Residents of and visitors to East Atlanta Village have a brand new eatery to check out. We Suki Suki, a somewhat suggestively named Vietnamese restaurant, has just opened it doors. WSS is apparently a straightforward banh mi shop offering four renditions of Vietnam’s answer to the po boy. Located in the former Village Ice Cream space, WSS also provides bubble tea addicts (aka me) with an opportunity to get their fix for just $3 a pop. A little more 411 for you after the jump.
This is a tale of two sandwich shops. One is Ink.Sack, a small take-out sandwich shop from Top Chef alum Michael Voltaggio. It’s flashy, it’s forward thinking, and it’s got a reputation to uphold. Thanks to its celeb chef and its location in little strip of shops on Melrose Ave in Los Angeles, the bar is high for Ink Sack.
Meanwhile, all the way across the country in one of Atlanta’s underbelly neighborhoods sits Victory Sandwich Bar, a punk rock meets hipster sandwich bar whose concept isn’t wholly different than Ink.Sack’s. Though Victory’s origins don’t carry the same pressure as does Ink.Sack’s, the two restaurants are close enough conceptually that a comparison is fair, even though they sit roughly 2,200 miles apart.
In my brief flirtation with Los Angeles food trucks, I manage to sample, or at least attempt to sample, four diverse offerings that each presented some insight into the current state of street food in LA. I already waxed foodetic about Kogi, whose food may not be worth the 45 to 60 minute wait that can sometimes come with some of their Korean tacos; but, who provides a real value with pretty good grub from an insanely well run truck (or trucks as the case may be).
So against that standard, I was able to frame two other food truck meals and one “are you freaking serious?” failure of epic proportions. We’ll start with the solid, get to the just okay, and wrap it with a serious cry for one truck to get their shit together. Hopefully, in 1500 words or less! #ICanBeVerbose
Toscano & Sons Italian Market sits unassumingly in Westside quietly providing Atlantans with some of the city’s most consistent panini. For the better part of the past five years, the tiny emporium and Italian deli has offered up tasty sandwiches in addition to a variety of worthwhile cheeses, wines, and prepared Italian classics.
When owners Kathy Boehmer and John Reed opened Toscano & Sons back in 2006, Westside was a neighborhood waiting to happen. Even so, already established eateries like West Egg Café and Star Provisions made for a crowded marketplace. Yet in the shadow of these more noted restaurants, Toscano and Sons has been chugging along ever since. Regardless of the dramatic rise in nearby eating options, as a value proposition alone, the pressed sandwiches at T&S easily best anything in the vicinity.
When Hector Santiago’s crew at Super Pan really puts their mind to it, the mediodia, a rift on the classic medianoche, is perhaps the single best sandwich Atlanta has to offer. There is both good and not so good in this tiny sandwich shop located in Atlanta’s Poncey-Highland neighborhood; but when we fixate solely on that torpedo of goodness, we find that when it’s right … it’s freakin’ fantastic.
Let’s assume for a second that you have yet to step foot inside of Victory Sandwich Bar, the 9-month old bouncing baby Inman Park sandwich shop. If you find yourself in that unfortunate group of people, I have a suggestion: Lie and say you have. That’s right. I said it and I meant it.
I’d like to think that amongst my friends and cohorts, I serve as a Zuul-like gatekeeper for restaurant recs (albeit one absent of demonic qualities and a pair of boobs). I don’t think that it’s much of a stretch to say you readers serve a similar role amongst your peeps. So if your qualifying of a restaurant serves as an emotional experience in the way sharing a new tune does, I suggest you add Victory to your repertoire. Even since my first visit on day three, this friendly on the pocket “deli with edge” has been one smooth operator.
Nearly every longstanding dish from here to Ouagadougou is subjected to hotly contested disputes regarding everything from its traditionalism to its overall quality. Be it American classics like burgers, Italian staples like Neapolitan pizza, or even steaming bowls of the Vietnamese comfort food phở, these are the world’s civil war dishes. These are foods so near and dear to people’s hearts that often times one will vehemently deny their own kin’s sanity should opinions reach an impasse.
Amongst the laundry list of contentious dishes here in the states, the war over cheesesteaks is certainly grounds for a verbal fist fight. With a slew of options up and down Atlanta’s countryside, residents of the 404 have no problem finding a cheesesteak seemingly custom built to their personal specifications. For the purpose of this here write up, I’m going to compare cheesesteaks from one of Atlanta’s long established ‘steakraunts’ to that of a relative newbie.
In the heart of Atlanta’s ritzy Buckhead neighborhood sits a bright white house with a light grey roof and red trim. It’s just off the beaten path and a stones throw from the area’s Whole Foods Market. If not for the droves of cars in the parking lot, one might think this a residence. But a closer inspection reveals a painted on tree and a friendly little sign pronouncing the name of the business within: Café Jonah & The Magical Attic.
If my foodie gauge is correct, Super Pan, a Latin sandwich shop from Hector Santiago, is about to be the latest restaurant to permeate Atlanta’s food chatter. How long this Pura Vida spin-off manages to last in that conversation will depend entirely on their ability to deliver good, consistent food. Of course, Santiago’s notability due to his time on Top Chef will help with the buzz.
As you might remember from Monday’s post, I first visited the subterranean sandwich purveyor last week during their first few days of business. However, I grubbed sans camera, so a return trip was necessary before I dropped this post on y’all. Three sandwiches in, I’d say there is some real potential.
The photo above comes courtesy of Hector Santiago’s newest endeavor … Super Pan, a Latino Sandwich Shop. (I nabbed it off the Super Pan website). I luckily stumbled upon this sandwich shop just the other day but stupidly forgot to update y’all on the details. Sorry! Buddha Fail! Anyway, I’ll give y’all a recap just as soon as I can scrap together a food finds post on my experience… but for now … here are the goods:
[UPDATE: You can see my Food Find Review HERE]
Super Pan Address & Information
1057 Blue Ridge Avenue, NE Atlanta, GA 30306 // 404.477.0379 // Super Pan website
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