Taiwanese Eats: Ah-ma's Taiwanese Kitchen

More Taiwanese food love is happening in Atlanta, you guys.  To my surprise, another Taiwanese restaurant (Ah-Ma's Taiwanese Kitchen) opened up in Midtown, and this tiny place has been a Yelp darling ever since it opened. AND a must-go spot on my stomach's map!!

I did make myself go a couple of times (once with the mama) before writing this, and their menu is pretty small, so I've just about tried everything.  General opinion?  Solid place, and I'll be back for some very specific things.  

First, I will state this: I agree with some of the negative things I've heard/read about this place. It is very expensive for Taiwanese food, the menu is limited, they do run out of things, and some of the rice dishes are not quite the right texture (think mushy).  However, I will say that this is a tiny place with, I'm sure, a tiny kitchen, and it's located in Midtown.  And they're fairly new and a little overwhelmed.

That being said.  My dream meal here is a bowl of beef noodle soup (牛肉麵), a side of pickled vegetables, and a plate of fried pig ears.  The beef noodle soup is my absolute favorite that I've had in Atlanta, mainly due to the noodle, which has got that QQ (think chewy) quality that I love.  The pickled vegetables are so good, that I'm not even mad about paying $3 for them -- most Chinese restaurants offer this type of dish for free...I add this statement because I recognize that the previous one sounds SUPER cheap LOL.  And the fried pig ears?  I had never had them prepared that way prior to eating here, only had them braised.  This is my favorite new dish, you guys.  My mom isn't a fan, but I. LOVE. them.  I had a scare reading a Yelp review that said they got rid of them from the menu since there wasn't a high demand, but the last time I went, they were still there.  So help a hungry Taiwanese out and keep that demand high!!

Also, I like the wonton soup and hot and sour soup.  The first time I had the hot and sour soup, it didn't come with any tofu strips or wood ear, but the second time it did, and was much better.  The wonton soup was perfect for me, with a great taste from the radish and really awesome dumplings.  

The baos are decent, though I'd rather save stomach room for my dream meal :) I appreciate that there's another place that sells this now though.  The sausage is good, but I wouldn't order them again at $6.50 per plate.  And I've ordered the lu rou fan (minced pork rice) every time I've gone, but mainly because my stomach feels weird NOT ordering that dish when available.  Oxtail rice was a little sweet for my taste.

Also, side note -- they did say they are planning to change up the menu seasonally.  Can't wait to see what else comes up!

So yes, a decent place to hit up when in the area.  FRIED PIG EARS.  That is all.  

Er...or not.  Don't forget that Midtown Restaurant Week is coming up soon!  Be sure to check out the menus! 

OH MY TORO - Taka Sushi and Passion

Happy Belated Birthday to my adorable, forever-young Mom!

And birthdays in my family mean one thing: awesome birthday dinners.  My siblings and I usually have no trouble whatsoever picking out where and what we want to eat -- this has ranged from Canton Cooks, to the Optimist, to home-cooked kong ba bng (Taiwanese for braised fatty pork belly over rice), all which have been enjoyed fully.  But when it comes to my mama?  I think she's so used to just going along with the food we want to eat - we are a family that does not hesitate in indulging in our cravings - that she rarely ever has something in particular that she wants to eat.

And in those few and far between times?  It's always something kind of weird and short-lived, like the Wendy's fish sandwich, or some sort of vegetable thing they used to have at Chili's.  We joke that if she likes something a lot, it's going to be taken off the menu soon.

For this birthday dinner, we originally had reservations for Tomo, but after looking at a couple of Yelp reviews, we changed our location to Taka.  I was particularly stoked for this, since I've been following Chef Taka's blog for quite a while now.  It's actually a really interesting read.  He talks about a lot of the fish they get in and posts up pictures, while also posting articles regarding health, diet, and exercise. Confession: sometimes I do skip the articles because a.) they make me feel bad about my very sedentary lifestyle and b.) I'm more interested in what treasures he found in Costco or what different Japanese dishes he is preparing.  Or the quality of the tuna for that week!

