Haru’s tonkotsu ramen has been consistently amazing these past few weeks. Want to jazz up your soup like I do? Add a soft-poached egg for $1.00 extra. You can thank me later.
Haru Ichiban
3646 Satellite Blvd
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 622-4060
Technorati Tags: sushi, Japanese, Duluth, Pleasant Hill, Gwinnett
Introducing… the Beef Bowl. $4.99. Happiness in a bowl. Perfectly steamed white Korean rice, loads of tender bulgogi in its own flavorful sauce. You can’t get happier than this. My happy food. 
Book Chang Dong Tofu House
2550 Pleasant Hill Rd
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 814-2299
One word: Pork. Three words: Braised Pork Belly. Enough said.
Available during lunch only. Braised for 6 hours and they only make one pot daily. Comes plated with perfectly steamed Jasmine rice and a fried egg. I ate it 3 days in a row two weeks ago. It was greasy, fatty, tender, delicious. It is deadly. And all for $4.99.
Next best thing: Fried Chicken. Double-fried. Crunchy. Tasty.
Third best thing: hot pots. I’ve been waiting for this joint to open. I even sent Sean when he was home during his winter break to check it out one day but they hadn’t open yet at the time. The hot pots are just like from her older sister on BuHi. And same owner. But it’s nicer here. And bigger. They have lunch meals, not just hot pots. It gets ridiculously busy during lunch. Go now!
P.S. Get the spicy broth.
Mini Hot Pot 2
2174 Pleasant Hill Rd., Suite 101
Duluth, GA 30096
678-417-8888
I took the pork fat drippings and drizzled it over my rice. OMG.
I eat Korean all the time. There was one week in May last year that I ate it 7 times in a week. Crazy. I’ve been here many times. But the other night was the best Korean dinner I’ve had this year. We demolished everything in front of us. The boneless galbi and pork belly rule here. And the delicate chawanmushi is to-die-for. (What happened to the pictures, FB?)
Oh and I almost forgot… I became a Korean last year. Thanks, Gene.
Open later for dinner on weekdays than weekends. (Does that make sense to you?)
Cafe Todahmgol
2442 Pleasant Hill Rd, Suite 3B,
Duluth, GA 30096
770-813-8202
Mon-Sat: 5PM-2AM
Sunday: 5PM-12Midnight
Thanks to one of my readers, Bill Petrosky, who sent me an email the other day tipping me of this new seafood/po’boy place in Duluth. It is located a few doors down from What The Pho and Cafe Tohdamgol. Opened just two weeks ago by a Vietnamese family, it is really more of a seafood place than an eating place.
As a seafood store, they only have a few basics as of yet: shrimp, fish fillets (tuna, salmon, catfish, tilapia,) scallops, crab legs, mussels, and craw fish. I did not see any fresh oysters in the cases but there are fried ones on the menu.
As a take-out joint, they have lunch specials with fried catfish or tilapia, shrimp, and oysters with two sides that start at $5.99. Po’boys start at $3.99 with a choice of shrimp, catfish, tilapia, oysters, sausage, or calamari. They are sandwiched between a fresh loaf of Vietnamese baguette then dressed with mustard, mayo, and butter, then topped with lettuce and tomatoes. I love the butter part!
The Fish-N-Shrimp lunch special comes with 2 fish fillets and 7 jumbo shrimp. The fried catfish is delicious — clean taste (not muddy). Shrimp are peeled and de-veined. Both are perfectly dusted with Cajun seasonings, very lightly battered, then fried golden.
There are two tiny tables and a total of 4 chairs if you care to eat-in. I only came in for a quick stop but I will be back tomorrow to learn more about this place and try the po’boys. I will let you know how that goes.
Insider tip:
Everything is cooked to order so be ready to wait a good 10 minutes for your food.
The scoop:
New Orleans Seafood
2442 Pleasant Hill Rd., Suite 8
Duluth, GA 30096
(678) 474-0064
I really wanted to like this place. The inside is just so charming with wall-to-wall Persian rugs, a hookah lounge, and authentic decor complete with what looks like hand-tooled Moroccan dining tables and chairs. Even the dinnerware is authentic. And they have live entertainment on weekend nights. I love how they make you feel like family on your first visit. Everyone is so attentive and hospitable — from the owners to the servers.
The best part of dining here is the tea service. You must, must get the Moroccan mint tea. Tea is poured from a beautiful Moroccan silver teapot served on an equally beautiful tray. A medium serving that equals to about 12 ounces will set you back $5 but it is worth every penny. The tea is steaming hot, minty, and sweetened with honey.
Chicken Tagine: flavorless meat but the saffron-based sauce became alive with a great bit of harissa
Beef Brouchette: skewered pieces of bland beef but the couscous and shlada are both decent
lunch buffet
Unfortunately, the food is not all that good. While the ingredients used are all top-notch and portion sizes are big, everything tastes bland. It is really baffling considering Moroccan food is known for bold flavors due to the limitless assortment of spices used in the cuisine. Everything here tastes flat — the soup, the sauces, the tagines, the meat skewers. And no amount of salt or harissa can seem to help improve the flavors. I came back a third time and still the same. They started a lunch buffet this week so I was able to taste a lot more dishes today. Still the same — bland. Sad.
