Fried Black Chickpeas, Cashews & Peanuts
Previously distracted by the blends of deep fried chick pea chips and nuts, we’d overlooked the individual offerings. But, the black chickpeas (kala chana) caught my eye on this visit. We’re so happy they did. They’re awesome! Rich with nutty flavor and a toasty complexity added from the frying, the flavor is perfect with the fiery blend of spices. The spices are similar in all three (shown above). But, the fried black chickpeas seem to be slightly more mild than the other two.
This was our snack food of choice for the week (and, given the massive quantities left… the next couple weeks, too). Each one pound package ranged in price from $4 to $6.99 for the cashews.
Chana Chur
Gokul Sweets
763 Dekalb Industrial Way
Decatur, GA 30033
404 299 2062
Aloo Tikki
We’ve been visiting Zyka for over 7 years, now. Personally, we’ve had our ups and downs with this mostly charming restaurant hidden in a rather odd location. We’ve watched the quirky changes in decor. We remember the dark brick wall before they dry-walled over it and added a small cascading water fountain. A water fountain that now sits in disrepair. (ugh) We try not to look at it. For a while, the pillars bordering the restaurant were plain. Now, they’re trimmed in wood. I think it’s fair to say that no one is eating here for the decor. This is a (mostly) fast food Indian restaurant with fair to good food.
At least half of the time (when we aren’t giving Zyka the cold shoulder), we order the aloo tikki. Deep fried balls of potato, lentil, cilantro and spices. The menu describes this as a mildly spiced dish. But, we’ve always found them to be somewhere just beyond moderately spiced. Or, in our opinion, we’d call it perfectly spiced. This might be our favorite thing on the Zyka menu.
Chicken 65
In the early days, the menu listed this as “Chicken 69” We can only guess that someone had a little talk with them about this. It was suddenly Chicken 65 on the next set of menus. We’re attracted to this DayGlo red chicken for some reason. We don’t want to order it… it just appears at our table. So, we have to eat it.
Chili Chicken
If DayGlow red isn’t your color, order this. Nuggets of chicken coated in spices then deep fried and sprinkled with diced garlic and cilantro. They’re definitely a very good thing.
Chicken Tikka Masala
There’s another dish on the menu called “butter chicken”. It appears to be the same exact dish… maybe it has more butter. We can’t tell. We’d swear it’s the same dish.
The stewed dishes bring up our issues with Zyka. They’re not so much entrees as they are dipping sauces. This dish has about 6 pieces of chicken in it. The mutton masala usually has even fewer pieces of meat.
Naan
Yummy, buttered naan. We will always love you.
Zyka
1677 Scott Blvd.
Decatur, GA 30033
404 728 4444
Peach Milkshake
This is surprisingly tasty for a fast food milkshake… even if the peaches do have that soft (canned) texture. The vanilla base was pleasantly smooth and mostly creamy. The classic peaches’n’cream flavor combination works well in a milkshake. We both agreed. We’d definitely order this again.
Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake
We’re not loving the pepto-bismol pink color… why pink? It’s not the most appetizing color. Flavor-wise, it’s alright. We both thought the texture was looser and more watery than the peach. We’d probably order this again. But, we only order a handful of milkshakes in any given year. So, the chances are slim.
Chick-fil-A
By-the-Slice Sicilian + White Pizza Fixings
I love ordering Fellini’s Sicilian by the slice. An extra trip through the fire makes the crust extra crisp & toasty. The perfect toppings? Add ricotta, garlic, oregano & extra cheese.
Mmm… toasty bits.
Calzone with Pepperoni & Sausage
The mild spice of the sausage & pepperoni works well with the tomato sauce on the side. Fellini’s tomato sauce has a pleasant barely-cooked tomato sauce freshness with a gently acidic bite and a nice touch of sweetness.
Fellini’s Pizza
2820 La Vista Road
Decatur, GA 30033
404 633 6016
Pure White Meyenberg Goat Milk Butter
I’m really enjoying this pure white butter. It’s gorgeous on a dinner table and quite tasty, too. European style butter usually has a bit of a punch with its rich butter flavor. But, this goat milk butter is light and fresh with a pleasantly mild taste. It really is lightly salted, too.
All of the fresh goat milk that I’ve been lucky enough to taste has this same fresh, light and bright flavor. This may be a result of the high quality of the goat milk. Or, this may be a result of the freshness of the product. Either way, these positive experiences have me interested in sampling all of the fresh goat milk products I can find… I’ll definitely be sampling any brands I can find to see if this holds true in the future.
Meyenberg Goat Milk
Available at:
Your Dekalb Farmer’s Market
3000 East Ponce De Leon Avenue
Decatur, GA 30030
404 377 6400
Chocolate with Blackberries
While the chocolate flavor might be pleasant, the texture is coarse with loads of ice crystals and the consistency is watery. The gigantic blackberries were the real highlight. They were perfectly fresh and unbelievably sweet.
