Chow Down Atlanta

I’m not really a big fan of this chain but one of my best buddies is. Besides, not all chains are created equal and out of all the locations (I’ve tried them all), this one in Duluth puts out the best tasting food. So it’s been a regular lunch and late night option for us lately.

My favorites here are the fried spring rolls, the rice plates, and, of course, pho. The only thing about the spring rolls is that you’ll never know when you’ll get freshly fried ones. Most times, they’ve been sitting out under a heating lamp. Why? Because it takes a while to fry them and you’ll get them when you’re half-way done with your main entrees. Also, the place is always packed so they just fry them in batches. When freshly fried, they are crispy with the wrapper becoming flaky and crunchy. So good.

Rice plates are a common Asian meal. You get meat, rice, and a small salad. Get the combo with two grilled pork chops. They are tender, juicy, and so flavorful. Add a side of fried eggs and you’ve just become an Asian yourself!

Pho is so good especially in this cool weather. The broth is bold with a lot of layers of flavors. There are tons of meat with a good amount of noodles, too. Don’t make a mistake of ordering this late at night as they tend to water it down to last through their opening hours (they are open til midnight). During lunch time, however, you’ll taste this good-for-the-body soup that’s guaranteed to comfort.

Open til midnight. Fully packed with a wait during lunch time. Check website for other locations.

Saigon Cafe
3675 Satellite Blvd.
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 232-5070

Technorati Tags: Vietnamese, Duluth, Gwinnett, pho, com

No, really, it’s called New Saigon. And it’s also new… ish. It’s located next door to Super H (Johns Creek) in the same strip mall. It’s so nice inside. Prices are very reasonable. Food is okay, not mind-blowing good, but not bad either.

They use good cuts of meat. The porkchop is thick (for a strip mall standard) and well marinated. The beef is tender and juicy. The combination plates are a good deal because they come with meat, fried eggs, salad and rice. I’m not a big fan of their (or any Vietnamese) crushed (or broken) rice because it’s grittier than regular rice. Broken rice originated from way back in Asia (among those developing nations) when rice became scarce. My uncle taught Agriculture in Saigon in the 70s (he showed them the American way of rice production). At that time he said the good rice was harvested and processed then shipped to fancy French restaurants and to those people who could afford to buy them. The more affordable (read: lower grade) broken rice were bagged for the masses. Me, I just never liked the texture. I like soft, chewy Korean/Japanese or Jasmine rice.

The summer rolls make really great appetizers. You get three in an order. They’re light, refreshing, and filled with plump, fresh shrimp. The thick, soy-peanut sauce is also quite good — it has just the right sweet-salty combination.

I really like the rice vermicelli bowls (bún) here. You can top them with your choice of meat. I like that the noodles are well prepared — they don’t stick to each other. They’re not gooey, gluey, and wet. It’s just like when Italian pasta is boiled the right way. Drizzle it with the accompanying sweet-sour fish sauce and you have a fantastic meal in a bowl.

Last thing. Every meal comes with a free dessert. Ice cream or flan (egg custard). Don’t scoff. The flan is amazing!

New Saigon Vietnamese Bistro
10820 Abbotts Bridge Rd., Ste 110
Johns Creek, GA 30097
(770) 495-8828

Technorati Tags: Vietnamese, Alpharetta, Johns Creek

I was 10 years old when I had my first bánh mi. My mom has a very good lady friend who is Vietnamese and always had us for dinner. Growing up, Sunday afternoons were spent visiting them all the way in Jonesboro, having dinner, and staying til past our bedtime. She made the best pho and bo kho (beef stew) from scratch, and of course, bánh mìs.

Bánh mìs are the Vietnamese version of subs. But a thousand times better. A heavy influence from the French, chewy, crusty French baguettes are used then filled with an assortment of tantalizing meats. Roast or grilled pork are the most popular here in the US but pork roll (meat balls), liver paté, and cold cuts are the norm in Vietnam: turkey, ham, chicken, and head cheese. Butter is normally spread on the bread but most places nowadays use mayo or a variation of butter-mayo or mayo dressing. Pickled carrots and daikon lend a hint of sweet-tangy taste plus strips of cucumbers and sprigs of cilantro all add crunch. These inexpensive sandwiches are delicious and I urge you to try one.

