Chow Down Atlanta

I’m not big on sweets or desserts. I would rather eat bread. However, I do occasionally indulge in a bite or two of all things decadent especially since my younger brother in NYC has a habit of sending my sister such goodies on a regular basis — Magnolia and Cupcake Factory cupcakes, Junior’s cheesecakes, Bouchon macaroons — and I’m quite lucky as they always have a way of finding their way to me. It was my sister, the one with the sweet tooth and is in love with cupcakes, who tipped me on this place about two years ago. The cupcake craze was just starting in Atlanta then and I tagged along as she sampled goodies from everywhere.

Cupcakes at The Little Cake Bakery are all made in-house daily from scratch by a group of lovely, young ladies who only use quality ingredients such as Valrhona chocolate and pure Madagascar Bourbon vanilla. I love coming into the store and getting enveloped in the aroma of fresh-baked goodies. While cupcakes are showcased in enclosed glass shelves, they are not air tight so a bit of drying out naturally happens. All I do is to transfer them into air tight big plastic containers with lids, place a piece of bread inside, cover, and voila, they get re-hydrated and become moist after an hour or two.

Daily flavors here include the usual Vanilla/Vanilla, Vanilla/Chocolate, Chocolate/Vanilla, Chocolate/Chocolate, Red Velvet, Brownies, and Black Bottom Cake. They are so good it’s quite difficult not to get into a weekly habit. Both the cakes and icing are not too sweet but enough to satisfy a sweet tooth. My favorites are the red velvet, chocolate, vanilla, Nutella, Carrot Cake, and the Elvis. The Elvis is made with banana cake and buttercream icing then topped with a slice of banana. Heavenly.

Insider tip:
Additional flavors available daily depending on the day of the week. Check out the flavors here.
Cupcakes are $2.50 apiece while the minis are $11/dozen. Orders accepted.

The scoop:
The Little Cupcake
3792 Roswell Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30342
(404) 841-8856

Technorati Tags: Perimeter, Atlanta, cupcakes

This is another place I grew up eating at. There were only a handful of Thai restaurants then and this and Thai of Norcross were among the first successful ones. I remember back in the late 80s, a group of (MBA) students were waiting tables here and my mom told me (in hush-hush tones) that one of them had married the divorced owner. My mom spared me all the details, after all, I was only in my preteens. But the good looking student became manager of the place and after many years, opened another Thai place on VaHi. The owner passed away a decade ago and his brother (a co-owner) has been left to manage King & I while the wife tended to the one on VaHi. Incidentally, two of the MBA students opened a Thai place of their own but more on that later on.

King & I isn’t necessarily the most authentic Thai in the city. But the food (quality and taste) has been consistently superior that you can pinpoint their dishes with your eyes closed. Service is consistently excellent as well. A must (and I mean, a must) here is the Chicken Curry Fried Rice. The rice is dry, not soggy wet, and has just the right amount of curry flavoring. The chicken pieces are tender and succulent. It’s a one-dish meal that never disappoints.

The spring rolls are made with rice paper and renders a chewy texture when fried. They’re the only Thai place in town that does it this way. The result is uniquely good with a creamy peanut sauce that goes well with the vegetarian filling. The Wonton Soup is so comforting with a clear, flavorful chicken broth.

Not on the menu, I have loved their Mongolian Beef since I was young. Don’t scoff, it’s not really Mongolian Beef, but for lack of a name, the chef has decided to name this such for me. Even at an early age, I’m known to ask chefs to make a dish for me — back then, I wanted thin slices of beef sauteed with onions, bamboo shoots, and celery in a secret brown sauce. They used to serve it over crispy rice noodles when I was young but as I grew older, I’ve decided that without is much better. This is a very good dish which I invented and I highly recommend it.

The curries, specifically the Panang Curry lacks the sweetness of authentic Southern Thai panang, but is very good, nevertheless. It is creamy, with a good sweet-spicy balance. Get it spicier as it tends to be mild.

The Pad See Ew here is fantastic. The flat rice noodles are soft and tossed with broccoli, egg, and sprouts in a mild soy-based sauce that will guarantee to make you go ‘yum’.

I have eaten literally everything on the menu and you won’t be disappointed with any of them. King & I has been an Atlanta institution. As with most ethnic restaurants, go for the food.

