Montgomery Alabama Restaurants

THAIGRATIEM - A Contemporary Thai Experience

By Jennifer L. Solt

appeared in the June/July 2008 issue of FUTURE Montgomery magazine

Chris Rowell is a Montgomery YP that is living his dream. Owner and Executive Chef of Thai-Gratiem, Chris is passionate about creating excellent Thai food using organic ingredients, and giving diners a casually-sophisticated atmosphere in which to enjoy his contemporary twist on traditional Thai cuisine.

Located on Minnie Brown Road behind EastChase, ThaiGratiem is putting a new spin on some of our classic Thai favorites. The delicate Lime Crab Salad and Red Curry Chicken are sheer delight, as are the Po Pia Sod (Rice Paper Rolls) and Thai Cevice.

A notable feature of this new dining hot spot is the very extensive beverage menu, which features 10 coffees, including Hawaiian Kona, Dark Sumatra and Congo Coffee, all sold by the carafe; and 11 teas, including Pinhead Gunpowder Tea and Peony White Tea. The Green Lotus cocktail, Pomegranate Martini and well-rounded wine list make ThaiGratiem a great place for drinks with friends before dinner.

The atmosphere is fresh and comfortable at ThaiGratiem, the food is organic and light, and the EC has thought of everything to make the experiece at ThaiGratiem one that will make you want to return often.

Well done, Chris Rowell. Well done.

The Young House & Jennie Weller Catering

By Jennifer L. Solt

appeared in the Premier Issue of FUTURE Montgomery, Mar/Apr 2007

It�s no surprise to most who know Jennie Weller that her new restaurant is right in the heart of Montgomery�s downtown. In fact, it has always been one of her dreams to have a restaurant in the center of the city. Several years ago, she had her eye on the four sisters� houses on S. Perry Street, believing that any one of these four quaint matching houses would make the perfect setting for a downcity restaurant. Well, that was then and this is now, and Jennie has recently opened a place of her own in Landmarks Foundation�s Young House on North Hull. Now in its sixth month of business, The Young House is quickly proving itself to be the perfect setting for business luncheons, bridal teas and everything in between.

Jennie started making a name for herself when she began catering about 15 years ago, and has grown her business strictly through word of mouth from satisfied customers ever since. She laughs that in all these years her business has never even been in the phone book, yet Jennie Weller Catering has functions almost every night of the week, and sometimes several happening at the same time.

Of course, having the contract for Caf� M in the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts probably doesn�t hurt business either. Jennie has run the kitchen at Caf� M for the last 4 years, serving lunch and catering all of the museum�s special events and functions.

Very well aware of the fact that her name and her reputation are on the line, Jennie feels a great sense of ownership and pride in the work that she does, and pays close attention to the details for every function that she caters and every dish that she serves. Maybe that�s why all of her functions are executed with such precision, making guests and hosts alike feel that they�ve been well-catered to - pardon the pun.

Faced with the challenge of often having to be in several places at the same time, Jennie has surrounded herself with a team of professionals upon whom she has come to depend, and she is proud of the work they are able to accomplish together. Catering such events as Broadway Under the Stars with a seated dinner for over 750 people at Blount Cultural Park each year is no small task, but Jennie and her team always pull it off without a hitch.

Whether your next function is for 750 or 7, a seated breakfast or a candlelit dinner, at your house or The Young House, Jennie Weller and her staff are up to the challenge. Give her a call.

By Jennifer L. Solt

appeared in the Premier Issue of FUTURE Montgomery, Mar/Apr 2007

Downtown Eateries

Montgomery�s downtown restaurants are dishing up a culinary experience this fall that�s worth writing home about. From the unique and trendy decor of the Olive Room to the assortment of microbrews at Montgomery Brewing Company, these local eateries have some of the best this city has to offer. Many of these local restaurants are open for lunch and dinner, and we look forward to expanded hours following the opening of the newly-renovated convention center and new downtown hotels.

The Brew Pub

This local favorite has been around since 1995, brewing their own beer (and root beer), and serving up great tasting food, like their Sauteed Crab Claws in a white wine cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. They�re also well-remembered for their individual pizzas, like the Cajun Pizza with crawfish, andouille sausage and roasted peppers, or the Veggie Pizza with spinach, mushrooms, zucchini and yellow squash.

The Brew Pub is located in the downtown business district in an old historic warehouse. Exposed beams and duct work, an old elevator car, and other unique decor elements make this restaurant a fun place to bring friends or family, and easy walking distance from downtown hotels and Riverwalk Stadium make the Brew Pub a popular night spot. Even when there�s a large crowd, the service here is fast and the atmosphere is casual and comfortable.

