FoodieBuddha.com

It seems almost shameful.  Not only am I deeply passionate about Japanese culture and cuisine, but I pride myself on visiting most anything that resembles a Japanese restaurant here in the Dirty.  Such was the basis for my dismay as I met up with ChowDownAtlanta (website) for a little grub late last week.  After our usual game of who’s gonna make the call, we finally settled on the long standing Yakitori Jinbei for our lunch endeavor.  Located up Cobb Pkwy, just outside I-285, it is beyond shocking that I had never before ventured into the tiny strip mall eatery.  Open since ‘02, I lived not more than 3 miles from the place for many a year.

Walking into the 40 some-odd seat room, you can’t help but identify the formulaic Japanese décor.  Heavy on the soft, and accented with the deep, the simplicity of the space is both expected and demanded.  It is a style that I will never tire of.  My affinity for the layout, however, is inconsequential.  What is of importance is that the place is clean and the furniture and such are all of relatively high build quality.

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Let’s keep this short but sweet.  Atlanta is full of foodies, full of bloggers, and full of foodies who blog. (I’m looking at you ChowDownAtlanta.com, EatBufordHighway.wordpress.com, EatDrinkMan.blogspot.com, EatItAtlanta.com, TheQuickandDirtyDirty.com, SavoryExposure.com)  The list goes on from there (this is where you take a look at my blogroll about halfway down the page), but those are just a few.

Not surprisingly, more than a handful of local restaurateurs and chefs also put their thoughts down on digital paper.  I have a long list of those that I follow, but here are just a few that grease my monkey (in alphabetical order):

Marla Adams : Babette’s Cafe : http://www.chefmarla.typepad.com/
Adams, who may be the most sporadic of the bloggers listed here, only posts once every handful of weeks.  The blog seems to double as both a inside into some of the goings on at her operation and as a place for her to express herself.  The posts are often deeply personal and it’s always interesting to read someone who puts their plate on a platter (so to speak).

Taka Moriuchi :Taka Sushi : http://sushiandpassion.blogspot.com/
Moriuchi, who has been a fixture in the Atlanta sushi scene since his day’s at Soto, now runs his own joint on Pharr Road in Buckhead, aptly named Taka.  His postings used to be somewhat sporadic, but he’s really picked up the pace since March.  Though there are intermittent stray posts, the majority of them focus on sushi and his restaurant.  He is even kind enough to share a few recipes with us … like this one for okra tempura.

Todd Richards : Lush Life Group : http://cheftoddrichards.blogspot.com/
Richards, who has several establishments around town (Rolling Bones BBQ and One Flew South), drops in about once every couple of weeks.  His posts range from the deeply personal to the deeply off topic.  While it may not always be NSFW, it’s always entertaining and enlightening.

There are a whole bunch of them out there folks, but that list is a good place to start.  Buddha … OUT!

Tommy: Brothers don’t shake hands. Brothers gotta hug.

That’s the kind of atmosphere at an event hosted by Jen & Ryan Hidinger (the line of course is a quote straight out of Tommy Boy).  In fact, we tried to get out of there on a handshake, and the better half insisted we hug it out.  For those of you not privy to my past posts on Staplehouse, let’s get ya’ll up to speed.

Ryan Hidinger is the Chef de Cuisine at Muss & Turner’s.  He, with the help of his lovely wife Jen, hope to open their own joint sometime in the foreseeable future.  The restaurant will open under the name Staplehouse (formerly two words – now one).  The concept will be a neighborhood eatery backed by fresh, staple-driven food. In the meantime, what we have is A Prelude To Staplehouse.  Prelude is quite simply a small gathering where a handful of diners get together, sample a good amount of Ryan’s food, and then are given an opportunity to give him some feedback.  PS … before you hit “read more” you may want to brace yourselves.  This is another post that’s far too long for the net.

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It started with a stare … tepid at first.  Gradually, a brow furrowed, the lips quivered, and the eyes turned on me … I had sinned.  Mortally sinned for that matter.  Her hand shot across the table and into the left over tin foil cone, the former home of my gyro.  Seconds later her hand emerged.  Like King Arthur and his sword or Link and his Triforce, the woman held her prize up for all to see.  The meat glistened momentarily only to be summarily swallowed.  We all have our purposes in this world … in the case of this delectable morsel … it was to inspire.

Hit up that link to see what Madame Chow had to say about my beloved Café Agora.

Café Agora Restaurant Address & Information:
262 E. Paces Ferry NE Atlanta, GA, 30305 // P: 404.949.0900 // Cafe Agora Website // Cafe Agora Menu

Chow Down Atlanta has all the goods!  According to Madame Chow, you should head over to Belly General Store in Virginia Highlands for their newest addition: some Poilâne bread!  Yes, this stuff is freakin awesome!

Belly General Store Address & Information:
772 N Highland Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306 // P: 404.872.1003 // Belly General Store Website

Well, sorry that it’s so late in the day.  I had a lot going on … but, I wanted to get this up today.  We are fast approaching the half-way point in the Atlanta Sub & Sandwich Tour.  To date, there have only been a couple of strong showings.  Luckily, today’s lunch at Sawicki’s marked another successful meal.

The trek to Decatur was a bit more adventurous than I would have hoped.  Apparently, Atlanta drivers are under strict orders: if it rains – make sure you disobey every traffic law possible!  That aside, the laid back attitude and fresh ingredients at Sawicki’s left me optimistic for the meal.  Their sign, “Eat Good Food,” says it all!

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