I’d started to think things were getting a little boring with the Vietnamese restaurant scene around here. The old favorites were still there – Quan Ba 9, Yany Express, Phở Dai Loi, Phở #1, but I was craving something new… The problem with that is that with Viet cuisine, “new” often translates to “more of the same”.

My first impression on walking in to Thiên Thanh (blue sky), was “more of the same”. Phở, phở and more phở. Then I found myself knee deep in the hủ tiếu section of the menu and I knew this place had the potential to get on that list of favorites. I’m not going to even try to give an accurate definition of what hủ tiếu is. The term is used for multiple things in Vietnamese cuisine (dry noodles, soup noodles and just the noodles themselves).

What caught my attention was the variety of proteins:

Hủ Tiếu Đặc Biệt: Noodle soup with shrimp, squid, pork meat, pork heart, pork liver & quail eggs.
Bún Riêu: Spicy vermicelli noodle soup with pork blood, pork foot and crab meat.
Chao Long: Rice soup with pork blood, heart and liver.
Bún Bò Huế: Two ways – “Vietnamese style” and “International style” (with blood & feet or without).

And on and on…

Now understand – I’m not a huge fan of offal. I’ve tried quite a bit, but I’m big enough to admit that it’s just not my thing. But I do know that guts and gore require a bit of skill to cook well, so when I see  them on a menu I take it as a good indicator that the rest of the menu may bode well.

So I went for the bún mọc – vermicelli noodle soup with pork sausage loaf, pork paste balls and pork spare ribs. The pork broth was a welcome change from phở and not gamey, as I expected. On the side was bean sprouts, lime, Vietnamese mint and shredded pork skin. Lots of porky goodness. A. went for the phở gà (chicken noodle soup) and I’m assuming it was good, as she killed everything in the bowl…

We also tried the bánh mì thịt nướng (grilled pork sandwich). I’m definitely going back for verification, but this may be my favorite bánh mì yet. I’ll have to grab one from here and one from Quốc Hương soon to do an A/B test… I’ll get back to you on that one.

Of note, the menu also has a pretty extensive section of “Mon Nhau”, or “Drink-Friendly Food” and Lẩu (Vietnamese hot pot):
Xoài xanh: Green mango salad.
Chim cút rô ti: Soy sauce quail.
Cánh gà chiên nước mắm: Chicken wings.
Ruột Heo Xào Cải Chua: Pickled vegetable with sausage.

Thiên Thanh
5219 Buford Hwy NE
Doraville, GA 30340

*** Added bonus – Open 24/7! ***

I’ve learned that the rule of thumb in ordering a Cuban sandwich us to ask the provenance of the bread used in the making of your sandwich. Even if you’re not entirely satisfied with the answer, this is your warning shot across the bow that they had better step up to the plate.

And so it went on my inaugural visit to Crazy Cuban. The bread is from Pan- American Bakery, according to the owner, but somewhere after this conversation something went off the rails. I ordered a Cuban sandwich. While taking the next customer’s order (who seemed to be a Cuban sandwich novice), I was asked what I thought about a Cuban with lettuce, tomato & jalapenos. “Not even close to acceptable,” was my reply.

So imagine my surprise to discover, upon opening my lunch, just this very thing… As I’d taken my sandwich to go, I really didn’t have much recourse beyond eating it. Now in its defense, it was a tasty sandwich – lots of léchon asado (roasted pork) & ham, and a strong taste of mojo criollo. But a Cuban sandwich, it was not. The bread was a little flakey, but the lettuce and tomato had rendered it soggy in the 5 minutes it took me to get from restaurant to where I was eating.

As it’s close to my office and affordable lunch options are limited, I will give them a chance to redeem themselves.

Crazy Cuban
290 14th Street
Atlanta, 30318
M-F 11AM – 3PM

[This post also appears on Naked with: Cooking]

Atlanta area food bloggers (actually, it doesn’t matter where you’re from) are invited to get together in a casual, informal environment, grab a bite to eat and get to know each other. Pretty much a similar deal to the last one, just a different location and I’m no longer using the words “Eat Up” (this was co-opted by someone else after our last event :< ). 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.

Details are after the jump…

The What

Again, you’re invited to meet face to face, prove you exist in the physical world, grab some good food and get to know some of your compatriots.

The When

Wednesday, April 21, 2010
7PM – whenever

The Where

Doh! We have changed venue. It appears that Bamboo Grill is closed on Wednesdays (probably explains my inability to get a hold of them on Wednesday…). We’re going to invade Shoya Izakaya!

Shoya Japanese Restaurant
6035 Peachtree Road
Suite A-101
Doraville, GA 30360
http://www.shoyaatlanta.com

One of the great things about Shoya – it’s an izakaya, meaning we get to do some mid-week drinking!

How Do I Find You?

Because this is an informal gathering and I’m not holding your feet to the fire, I don’t make reservations – I’m just not sure who’ll show up. If you guys are all really good and confirm through the comments (and don’t back out at the last minute ;>), it will help. I’ll let management know we’re there and I’ll try to be there a little early – I look a little bit like the scary guy pictured over here or here. Just walk up and say “Hi”.

