Chow Down Atlanta

Contrary to what most of you think, I do cook. As much as 2-3 times a week. But sometimes, not at all. I eat all my lunches and some dinners out and I don’t eat leftovers so I have to supplement that with home-cooked meals (mine or my mom’s). I go to either Super H, BHFM, or Assi (Suwanee) every single week (in addition to Whole Foods/Trader Joe’s/Alon’s and almost daily trips to bakeries and bagel shops). Assi Duluth opened about a month ago. It was so chaotic the first week of opening that it wasn’t really worth the hassle to add it to my rotation. But I’ve been back a few more times after that and the frenzy has died down a bit. Yesterday, it was literally empty. Of course, it’s also been raining cats and dogs all day.

To say this place is huge is an understatement. The produce section is expansive. But the meat and seafood section are small, and the aisles are tight. BHFM has 99% of what I need, Super H Mart has 85%, and I would say this place has about 70% of what I need — in terms of produce and dry goods (dry/liquid spices, noodles, snacks, etc). Prices average 20 cents less than the others but the selection here is not as good. Plus, stuff are not as organized as BHFM so you’ll see specific Asian goods scattered all over even though they have a particular aisle for each group. You’ll need to look at all the aisles to find what you’re looking for rather than going to one specific section.

Here is yesterday’s loot. I found some ridiculously fresh snow pea tips, persimmons, inexpensive lemons (remember last year when they were a dollar apiece, well, they’re 5 for 99cents now), great stewing tomatoes, baby bokchoy, okra, watercress, asparagus, some yummy potato bread, black bean soy milk (you’re missing out if you haven’t had this), fat ginger, and a gigantic cabbage.

Verdict: Worth checking out. I’d go for the food court alone. There’s a good selection of cheap eats at the food court with a Mozart bakery that has a private dining area.

Assi Plaza (Duluth)
1630 Pleasant Hill Rd
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 813-1500
A mile east of 85. Just past Bahama Breeze.

Technorati Tags: Asian market, Ethnic grocery, Korean, Duluth, Pleasant Hill Rd

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 eat at the food court inside the Hong Kong Supermarket on Jimmy Carter just about every week. My new favorite is the bakery on the left side of the market (on the opposite side of the food court). This Vietnamese bakery makes the best croissants — huge flaky, buttery creations that are just irresistible. At $1 apiece, it’s difficult to buy just one. I buy a dozen chocolate ones every week. They’re great for breakfast and as a quick snack. Incidentally, they also have other flavors — plain, almond, ham, ham&cheese.

While they no longer have the roast pork banh mi, the cold cuts is a great alternative. They don’t skimp on the filling here — the deli meat slices are thick and there are ample veggies to complete a great sandwich. The $3 price tag isn’t bad either.

I found the best Cháo lòng heo in Atlanta here. No Chinese or Vietnamese place can even come close. For $6.50, I had a huge bowl of boiled-for-hours rice soup filled with lots and lots of meaty goodness: pork slices, a big slice of pork sausage made with pork innards, and pork blood cubes. This is the best congee I’ve ever had outside of Asia. The soup is just so flavorful. Each order comes with a plate of fried baguette slices, fresh bean sprouts, cilantro, lime, hot sauce, and a cup of hot chrysanthemum tea. It’s comfort food at its best.

This is a wonderful place for cheap but delicious eats. Don’t miss it.

Insider tip:
The Vietnamese got their baking from the French. Need I say more?
There are two other types of congee: duck and chicken feet.
They only make a dozen croissants of each flavor. Call the day before and place an order.

The scoop:
No. 1 Hong Kong Bakery
5494 Jimmy Carter Blvd
Norcross, GA 30093
(770) 837-0270

Technorati Tags: congee, chao, Cháo lòng heo, croissants, Vietnamese, bakery, bahn mi, Norcross, Jimmy Carter

The Vietnamese stall inside Super H Mart in Johns Creek closed two months ago. A new European stall has opened in its place. My curiosity got piqued when I saw gulasch on the menu board. I mean, gulasch in a food court? I’m so there. But what really won me over was the picture of the bread dumplings next to the gulasch. When I was in Prague last year, I ate bread dumplings 3-4 times a day. The entire week! Bread, in an form, is my absolute weakness.

So I ordered a couple of things — the gulasch and the frikadellen. I should have known it wasn’t gonna be authentic after I found out that the Korean grandmother hostess was none other than the cook. She is the nicest, sweetest grandmother, though, and fed me like a starving granddaughther who hadn’t eaten in days. She also kept pushing food at me from the kitchen, just like a real grandma.

The gulasch, as expected, tasted more Korean than Czechoslovakian. It was really Korean stew, if anything else. It did taste bold and flavorful, and the meat pieces were very tender. Unfortunately, the bread dumplings are only for photography purposes as I learned they’ll never have it available. She gave me steamed rice instead (although I could have very well gotten fried rice).

The frikadellen (German meat patties) were as delicious as the German version — meaty with spinach, carrots, and a bit of cilantro (for that Korean touch). All meals come with a side of salad (and soup if requested; she gave me both).

This is a good place to eat homecooked European meals with a touch of Korean. Meals start at $5.95 and portions are huge. Other menu items include pasta bolognese, schnitzel, Asian noodles, fried rice, fish, chicken tenders. Where else can you order gulasch (or any European dish) with fried rice?

Insider tip:
Located inside Super H Mart in Johns Creek (141/Peachtree Parkway)

The scoop:
O My Food
10820 Abbotts Bridge Rd
Johns Creek 30097
(678) 474-0315

Technorati Tags: Super H Mart, Johns Creek, Italian, Chinese, German, Eastern European, Korean

I can’t believe I haven’t written anything about Super H‘s food court considering I’ve been a regular since it opened first in Duluth, then Riverdale, then Johns Creek/Alpharetta. The food court is amazing. They have stalls offering Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese cuisines. And a Barbecue stall in Duluth that serves roast duck and roast pork rice plates. A solid place for cheap, fast, house-made, good food.

Among my favorites:

From the Chinese stall, the Ja-jiang Noodles is my absolute favorite. Think chewy, thick noodles topped with black bean sauce with pork and lots of onions. It’s true comfort food. And all for under 6 bucks!

From the Vietnamese stall, I love the rice plates (with your choice of grilled beef, chicken or porkchop, slices of pork sausages, a side salad, and a fried egg) as well as their pho. Their broth is bold and well seasoned.

I used to write for The Atlanta Traveler so don’t be surprised if you see this picture over there. I took the photo. Incidentally, they’re looking for a new writer to take over so let me know if you’re interested.

From the Korean stall, well, I love everything from them. From the Bibimbap to the Galbi to the Bulgogi, to the Kimchi Fried Rice, to the Sundubu and now, their newest addition: Ribeye Steak! It is a substantially-sized steak marinated in Galbi sauce and cooked medium-well. For $7.75 it is one fabulous meal. Inexpensive and delicious.

The scoop:
Super H Mart
2550 Pleasant Hill Rd
Duluth, GA 30096
(678) 543-4000
3 locations (check website for addresses)
Suwanee location (Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd) to open soon.

Technorati Tags: Super H Mart, Duluth, Alpharetta, Riverdale, Ja-jiang noodles, Asian food court