Chow Down Atlanta

One of the things that is very common among Korean restaurants is how they reincarnate. When they go out of business, the space doesn’t get abandoned. Instead, they get bought out by new owners and they stay the same way — the same concept, the same restaurant name, the same decor, the same menu (most times). There may be different management/owners and a different chef but sometimes even the chef stays behind. That’s what happened with Cafe Toh Dam in Suwannee, Myung Ga Won, Nam San Gol, Well Bean, and Kal Guk Si in Duluth, just to name a few. It’s also exactly what’s happened here. This place used to be called Seoul Restaurant. It’s now Seoul Shinjung. New name, new owners, new management, new chef, new menu, same location, same decor.

One thing that’s noticeable here is the improvement in service. Asian restaurants aren’t really well known for service. You just have to accept it and get used to it. Flagging down a server for anything you need is a way of life. The menu has also been whittled down considerably. I wasn’t shown an English menu so I’m not sure if there even exists one. The good thing is that the servers speak more than a bit of English and will tell you what’s on the menu. The bad thing is that they’ll tell you the names of the dishes in Korean. Asking them to describe what those are, well, that’s almost impossible.

Did you know? The number one reason I love Duluth is because there exists a myriad of Korean restaurants that offer good and cheap eats. Combo lunches at Seoul Shinjung from 11AM until 3PM will only set you back $7.49. That includes 7-8 types of banchan, a huge bowl of soup, and a meat dish. On this visit, I got yukgaejang (spicy beef soup) and pork bulgogi. The soup broth is so much better than before. There are huge chunks of beef and even a piece or two of beef tripe! It may not be the best version in the city but it’s decent enough to eat on multiple visits. The pork bulgogi has lots of tender and flavorful meat. What’s not to like?

So, if you ever find yourself in this parts of north Peachtree Industrial Blvd, a trek for everyone, you have to stop by. You won’t be sorry.

Seoul Shinjung
3585 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.
Duluth, GA 30096
(678) 584-1103

Technorati Tags: Korean, Duluth, Atlanta

There are many places in our city for good Chinese BBQ — think roast duck, roast pork, bbq pork, roast chicken. But one place that truly stands out is inside the Assi Plaza supermarket in Duluth. This place has been around for quite a while now but it still never ceases to amaze me. There is only one person in the kitchen: the wise BBQ man himself. He preps and cooks everything. It’s like a one-man band. But with better tune and rhythm.

His BBQ meats are truly stellar. The duck is perfection. Crispy skin, juicy meat, delicious taste. You can see the chef’s experience in his food. The succulent meats are reminiscent of BBQ institutions in HongKong. I have no words to describe the food here except phenomenal. You can’t go wrong with anything here. Everything is just good.

You can order one type of meat or any combination of meats. Each order comes with steamed white rice, steamed Chinese cabbage, and this amazing BBQ sauce that’s just to-die for. It’s not really sauce but more like au jus. Trust me. You haven’t had anything this good in your life. Well, unless, you’ve eaten BBQ in the dirty streets of HongKong.

He makes the best Dry Beef Chowfun. The noodles are firm and are coated with just enough sauce. There are plentiful of tender, tasty beef pieces, too.

It’s difficult to find a place where everything on the menu is good. That’s how it is here. Every dish is just plain delicious. So, make the trek. It’s a lot closer than flying to HongKong.

Located inside the grocery (not in the fast food area.) Order and pay from the lady who cuts the meats and packs your food.

Sky BBQ
1630 Pleasant Hill Rd
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 807-7289

Technorati Tags: Chinese BBQ, Cantonese, Duluth, tidal, epicurious

Not all Korean restaurants are eater-friendly. Some do not have English menus, English-speaking wait staff, or mainstream food. This is one of those places. It’s not for those unfamiliar with traditional Korean cuisine or want to eat popular mainstream Korean food. But. If you want everyday food that Koreans eat at home then this is the place to go to.

