I have three words to say about our dinner at Veranda on Highland in Birmingham.

Wow.

Wow.

WOW.

Veranda on Highland’s Executive Chef, Tom Robey, was kind enough to come down to the Airstream to share his aha moment with us. He said he has aha moments all the time: each time a guest enjoys their experience or his food enhances someone’s special moment. A veteran chef with 25 years of experience at a well-known New Orleans restaurant before settling in Birmingham a few years ago to take the helm at Veranda, it was obvious that Robey was passionate about his craft. Who am I to deny him of the pleasure of sharing his art with me?

Later that night, Brett and I headed to Veranda, which sits in a beautiful Antebellum home that has been restored to perfection. Warm colors, clean lines and custom stained glass complete the interior, which also features several intimate rooms and a foodie’s paradise – a wine cellar that serves as the Chef’s table. I pointed out that if I ever were to open a restaurant, it would look like this.

If only I could cook like this.

After Robey guided us on a tour of the restaurant, we were seated and handed menus. That’s when the challenge began: how to choose? From appetizers through dessert, the menu offered a stunning variety of local flavors, fresh meat and seafood and a colorful palette of sides, sauces and expert touches. Check out the menu!

Brett and I agreed to leave our fate in Robey’s hands, so we asked our server to bring us whatever the Chef recommended. We’d both done this a few times before and had no question that this was the perfect place to let the Chef rule.

We started with Crab and Corn Beignets with pickled okra tartar sauce (wow) and the Veranda House Salad with sliced strawberries, roasted pineapple and honey roasted almonds (yum). Chef also brought Fried Green Tomatoes topped with crawfish andouille. (Halfway through it, I paused and said, “I cannot even fathom what’s in this or how to make it. That’s what I love most about it.”)

Already, we were sold on the Chef’s selections.

For our main courses, the Chef perfectly nailed our tastes. Brett enjoyed Jumbo White Barbecued Shrimp with yellow grits, which was exactly what he would have chosen if he’d selected from the menu. The shrimp was well seasoned, cooked to perfection and right at home on a bed of creamy, savory grits.

I was the lucky recipient of wine-braised Pork Butt over homemade gnocchi with tomatoes, capers, olives and garlic. Chef joked that he would probably sell more if he could think of a different name for it, but I thought it was perfectly tender, flavorful and just plain fantastic.

Although we’d agreed to share, it was obvious that we were both hesitant to give up even one bite. But, in the end, we managed to fulfill our promise so we could truly appreciate how fantastic everything was.

And although neither of us are really dessert people, we did savor a few bites of the peanut butter pie with pretzel crust, bread pudding and caramel cheesecake that Chef was generous enough to bring us. We stumbled away full and happy, agreeing that it was the best meal either of us had eaten in months. I just may skip finishing culinary school and beg Chef Robey to let me stage for a few months in his kitchen – I’d be the talk of the town if I could present these masterpieces in my own kitchen.

A special thanks to Chef Robey and the staff at Veranda on Highlands for an impeccable dining experience!