Restaurant experiment: Mr. Chen’s Authentic Chinese Cooking

Mr. Chen’s Authentic Chinese Cooking

1917 Hoover Court, in the Hoover Court Town Center

Birmingham, AL 35226

205-824-8283

http://www.mrchenschinesecooking.com/

A reputable source suggested I check out Mr. Chen’s, and since I happened to be in Hoover anyway, I thought, why not?  Laura was also game for checking out Mr. Chen’s.  She too had been told of its virtues.  Plus, Laura had to go to Publix after, and Publix was in the next shopping center over.  It was a done deal.

Mr. Chen’s is located in a strip mall, next to Green Valley Drug Company.  It seems to get a steady stream of to-go orders.  The ladies working the tables are quite nice and attentive.  Laura and I had to decide for awhile what we wanted to eat, and eventually we elected to have an appetizer to start off the evening.  The steamed dumplings ($4.95) were quite pleasing.  I actually wanted soup dumplings but got confused and ordered the wrong thing but that was okay.

The menu actually surprised me.  For Birmingham, Mr. Chen’s offered some adventurous fare such as pork ears, pork intestines, and pork feet.  Bubble tea was also on the menu if you like tapioca balls in your milky tea.  The menu features dozens of items, so you’re very highly likely to find something you’ll enjoy.  And at reasonable prices too!

After much consideration, I went with the shrimp stir fry rice noodles ($7.95).  Good portion size, not stingy with the shrimp, not bland.  It gets my seal of approval!  It took me a while to eat it all up, but that was partially due to me yakking away to Laura, er, trying to savor every chopstick-full.

At the end of the meal, a grizzled older woman patron lit up a cigarette and started puffing away IN THE RESTAURANT.  WTF?  Thank goodness the management gave her a talking-to, began airing out the space, and we were soon leaving.  Disgusting.

This was probably my first Chinese food experience in Birmingham, and I’m glad I can safely recommend Mr. Chen’s to those who want a taste of China and Taiwan in ol’ Birmingham.

Restaurant experiment: Five Bar

Five Bar

744 29th Street South at Clairmont Avenue South

Birmingham, AL 35233

205-868-3841

http://five-bar.com

It was Laura’s birthday, hooray!  Well, a few days earlier, but close enough.  Birthday celebration at any rate.  It was mutually decided that we should go to Five Bar, or I’ll just call it Five.  Laura had been before, but Dave and I had never patronized the place.  There was an outdoor patio space, but we sat inside, towards the back.  Five is very attractive inside, with chandeliers, artwork on the walls, and frames handing from the ceiling.  A trendy spot, no doubt.  Oh yes, if you’re wondering about parking, you’ll have to street it unless you want to valet it (which I never want to do if I can help it).

If you don’t know what Five is, their thing is that there are five of each item: five appetizers, five entrees, five cocktails, five wines, five beers.  Sometimes fewer choices can be a positive thing, especially since I can often be overwhelmed by too many choices.  So I embraced this concept.

Our server was a very laid-back, chill kinda gal with a good attitude.  I wish our drinks had come out earlier, but I can’t fault her for that.  Since it was before 6 PM, we were able to order nibbles and drinks from the happy hour menu.  For happy hour, the house cocktails were $5 (marked down from ~$9-10), and there was an appetizer for $5 (queso with shrimp).

I went with the Prosé which consisted of Calcu rose wine, peach schnapps, St. Germain elderflower, and champagne.  It was the girliest concoction on the list.  Of course I had to get that.  The drink came with a single rose petal!  Can’t get any more feminine.  The queso dip rocked.  Yeah!

All three of us decided to order the cheeseburger ($13).  The other entrees seemed a tad pricey.  I picked it because it was the cheapest option and also because I am crazy about cheeseburgers.  I’m sure Laura and Dave shared the same ideas.  The cheeseburger came with Five spread and hand-cut fries, according to the menu.  Entrees are accompanied by a salad.

