Food and people are amazing. Activities for the kids and adults.read more

It's Glasnost-to-Go: I found something NEW - a sure magnet for lovers of all things Baltic and…read morebeyond. It's the ST. NICHOLAS RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH--ANNUAL RUSSIAN/SLAVIC FOOD FESTIVAL! Having found it, I went...and was glad, although I took the trip alone. It was a pleasant drive with a delicious ending. It's held each year on the first Saturday - Sunday of November (times are 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Noon - 5 p.m., respectively) in the Parish Hall. [It began in 1981 as a bake sale and until recently it somehow, somewhere, some way eluded me.] Just got back, but it's still going strong tomorrow! (On Sundays, visitors can see a bit of Russian dancing on the grounds, located about 30 minutes northwest of Birmingham...I was sorry I missed the dancers, but my schedule was wild that week). Following what is estimated as a couple months' prep, the ladies of the "Sisterhood of St. Olga" - some of whom you may espy in native peasant dresses - roll out trays full of Ukrainian-Slovakian delights. These bonnes bouches de babushka are based on vintage recipes bequeathed by relatives and friends who immigrated to the area, drawn by potential employ at the local coal mines. Comestibles included beet-infused borscht, shschi (Russian soldiers' cabbage/meat soup - VERY GOOD), pirozhki (buns filled with various ingredients), blini (pancakes of a sort), pelmeni (filled dumplings), and kolbasa, which you may recognize under its Polish name, kielbasa. I chose the grand-slam "Imperial Platter," which boasted halupki (stuffed cabbage), kolbasa, kraut, pirozhki, halushki (dumplings & cabbage), cucumber salad, and pigachi for only $14. I LOVED IT... Other, smaller platters, including a vegetarian selection, are priced accordingly, and many of the pastries (Imperial squares, medivnyk, Russian teacakes, pascha, and bulochki) are individually priced. The smaller pastries run $2, while the larger breads are at $5. Very reasonable! The bakery area, itself, is reason enough to go. Plan to bring extra money just for this. I did, and I was broke...but I took an armload home, with my favorite a toss-up between the nut-filled, Slovakian rozky and the kolach, a rolled bread that, per my choice, was stuffed with almonds... YUMMM. Onsite you'll discover a store known as the Beriozka, where you can find imported tchotchkes (e.g. matryoshkas, or nesting dolls; iconography; hand-painted ornaments) and other more practical imports, such as books and woolen shawls, from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and the Republic of Moldova. I picked up one of the Russian cookbooks and will be utilizing it soonly... Call Father Benedict or Matushka Brigid Davis at the numbers above to get more info. Then it's time to dust off your samovar and head to St. Nick's!

My first time attending the Lebanese festival (April 25-26, 2025) was really cool. I loved how…read moreorganized everything was on Saturday when I attended. The workers were so nice as well. TO GO ordering was really easy and fast. I really enjoyed my #1 which was pretty much a sampler of the popular items ( I imagine) - my favs were the spinach pie and kibbeh. The St Elias church is beautiful from an outside view; unfortunately, we did not go on a tour of the church. I look forward to attending this food festival again in the future.

This was great! I got the #1 - The Beirut Classic. It was baked kibbee, grape leaves, spinach…read morepie, rice, green beans (loobia) Lebanese salad, and pita bread. I was glad that we ordered an extra spinach pie because that was the star of the dish as far as my wife and I were concerned. I really liked taking bites of kibbee and wrapping them in pita bread. A dont miss item that I want my Yelpers to know about is the ZLAYBAH! I saw the long line and I asked a worker about it. She said that it was incredible and it would run out in just a few hours and that a lady that has been making it for decades was making it with her secret recipe. I waited in line for 30 minutes for that and it was well worth it! Sitting outside was very nice and we had a great time listening to the band while we ate. I am looking forward to going back next year!

We love this place. If we are ever in this area, we always drop in…read more Everything that we have tried is absolutely amazing. The cakes and pastries are wonderful, you can tell everything is made from fresh ingredients. If you get there early they have great breakfast items too. The carrot cake and strawberry cake are my favs. Yesterday we tried their banana pudding for the first time. It was SO Good. And the folks that run the bakery are always so friendly and helpful. A joy to visit. Don't miss this hidden gem.

Cookies, cakes and pies are all very delicious! Beautiful preorder birthday cakes are so beautiful!…read moreAnd tamales are amazing!!

