Quick Bites: Umaido

I finally had a chance to try Umaido this week.  It was suggested to me a while back by Jimmy (of Eat It, Atlanta blog fame) when I inquired about local ramen spots on Twitter. I opted for the regular "Pork Based" ramen (they also have Miso & Spicy versions).  The ramen does not disappoint: fresh thin noodles and delicious broth topped with green onion, juicy slices of roast pork, bean sprouts, a soft-boiled egg, wood ear mushrooms, seaweed and black sesame oil.  You have the option of adding extra noodles or roast pork, but I found my bowl of ramen to be quite substantial and filling as is.  After some initial hesitation, I decided to go with the hostess' suggestion of adding fresh garlic to the broth (provided at your table along with a garlic press).  I'm so glad that I did because it added just that little extra "oomph"-so delicious!

I wish I could rave about the Yaki Gyoza that I had as a starter.  Unfortunately I found them to be a little greasy and quite bland.  I will skip the gyoza on a future visit and try the Chasyu (Roast Pork) Rice Bowl instead.  I will rave about the service, which was extremely friendly and attentive.  Best of all, I left full and satisfied for a little over $13-not bad at all!   I'm looking forward to making a return visit to Umaido very soon.  Thanks for the suggestion Jimmy!

Umaido
2790 Lawrenceville Suwanee Rd
Suwanee, GA  30024
(678)318-8568
(located near the Cafe Mozart bakery and Super H Mart)
www.umaido.co.kr



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Finger Lickin' Good? Korean Style Fried Chicken in Johns Creek

I am late to jump on the Korean Fried Chicken bandwagon, but I'm there!  I am planning to give a couple of recipes a try in my home kitchen in the not too distant future.  In the meantime, I recently visited a couple of spots to sample their versions.  Both are located in the same Super H Mart-anchored shopping center in Johns Creek.  My first stop: Love Letter Pizza & Chicken.

Foodie TV: Top Chef Las Vegas Preview-Restaurant Wars!

Ah, Restaurant Wars.  A staple of every season of Top Chef, and I'm sure we can count on Las Vegas to bring the drama!  In this preview from bravotv.com, we have conflict between Mike V. and Robin (shocking, I know).

I'm still not over Tre Wilcox getting clipped in season three's Restaurant Wars-here's hoping my fave Kevin Gillespie won't be this season's casualty.  Top Chef Las Vegas airs tonight at 10 PM ET/PT on Bravo.  Oh, and don't forget to check out AJC "food dude" John Kessler's Top Chef episode recaps on his Food and More blog-always a good read!

Quick Bites: Antico Pizza Napoletana

A couple of weeks ago the great Blissful Glutton posed the following question on Twitter: "Is this the best pizza in Atlanta to date?"  Well, it's certainly the best pizza I've had so far in this city (this crummy pic of the Margherita D.O.P. doesn't do it justice).  Yes folks, this is the real deal.  Of course the pizza is the main attraction, but I recommend giving the Calzoni Napoletana a try.

I fell in love with the Giogiotto calzoni stuffed with creamy ricotta, mozzarella di bufala, salsiccia and broccoli rabe.  For those not keen on broccoli rabe, there are two other calzoni options available on the Antico menu (the four cheese Fromaggio and the spicy Vesuvio).   While it's true that the pizzas do not travel well, I've found that they bounce back rather nicely upon reheating (although obviously not quite the same as eating it fresh from Antico's oven).   The freshly baked sfogliatelle from the pasticceria are a delicious treat. This place, the food, and the friendly staff are worthy of the many glowing reviews it has received since opening.  I can't wait to make a return visit!

Antico Pizza Napoletana
1093 Hemphill Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 724-2333
www.anticopizza.it

Foodie Events: Taste of Atlanta plus a fundraiser @ Woodfire Grill this weekend!

The 8th annual Taste of Atlanta outdoor food festival returns this weekend at a new location: Tech Square!  It's a great opportunity to sample goodies from over eighty Atlanta area restaurants.  The event will also feature live music, the interactive Kids Avenue cooking stage (sponsored by Amica Insurance), and the Farm to Festival area which features cooking demos from local chefas and a farmers' market full of locally grown produce and food products.  Top Chef finalists Richard Blais (FLIP Burger Boutique) and Carla Hall will also be making appearances on the main cooking stage this weekend.  The two-day Taste of Atlanta event begins today and runs through Sunday, October 11.  It's too late to purchase advance and VIP tickets, but general admission tickets are available for $30 at the event.  Event parking is available through several lots around Tech Square, but attendees are encouraged to take MARTA to the event (exiting at either the North Avenue or Midtown rail stations).  For more information (and to view directions and a map of the festival area), please visit the official site at http://tasteofatlanta.net/

Woodfire Grill will be hosting a fundraiser to benefit the Love Is Love Farm this Sunday, October 11 at 6 PM.  The farm suffered severe damage during the recent floods we experienced in the Metro Atlanta area and needs assistance to rebuild.  The event begins with a cocktail reception followed by a seated dinner at 6:30 PM.  The dinner will feature a menu of four courses (with wine pairings) created by co-owner/executive chef Kevin Gillespie and co-owner Nicholas Quinones.  The cost is $100 per person.  "We are strong supporters of Love is Love Farm's mission to provide local, organic products and we get a large portion of our produce from their farm, so it is our goal to raise $10,000 to help get them up and running again. During the event, guests will also have the opportunity to donate additional funds directly to Love is Love Farm to help with the reconstruction process."  What a great opportunity to sample Chef Kevin's cuisine and support a worthy cause-I so wish that I could attend!  Please call 404-347-9566 to reserve a spot at the fundraiser (reservations are required for this event). 

Woodfire Grill 
1782 Cheshire Bridge Rd
Atlanta, GA 30324
website

Love Is Love Farm website

Foodie TV: Avec Eric Coming To WPBA 30 Beginning October 17 @ 1 PM

You've seen him on Top Chef.  Some of  you have been fortunate enough to dine at his 3 Michelin star restaurant Le Bernardin in New York City.  Now Chef Eric Ripert has a new show airing on PBS stations nationwide simply titled Avec Eric.  Says Chef Ripert, "The show will take you with me to the source of some of my culinary inspiration and then back with me to my restaurant and my home kitchen to see how that inspiration turns into a recipe."  Here's a sample (from http://aveceric.com):

I'm a big fan of Chef Ripert's so I've been looking forward to this new show.  Avec Eric will air on Atlanta's PBA30 beginning Saturday October 17 at 1 PM.  Full episodes are also available for viewing at the show's website.

 

Satisfying My Umami Craving...

After a long, stressful week of working and moving into a new apartment, I decided to give myself a bit of a treat last weekend.  I had been craving a big, thick Porterhouse (my favorite) but ended up settling on a nicely marbled NY strip instead.  Nothing fancy with the prep:  a little extra virgin olive oil, seasoned salt, black pepper.  I believe in keeping it simple.  Got the new cast iron skillet blazing hot and cooked the strip for about two minutes on both sides to create a nice char.  Topped the strip with a pat of butter and finished it off under the broiler for about three to four minutes for medium-rare.

The result was pretty good, even with an electric stovetop (delicious too). Apologies for the crappy pic!

Umami craving satisfied!