A tater tot breakfast casserole on the stove.

Brunch: From the Other Side of the Menu

img_8578I’ve worked in the restaurant business since I was a junior in high school, so the terror, stress—whatever you would like to call it—that Gabrielle Hamilton describes about her restaurant, Prune, is oh-so very real for me.  I began as a host and I remember looking at the staff around me on a Sunday morning brunch shift and saying a silent prayer for the hell we were about to experience.

Hamilton’s emphasis in her excerpt from Blood, Bones & Butter is on the importance of not “going down” throughout the long hours of your shift.  She says, “You are always, always going to face forces that can bring you to your knees.” Whether that means pouring pancake batter over yourself and your station (it was blue cheese in my case), or going hungry in a place that is literally full of food, the food service industry is one that can definitely make you look yourself in the face when you’re at your worst. Continue reading

Nachos

Sweet Home Food Bar: Brunch Bound Downtown

Address: 2218 University Blvd, Tuscaloosa, Al 35401

In a town that is as steeped in tradition as Tuscaloosa, one may think it isn’t open to passing food fads. Yet, a hip brunch location has found its home in this traditional southern town. Nestled near the Black Warrior Brewing Company, the frosted glass and welcoming patio furniture of Sweet Home Food Bar beckon the downtown crowd to a restaurant that brings a new perspective to the local food scene. While it is off University and only a mere minutes walk from many Tuscaloosa staples, this emerging favorite with its fresh fad foods and hip interior has cornered the market on trendy brunch. Continue reading