I seem to recall that I ordered my burger medium well, and it came out more on the well side.  Oh well.  The Five spread was fine, some cheese-onion concoction.  Nothing too wacky.  I was very relieved since I was able to have my raw onions on my burger.  Homemade-seeming pickles were a nice touch.  I thought they were cucumbers at first (they were on the salad), so I didn’t put them on my cheeseburger.  No worries.  The fries were of the shoestring variety which I love.  Maybe a tad too much salt, but whatever.  The salad was high class.  Goat cheese?  Dried fruit?  Way above iceberg and carrot shreds.

Amusingly, there is only one dessert option (bread pudding).  Where are the four others?

Thanks Five, you were the perfect place to celebrate Laura’s birth!

Pro tip: Ladies night every Tuesday!

Restaurant experiment: Silvertron Cafe

Silvertron Cafe

3813 Clairmont Avenue between 39th Street South and 39th Place South

Birmingham, AL 35222

205-591-3707

http://www.silvertroncafe.us/

The Silvertron Cafe is the sort of casual place that would please a wide range of people since it offers sandwiches, burgers, pastas, Tex-Mex items, desserts, and drinks.  It’s got an appealing atmosphere, casual and neighborhoody.

Laura, Dave, and I ended up here since we were at Avondale Brewing Company and wanted food, and there was no joint open to serve us food in Avondale.  Sadness.  So we hopped into the vehicle and headed over here since it isn’t too far.

The Cafe wasn’t too busy, and I spotted a couple of families eating.  There was one mega table set up for what looked like a massive birthday dinner, but we left before that was in full swing.  Our server reminded me of Taylor Swift but Laura didn’t think so.  Every time I comment that someone looks like a famous person, no one ever agrees with me.  I don’t get it.  I guess I’m just right, and they’re just wrong and blind.

I ordered the Trio of Mini Burgers ($9.50).  The burgerettes included a cheeseburger one, a mushroom & Swiss one, and a black & blue.  The menu stated that the burgers were cooked medium, but I can recall that one of the them was on the well done side.  The rolls were “soft yeast rolls” that were delightful and sturdy, with just a touch of sweetness.  My side was the garlic mashed potatoes.  They were rather pleasing.  Yeah, the burgers weren’t the best in the world, but they were satisfying and hit the spot.

Looking forward to brunch here sometime in the future.  Silvertron’s got five Benedicts on the menu, sold!

Restaurant experiment: Slice

Slice

725 29th Street South between 7th Alley North and 7th Alley South

Birmingham, AL 35223

205-715-9300

http://www.slicebirmingham.com/

Laura suggested we go to Slice one Friday evening, and I was totally game, seeing as though a friend had mentioned to me that Slice was a tasty option.  We went on the early side which was wise because as we were leaving, the place was packed out and there were tons of folks waiting.  Good that wasn’t us.

I’m not really sure about the parking situation…it’s not the best in Lakeside in general.  It appeared as though valet was an option, but I parked on the street because I don’t like valet, and I saw the street space before the valet anyway.  Slice might have its own lot.

Seating-wise, there was a roomy outdoor space as well, but the two of us elected to sit inside.  I must say that I do dig old houses/establishments that have been converted into modern businesses.  Just recently, I paid a visit to Avondale Brewing Company for the first time, and I really adored that building.

This slightly raggedly-looking employee seated us at probably the crappiest table in the old house that is Slice.  So yeah, this table was a wee two top, in the middle of an area that was right next to the bar where patrons were sitting and where the staff order their drinks.  It was not appealing to me.  And there was an empty table in the same section that was next to the window.  Argh!  I was 99% about to request a different table but didn’t.  “Rise above,” I told myself.  I decided to put it behind me and focus on the meal and having a dandy time.

