Taqueria Tsunami

Sangria

Shrimp De Fuego

The portions of crispy battered shrimp and jalapeño slices were quite generous.

Pacific Rim & Marinated Filet Tacos With Fried Yucca

The tomatoes were seriously over-marinated which resulted in a soggy, spongy unpleasant texture.  But, the crispy Shrimp De Fuego and patio seating around the square would encourage another visit if we’re in the area.

Steak Bowl With Fried Egg

Taqueria Tsunami
70 South Park Square NE
Marietta, GA 30060
678 324 7491

Don Antonio By Starita

Don Antonio By Starita

The Quiet Before Noon

Cocktails

Classics…

& More

The Lunch Menu

8 Inch Pizzas (With or Without Salad) From 11:30-2:30PM

Pistacchio e Salsiccia

Pistachio pesto, sausage, pecorino romano, basil, and buttery homemade mozzarella.

That’s one gorgeous crust.  There was a lovely crisp snap on the outside while the inside had a rich, mature flavor with a good chew.  We devoured almost every crumb.

For the pizza lover, it made a perfect birthday lunch.

Chunky edges yield to a thin, cracker crisp bites in the center.  And, that cheese, it’s so rich and buttery.  It really is something special.

We can’t wait to return and enjoy the gorgeous weather on their patio.

Don Antonio By Starita
102 West Paces Ferry Road
Atlanta, GA 30305
404 844 2879

Theo Chocolate — Congo Vanilla Nib Bar

Congo Vanilla Nib Dark Chocolate Bar (65%)

The Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI) teamed up with Theo Chocolate for this crunchy chocolate bar with vanilla grown in the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains and crushed cacao nibs.  Proceeds from the sale of this chocolate bar will be donated to ECI to support their work with Congolese farmers in Eastern Congo.  For us, that made the chocolate taste all the richer and more satisfying.

If you’re a milk chocolate fan, there’s a creamy 45% chocolate bar with Congolese coffee.

Theo Chocolate

Whole Foods

Folk Art

Folk Art’s Southern Comfort
(Shrimp & Grits)

Another visit to Folk Art Restaurant, we’re rewarded with another delicious breakfast.

We’re Florida transplants.  Even years later, it’s still very hard for us to resist the shrimp and grits.  EVER.  This is a lovely version of the dish served with toast.  Somehow, the toast makes this feel more like a breakfast.  With the sauce, eggs and soupier (not our favorite) grits, we put every bite of that toast to good use.

Folk Southern Fried
(AKA The Day Killer)

This is one great big mountain of saucy, delicious good things.  We might need to take up marathon racing for an excuse to eat this every day.  Ridiculously rich and so very good.

Add coffee and we’re happy… very happy.

Folk Art Restaurant
465 North Highland Avenue NE
Atlanta, GA 30307
404 537 4493

Himalania Organic Toasted Hemp Seeds

Himalania Organic Toasted Hemp Seeds
(Seeds In Their Shell)

Interesting, these were a bit like a mini roasted pumpkin seed in a thin shell with a touch of sunflower seed flavor and a good dose of Himalayan pink salt powder covering every little bit of their surface.  Down side, these are really tiny seeds.  So, you’re bound to drop or spill a few during snacking.  And, the texture of the shell is a bit like equal part hard popped popcorn skin and the interior husk of a Sichuan pepper (prickly ash seed) with none of the flavor payoff.

Would we buy them again?  Maybe, one handful made a very hearty snack.

Himalania

Locally, we found ours at the Briarcliff Whole Foods

Lotus Vietnamese

Gỏi đu đủ tôm

Tender shrimp, shredded green papaya, basil, roasted peanuts, crushed peanuts, minced red chili peppers, and a touch of minced onion were carefully dressed.  We’ve always loved this dish.  And, we probably always will.

Gỏi

BÒ LÁ LỐP

Someone just can’t wait.

Bánh Hỏi

Lemon With Salt & Pepper Blend

Bò Lúc Lắc

The sauce might be a bit glossy and sweet.  But, the beef was perfectly tender.

