A night to remember at The J. Clyde!

On a warm night, a group of friends and I gathered on the back patio of The J. Clyde, in Five Points South. There were about 10 of us and we started the night off with drinks. It took us a little while to decide what we wanted to drink because this place is known for their huge beer selection. So I got the JK’s Scrumpy Cider, which was a sweet apple flavored cider beer; I can’t stand beer but this wasn’t your ordinary beer.

After ordering drinks, we ordered and ate our appetizers. One person got the Fried Sauerkraut Balls, unusual but good! Several people ordered the Fried Green Tomatoes, a staple this restaurant is known for. The green tomatoes were delicious but I feel that the batter needed just a tad more salt. Someone else got the Italian Style Stuffed Mushrooms, they enjoyed those and I did too. Also at this time other people started to get the house salad that came with their entree.

                                                                                                          Fried Sauerkraut Balls

                                                                                                         Fried Green Tomatoes

                                                                                                   Italian Style Stuffed Mushrooms

While waiting on our entrees, the waiter brought our drink refills, and while he was delivering the drinks he accidentally dropped the tray; drinks and glass went everywhere including on three of my friends. Just a little bit of liquid got on my pants. In all, no one was hurt, but they just got wet and had a little bit of chipped glass in their laps. Furthermore, I understand it was an accident and the waiter did apologize, but the manager didn’t seem to really take interest in the situation until we brought it to his attention. If we hadn’t told him about the spill, nothing would’ve happened in regards to a discount. In the end he did give the affected people a discount, but I feel that we had to almost beg for it.

Eventually, the entrees started to come out; I had the Chicken Cakes which were similar to crab cakes. I enjoyed the spicy seasoning in these delicious cakes and also the remoulade sauce. On the plate there were two medium sized chicken cakes along with a salad mixture.

Two people ordered the Fish & Chips, one person liked this dish and the other didn’t. The main complaint was that the fish batter was too bland and the fish was served greasy, cold and hard. But the other person enjoyed this particular dish. So you be the judge!

One girl had the Parchment Baked Tilapia and she said that it was yummy! The Bavarian Sausage was a hit along with the Asiago Pasta/Chicken.

                                                                              Parchment Baked Tilapia

                                                                              Bavarian Sausage

                                                                                 Asiago Pasta

Everyone had a mixed opinion about The J. Clyde but we all agreed that it is a fun place to order drinks and enjoy Fried Green Tomatoes, but it’s not a place to expect a quiet dinner and order a tasty gourmet meal. And I also think the prices for certain entrees are too expensive for it to be the kind of restaurant/bar that it is. You should also know that I liked what I ordered and would definitely order it again, however I was simply irked since we had to almost initiate an apology from the manager; due to the spill.

So now you know what this means, you gotta tell me what you think about The J. Clyde. I can’t wait to hear it!

James Jones:The Man Behind “Kairos Kafe & Katering”

Kairos Kafe & Katering are both owned by James Jones, who is a passionate cook that loves to serve the community. This restaurant is located on University Boulevard in the old Ollie’s BBQ location, next to I65.  My visit here was educational and filled with delicious food and genuine hospitality. The restaurant’s mission statement is “building relationships around food”, and I definitely felt a special bond with everyone that I came in contact with, during my visit. More specifically, Kairos Kafe & Katering are connected to, and have a special relationship with Grace & Truth Ministry. The minister, Steve Longnecker, helped the owner, James, get back on his feet after being incarcerated. In addition, as a child, James loved to watch his grandmother cook, and that is where his dream of owning a restaurant developed.

James and his staff makes all of their food fresh and they try to be innovative with their recipes. For example, the strawberry butter that I had with my roll was tasty. It was similar to butter but had a subtle sweet starwberry flavor. Also James is known for his famous croutons which are made from tortilla bread; they are cut into strips, rolled up, and fried. I’ve never seen croutons like them before, but they sure are tasty. You can see them, a little, in my salad below. This is the “Norma’s Mixed Green Salad”. This was delicious!

James always advises his customers to visit the restaurant’s blog, in order, to get the weekly coupon.

Finally, Kairos Kafe is open Monday-Friday from 10:30am-2:30pm. Kairos Katering is always available upon request.

http://kairoskatering.com/index.html

The story behind Kairos Kafe & Katering is very inspirational and, hopefully, the following video captures the true essence.

Jubilee Joe’s

“Jubilee Joe’s” is a Cajun seafood restaurant, that’s located in Hoover on Highway 150; it is in a small strip mall near the Lake Crest subdivision.

I met a friend during lunch time and I expected there to be a crowd, but there wasn’t. “Jubilee Joe’s” has a nice quaint setting that is simply Cajun. A few of the walls are filled with SEC football memorabilia and other miscellaneous pictures. TV’s are scattered throughout, allowing patrons to catch various sporting events while they eat. Oh, and the bar is well stocked.

When I arrived, my friend was waiting on me, and had already ordered an appetizer. It was great to have food waiting on me when I arrived, lol! We had the “Sauteed Crab Claws” for our first appetizer .

