Recently, I have wondered how one could possibly go wrong eating a hot pressed sandwich with melty cheese, roast pork, ham, pickles, and a few other choice toppings. I am sure it’s possible, just not at Kool Korner, located in the Publix shopping center in Vestavia Hills.

IIldefonso Ramirez, the shop’s Cuban-born owner, arrives each morning and personally roasts enough pork, eye-round, and chicken for the day. He opened the original Kool Korner Grocery in Atlanta in the mid-1980s and reigned as the cuban sandwich king through the 1990s. The Vestavia location opened in June 2009 and he runs the shop with his son Guillermo and grandson Will.

For more on my experience here, check out the January 2010 issue of Birmingham Magazine and its Buzzwords podcast.

Details:
Kool Korner Sandwiches
790 Montgomery Highway #134 [map]
822-4406
Open Monday to Saturday
10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
KoolKornerSandwiches.com

Dan is the producer of ‘Ham Sandwich. Read about his cooking adventures as Skip on The Gourmetro and learn about him on aisle-9.net.

Typically, when given a choice I’ll pick quality over quantity. Luckily enough for me, one does not have to make that decision at Bob’s Lunch. A hungry diner can go in, sit down, have a chat with co-owner Rodney Moore, and within a few minutes begin eating a freshly cooked local Vermont hamburger. We knew we were in for a busy afternoon so we all opted for the Belly Buster, a hulking 1 pound burger with cheese and bacon. Intrepid diners who finish the burger, pickle, and fries are subsequently memorialized for their fortitude (foolhardiness) on a handwritten list. We three completed the burgers within a reasonable period and joined the somewhat immortal ranks. We were not, however, better for it, since we came back to American Masala Farm to muck the barn.

Anyway. If you’re up near Salem, New York around lunchtime, go to Bob’s and have a normal-sized burger. They are delicious and voluntarily on their way to becoming transfat free. Good job!

Skip is the producer of The Gourmetro. Mucking a barn isn’t so bad, just don’t eat a 1-pound hamburger first. Read about his culinary travels through the South as Dan over at ‘Ham Sandwich.

I have been silent about Za Za Trattoria for too long. It was selfish, really, to have sat on such a fabulous new restaurant, but you’ve got to understand how I might want to keep those bready bits of pizza and fabulous BYO brunches to myself for a little while? Yes? No? Well, here we go anyway.

I lost count of how many time I’ve eaten at the trattoria in the last five or six weeks, but let’s suffice it to say that I have been thrilled with everything they’ve served so far. From their focaccia-like pizzas to, surprisingly enough, their grits (which are the best I’ve had: neither too cheesy nor greasy, with a true corn taste and milky, smooth texture), Brian, Geoff, and Braxton present high quality products simply. The sausage cornbread, the salads, especially the caponata and peach/arugula. As they are both Chez Fon Fon alums, Frank Stitt should be proud of their elegant and economical approach to local food.

Their daytime service is strong, as evidenced by formidable lines at peak times, but the dishes really shine at supper and Sunday brunch. I have never sat around a table of food lovers and heard such uniform praise (most typically in ecstatic moans, smiles, and pointing). Surrounded by an eggplant-based caponata salad, sausage cornbread, grits, frittatas and breakfast pizzas, fresh fruit, and prosecco (which we were lucky enough to have on hand), it was an unparalleled meal.

Tips: Get to the Za as early as you can at mealtimes to make sure you can get exactly what you want (and to avoid long but swift-moving line); Order a “local” latte (made with Higher Ground espresso and Wright’s Dairy milk); BYO wine and beer while you can – that feature will likely end when their beer/wine license comes through.

AL.com’s Bob Carlton wrote a great post on Za Za a few weeks ago. Read it.

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Za Za Trattoria [map]
207 20 St
Birmingham, AL 35203
205/202-5612

Dan is the producer of ‘Ham Sandwich. P.S. He loves Za Za’s macaroni and cheese. Those massive hunks of pancetta aren’t there for show, folks. Read about his cooking adventures as Skip on The Gourmetro and learn about his work on aisle-9.net.

Mountain Brook, Alabama

Dram Whiskey Bar and Avo (previous posts) won’t be the only new kids on the block in Mountain Brook Village for long. This morning I noticed a bit of plywood (as the guys at Eater would say) on a walk through Mountain Brook Village: King’s House Antiques’ former residence will be taken by Florida-based franchise Another Broken Egg Cafe. Menu looks diner-casual with a predictable abundance of eggs, though hamburgers and quesadillas get some space as well. The only signage notes that they will serve breakfast, brunch, and lunch. This could be a welcome addition to the village where lunch, and especially breakfast, options are few: Gilchrist, Browdy’s, Olexa’s, Davenport’s Pizza, and Sneaky Pete’s.

The interior is quite demolished. Once I have my camera, I’d like to go back and get a shot of the pile o’ ceiling fans. The cell phone was not going to do it justice.

Details are few at this point, Wade, but I’ve put in a call with the company to find out when they’re opening, whether the location will have any leeway to use local products, and if they will have any local menu options. I’ll update as I know more.

[Update 1: NBC 13's blog wrote this post about Another Broken Egg back in October.]

[Update 2: According to owner Miller Phillips, the restaurant is slated to open September 2009.]

Mountain Brook, Alabama

Another Broken Egg Cafe
Ste 102
2418 Montevallo Rd, Birmingham, AL 35223

Dan is the producer of ‘Ham Sandwich. He should take more casual strolls through Birmingham’s quaint neighborhoods.. Read about his cooking adventures as Skip on The Gourmetro and learn about him on aisle-9.net.