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

I got wind of this place late last year when they were newly opened via my site’s contact form. I promised myself I was gonna go the first chance I got but kept putting it off because it’s about 22 miles from where I live. But I will travel for food so I cleared my schedule and went. Now I’m kicking myself silly for not coming in sooner.

I came in during lunch time and the place was packed. Not a single table was available and I was just lucky enough to secure the last tiny one by the bar with a good view of the kitchen’s pass-through bar. I could see all the food coming out and was salivating at the beauty (and portion sizes) of each dish.  The chef is Cuban and worked in Florida for 12 years as a chef before coming to Havana South.  His food is comparable to the upscale places in Buckhead and Midtown:  innovative, yet authentic.

Since no visit to a Cuban restaurant is complete without the requisite order of Cuban sandwich, I went for the Media Noche. It’s a Cuban sandwich except they use a sweeter type of bread, similar to what Lotta Frutta uses.  This is by far, the best Cuban sandwich in Georgia. The bread has that toasty crunch on the outside yet a soft chewy inside. It is filled with thick slices of ham and the tastiest roast pork. The pickles were not meant to overpower, instead, it gave a distinctive crunch to every bite and a slight acidity that was very appetizing.

The Lechon Asado platter is also the best I’ve had outside of Florida. The slices of pork were tender, juicy, and has that cooked-for-hours taste. It comes with white rice and black beans. I’m not really into black beans because most that I’ve tasted are nothing but dumbed-down boiled versions.  But here, they are fantastic.  The beans are stir-fried before being simmered in liquid, thus, producing more depth in flavor.

The Arroz con Pollo (yellow rice with chicken) comes with flavorful rice and two big pieces of tender chicken stewed in Cuban spices.  This is another huge platter and good enough for two.

The Chicharron de Pollo (fried chicken chunks) is notches better than its Latin American counterparts.  The chicken chunks are well marinated before being fried crispy. These are not your usual dry, teeth-shattering, hard-to-chew variety.

A must-try at Cuban restaurants is the Cuban coffee.  The Cortadito Cafe con Leche here is brewed individually and freshly made to order.  It is strong and sweet and just so good.  Beware, this is addicting.

I can’t reiterate enough how good and authentic the food is here.  What more can you ask for — quality, portion, and taste are all top-notch.  My take?  RUN, don’t walk and head on up north for some mind-blowing Cuban goodness.

Insider tip:
Located where Satellite Blvd dead-ends on Buford Dr.
Lunch specials daily.
Open everyday from 11am.

The scoop:
Havana South Cuban Restaurant & Bar
4060 Buford Dr
Buford, GA 30518
(678) 546-2252

Technorati Tags: Buford, Cuban food, Cuban restaurants

This is another favorite of mine. Mambo’s Cafe has been around for two years and packs a mean lunch crowd. Formerly named Mambo Jambo, it is located in the space that is used to be occupied by Ya-ya’s Rotisserie Chicken. It is also funny to note that the decor is very similar to Palomilla’s — down to the yellow walls, hanging iron grates, and wood-enclosed bar. But food is much, much better here.

Each table gets a basket generously filled with perfectly grilled sliced Cuban bread and a side or spicy Peruvian aji sauce. The bread is to die for. The aji sauce (made with tons of chiles and jalapeños) is spicily good. It has the perfect consistency — not too runny yet not too thick. Just perfect.

I love Hispanic and Mexican chicken soup and always order it whenever I see it on the menu. Theirs has lots of chicken pieces and noodles but the broth (that tasted like it was from a can) was a little too salty for my liking. A steal at $3 for a big bowl. But will not order this again.

My Chuletas De Puerco Al Adobo — two center-cut porkchops, marinated in garlic mojo, grilled, then topped with grilled onions — was simply superb. The porkchops were thick, juicy, and tender and the flavor of the garlicky, limey marinade was evident all the way through. They were perfectly grilled, too. I love this dish and can eat it everyday.

The Mojo-Grilled Chicken Breast was also fantastic. The flattened chicken breast was big and thick. It was very flavorful just like my porkchops. Definitely a winner.

There are so many things I’m coming back for. Especially the paella which takes 30 minutes to prepare, and the Cuban sandwiches. Prices are pretty decent given the portions you get. My entree was $13.95 and came with fried sweet plantains, rice, and a cup of beans. Sandwiches range from $6-7. Really, I can’t wait to come back.

Insider tip:
Peruvian menu (in Spanish) available upon request.

The scoop:
Mambo’s Cafe
11770 Haynes Bridge Rd.
Suite 601
Alpharetta, GA 30004
770-753-4352

Technorati Tags: Mambo’s Cafe, Cuban cuisine, Latin cuisine, Peruvian cuisine, Alpharetta

I place Palomilla’s in my top 2 Cuban places in Atlanta. Simply said, they have great tasting quality food. Opened only a year ago, Palomilla’s clearly has created a footprint in the Cuban restaurant scene as evident by Cubans who flock to the place on a regular basis.

The eclectic mix in decor makes the place quaint and interesting. One side evokes calm, contemporary lines while another boasts festive colors with wild vines wrapped around a trellis. Warm yellow walls and a black contemporary bar that doubles as a hostess stand complete the look.

Food-wise, everything is good, fresh, and tasty. A little on the pricey side, compared to other Ethnic cuisines, you get a good return on your investment with ample serving sizes. Each entree comes with rice, beans, and plantains. You get two huge plates: one for the main entree and one for the sides. It’s an overwhelming sight, but delicious, nonetheless.

The Roasted Pork (Lechon Asado) was fork tender and so flavorlul it was difficult not to finish the entire order. The Fried Chicken was unique, in that, it was roasted and then fried. Finger-licking good and topped with sauteed onions, it’s a unique take on a Southern favorite.

Overall, this is one Cuban place that is guaranteed to make you come back again and again. And while service is unusually slow, the friendliness of the staff makes up for it in many ways.

Insider scoop:
A side of yummy chimichurri is available upon request.

The scoop:
Palomilla’s Grill House
6470 Spalding Dr
Norcross, GA 30092
(770) 242-0078
1 am-9 pm Mondays-Thursdays
11 am-10 pm Fridays and Saturdays

Technorati Tags: Palomilla’s Grill House, Cuban cuisine, Norcross, lechon asado

**This place has closed.**

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