THE AVENUE PUB // THE BEAUTY IS IN ITS MENUS

Food should be fun, interesting, a little mysterious, and above all delectably satisfying. Good food should have taste buds pondering flavors and leave one wondering how something could be so delicious. Temerson Square’s newest restaurant, The Avenue Pub, delivers just this. Craig Williams, owner and operator, took a leap of faith when prime real estate became available downtown. Although location is key the beauty of The Avenue Pub is in its menus. The science of menu engineering is difficult to perfect. However, with the American Kitchen Pub favorites these menus come pretty close to perfection. The pub offers a different menu for brunch, lunch, and dinner. Feature foods include pineapple French toast, pork sliders, and a house burger which changes daily. The drink menu features specialty cocktails, local pints, bottled beer, and wine. Williams has great pride in his establishment and food stating, “we just want to do it right”. With their made-from-scratch mantra each dish is prepared in house with the freshest ingredients.

At first glance the restaurant appears dark and calm. Walls mostly gray with some exposed brick that hold casual paintings. Flat screen televisions are housed in the two dining areas as well as behind the full bar. Classic rock played over the stereo creating an enjoyable atmosphere. Sitting was no issue and service was quick. After gazing the menu it was decided that dinner would begin with some traditional pub fries, followed up with two shared entrées. The pub fries were smothered with melted parmesan cheese, crispy bacon, and topped with freshly shaved parmesan, herbs and more bacon. The fries were hand cut and fried to perfection. The melted cheese actually stayed on the fries instead of falling to the plate when prepping for a bite. Two sauces accompanied the fries, which were almost unnecessary because the cheese, bacon, and herbs yielded such a flavorful taste. In no time the main entrees were delivered piping hot and fresh.

The chicken club sandwich was an unexpected surprise. A small sandwich layered with a decent portion of sliced chicken, bacon, cheese, lettuce, and tomato—this is what was expected. What arrived was this divine chicken club with a large piece of crispy fried chicken overflowing to the outside of the buttery brioche bun. The taste was complex, feeling the mouth with a salty, spicy, and sweet bite. The chicken glistened from the honey mustard glaze. This glaze added some much appreciated sweat heat. Each flavorful bite was better than the last. A carry our box is not worthy of such a dish. This sandwich deserves to be eaten fresh, in a single sitting so one can savor each bite as it was meant to be. The fish and chips were presented with three heaping pieces of fried cod laying over a bed of fresh cuts fries. The cod had been hand breaded and deep fried which produced a beautiful golden color. It was light and flakey. When mixed with the made-in-house tartar sauce the fish had a mild pickled bite. To tame the thirst specialty cocktails and local draft beer were enjoyed. The Berry Bash Bacardi Rum was prepared with crushed strawberries and blueberries, freshly squeezed lime juice and Sprite. This refreshing cocktail will definitely be a patio pick for the summer.

From service to food the overall experience at The Avenue Pub was just wonderful. Pricing was fair. Between the two entrees, one cocktail, one beer, and an appetizer the ticket came just over 40 dollars. Well worth it. To experience good food with good drinks take the time to visit Tuscaloosa’s new addition, The Avenue Pub.

The Avenue Pub is located at 405 23rd Avenue. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday 11:00 a.m. till 11:00 p.m., Saturday 12:00 p.m. till 11:00 p.m., Sunday 12:00 p.m. till 9:00 p.m. Brunch on Sunday features live music.

Cindy Huggins, RDN, LD is a registered dietitian nutritionist and local “foodie”. See what she’s tweeting and follow her @DietitianCindy