Metro Menu Fall 2014
A Publication of
Old-Fashioned Pound Cake from the Baking Bandits b-metro.com
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The only thing missing is you.
Open 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday
2200 1st Avenue North 323.8228 www.wineloftbham.com
Metro Menu contents Fall 2014
A Publication of
Joe O’Donnell Editor/Publisher joe@b-metro.com
Cathy Fingerman Assoc. Publisher cathy @b-metro.com Robin Colter Creative Director robin@b-metro.com
Teaching the Art of Food...180
Lindsey Lowe Associate Editor lindsey@b-metro.com
As dean of Culinard, the Culinary Arts Institute of Virginia College, Chef Antony Osborne is inspiring a next generation of food professionals. Written by Joe O’Donnell
Joni Ayers Marketing Specialist joni@b-metro.com
Coming Home Cooking...184
Gail Kidd Marketing Specialist gail@b-metro.com Laura Fash Marketing Specialist laura@b-metro.com Lauren Lockhart Digital Communications Manager lauren@b-metro.com Photography by Cameron Carnes and Chuck St. John
After a stellar apprenticeship in New York, John Hall is making his own noise at Post Office Pies. Written by Joe O’Donnell • Photography by Cameron Carnes
The Hot Dog Man...188
George Nasiakos holds up a downtown Birmingham tradition at Gus’s. Written by Sherrel Wheeler Stewart • Photography by Cameron Carnes
Uncovering the Baking Bandits...192 For Kristen Farmer Hall, delivering happiness is all in a day’s work. Written by Lindsey Lowe • Photography by Cameron Carnes
Downtown Staple...196
John’s City Diner Celebrates its 10th Anniversary Photos by Chuck St. John
Metro Menu is published annually by Fergus Media LLC 1314 Cobb Lane South Birmingham, AL 35205 176
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Chef Charles Ryan Nichols of The J. Clyde,
Formerly of Susan Spicer’s Bayona in New Orleans. Graduate of Culinard, 2010.
Although The J. Clyde is known as the “oldest bar” in Birmingham, it is much much more. Located on historic Cobb Lane, The J. Clyde offers creative, seasonal dishes full of exciting flavors. We support the Urban Food Project, the farmers and fisherman who bring us fresh, local ingredients of the highest quality perfectly complement The J. Clyde’s extensive beer, wine, and drinks menus. On tap or by the bottle, The J. Clyde’s selection of craft beers is unparalleled in the state, probably the Southeast. With their covered dining patio, the largest in the city, The J. Clyde is a favorite atmosphere for beer enthusiasts and diners alike. FALL diNNeR HigHLigHTS: Smoked Salmon Spread: House Smoked wild-caught Atlantic Salmon, Cream Cheese, Fresh Scallion, served with Fried Pita Chips Fried Catfish Tacos: Alabama Farmraised Catfish, Fresh Guacamole, Pineapple Salsa, Remoulade, and Red Cabbage Slaw
Pork Tenderloin with Corn Pudding: Compart Family Farms Duroc Pork, Corn Pudding, Crispy Lardons, and Andouille Vegetable Ragout PUB FAvORiTeS: Fried Sauerkraut Balls: Sauerkraut, cream cheese, and Italian sausage, rolled in panko bread crumbs served on a bed of remoulade slaw
Steak and Eggs: Ten ounce Hereford rib-eye, with two eggs, a mixed green salad tossed in Back 40 Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Texas toast Fatso Pudding: Imperial Stout pudding with ice cream—made with Good People Fatso Imperial Stout
1312 Cobb Lane • 205.939.1312 • jclyde.com
Birmingham ’s original Cantina ce lebrates 10 yea rs
We mix the most popula r Mexican recipes wit h street fl a vor from a round the world. With our always-fre sh approac h to everything on our menu and the best tacos in tow n you can’t g o wrong. Fresh Food. More Fun. That’s the C antina way.
