Chow Down Atlanta

This Chinese family owned and operated authentic Sichuan joint has only been open barely two weeks yet they seem to already attract a bevy of Chinese customers. The chef came to Alpharetta by way of Mississippi where he used to own a Chinese restaurant for years. After 8 years here, he decided to open an authentic Chinese restaurant specializing in Sichuan cuisine.

The first thing I noticed about the dishes here is the authentic Sichuan flavors. Lots of garlic, ginger, chili peppers, and Sichuan peppercorns are used, and yes, the dishes are spicy as they should be. While the traditional menu, as of the moment, is sparse and very limited, the chef hopes to expand his repertoire and present a more enhanced menu in a week or two.

One of my favorite Chinese appetizers is pig’s ear. I love the chewy, crunchy, gelatinous texture. I’ve had many, many variations of this dish and my favorite remains to be the kind where it’s combined with deep fried, crunchy tofu cubes in a sweet-soy-based sauce. But I do like all kinds. Here, the boiled ears are cooled, sliced thinly, then laced with spicy chili oil and sweetish-salty soy-based sauce. Delicious. I could eat a whole platter of this.

The only other place I’ve had amazingly good, authentic Sichuan dumplings is San Francisco (and China, of course). I haven’t found the same taste anywhere here until now. These boiled dumplings are homemade. The wrappers are soft and chewy while the pork filling is very flavorful. I suspect they are boiled in chicken stock as there is no floury taste in them. The fresh minced garlic topping adds additional heat and pungency. The spicy, sweet-salty sauce with it is so fantastic, I was spooning heaps into my mouth.

MaPo Tofu is a yardstick when it comes to authentic Sichuan cuisine. This dish was so unbelievably good that it was demolished before I could even turn my camera on. The spicy chili and bean-based sauce is totally spot on. The spiciness is numbing yet the bold flavors of the sauce is retained. The tofu is creamy and the minced pork adds texture to this wonderful dish.

The Traditional Spicy Beef Stir-Fry included slices of dry-fried beef. It had lots of dried chili peppers, onions, celery, carrots, green peppers, and lotus roots to provide a crunchy balance to the tender beef. This is another fantastic, spicy dish with lots of garlic and ginger flavors.

A surprising hit, the Chicken Breast in Garlic Sauce sounds ho-hum on paper but delivered a knock-out punch. The tender slices of chicken were infused with a spicy-garlic-chili sauce that lightly coated all the ingredients. There were crisp pieces of cabbage, broccoli, carrots, and wood ear mushrooms that made this dish an exceptional one.

Overall, a fantastic and inexpensive meal. Everything was delicious including the bubble teas with very, very chewy tapioca pearls (just the way they should be).

Insider tip:
Cash only at this time.
Prices average $5-9.

The scoop:
Cafe Q Sichuan Cuisine
10475 Medlock Bridge Rd., Suite 105
Johns Creek, GA 30097
(770) 232-9388

Technorati Tags: Chinese, Sichuan, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, dumplings

I am impressed by what looks like hole-in-a-wall places, especially when it does not look nor feel like so when you step in. Such is the case here at Kozmo — a new gastro pub deep in the heart of suburbia. It’s in a strip mall with tight parking many miles away from the nearest major highway.

The decor is suggestive of Buckhead and Midtown with its usual minimalist take — clean whites, contrasting dark booths, splashes of wood, open kitchen, shiny concrete floors, huge boards plastered on the wall. The focal point is a large wooden communal table complete with Starck’s Emeco bar stools. The clientele, however, is typical of the affluent area: the more matured, more polished, more reserved crowd.

Food wise, it’s top notch. The House Poutine is simply incredible and one of the best versions I’ve had in town. Theirs come layered to ensure the fries stay crisp. Au jus, fork-tender flaked short rib, cheese, and fries are arranged neatly from bottom to top. It is a gigantic portion good enough for sharing. I love the layering effect (as opposed to the “pile-on-high” results found in nachos) and more so that they don’t skimp on the flaked short rib which is so flavorful.

The burger is a great contender to the popular versions in town. It is hand-made with a brisket-sirloin mix that produces a tender, juicy, thick patty. The Alon’s brioche is buttery and soft and gives a sweetish hint to the fatty meat — a perfect combination. The sparse amount of lettuce and thinly sliced tomato guarantee the flavor of the meat to shine. Delicious. The side of macaroni-and-cheese is a grown-up take on the kiddie favorite. Twisty macaroni shells are drenched in creamy Parmesan, mozzarella, white cheddar, and bleu cheeses. This is definitely not what your momma used to make.

