Chow Down Atlanta

This chicken empanada is ridiculous. It’s so good I had to have seconds. That’s after I ate an entire meal already. The dough is fried golden and filled with a gooey chicken and cheese mixture that tastes just plain delicious. Delicious. Trust me when I say, you can’t eat just one. (P.S. The beef one isn’t as good.)

I also ate these:
Ham Croquettas - meh. (FB ordered these.)
Maduros - ripe, sweet, yummy
Pork Plate - pork needed more oomph in flavor, rice was okay
Black Beans - watery, I’ve had better

Go get empanadas now!

Havana Restaurant
3979 Buford Hwy #108
Atlanta, GA 30345
(404) 633-7549

Technorati Tags: Cuban, Buford Highway, empanada

My best buddy Sean took me here knowing just how much I love Korean food. The meal was really good. And filling. There were 12 items. I ate finished all of them. My favorite was the Galbi Jjim (beef short ribs). It melted in my mouth. It was so good I had to have silence.

Go on an empty stomach. You’ll thank me later.

<3 Thanks again, buddy. And also for taking pictures. </end>

Woo Nam Jeong Stone Bowl House
5953 Buford Highway NW
Atlanta, GA 30340
(678) 530-0844

Technorati Tags: Korean, Buford Highway

Before my love affair with Korean food, I was hot and heavy with Japanese food which actually started when I was very young. 2009 gave me so many mediocre and disappointing sushi/sashimi meals that I had to give them up for a while. I have since renewed that romance and 2010 seems to be a good year so far. I have been a regular visitor to SHH since 2008 when it first opened but one of the best meals I have had here was less than two weeks ago.

If you have the time (and money, of course) to spare, I highly recommend getting the Omakase. It is a somewhat pricey, multi-course kaiseki meal, lasting about two hours that consists of nothing but the freshest ingredients of the day (and season). If that does not sound like something that would fit your schedule or budget, I highly suggest you order off the day’s Special menu with items that are not conventionally found in Japanese restaurants. Kaiseki meals are traditional meals served in conjunction with Japanese tea ceremonies. It typically includes a soup, three side dishes, sunomono (vinegared dish), sashimi, yakimono (grilled dish), nimono (simmered dish), and sushi.

The first course of our meal included a piece of marinaded herring with Colza buds (similar to rapeseed). This was very interesting because the texture of the fish was made gritty by the seeds. It was like having an explosion in your mouth with every bite as the buds popped like tiny roe. The tamago (omelet) topped with a dollop of mild teriyaki sauce was a refreshing start. The creamy lobster salad wrapped in a single shiso leaf was a contrast of textures.

A sunomono of super sweet shrimp, snow crab leg, mackerel, and octopus with seaweed and paper-thin slices of cucumbers was invigorating. The tartness and sweetness of the dish woke up your taste buds.

Sliced jellyfish (flown in from Japan) was sweet and gelatinously wonderful. The shiso buds added a slight crunch and a berry taste overall. This elicited an oh-my-god-this-is-wonderful comment from me at every bite.

A big bowl of the freshest sashimi came next. It had squid, octopus, yellow tail, red snapper, tuna, and salmon. A special soy sauce is made in-house just for accompanying this — a concoction of soy sauce, dashi, sake, and sugar. Phenomenal.

Tiny, baby octopus fried golden in a light, flour batter was served with dollops of Japanese mayo. These were delicious.

A nimono of tender, sweet, steamed flounder with taro, daikon, okra, and carrot in a miso-soy-dashi broth catapulted me instantly to food heaven. I had to have complete silence, stopping all chatter at the table, as I savored each and every bite. I oohed and aahed as each bite went into my mouth. Umami. Enough said.

A thick slab of grilled salmon in a very light teriyaki sauce was very flavorful.

A sushi plate came next. It had otoro, yellow tail, mackerel, sea scallops, snow crab leg, and tamago. Each was as fresh as the other. The sushi rice was perfection — perfectly steamed, served at a perfect room temperature, and seasoned perfectly. Everything was just perfect.

My most favorite here is the Ikura Don. No one and I mean no one in the state of Georgia makes it better than Chef Art. Normally super salty, he preps the salmon roe in a manner that the saltiness is not offensive, yet still there; and adds a slight hint of sweet to make this an amazing, memorable dish eaten with his perfect sushi rice.