I’ve never had sauteed crab claws before. They were good, but we both felt like they were prepared with too much Cajun seasoning. It was enough seasoning to make you cough a little after you swallowed. They were served with a cocktail sauce that seemed to have a texture similar to jello; I didn’t like it because of the consistency and poignant taste. However, I know that the crab claws were fresh because the meat came off of the claw easily.

After we finished the first appetizer, I decided to get the “Fried Green Tomatoes”.

The “Fried Green Tomatoes” were delicious, but I felt like the batter could have used a little more seasoning. They were garnished with a horseradish drizzle and lump crab meat on top. Personally, I would’ve preferred to dip the tomatoes in the horseradish sauce, instead of having it all over them, because the tomatoes that I didn’t eat immediately, became soggy from the horseradish sauce.

After eating the appetizers, I had a hard time figuring out what to get for my entree. So the waiter insisted that I get the Special of the Day, which was Seared Chilean Sea Bass served over cheddar mashed potatoes & sauteed baby spinach mixed with lump crab meat topped with a lemon butter sauce.

I had no complaints about this dish, it tasted excellent! All of the tastes complimented each other very well. The Chilean Sea Bass was fresh and seasoned to perfection. The mashed potatoes had just the right amount of cheese and they were served warm. The spinach was wilted perfectly, and I hardly tasted any lump crab meat. The lemon butter sauce, was a great choice to cap off this dish. Yum!

Stefan had the “Stuffed Shrimp” which consisted of five  sauteed jumbo shrimp, a pile of freshly cooked rice, and the items used for garnishment were lobster sauce and asparagus.

He enjoyed this dish with no complaints.

After we ate our entrees and talked to some of the restaurant’s patrons, I decided to order dessert. I asked the waiter what I should get, and he plus a regular restaurant patron told me to try the “Bread Pudding”.

So that’s what I got and I wasn’t disappointed. The “Bread Pudding” had a beautiful presentation and it was served warm. In my opinion this was a chocolate bread pudding because I could taste flavors of chocolate and a little coffee flavor. It was very good!

Now after a wonderful dessert, that’s when I got my bill and I was taken back a little because I didn’t expect my entree to be so much, for lunch (about $21). Earlier, when the waiter insisted that I try the Chilean Sea Bass, I guess I thought that it would be as reasonably priced as most of the other entrees on the menu. However, neither the Special of the Day or the price of it, were listed on the menu. Even though the waiter was very nice, I felt like I was almost conned into buying the most expensive food item.

“Jubilee Joe’s” is a wonderful place to go to watch sports on TV, or to just hang out with your friends & family. The staff is friendly, and they have a variety of  Cajun/Southern seafood choices.

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/45/776855/restaurant/Birmingham/Jubilee-Joes-Hoover

“Come as you are” at Mudtown!

The Setting: A bungalow/shack in the heart of Cahaba Heights, about three blocks behind “The Summit”, that serves seafood, chicken, and burgers.

Can you guess where I went?

Yea, you’re right! I went to “Mudtown”. The name of the restaurant is very unique and here is how they got it:

The Native Americans nicknamed the area “mudtown” due to the swampy, muddy conditions as a result of heavy rains. Gary, the owner, felt the name held marketable potential, and the moniker certainly honored the Cahaba Heights’ neighborhood which is rich in local history.

I visited “Mudtown” on a rainy Friday night with my mom. We were both tired and hungry, and just wanted some good food. So I’ve always wanted to go to “Mudtown”, and that night we decided to try it. The restaurant occupies the top floor of a small building. (Yea this picture was taken on a sunny day)

Upon our arrival, we got the only parking space that was in the front of the restaurant; all of the other parking spots are located on the side of the building. We walked into the restaurant and felt like we were in a small roadside bar in the middle of Natchitoches, Louisiana lol! The bar was heavily stocked and located next to the front door. The ambiance is truly Southern fun with a Cajun twist. It has a truly “come as you are” feel. The walls are painted with bright neutral colors, and they are adorned with all types of  unique paraphernalia.

The restaurant is so small and cramped. It was crowded when we went and we couldn’t find a seat inside. So we looked on the covered patio, and still didn’t see any seats. We went back inside and found two seats; they were hiding from us. Our table was located next to a group of funny and enthusiastic middle age women who were celebrating a birthday. We sat so close to them, that we couldn’t help but acknowledge each others presence. You should know that we had no problem with the seating, we just had to be careful about what we talked about, lol! Throughout the night the crowds thinned out, and this gave the restaurant more of a quaint feel.

FYI: The bar has a rotating beer selection, which means that there is always something new for you to try. They also have an extensive wine selection for patrons.

It took a while for a waitress to come to our table because they were so busy. So this gave us time to look at the menu, and get acquainted with the table next to us. Eventually, the waitress came over, and she was very nice. She told us about the specials and took our drink orders. Before she left, we also placed our entree orders because we knew what we wanted.

