Chow Down Atlanta

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving as much as I did. Now back to regular programming.

I’ve been eating at chains the past week and one of the stops I made was at Red Robin up in Cumming at The Avenue Forsyth (a brand new outdoor mall). It’s fascinating to note that every single food establishment in and around this mall is packed to the rafters every single weekend. Packed.  With 45 minute waits. Every single one of them. Even the yuckiest of them all. If I was gonna open a restaurant, it would be here. It’s a gold mine.

But back to my chain dining… The place looks like a chain, smells like a chain, even sounds like a chain. As with any other chain, it’s bright and it’s loud. Really loud. With a bevy of over-eager teen-aged servers.

My order of choice was obviously a burger, seeing that it’s their specialty. There are quite a few burger choices on the menu but I settled for a cheeseburger since it’s easier to compare with other burgers. Burgers here come in two temperatures: “pink or no pink”; which is their chain speak for your preferred doneness. They also come with bottomless steak fries.

The burger was meh. In fact, I wanted to shout, “where’s the beef?” I could not taste the beef at all with the large amount of toppings. First of all, the beef patty was tiny and the buns were huge and tasteless. Then, it didn’t help that it also had a whole handful of shredded lettuce, two huge slices of tomatoes, 2 slices of cheese, 7 onion rounds, 4 big pickle slices, and 3 teaspoons of mayo.  It’s like eating a salad sandwich. And although the steak fries were steaming hot, they were limp and bland. For around $10 I prefer to go to Five Guys where I can get 4 burgers which are far more superior in taste and quality.

Inside scoop:
Flavored teas have free refills

The scoop:
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers & Spirits
370 Peachtree Pky
Cumming, GA 30041
(770) 781-0200
Sun-Thurs: 11a-10p; Fri-Sat: 11a-11p

I got a tip from a Mexican friend who swears by Mega Taco’s house-and-hand-made tortillas. This place is located on Beaver Ruin road which is peppered with Mexican establishments. It sits in a sleazy-looking plaza right next to Little Giant Farmer’s Market. I love farmers’ markets so I went in to check it out and was so cheated to find out that it was nothing but a gigantic grocery store. Really, they probably have the inventory of 4 Krogers in there with aisles twice as long and twice as much. But I digress.

I was told about this item on their menu called Molcajete which I so wanted to order but it was huge — one order is good for two persons (priced at a measly $13.99). An assortment of meats are served in a big molcajete (a footed stone mortar) and the picture looks very appetizing. But I was alone for a quick lunch so I settled for some cheesy cheese dip and tacos instead.

The cheese dip was cheesy and had the perfect consistency but I would have loved it to be spicier. For some reason, the jalapeño bits in it were tasteless. No heat whatsoever. The chips were big pieces, warm, and very crunchy. I was amazed at how every chip was unbroken — every single one of them including the very last one in the bottom of the basket. Neat. The salsa isn’t your usual tomato-onion salsa. Instead, theirs is made with smoky ancho peppers pureéd with what I sense is adobo sauce, tomatoes, and garlic. It was very, very good. And spicy.

Everything on the menu looks like huge portions and although I’m quite a big eater, I was running errands and just didn’t have time so I opted for three tacos instead: tripe, steak, and chicken. I must say, the corn tortillas were fantastic. They were really fresh, had great corn taste, and were substantially sized. Each taco comes with 2 grilled corn tortillas topped with heaping portions of meat. The tripe were stir-fried and very flavorful. I just didn’t like that some were chewy and some were more tender than the others. I’m wary when it comes to un-fried tripe but these didn’t have that funky smell in them. They were very good. The steak were moist and tender; as was the chicken. Both the steak and chicken were cooked in aromatic spices that were very tasty. These big tacos were only $1.50 each which can’t be beat.

This place really warrants a second visit so I can try other things on the menu (including and especially the molcajete). So far a great place for big, flavorful, and very inexpensive tacos.

Insider tip:
Located right across from St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

The scoop:
Mega Taco Mexican Taqueria
2055 Beaver Ruin Rd
Norcross, GA 30071
(770) 248-0097

Technorati Tags: Mega Taco, Mexican cuisine, molcajete, tortillas, Norcross

Part of the touristy things we did while cousins were visiting from Toronto and Kansas City this past weekend was a trip to Oakland Cemetery for some serious (no pun intended) photo ops. Of course, no stop in this area is complete without the requisite visit to Six Feet Under Pub and Fish House. Yes, the quirky name comes from the fact that it lies right across from the cemetery.

