BBQ Pork with Kai Lan
Roast Duck with Kai Lan
Age continues to wash its harsh brush over the decor at BBQ Corner II. But, the reward of crispy bits of skin wrapped around moist and tender duck help us to overlook that wear and tear. That duck is drizzled with rich, fragrant juices to moisten the bed of white rice beneath it. And, the accompanying pieces of tender kai lan complete this tasty picture. A nice mound of greens make this dish (and our day) brighter.
BBQ Corner II
5150 Buford Highway NE
Atlanta, GA 30340
770 451 2888
Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Edamame
When it comes to things you can dip in dark chocolate, edamame ranks as one of the least guilt-inducing. These are nicely roasted soybeans with a light dusting of salt before their dip in dark chocolate. These are very tasty morsels that pack a powerful crunch.
(And, 7 grams of protein in 1/4 cup.)
Two different hands snatched greedy handfuls before the first shot.
Trader Joe’s
Zico
(Mango & Natural)
We found Zico’s coconut water to be light, refreshingly pleasant, and fresh tasting. By far, this was our favorite brand. It’s obviously not as good as drinking straight out of a machete chopped coconut. But, it’s a great substitute.
Vita Coco
(Peach/Mango & Pineapple)
With Vita Coco, we tried the Peach/Mango, Pineapple and Pure Coconut waters. The flavor wasn’t quite as pure and fresh tasting as Zico. On the bright side, Vita Coco is enhanced with vitamin C. This enhancement must be what alters the taste. We both preferred the Zico. But, if we want a boost of vitamin C, we might pick Vita Coco.
And coming in last place…
There was Coco Fit + (Mangosteen Flavor). The plus side? There was a pleasant peachy, melon-like flavor. However, an overwhelmingly distinctive chemical/artificial taste was evident from their use of an artificial sweetner. Even though it clocked in with only 35 calories, that off taste will keep us reaching for this one last.
Untested:
O.N.E.
(When we find it locally, we’ll give it a try.)
Grilled Tasmanian Trout with Lemongrass Sauce
This wedge of Tasmanian trout was a gorgeously vivid shade of orange. Low light conditions (and bad photography) failed to capture that vivid richness. The richness of its orange flesh matched that of a steelhead trout. But, the size and thickness of this cut matched that of a center cut salmon steak. Offered as a $24 dollar daily special, this delicate piece of fish was grilled to the perfect state of doneness. The lightest touch of the fork caused the fish to escape from its skin and fall into buttery, silky flakes.
Mahi-Mahi with Lemongrass Sauce and Basmati Rice
This is the same dish prepared with mahi-mahi. It was interesting to contrast the firmer, stiffer flesh of the mahi-mahi (AKA dolphin, or more popularly dorado). This is a nice, hearty fish to grill. But, it lacked the subtle richness and buttery nature of the Tasmanian trout.
Seasons 52
90 Perimeter Center West
Dunwoody, GA 30346
770 671 0052
Deep Fried Sweet & Salty Crabs
A visit to Sushi Yoko means a visit to Tomato. It’s a tradition for us to search out new ingredients or snack foods on every visit. On this visit, this small package of deep fried whole crabs met the “something new” criteria. These whole crabs are fried to a crispy, crumbly state that’s slightly harder than a potato chip. A little chewing reduces the shell to a mouthful of powdery crab flavored bits and pieces. The taste is salty crab with an unusual background of sweetness. The salty component we like. But, it’s that touch of sweetness that’s hard to wrap your head around. Interesting? Yes. Once or twice, at least. Craveworthy? Not quite.
Tomato
7124 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.
Norcross, GA 30071
770 263 7838
This was yet another very enjoyable meal at Man Chun Hong.
We were warned about the extended prep time of the Sharp Pepper Fish. But, it was well worth the wait.
Man Chun Hong
5953 Buford Highway NE
Atlanta, GA 30340
770 454 5640
Pesto Chicken Pizza on a Thin Crust
In the mood for a 90’s flashback?
This is the place. Generously sprinkled with sun-dried tomato, toasted pine nuts, chicken and fresh basil, this was a surprisingly enjoyable pizza. The thin crust was ultra crisp and covered with big airy bubbles.
This is not a favorite. But, if you’re in the area, this is a nice option for a quick lunch.
California Pizza Kitchen
4600 Ashford Dunwoody Road
Atlanta, GA 30346
770 393 0390
The Combination
Chloe of Chow Down Atlanta first wrote about Huy’s Sandwich Shop here on February 25, 2011. One glimpse of their coconut pandan waffles guaranteed a visit. Not long after, a list of the top 7 bánh mì sandwich shops appeared on Chow Down Atlanta. We knew many a bánh mì would be in our near future. Thank you, Chloe.
