Four new Birmingham restaurants--already!

I actually knocked out this 30 before 30 goal back in January, but I'm just now getting around to writing about it. Apparently, I set my bar low for how many new restaurants I could try in a year. I forget that I hate eating at the same place twice. :) Anyway, here's where I went:

Over Easy
My friend Kara and I went here for brunch one morning, and despite a bit of a wait because it's one of the most popular breakfast places in town, and despite them mixing up our order and making us wait way too long for our food, the food and atmosphere did deliver. Its retro colors and design made for a happy tone and the food was varied and delicious! They even had a healthy/organic part of their menu, which I ordered from not because I was trying to be particularly healthy, but because it sounded good. Egg whites, toast, fresh fruit (and not the apples and melon kind either), and turkey bacon. Yum! The best part: the meal doesn't break the budget. With coffee and milk, I still came in under $10. Check out their menu here.

DeVinci's

If you're looking for a mom-and-pop authentic Italian place, DeVinci's is a great choice. Their pizzas and calzones are delicious, although I made a mistake by branching out and ordering the chicken parmesan. Honestly, it didn't taste any better than what I could make at home. That being said, I still love the place and enjoyed eating some of Phil's calzone. The atmosphere is cozy and casual, and almost feels like you're sitting in someone's living room. While their prices are really reasonable, they're even better because they're on restaurant.com! To whet your appetite, here's their menu.

5 Guys 

I know, I know--it's a chain. BUT I'd never been there before, so it counts. I went with my friend Camille and her brother and I got the small burger (with almost everything on it) and the three of us split an order of oh-so-delicious fries. Yes, they give you that many fries! It was your typical burger joint, but it was delicious, and if you have a hankering for a burger and fries, 5 guys will hit the spot! Apparently, Americans everywhere agree because they sell 350, 000 burgers a day! Sheesh!


Pianeta 3
This is a new restaurant in Mountain Brook, and I ended up trying it with some colleagues on one of our teacher work days (a.k.a. the days we actually get to go to lunch somewhere instead of work through it). I was excited about this swanky little Italian place, but it turned out to be quite a disappointment. Not only was the food overpriced, but the amount of food was far too conservative. I ordered a couple of slices of pizza and a salad ($9.00), which wouldn't have been too bad of a price if the pizza had been hearty, but it was thin, had very few toppings on it, and was luke warm. Ehh. While I'd be willing to give Pianeta 3 another chance, I probably won't choose to go back; there are too many other restaurants that I haven't tried yet! In case you're curious, here's their lunch menu.