Month: November 2016

Luna’s BBQ – Hanceville, AL

Forty-Five minutes north of Birmingham, Alabama is the small town of Hanceville. I had passed through when I went to visit The Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament founded by Mother Mary Angelica. After spending a few hours at the shrine, I had worked up an appetite.

As I was heading back toward the highway, I noticed a sign for Luna’s BBQ and thought that would be a perfect place to stop. Considering the parking lot was full of cars, I figured this was a good choice.

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The staff was extremely welcoming as soon as I walked through the door. The smell of BBQ filled the restaurant.

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They had a pretty big menu, that had lots of non-BBQ dishes to choose from.

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I went for the smoked turkey plate. It automatically came with baked beans and I got to choose two more sides. I went for the baked potato and the coleslaw.

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I really enjoyed their turkey. Other restaurants usually serve their turkey in slices. Luna’s pulls apart their turkey (like you would see with pulled pork) and they chop it up. Not only did it make the turkey easier to eat, but it allowed the white Alabama BBQ sauce to coat the meat. It was delicious. The sauce was wonderful and toward the end I actually added some of their traditional BBQ sauce to the meat as well. It was a flavor explosion. The two sauces together were a perfect combination.

The baked beans were sweet. I liked how they added green peppers and onions to it. This added extra flavor to the beans. Their coleslaw was prepared my favorite way – finely chopped and sweet. It is the perfect accompaniment to BBQ. And you can never go wrong with a big baked potato loaded with butter.

I had worked up an appetite and Luna’s definitely helped satisfy my hunger. If you are in the area or just driving through, make sure you stop by Luna’s for some awesome BBQ and friendly service. Visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/LunasBBQ/

Enjoy!

T

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Rock N’ Fish – Manhattan Beach, CA

 Well I promised myself if I was ever able to visit Manhattan Beach, California again I would head back to Rock N’ Fish.

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I was glad I got there in time to see the sunset. It was so beautiful to see the sun fade into the Pacific Ocean. This visit I was able to sit on their outside patio. It was the perfect weather for it too, not too hot and not to cold.

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Instead of ordering an appetizer and a main dish I went for an appetizer and a salad. Their portions are pretty large so I knew I would be satisfied with just this.

I started with the jumbo coconut prawns. The prawns were covered with panko breadcrumbs and shredded coconut. The coconut had a subtle flavor that was not overpowering with sweetness. The prawns came with a pineapple dipping sauce that complemented the coconut. Also included on the plate was a side of slaw. It had an Asian flare to it with a sesame dressing. This slaw would have been great just by itself.

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I was excited to try the shrimp and avocado Louie salad. It was a wonderful chopped salad tossed in a Louie dressing. On top were slices of fresh, creamy avocado, tomatoes, olives, and a hard-boiled egg. The shrimp decorated the side of the plate. They did not have any dressing on them so I asked for some cocktail sauce on the side and ate the shrimp with that. The Louie dressing was sweet and was great with the salty flavor from the olives. The salad was huge so it was the perfect meal.

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I cannot recommend Rock N’ Fish enough. I was so glad that I got to visit them for a second time. For great flavors and fresh ingredients check them out at www.rocknfishmb.com

Enjoy!

T

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Bolton’s Spicy Chicken & Fish – Nashville, TN

I was visiting Nashville again and I had a craving for hot chicken. I wanted to go to a place I had not tried before. Bolton’s popped up on my list. They have been cooking up their hot chicken since 1999.

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I went for the breast quarter plate. I went lite mild heat on the chicken because I was not sure of the intensity. I also got a choice of two sides, which they had tons to choose from. I went with the mac n’ cheese and the green beans. Both are the perfect pairing with hot chicken.

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The chicken had great crunch on the outside and the meat was juicy on the inside. When I took my first bite I could feel the heat on my lips. This is why I went with the lite mild heat, it was just enough without going overboard.

After eating several more bites the tingle from the heat calmed down. It was the first time I actually got use to the heat. Next time I visit I think I will be able to step up my heat level.

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The mac n’ cheese was creamy and that helped calm some of the heat from the chicken. The green beans added a nice salty element to the dish.

I definitely want to go back to Bolton’s because they also have fish on the menu. I would love to see if they could make a hot fish for me to try.

Add Bolton’s to your hot chicken check list. Visit their website at www.boltonsspicy.com

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Enjoy!

T

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Avo – Mountain Brook, AL

Avo is located upstairs from Dram Whiskey Bar that I have mentioned on Twitter before. I remember that my bartender at Dram said that Avo had a great Sunday brunch so I knew I had to try them out.

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Brunch would not be complete without a mimosa. Avo had an Italian mimosa on the menu that I had to try. This mimosa was sparkling wine with grapefruit juice, and an Aperol floater. It was not as sweet as a regular mimosa, the grapefruit juice made it tart, but it was good and a great way to start off brunch.

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I ordered the Bluegrass Breakfast, which is a class is breakfast plate of eggs, a meat, grits, and a homemade biscuit. For my meat I went with the bacon. They were nice thick slices of bacon that had a great smoky taste.

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The grits were perfect as they were already loaded with butter, just how grits should be. Their biscuits were petite in size. I love the size because I did no fill up on it and was able to eat everything on my plate.

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The table also shared the jalapeño hash browns. The potatoes were diced with chopped onions and jalapeño. It was not too spicy and it went well with the extra egg that came on top.

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I recommend you add Avo to your brunch check list if you are in the Birmingham area. Check out their menu and drink options at www.avorestaurant.com

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Enjoy!

T

The Cupcake Collection – Nashville, TN

Driving through the Germantown neighborhood in Nashville, I would never have expected to see a cupcake shop intermingled with homes.

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It was later in the day so I was afraid they would not have any cupcakes left. Lucky for me they still had a few left.

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I patiently waited in line as I decided which cupcake to order. It smelled so good in the shop. The gentleman in front of me in line says he visits The Cupcake Collection all the time and gave me his top choices. They offer classic flavors as well as premium choices like coconut crème and peanut butter mousse. If you really want something unique then their specialty cupcakes, like Butterfinger and Italian wedding cake, are for you.

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I chose two classic flavors – carrot cake and red velvet. The carrot cake was light and moist with wonderful chopped carrots throughout. The cream cheese icing was perfect; it was smooth and creamy. Their icing was not overly sweet. Sometimes cupcake icing can be extra sweet which can ruin the taste of the actual cake. Theirs is perfect!

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The red velvet cupcake also used the same cream cheese icing. The cake was also moist and fluffy. They have the perfect ratio of cake to icing.

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It was a wonderful treat to get to try these homemade cupcakes. They are also the best priced gourmet cupcakes I have seen, almost half the price of other shops.

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If you are in the Germantown area of Nashville, make sure to pick up a cupcake or a dozen from The Cupcake Collection. Check out their flavors at www.thecupcakecollection.com

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Enjoy!

T