Chow Down Atlanta

my collection of street food — I ate every single one of them — and these are only a tiny portion of photos I have / food I’ve eaten

The one thing that excites me about other countries is street food. It’s a fun and delicious way to experience a country’s culture. Asia is a mecca for street food where it is a way of life. My first memory of street food was a chocolate popsicle skewer of fish balls being deep fried in a giant wok when I was 6, bought behind my mom’s (paranoid-about-food-cleanliness) eyes during a trip to China (we never got Christmas presents but went to trips instead). She still forbids us to eat from the streets up to this day. But that has never stopped us

What is the allure of it, you may ask? Well, they’re transportable, portable, extremely cheap, ready-to-eat, totally exotic, and they’re very convenient. One of the best places for such is Thailand. There are three Thai places in Atlanta that are known for serving street food. Of all, my favorite is Thaicoon. They have this special menu on Sundays that showcase, yep, street food.

been here many times– my fave Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, taken ’09 (no one would ever tell you this: keep your mouth shut while traversing these waters…and get a hepa shot if you plan to eat street food)

The Boat Noodle Soup is very popular Thai comfort food. It was made famous by the vendors on boats, who, up to this day, roam up and down rivers peddling hot, ready-to-assemble soups. Resembling pho but with a more heady broth, the boat noodle soup makes for a great first course or as an accompaniment to a meal. The homemade broth here is the best I’ve had in Atlanta. It is rich, both sweet and tangy, savory, and with the slightest hint of anise. A good amount of rice noodles swim in the broth and topped with cilantro and generous slices of tasty roast pork. It’s comforting. And hearty.

Deep-fried Pork. Did you hear me? Deep. Fried. Pork. Belly. With rind. Crispy and tender at the same time. The layers of texture are unbelievable: crunchy then tender then soft as you bite and your teeth clench together. OMG. Served atop jasmine rice. With either stir-fried kale. Or basil. Get either one. They’re equally delicious.

The Papaya Salad packs plenty of punch and crunch. Green papayas, cucumbers, and carrots are julienned into thin, long pieces then mixed in with tomato slices, dried shrimp, and peanuts. The spicy, salty-tangy vinaigrette dressing is perfectly balanced. Served with a wedge of cabbage, take a leaf and top it with the salad. Bite. Repeat. This is a fantastic salad that’s very common in Thailand.

The BBQ Chicken is another fantastic option. The grilled quarter chicken is marinated well then basted in a sweet-tangy Thai bbq sauce. It is flavorful all the way through. The side of sticky rice adds texture and a sweetish flavor to the entire dish. It’s finger-lickin’ good.

Pan-fried Mussels. You see pan-fried calamari on thousands of menus. But never mussels. It’s a better option I think. The mussels are cut into halves, lightly battered, then pan-fried. I love that there isn’t the chewy factor here that calamari has. Eggs, sprouts, scallions, cilantro, and a side of Thai sweet-tangy sauce makes this savory dish unbelievably good.

There you have it, folks. Get there and sample great street food. On Sundays. You can thank me later

Thaicoon & Sushi Bar
1799 Briarcliff Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30306
(404) 817-9805

Technorati Tags: Thai, Emory, Druid Hills, street food

There’s only one memorable dish at this new place: the Yum Woon Sen. It transported me back to Thailand. This stuff is good and tastes (and looks) as it should be. The noodles are soft and wet. Most places do a drier version but the real thing is really wet. Like you can taste the broth where the noodles have been cooked in. And it’s spicy. This one’s it.

But wait, there’s another thing… the taro pudding. I’ve never seen it in Atlanta. But ate it all over Bangkok. It’s soft and custardy — an Asian equivalent of the sweet potato pie except much better. It’s ridiculously good!

