Chow Down Atlanta

My sister has the biggest sweet tooth of anyone I know. Last month, her childhood best friend Brigid gave her a box of French macarons from this place and in the process, tipped us off to Maison Robert’s new location near Chamblee. Needless to say, we’ve been back every week — me for the bread, the sister for the sweets.

The short and sweet: absolutely delicious macarons, fantastic baguettes, delectable flourless cakes, rich cheesecakes, flaky and buttery croissants. And one of the best sandwiches I’ve had.

Surprisingly, I don’t have any pictures of the macarons because we eat them faster than I can take pictures. But Sean has a beautiful one here.

Check out more pictures from Broderick here.

Insider tip:
Closed on Sundays.
Croissants on Saturdays. Call ahead to reserve.

The scoop:
Maison Robert Fine Chocolates
5256 Peachtree Rd
Atlanta, GA 30341
(770) 454-6442

Technorati Tags: French, sandwiches, bakery, chocolatier, Chamblee

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

Southern Sweets has been providing desserts to many restaurants in Atlanta since 1992. I stopped by on a recent trip to YDFM for a quick bite to eat. I’ve loved their moist, delicious cakes for a while now and my favorites include Red Velvet, Golden Chocolate, and their Chocolate Sour Cream pound cake.

Their deli offers an extensive list of made-to-order sandwiches using only fresh ingredients and house-made bread. On this recent visit, I wanted to go Southern so I chose the Ham and Pimiento Cheese sandwich. This big sandwich really hit the spot. The bread was freshly baked, the cheese pimiento was creamy and cheesy, and the lettuce and tomato were crisp and fresh. I’ve had a good number of sandwiches here and they’re all pretty good.

A solid place for a quick bite to eat and satisfy a sweet tooth.

Insider tip:
Sandwiches start at $5.65 for a half order and $7.50 for a whole one. Fresh made soups available daily. Cake slices are $5.20.
Located across the street from YDFM on Rio Cir.

The scoop:
Southern Sweets Bakery
186 Rio Cir
Decatur, GA 30030
(404) 373-8752
Open daily from 9am-6pm
Saturday 11am - 5pm

Technorati Tags: bakery, cakes, sandwiches, deli, Decature

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

When I need to get out of the house for a change of scenery, creative inspiration, or simply to kill time, I almost always hang out at Cafe Maum. I love the ambiance here — long wooden communal table, cozy booths, tiled floors, a fireplace, club chairs, and free wi-fi. Baked goods and cakes are all oh so fresh and delectable, fresh-made juices are very good and refreshing, and coffees made to rival the other big chains. They also have sandwiches and soups if you want a more satisfying meal.

Some of my favorites here include the mocha roll cake, all the cakes topped with fresh fruits, bread with butter cream, sliced whole baguette filled with butter cream, whipped cream sliced bread (great for sandwiches or toast), cream puffs, the mango-strawberry fresh juice, and the chicken salad on croissant.

This is a real great place to surf for free as much as you want, nibble on baked goodies, sip some coffee or juice, and just chill out. Read EDMan’s take on this cafe’s awesomeness.

Insider tip:
The Duluth location underwent renovation last week. They were supposed to re-open this week. I plan to visit in a day or two and will provide an update with photos.

The scoop:
Bakery Cafe Maum
7130 Buford Hwy
Atlanta, GA 30340
(770) 263-7447

3182 Steve Reynolds Blvd
Ste 110
Duluth, GA 30097
(770) 813-8874

Technorati Tags: Korean bakery, Duluth, Doraville, Buford Highway, coffee, juices, bakery, Korean breads, Asian cakes

Had brunch here last Sunday with my mom and sister. My sister booked priority seating on Open Table but did not really have a need to use it when we arrived at 1PM. The place was full but the tables were turning over so quickly. Incidentally, this is not a chain. This is part of Buckhead Life Restaurant Group (of Chops, Kyma, Nava, etc). It should not be confused with Corner Bakery Cafe which is a chain.

We started with mimosas and coffee. While the mimosas tasted of fresh orange juice, they came at room temperature. Not exactly how mimosas should be served, but, oh well.

I chose the Braised Short Rib Benedict which I have never had before. It came served on a toasted brioche with a poached egg drizzled with Bearnaise sauce and a side of thin green beans. I found this dish very rich and as much as I have a big appetite, I could not finish it despite all efforts. The pulled meat was just too heavy for the very thin piece of brioche and the Bearnaise sauce added more unnecessary richness to the dish. There was also too much meat for such a small piece of brioche — a half and a cup of shredded meat for a 4-inch square toast.

My sister had the Vegetarian Three-Egg Omelet made with egg whites. It was filled with broccoli, onions, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, and cheddar cheese. It was okay. Nothing really jumped at me in terms of flavors. Besides, it’s really hard to mess up a veggie omelet to begin with. I did like the Italian toast that came with the dish although it was so thinly sliced that it fell apart on the first bite.

The oatmeal that came with our meals were also just okay. The texture was right but the consistency isn’t. Mine turned watery as soon as I added brown sugar. I love Murphy’s oatmeal and theirs can’t compare.

My mom wasn’t very happy with her Roasted Chicken Breast sandwich and I can understand why. The chicken meat was so dry that no amount of dijon mayo could save it. She did appreciate the fact that there were a good amount of chicken breast chunks in the sandwich. But… meh. Her vegetable soup wasn’t as bold and hearty as she would have wanted it to and I agree.

We shared a stack of pancakes. They were so chewy that we didn’t like them at all. We’ve had pancakes everywhere and we order them whenever they’re on the menu. Sad to say but fast food joints have better versions.

