In Bizarre Foods Birmingham, part of the Delicious Destinations series featuring Andrew Zimmern, the host and his crew visited numerous restaurants in the city, showcasing a variety of unique and delicious dishes. Here is a convenient list of all the addresses and dishes highlighted in this exciting exploration of Birmingham’s food scene.
ANDREW ZIMMERN BIRMINGHAM DISH – Smoked BBQ
WHAT IS IT?
Andrew Zimmern tried the popular northern Alabama dish of half chicken dark meat with white sauce at Miss Myra’s. The restaurant makes the sauce in large quantities by mixing heavy-duty mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, and pepper to create a simple, but famous, flavor. The white sauce is a perfect complement to Miss Myra’s BBQ chicken, which is roasted whole over hickory in decades-old barbecue pits that predate the building.
WHERE IS IT?
Miss Myra’s Pit Bar B Q
3278 Cahaba Heights Rd, Birmingham, AL 35243, United States
Birmingham, United States
NOTES – BIZARRE FOODS BIRMINGHAM
Birmingham’s food scene is expanding beyond regional flavors such as barbecue and banana pudding to include more global influences.
DISH – Authentic Asian Food
WHAT IS IT?
Andrew Zimmern tasted an assortment of dishes, such as pickled vegetables in vinegar, blood cake, tofu, pickled baby vegetables, and spicy chilies. This authentic Asian cuisine reflects the evolution of Birmingham’s food scene and cultural diversity.
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WHERE IS IT?
Super Oriental Market
243 W Valley Ave, Homewood, AL 35209, United States
Birmingham, United States
NOTES – BIZARRE FOODS BIRMINGHAM
A bonus of shopping at Super Oriental Market is the restaurant in the back called Red Pearl. The restaurant uses the same fresh and authentic ingredients sold in the store to create their lunch menu.
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ANDREW ZIMMERN BIRMINGHAM DISH – Birmingham’s Local Cuisine
WHAT IS IT?
Chef Hastings has created a unique dish called the “Forager’s Walk,” which incorporates over two dozen ingredients from local woods and fields, such as wild watercress puree and dehydrated mushroom puree. He infuses the citrusy pine essence into tiny meringues as a garnish. He also prepares pig skin pasta, which is cured and sliced into linguini-sized strips, and serves it in a Chinese-style noodle bowl with blue crabs and live bullfrog. The bullfrog legs and still-beating heart are used as ingredients, while the rich pork broth is simmered with garlic, ginger, lily flowers, and bamboo shoots. The pigs blood from Super Oriental Market is used to create a rich sauce for the Alabama bobwhite quail, which is served alongside heirloom sweet potatoes, forcemeat-filled ravioli, and a golden game bird.
WHERE IS IT?
Hot and Hot Fish Club
2901 2nd Ave S # 110, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States
Birmingham, United States
NOTES – BIZARRE FOODS BIRMINGHAM
Chef Hastings’ menu at Hot and Hot is defined by his relationships with local farmers and foragers. By sourcing whole hogs from a local farmer, he is committed to using every part of the pig, from tip to tail, in order to make it economically viable.
ANDREW ZIMMERN BIRMINGHAM DISH – Sea Urchin
WHAT IS IT?
Scientists at the University of Alabama, including Dr. Watson, are researching ways to improve the taste of sea urchins by feeding them food that makes them more delicious. The first step in this process is breeding the urchins by injecting them with acetylcholine to stimulate the release of gametes. Once fertilized, the urchins are transferred to feeding tanks and given a secret food. After several weeks, the farm-raised sea urchins are tasted and described as sweet by Andrew Zimmern.
WHERE IS IT?
University of Alabama at Birmingham
1720 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States
Birmingham, United States
NOTES – BIZARRE FOODS BIRMINGHAM
Sea urchins are often referred to as the “foie gras” of the sea, but their popularity has surpassed the sushi bar and become a mainstream food, with a global market worth over $200 million annually. The demand for urchin has outstripped the ability of nature to supply it.