This store was actually really cool!…read more We really weren't sure what was going to get into with this place. When we popped in we found that they had all sorts of German related stuff .... toys, snacks, drinks, Christmas ornaments ..... The back of the store had another section of really cool toys that were really unique. As we worked our way back up the other side of the store we found a wall that had tons of spices and teas. All in large containers that you take to the front counter and tell them how much you want and they scoop out how ever much you want (pay by the ounce). The highlight of the store, the lady (presumably the owner) that made the shopping experience so nice. She also gave us some tips on cooking tea that we had never heard before. Really awesome customer service! We would for sure check them out, especially in a couple months (now Late July/early August) when she starts getting shipments of Christmas candies.

I didn't want to go in this shop. I certainly didn't want…read moreto like this shop. Well, let me explain. I was starving and hadn't eaten anything yet and it was 2pm and I thought it was a German restaurant. Needless to say I was very disappointed, and when my husband wanted to "just check it out," I stomped in planning to give it a cursory glance and depart to the car with haste. Well I gave it a cursory glance. I saw German steins and yawned. I saw little metal toys and rolled my eyes. But then I saw some colorful and well crafted Christmas ornaments. Hmm... interesting. I saw a vast wall of spices and teas. Well, maybe I like it *a little bit * after all. German chocolate and sweets and food mixes and kitchen stuff really captivated my attention. But the nicest lady you will ever meet who works there (probably the owner) was the icing in the cake. A store that I didn't want to even go in that ends up making me want to come back again and again? If that's not a *shoppe* worth 5 stars then I don't know what is! Guten tag!

Who would've thought the semi-clad Vulcan oversees a stronghold of Eastern Orthodoxy?…read more Mediterranean-food lovers and xenophiles alike rejoice each fall, with this event coming right on the heels of Birmingham's Greek Food Festival. Baked chicken, falafel, stuffed grape leaves, and zalabieh are just some of the highlights, but don't forget the baklawa or, more deliciously, the date-filled m-a-m-o-u-l...! My favorite plate is the Nile, featuring kibbee, spinach pie, grape leaves, rice, spicy green beans, Arabic salad, and humos. And you can order MORE as sides! Beware...they sell out of zalabieh early every year. A narrated church tour elucidates a liturgy blending the essence of Jerusalem, Damascus, and Antioch, and you can pick up a censer at the market to take the "atmosphere" home with you. Highly recommended, family-friendly event, with food to die, or kill, for. You'll rock on Friday and Saturday night to Amin Sultan's crazy beat, or something's wrong with you! I'm still giving them four stars, even though I miss the stuffed squash! From their website menu, for those not in the know: KIBBEE: Finely ground very lean beef, mixed with cracked wheat, onions, pine nuts, spices, brushed with butter and baked to perfection. ROLLED GRAPE LEAVES: Ground chuck mixed with rice and spices, rolled in grape leaves and cooked in a water & lemon juice mixture until tender. BAKED CHICKEN: Half chickens marinated in lemon juice and butter, seasoned with a blend of spices, oregano, and baked to a moist golden brown. SPINACH PIE: Spinach, onions, lemon juice, olive oil, and spices wrapped in fresh yeast dough in the shape of a triangle and baked. MEAT PIE: Browned ground beef, onions, spices and cream cheese mixed an wrapped in fresh yeast dough in the shape of a triangle and baked. FALAFEL: Ground chick peas, onions, spices, parsley and cumin rolled into a ball and deep fried. GREEN BEANS: Italian beans simmered with crushed tomatoes, butter, spices, onions and garlic. ZALABIEH: Yeast dough made with a blend of anise, mahalab and sugar, deep fried, dipped piping hot into a special syrup and topped with powdered sugar. Simply delicious! Mine Fave Entree (and I always "request"): THE NILE $16.00 ONE HALF POUND BAKED KIBBEE, SPINACH PIE, 3 ROLLED GRAPE LEAVES, RICE, GREEN BEANS, ARABIC SALAD, AND BREAD. (HUMOS ON REQUEST)

I went last night, and it was delicious!! I recommend the meat pie, spinach pie, hummus, and the…read moredoughnut!!! Yummm.....I want to go back again tonight!!

I had a great meal there. Quac was fantastic! Birra tacos were excellent!…read more I highly recommend!

Not your average Mexican fare. This place does not serve your normal Tex~Mex dishes. Authentic…read morestreet tacos, with a vast selection of proteins including asada, pork, octopus, tripe, just to name a few. Lots of unique and interesting offerings on the menu. Counter personal was very helpful in explaining options. Order at counter they bring the food to your table. Very fast service. Ate lunch, will be going back to see if Marquitas are as good as the tacos. Very bright and festive colors. Large patio or can eat inside. They appear to have a very good take out business. We laughed that there were 3 people sitting beside wearing t-shirts from a business that has a Mexican restaurant in their establishment, but they were eating at Los Valedores. Full bar, can't wait to try their margaritas. For an authentic and flavorful non traditional Tex~Mex meal offering this is your place.