Chow Down Atlanta

I first came to Haru Ichiban close to 10 years ago. It was such a fantastic place that I came several times a week.  Japanese sushi chefs in the city came to eat here all the time.  I still see one or two of them every now and then — to eat ramen. Aside from the ramen, food here was authentic, high quality, and delicious. But not lately. Last month, I put them on my “Time Out List”.  Restaurants on this list are those that used to be stellar but has slacked off so I’m giving them some time to recover and hopefully my next visit will be better. Despite of this small hiccup, their ramen has been solid all these years and I must have it at least once a week.

The menu boasts of the usual fare including a combination lunch where you get to choose two items and the blink-and-they’re-gone daily specials which sell out within the hour. But the one thing they really are well known for is the ramen. A ginormous bowl of hot broth is mixed with perfectly cooked egg noodles and slices of delicious, housemade roasted pork. There are four flavors of broth to choose from, plus an assortment toppings that you can pick.

The Shio flavor, my absolute favorite, is seasoned with natural sea salt. Although it uses chicken broth, it doesn’t really taste like chicken soup. The pork slices play a major part in the overall flavor and the result is a savory, tasty soup. Believe me when I say this is comfort food at its best.

My other favorite is the Tonkotsu broth which should not be confused with tonkatsu (which is fried pork cutlet). Tonkotsu is a pork-based broth made by boiling pigs’ bones for several hours. The result is a creamy broth that is so fantastic.

The Soy flavor is chicken broth seasoned with soy sauce. Be warned, this broth is on the salty side. I stopped getting this because I got tired of diluting it with my hot tea just so it can be eatable. However, if you like your food salty, then this is perfect for you. The Miso flavor is a salt-based broth infused with soy bean paste. This isn’t your regular miso soup, instead, the broth is sweetish with a nutty undertone.

Haru Ichiban has the best Shio Ramen in town hands down. I recommend you stick with the roast pork topping for your first visit as this is how it is normally served in Japan. It will also allow you to taste the basic flavors the way they’re intended to be.

Note: I am compiling a side-by-side comparison of Japanese ramen from the three best places in town so stay tuned for that.

Insider tip:
Lunch menu also available on Saturdays.

The scoop:
Haru Ichiban
3646 Satellite Blvd
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 622-4060

Technorati Tags: sushi, Japanese, Duluth, Pleasant Hill, Gwinnett

I come from a family who love hot pots. While Shabu-shabu and sukiyaki have always been the favorites, my mom particularly likes Chinese hot pots. However, I’m beginning to really love Korean hot pots. The newest addition to the Korean dining scene is Shabu King inside Park Village in Duluth where Super H Mart calls home. This is the third (or fourth) incarnation of this spot — as a Korean fried chicken joint, as Man Doo, and now as a Korean shabu place.

Since the chef hasn’t changed, no visit to this place is complete without their old specialty: man doo. These huge Korean dumplings are filled with lots of ground pork, minced tofu and green Asian cabbage. The wonton wrappers are soft and moist and the fillings are perfectly seasoned. The sweetish-salty dipping sauce adds depth of flavor. Yummy. (Side note: did you know that BHFM was among the first in Atlanta to mass produce man doo? About 10 years ago, they had a Korean food section where cooked food, pre-marinated meets, assorted banchan, and man doo were made. Two Korean ladies and one man made man doo all day long, every single day. They had two kinds, steamed to order, and the best man doo in town. My mom used to bring home three dozen or so pieces every week she went there. I miss those!)

The hot pot takes center stage here now. For $29.99, two people can share a shabu meal that is simply quite the best in town. A pot of fresh vegetables and mushrooms in kimchi broth is simmered on the table top stove. With it comes a plate of beautiful ribbons of paper-thin meat and a bowl of thick noodles. The kimchi broth is spot on.  It is spicy good.  The veggies are so fresh, and the noodles are chewy.  Truly delicious.