T O R T I L L A
G R I L L
Pepper Plac e 2901 Second Ave S 205.32 3.6
980
F/ cantina.t ortilla.gril l T/@cantinab ham I/@cantina_t ortilla_gril l
Grab Tacos on the Go Cantina on Wheels Our taco truck is always on the move. Treat yourself to the delicious food that Rom and the team are serving up around town. Find out where we’re rolling: Facebook.com/cantina.onwheels or @cantinaonwheels on Twitter. Call Rom at 205-393-3590 or the truck at 205-718-4275.
www.cantinatortillagrill.com
Hwy 280'S COAStAL KitCHeN witH ALABAmA SeAFOOD By CHeF GReGG COLLieR
Dixie Fish Company is Hwy 280's Coastal Kitchen... where great Alabama Seafood meets great Alabama people. Open for Lunch, Dinner or Sunday Brunch 7 days a week featuring the freshest Gulf seafood prepared by Chef Gregg Collier. Now catching holiday party reservations...call us at 205 924-3493, visit us at dixiefish.com or follow us on Facebook. Dixie Fish Co. Lunch - Dinner - Sunday Brunch Private Parties - Catering On & Offsite
NOw ReSeRviNG HOLiDAy PARtieS! CALL 205-924 - 3493 OR viSit DixieFiSH.COm.
Teaching the
Art of Food As dean of Culinard, the Culinary Arts Institute of Virginia College, Chef Antony Osborne is inspiring a next generation of food professionals. Written by Joe O’Donnell
Chef Antony Osborne is an internationally renowned master pastry chef with a wealth of global experience in the world of culinary arts. Osborne has traveled extensively throughout 38 countries and has apprenticed and trained at esteemed locations such as the Dorchester in London; Palace Hotel in Switzerland; and Nasseur Hof Hotel in Germany. Working under the tutelage of chefs Anton Mossmann, HansPeter Wodars, and Herbert Lagendort, Osborne gained a limitless diversity of culinary knowledge to add to his seven years of college in the culinary arts. He has taken that vast experience and put it to work training a new generation of culinary arts professionals at Culinard at Virginia College. Osborne is dean of the Culinary Arts Institute at Virginia College and in charge of the overall program, which has expanded from Birmingham to campuses in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Chattanooga, 180
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Tennessee; Fort Pierce, Florida; Greensboro, North Carolina; Greenville, South Carolina; Jacksonville, Florida; Mobile, Alabama; Richmond, Virginia; and Savannah, Georgia. The footprint of the school now takes in a healthy swath of the South. “At Culinard, we are committed to offering our students the opportunity to earn a superior, intensive education in the culinary arts. We share our knowledge, our skill, and our passion in an effort to help each student realize his or her dream of a culinary career,” Osborne says. “As we have learned, and as we share with our students, fine cuisine is more than merely good food. It is an art. Preparation and presentation demands knowledge, skill, and above all, a passion to create. “And with the new culinary immersion program, students can learn the skills that enable them to pursue a career in the culinary arts…and the chance to turn their passion into a career…much more quickly
and easily,” Osborne says. The 36-week culinary arts program at Culinard culinary school provides a diversified, intensive education in food preparation. Students receive hands-on, realistic training designed to provide a solid background of culinary skills. Students are instructed in fundamental, intermediate, and advanced culinary arts along and participate in a real-world externship under the direction of certified chefs. This program is designed to provide learning experiences that offer more than just a cooking school—it offers a solid background of practical training in various culinary arts directly related to the hospitality/food service industry. This comprehensive training provides graduates with the fundamental skills necessary to adapt to the career path they choose to follow. Culinard also offers pastry chef training designed to provide learning experiences that
TasTe The ModerN side of MexicaN cuisiNe
Now opeN
A peritivos , S OPAS y E NSALADAS TOP SHELF GuAcAMOLE • p n Made fresh at your table, serves two to four 10.29 quESADiLLAS AL cArbON chicken fajita 14.29 beef fajita 14.79
AHi TuNA TAcOS* • p Mini-crispy tacos with sushi cut ahi tuna, chipotle aioli, jicama slaw and guacamole 9.79 NAcHOS AL cArbON chicken fajita 14.29 beef fajita 14.99 quESO LArEDO p queso with taco meat and pico de gallo 9.99 cEvicHE* p Shrimp, scallops and fish in lime juice 9.29 ENSALADA DE ciLANTrO y POLLO p Fajita chicken with black beans, red pepper, monterey jack cheese and avocado with cilantrolime dressing 12.49 ENSALADA DE MANGO y POLLO p chicken and mango with jicama, seasoned pumpkin seeds, grapes, mint and queso fresco with a honey vinaigrette 13.29 ENSALADA DE cAMArON cON MiEL p Grilled shrimp, jicama, mangos, roasted walnuts and goat cheese with tropical honey vinaigrette 13.99
This is a sampling of our Dinner menu. Also join us for Lunch, Sunday Brunch, or drinks on our Rooftop Bar.
