Tag: Homewood

I have written about Jackson’s a few years ago. I really enjoyed myself the last time I was there so I was looking forward to going back.

What I remembered about my last visit is that they make a great sangria. It’s a fun layered sangria that I have not seen anywhere else.

It is not too sweet; it’s a great blend of red wine, orange juice, pineapple juice, and a splash of grenadine. It tastes best after mixing up all the layers. It is a shame I had to mess up the rainbow layers.

I made sure to order the Brussels sprouts. They were sprinkled with lemon juice and had Parmesan cheese crumbled on top. The cheese was crispy but the Brussels sprouts themselves were not. What I remembered from last time is they put them in the wood fire oven, but this time they did not. I wish this batch would have been prepared that way.

I also ordered their Buffalo Feathers to try something new. These were unique and very different from typical chicken “fingers”. They took shredded chicken breasts which were flash-fried to be crispy, and there was no breading. They then tossed the chicken in a Nashville hot sauce. But to me the sauce tasted more like a classic Buffalo wing sauce. The chicken came with a dill ranch dip. This had a crisp taste, full of dill flavor.

I am glad I got to visit Jackson’s again. The food and drinks were just a good as I remembered. Check them out at www.jacksonsbarandbistro.com

Enjoy!

T

 

I have already written about this little Japanese place in Homewood, Alabama called Okinawa. I had gone there previously for lunch and this visit I was there for dinner. I knew that I would not be disappointed and thought my parents would enjoy it too.

The staff is so friendly. They were so welcoming as soon as I walked through the door. The place was packed for dinner but fortunately they had a table for us.

We started off with the spring roll appetizer. They call them Harumaki on the menu. These are perfect for sharing. They are three spring rolls that are cut in half. They are extremely flavorful with a thin, crispy wrapper. They come with a perfect sweet and sour sauce on the side.

I ordered the Hibachi chicken for dinner. It comes with a lot of food. Needless to say I ended up having a take-out box at the end of the meal.

As with all Hibachi meals it all starts with a bowl of soup and a salad with ginger dressing.

The salad came with a creamy ginger dressing. It still had that little kick with from the ginger that tasted wonderful with the fresh, crispy lettuce.

The soup was fantastic. It had a lot of savory flavor. There were slices of mushrooms and crunchy dried onion pieces. The onions added additional flavor and saltiness. I could have eaten an even larger bowl of this soup. It would have been amazing with Udon noodles in it.

My Hibachi dinner plate came out and the plate was packed with food. There was teriyaki chicken that had a great sweet and salty taste. All the meat was moist chicken breast. The dinner came with two of their grilled shrimp. I love Hibachi style grilled shrimp; the taste and texture is perfect when it is paired with the teriyaki sauce.

Then there are the sautéed mixed vegetables. They offered an assortment of mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini, and carrots. These taste amazing with the ginger sauce and the creamy Yum-Yum sauce that they serve on the side.

And of course, no dinner would be complete without fried rice. It is a simple mix of fried egg, rice, onion, and soy sauce. It’s great flavor for just a few ingredients. I could eat fried rice as a meal any day of the week.

I always enjoy my meals at Okinawa, whether it’s a Hibachi dinner or a sushi lunch. They never disappoint me. It is a must visit if you are in Homewood, Alabama. Check them out at http://www.okinawasushiusa.com/

Enjoy!

T

 

The SoHo area of Homewood/Birmingham has been growing over the years. There is a rejuvenation of business and restaurants. I have already written about a few places in the area – Savage’s Bakery and Jacksons. A new restaurant recently opened that had starting getting great buzz called SoHo Social. I decided to check them out to see what they had to offer.

I started off with a unique cocktail called Rosé Dale. It was a blend of vodka, St. Germaine, rosé wine, lime, bubbles, and a sprig of rosemary. I was a pretty presentation. The drink was light and fizzy. It was also refreshing for a warm spring evening. The rosemary did not add a whole lot of extra flavor. It was more for decoration. After a few sips the rosemary sprig actually got in the way so I just took it out of the drink.

I ordered the charcuterie plate to munch on. It was the perfect size. It was a little different from other charcuterie plates I typically get. It came with white cheddar cheese and “Conecuh”, which is sausage from Alabama. It was sliced up and grilled. It also came with two hoe cakes. For a little background information, a hoe cake is basically a cornmeal pancake. They are usually cooked in a cast iron pan. If you are from the Northeast these are normally known as johnnycakes.

Their hoe cake was nice because it was firm and only slightly sweet. I ate it by itself rather than with the sausage and cheese. The sausage had a wonderful hickory smoked taste. It was grilled so that the edges were crispy. I wish it came with a little more on the plate.

I also ordered the avocado dos formas. There were two different fillings loaded into each half of an avocado.

The first one was called primero; it was tuna ceviche stuffed in the avocado. The ceviche had a great salty taste. If you like onions this will be perfect for you because there was a ton chopped up. The only thing that disappointed me was that there was barely any avocado in the dish. It’s like they scooped it all out and used it in some other dish. I was able to scrape a little left on the inside of the skin but it was very minimal.

