Birmingham has become one of our favorite day trips. Depending on what GDOT is up to, we can often get to downtown Birmingham, faster than we can cross Atlanta. This Saturday, we headed west for some afternoon shopping and an early dinner.

By the time we’d looked everywhere, at everything, I looked at my list for options and we decided to try The Essential. They’re open Wednesday – Sunday for lunch and dinner and, from what I’ve gathered, their weekend brunch which is first-come, first-serve is a hot table to get. We were there for an early bird dinner and were seated at the rear of a restaurant that had just opened for dinner service.

We had come for the cheeseburger (a two patty Bear Creek smash burger, with American sharp cheddar, shrettuce, Russian, dijonaise) with fries, which one of us ordered.

I was offered a bite, which was quite tasty and it was quickly gone. I was dissuaded by one of the pastas – a squid ink bucatini, with shrimp and octopus in a tomato ragu with breadcrumbs.

I was surprised that the tomato ragu wasn’t red, but I hadn’t asked and, in retrospect, I think it would have been difficult to discern that the pasta was infused with squid ink. It was an interesting dish, heavy on the fishiness, of which I was warned. I think I’ll order the burger, if we return. But there are several other places on the list and the first one up for a return is Bayonet.