Chow Down Atlanta

I’m going to hurt all Cafe 101 fans by saying this place is so overrated.  I have spent most of of my life eating authentic Chinese food in China and Asia.  I grew up eating real Chinese food — spending summers and extended vacations in their part of the world.  Therefore, my standard definitely isn’t the Americanized version (read: dumbed-down).  Having said that, I wouldn’t go out of my way just to eat here and get food that is, at best, 2 notches above Panda Express.  Don’t get me wrong, though, most people are okay with westernized Chinese food — it’s suited for their palates and it’s what they are used to. Nothing wrong with that.

When it first opened, I really liked their Dan Dan Noodles — thick, chewy noodles doused with a hoisin-peanut sauce and topped with steamed watercress.  It was fantastic. Was, being an operative word here.  These days, Dan Dan Noodles have evolved to a super salty sticky mess.  Four times in a row (and all within 2 months), I’ve had to leave the noodles untouched, or worse, throw them in the trash when I got it to-go.

The shredded beef and Chinese celery is pretty decent in the Panda Express-kind of way which is nothing out of the ordinary. The celery outnumbered the beef 12-to-1 so all you taste is celery. The beef, however, was tender. For lunch, you get a cup of hot and sour soup and their version is on the watery/bland side. The Salt and Pepper Pork Chops is a decent choice. You get strips of deep-fried pork laced with jalapeño peppers. Last complaint, they really need to do something with their steamed rice. I know the price of rice has tripled in the last couple of months but it’s still no reason to serve 3rd-class brownish rice.

Bottom line, the decor is better than the food. If you want authentic Szechuan cuisine, don’t waste your time here, head on over to Sichuan House instead.

More pictures here.

Insider tip:
Located in the round building (that used to be Tofu House) along Buford Highway just inside 285.
The pickled radish is fantastic.

The scoop:
Cafe 101
5412 Buford Hwy NE
Doraville, GA 30340
(770) 458-8883

Technorati Tags: Cafe 101, Szechuan cuisine, Chinese cuisine, Buford Highway

The Feed Store, Duluth Fall Festival, and JapanFest

Whew!  I’ve had a busy weekend.  Too many events going on that it was impossible to go to all of them.  Friday, I went to The Feed Store‘s farm-to-table dinner.  Chef Peter did an excellent job creating a menu showcasing Sweet Grass Dairy. I cannot rave enough about this place. It is simply fantastic. And no, I am in no way affiliated with this restaurant. I just really love Chef Peter’s food.

I’ll condense my review. More pictures can be viewed here. Overall, another superb meal. Oh, and we all got to take home a whole Green Hill cheese!

Amuse Bouche (“Mediterranean Feta” – Cerignola Olive Petal Confit, “Heat” Green Tomato Pico de Gallo – Tortilla Chip): loved the mild cheeses on this one. The pico de gallo provided a slight hint which was a nice touch. The tortilla chips, I could have eaten a whole bag.

Appetizer (Pan Seared Foie Gras, “Lumiere” Stuffed French Toast, Ellijay Apple Sauce): the melt-in-your-mouth, perfectly-cooked foie gras was heavenly and sat atop a cheese-stuffed soft French toast with a very mild apple sauce. Chef Peter gave new meaning to apple sauce with its mild taste and smooth texture. This isn’t baby food anymore.

Soup (Georgia Shrimp, “Thomasville Tomme” Bisque, Berkshire Pork Lardon Toast): this was THE best tomato bisque I have ever had. It had the perfect balance of shrimp and tomato tastes. So comforting. And very flavorful.

Salad (Baby Arugula, Sous Vide Candied Beet, Fried “Green Hill”, Black Pepper Vinaigrette): the slightly-bitter, crisp baby arugula was tempered by the beets that provided lots of texture. The chopped beets had this interesting crunch that you wouldn’t't think it could come from beets. Again, very nice touch. The light drizzle of the vinaigrette tied everything in. The fried Green Hill added bonus. A winning salad, indeed.

Entrée (Churrasco Beef Tenderloin, Grilled Sweet Onions, Black Eyed Pea, Collard Green, and “Sevenwood” Casserole): the tenderloin was another clear winner. Perfectly grilled (churrasco style), served medium-rare, it was fork tender and was very tasty. The accompanying black-eyed peas and collard greens provided a Southern flare and the onions toned down the strong flavor of the greens. The casserole wasn’t cheesy at all but provided just hint of flavor. Excellent dish.

Dessert (“Fresh Chevre” Ice Cream, Scuppernong Syrup, Mint): a perfect exclamation point to a magnificent meal. The goat cheese ice cream was so good, held its frozen temperature up to the last bite, and was sitting on a tiny pool of delicious scuppernog syrup.

