We’re Just Food’n Around

06/15/2026

Visiting Auburn with our daughter for a Veterinary Camp she is attending and decided to try out the often recommended hamiltonsonmag (Hamilton’s on Magnolia).

They were right, the food and service were great.

We started with their famous Fried Green Tomato app. It really is pretty phenomenal butter and balsamic sauce is what really sets it off but the fried green tomatoes are fried perfectly and steak crispy and there’s literal blackened shrimp in between each layer.

The star of the show was the Shrimp and Grits. Super rich and creamy cheese grits with smoked sausage and huge butterfly shrimp. The dish may look small but it’s anything but.

She got the Filet Penne. Definitely wouldn’t have been my thing as I’m not a huge fan of strong blue cheese, but she absolutely loved it. Just be aware it is a strong blue cheese, cream sauce with the spinach, mushrooms, and well cooked filet mignon.

The other odd picture of the cheeseburger was just t show how good of a melt they god on that burger.

We would definitely go back and would recommend it for anybody visiting Auburn.

FYI: the dress code is casual. I only added it because I had to ask.

06/14/2026

We did the viral flank steak pinwheel to see if it was worth the hype.

06/11/2026

Made it over to La Parrilla Mexican Restaurant in Madison. The chips were fantastic, the food was fantastic and the margaritas were fantastic. If you remember, Cantina Laredo at Bridge Street, this is very similar. Upscale Tex-Mex, where they put flavor over quantity.

We tried the Qusabirria tacos and the (server recommended) De Cerdo. Both were absolutely fantastic and we will be back again. Don’t need to give it too much fluff because the food speaks for itself, and it’s also a beautiful restaurant with great staff.

05/08/2026

We were over in Madison so we decided to visit Cooper’s Hawk Winery (Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant). If you’re a wine lover, this place is for you.

We both started out with a flight. She went with the “Bubbles” flight: a collection of sparkling wine and Prosecco. We were divided on the almond one (she liked it, me not so much.

I went with the “Lux”: it was a sparkling wine, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and our absolute favorite, the Meritage. That last one is a very smooth red blend.

They also make great cocktails if wine isn’t your thing.

We started out with the Drunkin Shrimp, bacon, wrap, shrimp, and a tequila lime butter… Yes please. They were great.

She got the Trio of Medallions. Three filet mignon medallions with a Parmesan crust, horseradish or blue cheese top.

I got the Pretzel Crusted Pork Chop - it was phenomenal. The barbecue maple glaze really sets this one off.

We will be back the next time we’re in Madison!

05/07/2026

We finally made it over to Dragon Alley (eatdragonalley) over in Mid City. We went for lunch and while it was still busy, we were able to sit up at the bar right away. The food was phenomenal as were the drinks, so let’s talk about where they absolutely nailed it:

1. Roti Canai: the light fluffy and flaky layers of the roti bread is paired with some of the best curry in town. We both wished they had this curry available as a separate menu item. It was that good.

2. Kalbi: Korean style short ribs - marinated in a sweet and savory sauce and then grilled and caramelized. These things were so good - we ordered a second round.

3. Crab Rangoon: she loves these at any Chinese restaurant, but Dragon Alley absolutely blew us out of the water. They were light and pillowy and stuffed.

4. Duck Bao: they nailed these. She doesn’t love them in general, but the duck was cooked and seasoned to perfection.

5. Sichuan Spicy Steamed Wontons: steamed wontons filled with pork, shrimp and vegetables in a chili oil. They’re spicy… Tasty but they bring the heat.

6. The decor and time and effort put into the look of the place is amazing. It’s probably one of the more Insta-worthy spots in Huntsville. We’ve heard others comment about how loud it can get, so I guess we were fortunate. We went at lunch, but we could see this being a really fun spot at night.

Now let’s talk about were they missed. The service was slow. The bartender was responsible for about five or six tables along with a full bar, which made it really tough on her. Understandable if there wasn’t so many staff that could’ve jumped into help. We both commented that we were very fortunate. We weren’t on a fixed lunch schedule because waiting 20 minutes to get our check could be the difference of being late back to work or not.

