Posted by foodiebuddha
on November 30, 2009
Buford Highway restaurants carry with them a certain pedigree that is often unsubstantiated. The straight shot road that stretches from the inners of the city to well beyond the loop is home to a number of ethnic delights. However, self-proclaimed foodies seem to treat any establishment located on or near BuHi with unabashed reverence. Call it guilt by association.
Public enemy number one, none other than the ever popular Café 101. The large, free-standing rotunda that sits about a half-mile inside the loop, has been there for years. It seems like a good two or three since I myself last sat down to sample C101’s goods. So though this isn’t quite a first impression, this isn’t a full review nor a quick hits post.
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Posted by foodiebuddha
on November 02, 2009
Last week, I mentioned that a well respected NYC foodie and a local heavyweight were scampering around town to try some of the best Atlanta has to offer. Yesterday, Ed Levine, the NYC dude of Serious Eats fame, posted a writing by John Kessler, the AJC’s food dude. Topics included the delicious pizzas that we all talk oh so much about. Yes, that’s Varasano’s, Antico Pizza, & Fritti, for all you rock dwellers. Though there isn’t a great deal of “review” details in the post, the article does seem to tip its hat in the direction of Antico.
Kessler goes on to discuss Atlanta’s burgeoning farm-to-table scene, BuHi’s Korean BBQ and ramen, and checks out with a tip of the hat to Woodfire Grill’s Kevin Gillespie and The Hil’s Hilary White. I’m not sure if Levine actually went anywhere other than Antico and V’s, and his opinion is notably absent from the piece. Still, it’s great to see Kessler pushing us on the national scene, and it’s a well-written summary piece for anyone trying to get a lay of the land.
[via Serious Eats]
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Posted by foodiebuddha
on August 21, 2009
There is a certain dance that occurs every few months in Atlanta’s Chinese restaurant community. The formula is simple: Well regarded chef shows up; foodies flock to said location; chef up and leaves soon thereafter; foodies follow. Rinse and repeat. It’s happened with Frank Ma, it’s happened with Chef Chang (of Tasty China), and it’s happened with countless others. The latest rendition finds us at Bo Bo Garden up in the Doraville/Chamblee area.
The chef, whose name is still a mystery to me, showed up a few months ago at Wan Lai, a Cantonese job up BuHi. Word spread like hot sauce at a cook out and foodies flocked (myself included). Most loved it, some enjoyed it (that’s me), and a only a few turned their nose up. Then, like a fart in the wind, the head chef, his wife, and a handful of others vanished. Turns out, that group shot up the street and settled in Pinetree Plaza.
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Posted by foodiebuddha
on June 30, 2009
Last week, a few of us got together for some lunch at Taqueria El Rey Del Taco. It seems almost like clockwork: once every handful of months, an Atlanta food blogger heads over to Buford Highway to grab some of ERDT’s lauded tacos. Last week was my turn.
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Posted by foodiebuddha
on June 26, 2009
Open roughly four years (at least by my count), Co’m Vietnamese Grill has become one of the de facto responses to the question: “Where do I go in Atlanta for good Vietnamese?” It is therefore no surprise that this BuHi hotspot now has a devout following and a satellite location.
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Posted by foodiebuddha
on May 28, 2009
I swear I don’t eat out every meal! Really, I don’t.
Okay, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get to the topic at hand: Crawfish Shack Seafood on Buford Highway. When most ATLiens think of casual seafood eateries, Six Feet Under, Fontaine’s and Steamhouse Lounge usually reign supreme [Speaking of which … I think I’ll pull my Steamhouse review off the book shelf and post it here]. Needless to say, none of those places blow my britches up.
Enter the Crawfish Shack. Despite a most unusual location and one of the more a-typical owners for a restaurant of this type, this Cajun-centric Creole restaurant has already developed a strong following. Open approximately nine months, it was high time I gave it a shot. Yesterday, Papa Buddha decided to have a little male bonding. The results were mixed, but ultimately positive.
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Posted by foodiebuddha
on May 21, 2009
Wan Lai on Buford Highway has hit the ground running. In just a few short months, this Cantonese restaurant has landed on most everyone’s “must visit” list. After missing out on Monday’s opportunity, I made the “obligatory” drive up BuHi earlier this afternoon to check out the buzz. Joined by a good friend from the CDC, we came away with a similar impression. While the meal was good (at times very good), I’m not ready to hand this place the keys to my Cantonese castle just yet.
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Posted by foodiebuddha
on May 01, 2009
Over the years, I have been lucky enough to dine at the home of some friends who are of Cantonese descent. While I have never been to China, I can use those experiences and my past readings to come to the following conclusion. Royal China is one of the more authentic dim sum (wiki) restaurants in (or around) Atlanta.
A self-proclaimed dumpling freak, I took it upon myself to spread the dumpling love. A few days ago, a small group of us took a drive up to Chamblee for some Cantonese style cuisine. What followed was a quick decent into chopstick wars and massive chaos.
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