Good Eatin'

I think I've probably mentioned a few times before that we are a decidedly "foodie" cast. The charge, led primarily by Claire, took a deliciously interesting turn come Birmingham, and boy are we grateful for it.

The Vegans (my nickname for Grace and Claire) spent most of our time in the South seeking the perfect soul food. We're talking collard greens, mac and cheese, corn bread and sweet tea (and maybe some chicken or BBQ for the carnivores among us). Anyway, we'd tried many a spot on our venture. A BBQ joint in Dothan, AL had incredible pulled pork, but did not answer the call for collards. There was some good "fried corn" and turnip greens at a lunch place in Montgomery, but The Vegans were not satisfied. There had to be some place that would give the authentic, tried-and-true soul cuisine.

And it came, not a moment too soon.

With our time in the south coming to a close, Claire got serious. Our Birmingham show marked the last show before a long trek back to the Northeast, and Claire knew she had to make it count. At the vans that morning, she announced, with her usual bravado, that she had discovered "an amazing place" (this is a typical refrain, but always accurate) that had "the real thing." A little skeptical from the rather sketchy photos on the very-1990s website, Aaron and I reluctantly agreed to join in (Grace and Kristen were on-board from the get-go). Out came an iPhone GPS, and we followed the blinking blue light out of downtown Birmingham, and into a downright depressed neighborhood. Nothing nearby showed any signs of life, except for a line of cars outside of the little shack that held Eagles Restaurant. We hopped out of the car and, staring down bars over the windows, started to wonder what we'd gotten ourselves into.

But, one step inside, and we knew Claire had done it again!

The people behind the counter initially looked at us with minor suspicion (this is very much an in-the-know spot), but they served us up their decidedly-exceptional fare with a smile and grace. I went for their "three vegetable" plate (where Mac & Cheese was an option, so you know things are good) and a sweet tea, which was beyond-sweet. My total? $5.75. The guys got chicken wings, which looked exceptional. The Vegans gathered heaping plates of veggies, and we began. And it was exceptional. The food was perfectly cooked, and precisely what you want when you want soul food. It was likely some of the absolute best food we've had on the entire tour.

We, apparently, made such a fuss that the owner (and cook) Ms. Leslie came out to greet us. She was shocked to hear that Claire had found the place, and was clearly tickled when Kristen suggested that the place be featured on Oprah. I chatted up a guy at a nearby table who told me he'd been coming almost-daily for lunch. He told me, "Nobody knows about this place, and whenever they see the outside, they ask me if I'm crazy. But, look at that score." He gestured to her Department of Health rating, which is 100. "Ms. Leslie does not mess around." Having befriended the entire restaurant and staff, we asked for a photo:

(Photo Credit: Grace)

If you wind up in Birmingham, AL, you absolutely must check out Eagle's Restaurant. It's a bit out of the way, but decidedly worth the trek.

Call tomorrow: 11:00am, Days Inn in Sweetwater, TN, or whenever Alaina gets back from the shop with Proud Mary. She needs a little TLC before the long trip back north.

Kid Quote of the Day: When I ask where the Duck went with the laptop at the end of the show, a little kid very excitedly pointed to the back drop and shouted, "He went that way!! He went... oh, there he is." (Guess what happened in the "..."?"

Colleen Tractor Quote of the Day: She caught me with tractor in hand today. "Ethan Marc Angelica!! That's what I thought."