The very idea of gas-station sushi is so incongruous that it was lampooned in a memorable Esurance commercial. The ad was funny. Zhu Jianjun thinks so, too. And he talks about it, and laughs about it, even as he proudly serves colorful rainbow rolls and beautiful salmon nigiri to customers – familiar and frequently new – in his … Continue reading Fuel Up Deliciously at Bayou Fresh Seafood
Few businesses offer a truer flavor of a place—and its people—than a local brewery. With their egalitarian crowds; beers named for cultural landmarks or reflecting the local history or flora or fauna; multiple televisions tuned to what matters right here, right now; and enough space to host a team or two or three, breweries always … Continue reading Cheers to the Teams!
Some of Birmingham’s most beloved food vendors are offering local flavors from our Magic City, tastes unique to the South and dishes from other parts of the country to the international visitors at The World Games 2022. All our guests need to do is walk up and order. Here’s a list of the vendors who … Continue reading Food Truck Vendors Add Local Flavor to The World Games
Whatever your sport—and whether you’re competing or cheering—everyone at The World Games 2022 is a winner when it comes to eating in (and around) Birmingham. There’s something tasty near your venue. Guaranteed. And some of our favorite food trucks are coming straight to you. Want barbecue? We have some of the country’s best. Need a … Continue reading Local Flavors in Birmingham
Chef Sedesh Boodram is from Trinidad and Tobago. He trained in France and has worked with some of the most celebrated chefs in the world. And he’s decided that Birmingham is home. For his first solo concept, The Anvil Pub & Grill in Hoover’s Village at Lee Branch, Boodram drew from both his life experiences … Continue reading Global Flavor at The Anvil
Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q is much more than a beloved family business. It’s a restaurant that honors a storied Southern culinary tradition of food and fire. Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q also is a fixture in the greater Birmingham area and even beyond—bringing diverse crowds of diners from here at home, and all over the country, to Bessemer … Continue reading Iconic Alabama Barbecue with a Side of History
Kelsey Barnard Clark is a small-town girl at heart, but she’s also a big-city chef who has made a national name for herself. After winning Top Chef in 2019 and a subsequent splashy feature in Food & Wine magazine, people now come from all over the country to eat at her KBC restaurant in historic downtown Dothan. I recently … Continue reading Small Town, National Audience
From mission to menu, Taproot Café in Hoover intends to make a difference in its community. That’s because everything here – from the wholesome foods to the friendly staff to the bright, comfortable setting to the people supplying local, fresh ingredients – is part of a larger intention. I wrote a story on Taproot for http://www.alabamanewscenter.comAlabama NewsCenter. … Continue reading A Mindset and a Menu for a Healthy Community
Alabama has had plenty of connections to Olympics competition over the years but perhaps none as sweet as what Susan Notter does. This pastry chef, who has worked all over the world but lives here in Birmingham, is a coach for the U.S. Culinary Olympics Team, and she’s a gold medal-winner, too. Chef Susan Notter … Continue reading The Sweet Side of Olympic Competition
My trips to New Orleans always follow a few familiar patterns—habits we’ve formed over decades of visiting this beloved city. On the way there, we stop in East New Orleans for banh mi sandwiches at Dong Phuong Bakery, a James Beard Award-winning Vietnamese restaurant and bakery. This NOLA East institution has been around since 1982 and … Continue reading A quick but meaningful and memorable trip to The Big Easy
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