Chow Down Atlanta

Aside from sushi, a favorite childhood food in the family is ramen — either the Chinese or the Japanese variety. Chinese ramen made with thick, flat egg noodles, clear chicken stock, chicken chunks, scallions, and hard-boiled egg is always a simple, easy snack that’s as good as any comfort food. As I grew older, my preference has leaned more towards the Japanese version. Maybe it’s my love affair with pork. Or my fascination with everything Japanese which started when I was 14, my first of many trips to Tokyo where I tasted the very best ramen (and sushi). Since then, Japanese ramen is something I eat regularly, whether in hot or cold weather.

Yakitori Jinbei is one of the best places for ramen. The Tonkotsu ramen is just absolutely fabulous and the very best in the city. The creamy pork broth, simmered for hours, is deep in flavor, rich, and, yes, creamy which you will never get with shortcuts. Instead, it’s a labor of love, consisting of days boiling in the pot to let the bones break down into a milky sheen (something no milk can ever accomplish). The ramen has structure and bite and made of long noodles that will stretch for a good bit before snapping. The roasted pork topping is exceptional. It is enveloped in crispy fat, a true measure in good Japanese roast pork. To say this soup is fantastic would be a gross understatement. It is simply perfect.

Their Shoyu ramen, seasoned with soy sauce, is Tokyo-style  –  the dashi taste is very distinguishable and adds depth.  Soy sauce is used both for additional flavor (although it doesn’t overpower) and color.  It is very good, light and savory; just not as awesome as the tonkotsu broth.

I am not very big on chopped raw fish (think spicy tuna rolls) mainly because scraps of fish are usually used; and, I prefer the texture of sliced raw fish more than minced. I was surprised to see the Negitoro Bowl (Negitoro Yukke) with pretty good quality fatty tuna. The texture is silky smooth and tasted very fresh. However, it hardly has the requisite sliced scallions that give this dish a hint of oniony taste. The raw quail egg adds a slight smoky, earthy flavor to the minced fish and compensates for the omission.

If you’ve visited during dinner time, then you already know this place has the best yakitori and kushiyaki items. The chicken pieces are well seasoned and perfectly grilled, and go really well with the ramen.

Next up: the Ramen Wars — places for the best ramen in town. Stay tuned.

Yakitori Jinbei
2421 Cobb Pkwy SE
Smyrna, GA 30080
(770) 818-9215

Technorati Tags: Japanese, ramen, yakitori, Smyrna

My Coca-Cola addiction started at the age of 2 — the same age kids nowadays start to discover the exciting taste of soda. For me, food tastes better with Coke. Just imagine eating pizza with water. Or popcorn and water. Boring. So imagine my excitement when I first heard about Freestyle. A soda fountain on demand. And in steroids. I just had to try it out.

Don’t they just look awesome? So sleek. And shiny. I tried out almost all of the 100 flavors. Including Raspberry Coke, Orange Diet Coke, Fanta Zero Peach, Fanta Lime, Sprite Zero Grape, Sprite Peach, and so on. Some tasted like bile (Fanta Peach), others were fantastic (Raspberry Coke), and one is promising (Orange Diet Coke). AMC Parkway Pointe on Cobb Parkway has them as well as a few Firehouse Subs, Subway, Wendy’s, and Popeye’s locations. Check here for more info.

Technorati Tags: Coca-Cola, Coke, Freestyle

V1 occupies the newest vacated spot inside the Super H Mart in Johns Creek. A scaled-down version of their main spot on Buford Highway, V1 offers their famous bbq: duck, roast pork, crispy pork, and chicken. Noodle soups, stir-fried noodles, and fried rice are the staples here. V1 offers solid Cantonese (and Malaysian) fare. Most everything start a little below $7. Try the Crispy Pork noodle soup (not on the menu). The saltiness of the crispy pork flavors the broth so well. Great cheap eats.

Insider tip:
Peking Duck is available for $25.

The scoop:
V1 BBQ and Cafe (Super H Mart – Johns Creek/Alpharetta)
10820 Abbotts Bridge Rd.
Alpharetta, GA 30005
(770) 623-1136

Technorati Tags: Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Chinese, Cantonese, noodle soups

We were next door getting fitted for dresses for my sister’s wedding and decided to have a late lunch here; not because we like it but because it was a mere few steps away and I was beyond starving. I don’t think they changed the decor all that much from when this place used to be Rock Bottom Brewery. I do like the new patio with a working fireplace.