When Dinho grocery first opened in the late 80s, they had a sandwich shop next to it (it’s been replaced by what is now Dinho Bakery). It was the first place in Atlanta to sell bánh mi and early childhood memories always include them. All they sold were bánh mìs (slathered in butter instead of mayo) at $1.00 apiece, and these phenomenal Vietnamese cakes with the most amazing buttercream icing. The cakes were made by hand by the Vietnamese proprietress who would only make them when she felt like it, or if you happen to be good friends with her. We got a cake every month and my mom would always get bánh mìs regularly for us. They didn’t have grilled/roast pork bánh mis then so our favorite was relegated to the homemade cold cuts-luncheon meat combo. Nowadays, the bánh mì is as staple as the Big Mac. Buford Highway (and a little bit beyond) is literally peppered with bánh mì places so I thought it would be nice to showcase some of them. Call it your Atlanta Bánh Mì Guide. Here goes.

1. Quoc Huong

5150 Buford Hwy NE
Doraville, GA 30340
(770) 936-0605
Cash only
Closed Thursdays

Coming in at number one and the undisputed bánh mì king of Atlanta is none other than Quoc Huong. Did you know? The grilled/roast pork (Bánh Mì Thit Nuong) here is stellar, unrivaled, and tastes exactly the same since they’ve been open (early 90s). Seriously, don’t get anything else. The super flavorful, salty-sweet, smoky red pork is well-marinated, roasted, then grilled. Both texture and taste are phenomenal. They are the only place that uses a sweetish mayo dressing (think milder thousand island) and the perfectly-balanced sweet-tart pickled daikon/carrots are delicious additions. Sliced cucumbers and cilantro all add flavor and crunch. I love that they use a good ratio of meat to veggies that keeps the flavor of the grilled meat to stand out.

The baguettes they use have a crisp, flaky crust and a chewy inside, thanks to a super secret French bakery they employ because as Mr. Quoc Hong (as I’ve always known him) would always tell my mom: “Bánh mìs are only as good as the baguettes. No other bakers can make the best other than the French. Vietnamese-baked baguettes can never compare.” By the way, their bánh mìs heat up really well so take some home and pop them in the oven or toaster oven for a couple of minutes. P.S. Get your bánh mìs with jalapeños for punch.

2. Pho Viet

4300 Buford Hwy NE
Atlanta, GA 30341
(678) 999-9110

A good contender and the one that takes the number two spot in Atlanta is none other than Pho Viet. The bread, baked in-house, is crisp and flaky outside, and smooth and soft inside. They use the traditional butter-mayo spread that tastes buttery rather than oily. They make the best combination bánh mi in town (Bánh Mì Dac Biet) consisting of liver paté, ham, pork roll (they call it meatball), and head cheese. Each piece of deli meat is made in-house and sold in the store. They are fresh-tasting, not salty, and sliced thick. Head cheese is quite tricky because most places that don’t prepare it right cause the cold-cut to have an off-putting taste and smell. Such is not the case here. I highly suggest you try their version. It’s the best.

The grilled pork bánh mì is just as good, with the pork tasting wonderfully savory yet sweetish. The pickled daikon/carrots has the right amount of sweet-tart flavors. The good-sized baguettes plus the generous filling of meat make their bánh mis quite filling.

3. Pho Bac

4897 Buford Hwy
Chamblee, GA 30341
(770) 986-4273

Pho Bac’s grilled pork bánh mì is fantastic. The grilled pork has the perfect salty-sweet taste. They use mayo very sparingly and they don’t skimp on the meat which is nice. Go past the chewy, uncrusty baguette they use and they still take the number 3 position.

4. No. 1 Hong Kong Bakery

5494 Jimmy Carter Blvd
Norcross, GA 30093
(770) 837-0270

The combination bánh mì (Bánh Mì Dac Biet) here is quite amazing. Reminds me of the ones we got at Dinho when we were young. The meat slices are thick and plenty. Homemade cold cuts include pork, turkey, ham, and head cheese. The pickled daikon/carrots are sliced thick and chunky to provide great crunch and offset the soft meats. The grilled pork bánh mi is just as good. The pork is seasoned well and goes well with the other toppings. The baguettes that are baked in-house are so flaky. Add plenty of cilantro and these are one of the best bánh mìs $3 can buy.

5. Huy’s Sandwich

6100 Live Oak Pkwy,
Norcross, GA 30093
770-666-6762
Open Daily from 8:00AM – 8:00PM
Closed on Tuesdays

The biggest bánh mì shop and newest joint of the bunch. Did you know? They offer 16 kinds of bánh mì. Including varieties you won’t find in many places: sunny side up eggs, fish (anchovies), meat balls, and liver paté, to name a few. The French bread they use is huge: 10 inches! They use butter!!! The crust is crumbly rather than flaky and the inside is soft and chewy. The meat filling is abundant, with a perfect 4:1 ratio to veggies. The pickled daikon and carrots are balanced in sweet and tart flavors. The cilantro and cucumbers are fresh and crunchy. I ate three bánh mìs on my visit. The Grilled Pork (Number 9) is the best of the lot. The grilled pork has a tiny hint of sweet crust and undertones of lemongrass. It’s tender yet at the same time, crunchy. It’s delicious.

