Chow Down Atlanta

Teela is a new venture from former Eros owner Nik Panagopoulos who aims to bring fun food — tacos — this side of town.  The new digs is nestled inside Sandy Spring’s City Walk which is a huge upscale plaza with a big Kroger, bars, restaurants, and shops. Lots of parking spaces, too. Teela sits on one end close to one of the exits.

The Trios starter at $8.50 is a great way to sample the appetizers at Teela. It comes with a bowl of salsa, guacamole, and queso. I particularly loved the fresh, warm tortilla chips dusted with nacho seasoning that adds and extra oomph to an otherwise ho-hum chip and dip combo.

I sampled many tacos during my visit. The Brisket had chunks of fork-tender meat simmered in a blend of Mexican spices.  The Fajita Steak is quite possibly the best in the menu, with thick, juicy slices of flavorful steak. The Fried Chicken, Bang Bang Shrimp, Mushroom, and Pork Carnitas are all equally good. Tacos are smallish so 2-3 can make for a filling lunch (or dinner).

Enchiladas come two to an order but I requested two different kinds for mine. The Mole Chicken and and Fajita Steak were both good — tasty, with huge chunks of meat.

Overall a great place and fun place, complete with a funky patio — great for meeting people for drinks and a quick (and a cheap) bite to eat.

Insider tip:
Menu can be found here.

The scoop:
Teela Taqueria
227 Sandy Springs Pl NE
Atlanta, GA 30328
(404) 604-9893

Technorati Tags: Tacos, Sandy Springs, Mexican, Bar, Roswell

I’ve been going to Canton Cooks since back in the early 90s. I learned about it from my Chinese classmates (exchange students) who are homesick of home-cooked food. I’ve asked every Chinese expat I’ve met and they all go to Canton Cooks for a taste of home. My family has close ties with the OCA (Organization of Chinese-Americans) in Georgia for many years now and the members all go here. This place is the best Chinese restaurant in the city. Period.

A regional/ethnic restaurant is only as good as its chef. I don’t care how “nice” the owners are — if the chef isn’t authentic, the food won’t be. To appreciate the great Cantonese cooking here, you must order from the Chinese menu. That’s how my family eats Chinese (you know, when in Rome…) Having said that, here are my family’s favorite dishes at Canton Cooks.

No visit of ours is complete without the Beef with Bitter Melons in Black Bean Sauce. Let me warn you, this is an acquired taste for the non-Chinese or the non-initiated. I grew up eating this kind of authentic food so I love it. It’s a bitter-salty combination of slices of bitter melon in black bean sauce. Delicious!

The Salted Fish Fried Rice here is so good. Just like at Penang’s they use big flakes of dried, salted fish here. The saltiness of the fish is tempered by the blandness of the rice. Really, this is already a meal in itself.

sauteed shrimp paste

The Dragon Soup is a magnificent soup. It has winter melon and slices of tender chicken in a clear broth with egg whites stirred in. Add the shrimp paste (available by request) and you have a hearty, comforting soup.

We love the Ono Choy in Garlic Sauce. Ono Choy is a foot-long weed that grows in swamps in Asia. It is called straw vegetable in English due to its hollow body. This vegetable grows year round but I haven’t seen it in Atlanta for a couple of years now. When not available, a good substitute is the snow pea leaves. I prefer Ono Choy because of its crunch. Still, they’re both delicious.

For noodles, we always get the crispy noodles topped with brown gravy, meat/seafood, and Chinese broccoli. Let the noodles soak in the gravy for a minute or two and you get this saucy noodles which is so flavorful.

My mom, sister, and I love crabs so much that we have to get two orders of the whole fried live crabs every time we visit. If you’ve never had fried crabs, I suggest you go now. It is heavenly.

Verdict

We’ve eaten though the entire Chinese menu at Canton Cooks and every single dish is superb. It’s like eating in China and Hongkong. If you want authentic Cantonese food then you must go here. Service can be slow during peak times and service is typical of China — you have to flag them if you need something. Still, the food makes up for it. Even if you order from the American menu, food is extremely good.

More pictures here.

Insider tip:
Located in the plaza where Whole Foods is at.
Closed on Wednesdays.

The scoop:
5984 Roswell Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30328
(404) 252-0322

Technorati Tags: Canton Cooks, Chinese cuisine, Cantonese Cuisine, Roswell Rd., Sandy Springs

I’ve liked 5SB’s burgers ever since I tasted it a couple of years back. Burgers to me is such a comfort food. When I was growing up, burgers were not part of our 3-square-meals diet — mom made home-cooked, elaborate meals — rather, they were considered snacks: a mid-afternoon fare to tide us over until dinner time. Our burger snacks were always of the restaurant variety so I was used to eating thick, juicy, fresh burgers. Now that I’m an adult, I eat all kinds of burgers. Even the fast-food variety. Sometimes.

