Alabama + Graffiti

- a lifestyle blog -

Birmingham Eats – 5 Point Public House Oyster Bar

September 24, 2015 · 2 Comments

I know it’s pretty much been all baby around these parts lately, but you guys, he’s pretty much my entire life these days, so it seems appropriate that this blog reflect that.  Plus, who knows, maybe one day he’ll want to go back and read all of this, because we all know the internets are permanent.

BUT I do have a couple of non-baby related posts, mostly food, because duh — and this is one of them.

I got to take Nadine to this place for her birthday (and my first bestie date since having the little man), and it was incredible.  EVERYTHING on the menu looked so good — as in we will definitely be back to be able to try all the foods.

Our waiter guy was so nice and knowledgeable — suggesting beers to both myself and Nadine.  We started out with the fried cheese curds ( shout out to my Wisco roots), and their homemade delicious aioli.  These things were so delicious.

Then came our main courses:  I had the fried chicken biscuit sandwich with succotash, and Nadine got their burger.  Both of them were delicious.  And their French fries dipped in their homemade sauces pretty much put the icing on the cake.  Except we decided that we needed dessert.  We got the boozy double doozy thing — and you guys, I’m not kidding when I say it was probably the best dessert I’ve ever had.  Booze, chocolate and fried.  Yes and please.

5 pont public house

All in all, I give the place five stars.  I want to go back, so that always helps.  It was a teensy bit expensive, but their food is well worth the price.  Also, if you’re into oysters (I can’t wait to take B here for oysters!), they have an entire menu and you can choose which water you want your oysters to come from.  Oh yes.  If you’re in Birmingham, definitely check it out.

2 Comments
Filed Under: birmingham, food

Birmingham Eats – Dodiyos

July 28, 2015 · 2 Comments

B and I love Mediterranean food — it’s definitely on our short list of food when neither one of us can decide what we want for date night dinner.

Dodiyos has been on our “to try” list for a really long time — it was on our must try before moving to Austin list, and that was at least two years ago.  So one day when I was being super pregnant cranky, he suggested going here for dinner.

I do have to say that we both were a little disappointed.  I got the lamb kabob, and B got a seafood pasta.  The place was virtually empty, and the guy at the table next to us tried to order a beer three times, and each time they were out of the beer he ordered.  He finally settled on a glass of wine.

The food was good, and the service was good, but it wasn’t anything that we couldn’t have gotten at Makarios, or Purple Onion for that matter, and for much much less.  I’m not sure if they had just had a menu change or staff change or something, but it just seemed sort of disorganized.

I don’t think we’d go out of our way to eat here again — but again, the food was good and the service was as well, but for the price?  It just didn’t seem worth it.

Dodiyos

Dodiyos is located in the SoHo area of Homewood.  To learn more about them and see their menu, go here.

2 Comments
Filed Under: birmingham, food

Birmingham Eats – Chez Fonfon

June 18, 2015 · 3 Comments

This place boasts the best cheeseburger in Birmingham — I’m pretty sure that it’s also won that award for more than a couple years straight.  Every time we’ve tried to go, the place has been packed out.  So we outsmarted everyone and went to have dinner at like 530 one Friday night.

And we got right in.

It is a little French bistro, where you can order a ton of things with French flair, but we were in there for one reason and one reason only — to try out this burger.

Their cocktail list looked amazing (French 75s!) — and B tried the Root of all Evil – which he said was delicious.

chez fonfon

And the cheeseburger — the cheeseburger.  They were not kidding when they say the best.  Of course, you’re going to pay a fair amount, but guys, it is so worth it.  I have no idea what they put in that thing, but yeah.  It’s one of those things that change your entire perspective on how you should be eating a cheeseburger.  And to be honest, if I could afford a $14 cheeseburger every day, then I’d go back here every day.  PLUS they serve it with those tiny shoestring French fries, which everyone knows rules.

So I guess all those people that voted for this thing to be the best knew what they were doing?  Probably so.  If you’re in the mood for a semi-fancy date night, or just the best damn cheeseburger you’ll ever eat, go here.  Fast.

