By Leslie Ellis, The Alabama Foodist
Trussville Entertainment District: Where have you been all my life? Mr. West’s, will you marry me?
I admit I have neglected some areas in Central Alabama recently because of time constraints but no more! So much can happen in an area between trips and it is obvious that I have been away from Trussville for too long!
I asked a Twitter friend for his suggestion of a place in Trussville for dinner, last night. He suggested Mr West’s Asian Kitchen. I am so glad that he did! (Thanks Scott Buttram)
The last time I was in Trussville to dine was at Half Shell Oyster house but it was early and I just spied the Entertainment area briefly. I was still impressed because it had a big screen and was showing an MLB game. I thought, “What a great place to go with friends to watch your favorite team!” But I didn’t go over and walk around.
We arrived to the district about 8:00 p.m. Parking was hard to find right around the venue but was easy to find in a nearby strip mall. (Thank you, Ace Hardware!) The venue was packed with people, enjoying themselves with food and beverages from Ferus and Pinchgut Pies. There is a Cookie Dough Magic of Trussville for dessert and snacks! There is also Trussville Social nearby. I plan to try all of these spots!
But last night will be hard to beat. Mr West’s sits less than a block from the stage area and patio seating has a long view of the stage.
If you are familiar with East West restaurant in downtown Birmingham, this is a fast casual (in a good way) offering by these folks. The interior is absolutely beautiful and really gives it an upscale vibe for fast casual.
The food offerings include a variety of small plates, bao bun assortments, burgers and rice bowls. You order and pay at the counter and that is where the “fast casual” part stops. From that point, you find a seat in the beautiful dining room and wait for your food. While in line, I watched the cooks preparing the dishes and they are all done to order and served up fresh and hot. No premade, reheats anywhere!
We ordered the Pork Dumplings and the Spring Rolls as appetizers. The pork dumplings were the absolute star for the whole table. Crispy and so flavorful! The spring rolls were very good as well but definitely use the chili sauce for a great flavor combination.
There was a special Katsu with vegetables and rice. This is what I ordered and I hope it will go on the regular menu because it was outstanding. Often a flat fried cutlet can be dry and the only flavor comes from the heavy breading. Not so for this dish. The sauces lightly drizzled on top with the seasoned breading made this dish sing.
My companion ordered the Mongolian Beef Rice Bowl. It was a little flat on flavor but, if he had asked me, I would have suggested requesting some sort of sauce because the dish looked a little dry. I tasted it and it was good – it just didn’t have that “bang” that the appetizers and my Katsu provided.
Service was fast, as you would expect, and the servers were attentive and checked in at least once.
They seem to do a large takeout business but it didn’t seem to affect the speed and quality of table service. The atmosphere is cozy and comfortable.
They also offer some really delicious cocktails. The menu is limited but I think, for this style of restaurant, providing a few REALLY excellent cocktails, rather than trying to. function as a bar, is the only way to go. They also have a selection of craft and canned beer as well as several house wines. I had a Saigon Sling, which was a fizzy not-too-sweet Singapore Sling take. My friend had an Old Fashioned and he was a real fan.
You know I am always looking for that great combination of service, atmosphere, food and total vibe. They don’t have to appear only in fine dining establishments. Sometimes you hit the home run in a small inconspicuous Asian spin-off. Mr. West’s is a fine example of that.
After dinner, we strolled around and listened to the band and watched the people at the tables having a wonderful time with friends. We will definitely be back! To Mr. West’s. To the other restaurants that have opened while I wasn’t watching. To the entertainment district with so much to offer.
You should go too!