Monday Night at BJ's

On Monday night, I met up with friends Erika and Candy for dinner and a couple of hours worth of catching up in conversation. It was a great night. I always love spending time with these two ladies. 

We met up at BJ's Brewhouse which is a newer restaurant at Bridge Street. It opened back in the summer and we had planned on going for our friend Kendra's birthday. but the wait was incredibly long and we settled on Cantina Laredo that night. BJ's has a pretty extensive menu and before arriving I had settled on having a burger. Burgers are one of my favorite foods and it sounded so good to me and that is exactly what I ended up ordering. It was delicious! One of the best burgers I've had in a while. In fact, it was so good I got another one the next night since I was headed out that way for an Agape meeting. On Monday I got fries with the burger. The fries were shoestring fries and were really good. On Tuesday I got a Caesar salad as my side item and ended up eating only a few bites. I am a weirdo in that I can taste the preservatives or whatever is used on bagged lettuce and to me it makes the lettuce taste terrible. There is a definite difference in the taste of a fresh head of lettuce than bagged lettuce and the lettuce on the Caesar salad tasted like it was bagged lettuce and I just did not care for it. 

Erika, who had actually been to BJ's a few times already ordered the salted caramel mini pizzookie for an appetizer and a Caesar salad and an individual deep dish pizza. A pizzookie, in case you are wondering is a hot cookie that comes out in a deep dish pizza pan covered in ice cream. The mini size is an individual serving. They also come in regular size for those who like to share. Her pizza looked and smelled wonderful and it was half price because we ordered during happy hour. Candy ordered the fish tacos. They looked delicious and she ate every bite; so, I have no doubt they were every bit as good as they looked.

After Candy and I finished our dinner, we also ordered a pizzookie. Candy got the salted caramel and I got pumpkin. Don't judge me, pumpkin haters. I've loved pumpkin flavored things since I was a kid, long before the pumpkin spice fad became a thing. We both really enjoyed our pizzookies. Just warm enough and the ice cream on top was perfection. I would definitely recommend this dessert. 

We had a great night spending time with each other and catching up on our lives. I'm so thankful for these friends! As for BJ's, I think we would all give it two thumbs up. Give it a try the next time you are out that way!

Food Truck Review: Bigfoot's Little Donuts

In case you've been living under a rock, Huntsville has recently had an influx of food trucks - some good, some not so good. I've tried a handful of them and overall have had good experiences. Generally speaking, I find that the food is more expensive than a brick and mortar restaurant and the portions are a lot smaller, meaning if you are super duper hungry, you might still be hungry after you eat. 

There are a lot of trucks I still have not tried, but have wanted to and hope to sometime soon. The problem is that most of the time, the only time I see these food tucks are on days like the food truck rally when the lines are astronomically long.  So, it's better to catch these rolling restaurants throughout the week rather than at large events where there are swarms of people. 

Bigfoot's Little Donuts is one of the newer trucks that I wanted to try and recently I had the opportunity to do so. They set up shop in South Huntsville close to where I work on Wednesdays and Thursdays each week and one recent Wednesday, I crossed the highway to stop in and pick up a dozen of their little gourmet donuts.

Bigfoot's has two types of donuts, the regular are cinnamon and sugar or powdered sugar and the gourmet are the regular donuts with some type of topping. On the day I went the gourmet choices were cinnamon bun, lemon and raspberry creme. I got an assortment of the three. The cinnamon bun was the cinnamon and sugar doughnut with creamy icing drizzled on top, the lemon had a lemon icing drizzled on top and the raspberry creme had some sort of raspberry jam and the creamy icing on top. 

The doughnuts are very small and thin and taste similar to a funnel cake. I knew they were going to be small, but was, for some reason, surprised at how small they were, they were basically bite sized. So, while I had intended to share some with my co-worker Jessica, I actually ate the whole dozen. I'm not even ashamed to admit it because they were good and I like to have a full belly in the mornings to start my day. 

The creamy icing and other toppings had a great taste and really complimented the otherwise plain doughnuts; although I have no doubt that powdered sugar or cinnamon and sugar would also be good. The doughnuts are $3 a dozen for the "regular" flavors and $4 a dozen for the gourmet version. If you can't make it to South Parkway on a Wednesday or Thursday, be sure and try to find them at one of the local events in town, it will satisfy your sweet spot and you are supporting one of our many great local businesses! 

