Food and New Friends: A Birmingham Love Story

It’s Valentine’s Day, so let’s talk about love and food.

Love, because it’s surely on everyone’s mind today (whether they like it or not … thanks, Hallmark); and food because, well, if the personality profiles over at Match.com are any authority, nothing goes better with budding romance than a tasty meal over candlelight.

I’m spending this Valentine’s Day alone with my cats, my significant other being out of town and unable to whisk me off to a romantic dinner for two. It’s no matter, though, as I enjoyed more than my fair share of Birmingham love and food last week.

Birmingham’s ended Friday, and I must say: I’m impressed. True, I’ve never experienced a true “restaurant week” in any city, so I didn’t have anything to compare it to. And true, I prefer to cook rather than go out (a carry-over from my college days spent in poverty). But with 21 of the city’s restaurants participating and offering three-course menus for only $15 and $30, how could anyone resist?

I managed to hit up a few places during the past two weeks, and I enjoyed myself immensely. One, it gave me an excuse to go out to “real” restaurants for lunch, which I hardly ever do outside of . And two, having three-course lunch menus gave me the chance to eat ’s cream puff sundae in the middle of the afternoon—which is never a bad thing.

Which brings me to love—and no, I’m not talking about that sundae, although emotions were definitely involved. Though the event skirted right up against Valentine's Day, Restaurant Week was perfect for lovers. The promotion offered the chance for pairs to steal away for a few hours and enjoy fantastic dining at reasonable prices. If you like to plan ahead, the event gave you a chance to try a few places before booking your Feb. 14 dinner.

However, love doesn't always mean romance. Take me, for example: I decided to spend my Birmingham Restaurant Week not with my fiancé, but with a few new loves: my friends.

I know I’ve said it a thousand times here, but moving to a new city is tough. Though I’ve been a resident of Birmingham for seven months now, I still feel like I left much of my heart back where I came from.

However, this Valentine’s Day, I’m lucky to reflect back on two great friends who enjoyed a few lazy lunches with me and what those friendships mean as I continue to find my place here in 48009. I love my fiancé and all, but I also love these ladies who have helped make Birmingham feel a little bit more like home. In fact, they’ve been invaluable as I help the rest of my heart move to Michigan.

It seems appropriate, then, that I’ll be spending my evening at tonight, reporting at the City Commission meeting. What better way to say “Love ya, Birmingham” than being at the very heart of its government? (Pun definitely intended.)

All we need to make it perfect is for someone to deliver the food.