Chow Down Atlanta

I’ve been staring at my computer for weeks now. You see, I have this project for school that I just can’t get started to work for some reason. Blogging is taking a back seat for now even though I’ve been eating, eating, eating (most days having two lunches and two dinners). So, in true Blissful fashion, allow me to share with you some of the guilty pleasures I’ve been stuffing my face with this past week…

Sublime Doughnuts Dearest Kamal, thank you so much for spotting me $20 when your debit card reader was down and my sister had absolutely no cash with her.  And to think we hadn’t even met. You’re the best.  Love, Chloe.

Godiva Chocolates This is what $xxx buys you (thanks, Mom, I did not eat them all in one sitting as promised; it took two.)

Ramen From Haru Ichiban, Yakitori Jinbei, and Blue Fin Sushi. Because Tonkotsu ramen does wonders for the body and soul.

Krystal Burgers Part of my nightly munchies. Best consumed after 1AM. Off-the-grill: no pickles, no mustard. With cheese. Extra crispy fries. And Diet Coke.

Waffle House The best waffle $2.65 can buy.

NM Cafe  Sandwiches and Salads are what I call “girl-food” — no offense to anyone (my salad/sandwich-eating sister loves girl-food), but they’re just not my thing. Why? Because I get crazy hungry 20 minutes later.

Cupcakes The cupcake/doughnut fairy recently gave me cupcakes from the Cupcake Factory.  They were delicious. Thank you, Mr. Fairy. Love ya, even though you get on my nerves all the freaking time.

Walking distance from school,  the Sweet Auburn Bakery also has great cupcakes.  And great cheesecakes. Quick, save me, my sister’s sweet tooth is dangerously about to rub off on me…

Japanese snacks Childhood favorites.  For when my frequent hypoglycemia kicks in.

Korean Cheetos  A new find.  I love the black one.  Your American brothers, Jalapeño Cheetos and Flaming Hot, welcome you.

Desserts from The Shed at Glenwood The sheep’s milk yogurt with dates and honey is like breakfast on crack.  And the moist pumpkin roll? To die for.

Kozmo Where good Poutines happen.

Shoya Go with a big group. Of guys.  More fun.  And you get to try out more dishes.

Dim Sum at Royal China and East Pearl are a Sunday family tradition.  But Royal China rules because nothing beats having a Cantonese chef. We’ve been eating there since we were small. East Pearl isn’t so good because there are more misses than hits. The spicy beef short ribs, however, is amazing.

Korean I’ve been saying I wish I were Korean. My good friend JZP said to me (referring to how we love everything Korean), “God knows we’ve both tried to become Korean.  But at the end of the day, we both know we’re not, no matter how much we tried.”  I’m hoping hanging out with Sean or Gene will make me Korean by association, if anything else.

Pizza My pizza partner-in-crime is starting to slow down. Need to find another pizza buddy. Interested?  Big appetite a must.

Asian Tea Bubble tea, warm Milk Taro tea with tapioca pearls and our newest obsession: fresh-squeezed Yuzu tea (both hot or cold) that Broderick and I recently discovered.

Farmer Cheese Blinchiki Great for breakfast. $1.25 each at the European section of BHFM. I get them by the dozen.

Chocolate Croissants From the No. 1 Hongkong Bakery. Only $1 each. Only 10 made daily. Order 24 hours in advance or go in the morning. Chocolate and bread. Best love-team ever. (Well, second to bread and butter.)

Wetzel’s Pretzels Yeasty, buttery, soft pretzels.  It’s a current addiction.

Okay, that’s all for now. Back to the staring thing…

So I’m late in the game, I know. But here’s what went down anyway. Last Saturday, I circled Hwy 52 for 30 minutes trekked up to Dahlonega to join my homies Eat It Atlanta, Savory Exposure, and Foodie Buddha on a food/wine conclave hosted by Montaluce Winery. In the interest of full disclosure, Montaluce provided a delectable 5-course luncheon plus wine pairings and wine tastings to us bloggers at no charge.

my stash

I’m such a lightweight when in comes to alcohol (I hardly ever drink) that I think I was drunk (and beet red) after 5 sips of wine (you can ask Jimmy– he was making fun of me!) But I found something that I really liked and bought 3 bottles for my dad — 2 risatas and a viognier — smooth, and a tad sweet.

