Saturday, September 3, 2011

Jim Davenport's Pizza Palace

Mountain Brook, AL
$9-$15 Entrees

A Southerner by birth, Jim Davenport spent twelve years as a star third-baseman for the San Francisco Giants. He still works in the Giants' front office at the age of 78! Perhaps more important than his accomplishments on the field, Jim is best known for his loyalty to the Giants and to his friends.

One of those friends, an Alabamian named Rex Hollis, befriended Davenport in California. In 1964, Hollis returned to Alabama to open Jim Davenport’s Pizza Palace … with the permission of Mr. Davenport, who hoped his name recognition would boost Mr. Hollis’s pizza sales.

It worked. Davenport's has now been open for 47 years.

This busy, thriving eatery in the heart (and hearts) of Mountain Brook Village enjoys tremendous customer loyalty and a casual atmosphere. Regulars relish the simplicity of this traditional pizza joint, where the menus are printed on pizza peels, the large, wooden, tray-like spatulas the chefs use to lift pizzas in and out of the stainless steel ovens, the warmth captured by transparent partitions. Davenport’s remains a cool refuge from summer’s inferno.

The dark green walls sports not only a pale mural of Venice, but also memorabilia collected over the decades, from a framed Giants’ jersey to antique magazine covers of Ginger Rogers and Ronald Reagan. The collectibles are viewed by the dim light of the small, red oil lamps resting on the red and white tablecloths on each table. Although Davenport’s always has a steady stream of customers, it never feels crowded, and the service is fast. If you have the time, try to beat the high score on one of the eight vintage video games lining the wall, including, of course, Mrs. P
acman.


Realistically, a pizza joint that’s lasted for 47 years has to have good pizza – and Davenport’s does not disappoint. The simple menu offers traditional toppings on pizzas available in small (9”), medium (12”) and large (15”) sizes. No exotic ingredients here and no surprises. This pizza is not a flashy, new acquaintance, but an old, tried-and true friend.


Customers can choose between the Meat Lover’s Special with pepperoni, ham and sausage; the Rex Special with sausage, onions and green peppers; the Jim Special with beef, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions and green peppers; and the Veggie Special with mushrooms, onions and green peppers. Some may choose to get creative with the Build Your Own option, selecting any of the above ingredients, as well as extra cheese, bacon, black olives, green olives, jalapenos, pineapple, banana peppers, Roma tomatoes and anchovies.


No matter which toppings you choose, you will receive a hot pizza with a thin, crunchy crust and a generous amou
nt of chewy, mozzarella cheese. You’ll enjoy salad and drinks with your pizzas. The house garden salad includes tomatoes, pepperoncini peppers, black olives, bacon and croutons. Draft beer and wine are both available.


All in all, Davenport’s certainly has a peel. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist!) The secret to
Davenport’s longevity is the same simple, traditional enjoyment one might feel when watching a baseball game. Have one meal there, and you’ll understand the anonymous quote found on a sign by the front entrance: “I’ve spent most of my money on beer and pizza. The rest I’ve just wasted.”

3.5 Kudzu

Friday, September 2, 2011

The Fish Market

Hoover, AL

$8-$13 Lunch Entrees

$11-$15 Dinner Entrees

The interior of The Fish Market in Hoover is a gumbo of wooden birdcages, fake houseplants, wall-mounted swordfish, and paintings of wildly differing styles. This salmagundi’s parent restaurant is the original, downtown location, purchased in 1982 by George Sarris, who emigrated from Greece in 1969. The Fish Market specializes in serving the freshest, most reasonably priced seafood in Birmingham … with a Greek twist.


The Fish Market has an entirely casual, family atmosphere with a large, open floor plan. However, the lack of a clear
seating system can disorient customers. Signs posted to designate “full service” sections only add to the confusion. I found myself asking, “Full service? As opposed to what? Am I at a ’50’s gas station?” Seeing we were lost, a waitress seated my mother and me at a table with a gaudy, yet practical plastic tablecloth. It took my mother, who lives in Illinois where she can’t find such seafood, a full 20 minutes, as well as two excellent martinis from the full bar, to finally decide to order nearly everything on the extensive menu.


Hemingway wrote about his stay in 1920’s Paris in A Moveable Feast (1964): "As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea … and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell …, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.” Our oysters on the half shell made us equally happy. Like a bottle of white wine, they were perfectly chilled. Like Lewis Carroll’s Walrus and Carpenter, we ate them, “every one”.


Contrary to its name, West Indies Salad was invented near Mobile in 1947 by Bill Bayley, a restaurateur.
Tender lump crabmeat must be allowed to marinate for 12 hours in a mixture of apple cider vinegar and sweet white onion while being constantly chilled by extremely cold ice water. The Fish Market’s West Indies Salad was properly prepared and bitingly delicious.


The Krabby Cakes were incredibly crispy outside with a generous amount of lump crabmeat inside. They were accompanied b
y fresh dill dip, which was so good I requested extra. Of the three types of cole slaw offered, I opted for Greek. Upon tasting it, I realized I had been deprived of real cole slaw my entire life. With self-pitying ecstasy, I munched on the angel hair cabbage, generously salted and mixed with feta, Greek herbs, oil, and vinegar.