Restaurant Review: Ted's BBQ

Once upon a time there was a restaurant called Wok Express that sat between the Star Market and a dry cleaners and the food was mediocre and after years of sitting in that spot, the restaurant closed down and the building was vacant for many months. Then one day the residents of Five Points noticed that the for sale sign was gone and construction crews began showing up and everyone wondered what in the world was going in the spot the was once occupied by Wok Express. My cousin Lauren, also a Five Points resident, said she heard it was a Ted's BBQ and as it turns out, she heard correctly. A month or so ago a sign went up and the revamped restaurant that said "Ted's BBQ" and another one that said, "Opening Soon". Well, folks, soon has arrived because Ted's opened a couple of weeks ago and of course I had to try it out. 

Last week I read a review on AL.com which is what got my taste buds wanting bar-b-que. The review was very complimentary of Ted's but I wanted to try it out for myself and so last Thursday, on a particularly lazy evening, I decided to give it a try. When searching the Google for Ted's, I discovered from some other blog that Ted's was yet another restaurant creation by that genius David Martin and as soon as I read that, I knew it would be good because seriously, have you ever been to a David Martin restaurant that was bad? 

I opted for the pork plate with a side of mac and cheese and coleslaw. I wish I had gotten the fries because I saw some on a plate as I was leaving and oh my, did they look delicious! I also got an order of banana pudding. The pork plate was super filling and the meat had a really good taste to it. The mac and cheese was very creamy and quite good. The coleslaw wasn't bad, but it also wasn't my favorite. It was vinegar based and I guess I prefer a little mayo in my coleslaw. It did have a nice taste, but when I go again I will opt for a different side item. The jalapeno cornbread also had a nice taste to it.

By the time I finished my dinner I was so stuffed I didn't even want the banana pudding so I left it in the fridge and had it for breakfast the next morning. It was very good - creamy and tasty and not too sweet. The vanilla wafers also had a nice crunch to them and were not soggy at all which was an added bonus. 

Ted's offers a nice variety on the menu. In addition to the pork, they also have smoked turkey, beef or polish sausage, and even a bar-b-que bologna sandwich and on Wednesdays they have beef brisket. You can get either the loose meat or a sandwich. Plate comes with two side items and you can choose from mac and cheese, french fries, green beans, cole slaw, potato salad and bar-b-que beans. There are also stuffed potatoes and salads on the menu and you can buy sandwiches solo - without side items. In addition to the banana pudding, Ted's also offers peach cobbler for dessert. Another unique item on the menu are tamales which can be bought in quantities of one, two, three, six or by the dozen. I definitely want to give these a try some time soon. Ted's also has ribs on the menu on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and you can order either by the rack or a half rack. Like all other bar-b-que joints in town, Ted's offers family packs that can serve 3-4 or 6-8 people or you can place a special order for larger quantities. 

Ted's is open Monday thru Saturday from 10:30 a.m until 9:00 p.m and is closed on Sundays. This restaurant is definitely a welcome addition to the Five Points area. A link to Ted's web site is here -it has not yet been updated with the Five Points location information, but all other information is the same. 

Pork Plate

Up close with the pork 

Banana Pudding

Restaurant Review: Cafe Alana Shay

Last Friday I went out to lunch with some friends. There is a group of us at work and a guy who used to work with us that meet up periodically to catch up with each other and enjoy a meal together. We don't do it often so when we do, it's a lot of fun. Someone suggested that we try Cafe Alana Shay, which is yet another (I believe the fifth) restaurant that Chef James Boyce has opened here in Huntsville. Soon after the suggestion was made, it was decided that this was where we would dine and we made plans to meet there at noon.

Cafe Alana Shay is located at the new Doubletree Suites (formerly the Radisson) on South Memorial Parkway. Due to lunch hour traffic, I allotted about 15 minutes from work to the restaurant and pulled out at 11:45 with three of my co-workers in tow. We arrived right at noon and our friend R was already there talking with the hostess, K. I told K that there was going to be eight of us and someone else said nine because another person had been invited that I didn't know about. Long story short, after waiting for quite a few minutes, she told us it would be about 20 minutes before she could pull a few tables together for the nine of us. So, I told her that we could sit at two or three tables because some of us had to be back at 1:00. Long story short again, we were finally seated at 12:20 - most of us at one big table and a couple at a table right beside us.

