Alabama Restaurants Restaurant Reviews

foodie4eva 15 years ago said:

Hey guys! I just returned from a trip to NE Alabama where I own a home and a some acreage. I went to some really cool restaurants, although not as many different ones as I would have wished (we went with friends/neighbors and repeated a couple of restaurants. Be sure to read the last thread, as I wanted your opinion on a potential adventure. No more hints :-)

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foodie4eva 15 years ago said:

This restaurant, located in downtown Ft. Payne, Alabama, is a chain restaurant, but fairly new to the area. It is primarily a steakhouse, and has the normal steakhouse fare on the menu.
The first night we were there, I ordered the 12-oz. ribeye (there was a 16-oz, as well, but I knew I wouldn't even make a dent in that), baked potato and steamed broccoli. I am going to comment on the broccoli first, because it was as good as I have ever eaten...tender-crisp, hot when it got to the table, and a LOT of it! It was cooked with butter (or rather, a butter-blend) which I could have done without because the broccoli itselt was that good, but I suppose you could order it without and they would comply. The potato was normal...cooked through well enough, but I could tell it spent some time in the microwave. I know a lot of people don't mind that, but I am VERY picky about my baked potatoes. I know they initially baked it in an oven, so kudos to them for that, but the microwave thing should be thrown out....how did restaurants do it before micros, eh? LOL
The steak was VERY good. The grade must have been at least "choice", if not "select"; there was good marbling without being too fatty, and it was trimmed very closely, I would say at about 1/4", making the flavor outstanding in the meat itself. The seasoning was bold but not overpowering, and I like my steak RARE, and it was cooked perfectly....seared with a bit of char on the outside, and red, but not cold-raw on the inside...it was excellent!
My hubby got the 9 oz sirloin steak, broccoli and baked potato, and he likes his steak med-rare. Again, cooked perfectly, seasoned very well, and the cut of sirloin was very good....almost as tender as the ribeye, in spite of being leaner. We both took doggy-bags home.
The couple we were with got the sirloin, and the steak quesadilla, and both said it was excellent, but I don't have more detail than that on those. :-) They like their steaks much more well-done than we do, but we all like the place so well that we ate here again a second time last week, and we all enjoyed it again. The service was also prompt, efficient and friendly both times. I guess Santa Fe Steak House is doing it right! If the rest of the chain is as good as this one, then Texas Roadhouse, Longhorns, and Outback might as well roll up the carpets.

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lilliancooks 15 years ago said:

Hi Foodie! Are you saying that you're thinking about buying a Santa Fe Steak House Restaurant?

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foodie4eva 15 years ago said:

Hi Lillian.....no, sorry, I didn't finish the reviews...I do tend to get wordy, don't I? Read on for more information.......

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foodie4eva 15 years ago said:

JT's Catfish House is at the corner of CR 89, and AL Hwy 35. It has been there for years, and we have always talked about going, but never did.
We should have.
The layout of the restaurant is a bit awkward, with three different dining rooms down a hallway of sorts, with the kitchen kind of in the middle, and a band at the end.
It is well-named, as catfish is the star of the menu.
I have never had such fresh, well-cooked catfish in the traditional southern style cuisine in my life. I ordered the SMALL catfish combo of 2 filets and three pieces of fried shrimp with hush pupies and french fries, which came with additional sides of coleslaw (I don't particularly like coleslaw, but this was pretty good--no carrots, a bit of zing, and definitely fresh), and white beans that were very good.
The catfish and shrimp were lightly breaded and cooked to perfection, and were fresh, fresh, fresh! And trust me, this is not common on the mountain....usually there is at least a slightly fishy smell, which is why I do not normally order fish in this area. But no smell here. And the oil used was clean and hot. The seasoning was absolutely spot-on....bold without overpowering the fish.
The selection of beer and wine is pretty good, standard beers and they did have a good Pinot Grigio.
Even with the small platter, I couldn't finish everything, and my hubby ordered the medium platter, and couldn't eat everything on his, much less finish what I left. LOL
I dont' think there is any competition for this restaurant in the catffish department anywhere in Dekalb County, and possibly beyond. The service was good, and the owner was extremely nice and friendly, which is the standard in the area....everyone is nice up here!
We will definitely go back, and it was recommended that we try the steak next. :-)
I don't have enough time to post the question right now, but I will post it later on today here.........