There is a proper way to eat Korean hot pot:

•  let the pot boil
• add small amounts of meat
• serve meat, veggies, and broth onto your own bowl
• dip meat into dipping sauce with wasabi mixed in to it before eating
• repeat until all meat is gone
• lastly, add the noodles, let boil
• when most of your hot pot is gone, leftovers will be transferred to a serving bowl

Now comes the best part — a bowl of rice, minced beef, and chopped greens, topped with a raw egg will be cooked in the same pot. Let me tell you that this is the best bibimbap (minus the chili paste) I have ever tasted. The egg and the kimchi-laced pot adds so much flavor. It is the best “fried rice” ever!

Aside from two kinds of hot pots (regular and ribeye), they also still have their famous Korean fried chicken which sets you back $16 and although they are small pieces, they give you quite a lot. It is the best Korean fried chicken in town, by the way. The spicy garlic fried chicken is a little less expensive and as good but I prefer the plain fried chicken.

Insider tip:
Sodas are $1 with one free refill — beware, they come from 2-liter bottles which tasted like they were opened one too may days ago.

The scoop:
Shabu King
2550 Pleasant Hill Rd.
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 476-8599

Technorati Tags: man doo, Korean, shabu, hot pot, Duluth, GA, Gwinnett, Korean fried chicken

The city of Duluth’s extensive downtown renovation created not only a live, work, play community, but a quaint yet modern Main street lined with locally-owned businesses. In the midst of this historic area is a row of commercial town houses, one of which is home to Chocolate Perks, a casually elegant coffee-slash-ice cream-slash-cupcake-slash-sandwich shop.

Owner Marsha Anderson Bomar, who also happens to occupy a seat in the City Council, offers a place to hang out, relax, and eat breakfast, lunch, or snack. While there are daily sandwich specials offered, the staples here are paninis: grilled cheese, beef and cheddar, Cuban, chicken salad, and ham and cheese. Each order comes with crunchy pickles and prices average at $6.

clearly, presentation is an issue here — the soup was sloppily served that way — drippings and all

I’ve had two of the soups (both very good) and three of their sandwiches here: the grilled cheese with turkey, ham and cheese, and beef and cheddar. I was a bit disappointed with the value of the Grilled Cheese because it came with two slices of regular white bread, 2 slices of cheese, and 2 thin slices of deli turkey. I thought the $6 price tag was a little steep for the simpleness (in taste and creativity) of the sandwich which I can very well get in another deli for a buck less.

The Black Forest Ham and Smoked Gouda panini was a much better value. The sourdough bread was sizable, the ham was tasty, and the cheese was fresh. Overall, a much better choice.

My Beef and Cheddar on my third visit yesterday was another simple sandwich. The brioche was buttery and sweetish as it should be but was clearly ruined by over-toasting (or over-pressing). I know some folks like their bread on the dark-toasted side but it should not be the default. Instead, people should be permitted to have the choice. I wonder why they even allowed this to be served — they probably thought I wouldn’t notice? That or they are just indifferent about the quality of the sandwiches that come out of their kitchenette. This disappointment plus chips set me back $7. Although, I have no qualms whatsoever paying good money on food, it has to have value — portion size, price, creativity, cooking method (was it cooked over heat or was it sourced elsewhere then assembled), and taste. Incidentally, a can of Diet Coke was an additional $1.75. Pretty steep for a canned drink, no?

Aside from coffee and sandwiches, Chocolate Perks also serves ice-cream and homemade cupcakes, muffins, desserts, and chocolate truffles. The red velvet and chocolate mini-cupcakes were good in a fresh kind of way. They are not too sweet and you can tell good ingredients were used. But the best part of these cupcakes were the icing. I don’t eat icing but their butter cream concoction is just so good. The chocolate muffin is by far, my favorite. It is moist, chocolaty, dense, and delicious. Pair that with a cup of coffee and you have a power breakfast (or snack) in your hands.

This is definitely a nice addition to the area for a quick breakfast or lunch or simply for whiling time away. But what would be nice is for them to offer a simple Sunday brunch. And a soda fountain machine.

Insider tip:
Join their mailing list or Facebook group page for info on their daily specials.
Free wi-fi.
They use Counter Culture coffee.