Our waiter was a low talker like in that Seinfeld episode.  I couldn’t hear him very well.  I think he was going on about beers, but I couldn’t hear anything which all worked out for the best because I didn’t want any beer.  Yes, I should mention that Slice is all about the Alabama beers; they even had a cool art print of Vulcan holding up a bottle of beer.  Beermingham, indeed.

Both Laura and I opted to begin our meals with salads, the spinach salad to be more precise ($6 for a side).  This bacon-fied side came with good old bacon, caramelized onion, some slices of mushrooms, a bit of hardboiled egg, and bacon vinaigrette.  My only wish was for more bacon.  Thumbs up to the salad.

It took some time for Laura and I to mutually decide on a pie.  Not that we had radically different preferences, but there were several pizzas that tempted us.  Eventually we settled on the Basic Pesto ($17) because it featured Alabama goat cheese.  Goat cheese always elevates your edibles to a higher level.  And how can you go wrong with house Italian sausage, red onions, and roasted peppers?  The answer is that you cannot.  We both adored this pie and wished that the pizza were larger so that we could eat more slices.

Laura and I were in agreement that Slice was heaps better than the disappointment known as Bettola.  We were quite satisfied.  Capping off the dinner, we headed to Steel City Pops for dessert.  Gingerbread popsicle…oh yeah!

Restaurant experiment: Little Donkey

Little Donkey

2821 Central Avenue at Reese Street

Homewood, AL 35209

205-703-7000

http://thelittledonkey.com/

Little Donkey opened earlier this year, I believe, and it’s been super hot ever since.  It’s from the folks who brought us Jim ‘N Nick’s and Taziki’s.  I hadn’t been dying to check it out, but since I’ve been making billions of trips to neighboring Steel City Pops, I figured I should just try Little Donkey, if for nothing more than to get a pop after.

I have to complain about the parking lot.  It’s miniscule, and there’s never a space when I’m at the area (I end up parking on the street).  But that’s probably the only bad thing.

At 6 PM on a Friday, the restaurant was hopping, but Laura and I were able to be seated promptly.  I should note that there is not much of a waiting area.  Just a lone sad chair.  There are tables outside, and there’s a garage door leading to the patio which reminded me of Fellini’s in Atlanta.  The decor is not flashy like Iguana Grill but more subdued.

Complimentary chips and salsa started the meal off right.  Well, the chips were somewhat irregular.  A couple had soft parts, and I bit down on one that was crazy salty.  Laura said that the chips were consistent last time she was there, so I’ll let that slide.  The salsa had showy leaves of cilantro that I avoided.

Service was kind of on the slow side, but our waitress was cheerful and helpful (I asked her for straws for our waters).  I ordered a regular margarita ($7) to my preferences: rocks with salt.  I was a fan of its smooth tequila taste and fresh lime juice.

As for my main, I requested the hickory-smoked brisket torta ($9.49) since Laura said the brisket was great.  The menu lists that pintos, guacamole, rajas, greens, cheese, and salsa are all part of the sandwich.  I practically lived on tortas for a year in NYC and miss them tremendously.  This torta could not compare, though I had to tell myself that it is a southern-Mexican mashup and not the authentic Mexican kind.  It was a messy meal since everything kept slipping out of the side furthest from my mouth.  Crusty bun.  Fresh greens.  Muenster cheese.

You can pick from several different side items (beans, rice, fruit) to go along with your main.  Because Laura raved about the street corn, I had to get it.  Plus I like Mexican corn anyway, so the matter was settled.  It came out of a big skewer so I joked that it was a corn popsicle.  Yum, it was creamy and spicy.  I was struggling to finish it all since I was getting full, but I did it.

I would say that El Barrio is probably Little Donkey’s closest counterpart, though El Barrio aims for more authenticity than Southern hybrid.  So the thing is, I’ve been to both places on a Friday night.  El Barrio catered to the young adult crowd; there was nary a child in sight.  But at Little Donkey, kids were crawling all around.  Must be the downtown versus Homewood setting.  So take that into account when decided which trendy Mexican eatery you want to patronize on a Friday eve.