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foodie4eva 15 years ago said:

Okay, I am back and I promise to finish this review and then ask the question......
We have been visiting and living in Dekalb County Alabama off and on for the last 18 years.
Before we bought our property and built our house in the area, we always stayed at DeSoto State Park. I can't even begin to describe how beautiful it is, so I will give you the link..... http://www.alaparks.com
This park has camping, cabins and a motel, and the motel has an attached restaurant.
We keep hoping that the quality improves, and it has over the last few years.
Breakfast has always been fairly good and consistent, with an a la carte menu during the week and a decent buffet during the weekends.
Lunch and dinner are served, but this is where the restaurant needs major help. I have to say up front that the waitstaff is wonderful....friendly, experienced (we have developed a first-name-basis relationship with most of them over the years), and efficient. Groups come often for the banquet rooms, clubs, socials, weddings, etc.
The food quality is, well, institutional. But that is better than before, when it was barely edible. I hate to say it, because everything else about Desoto State Park is outstanding, but they really need help with the restaurant part of it.........or maybe not, because if you read on to the next thread, that is where I pose my question. :-)

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foodie4eva 15 years ago said:

As I said before, we have been a part of the community up on Lookout Mountain for years, although it has been on the fringes, since we are not up there full-time.
1-1/2 miles from Desoto State Park, on Lookout Mountain Parkwaywhich is the primary road to the park, there is a restaurant for sale.
It has been through three owners in the past 18 years. We knew all of them, ate there at least once with each of them, and pretty much understand what went wrong with all of them. It would be easy for me to sit here and pick apart the problems on the business end of things--the original owner was okay customer-service-wise, but had owned the business for a very long time and was ready to sell, and the food was uninspired and dated. The next one was not a very nice person...he tried, but he was crass and imposing, and drove away customers, and the food just wasn't very good at all; the third owners were a lovely young lady, her mother and her sister, and they were great with the customers, but the husband, who was the cook, didn't produce very good food--it was okay, but just very unoriginal and used canned veggies (ack!!) and over- or undersalted everything, and didn't know other seasonings exist.
Can you see a pattern here?
And can you see where I am going with this?? LOL
I wish now that I had pictures of this property that I could show you, because it is a really quaint old log cabin with a double fireplace in the center of the main dining room which seats about 50, a big enough kitchen and service area (although it is not ideally configured, it is workable), and it comes lock, stock and barrel, which means all the kitchen equipment, and serviceware equipment, tables and chairs, table supplies, a big walk-in cooler and freezer, etc. and lots of odds and ends...(the only thing I didn't see were chef's knives) come included in the price.
I have inquired as to the state of the health department, septic services, equipment workability, etc. and have been assured that everything is in working order. (The restaurant closed about two months ago and the electricity and gas have been shut off, so there was no opportunity for me to see everything working). I will get a building inspection, should it get to the point that I am really committed to buying it.
I believe this restaurant is in a great location; the area is growing in tourist activities (eco-tourism is really on the upswing here), and they just had a grand opening for the JSU Field Studies Center at Little River Canyon and this restaurant is located between that and Desoto State Park; Ft. Payne is growing in industry and population because of several county-generated industry incentives; they have re-permitted construction of a nuclear power plant within 30 miles of the area (which will bring more science-based population to live in this area, although I have mixed feelings about the power plant...); and they are actively seeking alternative-energy industry to locate in the general area, AND new agriculture enterprises have grown in Alabama by 54% over the last five years, so the time is ripe for a great quality, FRESH restaurant that is based on locally-grown, organic when possible, New-Appalachian Cuisine. The number of local farms producing both great vegetables and fruits, AND farms with local (commercial) meat products--beef, pork, buffalo, chicken, lamb, goat, rabbit, AND the availability of wild game is very exciting to me!
Now, I have wanted to own a restaurant for a very long time, and have actually envisioned owning THIS very restaurant when each of the previous enterprises were running it (of COURSE I could do a better job, right? LOL). I do understand the commitment it takes, the money it takes, and that the success rate of restaurant businesses is poor. I also have no real experience in the restaurant industry, and I realize that most restaurateurs would probably tell me that I am crazy for even considering it without having any experience. But I feel that I do have enough experience to hire the right people.
The good thing is that I have general business experience, having had 3 successful businesses of my own, management experience, marketing experience, and the passion and commitment to do whatever it takes to make it successful. I also know that I will have to hire experienced, committed, passionate staff, and make sure they are compensated appropriately.
Have any of you ever opened your own restaurant? Or have a friend who has? Or have any opinions about it? Feel free to post anything here, or email me privately if you wish either to my page on here, or on my other email: mary@iride.at
I welcome your honest input, and don't worry about hurting my feelings. I would rather hear the worst truth than the least lie. Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions!

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lilliancooks 15 years ago said:

Hi Mary! I went into business with my older brother and my Mom and Dad. We had a cute little pizza place. When we bought it, the place was doing very badly because of the same reasons you are talking about...poor food quality and management. The location was perfect and our food must of been good because we had lines out the door at lunch time. At dinner time we did a lot of deliveries. It was VERY long hours...12-14 hours a day 7 days a week! We were open on most holidays also! No time for family or friends. Its great that you can hire what ever staff you need. We only were able to have a delivery person, so it was a little more difficult for us. It was mainly just me, my brother and his wife working there. My Dad was a silent partner, who helped out in a major way financially. My Mom would do a little cooking, but mostly babysat for my brothers baby. It wasn't a good experience for me because of having to work with my brother and his wife. We didn't see eye to eye on many issues. They were not very good at running their own lives let alone a business! We ended up selling the place within 2 years. The person we sold it to is still there and doing very well! That was 20 years ago! I did love seeing the customers everyday, that was the best part! Seeing them enjoy our food, hearing all the great compliments! It was like a party everyday! I wouldn't count on hired staff to take care of everything...You are the one invested monetarily and emotionally, so you should be there always to over see EVERYTHING. There is a lot involved in running a business and there's even a lot more involved in running a 'successful' business. Along with a great staff, get a good accountant and find some really good food suppliers...your marketing background will come in very handy. I wish you the best of luck! It sounds like you did your homework and you sound very organized...thats half the battle! Let us know how it goes! It should be very exciting!

