Chow Down Atlanta

Verdict: RUN, don’t walk. And. Get. There. NOW!!!

Chinese Elvis. Better than the King himself. He provides live entertainment nightly.

Family friends invited us to the grand opening on July 3rd. But I was in Sanibel at the time. Talks of real, authentic Cantonese cooking circulated and wouldn’t die down — with the chef coming from the Guangdong province and apparently a brilliant one to boot, including lengthy stints in Hong Kong under his belt. But then I got a hold of the menu. And felt deflated. Disappointed. With the location being right-smack in the middle of suburbia, I kind of expected it could not sustain a menu worthy of Buford Highway clientele. And the menu was testament to that: all Americanized dishes. Yeah, I’m talking Panda Express Americanized.  The only thing I hoped for was that there was a good chance they had a Chinese menu. You know, the one reserved for the lucky Chinese people.  Written in Chinese. Well, what do you know… they don’t.

Can you read (computerized) Chinese? These are part of what we ordered.

But we still gave it a chance, banking on familiarity with Cantonese cuisine; we knew we can make the chef make dishes we liked to eat in Hong Kong. And boy, did he surprise us. Forget Bo Bo Garden and Wan Lai. This is real Cantonese food. Exceptional is even an understatement. Every single thing we ate was just beyond perfection. Do note, however, that there are no names to these dishes. We basically asked what is fresh that visit, what they had in the kitchen, and gave very loose guidelines as to how they should be prepared.

The Pig’s Ears cold dish is a great appetizer. The ears are sliced thinly but big enough to constitute two bites. Tender yet still gelatinous with the requisite chew. The cucumber slices and cilantro provide texture and added background flavor with the soy sauce and sesame seed oil serving as the main yet subtle tastes in the foreground.

Quite possibly the best dish of the night. And my favorite: Giant Clam. Served in its shell. The meat was sliced into tender pieces then stir-fried in XO Sauce. I wouldn’t be surprised if the chef made his sauce from scratch. I’ll remember to ask next time. The Chinese chives provide a tiny hint of sweet that offsets the savory flavor of the sauce. Brilliant. (Tip: mix the accompanying cilantro with the dish for added oomph.)’

Soft slices of taro are underneath the duck.

The Duck+Taro was another stellar dish. First, the duck is steamed and then braised. The result is tender pieces of duck with bones crunchy enough to eat. The sauce is infused in every bite. Delicious.

The Steamed Flounder is just absolutely divine. The fish was so fresh, buttery, and just melted in the mouth. The ginger-scallion sauce was amazing. In Chinese restaurants, always opt for salt-water fish. They go better with Chinese cooking. For future reference. That’s all.

Other items that were attacked either before I could take pictures or pictures that weren’t as good because it was unbelievably dark in there include a “two-way fish” — a deep-fried Tilapia dish (freshly fished from a tank). The head is used for tofu soup and served along side the crispy fish. It will blow you away. A delicious black bean sauce is used to top the fish. Seriously delicious.

The stir-fried Sea Cucumbers were so tender yet still have a slight chew. Bite-sized pieces are laid on top of steamed baby bok choy. The sauce is light and thin. I like this version a lot because this is what I was used to eating.

Fresh Manila Clams in dry XO sauce is an excellent finger food. The clams are salty-sweet. You can taste the ocean!

The Dry-fried Beef Chow Fun has that addicting smokiness.

The Chinese Fried Chicken is crispier and doesn’t have that cloying five-spice after-taste. The stir-fried Shrimp with Oyster Mushrooms is refreshingly light. The Seafood Hot Pot puts all hot pots to shame. And the Yeung Chow fried rice (a staple in every Cantonese meal) uses sweet barbecue pork. Everything. Is. Fantastic.

Additional notes:The chef has been with the family for decades and used to cook in their old joint in Buford Highway.

Located on the corner of State Bridge Road and 141/Peachtree Pkwy/Medlock Bridge. Inside the plaza where Regal Medlock cinema is. In a free-standing building that used to be a Greek diner that used to be a Mexican place.

All servers speak English. Use this post as your guide as dishes have no names and are not on the menu.

Hong Kong House
5710 State Bridge Rd.,
Johns Creek, GA
30022
678-584-5855
Sunday-Thursday: 11AM-10PMFriday-Saturday: 11AM-11:30PM

More pictures here.