Yogen Fruz vs Yoforia?
The winner is Yogen Fruz by a mile.
Filet, Roasted Tomato & Arugula Bruschetta
Three bocce courts surround this better-than-most chain restaurant. One ragged court decorates the front and two are off to one side. But, hello?? Where’s the boccino? (Maybe you have to ask a staff member for it?) We’re going to be very kind to this place. Why? Well, we were ravenous and we ate everything. On another day, we might have found the food to be a bit cloying and heavy. Just what you expect to find in an American style Italian restaurant, right? I mean this in a nice (mostly) way. But, this is an Italian “Cheesecake Factory”. Ok, maybe that’s a little harsh. It’s a “Carrabba’s” set in fancier digs. There is something a little charming in their nod to 90’s style chains with soap opera set design.
We couldn’t find the gorgonzola in the steak bruschetta.(above) But, this was a pleasant start to the meal.
Solid bread basket… even if I’m not sure why they chose a sourdough bread.
This cream-based sauce of black pepper, tomato, and mushroom topped with basil and more tomato was quite tasty. Though, it was sauced a bit on the heavy side. After a long day in the garden, we enjoyed the hearty, stick-to-your ribs richness of it.
The highlight of this trio was easily the caramel mascarpone cheesecake. The weak link was the chocolate hazelnut “cannoli”. It’s essentially chocolate buttercream stuffed in a cannoli shell. I enjoy buttercream as much as the next person (probably a little less). But, I really hate a mouthful of icing in one bite. It’s not an enjoyable experience texturally.
The one serious complaint?
This restaurant is guilty of my least favorite of all restaurant gimmicks… the “giant tray of inedible desserts”. Who started this gag-inducing practice? Why would you try to tempt me with a piece of cheesecake that has been rotting and exposed to the air for 5 hours? Do you think this will tempt me to purchase one of your creations? Actually, we were cringing as we took in the sight spoiled milk pooling under the bread pudding and CSI-esque blood stain (strawberry sauce) soaked cake. Ugh. Please, please… I beg you. Stop this grotesque torture. Seriously.
(This goes for all restaurants still sadistic enough to engage in this primitive practice.)
Overall?
American/Italian (emphasis on American) chain with a pretty patio and calorie-rich food
Brio Tuscan Grille
700 Ashwood Parkway
Dunwoody, GA 30338
678 587 0017
Lamb on Ciabatta
We first discovered this sandwich at the opening of the Perimeter Mall location. And, it’s been on our favorites list ever since. I don’t know why we ignored the prepared foods section of the Highland’s location. What a mistake.
The ciabatta is perfect for a to-go sandwich. The exterior stays pleasantly crisp, while the interior maintains it’s soft, chewy texture without getting soggy. It has the needed durability to handle most travel times. We’re always pleased with the tender lamb, as well. Roasted to leave a pink core, it’s always moist and tender. Red onion marmalade makes the perfect sandwich dressing. I don’t think there’s a way to improve this near-perfect sandwich.
Yum!
This sesame brittle has lovely depth of flavor. The date syrup adds complex sweetness. While, the black cumin adds an added layer of lovely flavor. The distinctive smoky bite with a hint of earthiness keeps this brittle from crossing the line to overbearing sweetness. Love it!! For just over $1, they’re a crazy-good bargain.
Dark Chocolate & Mixed Chocolate Callets
The white chocolate callets might be prettier. But, the dark chocolate callets are the real winners.
Alon’s Bakery & Market
4505 Ashford Dunwoody Road
Atlanta, GA 30346
678 397 1781
Dulce De Leche Ice Cream Pop
This yummy little bar was the perfect end to our meal. We’ve enjoyed many meals at Las Arepas De Julia. But, we’re usually too stuffed to look at the ice cream cooler. Luckily, this hectic day made us crave something sweet.
There’s no doubting the flavor of this rich and creamy bar. The deep golden caramel color warns you to the depth of flavor packed in this little square-shaped pop. We both loved it.
Arepa De Chocolo Con Queso
This tender, sweet corn arepa filled with melty cheese was fabulous… again.
Arepa Paisa
This time we both chose the arepa paisa for lunch. All of the flavors of the Bandeja Paisa (fried pork skins, beef, avocado, tomato, & beans) stuffed into a light and fluffy arepa. It’s a rich and hearty meal. We knew a day full of errands would make dinner a late night affair. So, this was a great choice to keep us full of energy for the long day ahead.
Arepa Paisa #2
Both arepas had more beans (and less beef) than our previous visits. But, they were still quite good.
Fresh Colombian Style Salsa (Aji Picante)
Fresh tomatoes, onions, peppers & cilantro float in a generous amount of mellowed vinegar. Love it!
Las Arepas De Julia
4044 Lawrenceville Highway
Lilburn, GA 30047
770 559 4094
Interesting… for a convenience store candy.
M&M’s
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