All you have to think is that it would cost far more to fly to SanFran to eat at Mission Chinese Food. Go to Gato Bizco for the BATON Supper Series. Which is in YOUR neighborhood. There is no excuse not to. NONE.
The BATON Supper Series happens every last Monday and Tuesday of the month.
Squealing along Edgewood Avenue past the bridge at 10PM isn’t exactly what people should be doing. It’s a very sketchy part of town. And street. So unless you can protect yourself properly, my advice is don’t do it. But these cookies, I was told, were worth the stroll as my good friend, Eli, who is a CFA expert, were holding them hostage in the trunk of his car. You already know I don’t have a sweet tooth. But this cookie. Oh my. This Chocolate Chunk cookie…
Run. Don’t walk. Go NOW.
Available at all Chick-fil-A locations around March. But you can preview them now at all three Dwarf Houses in town. You can thank me later.
Technorati Tags: CFA, Chick-fil-A, cookie
The road to Cardamom Hill started with a supper club: Spice Route. I’ve heard a lot of great things about this monthly event (see my good friend Jimmy’s pictures here) but sadly, I never went. Part of the reason is that I’m a full-fledged carnivore and vegetarian meals just don’t interest me at all. Enter Atlanta Food & Wine Festival where I finally got a chance to sample Chef Asha’s food. Two words: FRIED CHICKEN.
Yesterday was Cardamom Hill’s first day of business. I knew dinner was gonna be a crazy time to go, what with all the buzz they’re getting lately so we went for lunch instead. According to our server, there were only two types of meals available that day: vegetable korma and chicken curry. I chose the chicken curry. Of course. The thali (think of it as a bento box) consisted of the main dish, lentil soup, cucumber-fruit salad, and rice pilau. The chicken curry, simmered for five days, has a depth of flavor you won’t find in many Indian places. The salad had a mild lemony vinaigrette that was very refreshing. The pilau was to-die-for with slivers of green beans and golden raisins. The lentil soup was hearty and delicious. The price tag? $14.
Every meal is punctuated with their piping hot, homemade chai tea. It’s the best chai tea I’ve ever had. And comes with a pizelle that is specially made for them.
Remember the fried chicken I mentioned earlier? Come to find out they do have it but we were already pressed for time to get a third meal. So we had to content ourselves with a tiny taste. This CRACK CHICKEN is a must eat when you go here. Must. The meat is so tender and juicy. The skin is thin, crispy, and crunchy. There’s a slight, slight hint of curry among the spices used. Believe me, it’s insanely delicious.
I went opening day. Aside from the technical issues with their computer system, they looked like they’ve been around a while. Food is on the pricey side but very good nonetheless. Go try it.
Full Disclosure. They were having first day jitters — the card machine kept acting up. They offered to comp our meals. Twice. We graciously refused. Twice. Fortunately, their system finally went back up after trying numerous times. Our meals were paid in full, tip included. Cliff Bostock says he wasn’t as lucky.
Cardamom Hill
1700 Northside Drive
Suite A-5
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 549-7012
A few years ago, there were these thin slices of pork stir-fried with fresh bamboo shoots (operative word: fresh) and strips of Chinese dry tofu. And a plate of ground pork stir-fried with mustard greens. Delicious was an understatement. Those two dishes made a huge fan out of me. The place? Sichuan House in Duluth. The chef? Chef Gu.
Fast forward to these days. Chef Gu‘s brilliance is showcased in his own place bearing his name. While I never really enjoyed his $15 per person weekend dim sum, I keep going back for favorites that demonstrate his talent and expertise in the kitchen. One thing you will notice when you eat his Szechuan food is that a highly-skilled man of wisdom cooked it — that a novice, run-of-the-mill, ordinary, sometimes notorious, groupie-followed chef could not have cooked his kind of dishes. Not by a long mile. My favorites, in no particular order…
Chengdu Dumplings. These aren’t the usual dumplings you’re used to. And don’t mistake them for wontons, gyoza, or pot stickers. The dough is very thick, doughy, and super chewy. Get it with red chili oil which adds a little heat to the savory filling and provide a slightly sweet aftertaste. They are fantastic.
Chengdu Cold Noodles. The ever so slightly sweetish yet savory, chili oil-laced sauce goes so well with the cold, chewy noodles. Beware of the fresh minced garlic on top unless you don’t plan on talking to anybody after your meal.
