Remember the rambunctious Chef Paul Luna of the Eclipse di Luna and Loca Luna fame? Well, he’s back — now more humbled, more determined, more helpful, and, well, more behaved. His new mantra is to offer the most affordable food to everyone, and I mean everyone: from the students, the homeless, the druggies, to the dealers. He’s got one happy place where everybody is welcome. But it doesn’t stop there. His ultimate goal is to teach inner city kids how to cook, not only to gain basic skills, but to provide them with an opportunity to experience something different and worthwhile. Refreshing and admirable.

Lunacy Black Market is in a converted loft that is eclectic yet impressive with shiny hardwood floors, comfy couches, and mismatched tables and chairs. The no-frills lunch menu includes sandwiches, salads, and fries. Prices start at $1.75 and nothing is over $3.75. Yes, you read it right. Sandwiches for less than two bucks. And made with the freshest ingredients that are all sourced from neighboring Sweet Auburn Curb Market.

Having just eaten a complete meal a mere 10 minutes prior to arriving, we decided to just order everything on the menu and share. Well, not exactly everything since we had to skip the shrimp in deference to my good buddy EZ who only eats kosher. But I had to draw the line at pork. And no, he didn’t eat it.  All the sandwiches are very good.  They are smallish, a 4-inch square of freshly-baked bread, but filled with meaty goodness.  Two should fill you up nicely.  The house-made, roasted for hours, pork sandwich is the best, very tender, and flavorful. The potato fries are sweet and crispy.  I didn’t taste the salad but my two companions said it was great, with the cheese and walnuts adding texture and flavor.

This is an incredible place for cheap but really wonderful eats. And it’s so close to school — a little over a mile which is really walking distance. The entire staff is extremely friendly.

Insider tip:
The dinner menu has prices in the $5 range which includes a whole fish.
Metered street parking only.
Now accepts credit cards.

The scoop:
Lunacy Black Market
231 Mitchell St. SW,
Atlanta, GA 30303
404.736.6164

Technorati Tags: Paul Luna, downtown, Atlanta, cheap eats

I’ve been hitting the new Assi Plaza Duluth food court for lunch for the last couple of weeks. My newest obsession: hand-pulled noodles. From the Chinese stall. You’d get a kick out of watching Mr. Noodles pull and whack his pasta on a table.

The noodles are just perfect. Noodles are made when you place your order. The black bean paste sauce is savory with a slight hint of sweet. The pork cubes are tender. I just love their Jajang Noodles.

Note: Jajang noodles were created in Korea by Chinese settlers back in the 1800s. This Korean version has a faint hint of sweetness whereas the original mainland Chinese version does not.

China House
1630 Pleasant Hill Rd.
#A8
Duluth, GA 30096
678-638-0822
Inside Assi Plaza Duluth

Technorati Tags: Chinese, hand-pulled noodles, noodles, Duluth

]]> http://www.chowdownatlanta.com/china-house-hand-pulled-noodles/feed/ 0 http://www.chowdownatlanta.com/bulgogi-burger-fusion-yorijori-burger/ http://www.chowdownatlanta.com/bulgogi-burger-fusion-yorijori-burger/#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:02:29 +0000 Chloe http://www.chowdownatlanta.com/bulgogi-burger-fusion-yorijori-burger/

Yup, you heard it right. Korean burgers. BULGOGI burgers! KIMCHI burgers!

Korean tacos aren’t the new thing anymore. Korean burgers are. Today, I had a succulent burger marinated in bulgogi sauce. It was juicy and tasty. But you know what happens when you marinate ground beef — the consistency of the meat becomes mushy (kinda like a country fried steak but without the batter). Which is what these burgers really are. Don’t get me wrong, though, they’re okay, but not as good as the ‘ol American burger. For $4.99 you get a regular sized burger (about 1/3 pound) in a soft, grocery-type, sesame seed bun with lettuce, tomato, and some Korean sauce. Add $2 more and you get fries and a drink.

But the best part: the TWISTED POTATO. They take a big, whole potato, skin it, then slice it like a slinky so you still have a whole potato. Then they put the entire thing on a stick (like a kebab), douse it with spices, and deep fry it until golden. This is ridiculously GOOD!!! They have three flavors: barbecue, cheese, and spicy chili. Get the spicy chili. It is soooooooo awesome.

The scoop:
Fusion YoriJori Burger
1630 Pleasant Hill Rd.
Duluth, GA 30096
678-638-0822
Inside Assi Plaza Duluth

Technorati Tags: Korean burgers, Korean, Duluth

V1 occupies the newest vacated spot inside the Super H Mart in Johns Creek. A scaled-down version of their main spot on Buford Highway, V1 offers their famous bbq: duck, roast pork, crispy pork, and chicken. Noodle soups, stir-fried noodles, and fried rice are the staples here. V1 offers solid Cantonese (and Malaysian) fare. Most everything start a little below $7. Try the Crispy Pork noodle soup (not on the menu). The saltiness of the crispy pork flavors the broth so well. Great cheap eats.

Insider tip:
Peking Duck is available for $25.

The scoop:
V1 BBQ and Cafe (Super H Mart - Johns Creek/Alpharetta)
10820 Abbotts Bridge Rd.
Alpharetta, GA 30005
(770) 623-1136

Technorati Tags: Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Chinese, Cantonese, noodle soups