Chow Down Atlanta

There’s been a lot of rave for this one since it opened less than a year ago. A mom-and-pop joint from a Cuban-Florida transplant, the wife cooks, the husband hosts, while their cute little girl entertains. She is so cute you can’t say no when she offers you her jelly beans. It’s literally like going to your parents’ place for dinner — homecooked meals, family atmosphere.

I came in for lunch ravenous. So I started off with a Chicken Empanada. I love empanadas. I grew up eating all kinds of empanadas from all over the world — baked, fried, beefy, meaty, flaky, crunchy. Here in Atlanta (and beyond), I’ve tried them all: Asian, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Cuban, Mexican, name it, I’ve tried it. So I was ecstatic to see empanadas on the menu.

Their version of fried pie is absolutely delicious. The thin crust has just the right amount of flakiness. It was filled with lots of seasoned chicken. No fillers. Just tender chicken meat sauteed in spices. Best of all, it wasn’t greasy at all. It’s a perfect snack or appetizer.

The extensive menu boasts of the usual Cuban sandwiches as well as a wide selection of appetizers, sides, salads, and entrees. I was in the mood for pork so I ordered the Grilled Porkchop plate. I knew it wasn’t going to be the usual ordinary grilled porkchops and I was right. What came before me was the best Cuban meal I’ve had outside of Miami. The thin, flattened porkchop was grilled to perfection, drizzled with the most amazing sweetish-salty sauce, then topped with sauteed sliced onions. It was tender and flavorful. My huge plate came with a small side salad, fried sweet plantains, rice, and a cup of black beans. The sweet plantains had just enough ripeness, not at all mushy, and naturally sweet. It makes for a great dessert, actually. While I was never a beans person (ok, I admit, I hate don’t like all kinds of beans), I demolished the cup of beans up to the last drop. Believe me, it was that good. I was even surprised at myself for having finished it. For finishing everything on my plate!

The trek up 400 in Forsyth county is worth the trip. The food and service will not disappoint you. In fact, you’d be coming back. Again and again.

Insider tip:
Portions are huge. Save room for dessert. The flan is delicious!

Entrees range from $8.95 to $15.95 while sandwiches average $6. Empanadas are $1.50 each.

The scoop:
From Havana To you
6300 Highway 9 • Alpharetta, GA 30004
Phone: (770) 475-7344

Technorati Tags: From Havana To You, Havana2U, Cuban, Cuban sandwiches, Forsyth, GA400, Lecon Asado

Okay, I’m getting tired of walking into hip-looking places with mediocre food. Such classic example is Salsa Havana over at Howell Mill Rd. You walk into this nice looking place with brightly-painted walls showcasing local art for sale, cozy pleathered-booths, painted concrete floors, and you’re thinking, wow, the food must be as good as the look-and-feel of the place. Not. My first disappointment came in the form of a cheese dip that resembled what my 10-year old nephew would make at home — bland, store-bought cheese with way too much milk added to it. Add to that the teeth-shattering, almost-stale tortilla chips and you have one of the worst cheese dip-and-chips combo I’ve ever had.

But let’s not stop there. The chicken taco on a hard flour tortilla was quite dry that adding two kinds of grated cheeses on top did not help at all. The mushy, canned peas and carrots side made matters worse — over-cooked gray peas and carrots which was devoid of any flavor (trust me, my pro camera was that good to render the picture so appetizing, but in real life, it didn’t look edible at all). They should have used the frozen kind; at least, it would’ve been bright in color.

Saving graces: the roasted chicken was flavorful, moist, and tender, I give them that; but it was so ordinary tasting. It came with rice and black beans and I admit the black beans were quite good. Probably the only thing worth ordering is the fake boliche. I call it fake because boliche is sausage (chorizo) stuffed beef roast. Salsa’s version is a prime rib stew that was really flavorful with two chunks of prime rib: one was fork-tender and the other one was gnawingly-tough (what is it with this place?) It came with rice, black beans and yucca pieces.

The verdict: totally disappointing. Would I ever go back again — probably not — but if I did, I’d probably get the boliche again. Oh, and to top off one of my not-so-good lunches, the service was soooo slooooow. There were two servers (Howell Mill location) with 3 tables occupied (each with two people each) yet they took their time clearing dishes, refilling drinks, and bringing the check.

Insider tip:
Avoid peak times, else, you’d be in there forever.

The scoop:
Salsa Havana
Two locations (open daily from 11AM):
749 Moreland Ave SE
Atlanta, GA 30316
(404) 624-3105

2020 Howell Mill Rd NW
Atlanta, GA 30318
404.352.3101

Technorati Tags: Salsa Havana, Cuban cuisine, boliche, cheese dip, tortillas, Moreland Ave., Howell Mill Rd., Atlanta