Green Valley Drugs

Hoover, AL
$4-$6 Entrees

You don't need a prescription to go to Green Valley Drugs, but a treat there might be just the cure you need! In this charming pharmacy and gift shop dwells an all-American, old-fashioned, honest-to-goodness soda fountain complete with a friendly, hard-working staff with a talent for remembering their customers by name. Choose between a chair at a table or a round vinyl stool at the counter and listen to the roar of the retro milkshake blender while you try not to order everything on the menu.

Green Valley serves up some of the best cheeseburgers in town. Any nostalgia you may feel for the quality of restaurants past will be more than satisfied by the warm fuzzies you will experience with your first bite. These burgers are not the previously frozen, dry patties found at most restaurants today. These babies are made from fresh beef delivered to Green Valley each morning. After coming off the well-ventilated grill, they are tender, juicy and complemented by fresh lettuce, tomato, onion, thinly-sliced pickles, real mayonnaise, ketchup and a toasted bun. Paradise, anyone?

Green Valley also makes expertly crafted sandwiches, including a mean BLT. Served on white or wheat, the savory bacon, crisp lettuce and juicy tomato combine to form one of America's most oft-craved sandwiches. While Green Valley's tuna salad is a bit heavy on the pickle relish, their pimiento cheese won't disappoint. For those with large appetites, most sandwiches are available in club or double-decker size. All sandwiches should be accompanied by Green Valley's golden crinkle-cut fries, which are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and served hot.

Certain things are worth dying for: God, country and a chocolate malt from Green Valley's soda fountain. This thick, creamy shake is punctuated by sugary lumps of malt like stars in a chocolaty night sky. You won't be able to stop drinking it. Although you can get it to-go, it will taste even better if served from a dented, stainless milkshake cup. No soft-serve at this soda fountain, either. Green Valley uses only real Mayfield ice cream in each sundae and banana split. The same genuine ingredients can be found in every selection. Even the lemonade is made with real lemons. For a bona fide breakfast, complete with eggs, grits, sausage and pancakes, come before 10:30 a.m. each weekday.

With prompt service and prices less than what a gallon of gas will cost by summer, it is no wonder that Green Valley Drugs soda fountain and pharmacy has been successful since December of 1961, when it first opened under the ownership of Mr. Joe Box. Now running for 50 years this December, it is Hoover's oldest business. To experience a bygone era when a date meant a couple simply sharing a Coca-Cola, bring your sweetheart and visit Green Valley Drugs. They might even give you two straws for your milkshake!

4 Kudzu

Taste of Thailand

Hoover, AL
$10-$16 Entrees

What would we do without fast food? Most of us would not forgo the convenience of drive-thrus and to-go menus. Sushi is arguably the first type of fast food ever invented. First created in Southeast Asia, then taken to the level of an art form by the Japanese, sushi is one of the most beautifully presented, healthy and delicious dishes one can order. Many Americans are afraid to try it. That's all right. More for me!

Start with nori, a dried, pressed sheet of seaweed with an addictive, slightly chewy texture. Spread a layer of delicately vinegared rice over the nori. Add sashimi-quality raw fish or, if you prefer, cooked fish. Other ingredients, such as strips of fresh avocado, cucumber, or thinly sliced carrot, may also be added. The combination is snugly rolled into a cylinder and firmly pressed with a bamboo mold. The cylinder is then sliced into yummy bite-sized jewels and occasionally topped with a sweet kabayaki sauce or a spicy wasabi-based sauce. Often, the cylinder is layered with rice and sesame seeds prior to slicing and garnished with ginger and wasabi. Sushi is traditionally dipped in soy sauce and eaten by hand.

The Japanese believe five different tastes exist. Sushi falls into the category of umami, which means "savoriness" or "deliciousness". I wholeheartedly agree. The combination of exotic flavors becomes more than the sum of its parts, causing the diner to enter a state of transcendent bliss and, thereafter, to wake frequently at 2:00 a.m. with inexorable sushi cravings.

Enter Taste of Thailand, a lovely, unassuming restaurant specializing in both Thai cuisine and sushi. As you sit in the warm glow of lights at a table with a white tablecloth and gaze at charming photographs of Thailand, you will be glad you came. In an age of frantic reservations, long waits and hostesses resembling bouncers in attitude, Taste of Thailand puts the "rest" in "restaurant". Combining a quiet ambience, a gracious wait staff, and no wait for seating, this restaurant is more my speed.

