<p>pamayawaa, Son has had some difficulty at restaurants just trying to determine if there are eggs or dairy products in a dish, but I suspect that any restaurants that they use “cruelty-free” products will advertise that fact if they go through the effort to obtain them. </p>
<p>I admire my son’s will power in giving up foods that he really, really likes, because of a moral position he has taken. I don’t seem to have the same will power when it comes to food.</p>
<p>The dining halls at UA could do better when it comes to offering vegan foods, but so could almost every restaurant and grocery store in the U.S. I have suggested to my son that he start some kind of vegan club at UA, but so far he hasn’t moved on that suggestion. Will see where he is at after another semester of trying to eat vegan at the UA dining halls.</p>
<p>Speaking of grocery stores, the Manna Grocery & Deli at 2300 McFarland Blvd E is another good vegan food place in Tuscaloosa. Son found some vegan desserts when shopping there they other day and said he did a little dance in the aisle because almost all of the deserts in the UA dining halls aren’t vegan friendly and desserts are his favorite type of food.</p>
<p>suggested to my son that he start some kind of vegan club at UA, but so far he hasn’t moved on that suggestion</p>
<p>==========</p>
<p>It might be easier for him to start a Bama Vegan Facebook page. As members grow, then some may consider making it a real club.</p>
<p>^ Great suggestion!</p>
<p>Archibald’s BBQ was great when we visited. My s. will be there often.</p>
<p>Archibald’s BBQ was great when we visited. My s. will be there often.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Will try it the next time we’re in T-town.</p>
<p>I think the full name is Archibalds and Woodrow’s BBQ on Greensboro (Downtown)</p>
<p>[Archibald</a> And Woodrow’s Barbecue - Tuscaloosa | Urbanspoon](<a href=“http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/309/1295055/restaurant/Archibald-And-Woodrows-Barbecue-Tuscaloosa]Archibald”>http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/309/1295055/restaurant/Archibald-And-Woodrows-Barbecue-Tuscaloosa)</p>
<p>Just to clarify, while Archibald and Woodrow’s is related to Archibald’s, the two are separate restaurants.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Oh…thanks for the clarification…where is “just” Archibalds? </p>
<p>Is this it:</p>
<p>ARCHIBALD’S BAR-B-Q
1211 MLK Blvd.
Northport, AL 35476
(205) 345-6861</p>
<p>What are some of the differences? Is one more of divey BBQ and the other a more upscale place or what??</p>
<p>The owners of the two restaurants are kin - cousins once removed or something. </p>
<p>Woodrow’s is the original joint started up by George Archibald and now run by his children. It is an understatement to call it “divey” - it’s literally a roadside shack on MLK Rd in Northport. And the menu consists of two things: ribs and pulled pork. That’s it. </p>
<p>Archibald and Woodrow’s was started by a nephew of George Archibald and is full-service restaurant with a full menu of pork, chicken and fish and side dishes (and some of meat-and-three items). It’s moved around some but now has two locations: one on Greensboro Ave and other on Rice Mine Rd near the Publix on the lake.</p>
<p>[The</a> Crimson Cafe recreates atmosphere, menu | The Crimson White](<a href=“Documenting Justice (Video) – The Crimson White”>Documenting Justice (Video) – The Crimson White)</p>
<p>
[quote]
Long-time Strip restaurant The Crimson Caf</p>
<p>Archibald and Woodrow’s was started by a nephew of George Archibald and is full-service restaurant with a full menu of pork, chicken and fish and side dishes (and some of meat-and-three items). It’s moved around some but now has two locations: one on Greensboro Ave and other on Rice Mine Rd near the Publix on the lake.</p>
<p>============</p>
<p>So is Archibald and Woodrow’s any good? </p>
<p>I can’t seem to visualize where it is…is it by Chuck’s Fish or maybe Mugshots?</p>
<p>I thought the Crimson Cafe had already reopened?</p>
<p>I think it is. I think the chicken wings and fish are especially good. It’s not in downtown but further down Greensboro Ave, next to the Academy Sports and Hollywood 16 cineplex.</p>
<p>Ahhh…that explains why I couldn’t visualize it…not in Downtown.</p>
<p>What are people’s opinions of that European Cafe in the northern area of Downtown?</p>
<p>Edelweiss, I think you’re talking about?</p>
<p>The food is okay, but they have great pastries. The chocolate-filled croissant is my favorite.</p>
<p>just ate ribs at Archibald and Woodrows…YUMMY! great food!</p>
<p>Tried the wings at Archibald’s and Woodrow’s today…even better than the ribs! :)</p>
<p>m2ck, did they folks at PF Chang’s specifically say there were looking into putting a store in Tuscaloosa? Or were they being vague?</p>
<p>I believe if they do come, they are looking into the site currently occupied by McFarland Mall. McFarland Mall opened as Tuscaloosa’s first mall in the late 1960s, but has declined exponentially over the past ten years, basically after the movie theater there closed. By my last count, only three stores are open in the interior of the mall, one of them TJMaxx. The entire mall is empty otherwise (actually half of the mall is completely closed off from access).</p>
<p>However, the property was purchased a year or so ago by Stan Pate, the man who was the original force behind Midtown Village. He was the one who purchased the lots in the old neighborhood that used to be where the village is and cleared out the lots before selling the land to another developer. He says he plans to demolish the mall itself, but keep Books-a-Million and Chili’s and develop another outdoor lifestyle center like Midtown or the Summit. This is supposed to happen over the next two or three years.</p>
<p>Now, he says he’s had preliminary negotiations with unspecified companies to open stores at the new lifestyle center (but at the same time, Midtown is only 70% occupied). So I’m thinking he’s targeting places like PF Chang’s and Apple Store (there are so many people here who go to the Apple Store, there’s definitely a market for it here).</p>
<p>PF Changs said that they were looking at T-town for both a PF Changs and a Pei Wei.</p>
<p>I don’t think that area would be good.</p>
<p>I think the area right north of Midtown Village (cleared after the tornado) should become a larger Midtown Village area…perhaps with a walk over bridge. </p>
<p>However, I can see why the Books a Million area would want to improve. BAM is nice, and Chili’s is nice, but the rest of that old mall needs a re-do. With Sams Club and Walmart across the street, the area does get traffic. That area to the west (where Food World is) also needs a makeover.</p>
<p>That’s true about the corner of 15th Street and McFarland Blvd. That area used to be residential lots rented out to students (and I think it was all owned by one company), so I can definitely see the owners converting the property over to retail. However, that would hindered by the fact that the property along McFarland Blvd is owned separately and the respective owners are already rebuilding (like Krispy Kreme and Full Moon BBQ). There’s also the area where the shopping center with the Big Lots and Hobby Lobby used to be. That will almost certainly be redeveloped as a retail area.</p>
<p>The McFarland Mall area however has the advantage of interstate access. Retailers and restaurants with PF Chang’s and Cheesecake Factory are almost always built with easy interstate access in mind.</p>
<p>True about interstate access.</p>
<p>I also wonder if that gas station land on the SW corner of McFarland and 15th will be absorbed by Midtown Village…a restaurant could go there (maybe not a big one like PF Changs or Cheesecake Factory), but certainly something that wouldn’t “compete” with what’s already in Midtown…something Italian maybe? </p>
<p>I did notice that a bike trail has been installed in Midtown Village.</p>