We were given several menus. The regular one was two-foot high and 5 pages long. It would take a good 10 minutes just to read everything on it. The Oktoberfest menu, available for a limited time, was more navigable. The Festbier Combo was actually pretty good and came with an assortment of appetizers. The fries were crisp and golden with lots of garlic bits. The garlic taste might be a little overpowering to some but I love garlic and these fries had lots of them in taste and in appearance. Two skewers with grilled bratwurst, knackwurst, and Hungarian sausage also came with the combo. The sausage was excellent in flavor with the charring from the grill giving it additional smokiness. The bratwurst and knackwurst pretty much tasted identical and although they weren’t all that bad, they weren’t all that good either. I did notice a snap in every bite, however. I loved their version of pretzels. They were fat, soft, and doughy inside. A few dips into the beer mustard and you’ve got an excellent snack.

The Fresh Mozzarella pizza caught my eye so we had to get it. What a disappointment when it came out with small globs of what they call fresh mozzarella. It didn’t even taste like fresh mozzarella at all. While the crust is chewy and thick, which was okay, the pizza sauce was almost non-existent. The only taste you get is crust, bland cheese, and basil.

The Beef Short Ribs entree was huge. The ribs were fork tender but tasted blandish on its own. The mushroom jus was added at plating instead of cooking them in it. It would have been so much better if it was the other way around. The mountain of sauerkraut mashed potatoes was a good touch and tasted quite good. The braised cabbage had a good sweetish hint. A hearty meal if there ever was one.

I have been to another GB location and was never blown away by the food. GB is kinda like a last resort when it comes to choosing a place to eat. It was there, it was convenient, so we went.

Insider tip:
Plenty of parking across the way or you can use the parking deck.

The scoop:
Gordon Biersch Brewery – Buckhead
3242 Peachtree Road NE
Buckhead, Atlanta, GA 30305
404-264-0253

Technorati Tags: Atlanta, Buckhead, brewery, pub food, beer

Remember the famous Peasant chain of restaurants? You’d be surprised to find out that one of my very first jobs as a teenager was as a server at Mick’s. It was such a coveted job among teenies that I delved into it with such gumption as someone trying to win the Presidency. My mom, the best supporter one can ever have, bought me several hundred dollars worth of pricey uniform — six sets in all. For the days I would have been working. Guess how long I lasted on the job? Two days. I had a new found respect for servers after that.

While the Peasant group has been sold and none of its member restaurants still exists, one last hurrah remains in the form of Peasant Bistro, located across from the Georgia Aquarium, and owned by two ladies who wanted to keep the name and group alive.  My parents and I met my wonderful aunt for lunch a few weeks ago and was astounded by everything about it. The place is beautiful — modern but with a romantic feel, thanks in part to the curved staircase that provides the focal point (the romantic part); and the exposed smooth, white brick walls, and dark planked floors (the modern part). I know it’s a cliché but it really transforms you: from the harsh environment of downtown, to this elegant, cozy place.

We started out with the Calamari and Fried Green Tomatoes. The Calamari was okay, but didn’t really make a lasting effect on me. They were, at least, fresh and not chewy. I still think Murphy’s Calamari is tops. The FGT were pretty good, with the creamy goat cheese and red pepper sauce elevating this Southern staple.

I love beets and I always get it whenever I see it on the menu especially when goat cheese is involved. Simple and good.

Their version of Shrimp and Grits, which my dad, my aunt, and I all got was pretty straight-forward. It had fresh, plump, big shrimp on a bed of creamy cheese grits with a few pieces of andouille sausage in a tomato cream sauce. It’s a good sized entree. Flavor-wise, it was spot on, though, I would have liked it to have a bit more spiciness.

The Grilled Pork Chop was a clear winner. It was well seasoned, perfectly cooked, tender, and with lots of juices oozing out. The Sweet Corn Bread Pudding was a surprise hit. It had the consistency of a hard quiche inside but with a hardish, bread-like crust outside. There were lots of whole kernel corn incorporated in it, too, that provided a little hint of sweetness.

Overall, I like the 5-star feel you get while dining here, but without the pretension. Prices are quite reasonable for the portion size and quality/taste of the food (entrees average $12).

Insider tip:
Fantastic service
Valet parking is $5.

The scoop:
Peasant Bistro
250 Park Ave West NW
Atlanta, GA 30313
(404) 230-1724

Technorati Tags: Atlanta, Downtown, Peasant Bistro, Peasant Group, Southern, American food