Alabama Tourism Department revises ‘100 Dishes’

Scallops at the Battle House Hotel in Mobile, a sushi roll at Jensei in Homewood, fried chicken at Maggie’s Diner in Tuscaloosa and a peanut butter and jelly pastry at the Cotton Row in Huntsville are a few of the new dishes listed in the latest edition of the “100 Dishes To Eat In Alabama Before You Die” brochure released by the Alabama Tourism Department. From BBQ to fresh Gulf seafood, the brochure lists dozens of restaurants in small towns and downtowns across the state. Royal Red Shrimp at Old Bay Steamer and King Neptune’s on the Gulf Coast, the catfish and cheese grits at Radley’s Fountain Grill in Monroeville, baked grits at Highlands Bar and Grill in Birmingham, tomato salad at Hot and Hot Fish Club, L.A. Caviar at Lulu’s in Gulf Shores, fried chicken at Martin’s in Montgomery, BBQ Chicken with white sauce at Big Bob Gibson’s in Decatur and orange-pineapple ice cream at Trowbridge’s in Florence are just a few long time favorites.

Two of the state’s celebrity chefs appear on the covers. Lucy Buffett of Lulu’s in Gulf Shores is seen holding a “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” made famous by her brother Jimmy Buffett, on one side, while Frank Stitt is pictured on the reverse shelling fresh peas at one of his Birmingham restaurants, Highland’s Bar & Grill. Buffett and Stitt were selected for the covers because of their dedication to serving food grown by local farmers as well as being champions of the Farm-to-Table Movement. Stitt was honored by the James Beard Awards in 2009 as one of the nation’s best chefs and Highlands Bar & Grill was named one of the top five restaurants in the U.S. by the James Beard Foundation. Stitt also owns Bottega and Chez Fonfon in Birmingham. Lucy Buffett has appeared numerous times on NBC’s Today Show and the Food Network promoting and preparing her recipes from her cookbook, “Crazy Sista Cooking.”

“It has by far been the most popular brochure that we have produced to date,” said tourism director Lee Sentell. “I think the reason it’s so popular is that people love food. We love to eat and we love to eat good food,” he added. More than 800,000 brochures have been printed and distributed since its initial printing in 2005 as part of the “Year of Alabama Food” tourism campaign. This is the third update of the publication. Copies of the brochures are available at the state’s eight Welcome Centers, by calling 1.800.ALABAMA (252.2262), or by going online at

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