Cool Beans

One of those places that is sure to be added to your list of favorites the very first time you visit is Cool Beans at the Cafe d�Art. The fun and funky decor and artwork at Cool Beans make you feel like you�ve stepped off Montgomery Street and into a a museum cafe in Atlanta or New York, only the menu is better.

Cool Beans� owner, Shari Rossman, is committed to serving high quality food to her customers by using local, organic ingredients whenever possible in the dishes she creates.

One of the more popular menu items, and for good reason, is the Crab Tower, made from local Alabama crab, and served with a citrus salsa and avocado. While you�re standing at the counter admiring the tempting assortment of desserts and pastries displayed, (like the old-fashioned coconut layer cake), you may find a basket of fresh peaches that Shari just purchased at the farmer�s market, or a bowl of organic strawberries just waiting to be added to the fresh fruit salad with yogurt and granola.

Many of the signature menu items boastnames of celebrities who share some characteristics with the dish. The very lovely, very light, very classic chicken salad is called Grace Kelly, for example, and is served over spring mix.

The desserts willleave you thinking about them later in the day, wishing you would have brought a couple extra whole wheat chocolate chip cookies or a fudgy brownie back with you for an a mid-afternoon snack. Or, if you�re like me, you might just send your partner back down the street to grab a few.

Stop in Cool Beans any Friday night from 6-10 for live jazz; a cool way to unwind after a long work week and a great way to usher in the well-deserved weekend.

lek�s rr thai

It�s not unusual to go into Lek�s on a Tuesday night and find it brimming with people, whether guests of one of the hotels in for a convention, a couple of large groups having business dinners, or a party that has rented the space for a private function. This downtown favorite has been around the corner for a long time, and when you enter the door you�ll see framed letters and signed pictures of all of the famous folks who have graced the place and loved it.

The friendly staff and even friendlier owner, (Lek)always make you feel welcome and quickly produce a Thai tea or a glass of Perrier for you while you wait for your sushi or delectable Spring Rolls with sweet honey peanut sauce. One of the most popular entrees is the Asparagus Chicken, served in a curry cream sauce. Tell them if you want it mild or spicy - they make it to order.

Lek�s is a favorite for locals, probably because the decor is inviting and fresh, the prices are very reasonable, and the food and service are consistently good. Located at 300 Water Street in Union Station, Lek�s is open for lunch and dinner, six days a week; closed on Sundays.

The Marina

The Marina is one of downtown Montgomery�s best kept secrets. Take our advice - do a Mapquest and get yourself there. Halfway on your journey to The Marina Bar and Grill you�re guaranteed to think you have gone the wrong way and are going to end up on the backside of a factory or mill or something, but be adventurous and keep going. Once you get there you�ll be glad you did.

Located on a bluff with a great view of downtown and the Alabama River, The Marina is a pretty popular place on Thursday and Friday nights when they have live music. The covered patio is a great place to enjoy lunch, and you can easily get a po� boy, a club sandwich or a lunch special and be back downtown before your hour is up.

The atmosphere is casual and relaxed - you can go in your suitcoat or in your shorts and a t-shirt and you�ll fit right in, and you�ll probably find someone else dressed just like you.

The Marina is open for lunch Monday-Friday from 11-2, open for drinks on Tuesday nights,and dinner Wednesday-Friday from 5-8.

Noble�s Restaurant & Lounge

Reminiscent of Boston�s Bull & Finch Pub, Noble�s lounge has an atmosphere that�s friendly and relaxed, with weekly live entertainment that includes some of Montgomery�s best-known musicians and comedians.

The decor is hip, just like it�s sister restaurant, The Olive Room, and the large facility is a popular venue for private functions like rehearsal dinners, wedding receptions, business luncheons, and holiday parties. Executive Chef Ted Nobles is able to create the perfect menu for any private party or event that can be hosted at Noble�s or off-site.

The lounge serves a nightly tapas menu, created by Chef Ted, which includes such favorites as Hummus with Pita Chips, Coconut Shrimp, and Nobles Bruschetta Platter. There are also a few heartier entrees that are sure to please, like the Mediterranean Filet with roasted potatoes and vegetables, Crabmeat Au Gratin, and a Parmesan Crusted Mahi Mahi.

The Olive Room

There�s no doubt about it - the Olive Room is the best place to go if you want to impress your date. Step into The Olive Room and you will quickly see that this restaurant is unlike any other, and could easily hold its own in any major metropolitan city. The snazzy decor starts at the front door, which is oversized and dramatic, flanked by large black urns and marked by retro-style brushed nickel letters hanging down letting you know that it is, in fact, The Olive Room, and you haven�t missed it.

The cool-ness continues as you enter to find a long, narrow dining room with rows of candles overhead lighting your way to the super-swank hostess stand. A fabulous high-end menu and the upscale service make The Olive Room second to none - a restaurant experience that you (and your date)will not soon forget.