I really had such a great time and met so many nice people. And I can’t wait to go back. Shout out to the nice people:

@montalucewine
@hogballs
@winetonite
@biskuitATL
@EatBuHi
@BlackTieBBQ
@frenchtart
@leoghann
@hoplessfoodie
@suburbanwino

More pictures here.

[Side note: I was supposed to go to Conyers in the evening for a birthday party but all the eating and wine followed by a big Shoya dinner did me in. To Dylan: Happy, happy birthday. Sorry to miss your party.]

Montaluce Winery & Estates
501 Hightower Church Road
Dahlonega, GA 30533
Phone: 706.867.4060
Fax: 706.482.0120
Email: info@montaluce.com

My sister has the biggest sweet tooth of anyone I know. Last month, her childhood best friend Brigid gave her a box of French macarons from this place and in the process, tipped us off to Maison Robert’s new location near Chamblee. Needless to say, we’ve been back every week — me for the bread, the sister for the sweets.

The short and sweet: absolutely delicious macarons, fantastic baguettes, delectable flourless cakes, rich cheesecakes, flaky and buttery croissants. And one of the best sandwiches I’ve had.

Surprisingly, I don’t have any pictures of the macarons because we eat them faster than I can take pictures. But Sean has a beautiful one here.

Check out more pictures from Broderick here.

Insider tip:
Closed on Sundays.
Croissants on Saturdays. Call ahead to reserve.

The scoop:
Maison Robert Fine Chocolates
5256 Peachtree Rd
Atlanta, GA 30341
(770) 454-6442

Technorati Tags: French, sandwiches, bakery, chocolatier, Chamblee

Breaking news: I am interrupting my much enjoyed laziness to actually write a post and tell you about this one ridiculously amazing dish we had at Steinbeck’s.

I present to you… the Chinese Breakfast*. Yes, at an Irish pub, no less. In Decatur (Oakhurst). Imagine two thick slices of the most delicious braised pork belly that was just exquisite. They had a nice crisp on the outside and a buttery, tender inside. These, plus grilled fresh leeks atop perfectly cooked, fragrant, white, Jasmine rice drizzled with a soy-sesame oil concoction. But it doesn’t stop there. A beautiful sunny side up egg completes the dish. It. Was. Dreamy. *swoon*

But wait. There was this other surprise… the House Burger. Delicious. Enough said. Go see for yourself.

**Props to Troy (via @AsianCajuns) for the inside info. Troy, you had me at pork You guys rock!!! ~C.

Insider tip:
*Chalkboard Specials rotate every week. Call or check website for availability.

The scoop:
Steinbeck’s
659 East Lake Dr.
Decatur, GA 30030
(404) 373-1116

Technorati Tags: Decatur, bar, gastropub

As payback, I took my guy best friend who takes me to HB (he says for the wings, I say, yeah right), to this calming, pretty tea house the other week. You see, guys I know are not really fond of tea houses. Perhaps it’s the testosterone-absent scene or the serene piped-in music. Whatever it may be, tea houses have this zen-like feeling you get when you step in.

Here at tahCha, the expansive place is cozy, the comfy couches are inviting, and the sweet delicacies are enticing. They specialize on brewing loose leaf tea (some are not available for purchase but most are) and can make your drink either hot or cold. If you want a bite with your beverage, they have wraps, paninis, quiches, and soups.

My tea was really, really good — smooth, with no bitter after taste. Unfortunately, I can’t remember what it was. It was a combination of two things is all I remember.

Our sandwiches were okay. Nothing fancy.

But, oh my gosh, the Chocolate Cheesecake brownie is to die for. I’ve been back twice just for that. The almond meringue cookies remind me of my childhood when my dad would bring a bunch home regularly from a French bakery. The cupcakes are so moist.

A great place to relax and have a pot of calming tea.

Insider tip:
A pot of tea will set you back $3.99, wraps are $5.99 and paninis are $6.99 (both come with a side of fresh fruit).
Located in the old Korean restaurant inside the plaza off the 285 exit (right inside the perimeter).

The scoop:
tahCha Tea House
3352-C Chamblee-Tucker Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30341
770.454.8103
M-S: 10AM-11PM
Sun: 11AM-6PM

Technorati Tags: tea, tea house, Chamblee-Tucker, Atlanta

Remember the rambunctious Chef Paul Luna of the Eclipse di Luna and Loca Luna fame? Well, he’s back — now more humbled, more determined, more helpful, and, well, more behaved. His new mantra is to offer the most affordable food to everyone, and I mean everyone: from the students, the homeless, the druggies, to the dealers. He’s got one happy place where everybody is welcome. But it doesn’t stop there. His ultimate goal is to teach inner city kids how to cook, not only to gain basic skills, but to provide them with an opportunity to experience something different and worthwhile. Refreshing and admirable.

