Chow Down Atlanta

Did I have you at dumpling? Thought so. This is another of those new establishments in Duluth. It opened about two months ago. It occupies the space vacated by my ultra favorite EERecipe Rice Crepe House (if you never went then too bad for you). Managed, operated, and staffed by a Korean family, everything is made in-house. Handmade, homemade noodles? Check. Handmade dumplings? Check. Korean mommy cooking just about everything from scratch? Check.

Korean dumpling and noodle shops pride themselves with handmade dumplings and noodles. This place is no exception. There are a handful of these in our city, each unique in its own way. But what I really love about this place is the noodles. They are thinner yet just as chewy. And I like that they aren’t as starchy. The soup broth still gets a fair amount of starch but not as much as all the other places. The dak kalguksu, a chicken noodle soup, has flavorful broth, lots of slippery noodles, chunks of white meat chicken, zuchini, and radishes. Unlike other places, it comes with a side of soy-based sauce for dipping or for mixing with the soup. I do both. It adds another dimension of flavor that doesn’t take away from the original taste of the soup. Lovely.

I love the simple banchan here, too. The flavors are bright and really fresh. The cucumber kimchi is phenomenal. Best anywhere. It has loads of thick-sliced celery — a veggie I never got to like because the taste overpowers everything else in a dish but surprised myself by eating lots of them here. There’s a slight sweetness in the background that plays with the spiciness of the brine. The cucumbers and celery are super crunchy, making it like a refreshing salad, really.

This special isn’t on the menu but posted on the wall instead. I don’t know what it’s called. It’s a pork rib kimchi stew with a mandoo in it. At $7.45, this is a steal since the regular menu price is $24.95 for two people. The stew has a very bold flavor with tons of kimchi in it. You get a big pork rib with meat that’s literally falling off the bone. There’s a huge mandoo (dumpling) in there, too, that has a minced meat filling that includes scallions and eggs. The dumpling wrapper has the perfect thinness that allows the filling to stay put even after you stir the stew vigorously, yet it breaks when you bite down. I really liked this delicious, hearty soup.

There are a few more noodle dishes that I can’t wait to try such as the bibimguksu (one of my favorite cold noodle dishes) and a special dish written on the wall. The menu will be expanded in the few weeks to come to include the usual bibimbap and bulgogi dishes. So if you’re not too familiar with the type of Korean dishes they have on the menu, don’t fret, there’s gonna be something there for you soon. In the meantime, live a little, explore, and try one of the best noodle/dumpling shops in the city.

Dumpling House
2645 N Berkeley Lake Rd
Ste 129
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 232-9600

Technorati Tags: noodles, dumplings, Duluth, Korean

I have been a long-time fan of Quickly ever since I discovered it in Asia many summers ago and in California a few years ago. Quickly first came to Atlanta (inside the Gwinnett Place Mall) in the early 2000s. Much like the first froyo seven years ago, it was ahead of its time and never took off. So I was really happy to see it come back to town. This location is the younger (open since June) but much bigger sister of the original one on BuHi. It has a full kitchen serving Taiwanese snacks, ramen, and stir-fried noodles, in addition to the bubble teas that made it famous.

Quickly is famous for its bubble teas. Although bubble teas have been around Asia forever (I first tasted it when I was 4 in some obscure Asian town being peddled on the streets), the concept of using fancy flavors and adding custard and different kinds of jelly then having the cup sealed is a Taiwanese invention. There are 22 main flavors of bubble teas here. You can mix and match as you wish. Bubble tea is a sweet, flavored, black tea-based drink with tapioca pearls in it. Good bubble tea must be creamy yet light, milky, and with flavors really standing out — a refreshing drink. The tapioca pearls must have a soft exterior and a chewy interior. They must not crumble when you bite on them, and neither should they have a hard, gritty center. Think of the concept as al dente pasta. Oh and by the way, the tapioca pearls at Quickly are boiled with honey instead of just plain water so they have a sweetish flavor as opposed to flavorless tapioca pearls. This is the difference between Taiwanese-style bubble teas versus other versions like the Korean or Vietnamese ones made from powdered flavorings.

my bubble tea collection

While most people have a coffee habit, I have a bubble tea one. I drink it once or twice daily, every single day without fail. All flavors are good here. Current favorites are tapioca, lavender, taro, jasmine, caramel mocha, pudding, and Thai tea. For slush, you have to get the watermelon slush. It’s made with fresh watermelons. Add lychee jelly to it and you’ve got an awesome fresh fruit shake on steroids. Fresh watermelon juice (with pulp) is also a must-try. The flavored black and green teas tend to be cloyingly, syrupy sweet so if you’re not into that like me, I’d completely avoid it.

