If you love steamed pork buns as much as I do, then you will go crazy over Miso’s new sliders or Bun. My favorite? The simmered pork belly, of course. The pork is braised in this delicious sauce. It is so tender. The cilantro makes it more Asian than it already is. Oh, soooooo good.

But that’s not it. All the buns are great. The crispy duck, the hamburger (which is actually a meatloaf), the hotdog, and the tonkatsu are all great. You have to try them all.

One last thing… the Pork Kimchi is insane. It’s got this tender pork stir-fried with spicy kimchi in all its glorious grease. Talk about foodgasm. I ate it with plain buns. Oh. My.

More reviews here.

Miso Izakaya
619 Edgewood Ave SE
Atlanta, GA 30312
(678) 701-0128

Technorati Tags: Japanese, izakaya, downtown

The best burger with a kick is the Apache burger and you can only find it here. The patty is juicy and tasty. Joined in a pillow-soft bun by spicy friends: house roasted green chiles, grilled onions, and pepper jack cheese. It’s not really spicy but there’s a considerable heat to it. Happy burger.

All the other burgers are good, too. Except for the turkey burgers which tasted like steamed fake meat (sorry, @tonetoatlanta). Meh. Fries are good. Onion rings have too much batter. Sweet potato kettle chips are good.

More reviews here.

Grindhouse Killer Burgers
209 Edgewood Ave
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 522-3444

Technorati Tags: burgers, Downtown

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

My sister and I went to a very good friend’s wedding and stayed at the W Hotel in downtown where the bridal party/family/friends are all staying. After dancing ourselves silly at the event (we were literally the last ones there, by the way), we headed up to the Drink Shop for the after-party. All these worked up an appetite, unfortunately, the bar only serves food up to 10PM. So guess what we did: order room service!!! This is our 3AM burger. It was thick, juicy, delicious. Served perfectly medium on a buttered, sesame seed bun. The fries were amazing — crispy up to the last bite. Yummy!!!

This awesome burger is from BLT Steak (which also provides all in-room dining at the hotel 24 hours daily).

The scoop:
BLT Steak
45 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd. (use W. Peachtree Place if your GPS can’t find the newly-named street)
Atlanta, GA 30308
(404) 577-7601

Technorati Tags: room service, W Hotel, burger

While the Peasant group has been sold and none of its member restaurants still exists, one last hurrah remains in the form of Peasant Bistro, located across from the Georgia Aquarium, and owned by two ladies who wanted to keep the name and group alive.  My parents and I met my wonderful aunt for lunch a few weeks ago and was astounded by everything about it. The place is beautiful — modern but with a romantic feel, thanks in part to the curved staircase that provides the focal point (the romantic part); and the exposed smooth, white brick walls, and dark planked floors (the modern part). I know it’s a cliché but it really transforms you: from the harsh environment of downtown, to this elegant, cozy place.

We started out with the Calamari and Fried Green Tomatoes. The Calamari was okay, but didn’t really make a lasting effect on me. They were, at least, fresh and not chewy. I still think Murphy’s Calamari is tops. The FGT were pretty good, with the creamy goat cheese and red pepper sauce elevating this Southern staple.

I love beets and I always get it whenever I see it on the menu especially when goat cheese is involved. Simple and good.

Their version of Shrimp and Grits, which my dad, my aunt, and I all got was pretty straight-forward. It had fresh, plump, big shrimp on a bed of creamy cheese grits with a few pieces of andouille sausage in a tomato cream sauce. It’s a good sized entree. Flavor-wise, it was spot on, though, I would have liked it to have a bit more spiciness.

The Grilled Pork Chop was a clear winner. It was well seasoned, perfectly cooked, tender, and with lots of juices oozing out. The Sweet Corn Bread Pudding was a surprise hit. It had the consistency of a hard quiche inside but with a hardish, bread-like crust outside. There were lots of whole kernel corn incorporated in it, too, that provided a little hint of sweetness.

Overall, I like the 5-star feel you get while dining here, but without the pretension. Prices are quite reasonable for the portion size and quality/taste of the food (entrees average $12).

Insider tip:
Fantastic service
Valet parking is $5.

The scoop:
Peasant Bistro
250 Park Ave West NW
Atlanta, GA 30313
(404) 230-1724

Technorati Tags: Atlanta, Downtown, Peasant Bistro, Peasant Group, Southern, American food