The scoop:
Chocolate Perks
3160 Main St.
Suite 200
Duluth, GA 30096
770-342-0037
Hours:
M-F: 7AM-9PM
Sat: 8AM-11PM
Sun: 11AM-6PM

Technorati Tags: Duluth, GA, sandwiches, coffee shop, ice cream, cupcakes, breakfast, lunch

There’s one Marlow’s literally right next to me. When it opened a few years ago, I popped my head in and got an ice cream cone. I don’t even like ice cream but it was a way to check out the place without having to commit to a one-hour meal. I’ve been back a few times and am still amazed at how this place gets packed every single night.

Now a new Marlow’s has opened in Duluth in January and just like its sisters, is already packing in the crowd. My first visit was on a Tuesday night and not an empty table was in sight. The second visit was on a Saturday and there was a long wait outside. The ambiance here is more family friendly with lots of more mature couples. There’s also live entertainment on Tuesdays and it was a super cool rocker belting out rock songs from the 80s and 90s when I was there.

We started out with their famous J.T.’s Kettle Chips. A serving of housemade potato chips piled high then smothered with blue cheese, bacon, tomatoes and scallions. The chips were crispy and the warm bleu cheese dressing was just fantastic. It’s big and good enough for sharing.

I had the grilled tilapia fillet which was grilled to perfection and came with a beurre blanc sauce that I really liked because it kept the fish’s light taste intact. My chosen sides were pretty good, too, with the green beans being fresh and crunchy, and the jalapeño grits being really, really delicious. It had good consistency, good texture, and just the right amount of heat.

I also had a side of cheddar macaroni and cheese and fried okra. The mac-n-cheese was good. It was cheesy and the pasta was al dente. But the fried okra was superb. It was ever so lightly battered then fried golden. Let me tell you, this is as good as the ones at H&F. You have to try it. It’s my favorite.

My friend had the Southwestern Grouper which was pan seared and came with black bean and corn salsa all served on a bed of jalapeño grits. The grouper tasted clean and the black bean salsa is always a good tandem with this fish.

For dessert, my friend wanted to taste the Old Fashioned Triple Chocolate cake.  It was intimidatingly huge for a non-dessert person that I am.  I only took a bite.  It’s okay; my friend liked it.

Marlow’s Tavern is the place to go for some good bar food in a much quieter ambiance.

Insider tip:
Several metro Atlanta locations — check website for addresses.

The scoop:
Marlow’s Tavern
1950 Satellite Boulevard
Duluth, GA 30097
(770) 622-2033

Technorati Tags: Gwinnett, Duluth, gastropub

I’m not really big on buffets. There are only three places I (and my family) ever go to where buffet is the norm: Fogo, and the brunch at the Ritz and the Renaissance Waverly hotels. But my mom is a big hot pot fan and Grand Buffet has been the place we’ve been going to for many years. It is also one of the oldest places to offer it.

Grand Buffet is a Chinese super buffet. The have tons of food including king crab legs, whole steamed fish, sushi, and fresh oysters aside from the usual Chinese fare. But we only go here for the hot pot alone. Sadly, the atmosphere became unbearable as years went by. Serving utensils are greasy, the floors are wet and slimy, the smell is dank, the carpets are moldy, and the tables are sticky. Just thinking about it grosses me out. So we stopped going all together.

But last Friday, my mom insisted we give it another try. We were doing the no-meat-on-Fridays during Lent and seafood hot pot seemed like a good idea. I wanted to go to Mini Hot Pot but my mom wanted all the fixings that were only available at Grand Buffet. Besides, she contended, we were going to cook our own food anyway so we know it’ll be clean. It’s hard to argue with her so we let her win.

Well, what a surprise — the place was immaculate! The floors were scrubbed clean and spotless, the serving utensils were all clean, and the food were neatly and nicely placed in their steam trays. I was literally astounded. The food has also tripled in quantity: there were lobsters in ginger/scallion sauce, barbecue duck, crawfish, frogs legs, Chinese barbecue, and even dimsum! We didn’t touch any of the buffet items so I can’t comment on the food. But the hot pot items have expanded: fresh shrimp, blue crabs, Manila clams, crawfish, giant clams, mussels, fish, oysters; assorted tofu, dumplings, and fish cakes, plus various green leafy veggies, and several kinds of mushrooms. You can really go overboard with your hot pot fixings here.