We had some time to look at the menu while we were waiting and so we all knew what we were going to order. When I looked around the restaurant, it seemed that no one had their food, which was not a good sign and so I told my friend J that we should probably get ours to go since he and I were the ones that needed to be back by 1:00. K took all our orders and J and I told her we needed ours to go.

In the meantime, K told us that she was getting chewed out because she sat us at a table and that they were not supposed to seat a table of more than four people without a reservation. If she had told us that when we first arrived, we could have gone somewhere else and avoided this whole experience. Our friend A arrived later than we did because he had an errand to run and by the time he arrived we had already ordered. He was told if he ordered that his food would take over an hour before it was ready. Needless to say, he left.

About 12:30 or so I asked K if she could go ahead and bring our checks so we could pay and wouldn't have to wait for them after the food arrived. We paid and waited some more. Finally at 12:45, the manager came out with four bags of boxed up food - each bag had two orders in it. He laid it down on the table and said, here you go, it's all there. Now, keep in mind that only J and I had ordered our food to go and yet, they had boxed up everyone's food. Not only had they boxed it up, but it wasn't labeled. So, we had to open every box and pass out the food. J and I found our food and headed out the door and I drove as quickly as I could to get him back to work for his 1:00 meeting. We made it back at 12:58.

As for the food - my fries were cold, which could be because I didn't eat them when they first came out or because they were never that hot to begin with - I'm not sure which but had they been hot they might have been okay. They were kind of greasy as well which really surprised me. J ate his fries as we headed back to work and commented that McDonald's fries are better. I had ordered the Rueben ($9) and it was not the best Reuben I've ever had. It had a ton of meat on it though, which is good for those that enjoy a lot of meat on their sandwich. I actually took some of it off. The meat was kind of tough, but Reuben's can be that way sometimes. J had the steak sandwich and I have not heard from him on how it was. My friend R had the burger and said it was fantastic - but  also said it could have been because of how hungry he was. A couple of people went for the crab cakes and said they were good. Maybe I just ordered the wrong entree. Not to mention that I was itchy the rest of the afternoon - I think I might have just been paranoid that someone poisoned my food.

The atmosphere at Cafe Alana Shay was also kind of strange. The lobby of the Doubletree looks really nice now that it has been redone. It is very modern and unlike something you would think of when you think of Huntsville. The restaurant had grey tones with some bright green accents. The crowd was mostly older women who most likely normally dine at the country club. The background music was a techno dance remix that seemed to be on a loop which was an odd contrast to the uppity decor and clientele of the restaurant.

So, long story short, again, I will not be back to this restaurant. I had really high hopes for this place, but after the way we were treated and not catered to, there is no way I would ever return. Like I said, all of this could have been avoided if K had told us we needed a reservation and sent us on our way - it was a really disappointing experience.

Restaurant Review: Moe's Original Bar-B-Que

I've got another restaurant review for you today. I guess I've been eating a lot lately, or eating out more than normal anyway; and just a few weeks ago I said I didn't eat out much. I suppose I need to retract that statement.

Sunday after church I went with a few of my cousins to Moe's Original Bar-B-Que. Apparently all my cousins knew about this place because a few weeks ago, someone suggested it but because we had been talking for so long he thought it would be crowded and so we went to Newk's instead. Anyway, I made my first visit to Moe's this past Sunday with a table full of Parkers. Moe's is located on Cecil Ashburn in the same shopping center as Alabama Outdoors.

When I arrived, the line was almost out the door. The menu is printed on the wall and I took a look at it to see what I might want to eat. I decided on a pork sandwich plate which came with two sides and a drink for $9. The non-sandwich plates with two sides and a drink were $10. I chose coleslaw and potato salad as my two side items. Sadly, Moe's serves Pepsi products and so I drank some sweet tea which basically tasted like sweet brown water - there wasn't much of a tea taste to it. That, however, was the only thing about the food at Moe's that I didn't like.