I really like the burgers here but we just had a heavy breakfast at Java Jive earlier so we just went with baskets instead. The Catfish Tacos were really good. They were huge soft tacos with big chunks of fried catfish, mixed cheeses, jalapenos, tomatoes, cabbage, and cucumbers, all drizzled with wasabi sauce, and a side of salsa verde. The cabbage provided a really good crunch while the jalapeños and salsa verde gave them a nice constant heat — not too spicy, but spicy enough that you can feel it in your tongue. The tortillas were good sized and were fresh and soft. I love the Homestyle Chips that comes with the order. They were crunchy and not oily. Really, they’re better than any potato chips.

The other baskets we had were fish-and-chips, catfish, oysters, and shrimp as well as side orders of onion rings, fried okra, and zucchini fries. All were good and fresh tasting. The seafood had a light coating of cornmeal batter that I liked (instead of the heavy, chewy, floury, fast-food batter that I hate). The zucchini fries were good but turned soggy after a while; with the batter completely detaching from the zucchini. A slightly thicker batter would have solved the problem. The onion rings were very, very good, though on the oily side. They were sweetish, too, which makes me think they were Vidalia.

Overall a very good, light meal. I’m not a big fan of (southern) sweet tea because I find it way too sweet, but my cousins who’ve never had them before are now huge fans. Huge!

Insider tip:
Located at The Jane on Grant Park.

The scoop:
Six Feet Under Pub & Fish House
437 Memorial Dr SE
Atlanta, GA 30312
(404) 523-6664

Technorati Tags: Six Feet Under, fish and chips, Southern food, Grant Park, Oakland Cemetery

I had cousins from Toronto and Kansas City visit this past weekend. We were in the Poncey-Highlands area and I know there’s a lot of choices for breakfast. But we were on a time crunch so we landed at Java Jive where I know the lines won’t be as long. Sure enough, no wait.

Our entire table opted for the morning’s special which is fresh hashed corned beef, mixed up with potatoes, plus two eggs, and a biscuit. If anything else, you must, must get the biscuit. It is just a teeny bit crunchy on the outside yet moist and pillowy on the inside. I can eat 6 of these in one sitting! The corned beef was pretty good, too — large bits of fresh corned beef that wasn’t salty at all, coupled with big chunks of potatoes, cubes of green pepper, and some onion slivers. Overall, a good, filling dish.

I’m a big breakfast eater so I also got a Gingerbread Waffle and a small order of cheese grits. I didn’t like the waffle that much. It was soft — like pancake soft and cakey and had way too much gingerbread flavor. Too strong tasting, in my opinion. The cheese grits were good, though (creamy yet still had lots of grits).

Java Jive is a great breakfast place. It is both funky and retro with antique fans and stoves adorning the place. I love their biscuits. Too bad there aren’t any egg combos on the menus where you can get 2 eggs with a choice of meat. Anyway, we were all stuffed so we walked off what we ate at the Georgia Aquarium where we saw Mr. X Files up close and personal, graciously signing autographs. Who said he was a diva?

Insider tip:
Cash only. ATM located inside.

The scoop:
Java Jive Coffee House & Cafe
790 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30306
(404) 876-6161

Technorati Tags: Java Jive, Poncey-Highlands, biscuits, breakfast, brunch, diner

I’ve been back to Woodfire twice since Chef Michael Touhy left in August. Taking over now is Chef Kevin Gillespie (former Sous Chef) and all I can is… wow! I am totally impressed with Chef Kevin’s great talent. He has definitely elevated Woodfire’s status to a new and higher level.

 

I’ve had nothing but interesting dishes the past visits that were all outstanding including an amuse bouche of Marinated Fig Wrapped in Speck. I love figs and this was a great combination. The sweetness of the figs went well with the slightly salty taste of the soft bacon. Lovely.

Everyone has a version of fried green tomatoes. Here, the tomatoes were crisp and the batter adhered pretty well. I liked the creamy chévre topping. The bed of turnip salsa verde was a bit of a stretch for me, because, if there is one thing I really hate, it’s anise and 5-spice powder, which clearly, this salsa had a good dousing of. I’m sure others will have no problem with it. It just made the entire dish taste, well, Chinese.

There was a Mushroom Flatbread my sister ordered one time and if you’ve been to Woodfire, you know how bad the lighting in there is, so since I hardly ever bring my big camera to restaurants, you’ll notice that most of the pictures here are grainy and dark; and, therefore, no picture of flatbread. In any case, the flatbread were delicious. There were chantrerelle mushrooms as well as cubes of celery, onions, and green peppers in a lemony dressing. A great second course. There was also some pan-seared scallops we had that were really fantastic — huge scallops were served with bok choy (Chinese cabbage) and a blood orange-ginger broth that was out-of-this-world good.