The Fine Print

The is an open social gathering. There is no planning, management or control. The meeting place is public – the environment is what it is. I’ll hearken back to a post I did a while ago to encourage people to meet for dinner (here). Back then 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 Shoya before (or you aren’t familiar with Japanese pub food), 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!

I hope to see some of you there! Ping me on Twitter (@EatBuHi) or leave a comment here if you think you can make it.

When I first moved to Atlanta (by way of Boston) in 1989, I remember trying the barbecue at Old Hickory House at their now defunct location on Piedmont Road in Midtown Atlanta. To say I was underwhelmed would be an understatement. The fact that I have not darkened their doorstep in 21 years attests to the impression they made.

Be that as it may, the lack of decent, cheap breakfast locations (notice I did not say barbecue locations) in the Dunwoody area drove me to give Old Hickory House another try. So on a rainy Sunday AM, HX and I ventured out to fend for a table at the Dunwoody location (down to two, the other is located in Tucker).

Despite the high blue-hair quotient, the service was friendly enough and relatively efficient (I say despite, because this is usually a key driver for long-winded, pointless conversations holding up the wait staff, along with overly complicated and indecisive orders. I’m not hatin’ on old folks – stereotypes exist for a reason).

Soon after ordering, substantial portions of country-fried steak and eggs, sugar-cured ham and biscuits made their way to our table. For the most part, the food was good and a pretty good deal (2 people, big breakfasts – about $10). The biscuits (huge) were disappointing – the interior was light and tasty, but the crust was thick and chewy – kind of a biscuit jerky.

Old Hickory House
5490 Chamblee Dunwoody Road
Dunwoody, GA 30338-4129

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


After a recent hike up Stone Mountain, HX and I stopped for a quick lunch at Community Q in Decatur. Somewhere (maybe on Google Maps) I seem to have read that the folks at Community Q were on a mission of some sorts (I don’t really recall – locally sourced, sustainable, something like that?), but I really haven’t hunted that info down.

If that is the case, more power to them, I was there to eat and don’t really have a problem with eating just about anything…

We shared a combo plate with pulled pork and brisket. The pork – good flavor, lots of bark. Brisket – some was a bit dry, the rest had a good balance of fat & moisture. Nice, soft texture. Won’t hold it against them – the dilemma that most BBQ restaurants face – how to hold meat at temp without it becoming dry. Maybe it’s because I’m a Florida boy, maybe because my grandfather had a hog farm at one point, maybe because his joint only served pork – but no matter how much I’d like to, I just don’t get brisket. Don’t get me wrong, I love beef and this is no negative to Community Q, but brisket always disappoints me…

Macaroni & Cheese made with rigatoni – good tasty, sticky and substantial.

Baked beans – different that I’ve had before. Tons of onion (minced?) added sweetness and characteristic flavor. A little too sweet to eat much, but I’d order again.

Community Q
1361 Clairmont Road
Decatur, GA 30033

A couple of things have stopped me from visiting Crawfish Shack until now. I spotted it pretty early on, even before they opened, but by the time they did open it was off my “route” along Buford Highway. Then the levee broke (no pun intended – really, I didn’t catch that until way after I wrote it) and the hype machine started. And nothing says “stay away” to me more than overblown hype (especially if the Yelp-weenies are behind it).  So I gave it some breathing room and after some of the noise subsided it was back on my list. Then came what is probably the biggest problem I can find with this place – they close at 7PM most days. When I leave the house to hunt for dinner at 6:30, I’m just not going to pick a place that will be kicking me out 15 minutes after I arrive.

So on a recent Friday afternoon, I found myself working from home and decided it was finally time to give Crawfish shack a try. The menu reminds me of the fish camps we used to frequent when I was a kid in Florida and South Carolina. Fish, shrimp and oysters, either fried, fried or broiled. Hushpuppies or fries. Place your order and sit.

The grouper was fried perfectly, the hushpuppies were tasty, if small, and the shrimp were a bit overcooked. But I’m not complaining. A large group (10+ people, maybe more) was noising up the place and acting like boors (even asking for a discount, as it was their first visit!), but the staff continued to smile and remained attentive to every customer there. Pretty amazing, all things considered…

Have yet to try the chả giò (this place is Vietnamese, by the way). Saving that for my next visit.

Crawfish Shack
4337 Buford Highway
Atlanta, GA 30341

Niu ruo mein – Ocean Garden, Chinatown Food Court

Sliced fish in chili oil – Delicious Kabob

Torta al Pastor – El Pastor

Deli Manjoo – Buford Highway Farmers Market

Galbi & Mandoo – Cho Sun Ok

Pollo a la brasa – Pollo el Rey

Cha chiang mien – Manchunhong

Rabbit Galantine

I’ve posted about Abattoir already. After hearing me blather on endlessly about it, HX decided it would be a good destination for his 8th birthday. And indeed, he was right. As with last time, pictures are more powerful than my drivel.

Duck Meatballs in Brodo

Pork Trio

Abattoir
1170 Howell Mill Road
Atlanta, GA 30318-8636