Cuisine Guide: March 2017

2 | Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017

Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017 |

3

CUISINE GUIDE DIRECTORY Completely Comfortable

6 N. Jackson St. • 433-0377

Bob’s Diner ($)

Royal Scam ($$)

Corner 251 ($-$$)

Ruth’s Chris Steak House ($$$)

Cream and Sugar ($)

Saisho ($-$$)

D Nu Spot ($)

The Wash house ($$)

Good old American cooking 263 St. Francis St. • 405-1497 Cafe, Bar and Coffee 251 Government St. • 432-8000 Coffee, breakfast, lunch, dessert 351 George St #B • 405-0003 22159 Halls Mill Rd. . • 648-6522

Gumbo, Angus beef & bar 72. S. Royal St. • 432-SCAM (7226) Exceptional service & taste 271 Glenwood St. • 476-0516

Modern gastropub inspired by Japanese kitchen 455 Dauphin St • 433-0376 17111 Scenic HWY 98 • Point Clear • 928-4838

Judy’s Place ($-$$)

Home cooking 4054 Government St. • 665-4557

Panini Pete’s ($)

Original sandwich and bake shop

42 ½ Section St. • Fairhope • 929-0122 102 Dauphin St. • 405-0031

R Bistro ($-$$)

Far Eastern Fare Ang Bahay Kubo ($$) 4513 Old Shell Rd.• 473-0007

Saisho ($$)

6455 Dauphin St. • 433-0376

334 Fairhope Ave • Fairhope • 928-2399

Stevie’s Kitchen ($)

Sandwiches, soups, salads & more 41 West I-65 Service Rd. N Suite 150. • 287-2793

Time to Eat Cafe ($)

down-home country cookin 7351 Theodore Dawes Rd. • 653-0228 13665 N. Wintzell Ave. • 824-1119

Tropical Smoothie ($)

Great smoothies, wraps & sandwiches.

Du Rhu Dr. • 378-5648 570 Schillinger Road • 634-3454

Warehouse Bakery & Donuts ($) Coffee and donuts 759 Nichols Avenue, Fairhope • 928-7223

From the depths The Bluegill ($-$$)

A historic seafood dive w/ live music 3775 Hwy. 98 • 625-1998

Felix’s Fish Camp ($$) Upscale dining with a view 1420 Hwy. 98 • 626-6710

River Shack ($-$$) Seafood, burgers & steaks

6120 Marina Dr. • Dog River • 443-7318.

Tin Top Restaurant & Oyster Bar ($$) Seafood, Steaks, & extensive wine list 6232 Bon Secour Hwy County Rd. 10. • 949-5086

Wintzell’s Oyster House ($-$$)

‘Cue

Meat Boss ($)

5401 Cottage Hill Rd. • 591-4842

Moe’s Original Bar B Que ($) Barbeque & music Bayfront Park Dr. • Daphne • 625-RIBS 701 Springhill Ave. • 410-7427 4672 Airport Blvd. • 300-8516

Drop Dead Gourmet

Briquettes Steakhouse ($-$$) Grilled steaks, chicken & seafood 720A Schillinger Rd. S. S2. • 607-7200 901 Montlimar Dr • 408-3133

Chuck’s fish ($$)

seafood and sushi 551 Dauphin St.• 219-7051

Dauphin’s ($$-$$$)

High quality food with a view 107 St. Francis St • 444-0200

Dumbwaiter ($$-$$$) 9 Du Rhu Dr. Suite 201 167 Dauphin St. • 458-9573

FIVE ($$)

Great food and cocktails 609 Dauphin St. • 308-3105

is the game on?

