Foodie Events: Atlanta Greek Festival, Battle of the Burgers

It's that time of year again!  The annual Atlanta Greek Festival returns this weekend to the Greek Orthodox Cathedral on Clairmont Rd.  Stop by and enjoy plenty of great shopping, entertainment and (of course) great Greek cuisine!   Just to show that they've thought of everything, they've even set up a "drive-thru" where you could swing by and grab a plate of moussaka or a sampler of delicious Greek pastries to go.   Local Greek chefs will also be on hand performing live cooking demos.  The festival begins today and runs through Sunday, so you have plenty of time to sample the best of Greek culture here Atlanta.  Adult admission is only $5 per person; children 12 and under only $3.   Free parking and shuttle buses will be available at the Century Center office park on Clairmont Rd (just off of I-85).  Take advantage of a great deal by pre-purchasing tickets and shave $1 off the admission price.  To purchase tickets and for more information, click here to visit the Atlanta Greek Festival official site.  I'm looking forward to stopping by this weekend!

Saturday, October 2 (12-4 PM):    There's no shortage of great burger joints in this city, but whose burger is the best?  This Saturday, 17 Atlanta restaurants will compete for bragging rights in the first ever Battle of the Burgers at John Howell Park in Virginia Highland.    The participating restaurants (which include Farm Burger, The Nook and Manuel's Tavern) will all be competing for the title of Best Burger.  A select panel (including Fox 5 Good Day Atlanta anchor/foodie Suchita Vadlamani, Chef Hugh Acheson (Five & Ten, Empire State South), The Next Food Network Star finalist Herb Mesa and a certain Krystal lovin' Buddha) will decide the Judge's Choice title while you'll get to decide the People's champ.  The cost is $20 per person and includes 20 taste tickets for sampling burger bites, fries or milkshakes.  Don't forget your mobile devices 'cause you'll need them to text your choice for Best Burger among the participants.  The best part:  Battle of the Burgers will benefit Embraced Atlanta, a non-profit organization which collects gently used orthopedic equipment (such as wheelchairs, braces or crutches) to distribute to those in need.  To purchase tickets and for all the details regarding what is sure to be a fun event, click here to visit the Battle of the Burgers site.

Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese "Sizzling" Crepes with Pork and Shrimp)

My second attempt.  Not perfect but still delicious!

I guess you could say that I've fallen head over heels for Vietnamese cuisine lately.  I'm beginning the process of exploring some of the Vietnamese eateries around town and I've recently dabbled in a bit of Vietnamese cooking at home.  Here's one of the first dishes I attempted:  Bánh Xèo.

These "sizzling" crepes are a popular street food in Vietnam.    The crepes are cooked in a wok or large skillet and then filled with slices of pork, shrimp, fresh bean sprouts, and onion.   Full disclosure:  I have to admit that my first attempt at bánh xeo was a big fat failure.  I didn't use the right pan, didn't use enough oil (and it wasn't quite hot enough) and the resulting crepe stuck to the bottom of the pan.  My second attempt was a little bit better-far from perfect, but still quite tasty.  You can opt to use a packaged bánh xeo mix if you'd like (found at most Asian supermarkets), but I like to make the batter from scratch.   Recipe follows next...

Quick Bites: What The Pho?

For the life of me, I don't know why it took me so long to check out What The Pho? in Duluth.   I have driven past this restaurant on Pleasant Hill too many times to count, but it wasn't until recently that I stopped by for a first visit.  I wouldn't normally order a steaming bowl of Vietnamese beef noodle soup during the dog days of summer, but on this visit I decided to order a small bowl to sample.  If this is considered "small", the "large" bowl must be humongous!   Needless to say I wasn't able to finish the entire bowl, but I certainly enjoyed what I had.  The broth was rich, tasty and satisfying.  Now that I know what to expect in terms of portion size, I can see myself ordering just a small bowl of pho and making a meal out of it on a future winter evening. 

I loved my Cha Gio (egg rolls): perfectly crispy, not greasy and very delicious.   They were so good that I almost bought an extra order "for the road", but I didn't want to be greedy.

Heeding Chloe's (Chow Down Atlanta) recommendation, I ordered the crispy noodles and was not disappointed.  This was so good:  delicious stir-fried meats and veggies on a bed of fried egg noodles.   I'm looking forward to making a return visit to What The Pho? to sample some of the other dishes on their menu.  Great food, prompt service, and very affordable-no complaints here!

What The Pho?
2442 Pleasant Hill Rd Suite #3A
Duluth, GA  30096
(770) 814-9396

Foodie Events: Midtown Restaurant Week & More...

The Labor Day weekend is upon us, and there's no shortage of places to go and good food to eat!  Here are some of the events on tap for the week of Sept 4-12, 2010.  I think I'll probably stop by the Carribean Jerk Festival this Sunday-what will you be getting into this weekend?  Whatever you decide, have a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend!

• Midtown Restaurant Week (Sept 4-12):  Starting this Saturday, the 5th annual event is your chance to sample some of the city's best restaurants at a great price.   Participating restaurants will offer a three course menu for only $25.   4th & Swift, Pacci Ristorante, One Midtown Kitchen and Spice Market are just a few of the restaurants taking part.  For a complete list of participating restaurants and for more information, click here to visit the official site.
• Street Food Soiree (Sept. 9):  The Atlanta Street Food Coalition (the folks behind the monthly Urban Picnic events) presents a Street Food Soiree next Thursday from 5-9 PM at the Sweet Auburn Curb Market.  If you're like me and have been unable to attend their monthly lunchtime events, here's your chance to sample goodies from popular street food vendors such as Yumbii and The Good Food Truck.  Free parking will be available under the I-85 bridge. 
• Hands On Creative Sushi Workshop with Chinese Southern Belle (Sept. 9):  Join CSB's Natalie Keng as she presents a Creative Sushi Workshop next Thursday from 7-9 PM at the Buford Highway Farmers Market.  She'll give you tips on making sushi rice, rolls and the proper cookware needed to prepare your own sushi creations.  The cost is only $15 and upon completion of the workshop you'll receive a BHFM gift card!  Natalie's classes fill up quickly so register now by contacting Bill at the BHFM by phone (678)873-7447 or click here to register via email.  For a complete rundown of Chinese Southern Belle's upcoming workshops and events, visit their site at http://www.chinesesouthernbelle.com/
• Low Country Boil (Sept. 11):  The folks at Black Tie Barbecue are having an end of the summer Low Country Boil next Saturday between 7-10 PM.   Join them as they serve up a big spread of tasty jumbo shrimp, potatoes, sausage, and corn.  The cost is $35 and includes alcoholic beverages.  Much like their "secret suppers", the location will be revealed to attendees prior to the event.  Tickets on sale now-buy yours before the event sells out! Purchase Tickets