Tuesdays is Fried Chicken night. And it is in your best interest not to miss it. They do run out so do hurry. Three pieces of lightly battered yet crispy fried chicken are tender and moist with flavor all the way through. It’s not a massive portion but with two good-sized sides, this $8.99 dish is enough to get you filled. My chosen sides of garlic spinach and coleslaw are both fantastic. The spinach retains its crunch and the garlic lends a flavor. The coleslaw is crisp and creamy but not so that you feel like you’re eating mayo. You can tell they only use fresh and quality ingredients here.

The Short Rib Pappardelle is scrumptious. The stewed-for-hours short rib is fork tender and the flavor is bold and hefty. The house-made sheets of fresh pasta allows the meat to mellow, sopping up all the sauce for a great-tasting dish.

Dessert wise, everything’s made in house. The chocolate chip cookies with ice-cream is a simple choice but big on taste. The cookies are mounds of soft, chewy short-bread infused with chunks of chocolate. They were so good and fresh out of the oven that I didn’t want to waste a minute by photographing them.

Drink wise, well, I’m not much of a drinker. But even the non-drinker that I am found the White Sangria pretty weak. No kick, no taste of wine, and more like a watered-down fruit juice with wine-infused bits of fruits. But I am curious to try their Kozmojito and the Kozmorita on my future visits.

This is a real gastropub in the true sense of the word. Food is amazing, decor and ambiance are top notch, and prices are very reasonable. Although lunch and dinner have the same price points, the one most expensive item on the menu, the Flat Iron Steak and Fries will set you back a mere $14.99 while the burger weighs in at $8.99. Truly a great benefit to the folks who live in the area.

Insider tip:
Be sure to join their Lunch Club: buy 5 lunches and the 6th one is free.

The scoop:

Kozmo Gastro Pub
11890 Douglas Road
Alpharetta, GA 30005
(678) 526-6094

Technorati Tags: Kozmo, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, gastropub, bar

The Vietnamese stall inside Super H Mart in Johns Creek closed two months ago. A new European stall has opened in its place. My curiosity got piqued when I saw gulasch on the menu board. I mean, gulasch in a food court? I’m so there. But what really won me over was the picture of the bread dumplings next to the gulasch. When I was in Prague last year, I ate bread dumplings 3-4 times a day. The entire week! Bread, in an form, is my absolute weakness.

So I ordered a couple of things — the gulasch and the frikadellen. I should have known it wasn’t gonna be authentic after I found out that the Korean grandmother hostess was none other than the cook. She is the nicest, sweetest grandmother, though, and fed me like a starving granddaughther who hadn’t eaten in days. She also kept pushing food at me from the kitchen, just like a real grandma.

The gulasch, as expected, tasted more Korean than Czechoslovakian. It was really Korean stew, if anything else. It did taste bold and flavorful, and the meat pieces were very tender. Unfortunately, the bread dumplings are only for photography purposes as I learned they’ll never have it available. She gave me steamed rice instead (although I could have very well gotten fried rice).

The frikadellen (German meat patties) were as delicious as the German version — meaty with spinach, carrots, and a bit of cilantro (for that Korean touch). All meals come with a side of salad (and soup if requested; she gave me both).

This is a good place to eat homecooked European meals with a touch of Korean. Meals start at $5.95 and portions are huge. Other menu items include pasta bolognese, schnitzel, Asian noodles, fried rice, fish, chicken tenders. Where else can you order gulasch (or any European dish) with fried rice?

Insider tip:
Located inside Super H Mart in Johns Creek (141/Peachtree Parkway)

The scoop:
O My Food
10820 Abbotts Bridge Rd
Johns Creek 30097
(678) 474-0315

Technorati Tags: Super H Mart, Johns Creek, Italian, Chinese, German, Eastern European, Korean

Last week, CDA was lucky enough to be invited to experience the new decor and menu concept at Outback in Johns Creek (Alpharetta). They just underwent a massive remodelling and I must say that the place is beautiful. I remember when Outback first came to Atlanta in the late 80s. I was very young then but the times that my family went to check it out were memorable since I really love their Bloomin’ Onion appetizer. My dad’s sister and her family migrated to Australia in the 70s and my cousins would tell us, in their cute Aussie accents, about their original version back in Sydney.

I love what they’ve done to the place. Although located on a strip mall, you’ll be transported once you get in. Sunny yellow walls accented with black steel with warm wood tables and booths make the place cozy and casual. It does have that steakhouse feel but in a modern kind of way.

