Openings abound all around

There are quite a few upcoming and current restaurant openings in the area. First, Cheeburger, Cheeburger, a national chain based on the popular ‘70s skit from Saturday Night Live, has opened on Schillinger Road – the first in our area. I don’t know if Dan Akroyd showed up for the grand opening. This place offers burgers from five to twenty ounces and you can build your own with over 25 free toppings from A-1, banana peppers, peanut butter (yuck) to cucumbers or guacamole.

They also have “famous” onion rings and fries that come with a choice of five sauces such as chile lime, Texas horseradish and creamy cheese.

Imagine a milkshake flavor and they have it, with the ability to create 378,000 flavor combinations. Cheeburger, Cheeburger has specialty sandwiches and salads as well, but who would want that?

One last interesting feature is that as a company they are committed to helping fundraising events by holding them in their store, creating posters and flyers, organizing the food and cutting you a deal to make money. I will have to make the long trip out there soon to check it out for you.

I have peeked in the windows of a new, nice looking building on Government Street at the Loop that has a sign for “The Taste of New Orleans French Café” – I could not find anyone around to talk about it. I understand from our sales rep that they will have a drive-through out back for beignets and chicory coffee to begin with and the menu is currently being finalized.

Also, Michael’s Downtown Café will soon be open once he finishes his inspections. His place is located in the former Uncle Simie’s deli at the corner of St. Michael and Conception.

Taste!, the popular wine shop with regular wine tastings in the Ashland Station development on Old Shell just east of Florida Street will be starting their wine bar on Aug. 28. That is sure to be a hit and with the Ashland Midtown Pub doing a brisk lunch and dinner business this area continues to draw people from all over the area.

The Bull, Wendell Quimby’s new Spanish/South American restaurant, has shown further signs of life. This will be in between Café 615 and Wintzell’s in LoDa on Dauphin Street.

Callaghan’s is featured in Inbibe magazine as one of the top 100 places in the country to drink beer. Glad to hear they now have a steady supply of all kinds of beers, including those with no alcohol.

Beginning Sept. 8, the Palette Café out at the Mobile Museum of Art will open on Monday’s for lunch.

Also, True is now open for lunch and dinner on Mondays.

Judy’s Place is on Highway 90 next to Southern Leather Gallery is a new bar with pub food for you WeMo residents.

Craig Barbarin is the new chef at the Holiday Inn Lafayette Plaza on Government Street in downtown Mobile. He was previously at Brennan’s in New Orleans as Executive Chef for 17 years.

They have redone the menu to feature French Creole cuisine, more seasoned and not spicy. The restaurant is located on the main level and is open for dinner. If you have not been inside, an impressive renovation was done, with cool lighting fixtures and mod style furniture.

Moka’s is now serving drive-though customers at their new location on Dauphin Street just west of Sage Avenue.

Grilling out

It is still not too hot to cook on the grill, and here is an easy-but-delicious recipe for grilled chicken. Don’t be daunted by the cooking instructions, just notice how few and simple ingredients there are. You can cook this on your gas or charcoal grill or in the oven. Great for a Labor Day crowd and different from the typical bbq.

Grilled Chicken with Lemon, Garlic and Oregano (Gourmet, 2002)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh oregano

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

12 whole chicken legs (7 lb)

8 chicken breast halves with skin and bones (8 lb)

5 lemons, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices

Whisk together lemon juice, oregano, garlic, 1/2 tablespoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and add oil in a slow stream, whisking.

Discard excess fat from chicken and season with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper.

To cook chicken using a charcoal grill:

Open vents on bottom of grill and on lid. Light a large chimney starter of charcoal briquettes (80 to 100) and pour them evenly over 1 side of bottom rack (you will have a double or triple layer of briquettes).

When charcoal turns grayish white (15 to 20 minutes) and you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds, sear chicken legs in 3 batches on lightly oiled grill rack over coals, uncovered, turning once, until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes total, then transfer as cooked to a tray.

Put all browned legs on side of grill with no coals underneath and cook, covered with lid, turning occasionally, until just cooked through (flesh will no longer be pink when cut near joint), 15 to 25 minutes more. Transfer legs to bowl with lemon dressing and turn to coat, then transfer to a serving platter and keep warm, loosely covered with foil, while cooking breasts.

Add 15 briquettes evenly to coals and wait until they just light, about 5 minutes. (They will not be grayish white yet but will give off enough heat with other briquettes to maintain correct cooking temperature.)

Sear chicken breasts, starting with skin sides down, in 2 batches on rack over coals, uncovered, turning once, until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes total, then transfer as cooked to tray.

Put all browned chicken breasts on side of grill with no coals underneath and cook, covered with lid, turning occasionally, until just cooked through (the meat next to the tender, when opened slightly, will be moist but no longer pink), 12 to 15 minutes more. Transfer breasts to bowl with lemon dressing and turn to coat, then transfer to platter with legs.

Grill lemon slices on rack over coals, uncovered, until grill marks appear, about 3 minutes on each side, and transfer to platter with chicken.

To cook chicken using a gas grill:

Preheat all burners on high, then adjust heat to moderately high. Turn off 1 burner and arrange chicken legs on lightly oiled rack above it. Cook, covered with lid, turning legs once, until cooked through, about 40 minutes total. Transfer legs to bowl with lemon dressing and turn to coat, then transfer to a serving platter and keep warm, loosely covered with foil, while cooking breasts.

Cook chicken breasts on rack above unlit burner, covered with lid, turning once, until just cooked through (the meat next to the tender, when opened slightly, will be moist but no longer pink), about 30 minutes total. Transfer breasts to bowl with lemon dressing and turn to coat, then transfer to platter with legs.

Grill lemon slices on rack over flames, uncovered, until grill marks appear, about 3 minutes on each side, and transfer to platter with chicken.

Kinnon Phillips is Lagniappe cuisine editor. Contact him at kphillips@lagniappemobile.com.

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