Popped Sorghum

Hot N’ Chilly Chili Mini Pops
(Air Popped Sorghum Grain)

Dusted with chili powder, garlic and other spices (cumin and paprika?), this is a nice little snack.  But, the little popped grains have an unpleasant ratio of pesky skins to fluffy grain.  That’s even more tough skins to get stuck in your teeth.  Not fun.

Mini Pops

Whole Foods
(Harry’s)

Fung Mei

Steamed Buns

Pretty, fluffy and tasty.

Dumplings In Chili Oil

Even though this was the mildest form of the dish we’ve ever tasted, we both loved these tender dumplings in a sauce rich with chili flavor.  There was almost no heat to those chilies, but, they sure were tasty.

After a little bite off of the end of each dumpling, we drizzled some of that luscious oil into each one.

Shrimp with Chinese Chives

Tender shrimp, fresh bright green chive flavor swimming in a garlic-y sauce…

So Good.

Pork With Hot Peppers

This dish was not hot… at all.

But, we couldn’t stop eating it.  The sweet onions and slivers of green pepper were a nice distraction from the rich pork.

Fung Mei
Pung Mie
1605 Pleasant Hill Road
Duluth, GA 30096
770 935 8888

Fiesta Farmers Market

Manzano Peppers

Filled with gorgeous black seeds, these peppers are the perfect balance of heat and sweet, fruity pepper flavor.

Love, love, love them!  And, even more love for…

P.A.N. Sweet Corn Mix

The scent of sweet corn oozing out of the seams of this arepa mix is intoxicating.

We can’t wait to make our first batch.

It’s a love fest, today.

Five Roses Flour

Fiesta Farmers Market
4166 Buford Highway NE
Atlanta, GA 30345
404 633 3066

El Taco Veloz

Carnitas Burrito

Tender, shredded pork was the centerpiece of this delicious burrito.  But, those crispy bits mingling with onion, cilantro and a nice dose of salsa verde were the perfect finishing touches that elevated this to be something more than just another burrito.  Can you believe this was purchased at a drive thru window?

Barbacoa Burrito

Even more succulent and tender than the pork, we debated the attributes of each burrito.  In the end, we agreed to disagree.  Both were full of flavor and an incredible bargain at $5 each.

Next time, we’ll probably ask for extra cilantro.

Cubana Torta

One slice of ham, one halved hot dog, an egg, and a little sprinkle of grilled chorizo are topped with lettuce, tomato, avocado, onions and pickled jalapeños.  This was the first time we regretted ordering the Cubana.  It was fine, but, forgettable.

El Taco Veloz
5084 Buford Highway
Doraville, GA 30341
770 936 9094

The Doritos Taco

The Doritos Taco

Ladies and Gentleman, Step Right Up….

Come one, come all…

Have you ever seen a real live freak show?

Once upon a time, in a city far away…

We went to a carnival.  We weren’t even married.  We were young, fresh out of college.  And, there we were… having a blast at the Broward County Fair.  It’s a county fair in only the vaguest sense.  The  Broward County fair is more of a carnival, really.  A carnival that’s all about the rides.  The county fair part is more of an afterthought.  So, there we are on this night many moons ago.  Young and full of hope.  We were hitting all the best rides.  We were still breathless from the super fast double ferris wheel.  (It’s the one that whips you around so fast.  You feel lucky to be alive when you finally jump off.)  And, we see a sign.  50 cents.  See the smallest person in the world!

It’s not a freak show.  No, it’s one of those free standing trailers.  The sort of trailer that usually holds the world’s biggest steer or the world’s tiniest pony.  But, no, this is a sign to see the smallest person in the world!  How do you say no to that?

We pay our $1 and step in line.  Instantly, we regret our choice when we see the look on the face of the guy two steps ahead of us.  Suddenly, his face just drops.  We look at each other.  Puzzled and curious, we step forward and take our $1 look at the world’s smallest person.  In retrospect, neither one of us knew what we were thinking.  How wrong is it to pay money to gawk at another human being?  It’s very wrong.  And, it’s a moment we won’t forget.  And, that we will live to regret. (as well we should)

There behind the wall of the trailer was a very small lady.  Sitting behind a wall of the trailer that blocks her from view until you pay your money, you step forward and walk into her living space.  She was sitting there watching tv.  And, as we turn the corner, still smiling hesitantly, she looks up at us with tired, empty eyes.  The smile is instantly wiped off of our faces.

We had just aged beyond our years at the blink of an eye.

We just paid $1 to gawk at a living human being.  We were surely going to hell.  And, we knew it.

