a tree. I fretted that the worm was afraid of heights. That was my last attempt at catching a fish.
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 Foodie Burgers
Galley and Garden’s lunch burgers please beef and seafood lovers.
By Jan Walsh
Today I am lunching with my dear friend, Laura Calloway to celebrate her upcoming retirement from the Alabama State Bar. And we ladies have saved our appetites for this—and not here to order dainty salads.
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 Scallops Special
I shall never forget the scallops at Blueprint on 3rd.
By Jan Walsh
Kev and I are back at Blueprint on 3rd for the second time. In the meantime, we have raved to friends and family, word of mouth in person about this place, and I have on social media since our first visit.
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 Chocolate Taco
And the winner of the Magic City Chocolate Challenge…
By Jan Walsh
It was my pleasure to judge the 4th Annual Magic City Chocolate Challenge last night. The event was held at Regions Field in the Diamonds Direct Ballroom and benefits Disabilities Rights and Resources, drradvocates.org. Here local chocolatiers and pastry chefs competed as we tasted and judged which dish would be named Birmingham’s Best Chocolate. The event also included live music, a silent auction, free non-alcoholic beverages, and a cash bar.
It was my pleasure to judge the 4th Annual Magic City Chocolate Challenge last night. The event was held at Regions Field in the Diamonds Direct Ballroom and benefits Disabilities Rights and Resources, drradvocates.org. Here local chocolatiers and pastry chefs competed as we tasted and judged which dish would be named Birmingham’s Best Chocolate. The event also included live music, a silent auction, free non-alcoholic beverages, and a cash bar.
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 On A Roll
Another lobster “Food Find,” Bistro V’s new Lobster Roll!
By Jan Walsh
I have been craving lobster lately. I do love it anytime. But this time of the year, when winter is waning, and hints of spring are wooing, my palate is ready for lighter fare. And just in time, Bistro V rolls out their new Lobster Roll. We have ordered it twice already for takeout—carried out well—and look forward to having it in house as well.
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 Ocean’s celebrates 15th Anniversary and a new culinary quest.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson Ocean Restaurant celebrated its 15th anniversary in March 2017. Executive chef and owner, George Reis paid tribute to former chefs and bartenders by featuring them as guest chefs and bartenders during the week-long celebration. But after the celebration and shared memories, there was no looking back for Ocean Restaurant. Reis immediately rolled out an exciting new menu. And this is only the beginning for this restaurant, as it aspires to elevate its cuisine, creating cutting-edge seafood dishes you won’t find anywhere else in town.
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 Bistro 218 builds on its success, expanding next door.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
Birmingham’s downtown restaurant scene just got a little bigger. In December 2016 chef and owner of Bistro 218, Tom Saab expanded by adding an adjoining bar into the space next door—doubling the seating capacity. Saab originally opened Bistro 218 in November 2012.
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 Enjoy oysters three ways at Highlands Bar and Grill.
By Jan Walsh Photography by Beau Gustafson The dinner menu at Highland’s Bar and Grill leads with oysters. Frank Stitt’s Oyster Bar line up boasts in season oysters, from Alabama, New England, and Prince Edward Island. They are served raw by the half dozen, on the half shell and cooked—three ways.
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 Ocean’s Butter Poached Lobster melts in my mouth.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
Ocean recently completed a lovely remodel of the restaurant. But one thing that has not changed at Ocean is its wide net of fresh seafood cooked to perfection.
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 Pair hard cider with Galley and Garden’s cider braised game hen.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
I love a good apple cider. And with Galley and Garden’s new Sunday brunch and dinner menu, I am doubly pleased. Here I can have my cider and drink it too with the Cider Braised Duncan Farm Game Hen and Hard Cider.
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 Bottega is a national landmark and a local favorite.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson Bottega Restaurant has been a Birmingham favorite for 27 years. The restaurant is the fine dining side of Bottega, situated on the right hand side, of the historic Bottega Favorita building. Its owners, Frank and Pardis Stitt, refer it to as “The Dining Room”. But we diehard patrons call it, “Big Bottega,” distinguishing it from what we call, “Baby Bottega,” Bottega Café, the Stitt’s casually upscale, Italian influenced eatery on the opposite side of the building.
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 Get a taste of Galley and Garden.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson Galley and Garden opens in the redesigned Veranda on Highland building, at 2220 Highland Avenue South. Boyce Restaurant Concepts’ chef James Boyce along with his wife and partner, Suzan are co-owners with Ed Hardin. Boyce’s Southern influenced, modern Cali-French inspired cuisine is served Monday through Saturday for dinner, and for Sunday brunch.
