Chow Down Atlanta

I’m not really a big fan of this chain but one of my best buddies is. Besides, not all chains are created equal and out of all the locations (I’ve tried them all), this one in Duluth puts out the best tasting food. So it’s been a regular lunch and late night option for us lately.

My favorites here are the fried spring rolls, the rice plates, and, of course, pho. The only thing about the spring rolls is that you’ll never know when you’ll get freshly fried ones. Most times, they’ve been sitting out under a heating lamp. Why? Because it takes a while to fry them and you’ll get them when you’re half-way done with your main entrees. Also, the place is always packed so they just fry them in batches. When freshly fried, they are crispy with the wrapper becoming flaky and crunchy. So good.

Rice plates are a common Asian meal. You get meat, rice, and a small salad. Get the combo with two grilled pork chops. They are tender, juicy, and so flavorful. Add a side of fried eggs and you’ve just become an Asian yourself!

Pho is so good especially in this cool weather. The broth is bold with a lot of layers of flavors. There are tons of meat with a good amount of noodles, too. Don’t make a mistake of ordering this late at night as they tend to water it down to last through their opening hours (they are open til midnight). During lunch time, however, you’ll taste this good-for-the-body soup that’s guaranteed to comfort.

Open til midnight. Fully packed with a wait during lunch time. Check website for other locations.

Saigon Cafe
3675 Satellite Blvd.
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 232-5070

Technorati Tags: Vietnamese, Duluth, Gwinnett, pho, com

I’m not really a big fan of this place but I have a best friend who is and eats here at least twice a week. Once in a while, I get dragged along. Don’t get me wrong. The food, on the average, is better than decent and some dishes are really good. So. Here’s what my friend eats every single time he goes here…

Tonkatsu. Humongous portion on a humongous plate. Two huge pieces. Crispy fried, tender pork. Pretty good tonkatsu sauce. Served with rice, shredded cabbage salad with thousand island dressing.

Dukbokki Noodles. Now I have to admit this one is pretty awesome. You get this tubed-shaped rice cakes (dukbokki or tteokbokki) that are so chewy in a spicy, thick, broth flavored by Korean hot pepper paste and kimchi. But that’s not all. It has homemade ramen-like noodles. And a boiled egg!!! If there’s one thing you can’t miss here, this is it. It’s number 4 on the menu.

Chicken Noodle Soup. This is a little too bland for my taste as the broth is really light and thin. There are tons of shredded chicken, leeks, sea weed strips, ribbons of dropped egg, and get this… homemade noodles. Yes. Homemade. In fact, all the noodles here are homemade. A few dashes of salt can make this very hearty soup delicious.

Spicy Pork Bulgogi. This lunch set is sure to make you full. You get lots of tender pieces of pork stir-fried in a spicy, savory, sweetish sauce. Then you also get kimbap (similar to the Japanese maki or sushi rolls), shredded cabbage salad, curry sauce, and rice.

Banchan. The usual suspects. But. They have sausages in gochujang sauce!

Very friendly service in a very nice, quiet atmostphere. I’d go for the dukbokki noodles alone. Prices hover in the $7.95 range.

Don Quixote Restaurant & Cafe
There are two locations: Duluth and BuHi. The pictures here are from Duluth. Each location is independently owned and operated.
3751 Satellite Blvd
Duluth, GA 30096
(678) 584-1129

Technorati Tags: Korean, Duluth, Atlanta, tidal

It’s the season for soups and my current obsession (among other ethnic soups especially ramen) includes yukgaejang. This has always been one of my favorite Korean soups. I love the spicy, savory, beef broth with a hint of tang. Gochugaru gives it this beautiful deep red color that glistens. The smell is intoxicating. It is filled with oodles of goodness: shredded tender beef, soft gosari and taro stems, leeks, and in a few places, homemade clear, fat noodles. I find that Tohdam Tofu makes the best yukgaejang. And the second best is here.

The yukgaejang here has all the requisite players including bean sprouts and lots of stirred in beaten eggs. The broth is bold and tasty. But what sets this place apart is their hand-rolled noodles. For an upcharge of $2, you can have chewy noodles added to your soup. What’s not to like?

Other notables here include the spicy pork bulgogi (tender and spiced just right) and bibimbap. Family-owned and attentive service.

In the Kroger plaza on the corner of PIB and Pleasant Hill.

Jang Choong Dong
3455 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.,
Suite 960E
Duluth, GA 30096
678-417-6644

Technorati Tags: soups, Korean, Duluth, Gwinnett

Pedestrian, run-of-the-mill Korean fried chicken. Small pieces. Okay batter. Get the plain ones. The spicy kind isn’t spicy at all and I really can’t get past the thick, gooey, cloyingly sweet sauce the chicken pieces are covered with.

The wings have potential, however. Crispy. Spicy. Juicy. Tiny.

Did you know what’s good, though? The chicken livers. The cornstarch batter is thin and crispy. The livers are fresh and tasty. Yum.

There’s no rice at this place. Yet. But plans are underway. Maybe next week, I was told by the motherly owner/chef/mom. So you’ll have to eat your chicken with fries. Frozen crinkly ones that are crispy fried. Surprisingly good.

For a limited time: chicken + pizza = $27.99. I’d rather spend my money next door.

Kko Kko Chicken and Pizza
3230 Steve Reynolds Blvd
Ste 108
Duluth, GA 30096
(678) 502-7226

Technorati Tags: Korean fried chicken, Duluth

Because I love chocolate. And I love the fish shape. A marriage between pancake and chocolate. Enough said.

My translator calls them Boonguhppang. They also make them with red beans inside. I prefer chocolates, of course. Get it from Super H Mart. 5 for $2.50 (2005) $3.00 (2007) $3.50 (2009) $4.00 (October 2010). Mr. Pancake Man is hard of hearing. Make sure he knows what you like before he makes them. And time it as he also gets sidetracked. A lot. 3 minutes is my magic number.

Super H Mart
2550 Pleasant Hill Rd. Bldg. 300
Duluth, GA 30096
678-543-4000

Technorati Tags: Korean, snacks, Super H, Duluth