The Cornmeal Crusted Oysters were fantastic. The oysters were plump and fresh with a very thin cornmeal crust. I loved the sweet onion pico de gallo that it came with. And the house-made potato chips they were served on was very creative. Not only that, they provided a good crunch.

The Pan Roasted Wild Striped Bass was delicious. It was nice and crunchy on the outside but moist and soft on the inside. It had this mustard sauce that was great with the fish.

One of my favorite dishes I’ve had these past visits were the wood-grilled Georgia Quail that was simply tasty. I loved the tiny dollop of fig puree that it came with and I wished they included a bigger portion of it. The roasted vegetables it came with were a great accompaniment.

The Wood-grilled Painted Hills Steak was superb. Served at the perfect medium rare with the creamiest sweet potato puree and roasted local vegetables, this definitely isn’t your usual steak-and-potatoes dish. I don’t like it when steaks are covered with sauces and cheeses. I prefer to taste the meat on its own. Unadulterated. With just a smidgen of salt to let the flavor of the steak come out. Fantastic.

Saving the best for last… possibly the best dish I’ve had this year and the best grilled pork loin I’ve had anywhere, this literally rendered me speechless. Just by the looks, this dish was gorgeous. The pork was almost creamy and without any discernible meat fibers. Every bite melted in my mouth. The grilled slaw was flavorful and the potato puree was just wonderful. This dish was pure heaven.

I’m not a big fan of desserts but my sister is. She had this dessert trio of a tiny caramel apple on a stick, a warm apple gratin, and a scoop of to-die-for caramel ice cream. Yes, even the non-dessert eater that I am had to say that was the best caramel ice cream ever.

The verdict

I’m tired of eating the same ingredients over and over again. I’m tired of the same ingredients being put together again and again. But not here. Chef Kevin uniquely puts ingredients together that you would not typically see in everyday restaurant dining. Like figs instead of apples. Or bok choy instead of cabbage. I’m putting this restaurant on my top 5 for 2008. Enough said.

Insider tip:
Enjoy a panini at The Cafe located in the front entrance.

The scoop:
Woodfire Grill
1782 Cheshire Bridge Road
Atlanta, GA 30324
404-347-9055
Tuesday through Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday from 6:00 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Technorati Tags: Woodfire Grill, Michael Tuohy, Grange, The Citizen Hotel, Kevin Gillespie, Five Senses Restaurants, Buckhead

This place was a regular haunt during my undergrad days for late night dining. Not because it’s got amazing food (it’s good), but because it’s open 24 hours a day. In fact, it’s better known as the Korean Waffle House. The galbi here is pretty good, and so is the bibimbap. The tofu soups are a little on the thin side (watery) but good and hearty, nonetheless. The bulgogi tastes soapy most times so do steer away from that. There is, however, one thing on the menu that I go for again and again, and can’t be found anywhere else in the city…

Kimchi Fried Rice. This is my absolute, most favorite dish here. It’s made with tasty cubes of pork stir-fried in kimchi then served atop white, steaming rice in a hot stone bowl. Mix them up good and this is a slice of heaven. It is very spicy, very tasty, and very filling. I had a craving the other day so I went in for a late lunch. Nothing has changed. And that’s good.

Incidentally, I finished everything laid out in front of me. Every last bit. Of course, I needed a big nap afterwards.

Insider tip:
No alcohol served.

The scoop:
88 Tofu House
5490 Buford Hwy NE
Doraville, GA 30340-1126
(770) 457-8811

The book, that is.

I can never bake to save my life.  As much as I love bread,  I have never, ever been successful at baking.  Which is kinda weird because it deals with exact measurements and I have a minor in Chemistry.  Go figure.  That’s why I love Shirley Corriher.  She’s a Chemist-turned-baker.  Made famous by Alton Brown on Good Eats, she’s the “Mad Scientist” on the show.

Shirley has a new book out, Bakewise, which she unveiled last Monday at the Margaret Mitchell House. Alton Brown was there as her special guest and they had this one-hour show where he interviewed Shirley on stuff about baking. Alton was hilarious as usual. I’ve met Alton three times and, although, he looks a little older, his spunk hasn’t changed a bit.

So for those of you who is as inept at baking as I am, this book is pretty cool — it explains the chemistry behind baking. I grabbed a copy to add to my stacks of never-been-opened baking books. It is a huge book. I paid $40 for my copy and although I wish there were more pictures, it is a great reference book.

