Can you say “Pinches Tacos”!

Ok so I’m just getting in from Pinches Tacos and I couldn’t wait to write this review. Pinches has an authentic name and definitely an authentic vibe, with food that is “muy delicioso”! It is located in Homewood, AL in the Hallman Hill Condo Complex (Downtown Homewood). So if you want authentic/tasty quick Mexican cuisine, this is your place.

The reason I know that this place is authentic is because I lived and traveled throughout Mexico and the food at Pinches Tacos reminds me of the food I ate in Mexico. This is some of the real stuff ya’ll!

A friend and I visited Pinches for the first time on Tuesday of this week; I was so impressed with the quality and taste of the food that I had to go back (tonight) and bring two other friends with me so they could try it. I must admit that this experience was even better than the first because I got to meet the owner (Ty Taylor), the Executive Chef (Manuel Anaya), and add the tasty cuisine and good company, what more can I ask for!

“Our mission is simple, to provide you the best taco experience by using high quality meats and seafood, fresh garden vegetables, hand made tortillas and high quality artisan breads.”  Furthermore, I feel that the staff lives up to every aspect of this mission statement!

Thanks to Ty Taylor, we are fortunate, in Birmingham, to have this new eclectic Mexican eatery. The Anaya family started Pinches Tacos in Los Angeles, California by sharing their family recipes with the public. For your information, this is the only Pinches Tacos location outside of Los Angeles, thanks again Ty! The menu is fairly basic, it consists of tacos, burritos, enchiladas, sopes, tortas, flautas, quesadilla, and a few other food items. You can order each of these with your choice of meat, seafood, or a vegetarian option. Pinches has a Happy Hour on Monday-Friday (3pm-7pm) with a variety of Mexican & American sodas, margaritas, beer, and wine. On Saturdays and Sundays they serve “desayuno” (brunch) with various Mexican dishes, and on Friday nights they have live music.

Now more details about the food; tonight I ordered the Asada Taco (grilled angus beef taco with salsa verde) and the Guacamole/Chips/Salsa. All of this was simply “delicioso” because I could tell that it was served fresh and made from the heart. The soft shell taco was authentic because the tortilla was made from corn and not from flour; I prefer the corn tortilla.  The tacos are fairly small, so if you’re hungry you might want to order more than one.  I could tell that the salsa is made from fresh tomatoes, it was kind of watery but still good. The guacamole seemed like it was made while we waited; it had a good consistency and was also fresh. Also I kept asking for the salsa verde like it was going out of season. I poured it on my taco and I dipped my chips in it as well.

To drink, all of us ordered  the Blood Orange Margarita, and can I just say “dulce y fuerte” (sweet & strong). I really enjoyed it and would have gotten another if I wasn’t driving.

Jay ordered a variety of tacos that consisted of the Pollo Mole (chicken & mole), Asada (grilled angus beef), AlPastor (slow broiled marinated pork). With this he got rice, beans, and chips. He had no complaints and was just left wondering why I just told him about this restaurant lol!

Marcus had the Pollo Enchilada (chicken) and it comes with 3 per order, along with salsa roja, beans, & rice (he got a double order of rice). He said this food was so good that he will drive back from Tuscaloosa, just to have it again.

Lastly, the prices are so reasonable especially for the high-quality of food that you receive. I really enjoyed Pinches Tacos and I’m going back probably this weekend lol!

http://pinchestacos.com/

Korean Kosher Food

The Knesseth Israel Congregation is located on Overton Road in Mountain Brook.

This year, the synagogue is sponsoring “KI Around the World Monthly Dinners”, which will feature a different country’s cuisine, cooked kosher, once a month. The first dinner took place on January 26, 2011 and I was there to capture every moment.

The theme was “Korean Kosher Food” and there were many types of Korean dishes cooked by Steve Dubrinsky, owner of Max’s Delicatessen. For example:

Korean Salad

Buldak Hot & Spicy Chicken

Japchae Sauteed Korean Vermicelli with Vegetables

Bulgogi Korean BBQ Beef

Fruit & Cookies

Check out the video for the “food scoop”!

 

Stay tuned for next month’s dinner on February 23, 2011; the theme will be Mexican Kosher food.

A Recap of “Break’n Bread”

Imagine a beautiful day that is filled with free wine, music, and endless food! Well I experienced all of this at “Break’n Bread”.