You will not have to run to the gym after eating at Taste of Thailand, as the food is almost invariably light and healthy. The vegetable rolls, rice wraps enfolding lettuce, sprouts, mint, tofu and cilantro, are steamed and served with a sweet and spicy plum sauce. Crispy spring rolls, containing crunchy cabbage and rice noodles, are served with a clear, sweet sauce with crushed peanuts. Taste of Thailand's chicken and rice soup is simple with a clear broth, shredded carrot and a hint of green onion.

However, the Lorna Roll, named for the restaurant's street address, met a deep, primal need I didn't even know I had. Foregoing the traditional nori in favor of soy paper, this sushi roll contained snow crab, cucumber, and crunchy tempura. It was topped with fresh salmon and strips of avocado and crowned with red tobiko, a delicacy of flying fish roe. This roll was drizzled with kabayaki sauce, made of soy sauce, sugar and sweet rice wine. I don't have any problem that 10 years of therapy and a Lorna Roll can't cure.

Besides their respectably diverse sushi menu, Taste of Thailand has an extensive menu of Thai cuisine, including Pad Thai (pronounced "pud tie"), stir-fried rice noodles topped with scrambled egg, fish sauce, tamarind juice, red chili pepper and bean sprouts. These gentle flavors are offset by the crunchiness of crushed, roasted peanuts.

With moderate prices, excellent service, an atmosphere worthy of a romantic date, and top-quality ingredients, you will want to return again and again. Move over, Surin West. Taste of Thailand is here to play!

4.5 Kudzu

DeVinci's

Homewood, AL

$8-$17 Entrees

My mother has an appreciation for good food. In fact, my whole family does. All we do when we get together is talk, cook and eat. It would be nice if we had the excuse of being Italian, but we don't. However, we especially love Italian cuisine. During a time of family crisis, my mother and I needed a place to sit for a long chat and stuff ourselves with palliatives. We found the perfect trattoria.

DeVinci's, a family owned restaurant open since 1965, is famous for its robust, satisfying pizzas, both gourmet and traditional. After squeezing into a woefully inadequate parking lot, we walked through the door and followed our waitress across the faux-weathered floor to one of the rickety tables. The unfortunate stucco walls were a garish yellow and sported a hodgepodge of DaVinci and Gaugin prints.

My mother is as slow as Christmas when making menu selections. Our patient waitress came back three times before we submitted our order. As everything at DeVinci's is made from scratch, I expected a long wait; however, both the preparation and service were prompt.

Black olives are my least favorite food. My mother, however, eats them directly from the can. Both of us considered the stuffed olives at DeVinci's to be golden nuggets from the gods. Tre formaggi and flash fried in focaccia bread crumbs, they are worth fighting over. I was surprised by the size of our stuffed mushrooms, each at least three inches in diameter. These bounteous buttons, filled with herbs and superior mozzarella, were served with fresh marinara. Our physical surroundings were entirely forgotten.

We took the road less traveled and ordered pasta dishes instead of DeVinci's famous pizza. The baked ziti was brought forth in all its glory, crowned with a golden crust of extremely stretchy mozzarella. My mother made incoherent sounds of ecstasy while consuming this fresh pasta and tasty meat sauce. While eating the rondelle, however, I began to understand why many DeVinci customers have been loyal for over 40 years. Take thin sheets of pasta spread with creamed spinach, crushed walnuts and ricotta. Roll and slice them like sushi. Over each spiral, pour homemade Alfredo. Each one was the last word in decadence, and the last, and the last. DeVinci's has every reason to be proud of this original recipe.

My mother and I split one dessert and planned to take one to my spouse. After two glasses of really good wine (St. Gabriel Riesling and Penfolds Shiraz), I was inordinately excited to learn that tiramisu means "little pick-me-up". We ate the first ample serving of layered lady fingers, mascarpone filling and sweetened espresso. Then we opened my spouse's box and ate that one too. The tiramisu, while delicious, could have been improved with kahlua.