The Combination (Thit) bánh mì which includes paté, headcheese, and steamed pork is equally good. You get a lot of different flavors from the housemade deli meats. The paté is bold and tastes of concentrated liver. The headcheese is mild and does not have that off-putting smell and off-putting porky taste. The BBQ Pork isn’t the one you’re accustomed to see in other places. Here, it’s more a pork loin that has been roasted. I prefer the grilled pork.

6. Viet Tofu

4897 Buford Highway
Atlanta, GA 30341

Viet Tofu offers ready-made, cooked-on-premises dishes such as fried rice (Com Chien), rice cakes, pastries, noodles, snacks, sticky rice, wraps, rolls, tofu, and, of course, bánh mì. Don’t bother coming in to sit down, this is a take-out only place. They offer two types of bánh mì pork here: the red roasted-then-grilled pork and a regular grilled pork. Although, the grilled pork they use isn’t quite as good as the others, they are the next best thing. The regular grilled pork is very tender and juicy. Both are grilled on-premises and very flavorful. The bánh mìs here are humongous — about three inches longer and fatter than anywhere else. They use regular mayo but the chunky pickled daikon/carrots are more tart than their counterparts so they balance well. Other notable choices include the chicken and the meatloaf. In any case, all are equally good.

7. Lee’s Bakery

4005 Buford Hwy NE
Atlanta, GA 30345
(404) 728-1008

Did you know? My favorite here at Lee’s is their chocolate croissants. I order them in batches of 25 every so often. But let’s talk about their bánh mìs. I’m sad to say that I’ve never been a fan of Lee’s bánh mìs. And I notice that most people ITP really love this place. Is it the proximity to town? I find Lee’s the most inferior in the company of other places. Nevertheless, it’s a popular joint so I had to include it. The grilled pork they use here border on the sweeter side and the texture is just off. It seems like they grill the pork early in the day and reheat as needed. The result is wet, grilled meat with a boiled meat texture. The flavor is not as good as the other places in town. And they really skimp on the meat in their sandwiches.

The deli meats in their combination bánh mi is so thinly sliced, you can hardly taste them. Most times, the amount of pickled daikon/carrots is just so much that it makes me feel like I’m eating a salad bánh mi with specks of meat. It’s also worth noting that their pickled daikon/carrots border on the salty side, thanks to the heavy use of nước chấm (fish sauce). The baguettes, made in-premises, however, are quite good. No matter, it’s a good place to get a very inexpensive bánh mì fix especially if you live ITP opt for their daily special: half bánh mi with a bowl of pho all for $6.50. Can’t beat that.

There you have it, folks. Although I’ve been eating bánh mis regularly since I was 10, I ate so many bánh mìs lately that I’m laying off them for a while. Hope this guide helps you out. I had so much fun doing it.

~Chloe
Follow me on Twitter” @chowdownATL
Like me on Facebook: Chow Down Atlanta

Technorati Tags: bánh mi, Vietnamese, Atlanta, Buford Highway

So what do you do when 30 years of snow in Denver finally gets to you? You move to Atlanta!!! Owners Huy and Tina, husband and wife team, did just that, three months ago and opened the biggest bánh mì shop in Atlanta. In business a mere 7 days (thanks again to good friend G4 for the intel), Tina puts out the most delicious Vietnamese street food — buns, egg rolls, sticky rice, rice cakes, hot/cold desserts, dimsum items, and many more — while husband Huy tends to the bakery, making French bread for the sandwiches and other baked goodies. It’s a perfect partnership.

First, the logistics. The immaculately clean and gigantic space is take-out only. There are a couple of tables outside. No, they couldn’t put any tables inside because that means more capital needed and more astringent county code requirements to be met. The joint sits in a plaza a stone’s throw away from Hong Kong Supermarket, on the side street next to KoKai. All the food is made in-house and from-scratch by Tina. Every single baked good is baked by Huy from the bakery in the back. They’re open 7 days from 8 to 8 except Tuesdays. They have coffee and bubble teas. Credit and debit cards are accepted.

Biggest bánh mì shop. Did you know? They offer 16 kinds of bánh mì. Including varieties you won’t find in many places: sunny side up eggs, fish (anchovies), meat balls, and liver paté, to name a few. The French bread they use is huge: 10 inches! They use butter!!! The crust is crumbly rather than flaky and the inside is soft and chewy. The meat filling is abundant, with a perfect 4:1 ratio to veggies. The pickled daikon and carrots are balanced in sweet and tart flavors. The cilantro and cucumbers are fresh and crunchy. I ate three bánh mìs on my visit. The Grilled Pork (Number 9) is the best of the lot. The grilled pork has a tiny hint of sweet crust and undertones of lemongrass. It’s tender yet at the same time, crunchy. It’s delicious.

