Another visit to Alon’s… and we made another great find.

We were browsing with some interest at a rather nondescript vacuum-sealed package of ground beef.

Three-Cut Ground Beef of Hanger, Chuck, & Brisket

And, one of the Alon’s friendly staff volunteered a bit [...]]]>
Homemade BBQ-grilled Burger on Mini Ciabatta

Another visit to Alon’s… and we made another great find.

We were browsing with some interest at a rather nondescript vacuum-sealed package of ground beef.

Three-Cut Ground Beef of Hanger, Chuck, & Brisket

And, one of the Alon’s friendly staff volunteered a bit of information.  The package was a house-ground blend of hanger, chuck & brisket.  Then, he mentioned that Creative Loafing did a write-up.  And, it’s been a great seller.  We we were sold.  We grabbed a pack of 2 burgers ($9) and a few mini ciabattas.

An hour later…

Sha-zam! …quick week-night dinner.

It might not be our all-time favorite ground beef blend.  But, it’s REALLY good.  Creative Loafing mentioned a good amount of fat.  But, our meat was surprisingly lean for a burger (yet, still full of flavor) and tender.

Yummy.  We’ll definitely be buying these again.

Alon’s Bakery And Market
4505 Ashford Dunwoody Road
Atlanta, GA 30346
678 397 1781

For a fast food milkshake, this is really quite nice.  Birthday cake?  Not really.  But, we both agreed that it did taste of vanilla pudding.  You know the sort of vanilla pudding you see at a cafeteria?  Creamy vanilla pudding layered with ‘nilla wafers and whipped cream… That’s [...]]]>
Zaxby’s Birthday Cake Milkshake

For a fast food milkshake, this is really quite nice.  Birthday cake?  Not really.  But, we both agreed that it did taste of vanilla pudding.  You know the sort of vanilla pudding you see at a cafeteria?  Creamy vanilla pudding layered with ‘nilla wafers and whipped cream… That’s exactly what the Zaxby’s birthday cake milkshake tastes like.

Zaxby’s

We’re huge fans of Gokul Sweet’s vada pav.  So, when two of these club sandwiches appeared in error, we didn’t mind at all.  As a matter of fact, we were happily surprised.  At first glance, this might appear to be an odd interpretation of a club sandwich.  But, [...]]]>
Gokul’s Vada Club Sandwich

We’re huge fans of Gokul Sweet’s vada pav.  So, when two of these club sandwiches appeared in error, we didn’t mind at all.  As a matter of fact, we were happily surprised.  At first glance, this might appear to be an odd interpretation of a club sandwich.  But, it all works together quite nicely.  Ordinary white toast becomes something quite special filled with one big ball of spiced potato fritter.  Two chutneys, thin slices of onion, tomato, cucumber and American cheese only work to make it better.

The one truly odd touch is the slice of American cheese.  At first, we thought of discarding it.  Instead, we just went with it.  We’re glad we did.  This sandwich is a great summer meal.  The veggies add an amazing touch of lightness and freshness to this carb-heavy sandwich.  With a little sweetness from the tamarind chutney and a burst of fresh green goodness from the cilantro chutney, this sandwich is a real winner.  We both love it.

Pav Bhaji Dosa

Perfect, once again…  Richly spiced vegetables and fresh cilantro fill this gorgeous dosa with crispy, crumbly edges.  And, a bit of sweetness from the coconut rounds out the spice.

Yum!

Chandrakala & Khajur Roll

We couldn’t leave without adding to the list of pastries that we’ve sampled at Gokul Sweets.  Both of these were great.  Seeing fresh, vibrant green pieces of pistachio peeking out of the khajur roll, they were destined to come home with us.  But, we both fell in love with…

These are absolutely and utterly divine.  They’re like India’s answer to baklava.  Pastries doused in syrup and filled with nuts, these are dangerously addictive.  I want more… now!

