A Visit to Niki's West

On a recent Saturday Dianne and I visited Cullman to check out the Alabama Gourd Show. This event is one of two sponsored by the Alabama Gourd Society; the other is held in Clanton in March. Dianne has been wanting to combine her beading/jewelry work with gourds for some time, so she was able to pick up some beginner's tools and hints from various exhibitors. The craftsmanship and imagination on display at this show are pretty impressive. You can get a few hints below.

On the way back to Pelham we decided to have an early dinner at Niki's West, the legendary "steak and seafood" place on Finely Avenue in Birmingham. You can read more about them at their website and this article from 2013. You can read what owner Pete Hontzas had to say about Niki's influence in Birmingham in this 2017 article. 

If you've never eaten at Niki's, get there ASAP! You can go through the buffet line, which is all we've ever done, or order from the menu. Either way it's bound to be good. 

Dave Hoekstra's meditation on Niki's West and Greek soul food in Birmingham can be found here.

Bob Carlton has written "Niki's West: The story behind a classic Alabama restaurant" available here. 

I ordered the divine liver and onions and enjoyed it very much. Our son Amos declares this one to be "literally my favorite meal in the world".

Update April 22, 2019:  

Dianne, son Amos and I made it to Niki's this past weekend and took a few more photos; the first three are by Amos.