3 Comments
Filed Under: birmingham, food

Birmingham Eats – Taco Mama & Green Valley Drugs

June 4, 2015 · 4 Comments

Friday was a horrible day for both B and I — work was horrible and the only thing that was going to save it was Mexican food – some queso and some tacos.  Yes, I still eat queso even though I know it’s on the pregnancy watch list.  Sometimes a girl’s just gotta have some cheese dip.

Anyway, we had heard about Taco Mama over in Mountain Brook and wanted to try it out.  We got there at family o’clock, and the place was packed out.  We waited in line for a little bit, got up to order and then found a high top table against the side of the restaurant.  I drooled over some of their cocktails as our queso came out.  The queso was queso.  Wasn’t anything spectacular — it definitely cured the craving though.

Taco Mama

B and I both got tacos — I got the grilled chicken ones and B got a mixture of a beefy cheesy one and a fish one.  Mine were not seasoned at all, and the only thing that saved them was putting the salsa on top.  Their salsa was one thing that was really good.  B said his beefy cheesy thing was good, but nothing he couldn’t have done at the house, and his fish taco was really fishy.  All in all, with the atmosphere (I know at some point I’m going to have to get over the kids everywhere, screaming and my hatred for Mountain Brook, but not yet dammit), it was just someplace I don’t think we’ll have to go back to.  Life is too short to not eat the best tacos (which we’re pretty convinced are at San Miguel in Homewood).

On Saturday, after running around all day, we had decided on Publix for a sub (yep, I also eat deli meat — listeria be damned), but they had run out of bread.  After a bout of pregnant lady tears, because I really wanted one, B suggest Green Valley Drugs up on the hill next to Publix in Hoover.

And it was probably the best decision ever.  It’s a little soda shoppe that serves the greasiest of yummy food.  They had an entire menu ranging from cheeseburgers (which only the owner and meat people know the mixture of beef) to pimiento cheese sandwiches and egg sandwiches.  We sat right next to the milkshake machine, so every time there was a little extra it got thrown our way.  Their vanilla shake was so good.  B and I both got cheeseburgers and split some fries — the vegetables on the burgers were so fresh and so good.  And you can tell the difference between a good tomato and a bad tomato, and these were definitely good tomatoes.

green valley drugs

The service was incredible — We got Melissa when we were there, and much to our dismay, she isn’t going to be there much longer.  They were so friendly, and their food was so good, I was actually kind of glad that Publix ran out of bread.

If you’re ever in need of a delicious cheeseburger and milkshake and in the Hoover area, definitely check this place out.  I know that B and I will be back for sure.

4 Comments
Filed Under: birmingham, food, weekend

Sloss Furnaces – Birmingham

May 29, 2015 · 3 Comments

B and I have lived in Birmingham for almost 9 years (in September!), yet neither one of us has ever toured Sloss Furnaces — one of the most historic landmarks in B’ham.

Sloss is the only twentieth-century blast furnace that has been preserved as historic site.  Sloss Furnace was instrumental in giving Birmingham its nickname, “The Magic City,” as iron and steel are at the core of Birmingham’s history. In a time where Birmingham wasn’t known for being a conservationist city, the city rallied to open it as an industrial historic site.

Sloss has become more than just a historic site — it houses concerts, weddings and every Halloween you can run through it as it transforms into a haunted house — which you couldn’t pay me enough money to do.  As well as being the foundation to why Birmingham got so famous, it is also notoriously known for its haunted grounds.  Due to the nature of the job, a few people were killed on-site.  (If you’ve ever watched Ghost Hunters, they’ve been here).

The self-guided tour is free, as is the guided one.  The guided one only happens on Saturday and Sunday at 1, 2, and 3 pm.  They also suggest making sure to call ahead to make sure they have a staff member to accommodate.

sloss 5

sloss 2

sloss 1

sloss 3

sloss 4

sloss 6

The pictures honestly don’t do the place justice.  The beauty is everywhere here.  To read more about Sloss, visit their website here.

3 Comments
Filed Under: birmingham

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