Extremely strong fighters able to swim 50 mph, swordfish are prized for their tasty meat. As swordfish are no longer endangered, I tasted my mother’s with no compunction. She declared it “outstanding”. We ate bite after bite of the perfectly cooked delicacy with its rich flavor brought out by a squeeze of fresh lemon. Some historians believe the word “hushpuppies” was coined by Southern cooks who would feed a fried cornmeal mixture to begging dogs during fish fries. Others think “hushpuppies” were fed to Confederate dogs by Union soldiers to quell their barks. Regardless, my mother and I ate every one of our golden balls of cornmeal.


For those of you who now think I only eat my mother’s food, you’re wrong. I also ate the butterflied shrimp, springy scallops, and delicately flaky snapper in my seafood platter. Other than the surprisingly bland fried oysters, every
thing was well-seasoned and crispy. The platter came with fantastic French fries, made in-house with the skins left on.


As I ushered my mother, by then insisting on being addressed as “Captain”, out the door, I reflected on how unusual it is to find seafood this good so far from the coast. Augmenting
the experience was our friendly waitress and the fact the restaurant serves several kinds of homemade pie. I had eaten so heartily, my pie, a delectable coconut cream, had to depart in a to-go box.


4 Kudzu

Chez Lulu

English Village, Birmingham, AL

$8-$14 Entrees


Acclaimed in several national publications, Chez Lulu doesn’t need another food critic praising their cuisine or another customer recommending them to their friends. Well, Chez Lulu, I’m doing it anyway.


For those who missed French 101, Chez Lulu means: “an enclave of European scrumptiousness”. Carole Griffin, who started Continental Bakery, Chez Lulu’s next-door parent company, with encouragement and funding from her grandmother, introduced the concept … and croissants … to Birmingham 27 years ago. Chez Lulu began charming customers in 1995. For Ms. Griffin, it’s all about the bread. She says, “Chez Lulu was born of my desire to showcase the beautiful artisanal breads we were creating … and to share with Birmingham my own passion for the flavors and spirit of French cafĂ© society.” Chez Lulu is actually a euphemism for a French bordello, one example of owner Carole Griffin’s insouciant, Monty Pythonesque sense of humor. Another is “Springalingadingdong”, the annual May festival sponsored by Continental Bakery, which includes hula-hoop and costume contests, a bread toss, parade, and reenactment of Marie Antoinette’s execution by guillotine.


The atmosphere is not for the claustrophobic, yet it has a certain je ne sais quoi. A gorgeous, cozy hodgepodge of saffron and multicolored lights, crowned with a ceiling in a ruby tincture, it resembles a complex coat of arms. One twists and turns around hand-made iron tables, crushed velvet pillows, paintings of European landscapes and swag lamps to arrive at the luxurious chaise lounge in the restroom, awarded Best Bathroom by Birmingham Weekly.


But don’t let the interior mosaic fool you. This authentic bistro has clearly defined priorities: remaining active Slow Food members, supporting local farmers who use time-honored growing methods, serving fresh, seasonal produce, creating European breads from scratch, employing traditional, stone hearth baking methods, and using only the finest natural ingredients. This restaurant attracts a cosmopolitan, sophisticated clientele, some of whom are canine. The latter are welcome to dine al fresco with their owners at comfortable tables under cooling red umbrellas. The wait staff is extremely knowledgeable about the cuisine and prepared to answer questions with aplomb.


The innovative menu is French with Spanish and Italian influences. Beautiful music is made with imported and local ingredients in Gallic recipes. Although many enjoy the kalamata olive tapenade, my favorite appetizer is the “Cheeze” Lulu, a platter of Brie, chevre, Gorgonzola and sliced fruit. On the day I dined, one soup du jour was a chilled gazpacho, difficult to find this side of the Atlantic. Chez Lulu is famous for their chicken salad, accented with French tarragon, finished with fresh-squeezed lemon and served on the artisanal bread of one’s choice.


Francophiles will love the tarte du jour, served in a homemade butter crust. My choices were zucchini and red bell pepper or southwestern corn; however, tarte recipes change seasonally. La Doba a la Nissarda (Daube Nicoise), a classic stew invented in Nice, is made with tender beef simmered in red wine with wild mushrooms and vegetables. In France, beef from bullfights was traditionally used; however, Chez Lulu uses only grass-fed, hormone-free beef. For dessert, don’t pass up the delicate pear-almond tarte glazed with apricot.


If you want a Sunday kind of love, go to brunch at Chez Lulu. French cherry preserves are married with Alabama goat cheese and blanketed in springy, golden crepes. For a savory crepe, try the ham with Mornay sauce. Want chi-chi with substance? Order the steel-cut oatmeal with banana brulee. A variety of creations from the bakery are available, including French brioche and custard buns, Belgian chocolate croissants and pain de campagne, a 4½-pound sourdough that takes 48 hours to prepare. Chez Lulu serves Continental Bakery’s private blend of coffee, as well as specialty nonalcoholic drinks. Alcoholic beverages are served after noon and include Chez Lulu’s mimosa and homemade Bloody Mary.


Chez Lulu opens for Sunday brunch and on Tuesdays through Sundays for lunch and dinner. In keeping with the whimsical sense of fun, periodical live entertainment is available, such as belly dancers, accordion players and Spanish guitarists. The word “standout” has two definitions: 1) something remarkably superior to others; and 2) someone conspicuous due to refusal to conform to the majority’s actions or opinions. Chez Lulu embodies them both.


5 Kudzu