upTowN BirMiNghaM 2301 richard arrington Jr. Blvd 205.502.0915 cantinalaredo.com prices subject to change
E SPEciALiDADES
E nchiladas
cArNE ASADA* Grilled steak with marinated onions and chimichurri sauce 19.99
ENcHiLADAS cheese and onion, beef, or chicken three 12.99 two 10.99
FAjiTAS chicken p 16.79 beef 19.29
ENcHiLADAS DE ESPiNAcA n Sautéed spinach, monterey jack cheese and mushroom enchiladas topped with sour cream poblano sauce 11.99
cHiPOTLE POLLO FAjiTAS chicken fajitas topped with chipotle-wine sauce, bacon, mushrooms and monterey jack cheese 17.79 cAMArON PObLANO ASADA* • Grilled steak around poblano pepper with shrimp, mushrooms, onions and monterey jack cheese, on chimichurri sauce 23.79 cArNiTAS • Pork shanks topped with chipotle-wine sauce 19.99 rELLENO DE cAMArONES Shrimp, monterey jack, mushrooms, corn, spinach and zucchini in pepper topped with avocado 16.29 cAMArONES EScONDiDOS • Grilled chicken breast stuffed with shrimp, topped with sautéed spinach and chipotle-wine sauce 18.99 TAMPicO Grilled chicken breast topped with sautéed artichoke hearts, mushrooms, spinach, red bell peppers with sour cream-poblano sauce and monterey jack cheese 16.49 POLLO MANGO MOLE Grilled chicken with mango mole sauce and toasted pine nuts 14.49 TOrTA DE cArNiTAS Griddle baked sandwich with slow-roasted pork, fried egg, apricot spread and goat cheese 13.99 PEScADO DEL DíA • Featuring a special fresh fish each evening, ask for today’s selection 24.99
ENcHiLADAS vErAcruz chicken, spinach and monterey jack enchiladas topped with tomatillo sauce, marinated vegetables, and queso fresco 14.29 ENcHiLADAS DE MOLE • Sweet, spicy blend of dried Mexican peppers creates a sauce over chicken enchiladas 13.99 ENcHiLADAS DE cANGrEjO Lump crab enchiladas with spicy chili de arbol cream sauce on a bed of marinated vegetables 15.99 ENcHiLADAS DE AvOcADO p n Avocado and artichoke enchiladas topped with tomatillo sauce on bed of spinach 12.29
T AquEriA TAcOS DE FAjiTA beef with queso fresco, avocado and sour cream drizzle 14.29 TAcOS DE bArbAcOA p Slow-roasted brisket with marinated onions, monterey jack cheese and cilantro 14.29 TAcOS DE cArNiTAS Slow-roasted pork with chipotle wine sauce 13.99 TAcOS DE POLLO p Fajita chicken with avocado, pico de gallo, queso fresco and poblano drizzle 12.99 TAcOS DE cOSTiLLAS Slow-roasted short rib with tomatillo sauce, jack cheese, roasted red peppers and queso fresco 13.79 TAcOS DE PEScADO • p Mahi Mahi, marinated vegetables, queso fresco and chipotle aioli 14.29 TAcOS DE HONGOS n p Grilled portabello mushrooms in balsamic glaze with goat cheese, red pepper and queso fresco 13.29
scott jones doesn’t sell wine.He pours out his wine knowledge for you. corporate and private tastings
*client entertainment *holiday parties *corporate gifts *marketing events *party & wedding planning *everything in between
jonesisthirsty.com 205.516.3487
www.silvertroncafe.us 3813 Clairmont Avenue South Birmingham (205) 591-3703
offer more than just cooking classes; it offers pastry chef students a solid background of training in various pastry and bakery disciplines directly related to the hospitality/food service industry. The program ensures that students are instructed in contemporary pastry chef techniques, plated desserts, and decorative media, as well as sugar and chocolate show pieces, wedding cake disciplines, and management skills with a hands-on externship under the direction of certified professional pastry chefs. This comprehensive pastry chef training provides graduates of our culinary baking schools with the fundamental skills necessary to adapt to the career path they choose to follow. The pastry arts program provides students a diversified education in pastry preparation while allowing them to fully explore their creative natures. Students of our baking schools are in the kitchen the very first day of class, gaining hands-on, realistic pastry chef training. Osborne understands the terrific benefits that come with great training at an early age. At the age of 25, while at the Dorchester, Osborne was the youngest executive pastry chef in the world at a leading hotel. He went on to become the executive pastry chef of the Oriental in Bangkok, Thailand, which many consider the No. 1 hotel in the world. While working at the Oriental, he catered and prepared specialty desserts for the royal family of Thailand and for many state banquets with dignitaries