Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

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TUPF
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Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by TUPF »

Go to The Highlands Bar & Grill, which just received the James Beard Award as the best restaurant in America, and report back, please.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... =applenews

All the rest of you New Orleanians must also chime in on Cure, New Orleans. :-D
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tulaneoutlaw
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by tulaneoutlaw »

It's been a couple of years, but I went to Cure with some friends while on a visit. The drinks were good though not remarkably memorable. It's definitely not your standard New Orleans bar. I remember it being a bit more upscale and it may have even had a simple dress code (long pants for men required I think). Anyway, it was fun but it didn't strike me as the kind of place that might win an award like this. Good for them.
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by PeteRasche »

Highlands was fantastic when I lived there a decade plus ago, I'm sure it still is. But it shocks me that it would be "best in America" when it's not located in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, etc. I mean, how could there be good food in smaller cities?? :razz:

Looks like the SEC media bias even extends to food. :lol:

P. S. It's located at Five Points South, the social hub of Birmingham (though other areas have grown in popularity too). So if you go to the UAB game and go out afterwards at Five Points, it's right there. Their website takes reservations so maybe you should book dinner...
Oh, and it's across the street from the church where I was married. :mrgreen:
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by gerryb323 »

tulaneoutlaw wrote:It's been a couple of years, but I went to Cure with some friends while on a visit. The drinks were good though not remarkably memorable. It's definitely not your standard New Orleans bar. I remember it being a bit more upscale and it may have even had a simple dress code (long pants for men required I think). Anyway, it was fun but it didn't strike me as the kind of place that might win an award like this. Good for them.
Agree. I think no flip flops too
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by GretnaGrn »

A local chef also won, Nina Compton (of Top Chef quasi-fame).

http://www.nola.com/dining/index.ssf/20 ... mes_b.html

Her first NOLA restaurant, Compere Lapin, is very highly recommended. I haven't tried her new one yet (Bywater American Bistro).
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by TUPF »

gerryb323 wrote:
tulaneoutlaw wrote:It's been a couple of years, but I went to Cure with some friends while on a visit. The drinks were good though not remarkably memorable. It's definitely not your standard New Orleans bar. I remember it being a bit more upscale and it may have even had a simple dress code (long pants for men required I think). Anyway, it was fun but it didn't strike me as the kind of place that might win an award like this. Good for them.
Agree. I think no flip flops too
The horror! 8)
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by GreenieBacker »

haven't been to Cure but my partner and his wife have. They loved it but it's geared toward an older crowd who has no problem "dressing up" and spending a little more for style, ambiance and quality.

I've been to Compere Lapin and came away decidedly unimpressed. So much so that I have no plans going back. But it could have been an off night or maybe the fault was mine in that my selections were poor.
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by TU77CAL82 »

GreenieBacker wrote:I've been to Compere Lapin and came away decidedly unimpressed. So much so that I have no plans going back. But it could have been an off night or maybe the fault was mine in that my selections were poor.
You should have gone for breakfast.
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by WaveProf »

Ive been to Compare Lapin twice. I quite loved it both times, though we did order similarly both times (which is unlike us, but we liked everything so much the first time, we repeated). Particularly impressed by the conch fritters, the curried goat, and the pepper pot.
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by ml wave »

WaveProf wrote:Ive been to Compare Lapin twice. I quite loved it both times, though we did order similarly both times (which is unlike us, but we liked everything so much the first time, we repeated). Particularly impressed by the conch fritters, the curried goat, and the pepper pot.
I've had the curried goat about 6-7 times...about 3 of those it's been life-changingly amazing and the rest it was just really good. Also really like the marinated shrimp appetizer.
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by GreenieBacker »

the place we have our eye on right now is n7, where some people we know went to and just loved everything about the place. Neighborhood is a little dicey but it adds to the mystique/intrigue about the place. That and Paladar are next on our list
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by PeteRasche »

How did I know this thread would turn into a discussion of new fine dining options in New Orleans? :lol:

I suppose it's been a while since we had one.
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by GreenieBacker »

I thought that was the whole point of the topic, its not like anyone hijacked it
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by gerryb323 »

I mean, New Orleans restaurant discussion or Birmingham restaurant discussion?
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by GreenieBacker »

"All the rest of you New Orleanians must also chime in on Cure, New Orleans."

That seemed to me an invitation to opine about the current food scene here.
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by TUPF »

Pete’s right though. Since most food writers are on either coast, it’s good to see some notice given to anything other than Best Sandwich in Each State lists.

Sometimes you just go with your gut. Speaking of sandwiches, if any of you folks ever get the chance to go to Florence, Italy and after you have exhausted your sightseeing wanderlust, you MUST hit a sandwich place on Via dei Neri, about 5 minutes walk from the Duomo. All’ Antico Vinaio. They actually have three shops all adjacent with the same offerings. Without reservation I would say any one of their 5-6 signature sandwiches were the best I have had anywhere on the planet. Tuscan meats; prosciutto, cured boar, wonderful cheeses, pesto sauces, wild mushrooms, roasted vegetables, etc. all on freshly baked and sliced focaccia squares. All for 5€. I’d fly back there just for this place.
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

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GreenieBacker wrote:"All the rest of you New Orleanians must also chime in on Cure, New Orleans."

That seemed to me an invitation to opine about the current food scene here.
Baseball is toast, football is yet to come. Food it is. Helmets in July.
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by GreenieBacker »

don't forget our uniform discussions as regular as termite swarms in May :lol:

when we went to Italy we loved those half liter bottles of wine they sold you at lunch to go with your sandwich. A very different cultural lifestyle than here.

*sigh*
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by WaveProf »

Two of the Brennan’s were also inducted into the JB who’s who list, and Dung Phuong of bread and king cake fame, given an honorary JB for being an American icon (similar to the award Wliia Mae’s got a few years back)
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by ml wave »

GreenieBacker wrote:the place we have our eye on right now is n7, where some people we know went to and just loved everything about the place. Neighborhood is a little dicey but it adds to the mystique/intrigue about the place. That and Paladar are next on our list
Paladar is really good
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Re: Assignment for Birmingham, AL residents

Post by GreenieBacker »

and they take reservations, a big plus in my book.
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