We weren’t really satisfied with our meal. To top it off, our server was not very attentive. We had to ask for every single thing — water refills, spoons for our soup or oatmeal, sweetener for coffee (which never came so I had to steal from the next table), extra plates (yes, we told her we were sharing the pancakes — did she expect us to eat off of one plate), maple syrup, clean silverware. A good server can make or break a great dining experience and ours definitely made our visit a mediocre one.

Corner Cafe isn’t really a favorite of ours. I liken it to an upscale Panera except Panera actually has better sandwiches. I do like the bakery here and the Italian loaves and baguettes are a must-buy.

Insider tip:
A plate of warm blueberry mini muffins are served at each table.

The scoop:
Corner Cafe & Buckhead Bread Co.
3070 Piedmont Rd,
Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 240-1978

Technorati Tags: brunch, bakery, bread, Buckhead, Atlanta

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

I have an obsession with bread and bakeries. Some people smoke; I eat bread. I spend at least $50 on bread (specifically bread loaves, baguettes, and croissants) every single week. My favorite bakeries are Star Provisions, H & F Bread Co., and the numerous Vietnamese and Korean bakeries peppering our city. Last weekend, I’ve discovered a new bakery to add to my weekly haunt.

Swiss Alpine Bakery is a true French bakery and cafe. It is owned and operated by a French couple — grandma tends the front of the house, and grandpa bakes in the back. They have an array of freshly baked pastries, croissants, baguettes, tarts, eclairs, tiramisu, cakes, and petit fours. The chocolate croissants are fabulous — buttery and flaky. The baguettes are just perfect.

They offer homemade sandwiches, salads, and soups for lunch. I had the chicken salad on baguette and the French onion soup. The chicken salad had chunks of chicken and apples to give a sweet crunch. It was really a good sandwich with the freshest lettuce and tomato slices.

The French onion soup was neither spectacular nor ho-hum. It had lots of onion slices and the broth was very flavorful. It just lacked the oomph I was looking for. Nevertheless, it was still good.

Pastries range from $3-4, croissants are about $2, baguettes are $2.10 apiece, tarts are $3.75 and $4, the sandwiches are $6.95, soups are $4.95, and salads are also $6.95.

Insider tip:
Located in the Ellard Village shopping plaza on the corner of Holcomb Bridge and Barnwell.

The scoop:
Swiss Alpine Bakery
8400 Holcomb Bridge Rd
Alpharetta, GA 30022
(770) 643-1100

Technorati Tags: bakeries, French baker, French bakery, sandwich, soups, salads, Alpharetta

I do a good amount of driving from OTP to go to Star Provisions and H&F weekly for my bread addiction. Specifically, I go for my weekly ration of baguettes. I went to Parish Foods & Goods last week to have lunch and saw their baked goods very tempting. But first, lunch.

I looked around to see what everybody was eating before settling on the Fried Green Tomato BLT. First of all, it was huge. Really huge. A good value at $7.50. There were crisp fried green tomatoes with just a light dusting of batter, 4 substantial slices of thick bacon, fresh red tomato slices and lettuce, in a spicy remoulade. Lots of different textures. It was delicious and very filling. My only complaint is that they could have used slightly thicker slices of bread. The bread, which were grilled to perfection, simply couldn’t hold up to all the filling and disintegrated in my hands. Shame. It was good bread, too.

Of course, I couldn’t leave without grabbing some baked goodies. Got a couple of baguettes that were very hard and tasteless. Despite rejuvenating them in the oven. To the trash they all went. The chocolate tea bread was a bit dry but very chocolatey in taste which I like. I just can’t get past the dryness. The banana-nut and blueberry muffins were bursting with flavor and fabulously moist and dense just the way I like them. Will remember to get more next time.

There are a lot of interesting items on the menu that I’d like to try in future visits. Yes, I’ll be back. But not for the baked goods.

Insider tip:
They have to-go meals for 4 people that can be picked up daily.
Sandwiches range from $6-10. Dinner entrees range from $12-24.

The scoop:
Parish Foods & Goods
240 N Highland Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30307
(404) 681-4434

Technorati Tags: Parish Foods & Goods, Inman Park, Atlanta, bakery, New Orleans cuisine

I love bakeries and specialty food markets. I place Star Provisions on top of my list followed by H&F Bread Company, and Alon’s Bakery. While I do believe that Star Provisions has the best baguettes in the city bar none, the ones at Alon’s are pretty good contenders. On a recent visit, I got these amazing Chocolate Chunk Pecan bites for $7.99 a pound. These are like chocolate chip cookies but on steroids. They are simply heavenly. I also got some chocolate croissants (again, Star Provisions’ croissants are better), a loaf of sourdough bread, and a slice of some chocolate cake that I forgot what it’s called (delicious, nonetheless). I also got some house-made chocolates but I couldn’t resist and finished all half a pound on my drive home.

I grabbed a quick lunch of Chicken Pesto sandwich that was really delicious. I’m not a fan of pesto but theirs is so mild and tasty. It was the first time I’ve had this sandwich and I was really impressed with it.

Alon’s is a good place to get artisan breads baked on the premises, assorted hand-made chocolates by the pound, cookies, pastries, cakes, salads, sandwiches, cheeses, and other specialty food items.

Insider tip:
There’s a coffee bar inside.

The scoop:
Alon’s Bakery and Market
North Highland: 1394 N. Highland Ave, Atlanta, GA 30306 - 404.872.6000
Park Place: 4505 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Atlanta, GA 30346 - 678.397.1781

Technorati Tags: Alon’s Bakery And Market, Dunwoody, Highland Avenue, Perimeter, specialty market, gourmet market, bakery, lunch, sandwiches