 Birthday Wishes
Private party at Dyron’s Table One for mother, son’s birthdays.
By Jan Walsh
Tomorrow is my rainy birthday. Ditto… same every year. I get more weather alerts on my phone than birthday cards. Thus, we schedule our celebrations accordingly. Earlier this week we had a birthday lunch on Chez Fonfon’s patio, which I published Saturday. And for my birthday dinner, I chose Dyron’s Lowcountry, owned by Dyron and Sonya Powell.
|
 Blue Skies
Escaping the weather with an early birthday lunch on Chez Fonfon’s patio
By Jan Walsh
Almost every year it rains on my birthday! Even when we travel for my birthday, somehow the clouds follow. Year after year, since a little girl, I have looked out the window watching it rain out my birthday plans... playing outside, riding my pony, or picking early strawberries in my bonnet. But don’t cry for me because on these rainy days I was treated to shopping trips. My favorite spot was the ladies’ hat department at Loveman’s department store, trying on all the hats too big for my little head. And I have dreamed of a silk sash such as this ever since. So, I turn off the weatherman and reserve lunch, for a sunny day this week, on the patio at Chez Fonfon.
|
 Chef Eli Recommends
We are in good hands at Eli’s Jerusalem Grill.
By Jan Walsh
Eli’s is a family-owned and operated business. Here off Highway 280 in Hoover, you will find the whole Markshtien family. Eli’s wife Laurel greets us and works the front of the house along with their daughter, when not in school. And Eli is always where he belongs, in the kitchen.
|
 Birmingham’s Best Patios
Dine al fresco at Birmingham’s favorite patios, sidewalks, and balconies.
By Jan Walsh
Birmingham metro area boasts al fresco dining options galore. There are patios, balconies, and sidewalks where I can eat lunch and get a little sun or hide under an umbrella table like That Guy, in this month’s Culinary Cartoon. We also have dog friendly outdoor spaces where we can take our pups. And in the coming months I will be publishing a series of patio reviews including dog friendly, in which I will take my own, Wyckie and Rudy along.
|
 19 Years
Birmingham Restaurants newsletter, Wine & Dine Weekly celebrates 19th anniversary.
By Jan Walsh
On March 1, 2006, I launched BirminghamWine.com and its newsletter, Wine Weekly. I was an unintentional pioneer back in the early (www) wild, wild, web days. In 2006 most businesses did not have a website, including wine shops, food markets, and restaurants. Twitter launched later that month. And Facebook had become a public site two years prior.
|
 Be Ours
Valentine’s Day Lunch at Bottega Café
By Jan Walsh
Bottega Café takes no reservations. So, we show up early to get in line for Valentine’s Day. We are third in line at 10:45. In minutes the line is from the door, through the gates, and onto the sidewalk. The sun shines warmly on this cold day. So the wait just builds anticipation and appetite. Recently I noticed that after several years of a different seating arrangement, our old table was back in the window above the driveway. And today I have my heart set on it for Valentine’s. Promptly at 11:00 the doors open and we are welcomed inside. Surprisingly the first couple in line choose to sit at the bar. The two ladies in front of us are taken to the opposite side of the restaurant. I point and ask for our table. And it is ours! So many years since we have sat right here in this corner. Déjà vu, this happened to us a couple of months ago at Chez Fonfon! Just like that, our tables are reappearing. Both restaurants along with Bottega Dining Room, next door in this building, are the Culinary masterpieces of Chef Frank and Pardis Stitt.
|
 Chef Features
Chef Andrew’s features at Bellini’s deserve a menu of their own.
By Jan Walsh
Before you order dinner at Bellini’s, look over tonight’s food and drink features. In addition to the featured, seasonal hand-crafted cocktails, Bellini’s cocktail list is segmented by spirit. For example, if you are a bourbon drinker it is easy to find your pleasure, and mine. I also do not often see a restaurant print out their features on a separate menu, in addition to the server describing them at the table. But with a long list it is helpful to see the features and their descriptions. Nice touch.
|
 5th Anniversary
A Sol Y Luna Celebration
By Jan Walsh
The first year of a business is the hardest, says everyone who ever opened a restaurant. Sol Y Luna replies, “Hold my tequila!” The restaurant opened in Mountain Brook one month before Covid. Yet Owners, Jorge and Amiee Castro pivoted to serve the community’s needs, providing everything from margarita mixes to toilet paper via curb pick up. A couple of months later, for my birthday, we took advantage of this and had a private party on our screened in porch with our favorite Sol Y Luna dishes, margaritas, and churros with a birthday candle. You can guess what I wished for… And it has come true.
|
 Belated Birthday
Kev’s birthday was snowed in. Now time for birthday night out.
By Jan Walsh
It snowed us in for Kev’s birthday week. So, rather than his wish of reservations at Ocean Restaurant, he got his new wish for homemade chicken and dumplings and a blueberry cheesecake.
|
 Wide Net
A variety of fresh catches for lunch and dinner at Bistro V.
By Jan Walsh
Bistro V is one of my favorite restaurants. Locally owned by Chef Jeremy Downey and partner and pastry chef, Emily Tuttle Shell, Bistro V is open for lunch and dinner. Originally from the “Seafood Capitol of Alabama,” Bayou La Batre (with family still there who can make fresh seafood runs) Chef Jeremy keeps several seafood options on the menu, including a daily special.
|