Chow Down Atlanta

I am amazed at ethnic restaurants. They are able to run smoothly on opening day and operate as if they’ve been open for months — no soft openings and no kinks to work out. Such is the case here at Ming’s. The newest sister to the flagship on Buford Highway, they opened two weeks ago, yet the young waitstaff perform as if they’ve been waiting tables all of their 20 years. The same thing can be said of the kitchen.

The place has a minimalist and more contemporary decor and is at least 5 times bigger than its siblings. While the original spot looks like a dump, er, night market street stall in Hong Kong, this new one is worlds away in ambiance. By the way, back in the 80s, my parents refused to let us kids eat inside Ming’s and always had food to-go because Mr. BBQ Man smoked while chopping his meats. Then, in the 90s, we were so happy when Dekalb passed a No Smoking Bill in its restaurants. It still took a good 5 years before he would finally stop smoking inside.

I was actually at Ming’s BuHi the day before with a friend who loves to eat as much as I do; pictured here are some of my faves: beef chow fun, young chow fried rice, peking duck, congee

I grew up eating at Ming’s and favorites include Peking Duck, chow fun, fried rice, wonton noodle soup, bbq noodle soup, and veggies in oyster sauce, just to name a few. While the food in both places may be similar in most respects, the two things you must, must, must eat here is the Honey Roast Pork and the BBQ Ribs.

The Honey Roast Pork is pure heaven — the teeny, tiny hint of honey provides just the right amount of caramelized coating and color. The result is a fantastic salty-sweet flavor that’s perfect with rice or noodles. The ribs aren’t your regular Southern version. They are roasted crispy yet a tiny layer of chewy, tender meat/fat is left intact. Absolutely delicious.

I’m so lucky to live within 20 minutes of both Ming’s. If going to Buford Highway still seems like a scary thought to some of you, then this is your spot. Same owners, same good food, same great prices, but with English-speaking staff, and a much nicer ambiance.

Insider tip:
Most lunch prices start at $5.85. The half Peking Duck is $3 more here. Americanized Lunch menu also available.
Located in the same plaza where Sidney’s Buffet is located. Next to HH Gregg.

The scoop:
Ming’s Bar B Q Restaurant
2131 Pleasant Hill Rd.
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 623-9996

Technorati Tags: Chinese food, Cantonese food, Chinese BBQ, Duluth, Pleasant Hill Rd

Pardon the lull — I’m experiencing a bit of the lazies around here. I’ve been eating quite good this week, though, including two lunches at Ming’s (back-to-back, if I may add) and a dinner at Varasano’s (the Margherita still rocks). Not to mention a disappointing lunch at the new Figo. And while I’m slacking on the posts here, I’ve been busy over at Yelp. I do have a few posts brewing on the back burner that I promise to publish within a day or two. Thanks for your patience.

Chloe.

I got wind of this place late last year when they were newly opened via my site’s contact form. I promised myself I was gonna go the first chance I got but kept putting it off because it’s about 22 miles from where I live. But I will travel for food so I cleared my schedule and went. Now I’m kicking myself silly for not coming in sooner.

I came in during lunch time and the place was packed. Not a single table was available and I was just lucky enough to secure the last tiny one by the bar with a good view of the kitchen’s pass-through bar. I could see all the food coming out and was salivating at the beauty (and portion sizes) of each dish.  The chef is Cuban and worked in Florida for 12 years as a chef before coming to Havana South.  His food is comparable to the upscale places in Buckhead and Midtown:  innovative, yet authentic.

Since no visit to a Cuban restaurant is complete without the requisite order of Cuban sandwich, I went for the Media Noche. It’s a Cuban sandwich except they use a sweeter type of bread, similar to what Lotta Frutta uses.  This is by far, the best Cuban sandwich in Georgia. The bread has that toasty crunch on the outside yet a soft chewy inside. It is filled with thick slices of ham and the tastiest roast pork. The pickles were not meant to overpower, instead, it gave a distinctive crunch to every bite and a slight acidity that was very appetizing.

The Lechon Asado platter is also the best I’ve had outside of Florida. The slices of pork were tender, juicy, and has that cooked-for-hours taste. It comes with white rice and black beans. I’m not really into black beans because most that I’ve tasted are nothing but dumbed-down boiled versions.  But here, they are fantastic.  The beans are stir-fried before being simmered in liquid, thus, producing more depth in flavor.

The Arroz con Pollo (yellow rice with chicken) comes with flavorful rice and two big pieces of tender chicken stewed in Cuban spices.  This is another huge platter and good enough for two.

The Chicharron de Pollo (fried chicken chunks) is notches better than its Latin American counterparts.  The chicken chunks are well marinated before being fried crispy. These are not your usual dry, teeth-shattering, hard-to-chew variety.

A must-try at Cuban restaurants is the Cuban coffee.  The Cortadito Cafe con Leche here is brewed individually and freshly made to order.  It is strong and sweet and just so good.  Beware, this is addicting.

I can’t reiterate enough how good and authentic the food is here.  What more can you ask for — quality, portion, and taste are all top-notch.  My take?  RUN, don’t walk and head on up north for some mind-blowing Cuban goodness.

Insider tip:
Located where Satellite Blvd dead-ends on Buford Dr.
Lunch specials daily.
Open everyday from 11am.

The scoop:
Havana South Cuban Restaurant & Bar
4060 Buford Dr
Buford, GA 30518
(678) 546-2252

Technorati Tags: Buford, Cuban food, Cuban restaurants

Okay, friends, now’s the time to show support for one of our own. Hardy Wallace over at Dirty South Wine is in contention for a “Really Goode Job”. Let’s show our support by voting now. Click below:

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Technorati Tags: Murphy Goode, Dirty Wine South

Ate lunch here the other week for what must have been the hundredth time and I’m glad to report that everything’s as good as the day I first came in back in 2006 (if I remember correctly).

Pupusas are the specialty here. They’re like grilled corn tortilla savory pancakes with assorted fillings. I usually get the pork and cheese or the cheese and loroco filling. At $1.85 apiece, they are perfect appetizers or snacks.

My absolute favorite here is the Pollo Dorado Salvadoreño. It comes with crispy fried chicken chunks, salad, rice, refried beans, fried sweet plantains, and a bowl of pickled shredded potatoes. It is a lot of food and coming in at almost $10, it is so worth the price tag. These crispy fried chicken are addicting!

If you’ve never had fried sweet plantains with sour cream before then you’re missing out. The sour cream tempers the sweetness of the plantains and although the combination may sound odd, it works.

Other favorites here include: the whole fried crispy fish, the steak platter, and the tacos. The shrimp cocktail here is a famous dish and one of their bestsellers but I just can’t get myself to like it. Although the shrimp are fresh, big and plentiful, the sauce they swim in tastes more like tomato sauce. Good fresh salsa would have been a better choice. The staff is courteous, helpful, and prompt, although you might have to flag one down once in a while. The set-up reminds me of the mall food courts all over Asia.

Insider tip:
The salsas are forgettable so don’t waste your precious stomach space.
Located on the corner of Shallowford Rd and Buford Highway.

The scoop:
Rincon Latino
5055 Buford Hwy NE
Atlanta, GA 30340
(770) 936-8181

Technorati Tags: El Salvadorean food, pupusa, fried chicken, Buford Highway, Mexican, Latin American