Baumhower’s ($)

Wings, burgers & pub grub 6880 US-90 #14 • Daphne • 625-4695

Butch Cassidy’s ($)

Famous burgers, sandwiches & wings 60 N. Florida St. • 450-0690

Heroes Sports Bar & Grille ($) Sandwiches & cold beer 273 Dauphin St. • 433-4376 Hillcrest & Old Shell Rd. • 341-9464

Island Wing Co ($)

Everything baked or grilled 2617 Dauphin St. • 476-9464

Old 27 Grill ($)

Burgers, dogs & 27 beers & wines.

19992 Hwy.181 Old County Rd. Fairhope • 281-2663

Mama Mia!

Kitchen on George ($-$$)

Cortland’s Pizza Pub ($-$$)

Launch ($-$$$)

Grimaldi’s ($)

Noble South ($$)

Macaroni Grill ($$)

NoJa ($$-$$$)

Mirko ($$)

Contemporary American food 351A George & Savannah St. • 436-8890 Urban Upscale Dining 251 Government St. • 432-8000 Local ingredients 203 Dauphin St. • 690-6824 Inventive & very fresh cuisine

4 | Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017

Fresh seafood for over 75 years 605 Dauphin St. • 432-4605 6700 Airport Blvd. • 341-1111 1208 Shelton Beach Rd. • Saraland • 442-3335 805 S. Mobile St. • 929-2322

Great pizza. Lunch & dinner 4356 Old Shell Rd. • 342-0024

Brick oven pies and calzones.

The Shoppes of Bel Air • 476-2063 Small plates, pizzas, pastas & wine 3250 Airport Blvd. • 450-4556 Pasta & More 9 Du Rhu Dr. • 340-6611

Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017 |

5

6 | Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017

Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017 |

7

CUISINE THE REVIEW

Global influence shines at Mobile’s only Filipino restaurant

Ang Bahay Kubo — the Nipa House 4513 Old Shell Road Mobile, AL 36608 251-473-0007

BY ANDY MACDONALD/CUISINE EDITOR | fatmansqueeze@comcast.net

8 | Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017

Photos | Facebook

I

have never in my life, until now, had the pleasure of experiencing Filipino food. As a teacher I have had many students over the years, mostly children, with Filipino heritage to whom I have become somewhat close. When I have explained to them that I am a food writer and am interested in their cuisine the surprised teens and tweens peer over their fiddles and guitars with a puzzled look, always saying “There’s not a good way to explain it.”

The parents of these kids usually point me in the direction of Birmingham or Atlanta. “There’s a place,” they say, “in Pensacola that is pretty good.” Admittedly I have not gotten the travel bug enough to go on a quest for the cuisine of the Philippines but my interest in the food was always there.

So here we are in 2016 and Mobile has the first (that I am aware of) Filipino restaurant! Located on Old Shell Road behind The Holiday in the former Shamrock, Rose and Thistle/ The House location, Ang Bahay Kubo-The Nipa House is breaking new ground, figuratively speaking.

This lunch and dinner spot is still in the semi-early stages but the place looks better than ever. I must warn you that I normally wait for a restaurant to be open a little longer before I swoop in for a review, but my desire to try Filipino food forced me to throw caution to the wind as I called up the two bosses for a quick and easy lunch date.

Ashley and Rob showed up on my doorstep at 11:30 a.m. on an unseasonably warm Friday. We made the short drive listening to satellite radio and discussing the idea of a cuisine about which we each knew nothing. Rob pondered the Spanish influence as Ashley and I openly called him a nerd when we reached our destination.

There actually is a Spanish influence to their style of cooking. But that’s not all. Yes, Magellan made his way over to the Philippines in the 16th century and trade began with the rest of the world.

Of course the Asian influence is really present, especially from the Chinese. If you do a little searching you will find that trade routes also brought an influence from Thailand and Indonesia. Later on the islands would even be influenced by culinary advancements from Mexico and the Americas.

So my little Filipino friends were right to show me their

Ang Bahay Cubo may be our first Filipino restaurant but I hope it won’t be our last. I have one word for it: Masarap (delicious)!

puzzled looks when asked about the food their mothers and grandmothers cook for them. If there is a style of cuisine that is fusion (pardon the “f” word) or a melting pot of styles then this is it.