We’re both lovers of bread. Bad bread can doom the best of sandwiches. So, what’s the highest compliment we can pay Huy’s? There were so many wonderful flavors going on in their sandwich that we barely noticed the bread. We know that it was fresh with a good crisp crust and tender interior. But, that’s about it. We’ll need to visit again to get a better taste of it. Each sandwich at Huy’s was generously filled with meat, pickled and fresh vegetables. A nice sprig of cilantro adds the finishing touch. The Combination has the added bonus of a schmear of pate. This adds yet another layer of flavor to an already rich and delicious sandwich.
BBQ Pork
The Combination
Grilled Beef
Inside the Grilled Beef
Just a couple bites in… the secrets of this sandwich unfold. Thin, tender slices of glazed beef, pickled carrot, pickled daikon, cucumber, jalapeno, and that fresh burst of cilantro add up to one thing. Sandwich genius.
2 For $1.00… Who could resist?
These are yummy and seriously addictive.
The one tragedy?
They were sold out of the coconut pandan waffles. Oh well, if at first you don’t succeed…
We’ll be back!
Huy’s Sandwiches
6100 Live Oak Parkway
Norcross, GA 30093
770 666 6762
(Every day EXCEPT Tuesday: 8am-8pm)
Corn Muffin and Yeast Roll Basket
We enjoyed the fluffy, buttery yeasty rolls. The corn muffins were a bit dense.
Fried Chicken Livers
Lightly battered, these were the highlight of the meal. They were perfectly tender and each piece was tinged with just the right touch of pink. Overcooked chicken livers can be a bitter, mealy mess. These were rich, meaty and bordering on creamy. This is one of the best versions of this dish we’ve ever eaten. A few years ago, we would have turned our noses up to fried chicken livers. Not anymore.
Fried Chicken
The fried chicken at Colonnade can be a little hit and miss. One time the chicken was a bit stale and cold. Did we arrive at an off time? We don’t remember. Another time it was a bit salty. But, we keep coming. Why? Because when it’s good, it’s really good. This was one of those occasions. Fresh out of the frier, the breading was super crisp, yet light and delicate. The chicken itself was full of flavor and gushing warm juices. All the while, the crispy exterior was offering delicate crisp bites that almost dissolved under your bite. The Colonnade has never offered the rich depth of flavor that you’ll find at Busy Bee. But, on a good day, it can be quite nice.
The sides are a dilemma here. The flavor of the mac & cheese (above) resembled something out of a box. And, the sweet potato casserole was considerably less memorable than previous visits. Previously, we remember the right touches of clove and other sweet spices. This time the dominant taste is sugar.
Chicken Fried Chicken
Lacking the skin of a whole piece of chicken, the batter on this chicken breast puffs up and away from the meat. The batter doesn’t adhere very well to the lean chicken breast. The interior was tender and juicy. The downside? Those juices turn the bottom of this chicken fried chicken into a wet mess. And, the gravy is a bit too thick and clunky for our taste. We were grateful that it was served on the side.
Celery Dressing and Sweet Potato Casserole
The sides are the weak link again. Scooped cafeteria style, the celery dressing might be more appealing if it were in a little casserole dish. While the flavor reminds us of a stuffing made with super old-fashioned bouillon cubes, it’s not exactly bad. It would be acceptable at a school cafeteria. One of our mothers was a huge fan of the bouillon cube. Thankfully, she doesn’t even use those anymore. Or, this is a flavor you might remember from college. Chicken ramen cubes, anyone? Last but not least, we come to the sweet potato casserole. Again. This time the portion arrived appearing as if someone had already taken bites out of it. (see photo above)
Hit and miss defines this place to perfection. Hopefully, next time we’ll see more hits.
The Colonnade
1879 Cheshire Bridge Road
Atlanta, GA 30324
404 874 5642
Chick-fil-a’s Banana Pudding Milkshake
We hate to admit it. But, in our weaker moments, we’re known to partake in a fast food milkshake or two. There are a handful that have grown to resemble a sort of quasi-not-quite love. But, it’s a fairly strong like. Chick-fil-a’s mint chip, Mickey D’s strawberry, Arby’s Jamocha, a couple from Steak & Shake, and Starbuck’s latest Frappuccino of the hour make the short list. (They can call it a Frappuccino. But, it’s still a milkshake.)
This is a nice creamy milkshake with good banana flavor. There are loads of crumbled pieces of ‘nilla wafer. And, a hefty dose of whipped cream on top adds to the simulated banana pudding appeal. For a fast food milkshake, this is quite tasty.
We’ll be adding this banana pudding milkshake to that short list… for a limited time, at least.
Chick-fil-a
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