Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Restaurant Review

09 Jan 2010

Flip Burger Boutique – Birmingham

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Thanks to Chef Richard Blais, molecular gastronomy and fancy hamburgers, two of the restaurant world’s most exciting trends, can now be found down South. After the success of Blais’ original Flip Burger Boutique in Atlanta, a second location was opened in Birmingham late last year.

I initially found the idea of a burger “boutique” kind of laughable, but once I saw where it was located—within a mega suburban strip mall and next door to Juicy Couture and Gloss Premium Denim—it all made sense. Now, if this isn’t an agglomeration economy designed with the painfully hip and sassy in mind, I don’t know what is.

Chef Blais, who was the runner-up on season four of Top Chef, is trained in classic French cookery but likes to dabble in modern techniques as well. He has studied under culinary luminaries Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, Alice Waters, and Ferran Adria.

At Flip, the humble hamburger is transformed from a grease bomb into an edible work of art. “We only have two rules,” said Chef Blais in an interview with The Birmingham News. “One is that whatever we call a burger has to be ground. That doesn’t have to be beef. It can be another meat or it can be vegetable or it can be seafood. The other rule is it has to be served on a bun.” With chorizo, lamb, and crab sharing menu space with Wagyu beef, the restaurant fully lives up to its slogan “Fine Dining Between Two Buns.”

Designed by Atlanta-based architecture and design firm ai3, Flip’s dining room features communal seating and “padded cell” booths. The stylish layout and chic vibe reminded me of the Stephen Starr restaurants I used to frequent in Philadelphia.

The Astronomer, Rosalind (The Astronomer’s sister), Miho (The Astronomer’s high school friend), and I stopped in for lunch during Flip’s second week of operation. We were also joined briefly by Sara, a high school classmate of Rosalind, Miho, and The Astronomer, who is currently working in Flip’s kitchen.

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Recipe

07 Jan 2010

Frank Stitt’s Creamy Grits

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Trips down to Alabama always seem to inspire me to prepare Southern comfort foods upon my return. The last time I traveled to Birmingham, I came home with a killer hankering for old fashioned cornbread. This time around, I had creamy grits on the brain. Fortunately, I received a package of yellow stone-ground grits in my Christmas stocking! McEwen & Sons of Wilsonville manufacture The Astronomer’s mother’s favorite variety; their wares are available for purchase online.

I turned to Frank Stitt’s Southern Table for a proper grits recipe. The grits served at his temple of haute Southern cuisine, Highlands Bar & Grill, are creamy, impeccably seasoned, and pair well everything from shrimp to venison. For me, a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano was all that was required for some serious satisfaction.

4 cups water, preferably spring water
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 cup yellow stone-ground grits
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, or a little more if desired, at room temperature
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese, plus more if desired
Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
Hot sauce, such as Tabasco or Cholula

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt, then whisk in the grits in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly to prevent clumps and thoroughly mix in the grits. Bring to a boil whisking, then turn the heat down to low and summer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until the grits are thickened and tender.

Add the butter and Parmigiano, stirring to combine, and add the salt, white pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Taste and add more butter, cheese, and/or salt if desired. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

[For Printable Recipe Click Here]

Restaurant Review

06 Jan 2010

Waffle House – Anniston

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The Astronomer and I spent a lovely week down in Alabama during the recent holidays. Aside from baking twelve-layer cakes and sipping liquid nitrogen milkshakes, we also ventured east of Birmingham on an overnight bike trip with the entire family. Although we had planned to ride thirty miles along the Chief Ladiga Trail, twelve ended up being more than enough with temperatures barely in the forties. Before departing for home the following morning, we hit up Waffle House for a hearty Southern breakfast.

Waffle House has been a beloved icon of the South for the past 51 years. There are more than 1,500 locations in 25 states. Each branch of Waffle House is open 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.

Almost every one of Waffle House’s outlets is outfitted with a jukebox that plays 45 rpm singles. At this location, the entire first column of selections and much of the second had songs about Waffle House and its food. Amazing.

Waffle House fancies itself as a sit-down restaurant that is as fast and efficient as a drive-thru. According to the company’s website, “all food is prepared fresh, cooked to order, and served on real china in a kitchen that is out front and in full view.” The Astronomer tries not to watch the ladies behind the counter because their sanitary practices aren’t always pristine. I love how Waffle House refers to its plates as “real china.”

I ordered a single waffle with a side of bacon and was pleased with my selection. The waffle was expertly made—crisp, golden, slightly sweet, and moist where it counted. A canister filled with maple-flavored high-fructose corn syrup was available for drenching, but I preferred to eat it au naturale. Buttermilk waffles were also on offer, but according to The Astronomer’s mother and sister who ordered them, the regular ones were far superior.

The three thin strips of bacon that arrived alongside my waffle were fried to a flattened crisp. Each bite resulted in a snappy, porky shard.

The Astronomer ordered his standby—a double waffle, straight up. Small plastic containers of Pride “buttery” spread accompanied each one. Whereas the texture of my waffle was firm yet moist, The Astronomer’s was mostly limp. During The Astronomer’s past two visits to Waffle House, his waffles have been undercooked. It’s a shame that inconsistency plagues such a charming establishment.

To round out our breakfast of champions, The Astronomer and I shared a warm bowl of grits. Its creamy consistency, slightly coarse texture, and mild flavor was an ideal complement to my waffles and bacon. A pat of real butter would’ve made it even better.

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Waffle House
1530 Quintard Avenue
Anniston, AL 36201
Phone: 256-237-8961