Lunacy Black Market is in a converted loft that is eclectic yet impressive with shiny hardwood floors, comfy couches, and mismatched tables and chairs. The no-frills lunch menu includes sandwiches, salads, and fries. Prices start at $1.75 and nothing is over $3.75. Yes, you read it right. Sandwiches for less than two bucks. And made with the freshest ingredients that are all sourced from neighboring Sweet Auburn Curb Market.

Having just eaten a complete meal a mere 10 minutes prior to arriving, we decided to just order everything on the menu and share. Well, not exactly everything since we had to skip the shrimp in deference to my good buddy EZ who only eats kosher. But I had to draw the line at pork. And no, he didn’t eat it.  All the sandwiches are very good.  They are smallish, a 4-inch square of freshly-baked bread, but filled with meaty goodness.  Two should fill you up nicely.  The house-made, roasted for hours, pork sandwich is the best, very tender, and flavorful. The potato fries are sweet and crispy.  I didn’t taste the salad but my two companions said it was great, with the cheese and walnuts adding texture and flavor.

This is an incredible place for cheap but really wonderful eats. And it’s so close to school — a little over a mile which is really walking distance. The entire staff is extremely friendly.

Insider tip:
The dinner menu has prices in the $5 range which includes a whole fish.
Metered street parking only.
Now accepts credit cards.

The scoop:
Lunacy Black Market
231 Mitchell St. SW,
Atlanta, GA 30303
404.736.6164

Technorati Tags: Paul Luna, downtown, Atlanta, cheap eats

Monday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Before my love affair with Korean food, I was hot and heavy with Japanese food which actually started when I was very young. 2009 gave me so many mediocre and disappointing sushi/sashimi meals that I had to give them up for a while. I have since renewed that romance and 2010 seems to be a good year so far. I have been a regular visitor to SHH since 2008 when it first opened but one of the best meals I have had here was less than two weeks ago.

If you have the time (and money, of course) to spare, I highly recommend getting the Omakase. It is a somewhat pricey, multi-course kaiseki meal, lasting about two hours that consists of nothing but the freshest ingredients of the day (and season). If that does not sound like something that would fit your schedule or budget, I highly suggest you order off the day’s Special menu with items that are not conventionally found in Japanese restaurants. Kaiseki meals are traditional meals served in conjunction with Japanese tea ceremonies. It typically includes a soup, three side dishes, sunomono (vinegared dish), sashimi, yakimono (grilled dish), nimono (simmered dish), and sushi.

The first course of our meal included a piece of marinaded herring with Colza buds (similar to rapeseed). This was very interesting because the texture of the fish was made gritty by the seeds. It was like having an explosion in your mouth with every bite as the buds popped like tiny roe. The tamago (omelet) topped with a dollop of mild teriyaki sauce was a refreshing start. The creamy lobster salad wrapped in a single shiso leaf was a contrast of textures.

A sunomono of super sweet shrimp, snow crab leg, mackerel, and octopus with seaweed and paper-thin slices of cucumbers was invigorating. The tartness and sweetness of the dish woke up your taste buds.

Sliced jellyfish (flown in from Japan) was sweet and gelatinously wonderful. The shiso buds added a slight crunch and a berry taste overall. This elicited an oh-my-god-this-is-wonderful comment from me at every bite.

A big bowl of the freshest sashimi came next. It had squid, octopus, yellow tail, red snapper, tuna, and salmon. A special soy sauce is made in-house just for accompanying this — a concoction of soy sauce, dashi, sake, and sugar. Phenomenal.

Tiny, baby octopus fried golden in a light, flour batter was served with dollops of Japanese mayo. These were delicious.

A nimono of tender, sweet, steamed flounder with taro, daikon, okra, and carrot in a miso-soy-dashi broth catapulted me instantly to food heaven. I had to have complete silence, stopping all chatter at the table, as I savored each and every bite. I oohed and aahed as each bite went into my mouth. Umami. Enough said.

A thick slab of grilled salmon in a very light teriyaki sauce was very flavorful.

A sushi plate came next. It had otoro, yellow tail, mackerel, sea scallops, snow crab leg, and tamago. Each was as fresh as the other. The sushi rice was perfection — perfectly steamed, served at a perfect room temperature, and seasoned perfectly. Everything was just perfect.