The Combination (Thit) which includes paté, headcheese, and steamed pork is equally good. You get a lot of different flavors from the housemade deli meats. The paté is bold and tastes of concentrated liver. The headcheese is mild and does not have that off-putting smell and off-putting porky taste. The BBQ Pork isn’t the one you’re accustomed to see in other places. Here, it’s more a pork loin that has been roasted. I prefer the grilled pork.

retarded-looking but delicious waffle (the waffle iron was acting up)

But wait, they have waffles (Bánh Kẹp Lá Dứa)!!! I absolutely love these. I remember these popular street food in Saigon. They’re ready in a flash and can be eaten while walking. The batter in these coconut waffles have shredded young coconut meat and infused with pandan. The fragrant aroma is unbelievable. It tastes coconutty, it’s chewy. Tina was having problems creating a perfect consistency for her waffle-maker to handle so excuse the retarded-looking product. I didn’t mind and ate it all. Priced at $1.50, what’s not to like.

You must, must try all of the hot desserts. They’re like coconut soup but sweet and thick. Not cloyingly sweet, just enough. My favorite is the Che Khoai Mi. It has chunks of chewy cassava, young coconut, tapioca, and boba. It’s comforting. Love it. I also had the one with bananas. Both are good.

There are so many things to eat here. I want to try their rice cakes and steamed buns next time. Tina and Huy are the most gracious, kind people you’ll ever find and will treat you like their own child the first second you meet them. (P.S. Tell them Chloe sent you.)

Huy’s Sandwich
6100 Live Oak Pkwy,
Norcross, GA 30093
770-666-6762
Open Daily from 8:00AM – 8:00PM
Closed on Tuesdays

Technorati Tags: bánh mì, Norcross, Vietnamese, boba, street food, take-out

I Luv Pho. Really, I do. And this is one of those places you can go to anytime of the night. Sleepless nights? Late nights? They’re open 24 hours. Well, except on Mondays. Opened a mere three months ago, the place gets packed especially at night. And to think the place is huge!

Funny how Cantonese places in the city have Vietnamese cooks (Canton House — not Canton Cooks, Happy Valley, Oriental Pearl), Vietnamese places have Chinese cooks (this one), and some have both (Wong Kee). I came here in the middle of the afternoon during staff lunch and I swear I heard the chef speak Cantonese. I know, most Vietnamese are also Chinese (thanks to a thousand years of colonialism) and the Chinese are everywhere, right? Anyway, the measuring stick for any Vietnamese restaurant is the pho. I can name only 3 places that make the best pho in Atlanta. It isn’t your “where-have-I-been” kind of broth here, but it’s tasty enough. The flavors are all there but the overall taste is pretty thin. Every bowl, however, is loaded with lots of meat and it’s amazing that the meat to noodles ratio is quite high. Good enough for late and sleepless nights, if anything else.

My favorite Vietnamese dish is the Bo Kho. It’s a beef stew flavored with tomato paste, lemon grass, curry powder, and the tiniest hints of cinnamon and star anise. The consistency should be thickish and not soupy. It’s a stew, after all. The version here is passable but the soupiness turned me off a bit. It’s still a good soup if you can get the stew concept out of you mind. Plus, it’s hearty, with lots of tender beef. I like eating mine with a toasted baguette.

Incidentally, did you know? I can never erase this bad memory from my mind. When I was young (before I was 10 I think), we went to Saigon to visit an uncle who was teaching college Agriculture. I saw all these sweaty, old men in bicycles all over the city delivering baguettes. They had the unwrapped baguettes underneath their armpits. Yeah. I’ve been scarred ever since.

Other notable dishes on the menu include the grilled BBQ pork rolls (wrapped in rice paper). The bbq pork is really delicious and there’s a lot of fresh mint and cilantro in the filling. The rice plates come with your choice of meat plus salad, bean curd, egg cake or spring roll. Get these if you’re feeling famished. The vermicelli bowls are equally good. One last thing. I wish they’d use more flavor powder in their bubble teas. They taste weak.

Located in the corner of Britt Rd. and Jimmy Carter Blvd. behind the gasoline station.

I Luv Pho
4650 Jimmy Carter Blvd Suite 133-B
Norcross, GA 30093
(678) 894-0532

Technorati Tags: Vietnamese, Norcross