2009 Official Alabama Vacation Guide - (Page 24) Food and Wine Alabama’s { www.alabama.travel Alabama At Your Fingertips trail by Emily Marsh Alabama boasts a wide range of culinary delights - from the succulent seafood and steak favorites of Mobile, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and other coastal communities to finger-licking barbecue found all over the state to delicious desserts and wines. “The Magic City” of Birmingham, considered Alabama’s culinary capital, is the perfect place to begin your culinary adventure. Visit Birmingham’s Highland’s Bar and Grill, where awarding-winning chef Frank Stitts creates an unpretentious fine dining experience. Sample the White Chocolate and Raspberry Bread Pudding dessert at Hot and Hot Fish Club or learn the history of some of the great foods of the South from Clayton Sherrod, “The Alagasco Chef.” Sample some of Milo’s memorable sweet tea or visit nearby Mountain Brook Village and enjoy a slice of chocolate lava cake at Daniel George. In Huntsville, Pauli’s Bar & Grill offers one of North Alabama’s finest dining pleasures. Almost anywhere you go in Alabama, you will discover some great barbecue joints: Tenders in Huntsville, Big Bob Gibson’s in Decatur, Dreamland in Tuscaloosa, the Bar-B-Q Place in Fort Payne and 13th Street Bar-B-Q in Phenix City, to name a few. If you’re looking for Alabama restaurants with a side order of history, visit The Bright Star in Bessemer which has been serving generations of customers its specialty Greek-style snapper, steak, and famous pies since 1907. The Irondale Café, which first opened in 1928 as a hot dog stand, was made famous in Fannie Flagg’s 1987 best-selling novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café and the movie of the same name. Add to the list Niki’s West in Birmingham, Sisters in Troy, Jim’s in Prattville, the Red Barn in Demopolis, and Huggin’ Molly’s in Abbeville. Take a trip to Montgomery and you will discover there’s an art to good cooking. Restaurant owner Gary Garner believes so heavily in the “art” concept that he not only says so in the name of his business, Garrett’s, the Art of Food, but showcases it in the dining décor and the unique dishes he serves. Two different dining experiences await your visit inside the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa downtown. Also opening downtown is the Down the Alley entertainment district, which is guaranteed to enhance Montgomery’s dining and nightlife experience. Capture Studio Café in Tuscaloosa is exactly what the name implies. It’s a studio and a café with a digital media studio on one floor and an artsy venue that serves 100% fair trade/organic coffee, paninis, smoothies, and much more on the bottom floor. The chicken salad and soups are favorites at the café inside the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts in Auburn. If you need a little something extra to tame your taste buds, savor the doughnuts at Loyless Donuts in Dothan, enjoy a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich at the Bread Basket in Eufaula, delve into the pecan praline French toast at the Oakmont Bed and Breakfast in Eutaw, or sample the “molasses crinkles” cookies at Carlisle’s in Enterprise, the pralines at Priester’s Pecans in Fort Deposit, and the homemade fudge at Desoto Caverns Park in Childersburg. Follow the Alabama Wine Trail from the northern half of the state all the way to Perdido and you will discover flavorful wines, the taste of which many say would rival or surpass those from the wineries of California. Alabama’s eight wineries produce everything from fruity muscadine and peach wines to more traditional varieties such as merlot and chardonnay. 24 w w w. a l a b a m a . t r a v e l Alabama makes it easy to plan your vacation from the comfort of your home with our informative, interactive website, www.alabama.travel. Packed with travel resources and helpful tools, this website is your one stop for Alabama vacation information. Celebrate the rich heritage of Alabama and its people from pre-statehood to present-day during the Year of Alabama History. Visit Native American, Civil War, and Civil Rights sites, tour museums devoted to aviation, literature, and music, and learn about some of the many people who have helped to shape our state and nation. At www.alabama.travel, you will discover a full slate of places to visit and events to enjoy throughout the year. Need help planning your trip to Alabama? Call 800-ALABAMA for assistance with any aspect of your vacation. Knowledgeable associates are eager to help, whether you need reservations, recommendations or driving tips. Call: { 800-ALABAMA OR 800-252-2262 { PHOTOS: ATD/JEFF GREENBERG. { http://www.alabama.travel http://www.alabama.travel http://www.alabama.travel http://www.alabama.travel
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