Chow Down Atlanta

It’s sad that not much have been written about Ethiopian cuisine and, thus, such has not caught on in Atlanta as it should. To me, Ethiopian cuisine is fun; not only is it wonderful, it’s an experience. Meals typically consist of stews called Wat and stir-fried meats called Tibs. Both are served on and eaten with Injera which is a flat, spongy, crepe-like, sourdough flatbread made with fine-grain flour.

Here comes the fun part: dishes are served on a huge round plate similar to an extra-large pizza pan which is lined with injera. The entrees are then arranged side-by-side with each other and a side salad serves as the centerpiece. A plate of rolled injera is also provided. Ethiopian meals are eaten with bare hands. What you do is you tear a piece of injera (a 2-inch square is sufficient) and use this to pick up morsels of food by placing it directly on top of what you want to eat. It’s really quite easy — much like using a tissue to pick up something dirty off a floor. If you do it this way, you’re assured that no one will get any food on their hands nor will any of the food get touched by any hands since meals are eaten family-style.

My favorite Ethiopian restaurant in town is Queen of Sheba. On this visit, our party of 4 adults ordered an assortment of tibs. Tibs resembles Mexican fajitas: seasoned meats or veggies stir-fried with onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, and spices. We got the Goden Tibs (beef riblets), Doro Tibs (chicken), Derek Tibs (sliced lean beef), and Mushroom Tibs. The chicken was served with a chickpea-based thick sauce on top which made it sort of like a stew. It was superb. The chicken pieces were tender and seasoned with mild spices. The sauce was almost Indian in flavor and consistency and complemented the chicken well. Together, it made for a flavorful stew. The riblets were also tasty but a little on the tough side. The sliced beef (I highly recommend getting this instead of the riblets) were delicious and tasted very much like beef fajitas except more lemony and herby. The mushrooms were equally as good and still had enough crunch in them. The side salad centerpiece was nothing fancy: crisp lettuce, tomato wedges, and onion slices drizzled with a spicy lemony-vinaigrette dressing. Every so often, we’d rotate the plate a quarter turn to allow each diner a chance to savor each entree (although good friends that we were, we just reached in front of each other).

The best part of the meal is eating the gluten-free injera after it has soaked the drippings from the food. Injera borders on the sour side and this is because of the fermentation of the flour for a few days before using. It is cooked the same way as crepes or pancakes. It is also a good source of calcium, protein, and fiber.

Queen of Sheba promises great tasting food, attentive servers, and great atmosphere.

Insider tip:
Be warned that the Doro Wat (chicken stew) consists of just one chicken leg. Both the riblets and sliced beef tibs taste the same so opt for the sliced beef instead. The injera tends to sit heavily in the stomach.

The scoop:
Queen of Sheba
1594 Woodcliff Dr. N.E
Atlanta, GA 30329
404.321.1493

Technorati Tags: Ethiopian cuisine, Ethiopian dining, Ethiopian meals, tibs, wat, injera, Atlanta, Ethiopian restaurant

Radial is well known for its creative breakfast menu which includes their famous buckwheat pancakes and vegetarian sausage. On this particular visit, I opted for the boring played it safe with the American Breakfast that consisted of two eggs (poached), toast, and vegetarian sausages. I can’t rave enough about the vegetarian sausages — they’re juicy and tasty and the perfect perk-me-up to your boring eggs-and-toast fare. I also ordered a side of grits that came in a huge bowl and although the first bite was promising, the second was a complete let-down. Not only was it cold (as in refrigerated cold), the whole thing resembled what looked like a huge clump of goop.

Since it was past lunch time and I was feeling rather ravenous (as always), I decided on also getting the weekend special of Walnut Waffles with Cinnamon. I’m glad I did as it was a true winner. It had enough crunch as well as chewiness and just a slight hint of cinnamon. It was mighty delicious especially doused with pure maple syrup.

My sister who also ordered the American Breakfast got a short stack of pancakes. The pancakes were huge and okay tasting but didn’t really leave a lasting impression on me.