Soups rule in Korean cuisine so this place has a lot of them. The counterpart to our chicken soup, their Samgyetang or “well-being” soup hits the spot. Boiling hot milky broth is infused with fall-off-the-bone chicken stuffed with rice, ginseng, and Chinese dates. The result is the perfect soup for that cold weather. Not to mention, it would also cure you of that nagging cold you might have. Order either half or the whole chicken, season with sea salt and cracked pepper served along side the banchan, and you’re good to go.

Other notables here include the soft tofu soup (soondubu), the kimchi stew (kichi jigae), and the rice cake/dumpling soup. There’s a hand-cut noodle soup with seafood that I’m dying to try next.

Definitely a good place to try if you’re in the area or needing a soup intro to your second lunch.

Tang Roo
Inside the Nukoa Plaza
3230 Steve Reynolds Blvd.
#11
Duluth, GA 30096
770-232-5204

[tags]Korean, Duluth{/tags]

Just when you thought we have enough Korean restaurants in these parts already, another one gets born. The Duluth area of Johns Creek is surprisingly void of any Korean restaurants despite having Super H nearby, save for a fried chicken joint next door. So imagine how excited I’ve been waiting for this place to open.

Located directly across from Super H, Tofu Kitchen opened a week ago with no fanfare yet it’s already crazy busy during lunch time. The menu is small and very easy to navigate. They have the usual tofu soups, combo meals, grilled meats, and other popular menu items such as bibimbap and tonkatsu.

The soondubu here are okay. Although thin and a tad watery, they are hearty nonetheless: loads of silky, soft tofu and lots of meat. Get the medium or spicy kind to kick up the flavor just a notch.

The grilled meats are phenomenal. I love the marinade they use — perfect combination of sweet and savory. The meats are good quality, too, with just the right amount of fat. You won’t go wrong with either the galbi or bulgogi.

Definitely the perfect place to relax and eat comforting food after crazy shopping days at the supermarket across the street. I seriously think this is going to be a trend: Johns Creek/Duluth will be the next area where Korean businesses will be expanding tremendously. Mark my word.

Tofu Kitchen
10900 Medlock Bridge Rd.
#402
Duluth, GA 30097
(770) 814-7747

Technorati Tags: Korean, Johns Creek, Duluth, soondubu

This one’s for my good friend B who loves boba as much as I do.

If you’re like me who scouts streets looking for new places to try then I’m sure you’ve noticed this plaza across from Walmart on Pleasant Hill Road. There was a sketchy restaurant in there that had dark tinted windows called Folk House that only opened late at night. It looked like a scary place catering to men only so I never ventured in there. Late in September, a new bubble tea joint opened in its place. It’s a super cute space where you can hang out, snack, and get your fill on bubble teas.

There aren’t as many flavors of bubble teas as other places but they have the staples. I like that the flavors taste real. And the boba? Sweet and chewy.

Taiwanese snacks cost a mere $2.99 per order. Taiwanese nuggets, chicken wings and sweet potato fries are good options.

Daily specials include sandwiches and rice plates.

They also have Chinese pastries including Wife cakes and buns with savory and sweet fillings. Wife cake, you ask? They’re flat, thin pastries with flaky crust. The inside resembles chewy, dense, firm, mashed potatoes. It’s a traditional cake in Hongkong and mainland China and comes with an assortment of fillings. I have always loved the wintermelon or pork fillings which you can find in Chinese bakeries in town. Here, at Boba Mocha, they usually have pineapple flavor.

It’s a mish-mash of a place that serves Korean pastries supplied by White Windmill, cheesecakes from Cheesecake Factory, ice-cream, and other desserts. If nothing else, it’s a nice and quiet place to sit down.

(Be sure to check-in on foursquare to get 50% off your entire bill.)

Boba Mocha
2628 Pleasant Hill Rd.
Duluth, GA 30096
(678) 367-3757

Technorati Tags: bubble tea, boba, Duluth, Taiwanese, Korean