Building on its hugely popular transformation into a lobster shack for a month last summer, Hazel, Ravines and Downtown in Birmingham is at it again.
Owners Beth Hussey and Emmele Herrold, who is the executive chef, are bringing southern seafood specialties from the Gulf Coast of Florida and Louisiana to Birmingham.
From January 21 to February 16, the Birmingham eatery will transform into "Hazel's Crab Trap."
The restaurant's lobster shack was so popular — they served more than 5,000 lobster rolls — last summer it was extended an additional two weeks.
A highlight of the menu is stone crab, a highly prized Florida delicacy. More than 90% of stone crabs come from Florida. The season began in October and runs through May.
If you're unfamiliar with stone crabs, these are small crabs that are sought only for their claws. The meat in the crabs two front claws is known for being decadent and delicately sweet.
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But before removing or harvesting the stone crab claw, it must be at least 2 ¾ inches long. One claw is typically bigger than the other. Once the claw is removed, the stone crab is returned to the water where it will regenerate its lost claw.
On Hazel's menu, stone crabs will be market price and served with a mustard sauce and hushpuppies.
Another Florida fish favorite, grouper, will be on the menu, with a grouper Reuben sandwich and a grouper griddle featuring popcorn grouper, agave-lime coleslaw and chili-lime aioli atop a split-top buttery roll. Fresh grouper will also be on the menu along with Cedar Key Clams and Buffalo Calamari.
From New Orleans, there's barbecue shrimp prepared head-on and served in a peppery butter sauce and gumbo.
The goal, Herrold said, is to "emulate traditional fish houses" like the ones she visited with family in Florida since childhood."
“The takeover is a major undertaking,” Hussey said, “If it were easy, I suppose everyone would do it.”
The owners and staff enjoy the creativity it takes to give Hazel’s a brand new look, feel and menu for a short time. With Stone Crab in season, it seemed the perfect time to bring the Gulf Coast closer to home."
And if seafood is not your thing, no worries, they'll still have several HRD favorites like the Token Burger, Wings and Sauce and Georgian cheese bread. The restaurants raw bar will feature oysters, King and Snow Crab and shrimp.
For a vegan option, the restaurant enlisted the chefs at Street Beat, a Detroit pop-up, who created a new sandwich to debut on the menu called the “Not-So-Crabby-Patty.”
As they did with the lobster takeover, the owners said in a news release that they've gone directly to the source and are working with a fisherman in Florida to fly in fresh seafood daily for the takeover.
The menu will also be available during the eateries weekend brunch along with a diner-style brunch menu with traditional items like eggs to order and pancakes.
Located at 1 Peabody Street, Hazel, Ravines and Downtown is named after the three Birmingham neighborhoods that converge at the location.
For reservations go to HRD.Kitchen.
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Contact Susan Selasky at 313-222-6872 or sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter.
2020-01-09 13:01:00Z
https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/2020/01/09/birmingham-hazel-ravines-downtown-crab-trap/2832329001/
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