Coming to Tuscaloosa, Part Deux

Yesterday, we previewed some of the local Tuscaloosa eateries, and some additions were made in comments. I just want to give my thoughts on some of the additions.

My wife and I had our first date at DePalma's, a nice Italian/Mediterranean restaurant near the Strip. It's good and reasonably priced. It's kind of a "nice" place, but they aren't at all snooty. They won't be upset at all if you show up with jeans and a nice T-shirt, but it's probably best not to wear game day colors. The food is quite good and it's not among the more expensive restaurants in town.

Our choice for Chinese food is Swen's, which is also located on the Strip, in a little shopping center across the street from the Publix. It's not a buffet, and I consider that a good thing. A friend swears by Lai Lai, but my one foray there wasn't that good. It's also on the Strip.

If you're looking for a wings place, my recommendation is Bob Baumhower's Wings. It's very Bama-oriented, but I'm sure they'd take your money. My favorite thing they make is the "Black & White Chicken" which is blackened grilled chicken with a white bar-b-que sauce.

I've eaten at Chuck's Fish once, and it was good, but it's probably the priciest restaurant I've discussed in these two posts. It has, as the name would suggest, fish. It also has steak, but I haven't tried their steak. I heard it was good though. This is a fine restaurant, but if you're interested in spending $30 for a meal (without drinks or dessert), I think you can get better food at The Globe in Northport.

Another fine dining option is Kozy's. The only downside to Kozy's is that it is really out of the way. It has a very interested interior, with a Hollywood theme. There are lots of pictures of Humphrey Bogart, Marilyn Monroe, etc. around the restaurant. I believe there are times when there's a piano player as well. I haven't been there in quite some time, but I remember it being quite good. It's on the other side of town from the stadium though, and you really have to be looking for it. If you want to find it, go down 15th Street and cross McFarland Blvd. Go down a couple miles until you get to an exit for Loop Rd. Take that exit, and it will be on the right.

I don't recommend Evangeline's, which I've been to once. It's very expensive (more than The Globe), and I found the food to be mediocre, the restaurant to be pretentious, and the staff to be rude. It was one of those places that was so dark you could barely see your food.

Newk's is a good sandwich/deli/salad type place. It is a small chain, sort of like a Jason's Deli. I'm particularly fond of the Black & Blue Salad, which is a salad with roast beef and blue cheese.

Cypress Inn is pretty well-known among people who travel here regularly. It's a very traditional Tuscaloosa restaurant on the river. The view of the river is nice, and the food is consistently good. The problem is that on a game weekend, you're probably going to be looking at especially long waits. If you go, be sure to eat the complimentary bran muffins, which are addictive. I've never had a bran muffin I've liked except there. It's kind of medium-priced. Expect to pay $12-$15 for an entree.