such as George Bush and Ravi Gandhi. He also provided desserts for exclusive royal boat cruises for royalty including Prince Charles and Lady Diana. He carried his title of executive pastry chef to the Nagoya Hilton Hotel in Japan and was also the regional pastry chef, Hilton International, based in Hong Kong, and worked for the prestigious Raffles Hotel in Singapore, one of the highest ranking hotels in the world. It was at the Raffles Hotel that he had the opportunity to work with many top chefs such as Alain Ducasse, Joel Robuchan, Charlie Trotter, and Michael Trois Gros. Osborne consulted Raffles’s culinary team with the team being awarded Best National Team at the Singapore Salon Culinaire in 1994. They were awarded the Golden Lion Award, one of the highest culinary awards given throughout Asia. He also won gold medals at the Igeho Salon Culinaire Basel in 1985 and 1993 and received a gold medal in 1998 as a pastry consultant for the Oriental Team at the Thailand Salon Culinaire. For the past seven years, he has been a guest chef at Epcot’s “Party of the Senses.” And Osborne has long been active in the leadership of the Birmingham Originals, a group of independent, locally owned restaurants.
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Primeaux Cheese & Vino is a restaurant and wine bar with a European flare located in the Summit Lifestyle Center in Birmingham, Alabama. Inspired by the “slow food” movement of southern Europe, Primeaux offers a calm alternative to the loud, fast and mass marketed food choices offered on street corners everywhere.
300 SummIt BLVd • BIrmInghAm, AL 35244 • 205.623-5593
primeauxcheeseandvino.com
Coming Home Cooking After a stellar apprenticeship in New York, John Hall is making his own noise at Post Office Pies. Written by Joe O’Donnell Photography by Cameron Carnes It’s a Saturday night in Avondale and the buzz is building along 41st Street. There’s Avondale Brewery and 41st Street Pub & Aircraft Sales, of course. But nowhere is it 184
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louder than among the hungry people waiting in front of Post Office Pies. They wait patiently to be called inside to taste the glorious concoction of crust, cheese,
meats, and dozens of fresh ingredients that John Hall conjures from the wood-fired ovens that dominate this former post office in the city’s biggest comeback neighborhood.
Get Happy! Vassilli “Bill� Bouloukos & Robbie Dyson
Turn-key events for corporate accounts, weddings, lunches and non-profit fundraisers.
225 Oxmoor Circle, Suite 803 Homewood, AL 35209 205-251-8925 HappyCatering.NET
Hall has a major league culinary pedigree with stints at such famous New York restaurants as Per Se, Gramercy Tavern, and Momofuku. He even ran a clandestine late night pizza delivery service out of his New York apartment, all in preparation for running his own place one day. That day has come, back in his hometown and in partnership with Saw’s Soul Kitchen owners Mike Wilson and Brandon Cain. The result has been amazing. Post Office Pies is the perfect combination of mouth-watering pizzas cooked to perfection in wood-fired brick ovens, unique salad creations, and a bar stocked with Avondale Brewing Co.
Ocean, owned and operated by Chef George Reis, is one of Birmingham’s most recognized fine dining restaurants, known for their amazing array of fresh seafood and local produce. Ocean has earned the AAA Four Diamond Award for seven years running. Reis uses his commitment to source and serve the best seafood possible. His passion and creativity delivers flavor-infused dishes that leave you almost speechless.
1218 20th Street South, Birmingham 205-933-0999 oceanbirmingham.com 186
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beers from the famed brewery right next door. The restaurant is charmingly eclectic with salvaged furnishings, a concrete block bar, and pizza served on sheets of wax paper. The main drawing card—the pizza—is hand-crafted with dough prepared in a glasswalled room in view of diners. The huge wood-fired ovens were custom built by Hunter Lake of Avondale Brewing Company. The whole enterprise has just the right kind of homegrown flavor for John Hall, a man who has come home to cook.
Cool city-feel and industrial-chic decor with the buzz of bistro dining. Slow-roasted, rustic flavors meet fast, fresh influences in the extraordinary flavor combinations of George Reis.