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foodie4eva 15 years ago said:

Hi Lillian, Thanks for the insight into your experience. You are absolutely right that one cannot count on others to carry their dream, and I always throw myself into whatever I do 24/7. That said, my biggest problem is balancing the other part of my life, so I don't get burned out...it takes a lot longer for me to burn out because I am stubborn about things (LOL), but if I do take the attitude of "no matter what it takes", then the business (any business) will take everything, and that is as bad as not giving enough.
That is why I will go very slowly in this process, and especially try to hire passionate, visionary people with a committed attitude on their own (and give them enough incentive to embrace the dream as their own), instead of trying to instill that quality in people as we go along. That is too much work. :-)
I want to hire a chef that exudes passion and creativity, and support and encourage those qualities. This will be somewhat of a challenge in this area, as it seems to be easy to put in tons of hours on the job with no opportunity to get refreshed culinarily. Fortunately, we are within 1-1/2 hours from Atlanta, and it would be great to include a bi-annual or quarterly trip to a great Atlanta restaurant (or culinary event) for the entire staff. That is also why I would like to be open only 5 or 6 days per week, not 7. We have to be creative in keeping our inspiration up, especially in an area that is not on the cutting edge in the culinary world. Just one of my ideas. Whether it would be feasible or not, we can only see. :-)

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chefelaine 15 years ago said:

Hi Eva!
It sounds like you have your hart SET on this venture, and I truly hope you go ahead with it.
As the old saying goes, if you can envision it, it will happen.May I give you an example:

You're most likely familiar with the TV program, HELL'S KITCHEN......... I envision opening a restaurant called HOPE'S KITCHEN. I might be miles out of league, but I would honestly love to do something to help the unemployed, the homeless, the disabled, the elderly, the struggling.... single moms with kids they cannot afford to feed well, etc...

Therefore, my restaurant would have to depend on the charity of local, caring food stores, and I would not charge for meals.
I have envisioned it, but my problem is, HOW do I go about it, and how could I survive if I don't have a pay check......... but the VISION is there, and right now, I am very puzzled as to HOW this will come to fruition.
It sounds like you are as well, dear.
They say that 'when the time is right, you'll know when to strike for it'.

I hope you DO, because it seems pretty darned obvious that you CARE about it, and want to make a success of it.
May God bless you.

Elaine :+D
I will certainly be praying for you, in hopes that all will go well for you, and that you will succeed in this venture.

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foodie4eva 15 years ago said:

Thank you very much, Chef Elaine. My potential venture is certainly not as altruistic as your dream (I LOVE the name, Hope's Kitchen!!), and I wish you the best of luck and success with it, as well.
A thought just occured to me, and though I can see a LOT of difficult work in it, it might just give you an idea for how your excellent vision can come to fruition....
In my town, here in Florida, they have culinary-based charity benefits on a regular basis. They are certainly popular here, and sell out almost as soon as the tickets go on sale. I know that depending on functions such as fundraisers in certainly risky, but since you are a professional chef, maybe the professionals in your area would pitch in to put on fundraisers that would raise working capital and help support your cause....which sounds REALLY good, by the way...and another thing that springs to mind is becoming a community teaching environment for the same people you are trying to help on a day-to-day basis, which would in turn help your business by supplying "interns" and volunteers" who could get experience, who would then be able to enter into the food industry....that would make your business almost self sustaining (I hope I am explaining myself clearly....).
Anyway, thanks so much for the support and much success to you in your potential venture, as well. :-)

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chefelaine 15 years ago said:

Thank you so much, Eva.
I am not working AS a professional cook right now though, as I work full time with developmentally delayed adults.
Of course, lately, I am not working at all, due to this skin problem, and I don't expect to be back for at least another couple of weeks. It's still a real sore, ugly, itchy mess.

However, I have run across management recently that I would love to get involved with the company as a pro with them, and teach the clients how to cook, as well as hopefully provide some form of out-reach such as my vision for Hope's Kitchen.

All prayers would be gratefully appreciated, as I do feel VERY motivated by this idea.
Thanks so much again :+D

Elaine

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foodie4eva 15 years ago said:

You will be in my prayers always, Chef Elaine. I am sorry for your personal challenge right now, and I wish for a full and speedy recovery for you.

Mary

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chefelaine 15 years ago said:

Thank you so much, Mary. It is agonizing, the burning and itching, but I also know there are others worse off than myself.
I am grateful indeed for any and all prayers.

Elaine

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