Technorati Tags: Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Cantonese, Chinese

I’ve been addicted to BB’s bagels lately. My brother regularly sends or brings me H&H Bagels from New York but I’ve found a close substitute here in the ‘burbs. These are boiled bagels, made from scratch daily. They are chewy, dense, and yeasty, with a tiny hint of sour, and a tad bit sweet. Perfection.

But aside from their famous bagels, they serve breakfast and lunch daily until 2pm. Everything is made in house and almost everything is made from scratch. So which one isn’t? The Taylor ham. I love this. It’s a pork roll from New Jersey. Kinda like a bologna. Here, they slice them thin and fry them lightly. I like that it’s not salty at all. Good for breakfast.

You’ve got to visit BB’s. Everyone that comes in is like family. Incidentally, a couple of weeks ago, I discovered Essex bagels which is closer to my house. Rumor has it that they get their dough from BB’s. Well, not exactly. According to Eddie (owner of BB’s), they do roll the dough for Essex but the recipe is slightly different. I agree. BB’s is chewier. Essex is a little on the bland side. BB’s rules.

The scoop:
BB’s Bagels and Diner
770 McFarland Pkwy
Alpharetta, GA 30004
(770) 475-1818

Technorati Tags: bagels, diner, Alpharetta, boiled bagels, NY bagels

Two words: boiled bagels. If you’re a New Yorker then you know what I’m talking about. My brother regularly sends or brings me H&H Bagels from New York but I’ve found a close substitute here in the metro: Essex Bagels.

These huge, authentic NY bagels (the size of a child’s head) are dense, chewy, and doughy with a shiny, smooth coating. Boiling the bagels prior to baking ensures they have such trademark interior and crust. If you haven’t had one of these, then you must run and get one. It is that good.

Note: Essex uses bagel dough from BB’s. So if you can’t drive all the way to Cumming, this Johns Creek/Alpharetta option is much closer.

Insider tip:
Bagels are $0.95 each and Specialty Bagels are $1.25.
Bakers Dozen is $11.40
They have a nice dining area with tables and booths including free wifi. Breakfast (served all day) and lunch are available.

The scoop:
Essex Bagels & Deli
11030 Medlock Bridge Rd Ste 160
Johns Creek, GA 30097
(770) 476-8214

Technorati Tags: boiled bagels, NY bagels, Johns Creek, Alpharetta

This Chinese family owned and operated authentic Sichuan joint has only been open barely two weeks yet they seem to already attract a bevy of Chinese customers. The chef came to Alpharetta by way of Mississippi where he used to own a Chinese restaurant for years. After 8 years here, he decided to open an authentic Chinese restaurant specializing in Sichuan cuisine.

The first thing I noticed about the dishes here is the authentic Sichuan flavors. Lots of garlic, ginger, chili peppers, and Sichuan peppercorns are used, and yes, the dishes are spicy as they should be. While the traditional menu, as of the moment, is sparse and very limited, the chef hopes to expand his repertoire and present a more enhanced menu in a week or two.

One of my favorite Chinese appetizers is pig’s ear. I love the chewy, crunchy, gelatinous texture. I’ve had many, many variations of this dish and my favorite remains to be the kind where it’s combined with deep fried, crunchy tofu cubes in a sweet-soy-based sauce. But I do like all kinds. Here, the boiled ears are cooled, sliced thinly, then laced with spicy chili oil and sweetish-salty soy-based sauce. Delicious. I could eat a whole platter of this.

The only other place I’ve had amazingly good, authentic Sichuan dumplings is San Francisco (and China, of course). I haven’t found the same taste anywhere here until now. These boiled dumplings are homemade. The wrappers are soft and chewy while the pork filling is very flavorful. I suspect they are boiled in chicken stock as there is no floury taste in them. The fresh minced garlic topping adds additional heat and pungency. The spicy, sweet-salty sauce with it is so fantastic, I was spooning heaps into my mouth.

MaPo Tofu is a yardstick when it comes to authentic Sichuan cuisine. This dish was so unbelievably good that it was demolished before I could even turn my camera on. The spicy chili and bean-based sauce is totally spot on. The spiciness is numbing yet the bold flavors of the sauce is retained. The tofu is creamy and the minced pork adds texture to this wonderful dish.