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Weekly Happenings Monday Night:
Grilled Lobster Tails Appetizer $27 & Entrée $34
Wednesday Night:
Complimentary Wine Tasting 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Half off featured bottles all night
Happy Hour:
Monday – Thursday Night Bar Specials 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Food Specials 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
1210 20th Street South, Birmingham 205-918-0726 26twentysix.com b-metro.com
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The
Hot Dog Man
George Nasiakos holds up a downtown Birmingham tradition at Gus’s. Written by Sherrel Wheeler Stewart Photography by Cameron Carnes George Nasiakos lives thousands of miles away from his sister and brother in Greece, and at least 10 hours away from his siblings in Chicago. But six days a week, the longtime Birmingham resident welcomes family into his hotdog haven, perched just beyond the city skyscrapers on Fourth Avenue North. Nasiakos, a thin, white-haired man who still carries a heavy Greek accent in spite of living in the Deep South for two decades, has built a customer base that includes everyone from top politicians and police officers to small kids and office workers. The politicians often come in and tuck their ties to avoid the stain of dripping sauce. Kids come in for hot dogs, but they don’t leave without getting a big hug from “Mr. George” and a bag of candy or fruit he stashes away just for them. “I like it here. I like the people. I like the work. I make a lot of friends here,” says the 74-year-old native of Tripoli, Greece. Nasiakos knows his regulars by name. He celebrates their successes and consoles them in difficult times. One man who came regularly to Gus’s on Saturdays with his wife had a difficult time coping when his wife passed suddenly a couple of years ago, says 188
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Carl Lee “L.A.” Alexander, the assistant operator. “We stayed in touch with him and helped him get through it,” Alexander says. “We’re all family.” Your credit cards are no good at Gus’s. Only cash will do, but it doesn’t take much to buy a meal. You can get a hotdog for $1.85 or a double cheeseburger for $3.75, and the tax is included. In the 60s, 70s, and 80s, you could find hot dog restaurants on almost every street downtown. As the business district changed, so did the restaurants. Gus’s Hotdogs is the last remaining hot dog restaurant in
downtown Birmingham. Pete’s Famous Hotdogs closed in 2011 after the death of longtime owner Gus Koutroulakis. In December, the Lyric Hotdogs and Grill closed to make way for redevelopment on Third Avenue North. These days, mobile vendors are set up downtown most days with hot dogs to go. At Gus’s, you can sit down at the counter on the bar stools and eat a freshly cooked hot dog or burger while catching up on the latest sports talk. Gus’s Hotdogs has been a fixture in downtown Birmingham for more than a half a century. Nasiakos worked at the restaurant
2125 2nd Avenue North Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 323-7995 collinsbirmingham.com
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Great Food, Drinks, & the best in Sports Viewing! Text “Billys” to 46786 for Special Offers & Updates
www.billyssportsgrill.com Liberty Park
English Village
4520 Overton Road Birmingham, AL 35210
2012 Cahaba Road Mountain Brook, AL 35223
Northport
CATERING
430 Main Avenue Northport, AL 35476
Birmingham area Tuscaloosa area
205-879-2238 t Wings
ham’s Best Ho
Voted Birming
Villa
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featuring freSH guLf SeafOOD DaiLy
Shrimp grits Seafood Local Organic Produce & Meats
Monday thru Saturday 11a-2p & 5-9p
521 Montgomery Hwy Suite 113 Vestavia Hills
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Open for Lunch & Dinner 205.823.1505
with the previous owner for a couple of years, and then took it over in 1997. Nasiakos came to the States in 1974 and joined his brother in the restaurant business in Chicago. When he got an opportunity to relocate to Birmingham, he made the move. “Chicago, it’s too cold,” he says. “I like it here much better. I’ve been here since 1995. Some people I met when they were young. Now they bring their children,” he says. He moves quickly around the grill, laying a handful of hot dogs down, then turning around to get buns to fill a to-go order. The breakfast crowd usually starts coming through the door around 7 a.m. When the doors close for the day at 5 p.m., customers still come and knock on the window, hoping to get the last hot dog of the day. “People come from all over,” Nasiakos says. “Some, they come back to town to get hot dogs, even when they don’t work around here anymore.” Gus’s Hotdogs was a regular lunch spot for Sherry Melvin when she worked downtown. Melvin retired five years ago but still comes from Cullman two or three times each month and stops in to pick up a couple of her favorites. “I get the slaw dog with no sauce,” she says. “There’s no other hot dog that can touch it anywhere.” Nasiakos makes the slaw himself every day. He also makes the secret sauce. “People come in. They want to buy the slaw. They want to buy the sauce and the chili,” he says. “They want to know how I make it.” But Mr. George doesn’t share those secrets—not even with the man who works side-by-side with him on the grill. “I tried to get him to give me the recipe,” Alexander says. “But he just said, ‘If I told you, then you wouldn’t need me anymore.’”