The second half of the avocado was baked and stuffed with hot crab dip. They called it Segundo. The crab dip was amazing. It was so creamy. I ate it with some of the lettuce that came on the plate. I wish the dish came with crackers or even hoe cakes. But don’t get me wrong, it was perfect to eat on its own.

This new spot, SoHo Social, had some pretty good appetizers. I checked out their brunch menu and this is definitely a place I want to come back and try again. Check out what they have to offer at http://sohosocial.bar/

Enjoy!

T

 

A few months ago I wrote about the Homewood Diner. I had visited for breakfast and really enjoyed it. I always get excited when I have another opportunity to get to go back somewhere and try something else. It was early morning on a Saturday and I was hungry for a good traditional breakfast. The kind of breakfast that fills me up for almost the whole day. The Homewood Diner popped into my mind.

Since I got there early for a Saturday I was able to get a booth without any problems. My waitress was extremely friendly and brought me fresh coffee right away.

   

After looking over the menu options I went for the ham and cheese omelette. I could get it with American cheese (my favorite to go with eggs) but if you wanted cheddar that was an option too.

The omelette also came with a choice of grits or hash browns and biscuits or toast. I went for the grits because I remembered how buttery they were. I also went for the biscuits because I could not go to a Southern diner without trying their homemade staple. They were very buttery on the outside that I did not need to add any butter on the inside. I got two so the second one I could try with strawberry jelly.

The omelette was pretty big. It was packed with ham. The ham was cut into chunky pieces. It was salty but also had a slight sweet taste too. This was a three egg omelette but it definitely felt like there was more ham than egg.

I am really glad I was able to get another great breakfast at Homewood Diner. If you are in the area make sure you stop by. Check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HomewoodDiner

Enjoy!

T

 

There is local Japanese restaurant called Okinawa that I have been to tons of times. I have eaten in and taken sushi to go. I finally decided to write about them because they are one of my favorite go to restaurants. Everything I have ever ordered is delicious.

On this most recent visit I went for lunch. They have a great lunch menu that includes sushi rolls, bento boxes, and hibachi plates. I went for the hibachi chicken. The lunch portion is the perfect size. It comes with teriyaki chicken, vegetables, and fried rice. The chicken is juicy white meat; the vegetables are sautéed perfectly with lots of broccoli that I love. Dipping the veggies in the ginger sauce is the best. Their fried rice is simple but flavorful and loaded with scrambled eggs.

The lunch portion of hibachi also comes with your choice of miso soup or a ginger salad. If you go for dinner you would get both, plus the grilled shrimp. I went for the salad. I love the dressing that they use and they give a very generous portion.

If you have a short lunch hour, Okinawa is the perfect place to get in and out quickly. However, if you have some time and want to enjoy some great food with wonderful company then they offer that too. Check out their menu at http://www.okinawasushiusa.com/

   

I am sure I will see you there!

Enjoy!

T

 

I love all kinds of food, but Chinese food is one of my favorites. I was excited to learn that there was an authentic Chinese restaurant called Red Pearl in Homewood, Alabama. What surprised me even more is that there is a full size Asian market attached to the restaurant. They had everything from candy and sauces to frozen dumplings that can be made at home.

The restaurant was beautiful inside. It had recently been remodeled. There are wonderful ornate wooden walls that separate different sections and an ornately painted focal wall.

   

I started off with the pork noodle soup. It was a huge bowl that was perfect for sharing with the table. It was a good thing that I brought my sister with me. The broth was flavorful and had a very faint spice in it. The noodles were like what are found in lo mein and it was a generous portion in this soup. They used a minced pork that was very tender and added additional flavor to the soup. The pieces of chopped up cabbage added texture. I could have easily made this my meal if I was alone.

I was told that I had to try their egg rolls, so I made sure to order a few. They were crispy on the outside. The filling on the inside was full of meat and vegetables. The nice part about these egg rolls was they had a lot of meat on the inside rather than just filling of excess cabbage. I was very pleased with how they tasted and would recommend them too.

My favorite aspect about a Chinese meal is the sharing. Several dishes can be ordered for the table and then shared family style. So my sister and I went for two dishes: chicken lo mein and pork fried rice.

The chicken in the lo mein were nice big pieces of breast meat. They were sautéed so the edges were slightly crispy. The sauce was salty but it was not overwhelming. The noodles had a smoky taste – which came from the hot flame that was used to cook it in the wok.

The plate of fried rice was huge. The pork in the fried rice added a ton of flavor. The Jasmine rice they used stuck together really well with the sauce that was used to season everything. This made it easy for me to eat the rice with chopsticks.

Now naturally we could not finish everything because it was a lot of food. However, Chinese leftovers make for a perfect lunch the next day. I enjoyed everything that we ordered but I only scratched the surface of what they have to offer. I can’t wait to go back and try some of the beef or tofu or perhaps one of my favorite dishes – Chow Fun.

