Chow Down Atlanta

Not all Korean restaurants are eater-friendly. Some do not have English menus, English-speaking wait staff, or mainstream food. This is one of those places. It’s not for those unfamiliar with traditional Korean cuisine or want to eat popular mainstream Korean food. But. If you want everyday food that Koreans eat at home then this is the place to go to.

Soups rule in Korean cuisine so this place has a lot of them. The counterpart to our chicken soup, their Samgyetang or “well-being” soup hits the spot. Boiling hot milky broth is infused with fall-off-the-bone chicken stuffed with rice, ginseng, and Chinese dates. The result is the perfect soup for that cold weather. Not to mention, it would also cure you of that nagging cold you might have. Order either half or the whole chicken, season with sea salt and cracked pepper served along side the banchan, and you’re good to go.

Other notables here include the soft tofu soup (soondubu), the kimchi stew (kichi jigae), and the rice cake/dumpling soup. There’s a hand-cut noodle soup with seafood that I’m dying to try next.

Definitely a good place to try if you’re in the area or needing a soup intro to your second lunch.

Tang Roo
Inside the Nukoa Plaza
3230 Steve Reynolds Blvd.
#11
Duluth, GA 30096
770-232-5204

[tags]Korean, Duluth{/tags]

This one’s for my good friend B who loves boba as much as I do.

If you’re like me who scouts streets looking for new places to try then I’m sure you’ve noticed this plaza across from Walmart on Pleasant Hill Road. There was a sketchy restaurant in there that had dark tinted windows called Folk House that only opened late at night. It looked like a scary place catering to men only so I never ventured in there. Late in September, a new bubble tea joint opened in its place. It’s a super cute space where you can hang out, snack, and get your fill on bubble teas.

There aren’t as many flavors of bubble teas as other places but they have the staples. I like that the flavors taste real. And the boba? Sweet and chewy.

Taiwanese snacks cost a mere $2.99 per order. Taiwanese nuggets, chicken wings and sweet potato fries are good options.

Daily specials include sandwiches and rice plates.

They also have Chinese pastries including Wife cakes and buns with savory and sweet fillings. Wife cake, you ask? They’re flat, thin pastries with flaky crust. The inside resembles chewy, dense, firm, mashed potatoes. It’s a traditional cake in Hongkong and mainland China and comes with an assortment of fillings. I have always loved the wintermelon or pork fillings which you can find in Chinese bakeries in town. Here, at Boba Mocha, they usually have pineapple flavor.

It’s a mish-mash of a place that serves Korean pastries supplied by White Windmill, cheesecakes from Cheesecake Factory, ice-cream, and other desserts. If nothing else, it’s a nice and quiet place to sit down.

(Be sure to check-in on foursquare to get 50% off your entire bill.)

Boba Mocha
2628 Pleasant Hill Rd.
Duluth, GA 30096
(678) 367-3757

Technorati Tags: bubble tea, boba, Duluth, Taiwanese, Korean

I was once told that Koreans love to eat soup during the summer. To cool down. Fight heat with heat. Whatever. So even though this soup place opened just as summer is starting (this past Saturday, to be exact), I’m sure it’s gonna have a following. So here I am. It’s 90 degrees outside. And I’m eating shabu shabu. This place is a Korean version of the ubiquitous Chinese hot pot. What’s the difference, you ask? It’s all in the broth. Japanese shabu shabu uses a dashi broth (stock made with kelp). Korean versions usually use kimchi, chili powder and chili paste. Chinese use plain meat or seafood stock.

This place is more like a Chinese mini hot pot joint. That means, you don’t get to share. You get your own mini pot of broth (they have various kinds) and a plate of veggies. You pick your meat. You let the stock boil then you cook your veggies and choice of meat to your liking. You dip them in your choice of sauce (they have a sauce station). Then you eat. Simple!

Go for lunch when prices are half price and start at $9.99. Dinner prices start at $12.99. As with all shabu shabu places, the key is in the sauce. And while you can concoct whatever potion you like, ask for them to make you the spicy ponzu sauce. So, so good. Everything else is pretty standard — thin slices of beef, pork, and chicken. Substantial seafood consist of fish slices, clams, squid, fish balls, and shrimp. Veggies and accompaniments are the usual suspects: napa cabbage, Korean broccoli, corn, a piece of mushroom, enoki mushroom, fish cake, slice of squash, tofu, and an egg. And if you’ve been frustrated by most ethnic places’ lack of service, fear not, they have the best one anywhere — attentive yet never intrusive.

Now go cool down this Atlanta heat with soup.

*Postscript: Took my mom and my sister here last night and they absolutely loved it. This is now our favorite hot pot spot in town. The food? They use nothing but top notch ingredients. The space? Fun and contemporary.

Located next to Hansel & Gretel Bakery. Grand opening today!

Shabu n Shabu
2605 Pleasant Hill Rd
Ste 300
Duluth, GA 30096
(678) 584-1111

Technorati Tags: Shabu Shabu, Korean, Duluth, Pleasant Hill

There are so many new Korean places in Duluth I can’t keep up. This one opened a week ago and I’m so happy to see they’re already busy everyday. First, let me tell you how to get there. Although the address says Pleasant Hill, the storefront faces North Berkeley Lake (across from Super H). So, to get there, take North Berkeley Lake Rd away from Super H Mart (if you go the other way you’ll hit Super H). It’s the free standing building in the Walmart plaza next to the gasoline station.

Best deal for $3.50

Now the food. I liken the quality and taste of food here with the fast casual concept. If you want a quick, no-frills meal then this is your spot. They’ve got different kinds of kimbap (maki rolls) that cost $3.50 an order and comes with 12 big slices. Served with a bowl of spicy soup and daikon kimchi, they make for a good snack or appetizer. I suggest the bulgogi kimbap so you get a little protein but the fish cake one is also good (if chewy is your thing). There’s also a cheese kind that was actually okay.

$7.99 and it’s not even full

I’m a huge fan of yukgaejang because it’s my favorite Korean soup. I can proudly say I’ve had it at almost all the Korean places in the metro that serve it. The version here is ordinary — no depth of flavors, just flat beef broth. There are a good amount of beef pieces in the spicy soup although they needed a few more hours in the pot to tenderize. I do like that it didn’t come piled high with bean sprouts (a turn-off and a no-no) and that it came with lots of fernbrake (or fiddleheads, a black, noodle-like veggie that’s a major component of this soup). It’s a good deal for $7.99 if you’re not particular with your yukgaejangs. Unfortunately, I am and I’d rather spend that money next door in either direction of Pleasant Hill for amazing yukgaejang that even comes with handmade noodles. But that’s just me.

They have two kinds of ramen: one with veggies and egg and another one with cheese. (Really, cheese?) The menu says “instant noodles soup” so I wouldn’t even dare order that if I were you. Besides, you have better use for your $5.99. They have quite a selection of rice cake dishes — tteokbokki — chewy rice cakes resembling solid tubes of pasta in spicy tomato-based broth. I am an equal opportunity tteokbokki eater so the ones here are okay to me (although a bit pricier than most places).

There’s one thing, however, that you must get here. The Chicken Juk (rice porridge) is really pretty good. Flavorful minced chicken swim in delicious porridge. It has the perfect balance of sticky and soupy. Comfort food, yes!

Overall, a pricey place. Nothing spectacular overall but hits the spot when you’re in the immediate area and craving for something quick.

Pepper Garden
2605 Pleasant Hill Rd.
Suite 600-A
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 497-9010

Technorati Tags: Korean, Duluth

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