P.S. I got one for my younger sister, too, an avid baker who is a Chemist by education and profession; in hopes that she will bake most stuff in the book and call me when the goodies are ready.

Technorati Tags: Alton Brown, Shirley Corriher, Bakewise, baking, Good Eats

My mom and I had lunch at J. Alexander’s about two weeks ago and she was totally disappointed. I’ve been to this place a total of four times and I’ve been disappointed all those times except for my first visit which was maybe 3 years ago when I had their famous prime rib. This Nashville-based restaurant reminds me so much of Houston’s. They pretty much have the same look and feel. But it stops there. Food-wise, I prefer Houston’s where food is consistently good.

We started off with the seafood gumbo. It had a nice, bold broth, a good amount of seafood, and not a whole lot of rice. It also had just enough heat that you can feel it in your tongue but not enough to make you sweat. Overall a good soup.

I chose the Special Of The Day which was a grilled sea bass topped with a lime-pesto sauce and mango salsa. The fish, pesto sauce, and salsa all tasted fresh but I got tired of the taste of this dish after a few bites. It’s like when a dessert is so rich that you can’t eat it after a few bites. That’s how I felt about it. The couscous pasta provided to temper the dish and mellow it out, but on its own, it was saltish and dry. It must have been the very sweet, syrupy salsa that ruined this dish. Disappointing, nevertheless.

My mom had the Grilled Pork Loin with Bang Bang Sauce which is nothing but barbecue sauce. This dish was so bad we both couldn’t swallow the first bite and literally had to throw it out in a napkin. The pork tasted boiled and the sauce was a pathetic excuse for a Thai barbecue sauce. They really need to remove this from the menu.

For me, the execution of the dishes here just falls short. In an attempt at inventiveness, the combination of ingredients on a dish just doesn’t make sense — a combination of syrupy sweet with salty doesn’t always make a good combination. I’d rather spend my money on Houston’s any day.

Insider tip:
Right next door to The Forum Shops.

The scoop:
J. Alexander’s
5245 Peachtree Pkwy
Norcross, GA 30092
(770) 263-9755

Technorati Tags: J Alexander’s, American-Asian cuisine, fusion, steaks

Forget Honey Pig. This is the best traditional Korean restaurant in town. And the most authentic. You won’t find English menus here nor English-speaking staff. You’ll have to make do with pointing at pictures. While most will get intimidated by that, the upside is that you get the most authentic Korean food you’ll ever get in the city. This is where Korean grandparents go when they can’t cook their own food. As such, you will hardly ever find Americans here. But while it’s perfectly okay to go to less traditional, less authentic Korean places which also serve good food, the experience and the taste of food here at Cafe Todahmgol is unsurpassed. At least, you won’t have to spend over a thousand dollars to go to Korea to get the same food.

There are no fancy cooking domes here. Instead, they use heavy iron trays that go on top of a table top gas stoves. Your server will take care of cooking everything for you. They have the best pork belly here. There aren’t paper-thin — they are thicker and bigger slices than everywhere else. The bulgogi (sirloin slices) are finger-licking good. They are thick, tender, and juicy, marinated with just the perfect balance of sweet and salty.

The banchan are non-traditional. You’ll see the common kimchi and other requisite ones but the authentic ones you’ll see nowhere else are: raw peppers and carrots in ice cubes, squid slices with spicy kimchi sauce, and the most exquisite egg soup I’ve ever had outside of Seoul. This soup is so fantastic, it’ll bring tears of joy to your eyes: warm, tasty broth infused with bubbly, creamy eggs. Aaah, I get weak on the knees just thinking about it.

The verdict

This is the best Korean restaurant. Period. You can’t get any more authentic than Cafe Todahmgol. Though the staff speaks no English, there’s one that do speak a few English words. They are all very friendly and will help you navigate through the extensive menu. As authentic as it is, smoking is permitted here. And that’s because most all Korean men do. But don’t let that disappoint you. The smell of the food drowns out all cigarette smoke smell. Most times.

Insider tip:
Not to confuse with the stall inside Super H Mart with the same name, this one’s sitting inside a plaza right next to Super H Gwinnett right next door to What The Pho.

The scoop:
Cafe Todahmgol
2442 Pleasant Hill Rd, Suite 3B,
Duluth, GA 30096
770-813-8202
Mon-Sat: 5PM-2AM
Sunday: 5PM-12Midnight

[tags]Cafe Todahmgol, Korean cuisine, pork belly, Pleasant Hill Rd., Duluth[tags]