Friday food at FIVE

Five has already shown up in one of my blog posts, but here it is again. A few weeks ago, I talked about the very cool jazz brunch on Sundays at Five. This post is about the fabulous dinner we had at Five Friday night. This has quickly become a very hot spot in downtown Tuscaloosa and for good reason. There is always a crowd, the food is consistently good, and the atmosphere is unlike anywhere else in town. Five is located on 6th Street next to Catch 22 and just down from The Shirt Shop.

Outside seating at Five.

There is a small outside eating area, and one big dining area/ bar/ stage area. The whole room is very open with tons of chandeliers, a gorgeous bar, and a fairly crowded eating area.

View of the bar and chandeliers

Wes and I find ourselves at Five pretty often. The crowd is usually the same. Depending on the time of night, there may or may not be a good crowd of college students. They tend to come in a little later.  While we were there Friday, there was quite a few college students, 30 something's on both dates and group dinners, and parents bringing their college students to eat. The restaurant is somewhat small and the crowd is usually big, so there is often a decent wait time. This weekend we were at the wine tasting around the corner at Carpe Vino and we put our name on the list while we finished. It was a great idea! Five is working to turn the building next door into a pastry and lunch spot that will then serve dinner too. It will be nice to have more room!

Like I said above, the food is consistently good. There are five entrees written on a chalkboard in the restaurant. The options change a few times a year. There are also nightly specials, five appetizers, five white and red wines, and five specialty cocktails. The idea is simple and unique, and has been well received in Tuscaloosa.  My favorite item on the menu is the paneed chicken. It is served with mashed potatoes and a salad. All the entrees come with the same salad. It is topped with fruit, nuts, and feta cheese and their homemade vinaigrette type dressing. It is delicious. Wes ordered this Friday night and here is the picture.

Paneed Chicken

At dinner, we talked about what nice size portions you get at Five. This plate is $17, which is a little bit more expensive than some other places in town. But, it is a full plate. You definitely don't leave hungry. You know sometimes you can go to those fancy places with fancy ingredients and spend more than that for too little food. So, the prices range from $13 to $20ish but you will be pleased with the food.
I had the Friday special. This was the first time I had tried the jalapeno tequila shrimp and I was very pleased. It was served with a polenta cake and the same salad that comes with the other meals. The shrimp had a little bit of spice to it but it wasn't too much. The shrimp was served with peppers, onions, and a light sauce over the polenta cake. The polenta cake was just slightly crusty on the outside and really tasty. Wes and I talked about what exactly polenta is. I was thinking it was similar to grits and I looked it up to make sure. Yes, it is similar to grits made with cornmeal. All in all, the meal was delicious as always. Here is a shot of mine. The polenta cake is covered up in this shot. I forgot I also got a piece of bread.

Jalapeno Tequila Shrimp

We have taken several friends from out of town to eat at Five. Everyone is always pleased with their meals. It really is such a cool atmosphere and you don't even feel like you are in Tuscaloosa. Later in the night they have live music, which is cool but gets kind of loud. They also serve food late, so if you are out in downtown and need some food this is one of the few places still serving late. Quickly, this has become the place to go for dinner, drinks, live music, and to be seen. Even though parking in downtown can be a challenge, you can park once grab dinner, drinks, meet up with friends, and have a great night out in downtown Tuscaloosa. I highly recommend Five!!