My most favorite here is the Ikura Don. No one and I mean no one in the state of Georgia makes it better than Chef Art. Normally super salty, he preps the salmon roe in a manner that the saltiness is not offensive, yet still there; and adds a slight hint of sweet to make this an amazing, memorable dish eaten with his perfect sushi rice.

I have finished every single morsel of food that was served. But before I could go to a complete and total food coma, the last part of the meal came next: dessert. This tiny, two-ounce, house-made granita made with Calpico (a popular, yogurty, Japanese drink) is sweetened with honey and laced with the strongest, non-alcohol tasting, sake. I am sure it is just me, but two, teeny, tiny spoonfuls of this was enough to get me, well, drunk.

So far, my best meal of 2010.

Insider tip:
This omakase was $65 per person.
Reservations accepted.

The scoop:
Sushi House Hayakawa
5979 Buford Hwy NE
Atlanta, GA 30340
(770) 986-0010

Technorati Tags: sushi, Japanese, Buford Highway

Tapas are chi-chi, tease food that are better consumed with a big group. Because sometimes, you just would rather have variety. Eclipse di Luna is a great spot for tapas in that it has an extensive menu of, well, just tapas. The atmosphere here is lively and loud, and the place is always packed so make sure you have reservations especially on the weekends.

Please excuse these awful pictures. It was unbelievably dark in there.

Although the food here definitely has some Spanish flair, I consider it more modern than what I grew up with. My grandmother is from Spain so all we ever ate growing up was traditional Spanish food. Paella has always been comfort food and making this elaborate dish took my mom (and grandma) hours to make. The version here is passable if you have never had the real thing. I found it less flavorful, the rice more mushy, and the overall dish a bit more wet than what is usual. It did contain the usual suspects of green peas, shrimp, squid, mussels, chicken, and chorizo. I like that they use Calasparra rice which is short grain rice because when it comes to paellas, the choice of rice is key. Nothing irks me more than to see Arborio rice in paella which absorbs more moisture.

The small plates we tried included:

Calamares Fritos: the tender squid pieces were lightly battered in spicy coating and fried golden. The side of slightly spicy salsa contained chunks of fresh tomatoes.

Peixinhos da Horta: though a bit on the oily side, these fresh greens were crisp and the sherry batter was so thin. A sprinkling of coarse sea salt is a nice touch.

Empanada de Langosta: the crust was flaky and buttery. It was filled with flavorful minced lobster and vegetables and was served atop a creamy lobster sauce that made for a wonderful dipping sauce.

Tortilla de Sobresada: a big omelet with Mallorcan sausage and Mahon cheese which is a sharp, lemony cheese. This is a great breakfast food.

Chuletas de Borrego: consisted of grilled lamb chops that were quite tasty but the sundried tomato and goat cheese cream sauce that topped it made the dish off-balance.

Esparrago: these grilled spears of crisp asparagus were doused with lemon and topped with shavings of Manchego cheese. They were very good and refreshing.

Pan Catalan: as much as I love bread, this just did not do it for me. The toasted ciabatta slices became soggy with the tomato-garlic-thyme purée they were topped with. Meh.

Costillas Españolas: this was my favorite dish growing up. It is made with fork-tender, braised pork ribs in balsamic vinegar then broiled (or grilled). The smoky flavor from the char mixes perfectly with the saltish braising liquid and the sweetish-tartish vinegar. Loved it.

Gambas al Ajillo: is another comfort food of mine. The head-on shrimp are sauteed in butter and garlic. Eat this with a crusty baguette (and make sure you sop up the butter-garlic sauce) and you will go to food heaven.

Overall a good place to try a variety of Spanish tapas. Prices are very reasonable.

Insider tip:
If you can’t book your desired time through Open Table, just give them a call and make your reservations by phone.
Located a few feet away from Cafe Intermezzo.

The scoop:
Eclipse di Luna
4505 Ashford Dunwoody Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30346
(678) 205-5862

Technorati Tags: tapas, Perimeter mall, Dunwoody

This has been one of my favorite sites. Glad to know EZ decided to resurrect it.

Check it out: Tomorrow’s News Today - Atlanta

to Duluth (where else?)

In about 30 days or so.

Somewhere on Pleasant Hill Rd.

Stay tuned as they’ll let me know the minute they know the exact date.

Related post: Han Il Kwan

Technorati Tags: news, Korean