12/28/17
Foie Gras With Sticky Rice at Ollie Irene in Birmingham, AL. You know a dish is BIGTIME when you take the first bite and you IMMEDIATELY know that you’re going to run it back (order another one) before you leave the restaurant. Such was the case with this amazing foie gras dish. The foie gras was nicely seared and sat on top of a bed of sticky rice. I loved the mix of textures with the sticky rice and the delicate, silky/buttery texture of the foie gras. The dish was accompanied by orange slices, orange zest (finely grated orange peel), and umami caramel, which gave it a sweet and savory taste while a trace of fish sauce also gave the dish a bit of an Asian flair. When I took my first bite of this dish, I said to myself, “WOW!” and I was thisclose to ordering a 3rd helping of this dish when I saw an off the menu burger being scarfed down by another customer. I opted for the burger, which was also fabulous, but when I got back to my hotel, I was kicking myself for not ordering another foie gras after the burger. Ollie Irene is a favorite of locals owned and operated by renowned chef Chris Newsome. Terrific service by friendly and knowledgeable servers (I sat at the bar and David was outstanding). Open Tuesday through Saturdays for dinner only and they don’t take reservations. If you’re anywhere near Mountain Brook (very close to Birmingham), don’t leave without eating this sensational dish!!