“Break’n Bread” was a wonderful family event for the foodies of Birmingham. This year it took place at Pepper Place in downtown Birmingham, on a warm sunny Sunday afternoon. Over 30 local restaurants participated and allowed guests to sample food, from their menus. Tickets were $35 and guests were able to get an endless amount of food and drinks. There was live music and a few local vendors, including “B-Metro Magazine” and “Birmingham Bake & Cook Company”. This event was sponsored by the Birmingham Originals, which is a group of local restaurants that promotes some of Birmingham’s best independent restaurants.

I had a wonderful time at this event and I’m going to try to recapture every exciting moment that I experienced, in this entry. Please keep in mind, that I was unable to get the names of many of the dishes that I sampled, but I will give you the obvious descriptions of them. I hope that you enjoy!

First of all, I begin this tasty experience in the VIP Tent with a massage from the students of Virginia College. After the massage I got some wine, talked to friends, and enjoyed live music from the Alabama Allstars.

Next I sampled a few food dishes that were only being served in the VIP Tent.

Eventually, I ventured outside of VIP to visit each restaurant’s tent. The first restaurant that I visited was “Nabeel’s Cafe & Market”. They served pork/beef  meatballs in a red sauce with pita chips & pita bread. This was really good!

The next stop was “Cafe de Paris”. They were serving a unique egg roll filled with beef & vegetables. Honey was drizzled on top.

“Ted’s Restaurant” was serving pork kabobs and Greek slaw. This was really tasty!

“V. Richards” served black beans, guacamole, and a grilled chicken salad. I really enjoyed the guacamole and grilled chicken salad.

“Good People Brewing Company” had refreshing brews.

“Culinard Cafe” offered a scrumptious fancy dessert.

“Century Restaurant & Bar” cooked up some delicious tuna.

“Crestline Bagel Company” gave out pimento salad, chicken salad, bagel chips, brownies, and my favorite was the blueberry bagel with a vanilla glaze on top.

“Hot and Hot Fish Club” had their famous shrimp & grits. I wasn’t too impressed.

“Ocean” served some delicious scallops. You should know that I don’t really like scallops, but I definitely enjoyed these.

“Continental Bakery” served a variety of fresh bread with three dips, including nutella; my favorite!

Even though I didn’t get a picture, I think that “26″ offered the best shrimp & grits of all the participating restaurants. A few of the other restaurants at the event were “Daniel George”, “Homewood Gourmet”, “Bright Star”, J. Clyde”, “Mafiaoza’s”, “John’s City Diner”, “Cosmo’s Pizza”, “Cantina”, “Sol y Luna”, and “The Silvertron Cafe”.

“Break’n Bread” was an awesome event and it allowed me to sample cuisine from some of Birmingham’s most famous restaurants. I had a great time and I can’t wait until next year’s event!

http://www.birminghamoriginals.org/

Thanks for the photos Nik! Check out Nik Layman Photography:
http://www.NikLayman.com

“Michael’s Restaurant”: A modern-steakhouse in Birmingham

One of the last restaurants that I went to for Birmingham Restaurant Week was Michael’s Restaurant. Michael’s is a well-known steakhouse in Birmingham that caters to the customer who enjoys the taste of high-quality food and impeccable customer service. Michael’s Restaurant is Alabama’s exclusive restaurant for Certified Hereford Beef, which is rated at the top one percent of all beef available today.

Michael’s Restaurant has been around for 55 years, and the steaks, seafood, and service only get better with time. Over the years, many sports stars and celebrities have graced Michael’s with their presence and autographs. The original Michael’s used to be located in Downtown Birmingham, however, today there are two locations. One location is outside of the Galleria Mall.

The other location is inside of the Aloft Hotel in Homewood. Both locations offer on-site party planning, catering, and a private dining room.

I would consider the Homewood location to have a modern-sophisticated flair. The theme is very versatile because it is appropriate for business meetings, parties, dates, and just casual dining. I would feel comfortable being casually dressed and just sitting at the bar watching a football game.The color palette for the restaurant is bright earth tones and this is reflected on the walls, in the decor, and on the booths.

The funky tiled bar is large, well-stocked, and gives one plenty of breathing room. It is also located in between two flat screen televisions.

