Author: John Kessler

The answer comes later today with pictures of the non-pork area.

When I’m alone, I really love dining at the bar. This may sound kind of dorky, but when I’m at the bar I always find it easier to eat less and savor my food more. Usually I can get away with one or two small plates and a very carefully sipped glass of wine, and I feel like I got to experience a restaurant without the caloric overload so often associated with a full meal out.

Here are three bar meals I’ve really enjoyed lately:

At Zen on Ten Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar I ate this really tasty plate of hamachi serrano ($10) — a riff on Nobu Matsuhisa’s recipe. The sauce on the bottom is a blend of soy, yuzu (Japanese citron) and olive oil. I got a bowl of wonderfully chewy brown rice still in its mahogany husks and a small house salad. After the fish was gone, I surreptitiously poured the sauce over the rice. (Hat tip to Jonathan Baker at Citysearch for the recommendation.)

This restaurant has a pretty typical Thai/sushi bar thing going on, but it’s a lot less busy than other …

The folks at Slashfood have spoken, and they give the animatronic chickens hawking breakfast at Denny’s the top spot on their list.

Writes Michael Thomas Hastings:

“They squawk. They bulge their eyes. They move their little beaks as if controlled by puppeteers. They probably were. It doesn’t matter — like a bizarre Conan O’Brien skit, the inept special effects just make it funnier. Bravo, Denny’s!”

You can read the full comments and see the list here.

Do you agree, or were you more a fan of the Betty White Snickers commercial?

Left: Korean "big popcorn;" right: Peruvian chulpe

On last week’s visit to the Buford Highway Farmers Market I found two interesting kinds of popcorn that Orville Redenbacher wouldn’t recognize if they bit him on his bowtie.

On the left we have Korean-style popcorn — one of many puffed grain snacks collectively called pung twi gi. I remember trying similar puffed rice and corn snacks being sold as street food in Japan when I lived there.

It is very lightly sweetened, which I find appealing. This 6-ounce bag contains 5 recommended servings, which seems generous. I’d estimate each serving at about 2 cups, with a calorie count of 121. I find it a satisfying snack, and my kids like it in their lunchboxes.

On the right is  chulpe, which Peruvian restaurants often serve with beverages before the meal. I had no idea it was a popcorn, and the bag doesn’t give you any indication. It simply instructs you to toast the corn kernels in oil in a skillet until they begin to brown and smell …

Yes, people, it’s here.

The “Sandwich Wonder-izer” app — available for your downloading pleasure at the Apple iTunes store — will rock your PB&J.

According to the press release, this must have “enables consumers to create unique sandwich combinations from a list of more than 120 ingredients – from cheddar cheese to cucumbers and sprouts to salami – while calculating the sandwich’s nutrition values in real time with each added ingredient.”

You think that’s all? You can also name your sandwich and upload it to Facebook. And all your friends will think you inhaled a little too much methane gas in Farmville.

You can check it out here.

Pineapples at Super H Mart

Starfruit at Buford Highway Farmers Market

Now here’s a delicious dilemma:

Buford Highway and its environs have two great markets to choose from.

The newly renovated Buford Highway Farmers Market is cleaner, brighter, better organized and better stocked with more international foods that it has ever been.

But new it has some serious competition from the national chain of Super H Mart stores, which already has several branches throughout metro Atlanta. Super H recently opened its Doraville branch about a mile away in a new mall near the Peachtree Industrial exit off I-285. This market isn’t nearly as large as the BHFM (nor as large as the local Super H flagship in Duluth) but the groceries are well curated.

To compare the two I spent a long morning walking through both and examining the wide array of international foodstuffs. Both markets have baseline specialties in Korean and Mexican groceries as befits the local population, but they both also run …

Southern farm-to-table cooking certainly has its appeal, but don’t you think it’s about time we had a restaurant named for a city in the Canadian prairie with a menu featuring high-plains game?