Service was below average on this visit. It was funny how our server, when asked for her recommendation, replied that she wasn’t a breakfast person and offered no help whatsoever. We had to ask for drink refills a few times which we didn’t mind since we weren’t in a hurry to leave anyway. At one time, my sister had to ask our server to replace her coffee as there were lots of coffee grounds floating all over her mug. She got a new cup but with the same floating stuff. Funnier is when she’d refill my sister’s drink and leave my empty glass completely empty.

In any case, Radial is a favorite breakfast place of mine. The food is good, the atmosphere is relaxed, the place is chic, but the service can be awful at times.

Insider tip:
Turn-over of tables is pretty fast. Avoid tables closest to the kitchen unless you want to smell like bacon all day long.

Radial celebrates it’s 8th birthday on April 18 with free Joshua John cupcakes.

The scoop:
Radial
1530 Dekalb Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
(404) 659-6594
Open daily 8am-4pm

Technorati Tags: Radial, breakfast, brunch, buckwheat pancakes, vegetarian sausage, Candler Park, Edgewood, Dekalb Avenue, American cuisine

A craving for grits brought about by a trip to Charleston (South Carolina) where shrimp and grits is a staple, landed me for the first time in Geraldine’s Fish & Grits on Hairston Rd. in Stone Mountain over a year ago. Opened in 2005, Geraldine has been serving 7 types of fish with grits for lunch and dinner as well as chicken & waffles among other items.

Operated by a two-person staff, Geraldine cooks while another guy waits and buses tables. Because everything is made-to-order, expect to wait a few minutes for your food to arrive especially during peak times.

I highly recommend her famous fish & grits. My favorite is the deep-fried, cornmeal-battered catfish fillet and grits with an egg and a biscuit. You can’t go wrong with this specialty. The fish is fresh, fried perfectly, and has the lightest of dusting of cornmeal. At $6.95, it’s a good value served all day long. I’ve also tried the chicken & waffle but I wasn’t as impressed as the fish & grits. The chicken was a tad undercooked and the waffle was so hard I felt like I was eating a hard piece of toast. Stick with the fish & grits and you won’t be disappointed.

Insider tip:
Bring a newspaper and linger for as long as you want.

The scoop:
Geraldine’s Fish & Grits
website: http://geraldinesfishandgrits.net/
971-1B North Hairston Rd.
Stone Mountain, GA 30083
770-298-3660
Open daily except Mondays from 7am-3pm

Technorati Tags: Geraldine’s Fish & Grits, Stone Mountain, breakfast, lunch, chicken, waffles, fish, grits, Southern cuisine

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I ate Korean two days in a row. First at Book Chang Dong (BCD) where I actually came in during opening day in January 2005 and have been a regular ever since. Then today at Toh-dam (another favorite), which I consider to be the best place in metro Atlanta for tofu soup and ribs. And that’s coming from someone who has tried every Korean restaurant in town. Really.

Toh-dam is located inside Assi Plaza on Old Peachtree Rd in Suwanee (close to Discover Mills mall). Funny, Assi Plaza is an exact replica of Super H Mart but slightly smaller in scale (Super H was built first and Assi followed a little close to a year later). Read the rest of this entry »

The best, unforgettable peri-peri chicken I’ve ever had was during a vacation in the Middle East two years ago — I tasted it in different places in two different countries and they tasted very similar to each other. Piri piri (or peri peri) is a small spicy pepper grown in South Africa and its neighboring countries which is also known as the African bird’s eye chile. Peri-peri chicken (or shrimp) is grilled chicken (or shrimp) marinated in peri-peri sauce made with peri peri, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, olive oil, and salt. The taste is distinct and totally different from Jamaican jerk chicken.

Boneheads, a quasi fast-food place which is part of Raving Brands (think Mama Fu’s, Moes, doc green’s, Shaun’s) specializes in piri piri chicken. Their piri piri chicken comes in three sizes: whole, half, or breast, and in different flavors: lemon & herb, medium, hot, or very hot. I love spicy food and am known to squeeze raw bird’s eye chili peppers (both African and Asian varieties) into my food. So I tried the hot flavored half chicken which came with seasoned rice, a choice of side (Asian cole slaw), and a topping (I chose cucumber lime and yogurt).