For a good burger, I usually pop in to 5SB. I like that they use organic or grass-fed meat, though, honestly, it doesn’t matter to me. It sounds so healthy, in any case. I like 5SB’s perfectly-grilled burger. It’s thick and juicy and tasty. I like the golden crispy fries. It’s a perfect accompaniment to a perfect burger. With a soft bun, crisp lettuce, ripe tomato, and a slice of pickles, it makes for an amazing meal. Or snack.

Another favorite is the Fried French Chicken. It’s not your typical Southern crispy fried chicken. Theirs is baked then lightly fried just enough to make the skin brown. Served on a bed of thinly, grated steamed squash and some smashed potatoes, then drizzled with milky gravy, it is a fantastic meal. The chicken is well seasoned, tender, and juicy. The squash gives a sweetish complement to the saltiness of the gravy while the smashed potatoes just goes with the entire entree.

For beer enthusiasts, 5SB is the place for you; with a vast selection of world-class home brews, there’s surely one (or two) that will keep you coming back. 5SB is a good gathering place to have great food and great beer.

Insider tip:
Their caffeine-free rootbeer is delicious!
Third location near Howell Mill opening soon.

The scoop:
5 Seasons Brewing

The Prado:
5600 Roswell Rd., Sandy Springs
404-255-9511

Alpharetta:
3655 Old Milton Parkway
Alpharetta, GA 30005
770.521.5551

Technorati Tags: 5 Seasons Brewing, Alpharetta, Sandy Springs, The Prado, organic burger, french fried chicken, beer soup, beer on tap, home brew

First things first: tapas literally mean appetizers which originated from Spain. Because they’re appetizers, you get cute little plates of dishes which are designed to be shared and are usually eaten while consuming alcoholic beverages. In any case, Blue Grotto attempts to bring the tapas experience to diners opting for a lighter, yet filling fare.

The inviting interior complete with comfy couches, netting, and subdued funky lighting is enough to make you feel at home and linger. Coupled with really great service, you’re bound to have a good experience. However, my girlfriends and I must have come (Sandy Springs location) on an off day as all the tapas we ordered weren’t nearly half as good as previous reviews have been.

The Fried Calamari was very disappointing. All I could taste was oil and breading. They should have just called this Fried Flour Rings. The Chicken Satay was just okay and I fault the chef for attempting to make a Thai dish that he’s probably not familiar with. Next, the Grilled Shrimp with grits was just so-so; nothing fantastic although the shrimp was fresh. I found the hummus to be more on the dry side; and the Spicy Spinach and Artichoke dip tasted store-brought. The Paella didn’t really make an impact either, as I found it bland and forgettable overall.My verdict: Blue Grotto is the type of place you’d go to with lots of friends because then, your mind will be occupied with interesting conversations rather than focusing on the mediocre food.

Insider tip:
Open for lunch Mondays to Fridays

The scoop:
Blue Grotto Tapas Bistro
Two locations:
Sandy Spring Location
220 Sandy Springs Circle Suite 205
Atlanta, GA 30328
Phone: 678.705.6688Johns Creek Location
3495 Peachtree Parkway
Suwanee, GA 30021
Phone: 770-888-9986

Technorati Tags: Blue Grotto, tapas, appetizers, Sandy Springs, Johns Creek

Roaster’s has been consistently delivering good, inexpensive southern comfort food to metro Atlanta since 1990. Before that, we always wished a rotisserie place would open in Atlanta. There were only two places that had rotisserie chicken on the menu back then. I remember one of Roaster’s first locations near Gwinnett Place Mall that, unfortunately, closed down about 7 years ago. Four locations remain, each offering the same casual atmosphere, great service and tasty dishes.

Inside tip:
You can get a veggie plate with a choice of 3 or 4 veggies.
The chicken finger appetizer with one side is as filling as the regular order with two sides.

The scoop:
Roasters Rotisserie
http://www.roastersfresh.com/index.html
Locations: Lenox, Cumberland, and Roswell Road
Alpharetta Location not on website:
11585 Jones Bridge Rd, Alpharetta, 30022 - (770) 753-0055

Technorati Tags: Roasters Rotisserie, chicken fingers, rotisserie chicken, ribs, kids menu, Alpharetta, Lenox, Cumberland, Roswell Rd, Atlanta