Festival Weekend

Loot from the Duluth Fall Festival: 9 loaves of bread and kettle corn

Duluth Fall Festival

JapanFest

There were too many festivals going on but I only went to Duluth, where I’ve been going since I was young and also because I have to stock up on bread. This year was their biggest so far. It is the most organized festival. Sunday, I went to JapanFest where I’ve also been going for years. It’s also a little bigger this year but I’m losing interest on this one. First of all, I can get better food at the participating restaurants themselves. Second, it’s too chaotic. I’ll definitely skip this one next year and go to the Pig Roast in Cabbagetown AND the Chili Cook-Off in Stone Mountain instead.

Pictures from the Duluth Fall Festival are here and from the JapanFest here.

Technorati Tags: The Feed Store, Chef Peter Golaszewski, College Park, Duluth Fall Festival, JapanFest

Lottafrutta is this cool sandwich place a few blocks from Georgia State in Auburn Avenue. It’s been one of our favorite places for a quick bite to eat whenever I’m on this side of town (which is about twice a week). A couple of years ago, you wouldn’t want to walk around Auburn Avenue. But they’ve really cleaned the place up. It’s beautiful here now with lots of quaint houses and quirky townhomes.

Lottafrutta serves grilled sandwiches on Latin bread. They’re wonderful. The sweet bread is soft, grilled panini-style, and filled with ham, turkey, or veggies. Or get it the way I do: Just Veggin’ with Turkey — creamy havarti with avocados, tomatoes, cucumbers, and sprouts with a slices of oven-roasted turkey. It is just so delicious. Each sandwich comes with a tiny tub of chulpe (grilled corn, Ecuadorian style). It’s crunchy and very appetizing.

Then they have these fruit cups that are just equally amazing. My two favorites are the Limonatta and the Cremolatta. If you have a taste for tart stuff, then Limonatta is for you. It has slices of cantaloupe, coconut, cucumber, watermelon, pineapple, mango, and papaya with fresh lime juice then sprinkled with spicy chile guajillo. You get this sweet-tangy tastes with a hint of spice. No worries, it is not spicy at all, with the heat more akin to paprika. On the other hand, if you want all sweetness, then go for the Cremolatta with slices of grapes, watermelon, strawberry, papaya, and cantaloupe then topped with a generous amount of homemade cream. Both delicious and both great accompaniments to the sandwiches. The fruit juices and the ice pops are also irresistible.

Lottafrutta is one sandwich place you must, must try. Grilled sandwiches are only $6.25 (they are good-sized), fruit cups start at $4.75.

Insider tip:
Open during the week at 7am for breakfast. Try the Cuban coffee — awesome!

The scoop:
Lottafrutta
590 Auburn Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30312
(404) 588-0857
M-F: 7am-5pm
Sat/Sun: 9am-5pm

Technorati Tags: Lottafrutta, Inman Park, fruits, grilled sandwiches, Latin bread, limonatta, cremolatta, frutta cups, salads, breakfast, brunch, Cuban coffee

Last night was Urban Flats’ friends and family dinner at their Lindbergh location. It is UF’s second and newest location in Atlanta. I’m so glad they finally have one in-town.

I love the lofty atmosphere here with the high ceilings and concrete floors. There’s a curved bar and their cool cruvinet system. As of this writing, they don’t have their liquor license yet but should have it by Friday, Sepember 19, which is their official opening day. There are booths on opposite sides of the bar where you can have a cozy and leisurely meal. Photographs of Atlanta city scene from a local photographer add warmth and color to the otherwise cold and intimidating feel.

<

Food is exactly the same as the Lawrenceville location. The Baked Cheese and Tomato is a wonderful starter. You get this creamy tomato bisque with a ball of warm goat cheese in the middle. The bisque is delicious just by itself. But the goat cheese gives it character. Not on last night’s offering, the Tuna Poki (a personal favorite) is a must try.

Salads are equally good. I really liked their Park Salad that came with fresh baby spinach, pears, caramelized onions, waltnuts, bleu cheese the drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette. The Urban Salad is a good mess of greens, raisins, sunflower seeds and goat cheese all blended together with a honey and white balsamic vinaigrette.

The flatbreads take center stage at Urban Flats although the not-so-small plates of Mahi Mahi with Garlic Caper Butter and French Dip are contenders. Flatbreads are 75% whole wheat and are baked fresh in their stone-hearth oven. My all time favorite, the Fig and Prosciutto is made with fresh fig jam, prosciutto, bleu cheese and mozzarella cheese. The sweetness and chewiness of the figs are a perfect contrast to the salty prosciutto. Trust me when I say this is the best flatbread in the house.

Other notable flatbreads that are equally delicious are the Fire Roasted Chicken made with sun-dried tomato pesto sauce and the Black and Blue with sliced steak, spinach, bell peppers, bleu/mozarella cheeses, tomatoes, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. This flatbread is so hearty it’s like eating a one-dish meal.

The verdict

Urban Flats gives Atlantans another choice for casual yet hip gathering place to meet friends for a drink or have an informal yet delicious meal made with fresh ingredients. With regular live music and weekly beer tasting, this might just be the place to be this side of town.