Twice Cooked Pork. If you want to think like you’ve died and gone to pork heaven, then you MUST have this. If there’s one dish you must eat here, this is it. The ultra thin slices of pork belly (read: bacon) are first smoked then stir-fried in leeks. Heavenly. Amazing. Fantastic. Delicious. You get the picture.
Beef Tendon. Asians love chewy anything. In fact, a good 80% of Asian desserts are all chewy. This dish is no exception. A play on texture, the slices of beef tendon in spicy-savory sauce is a great appetizer.
Tea Smoked Duck. Most places serve duck with shriveled, dried, stuck-to-the-meat skin that is such a turn-off for me. Here, the duck pieces are so tender, the skin is perfectly crisp, and the taste and smell of tea on the meat is evident. Really good.
Spicy Dried Eggplant. What separates this dish from those at other places is the very thin, tasty batter. Not only that, the eggplant is so tender and soft, lending a contrast to the crispy coating.
Kung Pao Lotus Root. The nutty flavor and crunchy slices remind you of peanuts. Except better.
Chongqing Spicy Chicken. This fried chicken nuggets dish is excellent. Each piece is dusted so lightly with flour then fried. Spicy and delicious.
Beef Jerky. These aren’t your jaw-breaking American version. The tender pieces has a slightly chewy texture. Don’t let the chili oil distract you, it provides contrast to the sweetish meat.
All these dishes can be found on their Traditional Chinese Menu where you should be ordering from when you go here. You’d love the food here. Trust me.
Gu’s Bistro
5750 Buford Hwy NE, Suite A
Doraville, GA 30340
Tuesday-Thursday: 11:00am – 3:00pm, 4:30pm – 10:00pm
Friday-Sunday: 11:00am – 10:30pm
**Closed Monday**
Technorati Tags: Sichuan, Szechuan, Gu, Chinese, Buford Highway, tidal
2011 was a ho-hum dining year. Ramen, Korean, Mexican, Japanese, pho, pizza, and burgers were the usual suspects. But most times, it was difficult to figure out where to go for something different and unique. The quest for happy food — food that makes me happy — was never ending. Only a handful of dishes in this city were memorable and really wowed me. Here’s the very short list for 2011.
1. Pork Kimchi Rice (Miso Izakaya)
It’s quite difficult to find a place in Atlanta where you’d like every single item on the menu. I found it in Miso Izakaya. I went to Miso 63 times last year (paying full price at every meal, mind you). I must have eaten literally hundreds of bowls of this amazingly tasty rice: stir-fried, laced with kimchi and pork then topped with egg. A death row dish for sure. But wait, I have other favorites here, too: the eponymous Chlonigiri (a toasted Onigiri filled with flaked salmon), everybody’s favorite the Shoyu Egg (soft boiled egg with the yolk dripping like a waterfall atop a crispy rice cake), and the Corn Kariage (as Cliff Bostock puts it — “Move over popcorn!”)
2. Jajangmyeon (Sam Won Gak)
Noodles in black soybean paste is one of my favorite Asian noodle dishes. In 2010, I ate 108 plates of jajangmyeon all over the city. I took a break this year, save for maybe less than 10 bowls at most. A couple of weeks ago, we came back to Sam Won Gak, the best place in the city for jajangmyeon and oh.my.gosh, the noodles were the best I’ve ever had in my life. The chewy, homemade, handmade noodles are the perfect backdrop for the black soybeanie, smoky, thick sauce. Best in my life.
3. Uni Carbonara (Octopus Bar)
This year’s new comer, Octopus Bar, took our sleepy city by storm by elevating late night dining with dishes a la Miller Union such as braised rabbit pasta, lobster roll, and the best Uni Carbonara in town. The creamy uni sauce in house-made linguine was intoxicating and just plain perfect.
4. Meatballs (No 246)
The juicy, tender meatballs swim in a delicious San Marzano tomato sauce that has the right consistency — not too soupy, not too dry. The best meatball in Atlanta.
5. Banana Pudding (Southern Art)
There is only ONE good thing at Southern Art: Banana Pudding. This to-die-for dessert isn’t your grandmama’s version. It’s a hundred times better. Fresh slices of bananas are sandwiched in creamy pudding, cradled by a thin layer of almond crust, then topped with fresh Chantilly cream. I don’t really have a sweet tooth but this is unbelievable. In fact, craving for a slice when the restaurant was already closed, we were tempted to book a $289 room just so we can have it for room service where it’s only available. Yep, it’s that good.
And there you have it. My very short list of the best dishes I ate in 2011. I’m hoping 2012 will be a better eating year. What were the best dishes you ate last year?