Now the food. There are only three things you must, must try at this place: first, the Taiwan chicken nuggets. These tender nuggets of chicken are seasoned with a blend of Taiwanese spices (including five-spice), coated with a thin layer of cornstarch, then fried golden. They are the perfect snack and so delicious. A basket for $2.50 can’t be beat either. Get the spicy kind that’s sure to keep you dreaming for more. Add to that some fried sweet potato prepared the same way and you have a perfect pair.

The third thing that you must eat here is the fried rice. This, by far, is the best fried rice in the whole of Atlanta. Surprised? So was I. The rice is moist and very, very tasty. I love the diced napa cabbage in it that creates a wonderful crunch in your mouth. Tender, juicy pieces of meat complete this one-dish meal. Unbelievably good is all I can say.

If you’re looking for mind-blowing ramen, you won’t find it here. What they do have is a will-do-since-you’re-already-here kind of ramen. The broth is thin and bland and the ramen tend to clump to each other. If a quick fix is all you need, then that’s all you’ll get.

This place has a cult following and teens tend to make it a hang out as soon as the sun comes down. As such, expect very long lines once 4PM hits and never lets down til it closes at midnight. Table service is always prompt, attentive, and very courteous. Cash only for bubble teas/drinks. Debit cards accepted for table service/food (upon request).

Quickly Ramen Noodle and Boba Tea
3780 Old Norcross Rd. Ste. 304
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 476-5988

Technorati Tags: tidal, bubble tea, Taiwanese, ramen, noodles, Duluth

Before anything else, today is Chow Down Atlanta’s birthday. You. Each and every one of you made this possible and I’d really like to thank you for all your support. For stopping by, reading, commenting, even hating — well, I think I only “angered” two or three of you so that’s good. You made this past four years so much fun. I’ve met so many good people, made so many new friends, and ate my weight in food (which is what I’ve been doing all my life anyway). I’m still here. And so are you. Thank you.

Did you know? There’s a Chinese tradition of eating noodles on your birthday because noodles symbolize long life. What better way to celebrate my birthday than to have a noodle post. Here’s hoping there will be more years of CDA. Cheers!

I grew up eating noodles of every kind. Noodles when you are a kid are so much fun: slurping noodles from end to end, one noodle at a time, was the ultimate child’s play for us on the dining table. Italian and Asian noodles are both comfort food to me. One particular Asian noodles that I really like is the Chinese Ja Jiang Mein: noodles in brown sauce (or black sauce as I’ve called it). There are many variations of the sauce but basically, ground meat, sweet fermented soy beans, and hoisin are used. When I was 17, I discovered the savory Korean version, Jjajangmyeon, and all I could say then was wow.  This past summer, I had a Jjajangmyeon phase. I went to all the places in the city that had it and ate my weight in Jjajangmyeon. I’m still eating it at least once a week.

Before I tell you where to find the best bowl of jajangmyeon here in Atlanta, here’s a guide to deciphering all the different types of jajangs you’ll find on the menu. The following are the prefixes you’ll see preceding the word Jajangmyeon.

Yuni (유니) – this sauce consists of finely minced meat and finely diced vegetables without starch. Almost always freshly prepared and not offered at all places
Gan (간) – doesn’t have starch, which means the sauce will be thick like gravy. Unlike the regular jajang sauce which sits in a big pot heating away, this one is usually freshly stir fried in the wok to order
Samseon (삼선) – has seafood like squid, shrimp, scallop, sea cucumber or any combination of in the sauce
Jaengban (쟁반) – means the jajang comes premixed on a platter (jaengban means a platter) and the sauce usually consists of starch
Gochu (고추) – has chili peppers in the sauce so it’s a bit spicy

In Atlanta, there are a quite a few places that make their noodles in-house. Some even hand-pull them. Here are the best places I went to over and over again.

The best: Sam Won Gak

1291 Old Peachtree Rd.,
Suite 103
Suwanee, GA 30024
(770) 622-6022

My favorite place.  The best place for Jjajangmyeon in the city, hands down, is Sam Won Gak. I was almost reluctant to feature this restaurant because I wanted to keep it for myself. But I decided to spread the love. I have been here literally countless of times. The beautiful yellow noodles here are homemade. They are chewy, stretchy, and perfectly sticky.  I eat two kinds of jajiang here.  Both are phenomenal. The Yuni Jajiang is what I mostly eat because of its intense, wake-up-your-senses, bold black bean flavor. The black bean sauce is so savory, smoky, thick, and chunky, with lots of minced pork and veggies. The sauce is served separate from the noodles and you’ll have to mix them up yourself. Don’t dump the entire bowl of sauce into the noodles. Add as appropriate so you can control the flavor and saltiness.

The regular jajangmyeon here is fantastic. It is similar in taste to the yuni above but the sauce is starchier, stickier, and thicker.

The jaengban jajaiang is equally delicious. It’s a platter of noodles with the sauce already mixed in. It’s starchy, has a teeny-tiny hint of sweet, and a very smoky flavor. The soybean paste taste is slightly muted here than in the yuni.