A welcome surprise — the place is spotless, the quantity and quality of food have improved, and service is outstanding. I’d put this place back on my rotation for hot pot. Incidentally, the place is under new management. I’ve seen this place get a score as low as 70 on their health inspection. This visit, they’re at 92.

Insider tip:
Located off Shackleford Rd. next to Home Depot and Oriental Pearl.
Buffet: $12.95 (daily)
Hot Pot: $14.95 (available during dinner on Friday, Saturday, Sunday)

The scoop:
Grand Buffet
1825 Liddell Ln
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 279-0606

Technorati Tags: buffet, seafood, hot pot, Duluth, Gwinnett, Chinese super buffet, sushi, dimsum

There are only a handful of good Vietnamese places in the city. Two of my go-to places when the craving hits are Phoenix Noodle and here which has been a favorite haunt of mine for 3 years now. Vietnamese restaurants are only as good as their pho. Here, the pho is strong, very well seasoned, and boiled for hours. It’s a must-eat at every visit.

But there are other equally good items on the menu. The Cha Gio (fried spring rolls) are crunchy and bursting with flavor and fillings. They make for great appetizers.

The Bun dishes here are excellent and comes in a bowl of cold vermicelli noodles on a bed of shredded lettuce, cucumbers, bean sprouts then topped with your choice of grilled meats. It’s a fantastic, filling dish.

The crispy fried noodles with assorted meat toppings is not only a beautiful dish but a fantastic one at that. Simply put, it is delicious.

The barbecue plates are just as good. They are served with fresh steamed jasmine rice and a side salad of sliced tomatoes and cucumbers. I get mine with a fried egg to kick it up a notch. The meats are flavorful, with good portions, and they are cooked well.

You can’t go wrong with anything here. Go and try it.

Insider tip:
On Pleasant Hill Rd. next to Super H Mart.

The scoop:
What The Pho
2442 Pleasant Hill Rd
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 814-9396

Technorati Tags: What The Pho, Vietnamese cuisine, pho, Duluth, Pleasant Hill Rd, Gwinett

I love Korean food. In fact, my obvious passion for this cuisine hadn’t gone unnoticed and, thus, I’ve been declared an honorary Korean by none other than Mr. E-D-Man himself. Thank you. I am honored.

This is the third reincarnation of this building. It was first a Japanese restaurant complete with a sushi train and color-coded plates. Cool concept but it didn’t fly. Next, it became a Korean restaurant. High on prices but low on taste. And now, Jang Su Jang. I’ve been to this place for lunch two times. The last time was with the lovely Blissful which was also her second time.

I liked the boiled pork belly. The taste of the meat itself is simple but the kimchi and radish slices it came with made it very interesting. There were also a lot of meat in one serving that it’s really good for two people.

The Dahk galbi (chicken barbecue) was just okay. Although it was flavorful, it was nothing but a Korean version of chicken teriyaki. A good choice for the unadventurous.

The beef noodle soup was awful. It was bland, thin, and watery. It did have a little bit of spiciness, but that’s about all there was to it. I wouldn’t order this again.

The bulgogi was so-so. Flavorful, but lacking in oomph. Tasted boiled, too.

So far, the only good thing on the menu are the dumplings. Oh, are they heavenly. The wrapper is soft, perfectly cooked. The meat inside is tasty. Great as is, but fantastic with the dipping sauce. There are two kinds on the menu, regular and King dumplings. The word King has nothing to do with the size. There is a difference between the two but I just can’t remember what it is for the life of me.

Verdict: I’m disappointed with their food. But I would come back for the dumplings alone. That, and the banchan.

