Home > Table Talk
What’s Your Favorite Korean Bakery?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
KOREAN BAKERIES: Delightful, delicious, delovely!
Photo Kimberly Smith/AJC
Today’s dining review explores a funky, fun spot in Duluth called Honey Pig, specializing in Korean samgyeopsal jip — pork belly barbecue. The restaurant owners claim it’s not a franchise, but it bears remarkable resemblance to several restaurants (one with the same name) in Los Angeles and its surrounding areas.
The Korean community has built a reputation for some of the best dining in the area — from tofu soup houses to barbecue (galbi) to the exquisite bakeries that have popped up across Gwinnett County.
One of the best is Bakery Cafe Maum, which has opened a new location on Steve Reynold’s Blvd. in Doraville. Korean bakeries delight in the art of French pastries and cakes with a Japanese influence, but often use rice flour in addition to wheat flour, which makes the crumb of cakes and breads super fine and delectable, but seemingly refined compared to hearth breads. Others I love: Mozart Bakery, newly minted Shilla Bakery & Cafe in Duluth (next to Honey Pig) and White Windmill Bakery on Buford Highway.
Which is your favorite Korean Bakery?
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment | Categories: Dining
Eat Your Way Through the World … From Your Computer
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Photo: David Hecker AFP/Getty Images
Ever wanted to visit the Perigord region of Southwest France and forage for truffles? Eat your way through the vast regions of Mexico? What about exploring all the wonder of Andalusia, Spain?
We’ve all trusted National Geographic for years to bring us magazines and films that scope the world’s treasures; now the earth-loving mag has launched Foods of the World, a website dedicated to bringing specialty foods and artisan products (that all support the Slow Food Movement) from 30 countries around the world.
From the press release: “Foods of the World is designed as a shopping resource for consumers interested in receiving fresh, high-quality foods from around the world. While online, consumers can share recipes from their own travels or culture, participate in community discussions and delve deeper into the origin of the site’s food offerings by accessing maps and feature stories about their region of choice from the National Geographic archives. As the site evolves, consumers will also be able to post photos and videos of their own travels and favorite real-world culinary destinations.”
The featured destination right now: Latin America. The site is gorgeous, with all the color photography we expect from NG. I’m headed to Portugal right now. Where will you go?
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Dining
Deliver Me With Some Take Out
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This past weekend had me nursing a head cold and a bad case of the mean reds (that’s a big case of the blues, for those of you who don’t read Truman Capote). The last thing on earth I wanted to do was go out to eat (though I rallied for my mother’s 82nd birthday at Watershed, where the vegetable plate and all its wonder — field peas, creamed corn, fried okra and butterbeans — made the hurt stop hurting for at least as long as it took to butter my cornbread).
It’s nights like these when take out is the next best thing to an alternative fuel source. (Believe it or not, I’ve gotten Watershed’s veggie platter to go). But the best take out when you don’t want to have to face the rest of the world is the kind that comes to you — the delivery man.
Almost everywhere has great take out, but not all of them deliver (even some pizza joints can’t make a profit margin from delivery, so they don’t). Who do you rely on when you don’t want to get out your pjs and off the couch?
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Dining
Labor Day Shouldn’t Be Laborious
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
STEW: AS GOOD AS ‘CUE
Photo: Becky Stein/special to the AJC
The round up of BBQ joints in this week’s dining review poses — yet again — an opportunity for us all to crow about our favorite ‘cue.
And in the old days, that’s what BBQ was about: the ‘cue and only the ‘cue. These days, if you don’t offer up some amazing mac-n-cheese and a new twist on cole slaw, you’re not a competitor in some folks’ books. Heck, some of the newer ‘cue joints are actually cute: Rolling Bones looks like Edward Hopper merged with Mayberry RFD. Sam & Dave’s BBQ2 is so nice you’ll feel obligated to not only use a napkin, but to put it in your lap.
So let’s veer for a moment and think about it: What goes best with ‘cue: is it grape soda and potato chips (like the old days), or pineapple cole slaw and three-cheese mac-n-cheese at Sam & Dave’s? Is it those incredible biscuits (with honey!) at Swallow at the Hollow?
And what about the near-forgotten Brunswick stew? This mix of tomatoes, pork, chicken and corn used to be as much a reason to get ‘cue as the meat. Who makes the best Brunswick stew?
Permalink | Comments (83) | Post your comment | Categories: Dining
Do You Pay Attention To Restaurant Awards?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
WHAT DO RESTAURANT AWARDS MEAN TO YOU?
We’ve all seen them at the hostess’ desk or hanging in the bathroom: the various and sundry awards that a restaurant can accrue, from community outreach to James Beard.
But what’s behind winning one of these seemingly coveted commendations?
In my Dishing column today, I take a look at a hoax played on Wine Spectator by author Robin Goldstein, who submitted credentials for a fake restaurant in Italy to the famed wine mag. It promptly won Wine Spectator’s award of excellence (admittedly the lowest on the mag’s tier and pretty easy to get, apparently).
Even the James Beard Award — the highest given to restaurants, chefs and food writers — has had its share of scandal; the Foundation rattled several years back with mismanagement of funds.
So what do you think when you see one of these plaques hanging on the wall? What does it mean for you, the customer? Is it a marketing scheme, or do you think most restaurant awards mean something to the average diner?
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Dining
Latest comments
Bow..wow…arf afr…why would anyone eat what these Third World dog eaters eat?” Try it you banjo-playin moron. It just might help you get into an ivy league college and help people like you build better cars/electronics.... read the full comment by thor | Comment on What's Your Favorite Korean Bakery? Read What's Your Favorite Korean Bakery?
Cafe Maum is wonderful! I live very nearby. It is located about 2 miles north of 285 in Doraville area (actually Gwinnett County, just barely) on Buford Hwy, on the right side, in a very new shopping center. I went there yesturday to buy some gift cards... read the full comment by H | Comment on What's Your Favorite Korean Bakery? Read What's Your Favorite Korean Bakery?
le petit fleur or whatever its called in the Super H mart—too many bugs around.... read the full comment by Doris | Comment on What's Your Favorite Korean Bakery? Read What's Your Favorite Korean Bakery?
Bow..wow…arf afr..bow wow, bark bark bite bite. Translates to why would anyone eat what these Third World dog eaters eat? Just as soon put my hand up my backside and pull something out and eat is than eat their food. Bow wow..bark bark.... read the full comment by Old Yeller | Comment on What's Your Favorite Korean Bakery? Read What's Your Favorite Korean Bakery?