I met a friend at the Homewood location, inside of the Aloft Hotel. I made reservations, earlier in the day, for 7:00pm ( I would recommend making reservations before you arrive). Stefan was sitting at the bar when I arrived, and once he closed his tab, the waitress took us to our table which was next to the bar, but it overlooked the entire restaurant. The focal point of Micahel’s Restaurant is the spectacular illuminated mural of the Birmingham skyline, which was taken at sunset atop Red Mountain. And I had a good view of this mural.

The waiter came to our table and told us about the house specials and the Birmingham Restaurant Week menu. Of course, we didn’t know what we wanted to eat yet, but we did order a bottle of the Maso Canali Pinot Grigio from Italy, which had a sweet, sharp, and bitter taste. I enjoyed it!

We ordered three appetizers, the first was the “Seared Rare Tuna Sushimi”. It consisted of Ahi Tuna seasoned and served Rare with Asian Slaw, Ponzu Soy, and Wasabi Créme Fraiche. This was my first time ever having this dish, so I didn’t know what to expect, however I was pleased. The Ahi Tuna had an excellent soy flavor, but sometimes my nose would be overwhelmed by the strong taste of the wasabi. (strong wasabi is a good thing)

The next appetizer was the “Pepper Pot Calamari” which was fresh Calamari fried and tossed with Cherry, Jalapeno, and Pepperoncini Peppers served with a housemade cilantro and basil dipping sauce. The only obvious peppers in the dish, to me, were the Jalapenos which were not spicy; it seemed like they had been soaked in vinegar. The calamari was fairly large and I ate it with the jalapenos, this created a delicious sweet/spicy flavor on my palatte.

The rest of what we ordered came from the Birmingham Restaurant Week Menu. Here it is:

First Course: “Jumbo Blue Crab Claws” – Fresh jumbo Blue Maryland Crab Claws lightly dusted and Flash Fried served with the housemade Cocktail Sauce.

When we originally, placed this order, the waiter said that they had ran out of the crab claws, and I became disturbed because I love crab claws. However, a few minutes later he came back to the table and said that a fresh shipment had just arrived from Maryland. I was excited to hear this! Another way that I could tell the crab claws were fresh, was because the meat slid off of the claw easily. Oh, by the way, the crab claws were excellent and I really enjoyed the cocktail sauce. It had a sweet taste that I couldn’t get enough of.

The second course came with the House Salad which is a mix of iceberg, romaine, and spring mix. Topped with cherry tomatoes, dried cranberries, fresh shaved Parmesan cheese, and spiced pecans. The house dressing is a roasted shallot and feta vinaigrette.

I enjoyed this salad so much that I ate it throughout the night, instead of sending it back before the second course arrived. It was simply delicious, and I enjoyed all of the sweet flavors.

Second Course: “Filet Mignon” – 9 oz Center Cut Filet.

I ordered my Filet Mignon medium well, and was very pleased. I don’t speak the “steak language” yet, but I do know a good steak when I taste it. My Filet was very tender, juicy, tasty, seasoned, succulent, and satisfying. Heinz 57 and A1 Steak Sauce was definitely an afterthought; I didn’t need them at all. The Filet Mignon also came with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes that were homemade and served hot. I could tell they were homemade because the potato peel was still on pieces of the potatoes. The potatoes mixed with Parmesan cheese complemented my steak well. It seemed to have been only a hint of Parmesan cheese in the potatoes but it was just enough. Even though I only had the 9 oz Filet, it was still enough for me to have leftovers.

Third Course: “White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Bread Pudding”

The bread pudding had pecans in it, it was served warm, and topped off with housemade whipped cream & a sweet tasting strawberry on the top. I definitely enjoyed the bread pudding and it complimented my dessert drink ( a White Russian) very well.

While I was basking in all of this wonderful food, I couldn’t help but enjoy the mixture of R&B/Rock music playing throughout the restaurant. This was a small element, but it helped to cap off my delightful and delicious experience at Michael’s Restaurant, that particular night!