Yes, sure it tastes good.  It’s a giant dorito stuffed with all the usual suspects.

But, some things should go unseen… or in this case… untasted.

We feel dirty.  Wicked and dirty.

Thai Restaurant Of Norcross

Mixed Seafood Salad

Fresh green chilies and perfectly cooked seafood on a bed of dressed salad greens with carrot shreds and sliced onion.

One of us could happily live on this dish.

Lunch Special —  Grilled Beef

These incredibly tender, glazed beef short ribs are amazingly rich with flavor.

More, please.

Lunch Special — Wing of Angel

Wing, singular.

That’s a ground pork stuffed chicken wing.  Yes, it’s tasty.  But, you might leave a little hungry.  Their version of Thai style fried rice is a bit plain and boring on its own.

Lunch Special — Soup on the Side

Both lunch specials came with choice of soup or egg roll.

Soup, please.

Thai Restaurant of Norcross
6065 South Norcross Tucker Road
Norcross, GA 30093
770 938 3883

Fentiman’s

Fentiman’s Shandy & Mandarin Orange Jigger

We both loved the Shandy.  And, the Mandarin Orange Jigger was “interesting”.

Lotsa Potato, Little Tuna

It’s a good thing we like a good dose of heat because this Tunisian Tuna sandwich was swimming in harissa.  In the past, we’ve always loved the sandwiches at Alon’s.  This time both sandwiches were only “ok”.  (The lamb sandwich was ridiculously overdressed, too.)

Alon’s Bakery & Market
4505 Ashford Dunwoody Road NE
Atlanta, GA  30345
678 397 1782

We took a little side trip to Total Wine looking for the Fentiman’s Shandy.  They were offering the Mandarin Orange Jigger.  A couple of the other Fentiman’s varieties were in stock, too.  But, unfortunately, we were specifically looking for the shandy.  We’ll try again.

Total Wine

El Taco Naco

Taqueria El Taco Naco

Torta Barbacoa

Big chunks of tender, beef mingle with bean, avocado, pickled jalapeños, lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa.

Torta List

Jumbo Quesadilla

Served with Beans, Rice, and a Salad on the Side

That’s one generous dose of hearty meat.

Quesadilla List

Three Salsas
(Verde, Avocado, & Chipotle)

Giant Banana Milk Shake For Two

Taken literally, this is one giant shake of milk, bananas and ice.  We’d be tempted to call this a smoothie.  But, we loved every little bit of it.  And, someone who shall remain nameless ate the lion’s share.  (Someone’s very greedy.)

El Taco Naco
2255 Idlewood Road
Tucker, GA 30084
678 879 1671

Gordon Biersch

Maibock

Spring Menu (Thru May 13)

Boutique Burger

The sweet roasted tomatoes were the highlight of this burger.

Coupled with the herby garlic cheese spread, this was a tasty little burger.

Gigantic Fish & Chips Platter

The chips were undercooked and the fish was very heavily breaded with an unpleasantly clunky, gummy batter.

This was not a favorite.

Gordon Biersch
3242 Peachtree Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30305
404 264 0253

Rosita

Rosita’s Combo #1

(Plus, we added one taco for $1.50-ish… less than $2 definitely)

One Mexican Tamale, One El Salvadoran Tamale, One Taco al Pastor, & One Barbacoa

The El Salvadoran tamale wrapped in fragrant banana leaves was stuffed with tender chicken, red pepper, potato and olives.  The spicing might be mild, but, the flavors are rich and complex.

Fragrant cornmeal makes the perfect foil for this generously stuffed tamale.  Filled with pork and rich with Mexican spice and a perfect dose of fiery heat, this easily falls into the top 5 tamales we’ve ever had the good fortune to eat.

Both tacos were literally overflowing with tender meat.

Torta Cubana

This torta on griddled bread was generously stuffed with pork, beef, black beans, fried egg, ham, avocado, lettuce and tomatoes.

So Good… Too good for our good.

With one outdoor table, two indoor tables and a small bar with two chairs, seating is limited at this delightful little hole in the wall restaurant.  But, it is more than worth the drive.  The food is divine.  And, the juice and soda options are countless.  The cooler is filled with guava, tamarind, passionfruit juice, mango, tropical juice blends, American Sodas, Mexican sodas and more.

And, there’s a handful of rows of assorted groceries, too.

Rosita Taqueria y Pupusas
Suite 110
4121 Stone Mountain Highway
Lilburn, GA 30047
770 979 2900 0r 678 344 7080