The sandwich came on a grilled bun with red sauce and pickles and was absolutely delicious. I'm rather particular about bar-b-que and am always a bit apprehensive to try new places, but this bar-b-que had a wonderful flavor and was juicy and just generally tasty! The sandwich was piled high with meat such that a lot of it fell off and had to be eaten with a fork. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. A few folks at our table got the quarter (or was it half) chicken and y'all it looked so good - I just wasn't up for plucking my lunch off a bone or I might have gotten that as well. The potato salad was okay, not the best I've ever had but definitely not the worst and the coleslaw was kind of weird, but had a good taste and I put some of it on my sandwich. I almost got black-eyed peas which was a special side item for Sunday as was Mac and Cheese which nearly everyone at the table got and it looked amazing. I wished over and over that I had gotten that. (The more I write about this place the more I want to jump up and go get something to eat from there - it was really good - maybe I'm just super hungry right now). Other side items were baked beans, banana pudding and chips. The plates also come with a side of grilled Mexican cornbread that looked amazing. I didn't try it though so I will just go with what my eyes think.

The atmosphere is exceptionally casual - most of the decor is University of Alabama paraphernalia. I only saw one item from that other school. You order at the counter when you walk in and when your food is ready they call your name and you walk up to the counter to pick it up. There are a plethora of TVs for game-watching or what have you. The folks who worked there were really nice and we didn't have to wait very long for our food. I would say that after paying, our names were called 5-10 minutes later.

My cousin Anna said that one day (Tuesdays or Thursdays) they have a Thanksgiving dinner sandwich that comes with turkey, dressing and cranberry sauce, and my friend Janet said that on Wednesdays they have friend chicken that is supposedly out of this world and it sells out super quick. At the bottom of the menu it says that all food is made fresh daily and when they run out, that's it for the day. Judging by that statement, I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up being closed at dinner time. If you are interested in perusing their web site, here is the link.

Moe's was listed in one of the recent Southern Living Magazines as one of the best bar-b-que joints in the south and I was kind of skeptical but now that I've been, I totally agree. I will definitely be making a return trip to Moe's - sooner rather than later.

Edit: The nice folks at Moe's were kind enough to email me and send me some photos of their delicious food. Check them out below:

Moe's Bar-B-Que Sandwich

 

 Moe's Southern Sides - Yum!

Restaurant Review: Sandwich Farm

Last Thursday, Jackie and I had plans to meet up for dinner. The kids were visiting grandparents and so we set aside some time to catch up. Jackie arrived at the house around 6:00 and we headed out. Our first stop was Greene Street Market; since they have a few booths set up with food I thought we might be able to find something for dinner there. We struck out as far as dinner was concerned, but we did purchase a couple of homemade popcicles that were quite delightful and I also bought some cucumbers as those are my favorite.

In the Go Magazine from the newspaper that same day was a review for a new sandwich shop that had recently opened close to my house and so we decided to give it a try. The name of the place is Sandwich Farm and it is located on Cleveland Avenue next to the Lone Goose Saloon and around the corner from the Lumberyard and Bicycles, Etc. The girl that reviewed Sandwich Farm for Go Magazine said she liked it so much she went back the next day for another sandwich and you know what, I think I could have done the same thing because I kept thinking about that sandwich on Friday and probably would have stopped there for lunch on Sunday had I not been invited out by my cousin.

Sandwich Farm is a very small location. There are only about 10 tables, if that, and if you are handicap-able and in a wheelchair, then you might have some issues maneuvering around - this is something I often observe since my mom is in a wheelchair. She would probably knock over a lot of people or chairs if she were to zip around in there. There was one table away from the others that would probably work out okay if she were to venture out for a sandwich.

The menu is posted behind the counter and rather than simply naming what is on the sandwich, there is actually a picture of each sandwich and how it is stacked. The Go Magazine piece featured a picture of the roast beef sandwich and I had thought about getting it, but Jackie decided to order it and I figured I had better try something else so we could compare notes. So, I got the Turkey sandwich that came with avocado, Havarti cheese, garlic mayo, lettuce, (maybe tomato) all on a baguette. The bread, I must say was amazing. I'm a sucker for a good baguette. The sandwiches come with a choice of a side item - potato salad, coleslaw, chickpeas, and probably another choice or three that I cannot recall. I first ordered the coleslaw and then saw an older gentlemen with potato salad as his side item and it looked really good. So, I asked him how it was and he gave it the thumbs up and so I went and changed my side item to potato salad. I'm glad I did because it was indeed quite good and I am exceptionally picky when it comes to potato salad.