Lastly, I would like to congratulate Pennington Pribbeneaux (General Manager) of the Michael’s Restaurant in Homewood, because his restaurant was voted in Bham Best as the “Third Best Steak in Birmingham”!

http://www.eatatmichaels.com/index.php

http://bhamrestaurantweek.com/

It’s hot at “Fuego Cantina”

“Fuego Cantina” is a “hot” restaurant in the heart of Five Points South, which offers Tex-Mex cuisine. The bar offers daily happy hour specials, and the prices are cheap/reasonable. Also the bar has an extensive drink menu, so you have plenty of choices. I visited “Fuego Cantina”, last week, with two of my friends and we had an awesome time!

We arrived about 8:30pm, after spending a few minutes searching for parking spots. Fortunately I found a spot in front of the restaurant, but everyone else had a short walk. Next, we went inside, and waited for the host to seat us.

I really like the relaxed atmosphere of  “Fuego Cantina”. Inside, the walls are painted bright red and orange, there’s funky contemporary Mexican decor, and the theme is “Mexican Wrestling” or “Lucha Libre”.  “Lucha Libre” is the Mexican version of the United States’ “WWE” . When I went to Mexico, I was fortunate enough to have gone to one of the “Lucha Libre” matches. This theme is carried throughout the entire restaurant with paintings and graffiti, all of which reflect wrestling. The decor isn’t excessive, it’s just the right amount of stuff!

The host took us to our seats, on the patio! And can I just say that the patio is amazing. It is large and the seats are centered around a fire pit, that is used in the winter. The view overlooks “the heart” of Five Points South.

Our waiter introduced himself by saying it was his first day working there; this made us hesitate, but he ended up doing a wonderful job. We ordered drinks, and appetizers to start. I ordered “nachos & salsa”. The salsa and nachos are homemade, and the nachos were served hot with a little bit of  salt on top. Just the way I like them!

Jon ordered the ” Crab Cakes”, which consisted of  four mini crab cakes and a special remoulade sauce. This dish was very tasty, but we all agreed that the price was too expensive for the amount we received.

Since we went on a Tuesday night, which is “$2.00 Taco Night”, our entrees were very cheap. I ordered one “Crunchy Shrimp Taco” and one “Baja Fish Taco”, and my taco total was $4.00; you can’t beat that! Anyway, the “Crunchy Shrimp Taco” consisted of a soft flour tortilla, filled with hand-breaded shrimp, lettuce, and Orange Habanera Hot Sauce. The “Baja Fish Taco” consisted of a soft flour tortilla, filled with a piece of grilled Tilapia, cucumber, and Diego Sauce. Both tacos tasted phenomenal, I was very pleased!

Rebecca ordered the “Crunchy Shrimp Taco” and the “Baja Fish Taco”, as well. She thought that these two tacos tasted amazing!

Jon had the “Baja Fish Taco” and the “Buffalo Chicken Taco”. The “Buffalo Chicken Taco” was made with a soft flour tortilla, filled with pieces of  fried buffalo chicken, lettuce, a white sauce, and cheese on top. Jon enjoyed both tacos with no complaints.

The tacos tasted exceptional, and they were just the right size. They weren’t too filling and not too lite. We had great convo on the patio, great service, a great view, along with great food, what more could we ask for!

The Dinner Club Meets “Cantina”

On Friday night, the dinner club met at “Cantina” in Pepper Place, which is in downtown Birmingham. The interior of the restaurant is large and festive; it seems to have an old-world, classic Spanish influence. For example, there are burned candles, lanterns, wooden seats, wooden tables, rusted wrought iron seats, and rusted wrought iron tables spread throughout the restaurant.  Where ever you look there is a large flat screen TV, and when I went they were all showing the “World Cup” soccer game. Lastly, the menu is diverse and has a Latin American flavor.

About 17 people showed up to the monthly dinner club social, and we had a wonderful time! We made one long table out of several tables, and we were all able to sit together. It seems like everyone ordered something different from the other, and I had one of my favorite dishes from here, the “Fish Taco” with “Sweet Potato Chips”. The taco came with a soft flour tortilla, egg washed tilapia filet, slaw, avocado, cilantro mayo, and chile de arbol salsa. This dish tasted well and was lite and filling. I was so busy taking pictures of the other dinner club members food, that I didn’t get to capture my own. However, below are pictures of some of what they ordered.

We definitely enjoyed “Cantina” and gave it a rating of 9.0. The members and myself gave it rave reviews and we were pleased with every aspect!

http://www.cantinabirmingham.com/