Our waitress, who feted us with the level of hospitality usually reserved for celebrities, rolled us to our car after our culinary debauch. We hope to return to DeVinci's soon. Perhaps in the spring to dine al fresco.

4 Kudzu

F.I.G.

Tuscaloosa, AL
$6-$9 Lunch Entrees
$12-$16 Dinner Entrees

Looking for the perfect lunch place? Search no more! F.I.G. (Food is Good), a snazzy cafe with a sophisticated menu, never fails to draw a crowd, whether casual or professional. This is not, however, an establishment for a business lunch, but a place to gossip! The food is as chic as the decor, with walls the color of key lime pie and a modish red and white striped awning adorning the entrance. During high-volume times, such as workday lunch, service may lag a bit behind demand. Servers, however, are invariably hard working and thoughtful. You won't be late returning to work, but you might cut it close.

F.I.G. is known for innovative ingredients, creative combinations and playful presentations. Take their entree house salad with smoked Gouda, buttermilk dressing, bacon, red onion, grilled chicken strips, and tortilla crisps. F.I.G. layers these ingredients like a trifle in a tall, oversized glass. Once brought to the table, it is poured out onto a large plate for enthusiastic consumption. I have yet to finish one of these salads. For a hedonistic person like myself, that's saying something.

Their tomato and fresh basil soup, optionally topped with cheddar and bacon, is zestfully savory without being overly acidic. The Greek pizza appetizer, with its homemade crust, light pesto base, grilled chicken, mozzarella, goat cheese, spinach, and toasted walnuts, is one of the best things I've ever eaten. The sweet potato fries with Asian dipping sauce are fun and nutritious.

Most of F.I.G.'s selection are healthy, like the Napa Valley chicken salad with grapes and pecans ... not to mention the goat cheese salad with mixed baby greens, sliced almonds, dried cranberries and chevre with a balsamic vinaigrette. However, the half-pound Black Angus Bama burger, while certainly not cholesterol-free, is thick, juicy, and completely satisfying. Or try the fanciful Fried Green BLT with fried green tomatoes, bacon, lettuce and creole mustard on a Kaiser roll.

I had one disappointing experience at F.I.G. My Rio chicken wrap arrived without the promised cashews, avocado, Thai mayo, and tomato tortilla. I can understand leaving out or substituting one ingredient, but four? Luckily, the staff graciously fixed the mistake. After all, it's not what happens, but how wait-staff responds that matters most. Or maybe what matters most is the dessert that follows such a mishap, such as the Chip-A-Roo. When eating those two warm chocolate chip cookies, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate syrup, a misassembled Rio fades into the distant past, and one enters a state of anoesis. This is my newest word. It means "a state of mind consisting of pure sensation or emotion without cognitive content." Yep, that about sums it up.

I have always had positive experiences with F.I.G.'s inventive and well-priced daily specials. In fact, F.I.G.'s prices are competitive, overall. Their most expensive entree, the filet mignon, is only $16, compared to most restaurants' range of $24 to $32. For a more commonplace point of reference, F.I.G.'s side salad is a mere $1.99. Beverages, however, may present a hidden cost; F.I.G.'s drinks are served by the bottle ... ergo refills are, lamentably, not free.

Perhaps F.I.G.'s greatest appeal lies in the diversity its of menu options. Whether you are male or female, laid back or flossy, informal or fancy, you will love F.I.G.

4 Kudzu

Chuck's

Tuscaloosa, AL
$18-$32 Entrees

Rarely have I ever paid so much for a bad experience. Y'all know me. I'm a softie, a lenient and merciful restaurant critic. I love food. I love people. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. I went to Chuck's in Tuscaloosa expecting to have a positive experience, as I had heard good things about the restaurant when it first opened. Well, either they've changed chefs or I need to go to an audiologist.

I wanted to leave the minute I opened the menu. Every entree except one was priced at over $20. I thought: "This business seriously needs to consider obtaining a price point analysis." I pulled my shocked eyes from the menu to observe the atmosphere, which could be described as "Gap casualness at Brooks Brothers prices". The ambiance was unequivocally high-toned, with clean, crisp lines, hardwood floors, ornate railings, curved staircases and balcony seating. There was both a downstairs spirits bar and a sushi bar above. The original, unfinished brick walls encompassed an open floor plan, extended to high ceilings and displayed both transom windows and original art work. Just as I registered the fact that I didn't like the art work, which was rather abstract and primitive, I realized the restaurant was drafty and loud. The high-ceilinged space, unrelieved by curtains or carpeting, echoed unreasonably loud music, making it difficult for me to hear anything my spouse was saying. But this is all subjective. I mean, some people like to go deaf while they're eating. I kept my coat on.