The scoop:
Jang Su Jang
3645 Satellite Blvd
Duluth, GA 30096
(678) 475-9170

Technorati Tags: Jang Su Jang, Korean cuisine, dumplings, Duluth, Gwinnett

Forget Honey Pig. This is the best traditional Korean restaurant in town. And the most authentic. You won’t find English menus here nor English-speaking staff. You’ll have to make do with pointing at pictures. While most will get intimidated by that, the upside is that you get the most authentic Korean food you’ll ever get in the city. This is where Korean grandparents go when they can’t cook their own food. As such, you will hardly ever find Americans here. But while it’s perfectly okay to go to less traditional, less authentic Korean places which also serve good food, the experience and the taste of food here at Cafe Todahmgol is unsurpassed. At least, you won’t have to spend over a thousand dollars to go to Korea to get the same food.

There are no fancy cooking domes here. Instead, they use heavy iron trays that go on top of a table top gas stoves. Your server will take care of cooking everything for you. They have the best pork belly here. There aren’t paper-thin — they are thicker and bigger slices than everywhere else. The bulgogi (sirloin slices) are finger-licking good. They are thick, tender, and juicy, marinated with just the perfect balance of sweet and salty.

The banchan are non-traditional. You’ll see the common kimchi and other requisite ones but the authentic ones you’ll see nowhere else are: raw peppers and carrots in ice cubes, squid slices with spicy kimchi sauce, and the most exquisite egg soup I’ve ever had outside of Seoul. This soup is so fantastic, it’ll bring tears of joy to your eyes: warm, tasty broth infused with bubbly, creamy eggs. Aaah, I get weak on the knees just thinking about it.

The verdict

This is the best Korean restaurant. Period. You can’t get any more authentic than Cafe Todahmgol. Though the staff speaks no English, there’s one that do speak a few English words. They are all very friendly and will help you navigate through the extensive menu. As authentic as it is, smoking is permitted here. And that’s because most all Korean men do. But don’t let that disappoint you. The smell of the food drowns out all cigarette smoke smell. Most times.

Insider tip:
Not to confuse with the stall inside Super H Mart with the same name, this one’s sitting inside a plaza right next to Super H Gwinnett right next door to What The Pho.

The scoop:
Cafe Todahmgol
2442 Pleasant Hill Rd, Suite 3B,
Duluth, GA 30096
770-813-8202
Mon-Sat: 5PM-2AM
Sunday: 5PM-12Midnight

[tags]Cafe Todahmgol, Korean cuisine, pork belly, Pleasant Hill Rd., Duluth[tags]

I’ve been to V1 BBQ more than six times since it opened in August including a Saturday night when there was a 20-minute wait for a table. Although no one beats Hongkong BBQ when it comes to roast meats, V1 is a great contender and a much cleaner place. I actually went to Hongkong BBQ for a late lunch today and further realized no one can trump their roast pork. But I love V1 and have become friends with the staff who give warm and friendly service.

Hainanese Chicken is my favorite Cantonese chicken dish. It’s the national dish of Singapore which they have adopted from the Chinese. I’ve had Hainanese chicken in hundreds of places; all over Singapore, Hongkong, and China. I’ve had it in Chinatowns in NYC, Toronto, San Francisco, and here. V1 has the best Hainanese Chicken outside of Asia. Simply put, their Hainanese chicken is superb — it’s clean: the chicken doesn’t smell fishy, it is steamed perfectly (cooked all the way through), it is not fatty, and there are no traces of dried blood inside. It is seasoned all the way to the bone so each bite is as fantastic as the last. It is so flavorful, succulent, tender, and juicy. I love it.

The roast pork, roast pig, and roast duck are all also good but, like I said, Hongkong BBQ still has the best. Not even Ming’s BBQ can come close to Hongkong BBQ. The roast pork here at V1 just doesn’t have the requisite texture and crunch. Theirs is a little on the soft side.

Possibly the best Malaysian dish on the menu, the Homemade Noodle soup is fantastic and definitely a must-try. It’s a soup made with tasty chicken broth added with fat, chewy house-made noodles, pieces of Chinese broccoli, ground beef, then topped with crispy fried small fish. It is comforting and plain delicious. This is one of my favorites here.

I recommend sticking with V1’s Cantonese dishes. Their Malaysian dishes seem novice. These dishes are usually bland and the sauces are thin. Despite that, I do think they make great roti canai pancake. The pancake is flaky yet so chewy inside. But curry dipping sauce just doesn’t have that simmered-for-hours taste and is on the thin side. The bubble teas aren’t as good as other places either and they don’t put as much tapioca.