Little Donkey’s got big taste, yes indeed.

Restaurant experiment: Rogue Tavern

Rogue Tavern

2312 2^nd Avenue North between 23rd and 24th Streets North

Birmingham, AL 35203

205-202-4151

http://roguetavern.com

I had suggested Rogue Tavern to Joni and Laura as one of a few dining possibilities for our Artwalk adventures.  As we had parked closer to Rogue Tavern than the other destination, we ended up opening the doors to Rogue Tavern and taking a look-see.  All of the tables appeared to be full.  Not promising.  A passing waiter informed us that there were tables in the back, so we headed to the back.

“Does this place remind you of a prison?” I asked my companions who ended up agreeing with me.  The high concrete walls, the small windows set at a high level with metal bars, the beams overhead encircled by barbed wire-like vines all contributed to the penitentiary atmosphere.

The bad thing about sitting outside (extreme humidity not included) was being exposed to smokers from the main dining room wanting their nicotine fixes.  One such fellow was smoking near the fans which of course blew toxins to our table.  Ew gross.

Another bad thing was our waiter.  He was just very slow and non-attentive.  We kind of gave him a pass but not really because it was Artwalk.  He seemed like a nice enough guy, but nice doesn’t always cut it.

The beer list is pretty extensive, if that’s your thing.  I didn’t order anything, but Laura and Joni both selected drafts from a whole page of ‘em.  One glass of beer was matched to its brewer, but the other beer did not match.

I went with the Rogue Burger which seemed like a safe enough bet for a bar-grill.  The menu described it as “Angus beef grilled and topped with lettuce, tomato, and cheese.”  This was $8.95 and came with fries.  The cheese was not cheddar or American as I had expected.  Noticing the lack of onions in the description, I made sure to request onions with my medium well cheeseburger.  Laura too ordered a burger, and Joni went with a salad.

After an eternity, the food came out.  Laura, who had also ordered her burger medium well, commented that the patty was more like well done.  I had to agree.  I was surprised that my onions came out sauteed because I had wanted and had expected raw onions.  Then I worried that I was going to get hit with a ridiculous saute fee.  The fries were fine but nothing remarkable.  The burger was also just okay.

Laura and Joni decided to split a bread pudding.  This of course took lifetimes to appear, and when it did appear, it was brought by a kitchen gal who was very apologetic.  I kind of got the feeling that the BP wasn’t worth the wait.

Joni told the waiter to put the bread pudding on her tab.  Of course, it ended up being placed on my tab.  Gah.  To Rogue’s credit, I was not charged extra for the sauteed onions.  Whew.

Okay, not the best dining experience ever, but I was in quality company, and then we got to check out art at Artwalk and nosh on Steel City Pops to soothe away the stress of Rogue Tavern.

Restaurant experiment: Sweet Tea Restaurant

Sweet Tea Restaurant

2205 3rd Avenue South at 22nd Street South

Birmingham, AL 35233

205-745-3990

http://sweettearestaurant.com/

I wasn’t very familiar with Sweet Tea Restaurant, but Laura suggested it as a place for dinner prior to checking out the Birmingham Museum of Art’s First Thursdays.  I’m glad we went with this plan since even though the museum offered tapas, no one was eating there when we went.  And we all know tapas tend to be overpriced and undersized.

As I was starving, I asked a line worker for some suggestions.  Laura was getting the fried catfish which I almost got, but then he recommended the beef tips as a hearty option.  I was liking this idea, and the deal was sealed when he kindly offered me a sample of the tips (seen below in the upper left corner).  Laura’s catfish wasn’t ready, but they assured her it would be brought out.  My main along with two sides (fried okra and mashed potatoes and gravy) plus free roll and tax were just under $10.  Not a bad deal.

