TrueSouth episode 1 review: Birmingham, AL
Ever been to a “Greek and three?” Want to sit where Bear Bryant used to drink whiskey? Come on down to Birmingham.
By: Bossman Slim
Birmingham, Alabama. The birthplace of this show we love called TrueSouth, and the place that spawned the career of the godfather himself, Paul Finebaum. Birmingham is a complicated place, with a complex history, recently undergoing a renaissance. It’s a town forged by iron and steel and marked by the slow and often bloody march of progress.
The city is overlooked by the largest cast-iron statue in the world, the Vulcan statue, which depicts the Roman god Vulcan, god of fire metalworking and forge. It’s a nod to the steel and railroad industries that put Birmingham on the map in the industrial age. While the symbolism makes sense, it’s also a bit out of touch. An Italian overlooking a city with a significant and impactful Greek population? The Greek god Hephaestus might better represent the city.
Greek heritage, enclaves and food have become a staple in Birmingham over the many years since they first arrived in the town. The late 1800s-1920s saw the first Greeks arrive, and then another immigration wave after World War II and still more after 1965. Many settled here, and a vibrant Greek community matured in the heart of Dixie. Today, their traditions and heritage live on in restaurants like Johnny’s and the famous Bright Star in nearby Bessemer.
Our first stop in Magic City with John T. Edge is at Johnny’s, where owner Tim Hontzas puts a modern southern spin on classic Greek dishes. He even calls it a “Greek and three,” an ode to those famous meat and threes we’ve heard so much about on TrueSouth. Hontzas is all go all the time, seemingly hopped up on Mountain Dew 24/7, barking out orders to his staff. John T. has a great quote in the episode about this: “Tim Hontzas is forever searching until he finds whatever the hell he’s looking for.” If we didn’t know Hontzas was a pious Greek Orthodox Christian, I’d likely think the place ran on boatloads of pure Colombian cocaine. But it’s not that - it’s Tim’s natural and infectious love of his craft that oozes out of him and spills over in his kitchen. He loves the food he makes, those who help him prepare it, and the people who come through Johnny’s door.
Tim Hontzas energy is infectious, and his passion comes out in the “Greek and three” dishes at Johnny’s. (Photo: Ava Lowery, Southern Foodways Alliance)
Johnny’s is a place with multiple threads that stretch from history to the present. Tim’s grandfather, Johnny Hontzopolous, was one of those immigrants who came over to America in the first wave of Greek immigration. He lived the American dream, starting out with barely a dollar to his name, and eventually opening three successful Greek restaurants in Mississippi. The place is named after him. Tim’s father was also a restauranteur, opening his own place in the 1950s. It’s also a creation out of Tim’s past, one of rebellion and rejection of his Greek heritage…only to come full circle and embrace it with everything he’s got. And Johnny’s digs into the past to build on the tradition of those aforementioned meat and threes, classic Southern dishes, and Hellenes who came before him.
While Johnny’s builds on history and infuses a modern Southern/Greek twist, The Bright Star in Bessemer is all history, being the longest continually operating restaurant in Alabama. It also has a direct line to the original owners. The Koikos brothers, Jimmy and Nicky, own the place and they are third-generation owners. Sadly, Jimmy passed away in 2019 after the airing of this episode, but his legacy of friendliness, gratefulness and hard work lives on. That spirit of thankfulness came from Nicky and Jimmy’s father, who prayed each day thanking heaven for his blessings.
One of those blessings was a successful restaurant that has stood the test of time and become a destination. The great Bear Bryant used to come here and the Koikos brothers would sit with him and talk. They were friends of the Tide legend. His booth is now a mini-museum inside the restaurant. When you go, you should go on an Iron Bowl Saturday…if you can get a table! The place is split down the middle between Auburn and Alabama paraphernalia. If you’re of the Crimson persuasion, order the flounder and a whiskey, just like The Bear would have done.
Love of The Bright Star is not just for The Bear. Coach Saban and Miss Terry also have their own designated booth. With Jimmy Koikos, Nicholas Saban and Chef Andreas Anastassakis (Photo: Andreas Anastassakis in AL.com)
These restaurants stand at an interesting time for their city. Birmingham’s history is one that has often been looked upon with derision. For nearly two decades between 1945-1960, terror was a way of life in the city for Black Americans, who endured fifty bombings in that timeframe, earning the city the nickname “Bombingham.” Birmingham was the same size as Atlanta during the 50s, but these bombings and other events hollowed out a city that had been vibrant from the steel and railroad industries that had built a solid middle class. It’s taken Birmingham decades to recover and atone for its past, but the redemption is here. Tech companies are moving to the area, bringing young people and jobs, a vibrant atmosphere and capitalizing on the low cost of living. AL.com reported in December that 2,100 people per year were moving the Birmingham area from out of state.
A new day is here for Birmingham, and places like Johnny’s and The Bright Star will feed these newcomers while keeping the city grounded to its roots. All under the gaze of Vulcan, the representation of those who built this city.
You can visit Birmingham by watching this episode now on ESPN+ or set your DVR for the next airing on SEC Network. No announcement on a new episode for next week, so this is our final TrueSouth review of the offseason. BUT - there is great news: John T., Wright Thompson and the crew are on the road as we write this, filming five new episodes for season 4. We will be back for reviews once these new TrueSouth episodes air. We can’t wait to see what they’ve got cookin’.
See y’all back here real soon.