Entering the familiar building we noticed a chalkboard with their Tagalog Word of the Day. I can’t remember the word to save my life, but one look at their Facebook page and you’ll find plenty of examples such as Salamat (thank you).

A couple of waters and an unsweet tea later our waitress was steering us in the direction of appetizers and entrees that were the best examples of authentic native cuisine. We began as she suggested without hesitation with Lumpia ($7.90) which are definitely a Chinese influenced item. These smallish crispy eggrolls were chopped into bite-sized pieces and served with a sweet and sour sauce. Filled with pork and veggies, they tasted familiar yet slightly different and kind of reminded me of Vietnamese eggrolls which were delicious.

Kubo pork bbq ($12.50) caught the attention of Rob. I have to say his dish was exceptional. The pork is marinated and basted in a Filipino style sauce that is sweet and a little vinegary at the same time. This sauce should be bottled. The meat was a little tough but got better with every bite. Maybe it’s intended to be that way. With a choice of two sides Rob was in high cotton as the garlic rice was well done and the salad came with extraordinary and different tasting balsamic vinaigrette.

I was gingerly guided towards the Sigsig ($12.98).

This was a mix of diced pork, onions and chili peppers with a pungent aroma that went well with my rice and mixed vegetables of zucchini and carrots. Altogether it made for an oddly good mock paella/jambalaya that is not at all hot by most Asian standards. It was plentiful and good enough that I had to take the leftovers home.

For kicks I also ordered an extra side of fried okra ($2). Served in a neat little stand with a side of what I guess is ranch from the hidden valley of the Philippines I wasn’t sure why this was on the menu, but I was glad it was. It was just classic fried okra.

The boss lady Ashley nabbed what was my favorite dish in the Bicol Express ($15.50). You can see a touch of Thai influence or perhaps Indian in this one as shrimp is cooked in “spicy” coconut milk. It also went well with the rice and mixed vegetables but between the three of us tasting each other’s food there was nothing left to take home.

I’ve learned that Filipino food is not very spicy like some other Asian styles. It’s almost refreshing to find it this way. The focus is on the flavor, and of course anyone can add heat. Yes, it’s hard to put your finger on what makes it indigenous to that particular country but I would try to describe it as heavy on the pork with a tropical and slight Spanish tilt to it.

Ang Bahay Cubo may be our first Filipino restaurant but I hope it won’t be our last. I have one word for it: Masarap (delicious)!

Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017 |

9

10 | Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017

Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017 |

11

14 | Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017

Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017 |

15

16 | Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017

Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017 |

17

18 | Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017

Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017 |

19

CUISINE THE REVIEW

Whatever the weather, Judy’s Place satisfies

Judy’s Place 4045 Government Blvd.

Mobile 36693 251-665-4547

BY ANDY MACDONALD/CUISINE EDITOR | fatmansqueeze@comcast.net

20 | Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017

Photo | Provided

I

f you don’t like the weather here, then wait about an hour. Spring teased us for a couple of days and flip-flops found their way from the back of the closet and wedged themselves between my toes. I made a smallish pot of mudbugs as a trial run for what I hope to be a glorious season of tail pinching and head sucking, complemented by beer swilling and storytelling.

I could feel fresh, homegrown tomatoes would be on our plates in no time as the winter cabbage was cooked down with onions and venison sausage and the pinot noir gave way to less earthy grapes … not that I’ll turn one down any day of the year.

This change of pace from a mild winter of sweaters to short sleeves was not very abrupt and then suddenly temps dipped back into the 30-somethings. It was back to bundling up in the mornings and losing the flip-flops in favor of Wallabies.

My desire for a spring bounty receded as I pondered what we normally refer to as “comfort food.”