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Unmasking the Baking Bandits
For Kristen Farmer Hall, delivering happiness is all in a day’s work. Written by Lindsey Lowe • Photography by Cameron Carnes For Kristen Farmer Hall, baking is personal. It may sound cliché, but just like your grandma promised, things taste better with a pinch of love sprinkled on top. And that’s what she wanted to teach her daughters, Emma and Eleanor. She began spending Sunday afternoons baking with them, and then the three would leave the treats on unsuspecting neighbors’ doorsteps. “Everyone wanted a visit from the baking bandits,” Hall says. This is how Baking Bandits was born, and her mission remains: 192
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to bring joy to others through baking. The business has blossomed into more than Sunday afternoon baking lessons, however. These days, Hall bakes “Bandit Boxes,” which are bursting with cookies, tarts, and the like, and delivers them to area businesses each Wednesday. She came up with this idea because she wanted to get her product into the community but wasn’t yet ready for a brick and mortar bakery. Many of her customers get boxes delivered every week, which has turned Wednesday into “Happy
Wednesday” for them, she says. The boxes are also a way for her to test new recipes and see how her customers like them; each box contains a few of her best treats—scones and shortbread are favorites—and then usually one new recipe. And Hall likes to learn what her customers like and keep that in mind as she’s developing new flavors. You can also find her at the Pepper Place Saturday Market, but you have to get there early—she’s sold out every single week she’s been a vendor. And it’s no wonder. Her
Paying thousands daily for all things precious.
Paid $950
Paid $1,552
Tel: 205-298-9144 • www.cummingsjewelrydesign.com
w h a t’s
g o o d
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Our inspired seasonal menus feature fresh ingredients at their peak, prepared with rustic cooking techniques to highlight their natural flavors. Like our Mediterranean Branzino, infused with Meyer lemon and herbs, and roasted whole in our brick oven. Pair it with one of 52 wines by the glass. There’s always something new to discover at Seasons 52. AT THE SUMMIT
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baked goods are both nostalgic and fresh, she says—often traditional with a twist, like when she covers old-fashioned shortbread cookies with chocolate and pistachios. And her style is both vintage and modern, too. She loves to get out in the city to deliver her boxes and to get to know her customers, just like community bakers would have done decades ago. But she also utilizes 21st-century tools like Instagram. She currently has some 1,600 followers there, and that’s one of the main ways she connects with the community about her products. Hall participated in REV Birmingham’s REVIVE: The Street Life Project last year and had a pop-up shop; based on the popularity of that, she says a brick and mortar bakery could be in the cards for Baking Bandits. But for now, she’s happy baking her treats, taking them into the community, and feeding her city. Hall says there’s no “typical” day for a baking bandit—baking, delivering, bringing joy. It’s all in a day’s work.
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56 yearS, 3 generatiOnS, and One reCipe.
Open 6 days, Closed on Sundays 1724 9th Avenue North • Bessemer 205.426.1400 www.BobSykes.com
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Celebrating 40 years of home cooked meals... 328 12th Street South • 205.324.2911 www.tedsbirmingham.com
Downtown Staple
John’s City Diner Celebrates its 10th Anniversary Photos by Chuck St. John John’s City Diner, known formerly as “John’s,” is a downtown Birmingham mainstay. Although it is a diner by name, John’s City Diner owner Shannon Gober likes to refer to his restaurant as an upscale, 196
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imaginative interpretation of a diner. “We have a great diner mood and attitude—it’s friendly, fun, and laid-back. The food, on the other hand, now that’s a cut above typical diner fare,” says Gober.
