If you’re just passing through or new to the area, you may miss this jewel called Ozio located in the southern part of Daphne on US Hwy 98, but it’s well worth actually stopping in and grabbing a bite to eat for dinner or lunch. 
We chose dinner and found a selection of gourmet pizza at its finest.
We arrived at Ozio shortly before 7PM to find an almost packed house lined up to enjoy fine wine, mixed drinks, cocktails, live music by Jeff Glickman on acoustic guitar and, most of all, pizza. It took a moment, but we were greeted with a smile and the absolutely most attentive and polite waitress that we’ve ever had to date.
Both reviewers had un-sweet tea but were offered wine, mixed drinks, and Coke-Cola products as an alternative. We started off our meal with the calamari appetizer, which was served lightly battered with a very delicate but spicy lemon butter dipping sauce unlike any we’ve ever had. One reviewer stated that the calamari was unique enough to be a highlight of its own for the restaurant.
The pizza we ordered was called “Gardinio”, created with fresh red and green peppers, Crimini mushrooms, sliced red onions and arugula. We later found out that the dough of the pizza is not actually tossed. Instead, it is kneaded by hand into the delicacy that it will be once baked. Made as a 14 inch pie, this pizza was both light, healthy and filling all at the same time.
As you can see from the picture, it’s a delicious, hand-made pizza that is served fresh. We didn’t ask if it could be made to order. But judging from what we saw in the kitchen it wouldn’t be hard to get your pizza exactly the way you prefer, given some time.
Ozio provides an atmosphere that’s available for special occasions, a reason to be romantic and families. When you consider the quality at the same price, if not a better price than the corporate chains that really never put that extra care into the experience like Ozio does, you know for sure that you’ve found a keeper.
You can find Ozio online at:
Pizzeria Ozio – Main Site: http://www.pizzeriaozio.com
Twitter: @PizzeriaOzio
Facebook: Ozio
Ozio is easily the dining that you’d wished you’d always knew about – a best kept secret of the Eastern Shore and Daphne, if you will – for an absolutely world-class and stellar experience. The service alone was enough to want to go back, not just the food.
Have you ever had a taco that you just couldn’t put down and when you were done with it you just wanted another one? We have, and they come from Los Tacos Fresh Mexican Grill in Daphne, AL. You can call them at (251) 626-6110. They’re right next to Taco Bell (imagine that) and it’s so much better. The prices and wait time is comparable so there’s absolutely no reason not to try them out. Los Tacos has eight different preparations of meat: Ground Beef, Chicken, Shredded Beef, Steak – Asada, Carnitas, Lengua, Pastor and Cabeza. And Los Tacos menu ranges from $0.79 to about $8.49 (Fajitas) and is mostly on the cheaper side.
You can visit Los Tacos online at 
Take a break from the normal “ho-hum” of local South Alabama eating and go have an authentic Taste of New Orleans, located in Fairhope, Alabama. I’d heard about A Taste of New Orleans before from our family and colleagues. After tweeting with 
Since I like to try new foods, the Fromage Poulet, Wednesday’s special of the day, sounded pretty enticing. The recipe comes from owner Monica Tucker and was created for her family as the menu states. It has a creamy cheese sauce consistency mixed with seasoning, Chicken and tomatoes topped off with freshly cooked white rice. We got a side of French bread and some cole slaw. This wasn’t your ordinary, run-of-the-mill, cole slaw either. It was a fantastic blend of finely shredded cabbage, mayonnaise, carrots and other good stuff as well as brown mustard that gave it just the right amount of kick. Easily I can say there’s nothing else around like this meal – and it was good! It took 1 minute to get my drink and 2 minutes later I was chowing down on my entrée. Great stop for quick in and out for lunch time!
Customarily as you would at any good cafe or restaurant for lunch in New Orleans, I finished off my meal with an order of coffee and beignets. Yes, I know there’s another place in Fairhope that serves beignets, but A Taste of New Orleans easily can be ranked #1 at scoring my vote at Best Beignets outside of New Orleans. Best of all, I don’t have to drive 300 miles to get them – A Taste of New Orleans is just a hop, skip and a jump away for me in Fairhope (and in two places at that)!
Hopjacks Pizza Kitchen & Taproom, located at 251 Dauphin St. Mobile, AL. 36602, is a pizzeria and bar located in the heart of Downtown Mobile. Most of you may know the location of Hopjacks from where Picklefish once was – on the Corner of Joachim and Dauphin Street (adjacent to the Sanger Theater). Right off the bat we can tell you it’s much better than the restaurant that used to be there. We decided to try it out since we had already had it recommended by a friend and wanted to see what it was all about. Since everyone here loves pizza and beer, it was a win-win situation.
We started off our meal with the Belgian Fries. Those were awesome potatoes, classic-cut french fries, fried in duck fat topped off with ground salt and pepper. Served with Roasted Garlic Herb Dip and Ketchup. We loved them in both, so it doesn’t matter what you choose – it’s going to be good. The menu says that you can get crash helmet upon request, but we took a risk and ate them without looking silly.
Reviewer #1: 9/10; Reviewer #2: 8/10; Overall Score: 17/20.
We recently visited the newly opened Dragon City Buffet, located at 28611 Hwy 98 Daphne, Alabama, 36526 on opening night (also St. Patrick’s Day) for a review since we’ve enjoyed so much of their delivery from their Dragon City restaurant further down 98. The restaurant is located in the old Rousso’s and Ruby Tuesday’s building, near the intersection of Van Buren St. and Hwy 98. They serve a wide variety of foods including Cantonese, Szechuan, Hunan, Sushi and even Hibachi. It’s not a traditional sit-down Hibachi Grill, but nonetheless Hibachi made-to-order and unique to any other Chinese Buffet in the area. 
Our initial impressions were that they were very busy…and the restaurant was quite loud with customers. Lots of kids, so we would say it’s family friendly. The adults were being louder than the kids, but that’s to be expected in Alabama. There was a lot of activity from the staff attending to the buffet, but not really focused entirely on customer service or any type of personal attention. Room for improvement there.
When our drinks were empty, we did receive prompt attention. After that, however, we were served our bill way too fast. We felt like we were being rushed out so that they could turn as many tables as possible in their first night. Not exactly how we’d want to feel when trying to enjoy a meal. At least ask if there’s anything else they can get us or what we thought before the check arrives. 