Looking back, I realized that getting mashed potatoes with gravy and beef tips was probably overkill on the gravy/sauce bit, but they were pretty tasty, so that was fine.  The fried okra was somewhat of a letdown because they were not as crunchy as they could have been.  I guess they had been prepared a while ago and were sitting out.  The cornbread roll was what you’d expect.  The beef tips were indeed a generous portion.  A nice square meal for a nice square deal.  It’s nice to have a dinner option in this particular area.  And Laura let me sample her catfish which also seemed to garner approval.

So once you get to the end of the cafeteria line, a woman gives you a receipt itemizing your order, but you don’t pay then.  You do tell her what drink you want.  Then you sit down, and a server comes over to bring you your beverage.  She offers refills if you’ve downed your liquid.  A fellow comes by to take away plates.  Then you walk towards the exit to pay.  Can’t you just pay at the end of the line?  Not sure what the logic is here.  And tipping?  Ugh, hate tipping.

And in case you’re curious, I didn’t drink any sweet tea, so no comments on its quality.

Restaurant experiment: Iguana Grill

Iguana Grill

2085 Colonial Drive at Centennial Drive

Hoover, AL 35216

205-987-8240

Laura has been to Iguana Grill umpteen times, and I was glad to finally be able to try it.  We were going on a weekday for dinner, on the early side, so parking was not a problem, though Laura warned me it could be madness during the weekend.  Iguana Grill does have a slight edge other other Mexican places in “Guadala-Hoover” as there’s a bit more authenticity: the shopping center IG is located in has a mercado and lavanderia.

Laura instructed me to prepare myself for the beautifully decorated interior.  And it did not disappoint.  The theme was lights and Mexican handicrafts.  High ceilings added to the look.  Apparently Iguana Grill took over some space next door, so there is plenty of room to dine and wine.

Pro tip: as Laura is an Iguana Grill expert, she made sure to order us the secret special salsa that you have to request; it’s not the default one that arrives with the complimentary chips.  I found myself preferring it too.

We decided to share a liter (I believe that was the quantity listed on the menu) of margaritas.  As Iguana Grill has no website, much less an online menu, I can’t exactly recall the names of things or prices, but I believe the liter was about $15 and contained approximately four cups of margarita.  The tequila sure did make its presence known.  I like myself a strong margarita.  But no happy hour, alas.  No bueno.

Being a copycat, I ordered the same entree as Laura, the burrito al carbon which comes with beans and rice on the side.  My burrito arrived, and I dove right into it.  How can you not love any item doused in white cheese?  Mmm.

Laura and I decided to go all out and order dessert.  But wisely, we decided to split the fried ice cream.  Good thing too, since I couldn’t have completed it on my own.  The fried ice cream was fine (I remember lots of whipped cream) and a sweet way to end the meal.

Bathrooms were clean, I do recall.  Iguana Grill, you’ve earned my seal of approval.

Restaurant experiment: Diplomat Deli

Diplomat Deli

1413 Montgomery Highway between Vestavia Parkway and Pizitz Drive

Suite #101

Vestavia Hills, AL 35216

205-979-1515

http://www.diplomatdeli.com

Despite probably having driven by Diplomat Deli a billion times, I’d never noticed it and only decided to check it out since I saw it on RateBeer.com.  This is because Diplomat Deli is known for being a package store in addition to a sandwich shop.  The wine and beer selections are supposedly pretty impressive.  I didn’t examine them thoroughly to say, though it appears that their beer selection is wide and prices are kind.  There are a handful of beers on tap, mostly local options.  No beer before noon on a Sunday though.

Laura and I met up for lunch, and even though it wasn’t 12pm yet, Diplomat was hopping.  You seat yourself, and then a server comes to take your order.  Our server was a young dude, possibly a high school kid.  He was very polite.  It was a bit drafty though.  I chose a seat poorly.