Jackie said the roast beef sandwich was really good - it came with a horseradish mayo (red onions and sharp cheddar which Jackie left off) and maybe lettuce and tomato. I'm doing a terrible job remembering what all was on these sandwiches. The turkey sandwich was also quite good. They also have a meatloaf sandwich and I almost ordered it per the advise of one of the employees. Perhaps I will get that next time. Also on the menu is a vegetarian sandwich, and I'm sure there is a ham sandwich of some sort because everyone has a ham sandwich. They also have a duck confit  sandwich and I will pass on trying that as I'm not a big fan of duck. If you want to skip the bread (why?) you can have any of the sandwiches served over a bed of greens with the homemade vinaigrette dressing. They have one dessert sandwich which consists of blueberries and ice cream between snicker-doodles. That sounds really good to me and if we had not been so full we might have split one. It might even be worth a trip just to give it a try. The sandwiches are around $8 each and the dessert sandwich was around $4 or $5 if I remember correctly.

I realize there are a lot of sandwich places around these parts and everyone has their favorite spot; but, if you are looking to try a new place that serves a sandwich with fresh cut meats, veggies and freshly made sauces, then you should give Sandwich Farm a try. I think you will like it.

Restaurant Review: Anaheim Chili

So, after I started writing the restaurant review of Zoes Kitchen yesterday, I realized that I have in fact been to another new restaurant recently and you might like to know about it as well. The name of the place is Anaheim Chili and actually it's not all that new as it opened some time towards the end of 2011, but I had never eaten there until last month when I went with Jackie and her parents and some friends. 

Anaheim Chili is located on Cecil Ashburn drive in the strip of shops that also houses I Love Sushi, Bicycle Works and Bruegger's. It's actually in the building above those three, but I can't think of what else is exactly in the same building as Anaheim Chili, I do think there is a tennis store there; oh, and Alabama Outdoors. At any rate, if you know the area, then you know what I'm talking about and that's all that matters.

As you can imagine, Anaheim Chili's special is, well, chili. In fact, they have 10 or so different types. However, in addition to chili, they also have hamburgers, hot dogs and other items. Jackie and I both had the loose meat sandwich when we went which is described as a Sloppy Joe without the sloppy and we both thought it was really good. I had fries with mine. The fries are described something along the lines of being cooked like they are done in France which quite honestly cracked me up because fries in France don't taste any different in France than they do in the States. The only difference being they are called Frites in France. Moving on...

Jackie's mom had a hamburgers and she said she likes them better than Five Guys burgers - a bold statement indeed. Our friend Christa had a chili dog and she said it was delicious. It's what she always orders if I remember correctly. Jackie's step-dad, Tim, had a bowl of chili and it was a large sized portion and I cannot remember what Christa's husband had; but everyone seemed to enjoy their food immensely. We also shared some onion rings which appeared to be hand-battered and were served with a side of special sauce - these were really good. 

The prices were reasonable, all food is under $10 if I remember correctly; seems like our sandwiches were around $7 or $8 and the bowl of chili was around $6. The owner was in the restaurant cooking the day we were there and was friendly. The other staff were also nice and helpful. We ate there on a Sunday after church and it wasn't too crowded but at the same time, there were quite a few families and couples enjoying the food. I would definitely return for another visit, and it especially seems like it would be a good place to go when you need a hot bowl of chili on a cold winter day.

Anaheim Chili does not have a web site that I could find. For those of you on the dreaded facebook, it appears from the Google that they do have a facebook page. I did come across a Huntsville Times article about the place and have posted the link for you here. Check out Anaheim Chili the next time you are looking for a new restaurant to visit.

Restaurant Review: Zoe's Kitchen

It's been a long while since I've done a restaurant review probably because 1) I don't eat out much and 2) when I do eat out it's to somewhere I frequent like I Love Sushi or Little Rosie's. Monday night, Jackie was without her little ones and we decided to venture outside of our comfort zone of raw fish or Tex Mex and tried Zoe's Kitchen which opened just last week if I'm not mistaken. It might have been the week before; at any rate it has been within the last month and we braved the new world of healthy cuisine and gave it a try.

