 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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 Rolling In Doughs
Falling for Birmingham Breadworks’ autumn specials and new offerings
By Jan Walsh
Today we pop into Birmingham Breadworks to get a taste of fall and take-home pastries, farm loaf, plus hamburger buns, and hotdog buns for football home-gating. I cannot find a buns for burgers and hotdogs in grocery stores without seed oils, even the organic ones. So, we buy them out of the buns and freeze some. Birmingham Breadworks ingredients are simple, natural, and recognizable. Most of their breads are made with three ingredients: flour, water, and salt. Baked goods that have more components may include natural sugar, butter, seasonal fruit, eggs, and cheese.
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 Woof, Woof
Who took the dogs out?
By Jan Walsh
Vino and Galley Bar’s annual Pooches on the Patio event benefits the Greater Birmingham Humane Society (GBHS). This is an opportunity for us, “dog people” to dine out with our pups, donate to the GBHS, or even adopt a dog.
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 Food Critic Recommends!
I have found the best butter and crackers in the world! And they are both made in Georgia.
By Jan Walsh
On a search for crackers without seed oils, I discovered Georgia Sourdough Co. Sea Salt Crackers. Although I have found a few others without seed oils, this is the best of the best. The crackers are made using the same starter that has been used from the beginning. Handmade from scratch the crackers are rolled, baked and sliced into crackers each shaped as unique as the next. They are not too thick, not too thin, and boast beautiful aromas and fulfilling flavors of sourdough.
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 The A Team
FoodBar is a jigsaw puzzle of interlocking talents.
By Jan Walsh
There is no B team at FoodBar, only A players. Each person is a unique individual, with his or her own talent and skillset. Together they interconnect with each other, forming a collaborative food and bar culture of esprit de corps.
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 Table for Two
Intimate Lunch at The Gardens Café
By Jan Walsh
The Gardens Café, By Kathy G. is located inside Birmingham Botanical Gardens. It is a popular venue for wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners, bridesmaid luncheons, and other private events. The Gardens Cafe is one of the prettiest restaurants in town. The café boasts a covered patio, oversized balcony, and a two-story staircase, perfect for brides and grooms to make a grand entrance to their wedding reception. And the panoramic view of the gardens is unsurpassed.
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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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 Winning Eats
For game day eats, Billy’s Sports Grill can’t be beat.
By Jan Walsh
Kev and I are loyal fans of Billy’s Sports Grill. We have been Billy’s regulars for decades. When The Irish Deli closed, we lost our game day eatery and discovered Billy’s was in Mountain Brook’s English Village. We often watched games at Billy’s front and back bars. Beer on tap paired with hot bowls of chili on autumn afternoons, juicy steak sandwiches, and our favorites of Billy’s chicken club and Sante Fe salad were good food and good times. I featured Billy’s fare in my local food columns in print magazines and included Billy’s annual favorites. And when Birmingham Restaurants launched in 2007, Billy’s was a founding member restaurant. Years later, to our delight, Billy’s opened in our neighborhood of Liberty Park, located on Overton Road at the 459 Exit to Liberty Park. It became our go to for live music nights on their popular patio, half off Wednesday wine nights, and game day eats. And in 2020 when restaurants were restricted to takeout only due to Covid, the first meal we ordered was from Billy’s.
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 Silver Lining
Tonight’s dinner at Blueprint comes with a light show.
By Jan Walsh
Dark clouds loom as we approach Blueprint on 3rd. And big raindrops bounce off the windshield. Looking down at my (only pair of) Manolo Blahnik sandals, I sigh. But “… it won't be long till happiness steps up to greet me…” The valet opens my door under an umbrella. And restaurateur, Dean Robb quickly welcomes us inside, saving my silk shoes.
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 Primo Lunch
Lingering over a chef driven lunch at Bottega Café
By Jan Walsh
Grabbing a bite of lunch is not our style. Lunch is our favorite meal. And enjoying lunch at a locally owned, chef driven restaurant makes our day. Unfortunately, in recent years many of our favorite restaurants discontinued lunch. Fortunately, Frank and Pardis Stitt’s Bottega Café and Chez Fonfon are open for lunch with the same menus as dinner. Both restaurants offer a wide variety of offerings with the freshest fare. Show up early at the Café for Italian and reserve Fonfon for French.
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