BIZARRE FOODS BIRMINGHAM DISH – High-Quality Pig Dish
WHAT IS IT?
This plant can process up to 160 hogs daily, resulting in high-quality pork and affordable prices while supporting family farms. Instead of discarding the blood, the plant makes blood sausage. The process is hands-on and includes scalding and scorching the pig, followed by grilling the fresh liver and preparing sausages with pig’s blood mixed with spices, milk, onions, and pork fat. Fresh pork, cured meats, and sausages are also produced at the plant. A standout product is the Berkshire Mangalitsa ham and for dessert, chef Link grills up our fresh pork liver with a side of bacon and apple onion compost
WHERE IS IT?
Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q
1908 11th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205, United States
Birmingham, United States
NOTES – BIZARRE FOODS BIRMINGHAM
Nick Bacchus and Donald Link, Southern restaurateurs, are part of The Fatback Collective, a group of pork enthusiasts who seek to transform the meat industry by emphasizing farms over factories, improving pork quality and flavor in their restaurants and grocery stores.
BIZARRE FOODS BIRMINGHAM DISH – Classic Greek Dish
WHAT IS IT?
The menu features unique dishes such as octopus, rabbit organs, and a Greek-inspired shrimp and grits, as well as a fresh goat from the farm. The goat soup is made with salt, garlic, and herbs, while the octopus is prepared simply with oil and lemon juice. The shrimp is cooked Saganaki style with olives, tomatoes, and feta, and the grits are loaded with parmesan. The rabbit organs are sautéed in olive oil, vinegar, and red wine with onion and fresh herbs for a rustic, flavorful meal. Although some guests may be hesitant to try the goat and yogurt soup, the familiar Greek-style shrimp and grits and rabbit dish are crowd-pleasers.
WHERE IS IT?
The Fish Market Restaurant
5409 US-280, Birmingham, AL 35242, United States
Birmingham, United States
NOTES – BIZARRE FOODS BIRMINGHAM
Birmingham’s population has been growing due to immigration since the late 1800s, which has led to a thriving food industry. Despite the lack of a Greek neighborhood, many successful Birmingham restaurants are run by Greek individuals, with George serving as an unofficial ambassador. He has been running a popular southern seafood restaurant for 30 years and has connections with most of the heavy hitters in Birmingham’s restaurant business.
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BIZARRE FOODS BIRMINGHAM DISH – Birmingham’s Soul Food
WHAT IS IT?
Dolores removes the marrow from the roasted neck bone to prevent the gravy from becoming greasy. The neck bones are then braised for hours until they are ready for the lunch line. The small steam table is stocked with serious soul food, including slippery cabbage with okra and beef liver.
WHERE IS IT?
Eagle’s Restaurant
2610 16th St N #1204, Birmingham, AL 35204, United States
Birmingham, United States
NOTES – BIZARRE FOODS BIRMINGHAM
Eagle’s restaurant, a meat and three joint that has been around for 60 years, was purchased by former plant worker Joe Rucker in 1974. Since then, his family has been serving some of Birmingham’s finest soul food, such as pigs feet, oxtails, and neck bones.
BIZARRE FOODS BIRMINGHAM DISH – Another Birmingham’s Soul Food
WHAT IS IT?
Andrew Zimmern sampled a range of soul food dishes including green collards, turnip greens, buttered rutabagas, crispy fried catfish, fried chicken livers with gravy, and bread and tomatoes. The green collards have a sweet and smoky flavor, while the turnip greens have a sharp, mustardy snap. The bread and tomatoes are exceptionally tart and offer a combination of sweetness and acidity.
WHERE IS IT?
Niki’s West
233 Finley Ave W, Birmingham, AL 35204, United States
Birmingham, United States
NOTES – BIZARRE FOODS BIRMINGHAM
This restaurant is widely regarded as the best meat and three in town, serving fresh, scratch-made southern classics for 40 years. In a time when most restaurants served soul food or BBQ, Niki’s stood out by doing things bigger and better than the rest. The extensive steam table is a testament to the restaurant’s high standards and quality.