The waiter brought us a chilled wine bottle filled with water: an elegant touch. He cited the two specials: grouper or red snapper. He didn't really elaborate. He quoted the prices at my request, and I ordered the red snapper, as I have never had a bad experience in my life with this fish. It is so light, so tender, and so hard to ruin. Our waiter affably allowed me to substitute a wedge salad for the mashed potatoes. Our cheddar cheese bread arrived, accompanied by fresh, whipped garlic butter. Not bad, but not as good as Red Lobster's cheese biscuits. The wedge salad, with blue cheese crumbles and crispy bacon bits, was satisfactory.

Twenty minutes after taking our order, our waiter returned to tell me he had misquoted the price of my entree, which was actually a few dollars more expensive. Not graciously offering to give me my meal at the already ridiculous price he had originally quoted, he made it clear my options were either to change my order and wait twenty more minutes ... or to pay the higher price. As it was already getting late, I took the latter option, hoping against hope that my snapper would be somehow worth the price.

However, it quickly became clear I was paying solely for atmosphere. My snapper, which my waiter defended as "fresh from the Gulf" and "in season", resembled nothing so much as an elderly curmudgeon with an obstinate interior and an even tougher exterior. It was dry and rubbery and unforgiving. It was also tasteless. The lump crab meat with which it was topped, albeit slightly sweet and flavored with a surprising spice (perhaps nutmeg?), was lukewarm. Although usually possessive of my food, I didn't mind at all giving my spouse a taste. My spouse, who can at best be tactfully described as possessing an undiscerning palate, issued his verdict: "Nondescript". The zucchini and squash on the side was perfectly steamed, but while tender and crisp, could not make up for the disappointing entree. I declined to take the remaining three-fourths of my snapper home, thinking even my dog would reject it.

Gentle reader, please do yourself a favor and avoid this seemingly classy restaurant with terrible food and outrageous prices. Both your pocketbook and your palate will thank you.

1.5 Kudzu

Fish Lips

Hoover, AL
$8-$13 Entrees

In the interest of fairness, I usually make it a point to review a restaurant only after it has been open for six months. In this cut-throat industry, in such a difficult economy, running a restaurant is not for the faint of heart. So, I try to err on the side of mercy by allowing managers and staff time to get their sea legs before commenting on the cut of their jib. After hearing Fish Lips has only been running for four months, I was reluctant to review them, fearing they would still be working out the kinks. However, this restaurant was full of surprises.

Everything about Fish Lips was unassuming and understated ... except for the cuisine. Located in the Hobby Lobby strip mall on Highway 31, with not even a sign over the door yet, this hidden treasure had a relaxed, family friendly atmosphere. The simple interior was carpeted, allowing for audible conversation. Clearly a seafood restaurant, the nautical decor was restrained and tasteful. My waitress was consistently available and prompt when needed, but not overly solicitous.

The uncomplicated menu offered a variety of choices at incredibly low prices. Although the selection was not extensive, every item sounded appetizing, from casual po' boys to fine fare. If you want a basket of fried shrimp with french fries, come here. If you want high-quality Pacific snapper worthy of a starched white tablecloth, come here. Either way, you'll get a bargain.

Fish Lips' jumbo lump crab cakes comprised a generous, filling appetizer. Not the fried breadcrumb patties seen so often at other so-called seafood restaurants, these babies were chock full of crab meat, flavorful with red peppers and celery, and topped with sauteed spinach, roasted tomatoes, and a lovely cream sauce. My salad likewise did not disappoint. The green leaf lettuce, red onions, and tomatoes were fresh, crisp, and topped with a surprisingly sweet, homemade bleu cheese vinaigrette. However, the shrimp and corn chowder I selected was thin, bland, and forgettable.

