Category Archives: food

It’s tough to find a chef sometimes

Posted on May 21, 2009 | Leave a comment

In late March, we came close to having a former employee of Frank Stitt’s Bottega running a new Southern cuisine restaurant in Washington D.C.’s Shaw Neighborhood. Well, we were close.

Eatonville is now open but Chris Newsome is not serving as its executive chef. Only 10 days into his new job, his boss decided that he wasn’t necessarily the right fit. Check out this story recently published in Washington City Paper to learn what happened. You can also check out the website for the restaurant, named for author Zora Neale Hurston‘s hometown Eatonville, FL, and the process used to determine who would serve as executive chef via videos.

Free the Hops bill passed by Alabama State Senate

Posted on May 14, 2009 | 2 comments

Visitors trying to Google “Free the Hops” and trying to access their website are currently meeting a 504 error. We’re thinking it’s because of the traffic being generated by fans of specialty & gourmet beers throughout the state celebrating the passage of HB 373 earlier this afternoon. This afternoon at 2:56 p.m., Free the Hops shared via Twitter words that its supporters have been waiting to hear since it was founded in 2004…

“FREE THE HOPS PASSED! WE DID IT”

The bill was passed while Senator Hank Erwin was outside of the Senate chamber in Montgomery. The bill currently awaits the signature of Governor Riley. The organization’s making a plea on their blog with additional information about the next step in the process.

2 Comments

Posted in food, politics

Tagged AL, Alabama, bill, Birmingham, Bob Riley, Free the Hops, Gourmet beer, HB 373, information, next steps, passage, Statewide, Twitter

No free cones this year in Birmingham

Posted on April 20, 2009 | 4 comments

Metro Birmingham residents were looking forward to their annual trek into one of the two area Ben & Jerry’s ice cream locations for their free cones. Unfortunately, it will be regular price for ice cream cones while other stores across the country take part in the annual Free Cone Day activities…

…that is, unless you feel like making the drive up to Huntsville for it. If there’s a bright side, it’s that it will be a little cooler tomorrow anyway. Of course, as suggested on Twitter, maybe another local provider of ice cream will be willing to step in.

4 Comments

Posted in food, Quirky

Tagged AL, Alabama, availability, Ben & Jerry's, Birmingham, food, Free Cone Day, Huntsville, ice cream, information, locations

Free the Hops bill before State Senate tomorrow

Posted on March 11, 2009 | 14 comments

UPDATE: 5.14.2009 – This afternoon, the Alabama State Senate passed HB 373 – The Free the Hops bill. Click here for more info.

The folks at Free the Hops just sent a Tweet out a little while ago that will have many in Birmingham and Alabama sitting on the edge of their seats tomorrow. Alabama State Senate Bill No. 132 will be on the calendar for a vote tomorrow. A similar bill, which would raise the alcohol limit to 13.9% passed the Alabama House of Representatives late last week.

The fact that the vote is coming up tomorrow allows us to tout a rather cool feature on the Free the Hops website that allows you to find out who your elected officials are in Montgomery. We’ll keep an eye on their Twitter account tomorrow to see what happens…

14 Comments

Posted in food, politics

Tagged Alabama, beer, bill, Free the Hops, Legislature, research, status

Birmingham’s FINALLY going to run on Dunkin – again

Posted on March 11, 2009 | 4 comments

UPDATE: 2.1.2010 – It’s finally opened – in Pelham, AL.

Dunkin Donuts logo - Dunkindonuts.com Remember that post back in August of 2007 when we linked to the BBJ’s story about Dunkin’ Donuts planning to open 72 metro Birmingham locations in the coming years. The market’s been open since early 2008 and this morning they finally took a step towards making it come true.

The Canton, MA-based company signed a multi-unit store development agreement with Birmingham-based RFS, LLC earlier today. The agreement calls for the development of 21 restaurants in the Birmingham market. RFS plans to open its first location in the next 12 months, fulfilling its agreement within the next 5 to 6 years. It will be the first time in years that the metro area has had a Dunkin’ Donuts location.

This isn’t to say you can’t get Dunkin’ Donuts in the state now – you’d just have to drive to Dothan (they got their first location last month).

Image: Dunkin Donuts logo courtesy of company website.

4 Comments

Posted in food

Tagged AL, Alabama, announcement, Birmingham, donuts, Dunkin Donuts, follow-up, food, franchisee, information, location, RFS

They really want you to go shopping…

Posted on March 9, 2009 | 6 comments

The Alabama Grocers Association recently unveiled a new website called Eat At Home Alabama. According to the site, “agriculture and the grocery industry is 30% of Alabama’s economy and employs [more than] 200,000 people.” This means that their argument is that it’s a good thing for Alabama if you eat at home instead of eating out. The site will be promoting ways to save and healthy eating habits among other things.

6 Comments

Posted in food

Tagged Alabama Grocers Association, Eat at Home Alabama, food, grocery, information, Online, unveiling, website

One more Moe’s (and another one soon)

Posted on February 19, 2009 | Leave a comment

We mean Moe’s Original Bar-B-Que and not that other casual food chain. Local owner Kevin Witherington announced the opening of their 3^rd location yesterday in Hoover at Lake Crest Plaza, replacing a Golden Rule as reported by AL.com’s Hoover blog on February 4.

The restaurant concept is headquartered in Vail, CO – and was started by three Alabamians.

Witherington also announced plans to open a fourth one next month at 731 29^th Street South in Birmingham’s Lakeview district – a space that most recently housed the Lakeview Oyster House.