I have finished every single morsel of food that was served. But before I could go to a complete and total food coma, the last part of the meal came next: dessert. This tiny, two-ounce, house-made granita made with Calpico (a popular, yogurty, Japanese drink) is sweetened with honey and laced with the strongest, non-alcohol tasting, sake. I am sure it is just me, but two, teeny, tiny spoonfuls of this was enough to get me, well, drunk.

So far, my best meal of 2010.

Insider tip:
This omakase was $65 per person.
Reservations accepted.

The scoop:
Sushi House Hayakawa
5979 Buford Hwy NE
Atlanta, GA 30340
(770) 986-0010

Technorati Tags: sushi, Japanese, Buford Highway

My affection for Korean food (specifically sundubu) was once again ignited by the sudden onslaught of cold weather last week. So Kong Dong has been a favorite spot for many years. I haven’t been back in a year due to the barrage of Korean restaurants that have been sprouting in Duluth like mushrooms lately, which have been keeping me quite busy. So this week alone (and it’s only Wednesday), I’ve been to two Korean tofu houses already.

Not much in the decor and menu have changed except they now have the fashion-of-the-moment call button. I opted for the usual combination tofu and galbi lunch. The soups come in four spice levels: White (draw your own conclusion), Mild, Spicy, and Very Spicy. I got the Spicy Pork Kimchi tofu soup. I love the silky, smooth, creamy tofu with lots of pickled cabbage and slices of tender pork. But I was disappointed with the broth — it was thin, watery, and not as spicy as it should be. A far cry from their soups of old. Worse, it has jalapeño slices! Let me explain why I despise jalapeño in Korean soups. First, it’s not the norm. Second, it alters the taste. Go ahead and scoff but it really does. Peppers all differ in taste — even between green and red bell peppers. When I asked the lovely Ms. Bliss about her opinion on this, she agreed and further stated that “she has no preference for raw bell peppers (as in salads since they taste pretty much the same) but there is a chemical reaction from cooking green bell peppers that produces a different taste in dishes.”

The galbi here is quite possibly the best prepared-in-the-kitchen galbi in the city. I have tasted galbi in over 25 restaurants in the metro and this one is just spot on. The sweet/salty marinade they use is just perfection and the flavor is all the way through the meat. The meat is also grilled just right.

The banchan here is also a tad better than in most places in terms of flavor. The jap chae is chewy and so tasty, the pickled long green peppers are delicious, the iced nappa cabbage soup is soothingly sweet and tart, the tiny anchovies are sticky and sweet, and the fried fish is lightly battered and fried golden. Add to all these the bean rice and you have a fantastic meal.

Insider tip:
Open early daily.
Closed on Tuesdays.

The scoop:
So Kong Dong
5280-C Buford Hwy
Atlanta, GA 30340
(678) 205-0555

Technorati Tags: Korean, Buford Highway, BuHi, soondubu, galbi

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

I love Cantonese food. It’s my favorite type of Chinese cuisine. Unfortunately, we don’t have very many options for authentic Cantonese here in town. Well, we just got another one: Wan Lai. The kitchen with an all Cantonese staff churns out so much good stuff you’ll be hard pressed not to come back again and again and eat through the entire menu. Incidentally, I have.

Everything here is good so you’ll have the confidence of ordering anything on the menu and having the guarantee that you’ll like what you ordered. That is, of course, if you like Cantonese food.

The specialties here are the dumplings and the casseroles. The 3 Dumplings in Soup comes with, yes, you guessed it, three kinds of dumplings in a flavorful broth. It’s one of the best versions in town. I’ve had almost all of the casseroles on the menu and they’re all delicious but two that stand out are the sweet pork and taro casserole and the ribs and taro casserole. You can either get these casseroles with or without rice. The one with rice just means there’s rice in the bottom of the pot. Take note that these take 25 minutes to prepare so get your order in as soon as you get seated and nibble on other dishes while you wait. Believe me when I say they are so worth the wait.