When you think of places in Mobile to enjoy a “meat and two” meal, what comes to mind? For many the answer is Judy’s Place on Government Boulevard, just past Azalea heading west. People go head over heels for this restaurant and I, ashamedly, have never been. Spoiler alert: I went and will be returning soon.

Every now and again it’s a good idea to bring the bosses along for a review. This day I figured it best to bring both of them as Ashley and Rob made the ZIP code-jumping run to meet me at Judy’s. I got there first and found not a single table open at 11:30 a.m. Others in line gave up on the wait and headed next door to Lenny’s, but I stood fast as the hero of the day, waiting patiently for a table of four to choke down their meatloaf and sweet teas so they could return to jobs less glamorous than mine.

Not long after I was seated I heard the honking horn of a parking lot squabble, followed by the two Lagniappe higherups entering the building. Of course they were involved.

These are my people. So we sat down for an unsweet or two and a handful of menus.

The place being standing room only was a testament for what we were about to receive. This place is as unpretentious

Judy’s Place serves ample portions of quality comfort food at reasonable prices. Among the more popular menu items are fried pork chops and surf and turf.

as you can get with an open dining room and a bar that didn’t look like it was serving many drinks. They pack the customers in tight, so don’t get the feeling you’ll be coming here to share any secrets. You will be pretty cozy with your neighbors but the upside of that is you get a pretty decent visual of every meal in your section.

I was salivating over the sights and smells around our four-top. The previously mentioned meatloaf looked fantastic. The chalky, large white limas, macaroni and cheese, smothered hamburger steaks and sandwiches seemed to leave everyone else satisfied so I knew it would be a good day.

Lunch at Judy’s Place is pretty straightforward.

There are no appetizers per se, so we ordered a round of chicken wings ($6.99 per half dozen).

“Do you want them plain or dressed?” asked our waitress. Dressed would be battered, by the way. We chose plain, hot, with bleu cheese on the side. Not overdone and not undercooked, these were tasty wings I’d consider above average in the snack category. Equal flapper to drummette ratio (I prefer the flappers, Rob and Ash went straight for the drummettes), I found them quite enjoyable for cafe wings. The bleu cheese dressing was remarkable. We were off to a good start.

Compared to Rob and me, Ashley walks that fine line between a tough carnivore and a delicate flower. Her perfect lunch was a grilled steak salad ($9.99). It wasn’t a salad for the meek. This pretty sizable bed of lettuce supported a good deal of meat, and the same bleu cheese dressing enhanced the meal.

Compared to Ashley and me, Rob walks that fine line

between an angry pescatarian and a vegetable-murdering herbivore. But only at lunch. Fried oysters ($9.99) were his game today. They didn’t look like much, with only a half dozen on the plate, but they were tasty. A side of green limas and the substitution of a salad were almost more than he could handle. In the end he finished honorably with little bleu cheese to spare.

It is worth noting that bleu cheese is the preferred dressing of Lagniappe staffers (the cool ones, anyway), so when we find an exceptional version we run with it.

I, of course, dared to be different with the lunch favorite pork chops ($8.99). Fried or grilled? I chose grilled and was treated to two healthy-sized chops, bone in, with just the right amount of seasoning. You can’t have these without mashed potatoes and gravy. I couldn’t resist the green limas after seeing Rob’s. A little hot sauce on the beans, a dip of each piece of meat into the potatoes and my dining companions knew to get out of my way.

Not one of us saved room for dessert, although Judy’s offers cheesecake, lemon pie, French silk pie and, on occasion, banana pudding.

The dinner menu at Judy’s Place is a bit different, with filet and ribeye steaks, heavy seafood options and nearly a dozen appetizers, all served after 5 p.m. For a complete view of both menus visit www.judysplacemobile.com.

I believe the three of us agreed we’d had a very good lunch. It was comfort food, at least by my standards. The price is nice, the portions are good, the quality keeps people in seats. We exited the building with the sun shining as in unison we put on our sunglasses and lost our jackets. The Alabama spring was teasing us again.

Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017 |

21

Lagniappe presents Mobile Bay Restaurant Week, March 30-April 5

By Lagniappe Staff Celebrate Mobile’s exciting new culinary tradition, as Lagniappe presents the inaugural Mobile Bay Restaurant Week. This delicious event will take place March 30-April 5 at 31 participating restaurants throughout Mobile and Baldwin counties. Each restaurant will offer a price fixed menu in one of four categories: • $35 per person/ $70 per couple (for finer dining restaurants) • $12.50 per person/ $25 per couple (for casual spots) • The $5 burger (for restaurants who want to showcase their famous burger or a special burger for the week) • Special pricing (Restaurants will specify their special menu and its price.)

“We are so pleased to have over 30 restaurants participating in just our first year,” said Ashley Trice, Lagniappe co-publisher. “This has been hugely successful in other cities, and we hope this will give our readers and all of the foodies of Mobile a reason to try a restaurant

Participating Restaurants: Ang Bahay Kubo

4513 Old Shell Road Unit D Mobile, AL 36608 Cuisine: Filipino American Cuisine. The Filipino dish is influenced by Spaniards and Americans back in the 1900 Era. Web: angbahaykubo.com

Bluegill

3775 Battleship Parkway Spanish Fort, AL 36527 Cuisine: Historic seafood restaurant with great outdoor seating and live music Web:bluegillrestaurant.com

Bob’s Downtown Diner

263 Saint Francis St. Mobile, AL 36602 Cuisine: Completely, casual, good ol’ American cookin’ Web: facebook.com/corneroffatandhappy/

Briquettes Steakhouse

720 Schillinger Rd. S. Ste 2A Mobile, AL 36695 AND 901 Montlimar Dr. Mobile, AL 36609 Cuisine: Grilled steaks, chicken and seafood Web:briquettessteakhouse.com

Buck’s Diner

58 N. Section St. Fairhope, AL 36532 Cuisine: Classic American diner, Southern fare. Breakfast, burgers, home cooking.

Web: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bucks-Diner

Cream and Sugar

351B George St. Mobile, AL 36604 Cuisine: Coffee, Breakfast, Lunch, Dessert, including their famous cake balls Web:creamandsugarmobile.com

22 | Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017

they haven’t had a chance to get to yet or to revisit an old favorite. This week aims to celebrate Gulf Coast cuisine and the many wonderfully diverse dining options we have here on Mobile Bay.” Menus will be published in the centerspread of this issue and on www.lagniappemobile.com.

The number of restaurants in each category is entirely dependent on what each restaurant chooses. Not every restaurant advertising in this special cuisine guide is participating. Please check the centerspread of the regular issue, the list below and the website for the official list of participating restaurants.

How does it work? It’s easy. There are no special tickets required. Once again, just check the list below to see the participants, or the centerspread of this issue of Lagniappe, where you will find all of the participants and their menus. You can also find all of this information on our website by clicking one of the Mobile Bay Restaurant Week ads on www.lagniappemobile.com.

Some restaurants may require reservations

DIP Seafood/ Cravin’ Cajun

1870 Dauphin Island Pkwy Mobile, AL 36605 Cuisine: Cajun, creole restaurant/seafood Web: dipseafoodmudbugs.com

Fathoms Lounge

Riverview Plaza Hotel 64 S. Water St. Mobile, AL 36602 Cuisine:Casual Dining, small plates and creative cocktails in a vibrant downtown environment Web:facebook.com/FathomsLounge/

Felix’s Fish Camp

1530 Battleship Parkway Spanish Fort, AL 36527 Cuisine: Upscale Seafood with incredible view Web: felixsfishcamp.com

Five Bar

609 Dauphin St. Mobile, AL 36602 Cuisine: Great burgers, seafood, steaks, weekly specials Web: five-bar.com

Heroes Sports Bar

273 Dauphin St. Mobile, AL 36602 AND 36 Hillcrest Rd. Mobile, AL 36608 Cuisine: Burgers, sandwiches, wings Web: heroessportsbar.com

Island Wing Company

2617 Dauphin St. Mobile, AL 36606 AND 3947 Hwy. 59 Suite 100 (Magnolia Plaza Shopping Center) Gulf Shores, AL 36542​ Cuisine: Wings, baked or grilled, American fare.