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 Sancerre is lovely match for Bistro 218’s red snapper.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson The Alabama red snapper season is one to catch. We did just that and paired this beautiful fish with a bottle of Domaine Vincent Delaporte Sancerre 2012.
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 I fall in love with Bistro 218 at first bite!
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
Downtown Birmingham now boasts another fab, fine dining restaurant. Bistro Two Eighteen incorporates local and regional food products with the culinary styles of traditional French Bistro and modern American. The restaurant opened in November 2012, at 218 20th Street North. And tonight is my first experience.
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 Highlands Bar and Grill celebrates 30th Anniversary!
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
On November 21, 1982 Frank Stitt opened his first restaurant, Highlands Bar and Grill. And Birmingham’s transformation as a culinary gem began. The restaurant set the benchmark for Birmingham restaurants and began an evolution of the city’s education, appreciation and sophistication of both food and wine—one winemaker dinner at a time. And while Birmingham had some great restaurants before Stitt’s, today we have many more because of him—including his four restaurants and all the chefs who worked with Stitt before opening their own eateries.
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 I’m hooked on Ocean’s catch and George Reis’ cooking.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
I love seafood—crab, oysters, scallops, shrimp, grouper, snapper, lobster and more. I like them wood fire grilled, steamed, baked, pan seared, or Southern fried. And Ocean’s offerings and preparations are as vast as the sea—serving only the best quality seafood from every continent—prepared as desired. So what is not to love?
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 Highlands Bar and Grill celebrates 29 years of excellence.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
On November 21, 1982 Frank Stitt opened his first restaurant, Highlands Bar and Grill. With monies raised from his cooking classes and from his mother mortgaging her home, Highlands opened to rave reviews. And 29 year later, patrons and media are still raving about this French inspired Southern restaurant.
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 Bellini’s Cheese Ravioli is a plateful of comfort.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
It is believed that ravioli was invented as a means to use left over food and originated in Liguria, Italy. Thus the original name—Rabiole—means bits and pieces, odds and ends in Genoese dialect. Agnolotti is a variation from Piedmont, which are cut into rounds.
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 Ocean consistently serves the best of fish, prepared to perfection.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
For seafood lovers, such as myself, Ocean is the place for dinner. Ocean starts with the best quality fish from every continent and prepares it to your preferences.
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 Highland’s Bar and Grill hosts Thomas Keller dinner and book signing.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
Celebrity chef Thomas Keller visits Birmingham. He is hosted by Frank and Pardis Stitt for a dinner and book signing—for his latest cookbook, Ad Hoc at Home—at Highlands Bar and Grill.
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 Highlands Bar and Grill is rich in history and deserving of accolades.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Jason Wallis
In 2009 Highlands Bar and Grill was a nominee for James Beard’s top honor, our nation’s most outstanding restaurant. How can I follow such a rave review? I can’t. Yet I can share my own dining experience tonight—and my knowledge and experience of this restaurant and its cuisine developed over many years as well as tonight’s dining experience.
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 Ocean’s wide net of offerings touches all continents and satisfies many appetites.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
To say that Ocean is a “seafood restaurant” is an understatement. This upscale, restaurant’s cuisine draws flavors from every continent. On the menu are fish from the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, Pacific and the Mediterranean. And in the kitchen, executive chef and owner, George Reis uses spices and techniques from the countries that surround these waters.
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 Bottega celebrates 20th anniversary and debut of the restaurant's cookbook.
By Jan Walsh
Bottega Restaurant has much to celebrate. In 2008 the restaurant's interior underwent a remodeling that retained the integrity of its architecture but updated its ambience. This same year, executive chef Frank Stitt was awarded the national distinction of being one of five chefs to receive a James Beard Nominee for Outstanding Chef. And Stitt's new cookbook, Bottega Favorita, which debuted in Birmingham in November, will become available in bookstores nationally on January 1, 2009.
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 Explore the depths of Ocean's diverse offerings.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
Ocean celebrates its fifth anniversary. And patrons continue to discover fresh, new pleasures from its extensive menu. Ocean is locally owned and operated by executive chef, George Reis.
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 Highlands Bar & Grill transcends time and exceeds expectations.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
Convinced that Alabama would support a restaurant with "southern soul and Provencal flavors," Frank Stitt raised money teaching cooking classes, his mother mortgaged her home, and Highlands Bar & Grill opened November 21, 1982. Stitt quickly became Birmingham's celebrity chef and put the city on the culinary map.
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