Cơm Tấm

We’d love to go straight down the list.  We ended with a soothing pot of delicate jasmine tea.  It was the icing on the cake for us.  Yet another lovely and delicious meal at Lotus Vietnamese, we’re already eager to return.

Lotus Vietnamese Cuisine
2550 Pleasant Hill Road
Suite 408
Duluth, GA 30096
770 622 9693

Radial Cafe

Biscuits & Butter

These tender, homey biscuits were served warm.

Rich, buttery, and a little bit dense…

They only require the tiniest touch of soft, creamy butter and house-made strawberry jam.

Pork Belly Hash Topped With A Fried Egg

Each nibble of pork belly was perfectly tender with crispy, crunchy edges.  This pork belly hash could easily turn into one of our all-time favorites.

Krispy Kreme French Toast

Krispy Kreme French toast offered by a cafe that’s barely a handful of steps away from a CrossFit.

But, there’s no guilt, right?

Strawberry Rhubarb Preserves

The tart bite of rhubarb was definitely needed here.

Super kid-friendly, every table fills up fast on the weekend (around 10ish).

Radial Cafe
1530 Dekalb Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30307
404 659 6594

Sweet Auburn Barbecue

Sweet Auburn Barbecue

Cocktails

Starters

Sweet Auburn Country Picnic Plate

If you start here, you’ll never be able to finish the rest of your meal.  This very generous plate of candied bacon, pimento cheese, and Benton’s country ham served with two mounds of homemade pickles could easily be a meal… or two.

Plates

Maple Glazed Smoked Peking Duck

Beautifully smoked, maple added a touch of sweetness to each perfectly tender, smoky bite of duck.

More, please.  We’re pretty sure we could eat this every day of the week.

Build Your Own Meal…

With The Side Of Your Choice

Memphis Baby Back Ribs With Jamaican Jerk Spiced Collards

This was another plate of smoky, delicious meat.  This time it was a generous portion of baby back pork ribs rubbed with Memphis style spices.  And, those jerk spiced collards still managed to grab our interest.  They were alive with a bright flash of vinegar and a hefty dose of spice.  Loved them!

Coconut Lemongrass Pork Spare Ribs

Even though it was a little bit on the salty side, this was a serious favorite for one of us.

We were hooked at the first sip of Ruby Ruby Rhubarb.

There are a lot of big flavors to be had at Sweet Auburn.  Match them wisely and you’ll be rewarded.

Super friendly service, too!

Sweet Auburn Barbecue
(Sweet Auburn BBQ)
656 North Highland Avenue NE
Atlanta, GA 30306
678 515 3550

‘Cue Barbecue

‘Cue BBQ

Pulled Pork…

And Chicken

Ribs

The meat was a bit dry… even under a rather thick coating of sauce.

Collards & Sweet Potato Casserole

If we were in the area, we might consider a return visit.  But, it’s not likely.

Cue Barbecue

Man Chun Hong

Sichuan Wontons With Red Chili Oil

We’ve never been soup lovers.  But, oh my goodness, we do love this dish.  This is one rich and spicy broth that holds our attention from the first bite to the very last.  Both the red chili oil clinging to each wonton and the peppery broth bring their own unique heat.

Imperial Shrimp

After the Sichuan wontons in chili oil, the sweetness of this dish was soothing.  It paired nicely with the tingly, numbing heat of the Shan City chicken, too.

Shan City Chicken

Sichuan pepper clings to each piece of chicken.

The grind of the Sichuan and other peppers ranged from coarse bits to a fine powder.  The powerful bite of those coarse chunks had us reaching for another sweet shrimp.  Paired with that sweetness, we were able to truly appreciate the flavor of the Sichuan pepper without being overwhelmed by it.

This was another really great meal at Man Chun Hong.  With each new visit, we fall a little bit deeper under their spell.

Man Chun Hong Chinese Restaurant
5953 Buford Highway
Atlanta, GA 30340
770 454 5640