If you are hungry for Chinese and don’t want typical take out, then you need to swing by Red Pearl. You will truly enjoy sitting down and sharing a meal. Visit their website at http://www.superorientalmkt.com/

Enjoy!

T

 

 

Bright and early on a cold morning is the perfect time to get a big, hearty breakfast. Diners are naturally the perfect place for these types of breakfasts. The Homewood Diner can be a little hard to find the first time but it is a wonderful place and well worth looking for.

The diner was crowded when I got there. I was able to get one of the last booths. They have many options and combinations to choose from. I wanted something with pancakes because I had not had them for a while.

   

I went for one of their special breakfast plates. The Patriot Breakfast offered up everything I wanted. Eggs, grits, bacon, and a pancake. Just in case there is interest in this plate, you can have hash browns instead of grits and sausage instead of bacon.

I got my eggs scrambled; these are my favorite way to have eggs. The grits were firm but still creamy. I added some butter to add a little salt. The bacon was amazing. The slices were thick and extra crispy. I love extra crispy bacon, plus they gave a very generous portion. You can never have too much bacon.

The pancake, which was why I ordered this breakfast plate, was huge. It was the actual size of the plate it came on. There is something about restaurant pancakes that I just cannot replicate at home. I love the taste of the batter which is a little sweet and the way it gets salty when cooked on the griddle. A great pancake to me is when it tastes just as good with a little melted butter as it does with a topping of maple syrup.

In addition to breakfast Homewood Diner also offers a great meat and 3 lunch option. Check out their breakfast menu at their Facebook page: Facebook.com/HomewoodDiner

Enjoy!

T

 

 

There is an area of Birmingham called SoHo and this is where I found Jackson’s. I got there in between the lunch and dinner crowds, so it was easy to get a seat.

I was not that hungry for a full meal but I did have munchies. They had a spinach dip on the menu that they called Verde Dip. It was loaded with garlic and the spinach was chopped up very fine, which made it much easier to eat. My server did mention that this dip was one of the more popular items on the menu.

They had a seasonal side dish on the menu that currently was brussel sprouts. These also were recommended because of how they are prepared. They are roasted in the wood fire oven in a cast iron skillet. They are chopped up in smaller pieces as compared to just cut in half. This preparation allowed for more crispy edges.

To top off these great appetizers, I ordered the Sangria, made with fresh juices. It was the perfect thirst quencher for a hot summer afternoon.

The wait staff was very welcoming at Jackson’s and they told me all about their Sunday brunch menu. I will definitely be adding them to my list to head back to. If you’re in the mood for great drinks and good food, check out Jackson’s. Make sure you ask them about their pigeon mascot Ralph!

www.jacksonsbarandbistro.com

Enjoy!

T

 

This cute, old fashioned family bakery is in the downtown area of Homewood. They were founded in 1939 but they have made Homewood their home since the 1950s.

As soon as you walk in through the door you are greeted with the smell of sweetness in the air. You know right away each item is made from scratch right there in the back. It was all the desserts that caught my attention. They had everything from cookies, cakes, pies, and pastries.

 

 

I saw petit fours in the case so I was naturally inclined to order those but right when I was about to order I saw their chocolate éclairs. They was calling to me and I knew I had to have one. The pastry dough was light and airy. There was so much cream in the middle that as I took a bite it squeezed out the sides in all directions. I have never had an éclair with that generous amount of filling. The chocolate on top was soft and creamy. I could tell it was fresh because of just how soft it was.

Since I only stopped in to satisfy my sweet tooth, I did not get to sample any of their fresh breads and biscuits. The biscuit sandwiches looked great and a different take on a ham and cheese or roast beef sandwich. Their fresh breads must also make the best grilled cheese sandwiches or even a peanut butter and jelly. I am making sure that I come back for lunch and pick up another dessert.

Check out what they excel at on their website www.savagesbakery.com. Don’t plan on going on Sunday’s because they are closed.

Enjoy!

T

 

I was hanging out with my sister and we wanted to get a quick bite to eat. We decided to try a newer place called Taco Mama. This place had a cool vibe as soon as we walked up. The music they were playing made me feel like I was on vacation. Instead of traditional windows, they had garage doors, which were open because the weather was nice.

You walk up to the counter to order but they bring your food to you at the table. Since we felt like we were on vacation we knew that fun cocktails were needed. I went for the Sangria and my sister tried the Pomegranate Margarita. Both were excellent choices!

After looking over all the choices on the menu we settled on sharing nachos. We got to build our own starting with our choice of meat. There were over 8 choices which made it a challenge but we agreed upon chicken. If we thought choosing a meat was hard, it was now time for the toppings.

They have a ton and it was really difficult not to get every single things on the list especially when you have items like queso and cilantro-lime rice. So we did our best and put together what we thought would taste best. We were not disappointed. Every aspect of the nachos was perfect, right down to the chips that were nice and light. It was the best dish to get and share between two people.

We had a really fun time at Taco Mama. The staff was friendly and the food was great so we will be back for sure. I would recommend this place to anyone. Check them out at http://www.tacomamaonline.com/

Enjoy!

T