The Traditional Spicy Beef Stir-Fry included slices of dry-fried beef. It had lots of dried chili peppers, onions, celery, carrots, green peppers, and lotus roots to provide a crunchy balance to the tender beef. This is another fantastic, spicy dish with lots of garlic and ginger flavors.

A surprising hit, the Chicken Breast in Garlic Sauce sounds ho-hum on paper but delivered a knock-out punch. The tender slices of chicken were infused with a spicy-garlic-chili sauce that lightly coated all the ingredients. There were crisp pieces of cabbage, broccoli, carrots, and wood ear mushrooms that made this dish an exceptional one.

Overall, a fantastic and inexpensive meal. Everything was delicious including the bubble teas with very, very chewy tapioca pearls (just the way they should be).

Insider tip:
Cash only at this time.
Prices average $5-9.

The scoop:
Cafe Q Sichuan Cuisine
10475 Medlock Bridge Rd., Suite 105
Johns Creek, GA 30097
(770) 232-9388

Technorati Tags: Chinese, Sichuan, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, dumplings

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

I’ve been going here for many years. It’s a solid place for Americanized Thai and Malaysian food. Don’t get me wrong, though, as the food here is quite delicious — but milder in taste than its Southeast Asian counterparts. Still, food is consistently tasty.

A must try here is the Roti Canai. The crepe is flaky and chewy. The curry chicken dipping sauce is thick and has just a hint of spiciness.

The spring rolls are crunchy fried and filled with noodles and veggies. The complimentary side of pickled vegetables are very appetizing. It has a hint of curry, as well as a mixture of sweet and sour tastes.

Everything here is good. Like I said, the dishes are made in a way such that no one particular flavor overpowers anything else. Mild, but tasty, if there ever is such a thing. I highly recommend the Pad Thai, Lad Na, Pad See U, and Mee Hon for noodles. You can’t go wrong with any of the curry dishes and the Beef Rendang, Ikan Bakar, and the Sambal Eggplant. Whichever dish you choose, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

Insider tip:
Lunch is the worst time to go as wait times average 20 minutes.
Portions are huge.

The scoop:
Satay House
281 S Main St
Alpharetta, GA 30004
(770) 663-8666
LUNCH :: Monday-Saturday 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
DINNER :: Sunday-Thursday 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm;
Friday & Saturday :: 5:00 pm - 10:30 pm

Technorati Tags: Thai, Alpharetta, Malaysian

Alpine Bakery has been a suburban institution for many, many years. It’s a dessert-and-pastries heaven with a pizzeria attached on its side. Mouth-watering cakes are showcased in numerous gleaming cases, as well as cheesecakes, pies, pastries, Italian treats, and a wide assortment of cookies . Everything is made in-house.

Cakes go for about $38 for small and $58 for large , while slices are about $7 each. You can pretty much get a slice of any case available on display. The Red Velvet cake here is moist, not cloyingly sweet, with a fresh cream cheese icing. The Million Dollar cake, a bestseller, comes with rich layers of chocolate mouse, flour-less cake, cheesecake, and more — enough to satisfy a sweet tooth if you ever had one. The Carrot cake is divine with lots of carrot bits in its moist layers plus a good crunch from its walnut-laced cream cheese icing.

The NY-style cheesecakes are rich and smooth, thanks to a concoction of heavy cream, eggs, and cheese. The Tiramisu, Turtle, Chocolate, and Strawberry are all fantastic choices. But my favorite is the plain version where you can really taste the cream and cheese.

If you must try just one pastry, go for the Cream Puffs made with heavenly Chantilly cream. They keep well in the fridge and make for good breakfast. The cannolis and fruit tarts, as well as the chocolate covered balls of cheesecake are all wonderful options, although, be warned that the cannolis are good eaten the same day.

But since I don’t really have a sweet tooth and am not a dessert person, I go here for the take-out pizzeria. They have the best Strombolis in the city. Bar none. And I go here every week just for that. Everything is made from scratch and the Meatball Parmigiana is just unbelievably good. Think long loaves of freshly baked dough filled with meatballs and cheese or sausage, peppers and onions, or pepperoni and cheese. Chewy cheese oozes out of every bite while the yeasty dough keeps them in. Really, it is “oh-my-god” fantastic.

The NY-style pizzas are equally fantastic. The crust is thin, the sauce is fresh with a great consistency. I can’t say it enough but they are just so good.

Beware, this carb-laden place is a threat to anyone’s diet.