Boneheads version vs. the Middle Eastern version I had
I was totally disappointed with Boneheads’ piri piri chicken. Although well cooked and juicy on the inside, the taste was

Read the rest of this entry »

What: Dinner and a Movie hosted by the Atlanta Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier and the Emory Goizueta Business School

Info: Featured Film — Whole Hog - a documentary of the Barbeque culture in the southwest, Winner: Best Mississippi Film, 4th Annual Oxford Film Festival (2007)

Featured Food: BBQ!!! From some of the best chefs in the city! Watch a mouthwateringly good film and then sample all the film has to offer.

What to bring: Your own libations - locally crafted brews, artisan drafts and Que-friendly wines

Cost: $30.00 to Les Dames members and students, $40.00 to non members

When: Monday, March 19, 2007, 7:00 - 9:30 P.M.

Where: Emory Goizueta Business School at 1300 Clifton Road - on the corner of Fishburn and Clifton Room 210

Reservations: Call Cathy Conway, 404-374-4420

Technorati Tags: Atlanta Food Events, Les Dames d’Escoffier, Emory University, dinner and movie

I enjoy dining at The Clubhouse for their cozy atmosphere and decor — a true private country club feel. I particularly like the dark wood floors, maroon velvet drapes, white linen-topped tables, and leather chairs/booths. The light fixtures covered in sheer red fabric and gold tassels also add a wonderful touch. But it stops there.

There’s really not much to be said about the food except that while it’s decent, it’s nothing spectacular except for the humongous portions you get. I’d stick with the basics such as the Flaming Hot Spinach Dip served literally flaming. And the salads, sandwiches and burgers. The entrees won’t knock your socks off and for the price you’d pay, there are a lot better alternatives in the area.

Insider tip:
Their ValuedMember Program allows you to accumulate points every visit.

The scoop:
The Clubhouse Restaurant
http://www.theclubhouse.com/Atlanta/index.cfm
Located at the Lenox Square Mall
3393 Peachtree Rd. NE,
Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 442-8891
Monday-Thursday 11:30AM - 10:30PM (Bar til 12AM)
Friday-Saturday 11:30AM - 11:30PM (Bar til 1AM)
Sunday 10:30AM - 9:30PM (Bar til 10:30PM)

Technorati Tags: The Clubhouse Restaurant, American cuisine, Lenox, Atlanta

Atlanta’s top gourmet marketplace Star Provisions is the answer if you’re in need of a specialty food item that’s hard to find. Like the famed Kobe beef offered at $48 a pound. Or foie gras. Or the freshest cheese.

I go to SP at least twice a week for two things (among others): fresh bread and cheese. The have the best baguettes bar none. In fact, most of their breads are amazing including the Chocolate Cherry bread made with Valrhona chocolate. It’s crusty yet soft and chewy on the inside with bits of cherries and the most indulgent taste of chocolate. Honestly, I could eat a whole loaf in one sitting.

SP has also one of the most extensive artisanal cheese selection in town and carries cheeses from all over the world as well as Georgia’s own Sweet Grass Dairy. And when they say they have fresh cheese, they do have fresh cheese. The other day, my sister and I came in looking for goat’s milk cheese. The resident cheese monger pointed us to the Le Cornilly chevre which he said just got flown-in from France about 5 minutes ago. Yeah right. But no, really, the box is still sitting right there not even fully unpacked yet.

It’s a one-stop-shop in all. There’s also a wine shop (albeit a small selection), seafood, and a gourmet to-go section where you can get freshly-made soups, salads, pizzas, delectable entrees, sandwiches, and more. You can also find quirky tableware, kitchenware, and cookware. And it’s the only place in the state that carries those funky Orla Kiely bags.

Insider tip:

Fresh-baked croissants are available only on Saturdays. The Orla Kiely bags are way cheaper here than the company’s prices or any catalogs around.

The scoop:

Star Provisions
http://www.starprovisions.com/
1198 Howell Mill Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 365-0410
Mondays-Saturdays 10AM to 10PM

Technorati Tags: Atlanta, Star Provisions, specialty food store, gourmet food store, seafood store, meat store, Kobe beef, foie gras, artisanal cheese, baguettes, chocolate cherry bread, bakery, wine shop, cheese shop, Orla Kiely