Chow Down Atlanta

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