Insider tip:
There are a few small benches outside for eating. Or do like I do and bring lawn chairs, sit back, people watch and eat the best strombolis and pizzas outside of NY.

The scoop:
Alpine Bakery And Pizzeria
295 Rucker Road
Suite 140
Alpharetta, Georgia 30004
Telephone: (770) 410 - 9883
Fax: (770) 410 - 9884

Technorati Tags: Alpharetta, bakery, pizza, cakes, pastries

If you want good shawarmas, then this is your place. The meat is juicy, not dried out like some places, the tahini sauce is spot on, and the veggie filling is fresh and tasty. The bread is also made in-house. In fact, they are a major distributor of Middle Eastern breads and baked goods here in the South. Shawarmas come in your choice of beef, chicken, and falafel. All are equally good.

If you’d rather prefer to eat you shawarma with a fork, then the plates are for you. Instead of having the filling assembled inside a pita bread, they are laid out on platters, served with a side of pita slices. They’re exactly the same as the shawarmas, just in a different presentation.

The Lamb Kabob platter, which I didn’t see on the menu, but highly recommended by the owner, was quite delicious. The lamb was well seasoned and perfectly grilled. It came with yellow rice, baba ghanoush, hummus, and couscous.

The Baba Ghanoush is mild tasting but good, nonetheless. There is no overpowering garlic taste which allows you to taste the eggplant even more. The consistency is quite good, too, creamy but with enough texture. The Grape Leaves are a little too tart for my taste but they’re plump and fresh. Six pieces will set you back a mere $2.99.

Assorted pastries are made in the bakery in the back and include the usual baklava, harsah, and wabat, as well as muffins, danishes, and croissants. If Middle Eastern fare isn’t what you have a taste for, fear not as they have pizzas, strombolis, and calzones.

Insider tip:
Open daily from 7am to 9pm.
Only the Alpharetta location has a deli.

The scoop:
Jerusalem Bakery (Alpharetta)
4150 Old Milton PKWY
Alpharetta, GA 30005
(770) 777-0193

585 Franklin Road
Suite 160
Marietta, GA 30067
770-419-1666

Technorati Tags: Middle Eastern, shawarma, Turkish food, ethnic grocery, Alpharetta

There were only a handful of good Thai restaurants in Atlanta when we were young. Back in the late 80s/early 90s, our family rotation included King and I, Thai of Norcross, and Taste of Thai (aka ToT). The former two have changed hands twice since then, while the latter is still with the original management. Two years ago, the family sold ToT to someone who used to work at the restaurant and branched out to the north and opened Lime Juice. This wasn’t known to me until I ordered a dish that I knew could only be found nowhere else but at ToT. Then, one of the young servers recognized us and asked us why she hasn’t seen us in a while. We gave her a quizzical look — well, what do you know, she was the same young ‘un as us back when we used to go to ToT every week and she was there helping serve in between doing homework. Small world.

The first thing that impressed me was that this place is packed every lunch time. By noon, there’s a wait out the door. But what’s most exciting to me is the food. The northern Thai chef cooks unbelievably great Southern/Central Thai food in addition to some Northern dishes which he does exceptionally well (as expected, of course). Papaya salad (som tam), a signature Northern dish, which uses crisp, shredded green papaya in a spicy sweet/sour sauce, is as genuine as you can ever get. You can really taste the nam pla (fish sauce), a heavy influence from the north. It is spicy and light.

Another must try here is the northern dish, Yum Woon Sen, with the requisite ingredients: bean thread noodles, ground chicken, shrimp, red onions, mushrooms, and peanuts in a spicy-sweet-sour dressing. It is delicious but very, very spicy. Beware, requesting for a 3-pepper heat level is only meant for asbestos-tongued like me.

The Yellow Curry Fried Rice, a childhood favorite at ToT, is the best I’ve had in town. This isn’t your usual sticky, risotto-textured, rice casserole version. Theirs is true fried rice in form: loose rice held together by delicious yellow curry with chunks of tasty chicken. The smoky flavor is addicting.

ToT makes Spicy Basil Chicken (another childhood favorite) like no other in town. I was surprised to see this signature dish in Lime Juice, not knowing in the beginning that Lime Juice is, in fact, ToT. They use ground chicken which creates great texture and stir fry it with jalapeno and green bell peppers, and sweet basil leaves. The result is the most flavorful Thai dish you’ve ever had. Couple that with a fried egg and you have a Thai meal eaten like a native.