Insider tip:
Weekday lunch buffet.
Sunday breakfast buffet.
Live entertainment including belly dancers on weekend nights.
The scoop:
Imane Moroccan Restaurant
3455 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.
Duluth, GA 30096
(404) 429-4882
Hours:
Mon - Thurs:
11:30 am - 3:00 pm
5:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Fri - Sat:
11:30 am - 3:00 pm
5:30 pm - 3:00 am
Sun:
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
5:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Technorati Tags: Morrocan, lunch, buffet, hookah, Duluth, GA
Have you noticed I haven’t been posting anything Korean lately? I just want to mix it up a bit, that’s all. There are tons of Korean restaurants that have sprouted like mushrooms lately and there are actually two spots I haven’t written about and a few more I am planning to visit. But back to the Korean programming… I had dinner with my homies a few weeks ago at Song Do. This place used to be a shabu-shabu joint. I had not visited since they turned into a dinner-only BBQ joint so I suggested that we eat here.
Eating with guys is just wonderful because, one, they can match my appetite (at least most of them), and, two, I do not get embarrassed ordering 12 different entrees and 6 appetizers for two people. Jimmy (aka as Mr. Half Iron Man) is so awesome because, not only does he not have a single ounce of body fat, he is also probably the only person who can eat as much as me. They say skinny people can eat a lot because there is no fat in the gut that gets in the way. The first time we met, we tried to out-eat each other. Thirteen pizza slices was the record. Chloe: 1, Jimmy: 0. (Okay, for the record, he ate 12 so it’s not really a blowout. And only because someone beat him to the last slice.) FoodieBuddha eats like a normal guy so I really do not know what is going on with that. Sean is the nicest guy I know (especially because we both love durian) and he’s showing promise and could possibly out-eat me pretty soon. Get this though, this dude can cook!
Song Do was the chosen place for us because of their Korean charcoal barbecue (and because Sean needs a quick getaway to school). There is just something about the smoky flavor imparted by charcoal in meats. The best part, though, is their all-you-can-eat program. For $21.95 per person, you get to eat all the kinds of meat they have. Which is just what we did. The banchan here is buffet-style. While the items are all fresh, I personally think the taste is just pedestrian.
The meats, however, are the main reason to come. They are well marinated and sliced on the thicker side than most places. The boneless galbi and pork belly are my favorites and the best in the house.
Our server was quite attentive and checked on us regularly. They are only open for dinner. Check them out, you will not be disappointed.
Read other reviews here and here.
Insider tip:
A few steps down from Haru Ichiban.
The scoop:
Song Do Korean BBQ
3616 Satellite Blvd.
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 497-9799
Technorati Tags: Korean, barbecue, Duluth
This is gonna be a quick and short post. I am literally pooped from trying to keep up with my hyper mother who does not seem to know the word sleep (or slow down). Hanging out with her (and my sister) is more tiring than having two full time jobs!
Anyway, I have been hitting up Well Bean regularly for a few months now. A popular chain in Korea, I was surprised that their soondubu actually taste homemade (rather than chain-made). They have a pretty big tofu soup menu including uncommon types such as dumpling, ham and cheese, and crap (sic) meat. Their broth is always consistently good: hearty, never thin/watery with a deep red color, and with the perfect flavor consistency. The tofu chunks are creamy and have just the right amount of form so as not turn to mush after a few stirs. Best of all, their spice level is spot on.
The banchan items are all freshly made and each one has the right amount of sweetness, spiciness, and/or sourness. They do not skimp either and will generously give 10-11 items even for a solo diner.
Their galbi is quite delicious and can easily go neck-and-neck with So Kong Dong. The meat is tender and marinated well. Finger lickin’ good.
Verdict: an excellent place for Korean food. Avoid the busy lunch hour when not a single table will be available and service will be nonexistent.
Insider tip:
Soups start at $4.99. Combination meals (soup + galbi) are $13.99. More expensive meals such as the Bossam or Kimchijeon will set you back $29.99.
The scoop:
Well Bean Tofu
2645 North Berkeley Lake Rd.
Suite 136
Duluth, GA 30096
(678) 584-0057
Technorati Tags: Korean, soondubu, Duluth
Two words: Mexican Soup. The beef or chicken soup is fantastic. The broth is very flavorful with lots of tender meat, chunks of potatoes, carrots, corn, rice, and cilantro. I prefer the beef soup with huge cubes of fork-tender meat. Spicy. Tangy. Tasty. It’s the epitome of comfort food.
The flame-grilled chicken isn’t all that bad either, although, I prefer the ones from El Norteño. The chicken pieces are smallish but packed with flavor. You can’t beat a 2-piece grilled chicken meal with rice, two sides (corn on cob, beans, green beans), and corn tortillas all for $5.99. Cheap and good eats.
Insider tip:
Located inside the Assi Plaza Duluth food court.
The scoop:
1630 Pleasant Hill Rd. #A-2
Duluth, GA 30096
(678) 514-2196
Technorati Tags: Mexican, fast food, Mexican chicken, Duluth