Indeed, you may be tapping your feet to James Brown, but one glance at the menu and you understand you aren’t in a typical diner: There’s Gulf shrimp and oysters, crab cakes, chicken and waffles with Fudge Farms bacon, and the three options of “Not Your Mama’s Mac and Cheese,” undoubtedly one of the restaurant’s most celebrated offerings. 10 years ago, Gober realized two items that were lacking in the Birmingham food scene: downtown dining options and support of farms in Alabama and throughout the U.S. So Gober and his wife, Shana, took a leap of faith and purchased the building that housed John’s and immediately started crafting the menu, drawing inspiration from New Orleans (not necessarily with Cajun cuisine but in playing with layers and depths of flavors). “I’m a Birmingham guy, born and raised. I moved around early on in the business, but I always knew that I wanted to come back home one day and open my own place,” says Gober. His devotion to Birmingham is clear, as he serves as the vice president of the Birmingham Originals, an organization comprised of 40+ local restaurants that exist to serve each other, the Birmingham community, and, most importantly, the local food scene. Gober also serves as vice president of City Action Partnership, better known as CAP, providing security and assistance to downtown Birmingham residents and visitors. After 10 years of business, John’s City Diner has proven that it is in it for the long haul, endlessly showing its support for Birmingham and the rebirth of the downtown scene. Freshness ingredients and local partners have always been at the core of the restaurant’s identity, and Gober has been able to call on local farms to inform his menu items and support local breweries
Slice Stone Pizza & Brew 725 29th Street South (205) 715-9300 www.slicebirmingham.com
Step up and join the Slice family on our patio for Birmingham’s best pizza and brew.
2 20th St N # 120 Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 244-7657 • www.solsdeli.com
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IT’S THE FOOD. IT’S THE WINE. IT’S THE FEEL. IT’S LIKE NOWHERE ELSE. INTIMATE DINING FRESH, SIMPLE & HEALTHY MENU EXTENSIVE WINE SELECTION PATIO SEATING English Village: 1930 Cahaba Rd. Mountain Brook Tel: 205.870.8404 Vinobirmingham.com.
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with beer offerings. On any given day, you’ll find farm-to-table Alabama produce, bread, and meats incorporated into menu staples and specials alike. Farms like north Alabama-based Fudge Farms have been a part of John’s offerings since the restaurant’s inception. Gober, for good reason, immensely appreciates that the local craft beer industry has exploded since the doors of John’s City Diner opened. “I have always felt that our food pairs perfectly with beer and wine, and now, getting to support these local guys and even do some cool collaborations with them through our beer dinners, we get to showcase interesting versions of our products to small groups and have a lot of fun doing it,” he says. With a successful decade behind him and looking to the future, Gober has committed to a number of major renovations that will improve both the interior and exterior of the restaurant. Last month, Magic City Mural Collective completed a nearly 30-foot mural on the restaurant’s southward-facing exterior wall that pays homage to the slogan that has been used to promote the city since the 50s: “It’s Nice to Have You in Birmingham.” Speaking about the mural, Gober’s face lights up. “It ties the old to the new in such a great way,” he says. “We want people to know that we are all Birmingham. We love our city. Also, it just looks really damn cool!” The iconic “John’s” neon sign affixed to the restaurant’s 21st Street façade will also undergo enhancements. Additionally, the restaurant interior will receive a major facelift that includes other murals, enhanced seating, and a new color scheme, among other things. The renovations are slated to take place over the next few months and be completed in early 2015. The atmosphere at John’s is one of community, whether it’s the friendly passing hellos exchanged over lunch tables each day or the joyous laughter that accompanies rehearsal dinners or company Christmas parties held in the restaurant’s private dining room. There’s always a fun mix of a crowd in the restaurant: out of towners staying in nearby hotels, groups of young professionals grabbing drinks in the bar after work, restaurant patrons who have been enjoying the food at John’s for years, and area students looking for a slice of meatloaf that tastes like home. Gober, who sports a John’s City Diner branded t-shirt with “chicken + waffles” across the front, is doing what he loves: “I can’t think of a better way to give back to your home than opening up a business where guests can feel the pride we have in what we do and, at the same time, provide hardworking folks with a great work atmosphere…and I can’t imagine doing it anywhere else.”
