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!
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
D’Road Café is a kind of crossroads of international flavor in downtown Montgomery. It’s billed as a Latin (and mainly Venezuelan) restaurant, but owner Janett Malpartida pays no mind to borders. South American cuisine is just the beginning of what she can do. I went to D'Road with Brittany Faush for a story for Alabama … Continue reading International Flavors at D’Road Café in Montgomery
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
Here are the books I brought to Good Day Alabama on WBRC Fox 6 this month. They include my new favorite novel, a way to help our planet, a way to help Ukraine and a novel about a forgotten part of our country's history. Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Duerr This novel, by the author … Continue reading Good Books That Will Stay with You and Do Some Good in the World
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
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