A couple months ago, I had found a new foodie comrade at a Bible study group I was visiting, and I was determined that she and I would have a night out on the town. I picked a place that I had done much research on since I had previously visited the other of Chef Chris Hasting's restaurants in Birmingham which is Hot and Hot Fish Club. So, on that frigid night, we found ourselves enjoying the glow of a local restaurant that pulled from the traditions of Spain, Portugal, Uruguay, Argentina, and most importantly the superior southern states of America.
Ovenbird - Birmingham, AL
How fitting that the ovenbird inhabits the forests of the mid-Atlantic states and areas of British Columbia calling out the song "teacher-teacher-teacher," for I surely did learn a lot on this cozy evening. As soon as I walked up to the restaurant, I felt at home. Fires burning in the outdoor pit. Brick walls. Wooden tabletops. Candles that provoked a tempting atmosphere. Rustic, mountain art. It was terribly inviting. Most importantly, from the minute we sat down to the moment we left Paul, our waiter, was there to make sure we got the most enjoyment out of the evening.
One of the coolest features about this place is their choice of small plates and their encouragement to share. My friend Nia and I decided before hand that we wanted to make the most of the opportunity while we were there and to split everything we ordered. So yes, we were those people. Not only that, but Nia blessed me in bringing her professional camera for the occasion so that I could better share the memories from the night with my readers.
We started off by ordering the jamon serrano which consisted of grilled bread topped with some thin slices of prosciutto, a spread of jam and shavings of what I believe was parmigiano reggiano cheese. It was delicious. The sweetness of the jam with the nuttiness of the cheese was a beautiful combination. I will admit, the dish was relatively simple and not overly creative, but sometimes there is a delicacy in something elementary and familiar. 
Next, we tried the spit roasted duck, which is a dish Nia and I felt very comfortable ordering since we were well acquainted with the ingredients. The duck had been cooking for eleven hours and was so tender since it had been soaking in its own fat for that long duration. It was ever so slightly crispy on the outside edges with little cocoa nibs and pumpkin seed crumbs sprinkled for added texture. The charred flavor of the duck blended so well with the smokiness of the butternut squash puree and the clean flavor of the lentils. This was actually both Nia and my favorite dish out of all the plates we sampled. It is also the dish that made me feel most at home. 
Our third dish was an adventure since it was something neither Nia nor I had ever experimented with before. We ordered quail! It was actually a completely different flavor than I was expecting, especially since it tasted nothing like any other poultry I had ever eaten. It had a bit more of wild layer of flavor than chicken but was of course not as heavy as other meat varieties. The quail was nestled on top of braised Brussels sprout halves and a creamy beet sauce. The Brussels sprouts were cooked to perfection, deeply enough that they were soft on the outside but still a bit crunchy beneath the leaves. 
And last but not least, Nia and I were ready for something sweet to close off the evening meal. We ordered the beignets which were cooked in a lemon peppercorn glaze and was served with a side of buttermilk cream cheese gelato set on top of a bed of brown sugar sprinkles. And was that hint of coffee in the gelato something I imagined? It was divine. The beignets were different as they tasted more like donuts instead of the New Orleans style beignets I have sampled on the streets of Louisiana, but combined with the gelato it was tasty.
"But wait, there's more!" Our surprise came after this. Because he knew we had a professional camera with us to take pictures for my blog, Paul wanted to give us a quick glimpse into some of the little tricks they pull back there in the kitchen. He brought out the burnt pumpkin cream with its side of sweet candied pecans and vanilla shortbread and served it to us on the house. It was watching him burn the top of the pumpkin cream with a smoking hot rod of iron that was the star of the evening. Essentially, it tasted like a creme brulee, and I will have to say, they could not have given me too much of it.
This experience was so much fun and would not have been the same without Paul as our server. I enjoyed every minute of the evening down to the last when I signed the receipt with a pen tied to a bird feather. Nia and I had a great opportunity to catch up as we ladies do while enjoying the luxury of tasty food. I look forward to more adventures with her as we traipse across Birmingham in search for culinary secrets, and I very much look in anticipation to the day I visit Ovenbird once more.
