Johnny Rocket's

Johnny Rocket's at Riverchase Galleria

Hoover, Alabama

Fun retro '50's diner, red and chrome add to the classic feel for the tables, booths, and even the straw holders. Miniature coin juke boxes at each booth that unfortunately don't work, but there is '50's music playing in the background.

Several prints of art on the wall that looked very Norman Rockwell - pretty young people smiling and drinking Coca-Cola.

Service is great, and includes those small considerations often missing in restaurant service today. There is a bar you can also sit at that looks toward the grill.

They had a large milkshake menu inlcuding a wide array of chocolate and fruit flavored shakes. This time we ordered a black forest shake (black cherry and chocolate). Unfortuntely although the milkshake looked beautiful, the milkshake was very fake tasting - instead of chocolate it was chocolate flavored syrup... Almost an alcohol-taste of flavor...

The french fries (we got both regular and sweet potato) were less than impressive. The regular being thick and somewhat bland; the sweet potato thin and somewhat a little softer or oily than necessary. The hamburger itself was great - soft, plenty of meat, although could have used some seasoning. The lettuce, tomato, and other toppings were fresh and flavorful however.

Salvatore's Pizza

Salvatore's Pizza and Pasta in Hoover

Hoover, AL
http://www.salvatorespizzeria.com/Salvatores_Pizza_%26_Pasta/home.html

We visited Salvatore's Pizza for lunch today - our first visit after hearing friends repeatedly recommending it. Remember how pizza places used to be - fun, inviting, small, a place you felt you could hang out? This is what Salvatore's is like. And not just inside, but a nice eating area outside as well with a pretty fountain and flowers at the front.

Inside is a place we feel we could come back to, relax, watch a baseball game, have a beer and some great pizza. Their red and white checkered tables add to that neighborhood feel. Sometimes you just need a relaxed place, and this is it.

There is so much to choose from on the menu from pizza, calzones, pasta, and more. The list of toppings includes everything possible. The crust is great, partially charred but soft inside, the sauce has a brightly fresh flavor, and everything works well together. We tried salami, black olive, and garlic as toppings and would definitely get it again. But with so many items on the menu, we may have to experiment further too.

Gigi's Cupcakes

Gigi's Cupcakes at Midtown Village

Tuscaloosa, AL

 

Gigi's. This is a place we continue to visit. On a day celebrating, on a bad day and need cheering up, want to skip lunch and go straight to dessert, or dessert following lunch. Plenty of reasons. While this place may look plain from the outside, the small sign is playfully inviting.

Once inside a grand display of the most beautiful cupcakes greets you. Two cases with cupcakes of all color, decorations including everything from confetti and sprinkles to more unique toppings such as molded leaves, coarse sparkling sugar, and other flavor-specific decor.

Gigi's does a lot to make the customers comfortable. Besides the cupcakes and cheesecakes, there are two small tables and a bar at which to dine-in, and even a coffee station. The coffee is complementary and quite good - especially as an accompaniment to a cupcake.

Gigi's changes flavors with the seasons. While there are the delicious stand-bys such as wedding cake (traditional vanilla) and midnight magic (traditional chocolate), seasonal flavors can include anything from gingerbread in the winter to margarita in the summer. http://www.gigiscupcakesusa.com/menu

This particular trip was all about the sopapilla flavor - new for this summer. The sopapilla was delicious - very much like a very cinnamony muffin, but with so much sweet frosting on top. The decoration was supposedly a piece of sopapilla with cinnamon honey, however this seemed to be a slightly transparent chewy item... not sure what that was. The cupcake made up for anything lost on the decoration however.

FIG

FIG Restaurant

 

Tuscaloosa, AL

http://www.figintuscaloosa.com/ordereze/default.aspx

 

 

Fig's webpage describes itself as "casual gourmet cafe..." Once in the front door, it is difficult to tell whether to seat yourself or wait to be seated - there is no sign suggesting this, but there is a hostess desk...

 

 

 

The decor is an interesting mix of possibly industrial and modern? Light fixtures are an interesting lightbulb hanging from chain and large balls of what looks like chicken wire around it.

 



In the back, there was a separation between kitchen and dining area with white bed sheets (?) hanging from poles... or maybe those are shower curtain rods?

 

 



I had the pimento cheese wrap. The wrap described on the menu has smoked bacon, although none was in the wrap. The pimento cheese itself was cold despite being grilled and similar to watery store-brand finely-grated colby jack. I also ordered a side of sweet potato fries - these were exceptional - crunchy, light, and the accompanying "Asian sauce" was more similar to a remoulade or mayonnaise flavored with garlic and soy sauce.

 

 

Other interesting items on the menu, perhaps one of the unique salads may be a good choice for a future visit. And another order of those sweet potato fries which are addictive - and far better than any other restaurants have.

 



 

Chuy's

Chuy's Mexican Restaurant at the Summit

Birmingham, AL

 

 

 

 

Chuy's is a very fun atmosphere, very colorful, and almost a beachy feel. The indoor decor has fun streamed lights hanging from the ceiling, a school of wooden colorful fish hang above the hostess desk at the front, and customers can dine under a number of palm trees inside, or under colorful beach umbrellas on the outside patio on a nice day.

 

 

 

The food is fresh - salsa with small chunks of fresh tomato, garlic, onion, and cilantro. The guacamole with identifiable chunks of perfectly ripe avacado - not the often pureed avacado cream other restaurants have called guacamole. I had the Baja Tacos with fried fish. Although the first bite was a little surprising as it tasted like catfish, the cabbage and jalapeno creame was good, not to mention the homemade tortilla. Squeezing a lemon on the fish helped considerabley to complete the flavors.

 



 

They make their own homemade tortillas - some regular and some with blue corn. The tortilla master stayed at a busy rhythm the entire time we were there and showed off her skills behind the glass enclosed tortilla station - entertaining to get to watch Mexican food in action.

 











Flip Burger Boutique

Flip Burger Boutique at the Summit

Birmingham, AL

   
What a unique, fresh, and inspiring restaurant. Not what you would expect for a hamburger joint at all - but that's one of the reasons to like it. Everything about Flip is unique - from the drinks, to the food, to the decor, and even their webpage - http://www.flipburgerboutique.com . The decor was quite entertaining with the modern street art theme covering the whole ceiling.

 

 

The booths were a clean modern white seating that continued upwards to what looked like another seat and table above - like a vertical reflection. There was an open space to allow diners to look through to the kitchen and prep - entertaining.

 

 

This trip's order was the Butcher's Cut with bleu cheese, caramelized onion, frisee, and a red wine reduction. The burger as a whole was incredible. The only lingering question was whether they could have used a less sweet red wine for the reduction, which, unfortunately tasted almost like heated grape jelly. Looking forward to trying the D'Lux next time with the foie gras with orange relish or perhaps the Lamburger with citrus goat cheese.



 

Quite an experience and we will be back.