V1 is a must-try for their Cantonese dishes and competitive roast meats. The place is spotless and doesn’t give off a cheap Asian fast-food joint.

Insider tip:
Rice plates with two or three roast meats are a great sampler.

The scoop:
3940 Buford Hwy NW
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 623-1896

Technorati Tags: V1 BBQ, roast pork, roast duck, roast pig, roti canai, Cantonese cuisine, Malaysian cuisine, bubble tea, Duluth

The Feed Store, Duluth Fall Festival, and JapanFest

Whew!  I’ve had a busy weekend.  Too many events going on that it was impossible to go to all of them.  Friday, I went to The Feed Store’s farm-to-table dinner.  Chef Peter did an excellent job creating a menu showcasing Sweet Grass Dairy. I cannot rave enough about this place. It is simply fantastic. And no, I am in no way affiliated with this restaurant. I just really love Chef Peter’s food.

I’ll condense my review. More pictures can be viewed here. Overall, another superb meal. Oh, and we all got to take home a whole Green Hill cheese!

Amuse Bouche (”Mediterranean Feta” – Cerignola Olive Petal Confit, “Heat” Green Tomato Pico de Gallo – Tortilla Chip): loved the mild cheeses on this one. The pico de gallo provided a slight hint which was a nice touch. The tortilla chips, I could have eaten a whole bag.

Appetizer (Pan Seared Foie Gras, “Lumiere” Stuffed French Toast, Ellijay Apple Sauce): the melt-in-your-mouth, perfectly-cooked foie gras was heavenly and sat atop a cheese-stuffed soft French toast with a very mild apple sauce. Chef Peter gave new meaning to apple sauce with its mild taste and smooth texture. This isn’t baby food anymore.

Soup (Georgia Shrimp, “Thomasville Tomme” Bisque, Berkshire Pork Lardon Toast): this was THE best tomato bisque I have ever had. It had the perfect balance of shrimp and tomato tastes. So comforting. And very flavorful.

Salad (Baby Arugula, Sous Vide Candied Beet, Fried “Green Hill”, Black Pepper Vinaigrette): the slightly-bitter, crisp baby arugula was tempered by the beets that provided lots of texture. The chopped beets had this interesting crunch that you wouldn’t't think it could come from beets. Again, very nice touch. The light drizzle of the vinaigrette tied everything in. The fried Green Hill added bonus. A winning salad, indeed.

Entrée (Churrasco Beef Tenderloin, Grilled Sweet Onions, Black Eyed Pea, Collard Green, and “Sevenwood” Casserole): the tenderloin was another clear winner. Perfectly grilled (churrasco style), served medium-rare, it was fork tender and was very tasty. The accompanying black-eyed peas and collard greens provided a Southern flare and the onions toned down the strong flavor of the greens. The casserole wasn’t cheesy at all but provided just hint of flavor. Excellent dish.

Dessert (“Fresh Chevre” Ice Cream, Scuppernong Syrup, Mint): a perfect exclamation point to a magnificent meal. The goat cheese ice cream was so good, held its frozen temperature up to the last bite, and was sitting on a tiny pool of delicious scuppernog syrup.

Festival Weekend

Loot from the Duluth Fall Festival: 9 loaves of bread and kettle corn

Duluth Fall Festival

JapanFest

There were too many festivals going on but I only went to Duluth, where I’ve been going since I was young and also because I have to stock up on bread. This year was their biggest so far. It is the most organized festival. Sunday, I went to JapanFest where I’ve also been going for years. It’s also a little bigger this year but I’m losing interest on this one. First of all, I can get better food at the participating restaurants themselves. Second, it’s too chaotic. I’ll definitely skip this one next year and go to the Pig Roast in Cabbagetown AND the Chili Cook-Off in Stone Mountain instead.

Pictures from the Duluth Fall Festival are here and from the JapanFest here.

Technorati Tags: The Feed Store, Chef Peter Golaszewski, College Park, Duluth Fall Festival, JapanFest