Chow Down Atlanta

Sometimes, a foot-long just won’t do. Many times, I want to sit down and enjoy a great sandwich made with house-made bread and top notch ingredients, all concocted by a top notch chef. And just like the saying goes, good things come to those who… travel. Yes, this place is far. Very far. Even for me. But it’s worth every gallon of gas.

Chef Christophe (Au Pied de Cochon), is a friendly man who knows his game. He concocts French comfort food using nothing but the best ingredients. In fact, most everything he uses is made in house. The bread, too, courtesy of Chef Baker Jenny who tends the front of the house.

On my first visit, I was literally floored by the Croque Madam — slices of delicious ham and emmental cheese were sandwiched between homemade honey French bread, grilled to perfection, and topped with a perfect sunny-side up egg. It was so good that the only thing keeping me from ordering another one was the plate of macarons calling my name. I chose fries for my side and although good, could have used another 30 seconds in the fryer. No matter, the red aioli sauce that came with the fries was very good. Price tag: $7.95.

But the piéce-de-résistance here at Cafe Gourmandises is the Kobe Burger. Resembling a thick slice of meatloaf, the meat is first-rate and so tender and juicy with just a hint of seasoning — just enough to bring out the natural flavors of the meat. It comes out perfectly cooked medium and garnished with field greens, thin slices of fresh tomatoes, caramelized onions, mushrooms, blue cheese, crispy bacon and the chef’s spicy-sweetish mayo all in a fresh-made baguette that’s almost a foot long. Really delicious. I thought all the garnishing will over-power the meat but it didn’t. In fact, it brought out the flavor of the meat even more. And once you see someone having it, you’re gonna want one for your self. Four more orders were brought out right after ours. It’s a steal at $13.95.

My lunch companion’s fries were superb this time. They were so crisp on the outside and soft on the outside with that real potato taste in every bite. My warm stuffed grape leaves were also fantastic and I loved the light drizzle of balsamic vinegar on it.

Aside from the usual hot and cold gourmet sandwiches, Cafe G also serves quiches, escargot, calamari, lamb skewers, salads, and crepes (both sweet and savory). And if you have a sweet tooth, then make sure to leave room for the assorted desserts they offer daily — mini cakes, tarts, brûlée, macarons. The macarons ($5.95 for 6) are so yummy with a chewy outside and creamy filling.

I really love this place; a French cafe without any pretensions. The place is welcoming, albeit sparsely furnished, and the the warm vibe and delicious food are addicting. Despite the distance, it’s my new favorite lunch hangout.

Insider tip:
Go north on Peachtree Industrial Blvd past McGinnis Ferry Rd. (from 285 to PIB: once you cross Pleasant Hill Rd, it’s about 6 miles).
There is a very nice patio for dining al fresco.
Fresh homemade bread available for sale. Call for availability.

The scoop:
Cafe Gourmandises
686 Peachtree Industrial Blvd
Ste 200
Suwanee, GA 30024
(770) 945-6554

Technorati Tags: French cafe, sandwiches, soups, salads, quiche, Suwanee, Peachtree Industrial Blvd, French pastries

Ming’s BBQ II is set to open in a month (maybe 2).  The second location is behind Sydney’s Buffet on Pleasant Hill Rd near Sam’s Club.  I’ll update as I know more.

In other news, O My Food inside the Super H Mart in Johns Creek closed yesterday after being open only 3 months. I was surprised to see the entire stall to be completely empty. Sad.

Technorati Tags: updates, restaurant closings, restaurant openings

I eat at the food court inside the Hong Kong Supermarket on Jimmy Carter just about every week. My new favorite is the bakery on the left side of the market (on the opposite side of the food court). This Vietnamese bakery makes the best croissants — huge flaky, buttery creations that are just irresistible. At $1 apiece, it’s difficult to buy just one. I buy a dozen chocolate ones every week. They’re great for breakfast and as a quick snack. Incidentally, they also have other flavors — plain, almond, ham, ham&cheese.

