This year there are 15 Tuscaloosa participants in ARW, which lasts until Sunday. Participating restaurants offer a two-course lunch and a three-course dinner of their choice.
Southern Ale House opened March 2 and has served local food and drinks from its inception. Along with the local southern pub fare, the restaurant offers 18 southern craft beer selections, including Tuscaloosa’s own Black Warrior Brewing Company and Druid City Brewing Company.
“We use as much local food as we can get,” said Justin Holt, owner of ?Southern Ale House.
Southern Ale House is offering a $15 lunch that comes with hand breaded chicken breast topped with homemade white gravy and served over mashed potatoes with a choice of one side item, followed by homemade buttermilk pie. For dinner they are offering a $30 three-course meal including a BLT bite appetizer followed by a 12 oz. Ale House Ribeye with homemade steak ?sauce. It is served with two side items, and again, followed by pie.
Holt is a graduate of The University of Alabama and has worked in the restaurant business for over ?15 years.
In October 2013, Holt decided to start something from scratch. He partnered with long-time friend and co-worker Bradley Morris, who is now general manager at Southern Ale House. Holt also partnered with his parents. Together, they brought Southern Ale House to Tuscaloosa.
Southern Ale House’s signature menu items are the made-from-scratch biscuit sandwiches. The MeMe, named after Holt’s grandmother, is a large biscuit sandwich with fried chicken and apple wood smoked bacon, topped with white gravy. The Corbell is a thinly sliced prime rib biscuit, topped with a horseradish cream sauce.
Menu items also include Southern favorites like the pickle burger, shrimp and grits, pimento cheese and bacon stuffed potato skins and pork skins. Each entrée comes with a choice of a side such as hashbrown casserole, chipotle collard greens, sweet potato tots and ranch slaw. Holt’s inspiration for the menu comes from what he says is a nationwide love for southern food.
Bar manager Jeff Henthorn created a drink menu featuring classic drinks with a Southern twist.
“I tried to think of catchy ?names that people would remember and spark people’s interest.” Henthorn said.
Fan favorites have been the Pineapple Express and Peaches ‘n Beam, both of which are infused fruit drinks, he said.
The team at Southern Ale House said they are proud of what they have accomplished already with Alabama Restaurant Week, and they hope to remain for years to come a place for southern favorites in the ?Tuscaloosa area.
“It’s important for us because it gives the community awareness of local restaurants,” Holt said. “It allows people to appreciate local, family-owned restaurants.”