Samui Island Authentic Thai Cuisine
5054 Peachtree Parkway
Norcross, GA 30092
(770) 807-7684
Mon-Fri 11AM – 3PM / 5PM – 10PM
Sat 12PM – 10PM
Sun 12PM – 9PM

Technorati Tags: Thai, Norcross

Have you really seen or tasted street food in Bangkok? I have been there countless times and have eaten every single street food available. It is one of my most favorite cities for eating. And it is a very vibrant, very alive country. Here are some of the street food pictures I have taken throughout the years:

I first went to Tuk Tuk a couple of weeks ago to meet some foodie friends. The place is huge and I felt more like I was in a gastropub instead of a Thai restaurant. The menu is quite small. All these buzz going around about this place and street food (all in one sentence) got me all confused because I was expecting street food in form and fashion with dishes in the $4 to $5 range.  However, most small plates hover around $9 and entrees are about $14 with serving sizes tinier than kids’ meals.  Actually, it is not really surprising as this is an offspring of pricey Nan.  I did not take any of pictures on my visit (there are some here and here). I will include photos I have found (and borrowed) from Melissa‘s flickr account and some that I found in my stash.

took this in Bangkok, circa 2000

took this in Bangkok, July 2007

photo courtesy of Melissa Libby

Moo Yang
This is my ultimate favorite street food and the most traditional in Thailand. These skewered thick strips of pork are marinated in a sweet, soy-based sauce. The taste should lean more toward sweet. The version here leaned more towards salty. I prefer the authentic sweet. I do love the presentation of this dish with its hanging skewers. Interestingly enough, the skewer handles were refrigerator-cold, yet the meat was warm. Verdict: Weak.

took this in Central Thailand, late 90s

Hoy Tod
This light pancake is made with mussels, bean sprouts, scallions, cilantro and then topped with sweet chili sauce. I have seen a lot of this sold at floating markets.  The version here is good but it is quite difficult to mess this up anyway.  By the way, if you ever get a chance to go to Bangkok, do NOT miss the floating markets.  It embody the culture of the land.  Just a caveat, the water is beyond dirty as sewage seeps from the pipes to the river, so make sure to cover your mouth if you are going through the river as the boats go really fast and water splashing in your face (read: mouth) cannot be avoided. Verdict: Ordinary.

photo courtesy of Melissa Libby

Mieng Kum
I have seen this mostly in Chiang Mai where the toppings are encapsulated in a fresh green leaf that is folded into a ball then about 5 or 6 are skewered together. In restaurants in Thailand, this popular appetizer is served on a big platter with leaves — usually bai cha plu (betel leaves) or spinach — and toppings which you must build on your own, much like the Thai Lettuce Wraps you see here in the US. The condiments are placed on top of the leaves and eaten in one bite. The result is an explosion of flavors in your mouth. Typical toppings and condiments include peanuts, onions, coconut, lime, ginger, chiles, some sort of sweet sauce, toasted coconuts, and even dried shrimp. Here, they have taken the pains (and the fun) out of building your own leaf and comes pre-built. This is one of the best things on the menu here and I recommend it highly. Do take note of the different flavors that you get in one bite — each flavor and texture is simple but become complex as a whole. Verdict: Outstanding.

rising buns taken at a street stall in South Thailand, around 1998

Sala Pow
Just about any Asian country has a version of steamed buns. The ones here resemble its Chinese cousins, with its barbecue pork filling. The buns are soft and moist and the filling is okay. You can get better ones at just about every other dim sum place on Buford Highway. Verdict: Meh.

photo courtesy of Melissa Libby

Ba-Mee Moo Dang
There is this street in Bangkok where the food stalls (make shift kitchens and dining area) are set up at night then packed up and gone (like nothing happened) before the sun rises. You must have an iron stomach to eat at stalls like these because the dining implements do not get washed that well. An assortment of noodles are either dipped in broth or stir-fried with meat and veggies. Ba-mee moo dang uses thin egg noodles as is the case here. The flavors are spot on: the noodles are bathed in flavorful broth, drained, then mixed with Thai BBQ pork, peanuts, scallions, cilantro and yu choy. Verdict: Delicious.

Pad Mee
This noodle dish is a very inexpensive street food that is served either as a soup or dry such as here. Vermicelli noodles are stir-fried with mushrooms, sprouts, scallions, and egg. There is really not much flavor going on here (and the portion is teeny-tiny) so I suggest you skip it. Verdict: So so.

took this in Bangkok sometime in Summer 2004

taken with my iPhone

Kra Pow
This minced pork sauteed with sweet basil, garlic, and red chilies is a Thai staple. It is literally found everywhere. Stir-fried in giantic woks all over the streets in Thailand, it is served in styrofoam containers on a bed of hot, steaming white rice and topped with a fried egg. Here, the perfect balance of sweet and salty plus the taste of spices were excellently captured. I consider this in the top two in the metro. Verdict: Beyond perfection.