Wait no longer, Saskatoon is here.

Located in the Atrium in the Buckhead Village complex (in the space that was the very short-lived Harry Bissett’s), Saskatoon offers an anything-but-trendy bar and grill menu with an emphasis on game.

Elk tenderloin, ostrich fillet, buffalo flank steak and venison rib chops are the headliners, but there’s also a menu of “tame game” options — steaks and such, simply seasoned and grilled over hickory.

The decor features a mounted buffalo head and a sideboard filled with duck decoys. And the first 30 diners tonight get to field dress their dinners. Okay, I’m kidding about that last part.

[UPDATE] While the Web site promises a poolside dining option, the restaurant’s publicist assures me there is no pool. I’m bummed…was thinking of bringing my …

Image: Amazon.com

In the comments section of a recent post, readers and I got into our mutual distaste for the word “foodie.”

That brought to mind a column I wrote about a year ago that was pegged to the inclusion of the word “locavore” in the Oxford English Dictionary.

I gently suggested we could do away with the word “foodie” to make room for it. But what is a better word?

Time to Retire This Distasteful Appellation

(originally published January 2009)

Apparently the word “locavore” has entered the lexicon. It has even, praise arugula, won the title of New Oxford American Dictionary’s Word of the Year for 2007.

That means we have one too many barfatronic food neologisms in common parlance. Which should we lose? Not “barfatronic” — it doesn’t specifically relate to comestibles and is far too useful.

I propose instead that we lose the heinously overused and patently annoying word “foodie.”

Anyone else out there think that Ms. Foodie has overstayed her welcome? Her cheer has …

“There’s a restaurant at Ikea, we can eat there.”

“I don’t want to eat at Ikea. Let’s just get our shopping done quickly, then we can go out and eat somewhere nearby.”

“I’m just saying…”

“Listen. We know what we want. We’ll just go in, get it, and leave. We can do this.”

THREE HOURS LATER

“I can’t decide between the Malm and the Melbu, or even the Aneboda could work.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Bed frames. Pay attention.”

“I can’t. We’ve been in this place for three hours looking at signs with umlauts on them. My brain doesn’t work anymore. At some point I think we crossed the state line into Alabama. I’m hungry.”

“So let’s go to the cafeteria. It looks good.”

“If we can still find it.”

TEN MINUTES LATER

“Are you going to get the meatballs?”

“I’m not going to get the meatballs. They’re probably 90% beef and 10% snørg.”

“So what are you getting?”

“Maybe the gravlax plate. And some of this vegetable soup. What about you?”

“Comfort food. Chicken fingers, fries, …

Courtesy of the Shumacher Group

The Decatur Metro blog is reporting that Depeaux in Decatur has closed. This Cajun restaurant reportedly spent around $1 million refurbishing the town’s historic train depot. The building had to be moved away from the tracks.

I tried — really tried — to like this place, but I gave up after a third or fourth visit where the food or the service or both left a questionable taste. I remember one order of red beans and rice that was so beyond salty it was funny. Still, it was nice to see some care lavished on this iconic, long-empty building.

UPDATE: According to Decatur Metro, owner Bill Sharkey says he will keep the restaurant open on weekends only.

Becky Stein

I noticed some new comments on my ancient Community Q BBQ post, surely occasioned by restaurant critic Meridith Ford Goldman’s recent praise for this Decatur barbecue newcomer.

A lot of folks who live on the east side of town compare it to Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q and come down on one side or the other.

I like both for different reasons — Fox Bros. for the chicken wings and the option of a barbecue salad entree, Community Q for the pulled pork and the mac ‘n cheese (even if it does clock in at 1,400 per large serving!!!).

But, overall, I favor Community Q because I applaud their use of locally raised meat and find the flavors of the ingredients and the smoke so clean. It appeals more to my sensibility. I also have to admit that the gut-bomb signature dishes at Fox Bros. (such as the “Lopez” made with Tater Tots, chili and an Exxon Valez slick of melted cheese) hold no personal appeal.

