Chow Down Atlanta

No, really, it’s called New Saigon. And it’s also new… ish. It’s located next door to Super H (Johns Creek) in the same strip mall. It’s so nice inside. Prices are very reasonable. Food is okay, not mind-blowing good, but not bad either.

They use good cuts of meat. The porkchop is thick (for a strip mall standard) and well marinated. The beef is tender and juicy. The combination plates are a good deal because they come with meat, fried eggs, salad and rice. I’m not a big fan of their (or any Vietnamese) crushed (or broken) rice because it’s grittier than regular rice. Broken rice originated from way back in Asia (among those developing nations) when rice became scarce. My uncle taught Agriculture in Saigon in the 70s (he showed them the American way of rice production). At that time he said the good rice was harvested and processed then shipped to fancy French restaurants and to those people who could afford to buy them. The more affordable (read: lower grade) broken rice were bagged for the masses. Me, I just never liked the texture. I like soft, chewy Korean/Japanese or Jasmine rice.

The summer rolls make really great appetizers. You get three in an order. They’re light, refreshing, and filled with plump, fresh shrimp. The thick, soy-peanut sauce is also quite good — it has just the right sweet-salty combination.

I really like the rice vermicelli bowls (bún) here. You can top them with your choice of meat. I like that the noodles are well prepared — they don’t stick to each other. They’re not gooey, gluey, and wet. It’s just like when Italian pasta is boiled the right way. Drizzle it with the accompanying sweet-sour fish sauce and you have a fantastic meal in a bowl.

Last thing. Every meal comes with a free dessert. Ice cream or flan (egg custard). Don’t scoff. The flan is amazing!

New Saigon Vietnamese Bistro
10820 Abbotts Bridge Rd., Ste 110
Johns Creek, GA 30097
(770) 495-8828

Technorati Tags: Vietnamese, Alpharetta, Johns Creek

There are so many inexpensive buffets in town that leave a bad taste in my mouth. Not only are the places filthy and the food usually not at all good, the quality of food is much to be desired. But not here at Sinbad’s Feast.

First, the place is immaculate. And sophisticated. A clear left-over from the previous tenant Sia’s. There are no tell-tale signs that this is a Persian restaurant except for a side room, the Hookah Lounge, complete with… beds! Daybeds outfitted with colorful fabrics and comfy pillows. I wanted to jump in and curl up!

And then there’s the food. Everything is freshly-made in-house. Owner/Chef PJ, a long-time chef and a Tehran native who has been living in Atlanta for 28 years, concocts the most delicious Persian, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern food imaginable. My memories of authentic Middle Eastern/Persian food come from an Iranian uncle who lives in Atlanta and cooks simple Persian food, and visits to Doha (Qatar) and Dubai (UAE) where I’ve been four times. In a couple of those visits, I remember a family friend, a Persian chef and a resident, who prepared the best Fesejoon I have ever tasted. Chef PJ’s is just as good, if not better. His version gave me an oh-my-gosh-this-is-so-good-I-need-a-moment-of-silence. The chicken is so moist and so tender and the ground walnut-pomegranate sauce is simply heavenly.

But that’s not all. The chicken in the Jooheh was so moist even after sitting out on the buffet. The lime, herbs, and saffron flavors are evident in every bite. I love the tasty Koobideh, ground meat seasoned with spices and turmeric, goes really well with Adas rice . My uncle makes Koobideh often and serves it with the same lentils-and-raisins-mixed rice. Everything is good but the stews here are really the stars of the show. Fork-tender meats are simmered in herbs and spices resulting in flavorful sauces that are thick and hearty. I would go everyday just for the stews alone. Incidentally, dishes change daily so you won’t feel like eating the same things over and over again at every visit.

A great ending to every Mid-Eastern meal, a cup of cardamom tea infused with rose water is freshly brewed daily. The food, both in quality and taste, really doesn’t justify the price. So for $8.95 for lunch and $12.95 for dinner, what are you waiting for?

Side Note: Shout out to my Persian cousin AT who dabbles as a very famous graffiti artist and equally famous b-boy in Atlanta

Sinbad’s Feast
10305 Medlock Bridge Rd., Suite C-8
Johns Creek, GA 30097
(770) 622-6409

Technorati Tags: Persian, Mediterranean, Mid-eastern, buffet, Johns Creek, hookah bar

Johns Creek

If you prefer a quieter atmosphere than most Korean bakeries then Vincent Bakery is for you. There are two locations: the first one opened on Medlock Bridge in Johns Creek, a stone’s throw from Super H Mart; and the newer other one is on Pleasant Hill next to What The Pho. The atmosphere at both locations are quite laid back. The Johns Creek location is a lot bigger, offers more goodies, and has a neat, glass-walled, open bakery where you can peek and see the bakers at work.

Johns Creek:

Pleasant Hill:

I like the croissant/danish here filled with creamy custard. The cakes are moist with a very good, light butter cream frosting — the mocha and sweet cream cakes are their signature cakes. Mocha rolls are also very good here. And, of course, any Korean milk cream bread is better than any standard grocery white bread.

Vincent Bakery
2 Locations:

10900 Medlock Bridge Rd # 106
Johns Creek, GA 30097
(770) 476-7534

2442 Pleasant Hill Road
Duluth, GA 30096
770 622 2028

Technorati Tags: Korean, bakery, Duluth, Johns Creek

Verdict: RUN, don’t walk. And. Get. There. NOW!!!