Insider tip:
They make a mean Thai Iced Tea.

The scoop:
King & I
1510 Piedmont Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30324
(404) 892-7743

Technorati Tags: Thai, midtown, Atlanta, Thai food

For the first time ever, the moon and stars were aligned properly that I was able to attend a supper club this past weekend. I’ve been turning down opportunities for over a year now so I was so excited because this time, I could actually go. This one is for the prelude to Staplehouse.

Staplehouse is a new venture from Ryan Hindinger who is Chef de Cuisine at Muss & Turner’s which is set to open in the near future. With the meticulous assistance of his lovely wife Jen, sous chef Ben, and sommelier (and avid supporter) Ryan Turner (the T in M&T), Ryan showcases his kitchen prowess by offering intimate dinners at his home where folks can preview what to expect at Staplehouse when it finally opens.

I had a wonderful time at Ryan and Jen’s. The 6-course meal was absolutely fantastic. To read about the meal in detail, go to Foodie Buddha where he captures the evening in great detail.

I’m not much into NY-style pizza. To me, Neapolitan pizza is the perfect pizza. However, here at Vic’s, they do a pretty good NY-style pizza and owner Vic ensures everything is made in-house. In fact, it’s pretty common sight to see him tossing pizza dough up in the air.

Vic’s uses a thick sauce and though most people don’t mind tomato paste-like sauce, I much prefer the chunky, fresh version. The mozzarella cheese binds well with the thick sauce. The crust is chewy, thick-ish, and yeasty. If you’re into NY-style pizzas then you’re in for a treat.

Aside from pizza, Vic’s offers the usual baked hoagies, pastas, salads, soups, and wings. The baked subs are very good and a must try here. Thick Italian rolls are filled with your choice of meats and veggies then baked to a nice crisp. The Italian sub is my favorite. The Standard Calzone is one that you must also try here. Baked pizza dough is filled with Italian sausage, mushrooms, onion, green peppers, and pepperoni with ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses. The three kinds of cheeses lend an interesting flavor to the simple pie.

Eating at Vic’s is like going to a family’s house for a meal. Everyone is so warm and friendly. This is truly a great neighborhood pizza joint.

Insider tip:
Specials available for lunch daily.

The scoop:
Vic’s New York Style Pizza
3455 Peachtree Industrial Blvd NW
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 813-3356

Technorati Tags: pizza, Duluth, GA, PIB

I grew up eating at SakanaYa, a popular joint among Japanese. They had an amazing robata menu (kushiyaki/yakitori), authentic dishes not found anywhere else, fantastic noodles, fresh sushi, and overall great Japanese food. After undergoing a change in management and ownership, they eventually closed after many years. I was ecstatic to find out that it has been reincarnated to Blue Fin Sushi a couple of years ago. Located in the northern part of PIB, the new digs is bigger, nicer, more contemporary. Out of the four original sushi chefs, only one remains. The menu has also been considerably whittled down but with a few old favorites still surviving. Overall, prices have gone higher.

One of the draws here is the ramen (an extensive part of the menu). I’ve seen two top Japanese chefs eat ramen here regularly and swear by their goodness. I agreed. Until in recent months when the flavors are just off — not quite as bold as before and more thin in taste and consistency. Despite the shortcomings, the ramens here are still far better than most places. Although smaller in serving size than most places, each order comes with a side of California roll (lunch). My favorite is the Shio Ramen made with clear broth seasoned with salt then topped with tender pork slices. I also like the Spicy Miso Ramen which is great during colder months.

All sushi are fresh. You can’t go wrong with any of them. Last week, the sea urchin were just melt-in-your-mouth delicious that I ate 12 pieces. Amazing.

The soba here is fantastic — cold, chewy, with a good dipping sauce.  I could eat this everyday.  Save room for the gyozas.  They are crazy good with their thin skin and flavorful filling.  They’re steamed then fried.  The hamachi kama and grilled salmon are all great options as well.  The portions are smallish so you have to order a few different items to get your fill.  Still, it’s a great way to sample the menu.

This place is on my regular rotation.  Try it.

Insider tip:
Closed on Mondays.

The scoop:
Blue Fin Sushi
2863 Peachtree Industrial Blvd
Duluth, GA 30097
(770) 232-5004

Technorati Tags: Duluth, Japanese, noodles, sushi