If you want the best jjajangmyeon in the city then don’t go anywhere else. This blows away any and all places in town.

The Rest (because the rest just don’t compare to the best):

Ching Mei

3230 Steve Reynolds Boulevard, Ste 116,
Duluth, GA 30096-8833
(678) 205-0898

Although the noodles aren’t homemade, Ching Mei, a Korean-Chinese place inside Nukoa Plaza has good jajangmyeon. Their $5.99 huge bowl of Jajangmyeon has a sauce that’s quite good and thick. A good option if you’re in the area.

The yuni jajangmyeon here is smoky but not as black beany as I want it to be. It’s still good and the sauce is concentrated enough that you can taste the black bean paste.

Kuk Poong

3525 Mall Blvd., # 1A
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 813-8222

The regular jajangmyeon here is actually decent. The noodles are chewy and the sauce has enough flavor and smokiness to it. Avoid the gochu jaengban jajang here at all cost as it is sweet and the black bean taste is almost nonexistent.

Yeng Jing

5302 Buford Highway, #A6
Doraville, GA 30340
(770) 454-6688

This Korean-Chinese place claims to use handmade noodles. The yuni jajangmyeon here is a little on the sweet side, thanks to the dash of hoisin they use on the sauce. It’s good but not as flavorful as the other places in town. And I can’t get past the sweetish taste. The version here is more Chinese than Korean so if you prefer that then this is your place.

Their jaengban jajang uses the same sauce but it just comes premixed. Overall not my favorite place for jajangmyeon.

Man Chung Hong

5953 Buford Highway Northeast
Atlanta, GA 30340-1375
(770) 454-5640

Man Chun Hong uses homemade “well-being” noodles, which have herbs mixed in the noodles to give it a dark green color. Although their noodles are made in house and hand-pulled, the sauce has little taste and the presence of the black beans is surely missed. The jajiang sauce is okay but coupled with the forgettable noodles, it just doesn’t do it for me.

So there. If you’ve never had jajangmyeon then you must really try it. Beats the regular ho-hum Chinese and Thai noodles we’re so accustomed to. Go now!

Technorati Tags: Korean, noodles, jajangmyeon, Atlanta, Duluth, Buford Hwy, Suwanee

I’ve been hitting the new Assi Plaza Duluth food court for lunch for the last couple of weeks. My newest obsession: hand-pulled noodles. From the Chinese stall. You’d get a kick out of watching Mr. Noodles pull and whack his pasta on a table.

The noodles are just perfect. Noodles are made when you place your order. The black bean paste sauce is savory with a slight hint of sweet. The pork cubes are tender. I just love their Jajang Noodles.

Note: Jajang noodles were created in Korea by Chinese settlers back in the 1800s. This Korean version has a faint hint of sweetness whereas the original mainland Chinese version does not.

China House
1630 Pleasant Hill Rd.
#A8
Duluth, GA 30096
678-638-0822
Inside Assi Plaza Duluth

Technorati Tags: Chinese, hand-pulled noodles, noodles, Duluth

I grew up eating at SakanaYa, a popular joint among Japanese. They had an amazing robata menu (kushiyaki/yakitori), authentic dishes not found anywhere else, fantastic noodles, fresh sushi, and overall great Japanese food. After undergoing a change in management and ownership, they eventually closed after many years. I was ecstatic to find out that it has been reincarnated to Blue Fin Sushi a couple of years ago. Located in the northern part of PIB, the new digs is bigger, nicer, more contemporary. Out of the four original sushi chefs, only one remains. The menu has also been considerably whittled down but with a few old favorites still surviving. Overall, prices have gone higher.

One of the draws here is the ramen (an extensive part of the menu). I’ve seen two top Japanese chefs eat ramen here regularly and swear by their goodness. I agreed. Until in recent months when the flavors are just off — not quite as bold as before and more thin in taste and consistency. Despite the shortcomings, the ramens here are still far better than most places. Although smaller in serving size than most places, each order comes with a side of California roll (lunch). My favorite is the Shio Ramen made with clear broth seasoned with salt then topped with tender pork slices. I also like the Spicy Miso Ramen which is great during colder months.

All sushi are fresh. You can’t go wrong with any of them. Last week, the sea urchin were just melt-in-your-mouth delicious that I ate 12 pieces. Amazing.

The soba here is fantastic — cold, chewy, with a good dipping sauce.  I could eat this everyday.  Save room for the gyozas.  They are crazy good with their thin skin and flavorful filling.  They’re steamed then fried.  The hamachi kama and grilled salmon are all great options as well.  The portions are smallish so you have to order a few different items to get your fill.  Still, it’s a great way to sample the menu.

This place is on my regular rotation.  Try it.

Insider tip:
Closed on Mondays.

The scoop:
Blue Fin Sushi
2863 Peachtree Industrial Blvd
Duluth, GA 30097
(770) 232-5004

Technorati Tags: Duluth, Japanese, noodles, sushi