ciaohaus's Profile
Birmingham Getting a FLIP BURGER
UPDATE: Went back to Flip on a recent visit and had the Chorizo burger while my wife had the Tuna tartare as a lettuce wrap (which she liked), but I gotta be honest...the chorizo wasn't all that the posts here had hyped it up to be IMO. Not as spicy as most chorizo I'm used to, but the damn thing weighed heavy on my gut for hours as if it were made of molten lead. Zucchini fries were okay, but not enough of them for the price.
Look, I'm a big Blaise fan, but so far I've yet to be blown away by anything I've tried at FB.
I'll give them one more shot with the Butcher's, but if that one doesn't light up my tastebuds like fireworks then I'm done. I'll take quality over novelty any day.
Birmingham Getting a FLIP BURGER
The wife and I were down in B'ham yesterday with some time to kill, so we pulled into the Summit on a whim. She's driving and a little unfamiliar with the Summit area, so as she's looking around she says, "You're not going to believe this!" So she wheels the car around, and lo and behold...Flip Burger!
We've been dying to try the original joint since we first heard about it, so needless to say we knew where we'd be having lunch. I ordered the Korean BBQ and she ordered the Flip Burger with cheddar. I'm a huge fan of Waygu beef, so even though $14 seemed pricey for a burger, I knew that the quality of the ingredients had a lot to do with it. Great flavors, but I wanted more...of everything.
More burger, more spare rib, more condiments--more, more, more. It was indeed delicious, and I scarfed the damn thing down like there was no tomorrow...but for $14 bucks I expected this thing to at least fill me up with leftovers for later. I've had other boutique burgers at fine dining joints with twice the oomph for half the price, but they weren't Waygu, so...
Oh, and the fries...flavorful, but not as crispy as I would've hoped (for something supposedly fried in duck fat). LOVED the smoked mayo they came with, though!
Anyhoo, we'll definitely be back, as I'm dying to try the chorizo and the pistachio shake. I admittedly had grander expectations, well...because it's Blais, and we're big fans, but by no means were we dissatisfied with the food. The bartender was cool, helpful, and even brought our To-Go order out to our car when he didn't have to. Customer service like that always ranks high in my book, so even if the food wasn't good (ch'ya, right), we'd give it a second try on account of his extra effort.
I just hope that Blais is dropping in often to ensure that they're meeting the same level of quality and service that he expects when he's working in the kitchen of his own restaurant.
Alabama barbecue and southern cooking recs
Oops...almost forgot about UNCLE SAM'S BBQ in Hueytown, AL! Great 'cue, and their baked beans and potato salad are some of the best I've ever had from a BBQ joint--EVER! There's some magic in those sides, I chit you nada.
Alabama barbecue and southern cooking recs
While my wife and I love the beef brisket and thick-sliced smoked turkey from Big Bob Gibson's in Decatur, to me their pulled BBQ (pork & beef) is rather bland--juicy and tender, but B-L-A-N-D. How they've won so many contests is beyond me, but I'm sure they try harder for competitions.
Will you be DRIVING to B'ham/Montgomery via I-65? If so, then I highly recommend you check out LAWLER'S BBQ just off Exit 351 @ Hwy 72 in Athens, AL (North Alabama)! Some of THE most flavorful pulled pork BBQ that I've ever had in my 30 years of living in the area. They're based out of Huntsville, but all of the locations I've eaten at have proven consistently delicious.
Dreamland's in T-Town (Tuscaloosa) is the only one of those that I'd recommend. Other locales are just too inconsistent. The rib sammich is mighty tasty, though.
Jim 'N Nick's is...well, okay, but again, very inconsistent between locations. I have yet to have anything "worth writing home about" at any of the 3 locations I've eaten at (i.e., don't waste your time).
Regardless of where you'll end up, there is great BBQ to be found in almost every corner & cranny of this state if you know where to (and NOT to) go.
100 Best Dishes in Alabama
GUNTERSVILLE-Update Re: The Glover
LOVED the place when it was La Strada--went back there earlier this year (2009) as The Glover...and it was downright AWFUL. We'll never go back after that overpriced, pathetic disappointment. Honestly, I've had bar food that was better.
Flavors of Atlanta!
Chowhound noob here, but my wife and I have been to ATL numerous times and are big fans of the food there, so I thought I'd chime in on this one.
While there for a concert last year, we were still hungry after the show was over, so our quest for after-hours eats found us heading to The Highlander Bar & Grill (as seen on Guy Fieri's triple-D).
I'm a performing musician, so in my 20+ years of playing in bars, grills, delis and restaurants that also feature live entertainment, I've had my share of average and not-so-good pub grub. The Highlander's food isn't just above-average, it is downright smack-yo'-mama delicious! I'd give anything to have an after-hours eatery like this where I live, as I know that I'd end up there after every gig.
We had the Pasta-Rella Sticks (mozzarella sticks wrapped in pasta and deep-fried) and the Jamaican Jerk Chili (w/ Jalapeno Corn Fritters that were fabu), and our friend got the day's special. It was love at first bite. So much so, in fact, that I went home and created my own interpretation of the jerk chili based on the triple-D episode footage (which turned out GREAT--recipe available upon request).
The staff at the Highlander were an eclectic mix of local bohemians that were very cool to chat with, and the prices were reasonable despite the fact that they could justifiably charge more for the kind of quality food they're cranking out.
The next time we head over to the ATL we're going to do the "Top Chef circuit" and try Kevin Gillespie's Woodfire Grill and Richard Blais' Flip Burger Boutique, as we've heard great things about both.