Gokul Sweets
763 Dekalb Industrial Way
Decatur, GA 30033
404 299 2062

]]> http://www.reviewatlanta.com/2010/07/20/gokuls-vada-club/feed/ 0 http://www.reviewatlanta.com/2010/07/14/dark-chocolate-goji-berries-avocado-oil-chips/ http://www.reviewatlanta.com/2010/07/14/dark-chocolate-goji-berries-avocado-oil-chips/#comments Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:14:34 +0000 michele http://www.reviewatlanta.com/?p=1672 Dark Chocolate Covered Goji Berries

With a hard texture that is tougher to chew than your standard raisinette or chocolate covered blueberry, we can’t say they’re our favorite chocolate covered berry.  But, they are interesting.  Some of the goji berries are crunchy… others are chewy.  It’s a bit disconcerting.  They all do [...]]]>
Dark Chocolate Covered Goji Berries

With a hard texture that is tougher to chew than your standard raisinette or chocolate covered blueberry, we can’t say they’re our favorite chocolate covered berry.  But, they are interesting.  Some of the goji berries are crunchy… others are chewy.  It’s a bit disconcerting.  They all do have one thing in common.  They’re all more than a little bit sour.  The one positive?  We enjoyed the way the sour berries brought out the flavor of the dark chocolate.  (even if it wasn’t the best chocolate)  Clearly, this isn’t a glowing recommendation.  But, we’re willing to give them another chance.  Right now, though, I’d rather have a package of dark chocolate covered blueberries.

We also bought a bag of Next Organics’s dark chocolate apricots.  (7 apricots in a $6 bag)  They didn’t win us over either.  We weren’t crazy about the chocolate.  It was rather bland and mild with an almost carob-y flavor.  We both prefer very dark bittersweet chocolate.  We definitely won’t be buying the apricots again.

Avocado Oil Potato Chips (Barcelona BBQ)

Now, these we both loved.  I don’t know why they’re called Barcelona BBQ.  They tasted just like every BBQ potato chip we’ve ever eaten.  And, since we love BBQ’d potato chips, we loved these.  The one negative?  They’re a bit too salty.  But, that didn’t stop us from devouring the bag.  (serves 5… HA!  But, the bag did serve two very generously.)

Beanitos

The Beanitos got a mixed review.  One of us loved them.  (He did.)  One of us… eh, not so much.  (She didn’t.)  They were interesting.  They really did taste like black beans.  The texture of the chips was surprisingly light and crisp.  They had a delicate tender crunch that crumbles easily in your mouth.  But, there was an unpleasant aftertaste.  (She said.)  We ate them plain.  With dip, this might not be an issue.

Alon’s Bakery & Market
4505 Ashford Dunwoody Road
Atlanta, GA 30346
678 397 1781

Yes, it’s as good as it looks.  Honestly, it’s probably even better.  Perfectly crisp golden brown layers crackle delicately under your bite.  The interior layers are soft, tender, and buttery with a fresh ground pistachio center as an added bonus.  Yum.

Plum Galette

We were very early.  This [...]]]>
Pistachio Croissant

Yes, it’s as good as it looks.  Honestly, it’s probably even better.  Perfectly crisp golden brown layers crackle delicately under your bite.  The interior layers are soft, tender, and buttery with a fresh ground pistachio center as an added bonus.  Yum.

Plum Galette

We were very early.  This wedge was still warm from the oven.  The plum slices were tart with just the right amount of sugar added to bring out their natural sweetness.  The pastry base was light, crisp, and tender adding delicate structure without taking away from the flavor of near-perfect plums.  I’m not sure how this galette would have faired if we’d arrived later in the day.  But, it was a stunner fresh out of the oven.

Alon’s Bakery & Market
4505 Ashford Dunwoody Road
Atlanta, GA 30346
678 397 1781

As you can see, the plantains are cooked to perfection.  And, that’s no exaggeration.  (My pictures were better last time.)  The blend of crispy bits, caramelization, and creamy mashed plantain work in delicious harmony.  The crispy crumbs of deep fried pork in the center are an added bonus. [...]]]>
Mofongo with Spicy Shrimp

As you can see, the plantains are cooked to perfection.  And, that’s no exaggeration.  (My pictures were better last time.)  The blend of crispy bits, caramelization, and creamy mashed plantain work in delicious harmony.  The crispy crumbs of deep fried pork in the center are an added bonus.  Served with close to a dozen large shrimp, this meal could easily feed two people.  We’re in love with this dish.