05/06/2026

Since it was Cinco de Mayo (or Cinco de Drinko as it’s also known) we decided to revisit one of our favorite truly authentic Mexican hidden gems in Huntsville Mi delicioso Guanajuato .

Karina and crew honestly made some of the best margaritas - the Jamaica Margarita (hibiscus) is absolutely fantastic as are the traditional margaritas. Our daughter loves their homemade milkshakes.

We kept it easy this time, going with the chorizo and chicken quesadilla, Carne Asada torta, and as much as we wanted the peel and eat spicy shrimp (Camerones à la diabla), we had to go back to that molé. It’s honestly one of the absolute best in town. We also got a plate of the sopas to share.

Karina loves her restaurant and loves her customers. And celebration of Cinco de Mayo she even dressed up and saying for the customers hosting a karaoke night.

It’s not often you see an owner take that much pride and joy in their restaurant much less interact with their patrons on that level. It really feels like being in Guanajuato Mexico. ❤️🌮👍

03/01/2026

03/01/2026

Where are the best sandwiches in Huntsville?

02/24/2026

Might’ve just found one of our favorite Italian spots in Owens Cross Roads.

We stopped into the Woodfire Grill side (they also have a separate pizzeria right next door), and it absolutely delivered from start to finish. The Grill has the full entrée menu and cocktails — which is where we settled in.

We kicked things off with a goat cheese & bacon appetizer from the seasonal menu — creamy, savory, and gone way too fast. A heads up: some items you might see online don’t always show up on the in-house menu, so it’s worth asking about seasonal features.

I ordered Sausage Cacciatore: penne pasta in a rich, tomato-forward cacciatore sauce that had a deep, slow-developed flavor and real depth. It had that comforting, hearty feel you want from a great Italian dish.

She went with the seasonal butternut squash ravioli in a cream sauce (we added grilled chicken). She loved it — it leaned a little sweet for me — but it was layered, balanced, and really well executed.

The sleeper hit? The sautéed garlic spinach. Smoky, perfectly seasoned, and still had a little bite to it. Definitely not just an afterthought side.

And the Old Fashioned? Magnificent.

They surprised us with a complimentary dessert — think Italian funnel cake meets bite-sized fried donuts dusted in powdered sugar and drizzled with chocolate. Dangerous in the best way.

Service was fantastic. Jessie has been there 16 years and it shows — she genuinely loves what she does. You can tell ownership cares, too. Bringing in a world-renowned pizzaiolo to train the staff on authentic technique says a lot.

Great food. Great drinks. Great people.

If you’re in the area, it’s worth the stop.

02/22/2026

Mardi Gras might be over, but we weren’t ready to let the good times roll out just yet. So with the weather cooperating, we grabbed a patio seat at Cajun Roux and brought a little New Orleans energy to Huntsville.

We started with the smoked tuna dip — hands down the best we’ve had in Huntsville (and better than plenty we’ve had on the Gulf Coast). Creamy, smoky, and even better with a splash of Louisiana hot sauce and a few crackers to balance it out.

Then came the Armadillo Eggs (bacon and sausage wrapped stuffed jalapeños), a blackened crawfish po’boy where the bread absolutely stole the show, and a side-by-side of shrimp étouffée and “Sweep the Kitchen” gumbo — both deep and savory, but the étouffée edged it out for me.

Armadillo Eggs were not our favorite. The taste of the breakfast sausage overpowered them completely. We’ll be doing the deviled eggs next time.

We finished with Wicked Chicken: Cajun-seasoned chicken breast over rice, smothered in a rich crawfish cream sauce. We added jalapeños for extra heat, and that creamy sauce had just the right smoky kick. And yes… there were hurricanes. Maybe two (or three, lol).

Service at the bar was great, and the food was absolutely worth the trip.

If you’re still craving Mardi Gras flavors, this is your spot.