I ordered the Ambassador hot sandwich ($6.95) which included “roast beef, longhorn Colby cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo and mustard on onion roll.”  It came out quicker than I had expected.  And it was also smaller than I expected.

Between the ruffled chips and the petite sandwich, I was not full and had to resort to ordering  dessert.  The French silk pie was $3.75 and a better deal, a generous slice.  It’s basically chocolate pudding in a pie crust.  Mmm.  While paying, I asked if the desserts were made on-site.  I was informed that some of them were.  Mine was of questionable origin, but Laura’s lemon icebox pie was made on the premises.  I did like how we were not rushed off the premises after we had finished eating.

In summary, the Diplomat Deli is like a governmental institution, leaving you somewhat unsatisfied.  Once I tried to visit the U.N., and all the tickets had sold out.  This was after I had waited in a long line and had braved the metal detector.  So DD is like the UN in that regard.  Hmm, this analogy didn’t work out as I had hoped, but I was trying to link Diplomat Deli to the United Nations, to be all diplomatic.

Restaurant experiment: El Barrio

El Barrio

2211 2nd Avenue North between 22nd and 23rd Streets North

Birmingham, AL 35203

205-868-3737

http://elbarriobirmingham.com

Laura suggested this place as a venue for her pre-birthday dinner.  Not being familiar with El Barrio and because I like new things, I readily agreed.  Having lived in Manhattan’s El Barrio, I found it to be all very amusing.  I did a little research and found out that El Barrio is from the team who brought us the delightful Trattoria Centrale.  With this pedigree, I was all the more excited.  Brigitte, if you are reading, the chef is a Kiwi!  Not too many Kiwis in Alabama, that’s for sure.

Anyway, being 7:30 on a Friday night led us to discover that there was a wait for a table.  We plopped down in seats by the bar and soaked up the coolness.  The hostess told us 30 minutes, but it was only around 10 minutes.  Managing expectations?  El Barrio is very beautifully renovated, with a gigantic mural as the showstopper.  Here’s a donkey/burro in a sombrero that glared at me.  The crowd was mixed though mostly 20/30somethings.  And lots of girls in wedges.  Looked like the place to be for date nights.

The two of us both decided on grapefruit margaritas ($6.50) for our beverages.  Yum, thumbs up from me.  Wish it were a tad cheaper though.  Laura wanted Queso Fundido ($4), and I certainly wasn’t going to argue.  Here is a picture of the queso.  To my disappointment, the huge pile of cilantro clippings did not endear me to the dish initially, but the actual taste won me over.  Laura told me to just push the cilantro aside, which is what I did.  The unmistakeable flavor of blue cheese really made the dip sparkle.

As it turns out, we both ordered the platos de tacos ($8.50) which includes your choice of two tacos, black beans, and red rice.  Laura’s two tacos were the barbacoa and pollo, and I elected to try the al pastor and the barbacoa.  The al pastor was described as “chile-marinated pork with charred pineapple salsa” and the barbacoa as “slow cooked beef, charred onions, chipotle, fresh cheese & cilantro.”  Still recovering from the cilantro party foul earlier, I specifically requested no cilantro which they took to heart, even omitting the dusting of cilantro I spotted atop Laura’s rice and beans.  The tortillas were legit, having that spongy texture that handmade tortillas possess.  I started off with the pork tacos which promptly set my lips, gums, and tongue a tingling.   A little too spicy for my tastes, but hey, no lack of flavor there.  The barbacoa was soft and hearty.  Spicy too but not as killer.  The rice and beans were a fine complement to the tacos.  I sipped more margarita to ease the hot pain.

There was a large succulent growing in a sink right outside of the bathrooms.  How neato.

Our waitress was probably the weakest point of the meal.  I don’t recall her really checking up on us, and she also didn’t seem too friendly.  She didn’t offer us dessert, horrors!

Despite her and the cilantro worship, I would definitely come back.  Laura wants to try the sidecar!