But, really, Eastside Atlanta has upped its barbecue paradigm a lot thanks to both these …

Bacon-wrapped tots (AJC Staff)

Since there seemed to be some interest in the subject of Tater Tots — both those served in restaurants around town and those served at home — I thought I’d share the other recipes from my t0t-stravaganza of a couple of years ago. Hope you like them.

Bacon-wrapped Tater Tots

20 servings (2 tots apiece); Hands on: 10 minutes; Total time: 35 minutes

Funny, tasty, disarming for food snobs. Think of the canapes served at Elly Mae Clampett’s wedding. Center-cut Oscar Mayer bacon is just the right size.

• 40 Tater Tots
• 20 slices bacon (not too long), cut in half

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Allow tots to thaw on counter for 15 to 20 minutes, or defrost in microwave for 1 minute, until spearable with a toothpick.

Wrap each tot tautly with a half-slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place the tots standing upright on a baking sheet (make sure the sheet has sides to hold the rendered bacon fat). Cook for 10 minutes. Remove and place the tots on …

And now some late-breaking news from our Coals to Newcastle Department:

Golden Bird Chicken — a small chain of Southern California fried chicken restaurants — will open its first out-of-state location in South DeKalb, on Glenwood Road just inside the Perimeter. (4475 Glenwood Road, Decatur). If you click on the Web site, you’ll hear Nat King Cole singing “Unforgettable,” because that’s what you are, you delicious-looking drumstick.

Piola Peach — a link in the international Italian pizzeria chain, Piola, will open soon at 1080 Peachtree Street in Midtown. If the menu is anything like the one in Naples, Florida, expect thin-crust pizzas — some typical and others with all sorts of crazy toppings, such as smoked salmon and corn. There are Piolas everywhere from Chile to Turkey.

Misari Restaurant is opening at 3525 Mall Boulevard in Duluth. Does anyone know what this will be? Middle Eastern? Japanese? Kathy Bates with a large mallet?

My homemade tater tots (AJC Staff)

At least it is according to Twitter and Facebook, which means it must be true. Here’s a story about the natural history of Tater Tots that I wrote two years ago.

The Tater Tot held its debutante ball, fittingly, at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. The swooping post-modern structure had itself just debuted in 1954, signaling the country’s interest in new forms, new conveniences, new luxuries — all financed with infusions of postwar cash.

The coming-out event wasn’t actually a dance in honor of a frozen food, but rather a breakfast at the National Potato Convention being held at the hotel. One attendee — F. Nephi “Neef” Grigg of Ore-Ida Foods in Idaho — had smuggled in a satchel of what would be his greatest invention.

As Grigg recalls in his papers, he “bribed … the head cook … and arranged to have the Tater Tots cooked, placed in small saucers and distributed on the breakfast tables for sample treats.”

The response?

“They were gobbled …

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Hi, my name is John, and I’ve eaten a lot of deep-fried brown things.

Where? At Ormsby’s,  the White Provision tavern that has become a huge, huge, crowded, crowded destination on the Westside dining map.

Owner Warren Bruno (the late Aunt Charley’s in Buckhead, Atkins Park Tavern in Virginia Highland)  teamed up with Michael Goot from SweetWater Brewing Co. and really tapped into today’s dining/drinking zeitgeist.

What are the elements for a new-style public house?

1. Serious beer list: Check — Ormsby’s doesn’t have the most encyclopedic around, but it flaunts a bunch of the new gotta-haves on its draught list (Brooklyn Brown Ale, Dogfish Head IBA) and a whole lot of Belgian beers in bottle.
2. Semi-speakeasy vibe: Check — Ormsby’s only calling card is a discreet door with an “O” on it on the bottle level of White Provision. When you open it, you find a big, freaking scene on two levels. Drinking and dining are on the top floor, while stairs lead to a …

The toothpaste, lip balm and deodorant take their rightful place on the shelves among the tins of English mustard and the freshly baked goods wrapped in crinkly film.