Web:www.islandwing.com/

or only offer the special at lunch or dinner only, so make sure to check their individual requirements, listed in the centerspread and online.

Mobile’s Funkiest Foodies Grand Prize Give-Away

All Mobile Bay Restaurant Week participants will have cards to give out to visiting diners.

Diners who visit at least FIVE participating restaurants during this week and have their cards stamped by each one, will be entered to win one of two GRAND PRIZES: One Pair of VIP Tickets to the SouthSounds Music Festival, April 7-9 in downtown Mobile AND One Pair of GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS to the Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, May 19-21.

Once you get your fifth stamp, you may place your card in the designated box at the restaurant. We will announce the winners of April 7, 2017. One pair per winner chosen at random.

First person drawn will choose which pair they want. Second person will receive the passes to the other festival.

Kitchen on George

351A George St. Mobile, AL 36604 Cuisine: Locally sourced, contemporary American food Web: kitchenongeorge.com

Launch

251 Government Street Mobile, AL 36602 Cuisine: Upscale, urban Web:theadmiralhotel.com/dining

Meat Boss

5401 Cottage Hill Rd. Mobile, AL 36609 Cuisine: Barbecue Web: meatboss.com

Mirko

Legacy Village at Spring Hill 9 Du Rhu Dr. Mobile, AL 36608 Cuisine: Made-from-scratch pastas & other Italian dishes.

Web:mirkopasta.com

NoJa

6 N. Jackson St. Mobile, AL 36602 Cuisine: Innovative,fresh fine dining Web: nojamobile.com

Old 27 Grill

19992 Hwy 181 Old County Rd. 27 Fairhope, AL 36532 Cuisine: Burgers, dogs, beer and wine Web: old27grill.com

River Shack Restaurant and Oyster Bar

6120 Marina Drive S. Mobile, AL 36605 Cuisine: Seafood, burgers and steaks Web: facebook.com/The-River-ShackRestaurant-and-Oyster-Bar

Saisho

453 Dauphin St. Mobile, AL 36602 Cuisine: Modern Gastropub by Japanese Kitchen Web: saishomobile.comSaisho

Taqueria Mexico

3337 Airport Blvd.

Mobile, AL 36608 Cuisine: Authentic Mexican cuisine Web:facebook.com/10taqueriamexico/

The Noble South

203 Dauphin St. Mobile, AL 36602 Cuisine: Seasonally-inspired menus, farm to table Web:thenoblesouthrestaurant.com

The Royal Scam

72 S. Royal St. Mobile, AL 36602 Cuisine: THE choice for Certified Angus Beef, seafood, sandwiches and fresh cut salads.

Web:royalscammobile.com

Time to Eat

Panini Pete’s

7351 Theodore Dawes Rd. Theodore, AL 36582 AND 13665 Wintzell Avenue Bayou La Batre, AL 36509 Cuisine: Down home, country cookin’ Web: timetoeatmobile.com

Roosters

We will be constantly updating with more restaurants.

Keep checking back!

42 1/2 South Section St. Fairhope, AL 36532 AND 102 Dauphin St. Mobile, AL 36602 Cuisine: Perfectly pressed sandwiches, burgers, dogs, beignets Web: paninipetes.com 211 Dauphin St. Mobile, AL 36602 Cuisine: Latin American Food Web: roostersdowntown.com

Lagniappe Cuisine Guide 2017 |

23