And I was not disappointed.  Me and my sister opted for the chirashi - "DUH," says anyone in my social media network - and we convinced my mom to go for the Omakase, chef's choice.  Awesome decision.  The chirashi had a lovely, diverse selection of fish, and my mom loved her dishes.  I was worried because the waitress let us know they were going to use a lot of pickled wasabi as the sauce for the fish, and my mom typically can't handle too much of that sinus-clearing sensation, but it was super nice and more flavorful than tingly.  AND THERE WAS TOROOO!  I feel like I have to use all caps/more volume when writing or speaking about fatty tuna to appropriately convey my excitement.  I think at some point my mom was disappointed because the waitress hinted there may be uni (not today) but this definitely took care of that.  It was the last dish of the omakase, and the perfect ending.

I was a little disappointed because the waitresses talked really fast when bringing the dishes (it was pretty busy that night), so I didn't quite catch what everything was.  But it was all delicious, which is what really matters.  Anyway, I'm of the opinion that when it comes to sushi/sashimi, pictures capture much more than words really can.  Enjoy!

 Chirashi $29.  So much fish, and all of it so tasty.  They had the raw sweet shrimp, which I don't even think I've had in Atlanta.  Also, that tamago was. SO. good. So sweet. So smooth.

The following: $50 Omakase, in order

You should definitely check this place out for some quality sushi! They have a lot of sushi rolls, too, if that's more your thing, and I'm sure they're awesome, too.  OH and I almost forget to mention their plum wine sangria! Mm Mm Mm.

I do still want to try Tomo at some point.  Any opinions on that place?

Big appetite

Okay, I'll confess. You know those obnoxious friends on Facebook/Instagram that you decide to hide from your newsfeed because ALL THEY DO is post pictures of their meals. Like, do they do anything else in their lives besides eat?! How many meals are these people fitting into one day?! And no, dummy, that ginormous plate of food does NOT qualify as a snack.

Well, that obnoxious friend would be me. I am a terrible offender of the unspoken rule of not posting food pictures late at night as to avoid the dreaded case of midnight munchies for fellow Facebook-ers. Truth? I recently attended an alumni event for my sorority and the first five girls I talked to all greeted me with a "So I see SOMEONE'S been eating well...."

I really can't help it. I just have this unquenchable desire to share with the world the good food I come across -- and, on occasion, make! I apologize in advance. I am, really, shameless. 

I'm not meaning to start this blog as a review of different restaurants or anything like that. I'm writing this for people like me, people who love to read about other people's experiences stemming from a love of food (look, I can get LOST in an Anthony Bourdain book. His life? Like, get out. Can I be his best friend?) plus, I need an outlet so my Facebook friends don't just all abandon me. 

So let me start by talking about one of my favorite Korean restaurants in Atlanta. Now, it's my opinion that Atlanta has some of the best Korean food. I visited Korea back in 2009, and while I loved the food, I was mostly impressed because I realized that, Yeah...Atlanta has got it going on. Pigs feet? It's here. Fermented fish that tastes kinda like what I would expect nail polish to taste like? Yep. Live tentacles cut up so they squirm all the way down your throat? Haven't had em...but I know you can get them. Like, what?! Chinese food is still dealing with this General Tsao's chicken and eggroll epidemic (side note- not hating on American Chinese food. That stuff has gotten me through many a long night studying for finals. Ohhh MSG) 

But I digress. So Duluth is basically the Capitol of Korean food. It's difficult, always, to just pick one place to eat when I'm in the area. I usually end up at Iron Age - what's more appealing to a group of hungry, value-seeking Asians than the beautiful aroma of AYCE Korean BBQ?! But, what if I want tofu soup? Or maybe naengmyun? The thing I've noticed about most Korean restaurants is that they usually specialize in one thing. So if someone wants bibimbap, everybody's getting bibimbap. (Unless you are a silly girl who does not want bibimbap at the famous bibimbap place and decides she can handle fermented skate fish even though Andrew Zimmern can't, but honestly what does he know anyway? Trick can't appreciate durian.) 

But this is not the case at Jang Su Jang. This awesome place is located off Satellite Blvd, near Cho Won. EVERYTHING I've had at this place is good. And so filling. And tell me somewhere that does better banchan! Not. Possible. It's a little pricier than the typical tofu house, but it's nice inside, really nice! And the service is pretty terrific. Yes, it's super crowded on the weekends. It's a testament to the quality of the place. And their homemade noodles? Yum. The galbi here is meaty and tender and beautiful. I could go on and on, but maybe I should just get on to  adding the pictures....