The garlic fried chicken is an absolute favorite of mine. By the way, most (if not all) Chinese restaurants have garlic fried chicken but the Cantonese make the best. The chicken is marinated in soy sauce and other seasonings before being fried crisp then topped with tons of golden fried garlic. It’s my ultimate Chinese comfort food. The chow fun has the requisite grease and smoky flavors and a wonderful accompaniment to fried rice. The assorted types of congee make for a perfect first course. The stir-fried veggies are fantastic, as well as the usual veggies in oyster sauce (get the Chinese broccoli). Great choices are plenty so get here now!

For more on this great find, check out JZ’s article here.

Insider tip:
All Cantonese staff except for the Mandarin owner.
Inside the plaza where Penang, Mini Hot Pot, and Hoa Binh Supermarket are located.

The scoop:
Wan Lai
4897 Buford Hwy
Suite 104
Atlanta, GA 30341
(770) 216-8587

Technorati Tags: Cantonese food, Chinese food, Buford Highway

Ate lunch here the other week for what must have been the hundredth time and I’m glad to report that everything’s as good as the day I first came in back in 2006 (if I remember correctly).

Pupusas are the specialty here. They’re like grilled corn tortilla savory pancakes with assorted fillings. I usually get the pork and cheese or the cheese and loroco filling. At $1.85 apiece, they are perfect appetizers or snacks.

My absolute favorite here is the Pollo Dorado Salvadoreño. It comes with crispy fried chicken chunks, salad, rice, refried beans, fried sweet plantains, and a bowl of pickled shredded potatoes. It is a lot of food and coming in at almost $10, it is so worth the price tag. These crispy fried chicken are addicting!

If you’ve never had fried sweet plantains with sour cream before then you’re missing out. The sour cream tempers the sweetness of the plantains and although the combination may sound odd, it works.

Other favorites here include: the whole fried crispy fish, the steak platter, and the tacos. The shrimp cocktail here is a famous dish and one of their bestsellers but I just can’t get myself to like it. Although the shrimp are fresh, big and plentiful, the sauce they swim in tastes more like tomato sauce. Good fresh salsa would have been a better choice. The staff is courteous, helpful, and prompt, although you might have to flag one down once in a while. The set-up reminds me of the mall food courts all over Asia.

Insider tip:
The salsas are forgettable so don’t waste your precious stomach space.
Located on the corner of Shallowford Rd and Buford Highway.

The scoop:
Rincon Latino
5055 Buford Hwy NE
Atlanta, GA 30340
(770) 936-8181

Technorati Tags: El Salvadorean food, pupusa, fried chicken, Buford Highway, Mexican, Latin American

Stopped in for lunch and was a bit disappointed. I love roast chicken and the Peruvian version is up there on my list (although the grilled Mexican kind is king in my book when it comes to ethnic chickens). Somehow, the texture of their chicken is off — more like boiled instead of roasted. Weird. The papas fritas (fries) were the usual frozen variety but the salad was really, really fresh. Their aji verde (green chile) sauce, however, is divine and I wish they bottled it because I’d be ordering it by the crate every month. It’s the best I’ve had anywhere, with the perfect consistency and spot on taste.

I also ordered my favorite, the chicha morada, a cold drink made by boiling purple maize with pineapple rind, cinnamon and cloves then sweetened with sugar. Unlike at other places, theirs was a bit too sweet for my tastes.

Overall, I am not too keen about this place. I much prefer Contigo Peru on Peachtree Industrial Blvd or Mambo’s in Alpharetta.

By the way, did I mention that I saw my server go out and come back with 2 grocery bags full of half chickens brought from the grocery next door? Hmmm.

Insider tip:
Located inside the International Plaza on BuHi near the North Druid Hills intersection.

The scoop:
Pollo El Rey
3337 Buford Hwy NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
(404) 327-8819

Technorati Tags: Peruvian cuisine, roast chicken, pollo a la brasa, chicha morado, Buford Hwy

I’m not really a big fan of Han Il Kwan. It’s good but it’s not drop-whatever-you’re-doing-and-get-here-now good. With so many Korean restaurants in town, there’s always a better one right around the corner. I don’t know if I’ve already mentioned this before but I didn’t realize how many Koreans live in Atlanta until I bumped into one of the officers of the Korean Association of Atlanta a few years back. He told me that there are 100,000 Koreans who immigrate to Atlanta (specifically Gwinnett) every single year. That’s a lot.