While you will not be able to experience true Thai street food here, there are some dishes that are worth trying and coming back for. Prices are very steep and portion sizes are miniature (the Kra Pow which is a big plate on the menu is literally 5 bites/spoonfuls). We were still so hungry after our dinner here that we had to go to H&F a few blocks away to eat some more just so we can be full.

Insider tip:
Located in the old Taurus space.

The scoop:
Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft
1745 Peachtree Rd
Atlanta, GA 30309
(678) 539-6181

Technorati Tags: Thai, street food, Peachtree Hills, Midtown

This is another place I grew up eating at. There were only a handful of Thai restaurants then and this and Thai of Norcross were among the first successful ones. I remember back in the late 80s, a group of (MBA) students were waiting tables here and my mom told me (in hush-hush tones) that one of them had married the divorced owner. My mom spared me all the details, after all, I was only in my preteens. But the good looking student became manager of the place and after many years, opened another Thai place on VaHi. The owner passed away a decade ago and his brother (a co-owner) has been left to manage King & I while the wife tended to the one on VaHi. Incidentally, two of the MBA students opened a Thai place of their own but more on that later on.

King & I isn’t necessarily the most authentic Thai in the city. But the food (quality and taste) has been consistently superior that you can pinpoint their dishes with your eyes closed. Service is consistently excellent as well. A must (and I mean, a must) here is the Chicken Curry Fried Rice. The rice is dry, not soggy wet, and has just the right amount of curry flavoring. The chicken pieces are tender and succulent. It’s a one-dish meal that never disappoints.

The spring rolls are made with rice paper and renders a chewy texture when fried. They’re the only Thai place in town that does it this way. The result is uniquely good with a creamy peanut sauce that goes well with the vegetarian filling. The Wonton Soup is so comforting with a clear, flavorful chicken broth.

Not on the menu, I have loved their Mongolian Beef since I was young. Don’t scoff, it’s not really Mongolian Beef, but for lack of a name, the chef has decided to name this such for me. Even at an early age, I’m known to ask chefs to make a dish for me — back then, I wanted thin slices of beef sauteed with onions, bamboo shoots, and celery in a secret brown sauce. They used to serve it over crispy rice noodles when I was young but as I grew older, I’ve decided that without is much better. This is a very good dish which I invented and I highly recommend it.

The curries, specifically the Panang Curry lacks the sweetness of authentic Southern Thai panang, but is very good, nevertheless. It is creamy, with a good sweet-spicy balance. Get it spicier as it tends to be mild.

The Pad See Ew here is fantastic. The flat rice noodles are soft and tossed with broccoli, egg, and sprouts in a mild soy-based sauce that will guarantee to make you go ‘yum’.

I have eaten literally everything on the menu and you won’t be disappointed with any of them. King & I has been an Atlanta institution. As with most ethnic restaurants, go for the food.

Insider tip:
They make a mean Thai Iced Tea.

The scoop:
King & I
1510 Piedmont Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30324
(404) 892-7743

Technorati Tags: Thai, midtown, Atlanta, Thai food

I’ve been going here for many years. It’s a solid place for Americanized Thai and Malaysian food. Don’t get me wrong, though, as the food here is quite delicious — but milder in taste than its Southeast Asian counterparts. Still, food is consistently tasty.

A must try here is the Roti Canai. The crepe is flaky and chewy. The curry chicken dipping sauce is thick and has just a hint of spiciness.

The spring rolls are crunchy fried and filled with noodles and veggies. The complimentary side of pickled vegetables are very appetizing. It has a hint of curry, as well as a mixture of sweet and sour tastes.

Everything here is good. Like I said, the dishes are made in a way such that no one particular flavor overpowers anything else. Mild, but tasty, if there ever is such a thing. I highly recommend the Pad Thai, Lad Na, Pad See U, and Mee Hon for noodles. You can’t go wrong with any of the curry dishes and the Beef Rendang, Ikan Bakar, and the Sambal Eggplant. Whichever dish you choose, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

Insider tip:
Lunch is the worst time to go as wait times average 20 minutes.
Portions are huge.

The scoop:
Satay House
281 S Main St
Alpharetta, GA 30004
(770) 663-8666
LUNCH :: Monday-Saturday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
DINNER :: Sunday-Thursday 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm;
Friday & Saturday :: 5:00 pm – 10:30 pm

Technorati Tags: Thai, Alpharetta, Malaysian