Having ordered the crab-stuffed grouper, I waited with baited breath for my entree. When it arrived, I could not believe my eyes ... or my tastebuds! This consummately balanced nonpareil was seasoned and prepared with obvious skill, stuffed with an abundance of tender claw meat, and crowned with a fresh spinach and lemon cream sauce. The latter was rich but not too heavy. The sauteed red onions with which the dish was garnished added color to the presentation but were unnecessary from a culinary perspective. The entire experience was blissful.

As Fish Lips is located in a shopping center with no big-box attraction, this "Little Tugboat That Can" may need to do some serious advertising to generate the buzz necessary to thrive. Besides getting the word out, another thing this young business could do to increase its clientele would be to obtain a liquor license and start serving beer, wine and spirits with its tasty food. (It never hurts to pair a Chardonnay with your grouper.) Nevertheless, the most important attribute of any restaurant is the food. Fish Lips' mission statement is: "We are committed to create fresh, innovative food". Mission accomplished.

4 Kudzu

The Waysider

Tuscaloosa, AL
$7-$9 Lunch Entrees
$3-$5 Breakfast Entrees

Nobody can say when The Waysider first opened. A waitress stated, "It's the oldest restaurant in Tuscaloosa, open more than 51 years!" An elderly resident swears it was running during the 50's. The Business License Department couldn't verify this, since their records don't go back that far. My theory: The tiny, vividly red house was created in the beginning when God said, "Let there be The Waysider!" Whether it's as old as Methuselah or almost as old as The Machine, locals agree The Waysider's a Tuscaloosa landmark, an old school institution serving up home-cooked breakfasts since time immemorial.

Go past The Waysider on Greensboro. Take a right ... onto the train tracks running down the street. Don't get hit by a train. Take another right, and you'll see the parking log. The Waysider's open for breakfast every day except Monday and for lunch Tuesday through Friday. Last year, The Waysider made Esquire magazine's "Top 59 Breakfast Places in American".

Coach "Bear" Bryant, who knew a real Southern breakfast when he ate one, was a regular at The Waysider. The interior screams "ROLL TIDE!" louder than any Alabama cheerleader. Every square inch of every wall's plastered with Crimson Tide memorabilia. Even the carpet's crimson. Diners sit on chairs with crimson vinyl seats at well-worn, old fashioned tables, taking in news and sports with their morning coffee. Bright yellow mums decorate every table. Peering behind containers of honey and butter, I spotted ceramic salt and pepper shakers in the form of Alabama football jerseys.

The hardworking waitresses really know their customers, many of whom started eating at The Waysider when Moby Dick was a minnow. They know who's vacationing, who's been hospitalized, who's been cheatin', and who's having twins. They "Sweetie" and "Hon" the diners like newborn babies. The customers know one another as well, be they students, football fans or retirees. People who moved away years ago will return just to eat at The Waysider, reliving childhood memories of anthropomorphic pancakes.

No even glancing at the menu, I ordered the ($5.00!!!) breakfast special. The service was especially fast for a packed-out Tuesday morning. Within seconds, I received my coffee. It was slightly weak for my taste, but fresh and smooth. My maternal waitress kept it coming! A plate of two perfectly cooked, over-medium eggs, three juicy, robust link sausages, and grits followed close on the heels of my coffee.

During the murder trial int he movie, My Cousin Vinny, a witness testifies: "No self respectin' Southerner uses instant grits. I take pride in my grits." Although each non-instant "grit" took 20 minutes to cook, mine were a bit thin. Accompanying my meal were biscuits which I underestimated at first. Then I realized these slightly square, piping hot creations didn't come from a can. They were fluffy and contained real buttermilk! They were so good I asked for a to-go box. I just couldn't Bear to leave them behind! My waitress, her Southern drawl lengthening, smugly boasted, "Yeeaah, we serve about 10,000 of those on Sundays. " After paying, I drove directly to the lap pool to swim off the ten million calories I had consumed, the whole time thinking, "It was worth every bite."

The Waysider's affordability is only rivaled by their authenticity. In his 1993 book, Southern Food, John Egerton quotes its former owner, Archie Farr: "Places like this are getting hard to find. And they're even harder to keep going... But [the chains] don't have the pride that we do, and their mass production can't match our freshness and quality. All that plastic food in a plastic environment won't last. Southern food will eventually come back." Amen, y'all.

3.5 Kudzu