While they no longer have the roast pork banh mi, the cold cuts is a great alternative. They don’t skimp on the filling here — the deli meat slices are thick and there are ample veggies to complete a great sandwich. The $3 price tag isn’t bad either.

I found the best Cháo lòng heo in Atlanta here. No Chinese or Vietnamese place can even come close. For $6.50, I had a huge bowl of boiled-for-hours rice soup filled with lots and lots of meaty goodness: pork slices, a big slice of pork sausage made with pork innards, and pork blood cubes. This is the best congee I’ve ever had outside of Asia. The soup is just so flavorful. Each order comes with a plate of fried baguette slices, fresh bean sprouts, cilantro, lime, hot sauce, and a cup of hot chrysanthemum tea. It’s comfort food at its best.

This is a wonderful place for cheap but delicious eats. Don’t miss it.

Insider tip:
The Vietnamese got their baking from the French. Need I say more?
There are two other types of congee: duck and chicken feet.
They only make a dozen croissants of each flavor. Call the day before and place an order.

The scoop:
No. 1 Hong Kong Bakery
5494 Jimmy Carter Blvd
Norcross, GA 30093
(770) 837-0270

Technorati Tags: congee, chao, Cháo lòng heo, croissants, Vietnamese, bakery, bahn mi, Norcross, Jimmy Carter

There’s one Marlow‘s literally right next to me. When it opened a few years ago, I popped my head in and got an ice cream cone. I don’t even like ice cream but it was a way to check out the place without having to commit to a one-hour meal. I’ve been back a few times and am still amazed at how this place gets packed every single night.

Now a new Marlow’s has opened in Duluth in January and just like its sisters, is already packing in the crowd. My first visit was on a Tuesday night and not an empty table was in sight. The second visit was on a Saturday and there was a long wait outside. The ambiance here is more family friendly with lots of more mature couples. There’s also live entertainment on Tuesdays and it was a super cool rocker belting out rock songs from the 80s and 90s when I was there.

We started out with their famous J.T.’s Kettle Chips. A serving of housemade potato chips piled high then smothered with blue cheese, bacon, tomatoes and scallions. The chips were crispy and the warm bleu cheese dressing was just fantastic. It’s big and good enough for sharing.

I had the grilled tilapia fillet which was grilled to perfection and came with a beurre blanc sauce that I really liked because it kept the fish’s light taste intact. My chosen sides were pretty good, too, with the green beans being fresh and crunchy, and the jalapeño grits being really, really delicious. It had good consistency, good texture, and just the right amount of heat.

I also had a side of cheddar macaroni and cheese and fried okra. The mac-n-cheese was good. It was cheesy and the pasta was al dente. But the fried okra was superb. It was ever so lightly battered then fried golden. Let me tell you, this is as good as the ones at H&F. You have to try it. It’s my favorite.

My friend had the Southwestern Grouper which was pan seared and came with black bean and corn salsa all served on a bed of jalapeño grits. The grouper tasted clean and the black bean salsa is always a good tandem with this fish.

For dessert, my friend wanted to taste the Old Fashioned Triple Chocolate cake.  It was intimidatingly huge for a non-dessert person that I am.  I only took a bite.  It’s okay; my friend liked it.

Marlow’s Tavern is the place to go for some good bar food in a much quieter ambiance.

Insider tip:
Several metro Atlanta locations — check website for addresses.

The scoop:
Marlow’s Tavern
1950 Satellite Boulevard
Duluth, GA 30097
(770) 622-2033

Technorati Tags: Gwinnett, Duluth, gastropub

As you may already know, the Atlanta Sub Tour over at FoodieBuddha‘s is on full swing. I had the pleasure of joining FoodieBuddha (and JS) for a stop at Muss & Turner’s. More than anything else, the company made my hike to Smyrna worth every mile driven.

More pictures here.

Technorati Tags: sandwiches, gastropub, Smyrna