We met there at 5:00 and there were a few people dining and no line which was nice. During the time we were there, there was a small line at times, but nothing that lasted over a couple of minutes and there were always some empty seats. There is seating both inside the restaurant and a few tables outside on the patio too. Of course, this was a Monday night so it will most likely be busier on the weekend. We ordered our food, and received some good information on the side items from the cashier who seemed very knowledgeable about all the food which was pleasantly surprising considering the amount of time they had been open. She may be an employee at another store helping out for opening, or not, I don't know; but, she knew the menu well which was a good sign.

I ordered the steak wraps and Jackie got an appetizer of hummus and pita and ordered a bowl of tomato bisque. We grabbed a small table by the window and about three-five minutes later, the hummus arrived and not long after, our main dishes arrived. The hummus and warm pita was really good. The steak wraps were amazing. They came with a fresh side item, and I chose fresh veggies which happened to be broccoli, mushrooms and onions and it had a great taste to it. The steak wraps are warm and come with Swiss Cheese (which I left off), and I think mushrooms and caramelized onions. Actually, I cannot remember for sure if the onions were on it but the mushrooms were in the wraps for sure. It was served with a yellow sauce which was probably yogurt based but most likely had mustard in it as well. It had green specks of flavor (chives?) and was quite delicious. The whole meal was very flavorful (yes, Tony, that is a word) and I enjoyed every bite. In fact, I emailed Jackie this morning and told her I could not stop thinking about those steak wraps. I will be making another trip soon to try and simmer down my craving. As for the tomato bisque, Jackie said the flavor was good, but the texture was like baby food so it wasn't a creamy smooth soup like you might expect. You could actually tell by looking at it that the texture was mushy so that might not be a good choice unless you are prone to loving the texture of baby food. I should have taken some photos of our food, but hunger prevailed.

We were there for two hours - not eating, but talking - and no one pressured us into leaving. A girl came by and took our plates for us and asked us if we needed anything else, but I did not feel rushed. Again, it was a Monday and it might be different on the weekend.

I thought the prices were reasonable and comparable to Jason's Deli or Panera - something along those lines. My steak wraps with a side item were $8.95 (that's with tax). I had water to drink. I think Jackie's soup was around $3.99 before tax, and the hummus was probably around the same price.

Zoe's offers carry out as well. They have family packs that are designed to feed a family of four, tubs of hummus, pimento cheese and other items you can purchase and of course, you can order from the menu and take that to go as well. I saw quite a few people picking up items to go. Also while we were there, a guy came in that could be the identical twin of Chad, our friend Tina's husband. I was sitting at an angle where I could snap a photo of him and the first one I took sent a flash through the whole restaurant and I'm pretty sure our cover was blown. I ended up taking two more, without the flash in an attempt to get the best shot. I should have just walked up to him and asked him to take his photo. Here are the results of my not so sneaky photography:

Zoe's Kitchen is located on Whitesburg Drive across the street from Publix. It is in what used to be Tony's Little Italy and before that Qudoba. If the predecessors of that location are foretelling then Zoe's won't last but a few years. I hope that's not the case though as I really enjoyed the food and will be putting this dining experience in the regular rotation. When I checked the web site, the Huntsville location wasn't up yet, but you can still peruse the site and see what they are all about. Here is the link if you are interested in learning more.

Happy Tummy – A Review

Have you Huntsvillians heard of Happy Tummy? It’s a restaurant/sandwich shop located inside Lowe Mill (or Lowell Mill if you are Jackie and her cousin Scott). A while back Living Social had a Happy Tummy offer and I took them up on it and grabbed some food from there one Saturday afternoon. The food was great and then Groupon had an offer for Happy Tummy a month or so ago and I bought one of those. Jackie and I ate there yesterday using my Groupon and I wanted to tell you a little bit about it in case you are interested in stopping by sometime.