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17 DEXTER AVENUE 205.803.3585 WWW.THEFARMSTEADPANTRY.COM
To STarT and Share
That’s how MaTILda roLLS: mozzarella, cheddar, red pepper flakes, flash-fried in wonton wrapper w/marinara $7 ToMaTo BaSIL SoUP $3 cup/$5 bowl MeLT QUeSo w/house-made chips $6 PG’S PIMIenTo CheeSe w/ lavash crackers $7 FrIed PICKLeS w/roasted jalapeño ranch $6 BLeU deVIL naChoS: house-made chips, queso, bleu cheese crumbles, bacon, fresh jalapenos, green onions $7 FeaTUred FLaTBread: whatever joey feels like baking onto lavash--share, or don’t. we won’t judge $7
SaMMICheS
all served w/side of house-made chips, cole slaw, fries, or greek pasta salad CLaSSIC MeLT: cheddar, monterey jack & american cheeses on texas toast $6.50 MaC MeLT: house-made mac-n-cheese in a grilled cheese on texas toast $9 PIMP BLT: PG’s pimiento cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes on texas toast $10 3 aMIGoS: smoked ham, sliced chorizo, fried egg, habañero jack on sourdough $10 ChICKen SaLad MeLT: house-made chicken salad, cheddar, lettuce, tomato on texas toast $10 honeY LaVender: smoked ham, monterey jack, honey lavender compound butter on sourdough $10 BUFFaLo ChICKen: buffalo-sauced chicken tenders & monterey jack on texas toast w/side of miss fancy’s ranch $10 ChICKen PeSTo: grilled chicken, pesto, roma tomatoes, mozzarella & parmesan cheese on sourdough $10 raGIn’ CaJUn: blackened chicken, habanero jack cheese, creamy cole slaw on texas toast* $10 ChIVe TUrKeY: smoked turkey, chive-blended cheddar, grilled onions, spring mix, 41st st mustard on focaccia $11 FLYIn’ haWaIIan: smoked ham, habanero jack cheese, cajun-spiced grilled pineapple on pretzel roll $10 reUBen: pastrami (or sub turkey), swiss cheese, sauerkraut, 1000 island dressing on marble rye $11 BLaCK-n-BLeU: blackened skirt steak, sliced monterey/bleu blend, arugula, tomatoes, red onion on sourdough $12 BUrGer: 1/2 lb angus beef, american cheese, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, matilda sauce on texas toast* $11 (please allow extra cook time for medium well or well done)
add
ProTeInS: bacon ($2), turkey ($3), ham ($3), fried egg ($2) VeGGIeS ($.50): lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, olives, jalapeños CheeSe: xtra cheese ($1), vegan ($2), pimiento cheese ($2) SIdeLIneS mac-n-cheese $5 onion rings (w/wasabi aioli) $4 soup $3/5 CLaSSIC WedGe: iceberg, shaved red onion, cherry tomatoes, bacon, bleu cheese crumbles $7 GrILLed ChICKen SaLad: roasted pecans, chicken, baby arugula, kale, spring mix,shaved red onion, cherry tomatoes, parmesan cheese w/lemon poppy seed dressing* $11 The PerFeCT CoBB SaLad: iceberg, cheddar, shaved red onion, egg, ham, turkey, bacon with a side of miss fancy’s ranch $11 ChICKen SaLad SaLad: house-made chicken salad, tomato, cucumber, w/lavash crackers & a side of ranch $11 *BLaCK-n-BLeU SaLad: ya know that sandwich we do? Sub mixed greens for the bread, w/balsamic vinaigrette $12 MY BIG FaT GreeK SaLad: stratified cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onions, kalamata olives, pasta salad, feta cheese, w/hearts of romaine & lemon basil vinaigrette $8
For The MUnChKInS $6 Quesadilla Grilled Cheese
Chicken Fingers (all served w/ tater chips)
CraVInG SoMeThInG SWeeT?
There’s always money in a Banana STand: nutella, bananas, powdered sugar, clover honey on Texas toast $5
Call: 205.917.5000
Click: www.meltbham.com come by: 4105 4th ave S, Birmingham, aL 35222
*Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions.
Only The Best Part of The Fish
Snapper Throats
at The Fish Market on Southside...the only place to find this delicious delicacy in Birmingham.* Over a pound of the sweetest meat on the fish, prepared the George Sarris way...only at The Fish Market on Birmingham’s Southside. * Okay, okay. My friends at The Bright Star serve them, too. But that’s all the way out in Bessemer. –George Sarris
612 22nd Street South • Birmingham • 322-3330
try Our new tavern fare menu
we elevate classic cOmfOrt fOOd & kick it up several nOtches with bOld, mOdern flavOrs & ample pOrtiOns. each dish is carefully crafted tO pair with Our beer selectiOns, giving yOu the ultimate craft tavern experience.
Over 500 different beers frOm all Over the wOrld. drafts are rOtated daily sO yOu’ll always find a new favOrite!
1005 20th street sOuth (five Points south)
205-703-7203 Mon. 3PM-1aM • tues.-thurs. 3PM-3aM fri.sat. 12PM-3aM • sun. 12PM-3aM
worldofbeer.coM/fivePoints