Birmingham, Alabama has always been known as the Magic City, but with the revitalization of downtown over the last several years, the magic has been particularly powerful.
Influential and stalwart publications such as the New York Times , Zagat and Thrillist have all espoused the fact that though Birmingham still has to endure its past, the city is pushing towards new artistic, creative and culinary heights.
The upcoming Sidewalk Film Festival showcases films from long-time and fledgling independent filmmakers. The work of organizations such as REV Birmingham has helped revitalize neighborhoods such as Avondale and Woodlawn. And the Birmingham culinary scene saw a massive innovation with the opening of the Pizitz Food Hall in early 2017 featuring a wide variety of cuisines such as Ethiopian, Israeli, north Mexican, Japanese, Hawaiian and Italian.
Granted, the creative spirit of Birmingham has always abounded, especially with food. Chris Hastings, Frank Stitt, Clif Holt and James Lewis are just a few of the names you will hear around town when you ask about Birmingham’s top chefs. Inspired by the flavors of the world around them while also acknowledging the tastes of the deep south, these chefs continue to influence the current and future generations of Birmingham’s culinary scene.
Birmingham Restaurant Week
The week of August 11th through 20th represents an important time in the city as Birmingham Restaurant Week (BRW) celebrates an abundance of restaurants across the metropolitan area with this premier dining event. Launched in 2010, REV Birmingham District Manager and BRW founder, James Little, wanted to dedicate a span of time that highlighted Birmingham restaurants who provided delicious meals full of locally sourced food and ingredients. Since the initial Birmingham Restaurant Week, the experience has brought attention from Forbes, Buzzfeed, Travel Channel and Huffington Post.
Each participating restaurant provide menus for categories like $10 Lunch, $15 Lunch, $10 Dinner, $20 Dinner, $30 Dinner, $40 Dinner and a variety of drink specials. Over 70 restaurants offer unique and special meals just for the event. Customers range from regular patrons to new adventurers, which help to bolster a thriving environment for both standard and experimental cuisine.
Nimble is fortunate enough to work with three restaurants participating in the 2017 BRW (Jackson’s, OvenBird and ABHI at the Summit). Below we have listed more about each restaurant as well as their Birmingham Restaurant Week 2017 menus.
ABHI at the Summit
Asian Fusion Eatery + Sushi + Bar. Serving asian cuisine from all over Southeast Asia and more.
BRW Lunch Menu
$15 per person – excluding tax, tip and beverage
APPETIZER (choose one)
Momo – House made Nepalese steamed dumplings with ground turkey in an Alabama tomato vinaigrette, 3 pcs
[or]
Beer Batter Eggplant – Locally Grown with togarashi sauce, 3 pcs
ENTREE (choose one)
Spicy Bangkok Chicken Salad – grilled chicken, local mixed greens, Alabama tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, Thai basil, cucumbers, onions & house citrus dressing
[or]
Spicy Pork Mint Salad – grilled pork, local mixed greens, ginger, Alabama tomatoes, mint, Thai basil, cilantro, onions, scallions, peanuts, cucumber & house citrus dressing
[or]
Spicy Salmon Salad – grilled salmon, local mixed greens, Thai basil, Alabama tomatoes, mint, onions, scallions, cilantro, cucumbers & honey citrus dressing
[or]
Silken Tofu “Caprese” – silken tofu, Alabama tomatoes, cucumbers, mint, cilantro & Thai basil
LIBATION $10
#Summercamp – *Cooper’s Craft Bourbon, fresh lemon juice, Demerara simple, Crème de Cassis, Blueberry Hibiscus Tea, El Guapo Summer Berries bitters
*Part of Birmingham Restaurant Week’s Bourbon Sponsor, Cooper’s Craft
Dinner Menu
$20 per person – excluding tax, tip and beverage
APPETIZER (choose one)
Momo – House made Nepalese steamed dumplings with ground turkey in an Alabama tomato vinaigrette, 3 pcs
[or]
Beer Batter Eggplant – Locally Grown with togarashi sauce, 3 pcs
ENTREE (choose one)
Spicy Bangkok Chicken Salad – grilled chicken, local mixed greens, Alabama tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, Thai basil, cucumbers, onions & house citrus dressing
[or]
Spicy Pork Mint Salad – grilled pork, local mixed greens, ginger, Alabama tomatoes, mint, Thai basil, cilantro, onions, scallions, peanuts, cucumber & house citrus dressing
[or]
Spicy Salmon Salad – grilled salmon, local mixed greens, Thai basil, Alabama tomatoes, mint, onions, scallions, cilantro, cucumbers & honey citrus dressing
[or]
Silken Tofu “Caprese” – silken tofu, Alabama tomatoes, cucumbers, mint, cilantro & Thai basil
DESSERT
Your choice of dessert
LIBATION $10
#Summercamp – *Cooper’s Craft Bourbon, fresh lemon juice, Demerara simple, Crème de Cassis, Blueberry Hibiscus Tea, El Guapo Summer Berries bitters
*Part of Birmingham Restaurant Week’s Bourbon Sponsor, Cooper’s Craft
Jackson’s Bar & Bistro
An open and airy space both inside and out, Jackson’s Bar & Bistro in SoHo in Homewood offers European and American comfort food in an upbeat setting with an eclectic staff.
Dinner Menu
$20 per person – excluding tax, tip and beverage
APPETIZER (choose one)
Verde Dip – Creamy spinach-artichoke dip w/ house-fried tortilla chips
[or]
Caesar Salad – With housemade Caesar dressing & croutons on kale or romaine
[or]
Buffalo Feathers – Our own original version of pulled Nashville hot chicken
ENTREE (choose one)
French Dip – Shaved roast beef & Swiss served au jus on baguette
[or]
Martinique Bowl – Blackened chicken & veggies atop curried rice
[or]
Grilled Salmon – Fresh salmon filet w/ lemon-chive crema & parmesan mashed potatoes
[or]
Memphis Pork Chop – Paprika-rubbed w/ tangy white sauce on three-cheese grits
DESSERT (choose one)
Cookie-Dough Egg Rolls – Chocolate-chip dough flash-fried in pastry w/ chocolate sauce & vanilla ice cream
[or]
Gooey Butter Cake – Rich, golden brownie-like cake served w/ ice cream
OvenBird
Twitter: @OvenBirdBham
Instagram: @OvenBirdBham
OvenBird focuses on the amazing seasonal southern ingredients we know and love in a small plate format that takes inspiration from the live fire traditions of Spain, Portugal, Uruguay, Argentina and of course the American South.
Dinner Menu
$30.00 per person – excluding tax, tip and beverage
APPETIZER
Street Corn – lime, beef fat aioli, Manchego cheese
ENTREE
OvenBurger – pickled onion, sofrito
DESSERT
Churros – dulce de leche