Since I was driving and do not take to alcohol too well, I opted for a non-alcoholic drink while my long-time friend (we practically grew up here in Atlanta together) had a peach Bellini-type drink called The Wallaby Darned. It had champagne, vodka, and peach schnapps. Sweet and refreshing, it was like fruit juice, which makes it the more dangerous since it’s easy to have quite a few of it. The Spinach and Artichoke Dip served with honey-wheat toast was a great way to start a meal. I particularly loved the toast which wasn’t jaw-breaking at all. In fact, there was enough chewiness in it that made it so good.

I had been eating steaks four days in a row so I went with the Combo Griller with grilled shrimp and scallops. It usually comes with a grilled pineapple, wild rice, and grilled veggies which I really didn’t have a taste for so I went with the monotonous mashed potatoes and green beans instead. I always get apprehensive when Cajun spices are involved because I never have any luck with it but Outback’s version was simply perfect. My shrimp and scallops were succulent and so flavorful. My friend got the Victoria’s Filet which was 7 ounces of center cut filet cooked perfectly. It was moist, tender and tasty. A great steak to be had.

Not being a big fan of desserts (I did eat an entire loaf of the complimentary honey wheat bread), we shared the brownie with house-made vanilla ice cream and house-made whipped cream. The brownie was so moist, so chewy, and so chocolatey. Topped with the ice cream, whipped cream, and house-made chocolate sauce, it was a great way to cap off our meal.

The verdict

Definitely a solid, casual place for steaks and seafood. The decor is wonderful and makes you feel like you’re dining in an upscale place. It’s befitting of the city and its clientèle. Service is impeccable. Our server was very attentive and very efficient. Don’t discount this chain yet. It can definitely give you a run for your money.

Insider tip:
Located in the Steinmart plaza on the corner of Jones Bridge and State Bridge Roads. The restaurant actually faces State Bridge.

The scoop:
Outback Steakhouse
10955 Jones Bridge Rd, 120-124, Johns Creek GA 30022
770-442-8775
Hours:
Monday: 4:00 PM – 10:30 PM
Tuesday: 4:00 PM – 10:30 PM
Wednesday: 4:00 PM – 10:30 PM
Thursday: 4:00 PM – 10:30 PM
Friday: 4:00 PM – 11:30 PM
Saturday: 3:00 PM – 11:30 PM
Sunday: 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Technorati Tags: Outback Steakhouse, steaks, seafood, honey wheat bread, Johns Creek, Alpharetta

Tuesday is my favorite pasta day. It’s because Tuesday is lasagna day at VZ. It’s the only day they ever make lasagna. But more on that later. VZ is this amazing pizzeria place on 141/Peachtree Parkway in the Johns Creek area. Believe me when I say this place rocks! Everything is made to order so although you’ll have to wait a few minutes for your pizza, pizza knots, and garlic bread, it is so worth the wait. The side salads are big and so fresh you’d think the greens came straight from the garden. The strombollis are huge enough for two people to eat and can be ordered with any combination of ingredients. The 10-inch heros are baked crispy on the outside. I mean it, everything on the menu is good.

First, the pizza dough is made in-house, fresh and really just amazing — it has the right amount of chewiness, crispiness, and doughiness. The homemade pizza sauce is bold and tasty. And the toppings, fresh and plenty! One bite and you’ll be hooked.

Then, of course, there’s the lasagna. Huge portions of home-made-from-scratch lasagna. It is THE best lasagna this side of Italy. Seriously, I’ve been to Italy countless times and although the version of pasta there cannot be duplicated, VZ sure makes a worthy contender. The layers of al dente pasta sheets, meat, and sauce then generously topped with their chuncky tomato sauce make this lasagna so addicting. Unfortunately, it is only available on Tuesdays. But now you know where to find me on Tuesdays!

If you’ve never been at Verra Zanno, you owe to yourself to go and be wowed. Start with some garlic bread which comes with a side of marinara sauce for dipping. Follow with a side of salad. The pizza is a must try for your first visit. After that, which I guarantee you’ll be back, try the pastas, then the rolls/strombollis, and the heros. Of course, you have got to be there on Tuesdays!

Insider tip:
Lunch specials daily. New specials available (click here). Whole pizzas cost a little more than what you’re used to but the taste and quality will definitely make up for the price.

The scoop:
Verra Zanno
(678) 473-0209

11600 Medlock Bridge Road (AKA 141) Suite 190
Duluth, GA 30097

Technorati Tags: Verra Zanno, pizzeria, pizza, pasta, Johns Creek, 141 Peachtree Parkway