Bistec a Caballo – La Casona

La Casona is one of my fallbacks – solid comfort food and a friendly staff make it an easy choice when a day has been too long. Their Bistec a Caballo is quickly climbing my list of great dishes along Buford Highway (no, it’s not horse meat…). Carne asada topped with tomato sauce and fried eggs are perfect for the pseudo-winter we’ve been having around here.

Platanos maduros – Las Casona

“Mini” Bandeja Paisa – La Casona

Yeah, that’s the “mini” version of the classic Colombian Bandeja Paisa – a multi-thousand calorie (a full badeja paisa averages around 3000 calories) gut-bomb suitable for hangovers or bad days in general. Carne asada, chorizo, chicharrone, arepa, platanos, avocado, frijoles, arroz…

Pollo Asado & Frijoles Charros – Home

Home. Like, at my house. Like, yes, I do eat this way every day.

Pico de gallo w/heirloom tomatoes – Home

A quick salsa fresca seems to go with anything coming off the grill (see Pollo Asado above).

Rescoldo – Home

I love grilled meat so much that we’ve been toying with the idea of a trip to Argentina to truly experience cooking a la parrilla. I’ve cooked rescoldo (burying food in embers) in the past, even though I didn’t know it had a name. That pile of coals is hiding an eggplant, onions and sweet potatoes.

Cơm đặc biệt – Pho 24

Another go-to place, made especially handy by being one of the few 24 hour restaurants on Buford Highway (I have a reputation of getting kicked out of restaurants along Buford Highway at closing…). Cơm đặc biệt (đặc biệt = special) is a sturdy offering – Vietnam’s answer to the Bandeja Paisa of Colombia.  At a minimum it includes thịt nướng xả (grilled pork chops with lemongrass), cơm tấm (broken rice), chao tom (shrimp on sugar cane), bi (shredded pork skin w/toasted rice powder), bi cha (steamed pork cake),  do chua (pickled daikon & carrots), fried eggs and I’m sure a few other things. Pho 24 does a respectable Ga Xao Xa Ot (chicken with lemongrass and chilies) as well.

Lahmajoun – Mediterranean Bakery

I won’t even try to place a nationality on lahmajoun, as pretty much anywhere in the Middle East will claim it, but I know it as a Turkish thing. Minced meat, onions, peppers and other good stuff on a thin crust. A squeeze of lemon gives it just the right about of sourness.

Fatoush – Mediterranean Bakery

A simple salad with fried pita bread, but fair warning, Mediterranean Bakery occasionally goes a bit too far with the sumac and this salad can become way too sour.

Pulled Pork – Home

I’ve been smoking quite a bit of meat over the past couple of months – trying to revive a family tradition. Boston Butt, spare ribs, chicken, bacon.

Pulled Pork Sandwich – Community Q 

Spare Ribs – This Is It!

Ponkan

What the hell is a ponkan? I asked the same thing, and I’m from Florida – where this specimen likely originated (obviously picked too early). Ponkans are a variety of Mandarin oranges – more closely related to the tangerine. Beautiful fruit – keep your eyes open for it.

Once again, Atlanta area food bloggers are invited to get together in a casual, informal environment, grab a bite to eat and get to know each other. This isn’t limited to just food bloggers – we’ve got some devoted followers and food fanatics that hang out with us online and you’re welcome too.

This is a free, informal gathering. We’re trying out Eventbrite to see if we can have a better handle on how many people will show up. Please SIGN UP HERE if you think you’ll attend – let me know if you have to cancel (I don’t make reservations, but it will help the restaurant out if I can let them know how many people will be there).

The Where

This time up: Colombian! We’re going to La Casona. The only downside I’ve found to this place is that they close kind of early (around 8PM). The upside is the food – a great introduction to Colombian if it’s your first time. La Casona also serves beer and aguardiente!

The Fine Print

The is an open social gathering. There is very little planning, no management and no control. The meeting place is public – the environment is what it is. When I did the first dinner I posted a few rules (some people told me they were pretty harsh), but they were intended to minimize the discomfort of meeting strangers in a strange environment. They don’t all apply here, and I’ve softened them for this “eat up” but some are common sense.