Urban Cannibals Bodega + Bites has to be one of the most carefully curated neighborhood markets around. Every item appears to have been placed on its weathered wooden shelving like a key component to a folk art installation.

What’s in those pretty blue boxes lining one eye-level shelf across the store? Not iPads…

black bean burger

The “bodega” part of the equation may give you a chuckle, but the “bites” are what you’ll find most intriguing.

The married owners Calavino Donati and Doria Roberts have put a lot of thought into the sundry food needs of their East Atlanta Village neighbors. Unfussy dry goods (snacks, mixes, staples) keep company with more gourmet-minded cheeses and prepared sauces in the refrigerator case.

baked goods

Rather than watch fresh produce languish in the market, Donati and Roberts have come …

AJC Staff

Argentina’s president, Cristina Fernandez, claims to have firsthand knowledge of this phenomenon, according to a Reuters report. Of course, she addressed these comments to a gathering of pig farmers. And there was no comment from her husband, former Argentine president Nestor Kirchner. So take her words with a grain of applesauce…

Hat tip to Slashfood, which offers some additional thoughts on the subject.

For this week’s column, I wrote about how celebrity chefs (such as Tom Colicchio, left) bring their brand to restaurants, and how diners often respond to the brand more than to the food. I’m going to be honest — it’s an interesting topic, but I don’t think I totally nailed the analysis. Still, I’d be very curious to know what you think.

THE BRAND NAME CHEFS

My 12-year-old daughter has gotten into fashion, which is a development I both applaud and fear. The applaud part is this: I’m all for any kind of artistic expression, and I like to see the way my kid manages to put together outfits from a seemingly rag-tag assortment of pants, camisoles, belts, plaid shirts and shoes.

The fear part is this: she has grown too brand conscious in my opinion. For weeks now she has been nattering on about wanting a pair of Tory Burch flats for her birthday. My response has invariably been “I’ll look into it, ” never once stopping long enough to register the fact that she was asking for …

Flying belly dancer!

Who is that, you may ask. Is it the Angel of Death swooping in for a kill?

Try and imagine, if you will, the scene on a recent weekend night at Fanoos Persian Cuisine in Sandy Springs. The vast, open dining room is filled with people smoking hookahs. Some are lucky enough to be eating tasty Persian food. Others, such as ourselves, are gnawing on our own legs, waiting for the food to come.

But this belly dancer makes the rounds, and she does keep everyone entertained. In this picture, you can see her jumping from one of the raised dining platforms that line the room. Some of these carpet-covered platforms are large enough to seat parties of 10-12, and everyone seems to be having a grand time.

I think I would like to go back on a non-weekend night to experience this restaurant. I might even want to stop in the for lunch buffet. The food is good, though after waiting an hour for appetizers and another hour for entrees, I feel I can only recommend it with a …

Courtesy of the Marlay House

Last October, the owners of  the Grange Public House in Decatur received a letter from the National Grange, an agricultural advocacy group, challenging their rights to the name “Grange.” If they chose to, they could pay an annual fee for the naming rights.

Instead the owners — siblings Colin, Darren and Jen Comer — decided to rename their popular Irish pub, opening the effort to the public in a “Rename the Grange” contest.

On Saturday evening before a crowd of 350 people, the new name was revealed by Decatur mayor Bill Floyd. A sheet dropped to reveal a new sign reading “The Marlay.” The full name is the Marlay House, which refers to a famous 18th Century Georgian-style mansion on the outskirts of Dublin. Why reference this building?

“Because it was called the Grange before that,” says Colin Comer. “Then this French fellow [David La Touche, governor of the Bank of Ireland] bought it and changed the name of the Grange to the Marley House for his …