Chicken, Yellow Rice and Plantain Mash

Diced skinless chicken breasts, yellow rice and a mashed combination of plantain & root vegetable offer a slightly healthier alternative.  But, the serving size is equally giant-sized.  Be prepared to take a mountain of leftovers home with you.  Or, you might fall into a carb-induced coma.

Versase Dominican Restaurant and Bakery
510 Pleasant Hill Road
Lilburn, GA 30047
770 931 8412

When visiting Colorado, we don’t always have time to seek out the best restaurants.  Sometimes, we’re forced to rely on easily accessible food.  Spicy Pickle makes a great sandwich.  And, we don’t want to forget about them… or their pickles.  (picture “borrowed” from Spicy Pickle’s website)

Spicy Pickle

We both love these ribs.  Seriously.  The balance of smoke, tender meaty pork and sauce is right on the money.  And, the sauces are some of our favorites.  With three sauces (Original, Mustard, and Bold AKA Kansas City Style), there should be a sauce to please just about everyone.  But, overall, [...]]]>

We both love these ribs.  Seriously.  The balance of smoke, tender meaty pork and sauce is right on the money.  And, the sauces are some of our favorites.  With three sauces (Original, Mustard, and Bold AKA Kansas City Style), there should be a sauce to please just about everyone.  But, overall, our first visit was significantly better than this visit.

(Check out our first visit to Smokin J’s here.)

Sadly, the brisket was a bit dry and more than a little tough on this visit.

Pulled Pork, Beef Brisket, Mac N Cheese, & Pineapple Express

The instant our meal arrived my honey was regretting his choice.  While the pork was tender and full of flavor, it had very little caramelization and bark.  His brisket clearly came from the same piece of beef as mine.  So, it was equally dry and chewy.  He was eyeing my plate of ribs with a lusty gaze.  I had to share.  After one bite his reaction was, “Oh my god…  These ribs are amazing.”  And, I wholeheartedly agree.  So, for now, Smokin J’s will be all about the ribs for us.

Hopefully, the pork and brisket will be better next time.

Original, Mustard and Kansas City Style BBQ Sauces

Smokin J’s BBQ
2145 Roswell Road
Marietta, GA 30062
770 973 1003

For close to ten years, Pig N Chik has been our go-to BBQ spot for a quick meal.  And, out of all of those meals, we’ve never been disappointed.  Not once.  We order the same thing every time… pulled pork and Brunswick stew.  Sometimes, we’ll throw in an order of potato [...]]]>

For close to ten years, Pig N Chik has been our go-to BBQ spot for a quick meal.  And, out of all of those meals, we’ve never been disappointed.  Not once.  We order the same thing every time… pulled pork and Brunswick stew.  Sometimes, we’ll throw in an order of potato salad or mac’n'cheese.   But, if we’re eating at Pig N Chik, the pulled pork and Brunswick stew are mandatory.  The pork is always tender and delicious with the perfect amount of smoke.  On the rare occasion that we have room left for dessert, the Chocolate Madness cake is seriously dangerous.

I think it’s fair to say that if we’re living in Georgia, we’ll be eating at Pig-N-Chik.

Pig N Chik
4920 Roswell Road
Sandy Springs, GA 30342
404 255 6368

Ginger and juniper extract add a pleasant jolt to this “botanically fermented orange drink”.

Almond Croissant

We are not early risers.  So, to reward ourselves for the first time we were up before 8am this year.  We decided to mark the occasion with a [...]]]>
Fentiman’s Mandarin and Seville Orange Jigger

Ginger and juniper extract add a pleasant jolt to this “botanically fermented orange drink”.

Almond Croissant

We are not early risers.  So, to reward ourselves for the first time we were up before 8am this year.  We decided to mark the occasion with a visit to Alon’s.  We were there as the doors were opening at 7 am. (It’s a miracle.)  And, we were rewarded with croissants… still warm from the oven.  We were in heaven.  There is nothing more delicious than the taste of warm marzipan melting on your tongue.  Well, almost nothing…  The taste mingling with the rich buttery perfection of Alon’s croissants flaking and crumbling under your delicate bite makes it even better.

These might not be my favorite bagels in the city, but, they’re pretty darn good.

And, surprisingly, this one was enjoyable after sitting on our counter for two days in the Alon’s paper bag.

Alon’s Bakery & Market
1394 North Highland Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30306
404 872 6000