Jackie came by a little before 11:30 and we headed out to Happy Tummy only to discover they don’t open until noon and considering I live about seven minutes from Lowe Mill, we had a little time on our hands and so we decided to stop by Ayers Market and check out the pumpkins and other items. We each made a purchase and then drove back on over to Happy Tummy. There were quite a few people waiting for the doors to open, which is always a good sign that a place is well liked.

Jackie opted for the Salmon Burger which she had had once before and I got the Diablito sandwich which had turkey, lettuce, tomato, onion, jalapeno cream cheese and was on toasted jalapeno cheddar Fred Bread. Fred Bread is made in Huntsville and sold and various places in town in case you didn’t know.

Both of our sandwiches were really great as was the one I had gotten the first time I went which was a wrap of some sort. The sandwiches come with chips as well and there are a variety of drinks available to quench your thirst. Jackie and I got a bottled water, a Diet Coke, two sandwiches and two bags of chips and our total was $13.50. My Groupon was for $12 so we had to fork over $1.50; we both thought the prices were quite reasonable and well worth the money as everything at Happy Tummy is made with fresh ingredients and very yummy – it makes for a happy tummy indeed.

The next time you are around the Lowe Mill area at lunch time, give Happy Tummy a try. They are open from 12-6 Wednesday – Thursday, 12-8 Friday, and 12-6 on Saturday. To find out more about them, click here.

Sam and Greg's

Last Saturday night, Jackie and I went out to Sam and Greg’s, located on the Northside Square in downtown Huntsville across from the courthouse and next to Amendment XXI and Wild Rose Café, for a pizza. Jackie had been before and loved it and some other people I know had been there as well but I had not yet had an opportunity to go and asked her if she would tag along with me sometime. Saturday turned out to be the day – I mean, who doesn’t need to refuel after a morning of Yoga by the River?

We headed out to Sam and Greg’s about 5:00 so that we could eat and get back to my house before the Alabama game started. We had a hard time deciding what kind of pizza to get and after staring at the menu for about five minutes we decided on a basic pepperoni (we’re so adventurous) and then decided to add pepperoncini at the last minute – good decision!

In addition to small tables inside, Sam and Greg’s has an outdoor area with six tables as well and since it was a nice evening, we decided to sit outside and watch all manner of passersby. There was a group of guys outside the restaurant with video and still cameras and we could not for the life of us figure out what they were doing. They were in hatch back cars and had the hatch open and video cameras out the back.

Our pizza arrived about 10 or 15 minutes after we ordered it and it was DELICIOUS, people! I really loved it. It was seriously one of the best pizzas I have ever had. The sauce was flavorful and they weren’t stingy with it. The cheese was stringy and gooey and the pepperoni and pepperoncini were a good combination if I do say so myself. It was so good in fact that I contemplated going back on Sunday afternoon and getting another one for lunch! They aren’t opened on Sunday, so that really wouldn’t have worked out to well anyway. We ordered the small which was four pieces and we ate it all. It was the perfect size for us.

Our yummy little pizza!

Getting ready to take a bite!

Yes, it was a make-up free Saturday.

All gone!

We didn’t have any dessert, but Sam and Greg’s has gelato, and I have heard it is really good. They also offer a variety of coffees and at lunch they serve Nathan’s hot dogs. So, the next time you want a casual dining atmosphere and some good pizza or just want some pizza to go, remember Sam and Greg’s – you will not be disappointed!

Yum... gelato!

This sign hangs above the restaurant but is not easily spotted.

Sam and Greg’s

119 Northside Square

Downtown Huntsville

256-533-9030

Monday – Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Friday – 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Saturday – 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Wintzell's Oyster House: A Review

This is the week of reviews, I guess. Today’s review is of a restaurant, though, so, it’s a little different. Tony and I went to Wintzell’s Oyster House on Saturday before the symphony. We were looking to go somewhere new for a change of pace; so, Wintzell’s is what we decided on. I found this a little surprising since Tony isn’t much of a seafood eater; but, he likes fish occasionally and I guess he was up for a change of pace as well.

I don’t eat oysters. I don’t even know if I’ve ever tried them; I don’t think I have. So, in all honesty, if I tried them I might love them and never look back. My grandfather loves oysters and he and my grandmother have eaten at Wintzell’s three or four times since it opened in Huntsville and he loves the oysters there.