1. Have an open mind and be willing to explore. If you haven’t been to La Casona before (or you aren’t familiar with Colombian food, or you don’t speak Spanish), it may be a bit confusing/overwhelming. Don’t worry – the proprietors are friendly and some of us may be able to help – a bit.
2. Big one here – pay for your own food (BRING CASH!). I’m not providing food, etc. I’m just looking to meet people with some common ground! This event is Dutch. My previous rule was: “If you show up and forget to bring cash – you work it out with the owners/cops – I don’t know you.” You know, as a group we’d probably help you out, but don’t put your new friends in that position… BRING CASH! The restaurant accepts cards, but don’t make them run a bunch of small transactions. Just bring cash and make it easy on everyone.
3. Please – no whining. If you like the place and the food (and I hope you do), great. Even better – write about it. If you hate it – enjoy the company and help me pick out a different place for the next one!

Escabeche de Pescado

From the pictures, you’d be excused for thinking this was a Peruvian festival. This just happened to be my first time trying food from Machu Picchu in more than 15 years. I didn’t like in on my first visit. What I tried at the festival blew me away.

The escabeche was by far my favorite, followed by the Peruvian tamale (surprising, given my obsession with papas a la Huancaina). Yes, there was a lot of food there, from many other countries – I was just too busy eating to take too many photos…

Papas a la Huancaina

Cuzco Maize

Peruvian Tamale

Macchu Pichu

Brazilian Sausage & Cuzco Maize

Puerto Rican Carnival Mask

Starts with an “m” – can’t remember – Los Andes Bakery

Flan – Los Andes Bakery

You’ve got to love a good pun – especially one that works all the angles: “Pan American Bakery”. Get it? It’s a Colombian bakery (South American), but it’s in the U.S. (North American) – “Pan American” – get it. And they bake Cuban bread – I guess that’s just “Pan”. Oh, and “pan” is Spanish for “bread” – and it’s a bakery. Get it?

OK, enough ass-hattery for today. Tasty Cuban sandwiches (lunch only, I believe), right off Buford Highway. Go.

Pan American Bakery
3671 Clairmont Road
Chamblee, GA 30341-4907


Roasters

Plantains

Casa Vieja

Bandeja Paisa

Delicious Kabob

Sliced fish in chili oil

Dry fried eggplant

Plaza Fiesta

Nam Phuong

Spring Roll

Papaya Salad with Beef Jerky

Tofu

Eggplant

Mixed Seafood

Intelligentsia

New Paradise

Sichuan Alligator

Singapore Chow Fun

Yu Shan Shrimp

11PM: August 12, 2009

El Pastor

Torta al Pastor

Trompo

Light Painting My Bananas

Casa Vieja is neatly hidden away in a warzone of a strip mall on Shallowford Rd., about a block away from the back entrance to Asian Square. Not sure about the name of the strip mall, but there is a faded sign about “Grandpa’s Biscuits and Burgers”… Maybe it’s enhanced by bleakness of the surroundings, but Casa Vieja is a surprisingly bright and inviting spot, made even better by a well executed Colombian menu.

There is no way you should go here without trying Bandeja Paisa – an entire day’s food quota on a single plate. Beans, rice, fried egg, fried plantains, chicharron (fried pork belly – w00t!), grilled steak, arepa (a white cornmeal patty – did I mention it’s fried?),  and avocado. Wikipedia (which is never wrong…) claims there are about 1500-1800 calories in a singe dish.

Weekends seem to be the best time to visit, especially if you’re into soups and stews, as Saturday and Sunday are rife with special dishes (tripe soup, cream of chicken soup, etc.). One of today’s specials was Sancocho de Costilla ó Mixto (oxtail stew with vegetables). If you’re skittish about oxtails, you shouldn’t be – they’re one of the best parts of the cow. When stewed, they are much like short ribs or good pot roast in flavor and texture. The clear broth included potato, yucca and plantain. Rice, plantains and extra green bits (cilantro) are included on the side.

If you’re fluent in Spanish, it couldn’t hurt, but the wait staff was very friendly and helpful with the menu.

Casa Vieja
3652 Shallowford Rd NE # D
Doraville, GA 30340