At Table
Tamara's Bar & Grill
By Amyur Pooka
Your Pooka steps out.
Your Pooka incarnated himself as a hungry Fairhopian and revisited Tamara’s Bar & Grill. Tamara’s can be found about half way between Big Lots and Fred’s in the Eastern Shore Shopping Center, roughly at the corner of Fairhope Avenue and Greeno Road.
The last visit resulted in a very good meal, but a chaotic experience. This was a result of choosing a night that coincided with a hugely popular sporting event of some sort that was televised and shown on all 100 of the Bar’s TV screens. This revealed an aspect of Tamara’s that needs to be factored in when planning a visit: If March Madness, NASCAR or finals of local soccer competition land on the night of your planned visit, you might want to reconsider. The food will be just as good, but it will be like enjoying it in the Talladega infield. Tamara’s is popular, and the regulars enjoying cheering their favorites (or rehashing just-completed local athletic clashes) rather exuberantly. An alternative to choosing another night would be to down a six-pack before you are driven to the Bar and Grill so you arrive somewhat on the same energy level as the fans.
Anyhow, I digress. This time, we arrived at about 7:30 p.m. and found the dining room half-full and quiet. Tamara’s accommodations consist of a smallish dining room flanked on one side by a full-length bar, and a cozy outside courtyard in back, with a bar to the side. The dining room is surrounded by the aforementioned TV sets, tuned to a variety of evening entertainments. The good news is that, while one can look at all this (or not), the volume was very civilized, so one could actually chat with a dinner companion (if you were so inclined).
Back to the action: Our server was quick to greet us with menus and took our drink order. Libations offered included several beers -- bottled and draft -- cocktails, soft drinks, tea and so on (probably, even water). The beer was cold and a glass of house Pinot Grigio was generously poured.
Faced with Tamara’s menu of numerous and varied choices, one might assume that the result was going to be average sports-bar food, carelessly served. Much to our surprise, this is not the case. From the appetizer section, we chose fried pickles and jalapeno's ( ½ & ½ ). This may seem like a strange pick for a mystical gourmand, but you should remember that Baldwin County may actually be the birthplace of fried small vegetables, and one should continually monitor their progress. In any event, this was a fortuitous choice, because they turned out to be the best version that we have ever encountered. They were fried to a deep brown color and unusual crispness and literally melted in our mouths. Another important detail was imparted by our anything-but-careless waitress. She revealed that they were battered in “Whistle-Stop” batter, which she said was highly prized by their chefs (and available in the nearby supermarkets). Duly noted. The pickles/peppers were offered among such diverse starters as chips n’ salsa, grilled duck quesadillas and wings of several varieties. If they are half as carefully prepared, they are all worth considering.
Our main course consisted of Tamara’s salads, topped by ahi tuna and soft-shell crab, respectively. They were both enjoyed immensely. Tamara’s dinner salads are a variety of greens, vegetables, grated cheese and nuts, and the tuna (grilled medium-rare) is as good as any in our area. Homemade oriental sesame dressing on the tuna and ranch on the crab cakes were a very nice accompaniment.
Main courses range, in general price progression, from numerous choices on the sandwich list (from $8.35), to elaborate salads (see above), to steamed, fried or grilled seafood to a rib eye at $24.95. Also included are choices of chicken, ribs and even a grilled vegetable plate. Special attention should be given to the several specialty hamburgers and to the salads, which are large and can be topped with grilled tuna, duck, steak, chicken or soft-shell crab.
As always in Fairhope, one encounters more than a few familiar faces in establishments that deliver what is promised, and this outing was no exception. It is worth noting that those included carpenters, lawyers, developers, retirees and parents with ….. children. We left, commenting to each other on the good food, attentive service and pleasant company.
(Editor's note: Our pseudonymous reviewer visits area dining establishments and reports back helpfully to the hungry MBT hordes. Wherever food is served, our mystical creature of the East (Eastern Shore, that is) and ample, yet refined, appetite is likely to appear, as if by magic, and then to vanish just as quickly to his comfortable lair. There, he weighs gravely the pros and cons of his latest gustatory adventure. He dines at his own expense; remains anonymous to all; reports only on those restaurants he frequents in the regular course of life, primarily reasonably priced places. However, he does splurge on occasion. Bon Appetit!)