The Olive Room is open for dinner Tuesday - Saturday from 5:30-10pm, serving a sophisticated fusion menu with items such as Caribbean Pork Tenderloin with Orange and Red Pepper Salsa and Orange-Fig Glazed Duck Breast.

Smoothie�s n Things

A new addition to downtown�s restaurant repertoire, Smoothie�s n Things serves up fresh smoothies, paninis, wraps and salads six days a week from their newly renovated historic location on South Court Street, across from the Federal Courthouse. The first smoothie shop downtown, Smoothie�s n Things opened in the summer of 2007, and provides downtown workers with a quick, healthy lunch alternative, and downtown residents a reason to get up on Saturday mornings. We love the Jungle Juice and the Mango Tropics smoothies - which you can have with or without supplements, the Southwest Chicken and Chicken Caesar paninis, and the Cheesecake Factory cheesecakes. Grab it to go, dine in and watch the news on the flat screen, or enjoy the sidewalk seating at this new downtown eatery.

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By Jennifer L. Solt

Nellie Cameron�s Coffee House & Fine Gifts

Nellie Cameron�s Coffee House & Fine Gifts has been open less than a year, but has already established a loyal clientele of regulars who appreciate the fine coffees, unique gifts, and Southern hospitality that proprietors Dave and Teresa Cameron serve up daily.

A unique gem in the heart of Old Alabama Town, Nellie Cameron�s menu features a full array of coffee favorites and traditional lite caf� fare, like bagels with strawberry cream cheese; blueberry muffins; and a variety of soups, salads and sandwiches. There�s also a pleasing assortment of sweet treats, including chocolate-dipped biscotti and a caf� au lait brownie topped with vanilla bean ice cream.

Live music entertains customers on most Saturdays at Nellie Cameron�s, as local musicians stop in for the sometimes-scheduled, but often impromptu bluegrass, country and gospel jam sessions.

Dave Cameron says that in the the short time since Nellie Cameron�s opened, they�ve served customers from every state in the US, and international visitors from across the globe. A welcome addition to Old Alabama Town, Nellie Cameron�s offers tourists a comfortable respite from their summer-sightseeing, while local professionals can walk or take the Lunch Trolley Express to grab a bite to eat.

Lunde's

Talk about being in the right place at the right time! For Loren and Karen Lunde, there was no time like the present to open their downtown restaurant, and they're very glad they did. Since its opening in January, 2007, the restaurant has grown a strong and faithful clientele, comprised of state workers, bank employees, and City Hall folks, not to mention groups from the many churches and private businesses in the area, and the Davis Theatre crew. Even the men and women in blue come from Maxwell Air Force base to enjoy the lively urban menu and scrumptious housemade deserts.

Loren Lunde, a CIA-trained chef, (that's the Culinary Institute of America, for you non-foodies,) has planned the entire menu around his urban clientele, taking into account the time, budget, and tastes of his customer base. For those who need their lunch in a hurry, as most do during their lunch hour, Chef Loren has developed a meat-and-3 express lunch menu that changes daily. (They say the fried catfish on Friday is the best around.)

The desserts are all made on-site, from the Norwegian Apple Pie to the new Chocolate Cherry Cobbler, and they even have Express desserts, so there�s always time for something sweet to eat. Located on Montgomery Street in the heart of downtown, you can see the reflection of construction cranes in the window as you approach Lunde�s restaurant. But the construction sounds more like a symphony at the Davis Theatre than street noise to Loren and Karen Lunde. It is concrete proof of the downtown revitalization that�s taking place, and the cranes are lifting up girders that will soon mean more hotel guests and more workers in the city center. Of course, more hotel guests equals more travel and tourism activity, and more travel and tourism activity means more support for business owners like the Lundes who have worked a long time to see their dreams of independence come to life.

Right now, the Lundes are focused on serving great food to a steady lunch crowd, and with Loren�s 31 years in the restaurant business, and Karen�s background in sales and marketing, they�re making it look like a piece of (cheese)cake. They�ve put together a great, flexible team of cooks and waitstaff that work well together and have a sense of ownership in the business. In fact, many of the staff are budding restauranteurs themselves, being mentored, in a sense, by Loren and Karen. Loren, who used to teach Hospitality Law and Hospitality Accounting at Trenholm Tech, enjoys sharing the skills and knowledge he has acquired over the years, and is refining each and every day.

If you�re looking for a new place for lunch, stop in Lunde�s for a bite. It�s comfortable and casual, and the food is great. And with the trolley�s new lunch route, it�s easier to get to the restaurant quickly, so you can spend less time worrying about where to park your car, and more time savoring your Hot Roast Beef Po� Boy.

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