We arrived at 5:45 and were told there would be a 30 minute wait. So, we took our seats and looked over the menu and it also gave me an opportunity to interview Tony about our Harry experience from Thursday night. The wait took exactly 30 minutes; so, they are good at judging the wait time, or at least they were on this particular night. The place was packed too. We got there at just the right time because people started pouring in and the wait was up to an hour when we were seated at our table.

The show started at 7:30 p.m. and we were sat at our table at 6:15 and I was so nervous that we wouldn’t get our food and be finished eating and make it to the VBC on time. If you know me, then you know I hate being late. Even the thought of it makes me a wreck; but, Tony, he is always late and doesn’t really care that he is. So, he wasn’t sweating bullets; meanwhile, however, I was wringing my hands thinking about being the late person.

I had the fried shrimp platter (can’t beat fried seafood) and Tony had the blackened Tilapia. We both really enjoyed our dinner. The friend shrimp is apparently Wintzell’s own recipe and the breading had a spicy kick to it. It was really quite delicious. I had fries as my side item and they were also good. Sometimes fries can be blah, but these were crispy and salty, just the way I like them. The hushpuppies also had a kick to them and were quite good. I’m a tartar sauce lover, but am picky about the way it is made. The tartar sauce at Wintzell’s was exceptionally good. We both had salads with our meal, which were fresh and had homemade croutons, and were also served French bread with the salads which was buttered and grilled – also very good.

The service from Scott, our waiter, was great. Having been a waitress in the past, I am very particular about the type of service I receive when I am out. Scott did a great job. He was very prompt and polite and we got our food, ate and made it to the VBC with time to spare.

If you like seafood, then I would definitely recommend Wintzell’s Oyster House. The prices are more reasonable at lunch and little higher for dinner, but well worth it.

Shaggy’s: A Review

A new restaurant recently opened in Huntsville – hardly a surprise, I know. It seems a new restaurant opens in Huntsville every week. This restaurant, Shaggy’s, is owned by David Martin, the mastermind behind Rosie’s Cantina, Steak-Out, and Blue Plate Café. Basically, anything this man touches turns to gold, which is why Tony “hates” him. Envious would probably be a better word.

Shaggy’s is located out in Research Park – it is sandwiched between the Target shopping center and Rhime Village Apartments, or whatever they are called these days. Shaggy’s serves burgers and tacos, an odd combination, but two of my favorite foods, nevertheless.

Last night before photography class (more on the later when I retrieve my notes from the car), Candy, Lisa and her husband Derek, and Tony and I (yes, Tony was able to get into this class!) went to Shaggy’s to give it a try. The décor is retro 1970s I suppose and there is a peace sign above the logo. So, I’m assuming they are at least trying to be retro 1970s.

Lisa, Derek and I had hamburgers. Lisa and I both had the small burger and Derek had a regular burger. The small burger was enough to fill you up, in my opinion and I think Lisa felt the same way. But, we are girls and maybe dudes need more burger; you’ll have to ask a dude. The burger was really good I thought, and the prices were rather reasonable. Tony had two chili dogs, which he said were good, but nothing spectacular and if it were up to him he’d just go to Mullins and get chili dogs from there instead. Candy had a chicken taco, which she said was spicy and good. It came with chips and salsa which she said tasted similar to Rosie’s. I agree, she let me have a taste. Along with the burgers and hot dogs came with mixed fries, which was a combination of regular French fries and sweet potato fries. Both seemed a little bland to me. Lisa thought the sweet potato fries needed a dipping sauce; neither had any seasoning. I prefer my fries to be salted when they come out of the fryer so that the salt will stick. I don’t even think the fries at Shaggy’s were salted at all. I had never had sweet potato fries before, and they were okay, but nothing to brag about, and also lacked flavor in my opinion. Derek tried one and didn’t like it and since Derek didn’t like it, Tony didn’t even bother.

Overall, the food was acceptable; but, if you want a burger – go to Five Guys. If you want chili dogs – go to Mullins. If you want tacos – Rosie’s is hard to beat. I don’t know how many people have tried it, but it wasn’t very crowded which surprised me since it just recently opened. If others feel like I do, then word must be getting out to spend your money elsewhere. I doubt Shaggy’s is a place we will be frequenting.