Archive for the 'Southern' Category

Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ‘n Biscuits – Birmingham

Published by Gastronomer on January 25, 2012 in Birmingham, Chain / Multiple Locations, Fast Food, Restaurant Review and Southern. 6 Comments

Fast food chains generally make me queasy, but I couldn’t help feeling warm and fuzzy inside when I spotted the bright yellow sign for Bojangles‘ in the distance. I read about this storied southern chain years ago and have been curious to taste their signature Chicken ‘n Biscuits and Bo-Berry Biscuits ever since. Sometimes, my soft spot for regional specialties overpowers my disdain for everything fast food.

The Astronomer and his awesomely adventurous sister Rosalind joined me at Bojangles’ even though neither quite understood my fascination with the place.

Launched in 1977 in Charlotte, North Carolina, Bojangles’ currently has over 500 outlets across ten states and Washington, D.C. There are even two international locations in Honduras. For those residing here on the west coast, the closest Bojangles’ is somewhere down in Mississippi.

We began with an order of Bojangles’ “famous” Chicken ‘n Biscuits, which was comprised of a seasoned breast filet served on a buttermilk biscuit. Pounded thin and heavily battered, the chicken tickled our tongues with its blend of Cajun spices. The biscuit, which the restaurant claimed was “made-from-scratch,” was buttery, doughy, and on par with other fast food biscuits I’ve come across.

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Dreamland Bar-B-Que – Birmingham

Published by Gastronomer on September 16, 2011 in BBQ, Birmingham, Chain / Multiple Locations, Restaurant Review and Southern. 3 Comments

Years ago when I first visited Birmingham, The Astronomer treated me to lunch at Dreamland Bar-B-Que. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich, while he had a half slab of ribs. There was also a side of macaroni and cheese and a tall stack of white bread, if memory serves me right. It was one hell of an introduction to ‘Bama style ‘cue; one that inspired me to seek out something smokey and saucy on my visits thereafter.

Our barbecue explorations thus far have taken us to Miss Myra’s for its intriguing white sauce, to Full Moon for its famously tangy chow chow, to Saw’s for its vinegar-based mop sauce, and to Jim ‘N Nick’s for just about everything. Even with our consistent efforts, we’ve barely made a dent in Birmingham’s ever-growing barbecue scene.

On our most recent trip to the city, I insisted on lunch at Dreamland even though there are dozens of barbecue shacks left to try. It’s always been one of my favorites and sometimes, it’s plain nice to dine somewhere familiar.

John “Big Daddy” Bishop opened the first Dreamland in 1958 in the town of Tuscaloosa. According to barbecue lore, he was torn between setting up a mortuary or opening a restaurant to support his family. He prayed to God for a sign and received one in the form of a dream. While he was sleeping, God told Big Daddy to build a restaurant next to his home. And thus, Dreamland was born.

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Green Acres Cafe – Birmingham

Published by Gastronomer on September 13, 2011 in Birmingham, Chain / Multiple Locations, Restaurant Review and Southern. 4 Comments

If our schedules and wallets didn’t mind very much, The Astronomer and I would travel to Birmingham once a month to visit family. As it stands right now, we’re only able to head south twice a year—once during the holidays and another time during the summer months.

This summer’s visit came toward the tail end of July, when the weather in Alabama was dangerously sticky and the peaches were amazingly plump.

Although most of our meals were eaten at home, The Astronomer and I also explored a few Birmingham dining spots during this trip. We grabbed a quick bite at Green Acres Cafe late one morning after dropping off The Astronomer’s brother at work.

We had a few hours to kill before meeting up with a friend for lunch, so we walked around the Fourth Street Business District scoping out the architecture, history, and restaurants. When I saw that Green Acres was serving up freshly fried gizzards, I could not resist coming in for a taste.

The restaurant is owned by Greg Gratton, whose uncle opened the first Green Acres in 1950. There are currently eight branches around the city.

While waiting for our gizzards to be ready, The Astronomer and I perused the collection of press clips adorning the walls. According to local and national reports, the fried chicken wings at Green Acres are some of the best around. Armed with this new piece of information, I walked up to the counter and placed an additional order. It was the right thing to do.

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Bonnie Jean’s Soul Food Cafe – San Diego

Published by Gastronomer on April 17, 2011 in Restaurant Review, San Diego and Southern. 8 Comments

I had a serious craving for fried chicken while visiting my family in San Diego last month. Following back-to-back weeks of eating deep-fried poultry on the regular [See: Ad Hoc, The Fremont Diner, and the Ludo Truck], my stomach was going through withdrawals and jonesing for another hit. A quick Internet search for “San Diego’s best fried chicken” pointed me to Bonnie Jean’s Soul Food Cafe, a no-frills establishment specializing in homey Southern fare.

The Astronomer and I paid Bonnie Jean a visit on a gray Sunday afternoon. We were joined by fellow fried chicken lovers, Cousins Jimmy, Tannia, and Phil, as well as my mama.

In addition to barbecued ribs and fried chicken, Bonnie Jean’s also served a couple of soul food dishes that I’d never before encountered at a restaurant, namely chitterlings and slow-cooked oxtails. Since my mind had long ago settled on fried chicken, a return visit to sample more of the diverse menu is definitely in order.

Cousin Jimmy sipped on several glasses of tooth-achingly sweet grape Kool Aid ($2.25) throughout the meal. The rest of us happily drank water.

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The Fremont Diner – Sonoma

Published by Gastronomer on March 16, 2011 in Diner, Napa Valley, New American, Restaurant Review and Southern. 8 Comments

Before making the long drive home to Los Angeles, The Astronomer and I made one final stop at The Fremont Diner in Sonoma for lunch. The restaurant has been garnering significant buzz ever since it opened in 2009, but it didn’t come across my radar until my friend Lien enthusiastically recommended it. She promised me that Chef Chad Harris’ brand of gussied-up down-home cuisine would rub me in all sorts of right ways.

Situated on a lonely stretch of Highway 121, the two-year-old diner captures the feel of a weathered roadside diner down South. Rusted truck parked out front? Check. Chickens roaming around the building? Check. Grease wafting heavily in the air? Check. If it weren’t for the lush rolling hills and acres of carefully planted grapes, I would’ve sworn we were back in sweet home Alabama.

After placing and paying for our order at the front counter, The Astronomer and I grabbed a table inside. There were a dozen inviting picnic tables set-up out front, but the essence of manure in the air discouraged us from outdoor dining.

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