I grew up to this family’s cooking so I love this place. Dining here is like eating at your grandma’s house.

Insider tip:
Lunch entrees either come with soup or spring rolls.
Soda refills are $1.
Lunch prices range from $8-10 and includes soup or spring roll.
Dinner entrees average $15 (but portions are big).

The scoop:
Lime Juice Thai Bistro
684 N Main St
Alpharetta, GA 30004
(678) 242-2991
Mon–Fri: 11:00 A.M. — 2:30 P.M. / 5:00 P.M. — 9:00 P.M.
Saturday: 12:00 NOON — 9:00 P.M.
Sunday: 11:A.M. — 4: P.M.

Technorati Tags: Thai cuisine, Alpharetta, Atlanta

I am impressed by what looks like hole-in-a-wall places, especially when it does not look nor feel like so when you step in. Such is the case here at Kozmo — a new gastro pub deep in the heart of suburbia. It’s in a strip mall with tight parking many miles away from the nearest major highway.

The decor is suggestive of Buckhead and Midtown with its usual minimalist take — clean whites, contrasting dark booths, splashes of wood, open kitchen, shiny concrete floors, huge boards plastered on the wall. The focal point is a large wooden communal table complete with Starck’s Emeco bar stools. The clientele, however, is typical of the affluent area: the more matured, more polished, more reserved crowd.

Food wise, it’s top notch. The House Poutine is simply incredible and one of the best versions I’ve had in town. Theirs come layered to ensure the fries stay crisp. Au jus, fork-tender flaked short rib, cheese, and fries are arranged neatly from bottom to top. It is a gigantic portion good enough for sharing. I love the layering effect (as opposed to the “pile-on-high” results found in nachos) and more so that they don’t skimp on the flaked short rib which is so flavorful.

The burger is a great contender to the popular versions in town. It is hand-made with a brisket-sirloin mix that produces a tender, juicy, thick patty. The Alon’s brioche is buttery and soft and gives a sweetish hint to the fatty meat — a perfect combination. The sparse amount of lettuce and thinly sliced tomato guarantee the flavor of the meat to shine. Delicious. The side of macaroni-and-cheese is a grown-up take on the kiddie favorite. Twisty macaroni shells are drenched in creamy Parmesan, mozzarella, white cheddar, and bleu cheeses. This is definitely not what your momma used to make.

Tuesdays is Fried Chicken night. And it is in your best interest not to miss it. They do run out so do hurry. Three pieces of lightly battered yet crispy fried chicken are tender and moist with flavor all the way through. It’s not a massive portion but with two good-sized sides, this $8.99 dish is enough to get you filled. My chosen sides of garlic spinach and coleslaw are both fantastic. The spinach retains its crunch and the garlic lends a flavor. The coleslaw is crisp and creamy but not so that you feel like you’re eating mayo. You can tell they only use fresh and quality ingredients here.

The Short Rib Pappardelle is scrumptious. The stewed-for-hours short rib is fork tender and the flavor is bold and hefty. The house-made sheets of fresh pasta allows the meat to mellow, sopping up all the sauce for a great-tasting dish.

Dessert wise, everything’s made in house. The chocolate chip cookies with ice-cream is a simple choice but big on taste. The cookies are mounds of soft, chewy short-bread infused with chunks of chocolate. They were so good and fresh out of the oven that I didn’t want to waste a minute by photographing them.

Drink wise, well, I’m not much of a drinker. But even the non-drinker that I am found the White Sangria pretty weak. No kick, no taste of wine, and more like a watered-down fruit juice with wine-infused bits of fruits. But I am curious to try their Kozmojito and the Kozmorita on my future visits.

This is a real gastropub in the true sense of the word. Food is amazing, decor and ambiance are top notch, and prices are very reasonable. Although lunch and dinner have the same price points, the one most expensive item on the menu, the Flat Iron Steak and Fries will set you back a mere $14.99 while the burger weighs in at $8.99. Truly a great benefit to the folks who live in the area.

Insider tip:
Be sure to join their Lunch Club: buy 5 lunches and the 6th one is free.

The scoop:

Kozmo Gastro Pub
11890 Douglas Road
Alpharetta, GA 30005
(678) 526-6094

Technorati Tags: Kozmo, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, gastropub, bar