After about 12 minutes, of waiting, our entrees came out. Mom and I both ordered the “Grilled Snapper with Fried Green Tomatoes”; this consisted of a fresh snapper filet that could be grilled, fried, or blackened (we got it grilled). It was also served with bacon smashed potatoes and four fried green tomatoes. On my plate, I ordered a side of grilled vegetables as well.

The presentation of the food was excellent! Now let’s get real, even though the large piece grilled snapper had a wonderful seasoning and flavor, it wasn’t my favorite because it still had the skin on it. I can’t stand eating fish that has skin on it. However, my mom enjoyed the fish. Next, you should know that “Mudtown” is known for their “Fried Green Tomatoes”, as a matter of fact, they were voted as having the BEST FRIED GREEN TOMATOES IN BIRMINGHAM IN 2007 & 2008. But in my opinion, the fried green tomatoes were not all that. I felt that the batter needed more seasoning or salt; they had a really bland taste. Mom and I both agreed on the taste of the tomatoes. Lastly, I must say that my two favorite foods of the night, were the bacon smashed potatoes and the grilled vegetables. The potatoes were served fluffy and warm, and the vegetables were seasoned well and had a wonderful grill taste.

We had a wonderful time at “Mudtown”. The staff was friendly and they went over and beyond to satisfy our needs. I also like the fact that the cooking oil, “Mudtown” cooks with, is virtually TFA (transfatty acid) free, an important factor in promoting a healthy heart according to the American Heart Association. They also buy local whenever possible. Given a choice, they’d rather support a local farmer or vendor any day.

I’ve been doing some thinking, and the next time I visit “Mudtown”, I will get one of their hamburgers since that is what they are also known for. So ya’ll, when you don’t feel like getting dressed up to go out, and you just want a simple meal with a twist, visit “Mudtown”. I’m sure you will find something on the menu, that suites your taste buds!

http://www.mudtownalabama.com/

Funky “Twenty Six”

Monday night I went to “Twenty Six” for a friend’s birthday celebration. “Twenty Six” is located in the heart of Five Points South, between “Ocean” and “Mellow Mushroom”. This restaurant probably has the most modern atmosphere in Birmingham. It’s almost like your eating in a contemporary art museum that allows you to be loud and comfortable. I would define the food style as an eclectic mix to cutting edge comfort food; the menu also has somewhat of an Asian twist. Furthermore, you should know that parking can be difficult, so they have complimentary valet parking in the front to ease your worries.

There were about 10 people in our group, and we had a wonderful time! Everyone started by ordering appetizers. I got the “Blue Crab Crusted Fried Green Tomatoes”, it consisted of fried green tomatoes with blue crab meat on top. The blue crab tasted like it had been mixed with mustard. This dish tasted alright. In my opinion, the fried green tomatoes were a little too greasy but I did enjoy the blue crab meat, and the presentation was awesome.

I didn’t order an entrée because I was still full from lunch, earlier that day. However, the rest of the group ordered a variety of things from the menu; for example, the birthday boy had the “Wood Grilled Baby Lobster Tails ” which consisted of six half lobster tails, cooked in a wood-fired oven. It also came with chopped potatoes, green beans, and carrots. He said that the lobster tasted so exceptionally well that there was no need for the butter sauce that came with it!

“Twenty Six” is also known for their sushi, so many people in our group ordered that as well. And they all gave it rave reviews. I’m not sure of the names of the other dishes, that the group ordered, but I do have the pictures below.

It’s important that you know “Twenty Six” has a special menu on Monday nights, so if you go to the website you will not see the same menu that my party ordered from on Monday night. Next, whenever you go to eat here be ready for some good food in a fun and funky atmosphere. The prices are on the high-end but keep in mind, that you don’t have to order everything on the menu!

http://www.twentysix26.com/

Dyron’s Low Country

This past Friday night, the “Dinner Club” went to “Dyron’s Low Country” in Mountain Brook for our monthly social. We had so much fun since we really don’t see each other until we go eat.  There were about 18 people in attendance and we filled up the front part of the restaurant. The staff at Dyron’s was very friendly and accommodated us in any way possible. I must say the customer service was excellent!

A few of the members ordered appetizers, here is one shown below:

Dyron’s is known for its “Grits Bar”, which means it has a variety of items that you can order with grits. For example, I ordered the “Shrimp & Grits”; this dish was very good, however, they didn’t give me a large portion. Many of the members complained about the small portions they received. The prices were a little above reasonable, and for that I expect a little more food on my plate. On the other hand, one of my friends ordered the maccaroni and cheese, as a side item, and he really enjoyed it. I sampled it and I must agree that it tasted very good! A lot of the group really enjoyed the ambiance of the restaurant but said the food really wasn’t anything amazing. If I had to rate this restaurant, I would give it a 7.5 for food and a 9.0 for customer service.

I encourage you to try this place and develop your own opinion about it!

http://www.dyronslowcountry.com/DyronsLowcountry.html