Whether you’re from around here or have moved to the Tennessee Valley, The Heart of Huntsville can help you uncover the local gems that really make our city a great place to live. From food, shopping, entertainment, social groups and the arts you will discover there are plenty of local things to do, see and experience in the Huntsville area!
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Blue Plate Cafe
This month’s blog post comes from McLeroy. Ashley is a born and bred Southern gal who treks through a good bit of central and north Alabama finding the best (and not so best) places to eat. Ashley will try just about anything and loves exploring the home grown local restaurants wherever she finds them. She tracks her dining adventures as on Yelp and was christened an Elite Yelper this year. The Heart of Huntsville is very excited to have Ashley as a Contributor!
The ‘Good’ Blue Plate Cafe
Looking for some satisfying Southern cuisine? Sure, you can always stop by Cracker Barrel, amazingly a nationwide chain that actually knows something about making us feel at home, but where are all the locally owned stars?? Look no further than The Blue Plate Café my friend.
As soon as you pull in from busy Governor’s Drive you’ll notice that the tiny parking lot can barely contain the eager visitors coming and going and that the diner-style restaurant overflows with anxious customers waiting to be seated. Do not be afraid…it’s well worth the wait.
You’ll instantly be greeted by a smiling hostess and the chatter from a crowd of beaming, food-filled faces. The lunch hour boasts an array of folks–groups of co-workers and families filling the closely placed tables and singles and duos lining the bar. The waiters and waitresses are energetic, fast paced, and friendly. They are quick to explain the menu while still giving you time to ask questions.
They have a daily rotating menu of 3 meat choices, Southern staples such as Meatloaf, Chicken & Dumplings, Catfish, and Pot Roast. There are at least 10 vegetable choices that rotate. Choose a meat and 3 or a 4 vegetable plate and your meal will be served with your choice of a roll or cornbread. A full breakfast menu and limited menu of sandwiches, soups, salads, and desserts are also available. The prices are unquestionably justified by the portions. Your food will be plentiful and delivered soon after ordering.
If you’re looking for a sure taste of the South be certain to try the black eyed peas, hash brown casserole, and cornbread. The large cornbread muffin is moist and fluffy with a delicate buttery flavor. Way to go BPC for reminding a Southerner of home!
From one food lover to another I wish you the best in finding what makes your taste buds dance. –Ashley McLeroy
Live Trivia at Lone Goose Saloon
Live Trivia at the Lone Goose Saloon is a great way to spend some time with friends and win prizes. Located at 108 Cleveland Avenue, The Lone Goose is a great casual bar, serving up drinks and good times. This isn’t just any run of the mill bar, though. From the moment you walk through the doors, this place just feels…different. Maybe it’s the rustic folksy decor; the walls are filled with lively art and funky color oozes from every direction. Perhaps it’s the canine companions that accompany some of the customers on the patio. Or perhaps it’s the friendly bar staff that serves up a variety of spirits. (I was particularly pleased she knew what an Old Fashioned was!). Whatever “it” is that makes the Lone Goose Saloon a unique and enjoyable bar, I am glad it found its way here.
Not being a trivia buff, I was a little worried about staying out on a Tuesday night to play a game that I’m not so good at. However, it proved to be much less intimidating than I imagines. The folks at Challenge Entertainment take a competitive approach without taking the fun out of it.
Here is how it’s done:
- Get a team together. There doesn’t seem to be a magic number, with some tables having only two people playing as a team. Create a team name…our name was simple (Something Clever), but you can make it as simple, silly or serious as your team wants.
- Grab a score pad, answer sheets and pencil…all provided. The score pad explains the rules and how to play, so you will know exactly what you need to do.
- When Clay (the Trivia Jockey) announces the question, your team decides what answer to submit and how many points to wager, writes it down and turns it into Clay. You have one song to do this, so there isn’t a race to be the first to answer.
- Points are tallied as you go and prizes are earned for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams.
A couple of things to note about Lone Goose Saloon:
- They do not serve food. We brought some chips to snack on at our table, and I noticed other people had brought food in as well.
- It is a smoking facility. I am not a smoker and did not find it to be overly “smoky” the night we played.
- While it is doggie friendly, canine companions must spend their time with their owners on the patio.
For more information about Lone Goose Saloon, visit their Facebook page. To learn what others have to say about Lone Goose Saloon, visit Yelp.
For more information about Live Trivia in the Huntsville area stop by here.
Taqueria El Cazador
When you think of Mexican food in Huntsville, different things come to mind. Rosie’s, Casa Blanca, Guadalajara and Bandito Burrito are just a few of the local places that come to mind easily. However, when you throw the word authentic into the equation, it can get a little tricky, unless you know where to look!
Taqueria El Cazador, often simply called Cazador’s, has 3 locations. You can find a closed in taco truck on the corner of Drake and Triana, another truck on Governors near the Post Office and the restaurant on South Parkway. I have visited all three locations and the closed in Taco Truck on Triana is my favorite.
There are burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, tostadas, mulatas and more, but the stars of the show are the authentic Mexican tacos. Soft corn tortillas are filled with your choice of meat, cilantro and onions with lime and pickled veggies on the side. These are not the typical “Americanized” tacos, no sir! Four tacos will set you back only $5 and you can mix and match the types of meat. Pork, beef, chicken are among the choices (spicy meat options are available!) If you are feeling adventurous order at least one lengua taco (beef tongue). It’s pleasantly yummy!
Don’t speak the language? Not to worry, step right up and place your order. The guy at window has you covered!
Want to know what others are saying? Here ya go: Yelp
Stop by this weekend and grab a bite, but before you go make sure to check out all the latest stuff to do in Huntsville!
52 Weekends in the Tennessee Valley
I received this book as a gift three years ago. The creases in the spine, worn pages and dog-eared corners are a pretty good indicators as to just how much this book has become a regular guide to exploring North Alabama for me.
Father and son take you on a well guided tour with beautiful photograghs and light hearted dialogue. This is a great gift for a newcomer to the area or a perfect reference for the long time resident. For more information, or to purchase the book, click on the the photo (Amazon link).
Rocket City Gamers
Rocket City Gamers is a local group that gets together for various genres of gaming, including board games, miniatures, cards and computer games. to learn more about this group, visit their Meetup page.
Reiki Practitioner’s Exchange
Reiki Practitioner’s Exchange is structured meeting of REIKI Practitioners with each member receiving work from the group. To learn more about this group, visit their Meetup page.
52 Weekends in the Tennessee Valley
North Alabama Geocachers
Big Ed’s Pizza
Nina’s place
Facebook
Flying Monkey Community Garden
NAFA
Angel’s Island Coffee
Harrison Brothers Hardware