Chinese Elvis. Better than the King himself. He provides live entertainment nightly.

Family friends invited us to the grand opening on July 3rd. But I was in Sanibel at the time. Talks of real, authentic Cantonese cooking circulated and wouldn’t die down — with the chef coming from the Guangdong province and apparently a brilliant one to boot, including lengthy stints in Hong Kong under his belt. But then I got a hold of the menu. And felt deflated. Disappointed. With the location being right-smack in the middle of suburbia, I kind of expected it could not sustain a menu worthy of Buford Highway clientele. And the menu was testament to that: all Americanized dishes. Yeah, I’m talking Panda Express Americanized.  The only thing I hoped for was that there was a good chance they had a Chinese menu. You know, the one reserved for the lucky Chinese people.  Written in Chinese. Well, what do you know… they don’t.

Can you read (computerized) Chinese? These are part of what we ordered.

But we still gave it a chance, banking on familiarity with Cantonese cuisine; we knew we can make the chef make dishes we liked to eat in Hong Kong. And boy, did he surprise us. Forget Bo Bo Garden and Wan Lai. This is real Cantonese food. Exceptional is even an understatement. Every single thing we ate was just beyond perfection. Do note, however, that there are no names to these dishes. We basically asked what is fresh that visit, what they had in the kitchen, and gave very loose guidelines as to how they should be prepared.

The Pig’s Ears cold dish is a great appetizer. The ears are sliced thinly but big enough to constitute two bites. Tender yet still gelatinous with the requisite chew. The cucumber slices and cilantro provide texture and added background flavor with the soy sauce and sesame seed oil serving as the main yet subtle tastes in the foreground.

Quite possibly the best dish of the night. And my favorite: Giant Clam. Served in its shell. The meat was sliced into tender pieces then stir-fried in XO Sauce. I wouldn’t be surprised if the chef made his sauce from scratch. I’ll remember to ask next time. The Chinese chives provide a tiny hint of sweet that offsets the savory flavor of the sauce. Brilliant. (Tip: mix the accompanying cilantro with the dish for added oomph.)’

Soft slices of taro are underneath the duck.

The Duck+Taro was another stellar dish. First, the duck is steamed and then braised. The result is tender pieces of duck with bones crunchy enough to eat. The sauce is infused in every bite. Delicious.

The Steamed Flounder is just absolutely divine. The fish was so fresh, buttery, and just melted in the mouth. The ginger-scallion sauce was amazing. In Chinese restaurants, always opt for salt-water fish. They go better with Chinese cooking. For future reference. That’s all.

Other items that were attacked either before I could take pictures or pictures that weren’t as good because it was unbelievably dark in there include a “two-way fish” — a deep-fried Tilapia dish (freshly fished from a tank). The head is used for tofu soup and served along side the crispy fish. It will blow you away. A delicious black bean sauce is used to top the fish. Seriously delicious.

The stir-fried Sea Cucumbers were so tender yet still have a slight chew. Bite-sized pieces are laid on top of steamed baby bok choy. The sauce is light and thin. I like this version a lot because this is what I was used to eating.

Fresh Manila Clams in dry XO sauce is an excellent finger food. The clams are salty-sweet. You can taste the ocean!

The Dry-fried Beef Chow Fun has that addicting smokiness.

The Chinese Fried Chicken is crispier and doesn’t have that cloying five-spice after-taste. The stir-fried Shrimp with Oyster Mushrooms is refreshingly light. The Seafood Hot Pot puts all hot pots to shame. And the Yeung Chow fried rice (a staple in every Cantonese meal) uses sweet barbecue pork. Everything. Is. Fantastic.

Additional notes:The chef has been with the family for decades and used to cook in their old joint in Buford Highway.

Located on the corner of State Bridge Road and 141/Peachtree Pkwy/Medlock Bridge. Inside the plaza where Regal Medlock cinema is. In a free-standing building that used to be a Greek diner that used to be a Mexican place.

All servers speak English. Use this post as your guide as dishes have no names and are not on the menu.

Hong Kong House
5710 State Bridge Rd.,
Johns Creek, GA
30022
678-584-5855
Sunday-Thursday: 11AM-10PMFriday-Saturday: 11AM-11:30PM

More pictures here.

Technorati Tags: Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Cantonese, Chinese

Two words: boiled bagels. If you’re a New Yorker then you know what I’m talking about. My brother regularly sends or brings me H&H Bagels from New York but I’ve found a close substitute here in the metro: Essex Bagels.

These huge, authentic NY bagels (the size of a child’s head) are dense, chewy, and doughy with a shiny, smooth coating. Boiling the bagels prior to baking ensures they have such trademark interior and crust. If you haven’t had one of these, then you must run and get one. It is that good.

Note: Essex uses bagel dough from BB’s. So if you can’t drive all the way to Cumming, this Johns Creek/Alpharetta option is much closer.

Insider tip:
Bagels are $0.95 each and Specialty Bagels are $1.25.
Bakers Dozen is $11.40
They have a nice dining area with tables and booths including free wifi. Breakfast (served all day) and lunch are available.

The scoop:
Essex Bagels & Deli
11030 Medlock Bridge Rd Ste 160
Johns Creek, GA 30097
(770) 476-8214

Technorati Tags: boiled bagels, NY bagels, Johns Creek, Alpharetta