My favorite Korean places are Myung Ga Won, Cafe Tohdamgol, and Tofu House 88 (the latter is on my top 3 because it’s the only place in the city where you can get Kimchee Fried Rice). But Han Il Kwan will do sometimes. It’s middle of the road — good but not stellar. I remember when this place used to be Szechuan Gardens (a Chinese restaurant my classmates and I use to frequent for their inexpensive food.) They did a good job renovating the place with an area in the back for charcoal barbecue.

To use the charcoal grills, your party must order 2 types of meat from the barbeque part of the menu. We did the usual galbi (shortribs) and ribeye. The galbi meat were sliced a little too thin than most other places but they were marinated really well and the flavor is just perfect.

The winner here is always the ribeye. They are good sized pieces; thick with lots of marbling. Although your server will take control of the cooking, do pay attention to the cooking time and start transferring the meat from the grill and onto your bowl as soon as your desired meat doneness is achieved. We made sure the ribeye were cooked medium but the galbi a little well-done because that’s how galbis are supposed to be anyway. Plus, well-done galbi ensures you get the perfect caramelization from the marinade.

Service is very good and food is fresh. Our bill came to $45 before tip which is quite expensive for lunch, however, do note that we had 2 big pieces of ribeye with our meal. Incidentally, my sister and I finished everything so nothing was wasted.

Insider tip:
Located next to a car wash right inside the perimeter.

The scoop:
Han Il Kwan
5458 Buford Hwy NE
Doraville, GA 30340
(770) 457-3217
Mon-Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m

Technorati Tags: Han Il Kwan, Korean cuisine, barbeque, Buford Highway

Ok so I took the Chinese new year further by lunching at Mini Hot Pot. My mom is a huge fan of Chinese hot pot. I like it from time to time but I’d rather not cook when I eat out. Since no one else in my family likes hot pot, my mom usually has to drag me along with her whenever she gets a craving. We usually go to the one off Pleasant Hill but that place has gone so filthy it’s gross just thinking about it. So we’ve been visiting Mini Hot Pot since it opened.

MHP is sparkling clean and sits in the same plaza where Penang and Hoa Binh are at. I love that you get your own mini hot pot so you can do your own flavors and use the ingredients you prefer. At other places, they give you a gigantic pot and you either have to share with the entire table; or they put a divider in the pot so you can have two things going at a time. The part I don’t like about these divider things is that they don’t work. Your soups will get mixed-in after a while. Not good. With MHP you get your own.

I went for the Clam-Beef combination. I usually get the seafood-meat combination but everything here is a good choice. For $12.95 (and up), you get a heaping platter or greens which included napa cabbage, tofu, fried tofu, a taro wedge, a daikon wedge, a raw egg, tofu skins, a green-leafy veggie that I can’t remember the name of right now, a tomato quarter, a slice of fish cake, half a corn, and vermicelli noodles. You also get a platter of your meat/seafood selection. In my case, two huge clams and some thinly-sliced steak. I kicked it up a notch by getting the spicy broth (an upcharge of 75-cents) which is so worth the additional charge. Beware, as it is very spicy. Add more of the included spicy flavoring and you’re good to go.

The key to a successful hot pot is to not add everything into the pot all at the same time. Put enough ingredients that can fit in your bowl and replenish as you eat. The back wall has a myriad of seasonings that you can dish yourself and use as you please.

Verdict: a good place for hearty soups on a chilly day. But I call this diet food. Because I can never get satisfied. I have to run to the Vietnamese grocery next door to eat more food (they have good cooked food to-go such as the steamed black rice with sugar and peanuts, steamed rice cakes, and more). Else, I am hungry again 30 minutes later. My mom loves it. I just don’t go here when I’m very hungry.

Here’s a tiny clip of the dragon dance show they had for Chinese New Year:

Insider tip:
A bowl of steamed rice to accompany your meal is available upon request.

The scoop:
Mini Hot Pot
4897 Buford Hwy
Chamblee, GA 30341
(770) 458-8882

Technorati Tags: Mini Hot Pot, Chamblee, Buford Highway, hot pot, Chinese cuisine