from Atlanta Magazine, June 2011

Accolades plus my death row meal, the best onigiri, buns, and ramen and you’ve got this amazing, no-longer-unknown izakaya sensation in Inman Park. Miso is definitely one of my most favorite restaurants.

Izakaya. This term has evolved and no longer just encompasses sake houses serving yakitori. These days, Japanese izakayas tend to refer to places that serve great food (small plates and snacks) and great drinks (sake and shochu). They do all that at Miso. Plus more. Incidentally, did you know Miso has the largest selection of shochu in Atlanta? The LARGEST.

Aside from being a chef-driven restaurant, what sets Miso apart from the rest is its use of local and seasonal ingredients. Chef Guy Wong hits a couple of farmer’s markets each morning to acquire the day’s ingredients. A two-man team in the kitchen, he and sous chef Melissa Allen go in early every single day to prep the ingredients and get a head start on braising meats. Every single dish that comes out of the kitchen passes through those two sets of hands. Labor of love. Oh and the staff. They treat you like family (shout out to Dyna, Will, and Hong). They’ve all been there since Miso opened.

I get great pleasure from reading menus the same way people do with books and magazines. Today, Miso unveils its new menu. It’s something I’ve read so many times, imagining the dishes in my head and the flavors in my mouth. With an obscene amount of visits under my belt (I have late classes in grad school next door and its proximity is so convenient for late dinners), it’s no accident that some of those visits happen when Chef Guy Wong is experimenting in his kitchen. My good friends and I — regulars at Miso — have been lucky enough to taste some of those experiments.

The Pork Kimchi Rice. To. Die. For. Before Chef Guy made this mind-blowing dish, I used to take his Pork Kimchi dish and mix it with a side order of steamed rice. I call it Kimchi White Rice and I do this everywhere fried rice isn’t served. Imagine my surprise when one day, a $9 bowl of Pork Kimchi Fried Rice appeared before me. It was the best thing I have ever eaten this year. Phenomenal is an understatement. My sister insisted getting an order to go. And my good friend Thom, lucky enough to taste clone number 3 (with another good friend GT), gushed all over Twitter and Facebook, even adding, “I would pay twice as much as Chef Guy is charging me for this right now.” Think kimchi laced with tasty morsels of pork married into fried rice then topped with a fried egg. It’s a match made in heaven. And crazy good.

Fried Green Tomatoes. You know how frustrating it is to eat this because the breading falls off the tomatoes every single time, in every single bite, at every single place on earth? Well, not here. Chef Guy and Chef Melissa were able to figure out how to glue the coating to the tomatoes. Not only is it ingenious, it is amazing. The tartness of the tomatoes is tempered by the the side of karashi cream (Japanese mustard).

Katsu Curry Japaghetti. I have this ongoing battle for mayorship with my very good friend Troy, who stole the mayorship from me, and whom I’ve had many dinners with at Miso (we have 22 24 combined visits, by the way). During one of those dinners, we were lucky enough to try the Japaghetti. How was it? In Troy’s own words, “This is the BEST *bleep* curry I’ve ever had in my life!!!” But don’t take his word for it. Take mine I’ve noticed that tonkatsu in all places in Atlanta are usually bland; with the dipping sauce acting as the flavoring agent. The MI katsu isn’t like that. The tender, juicy Riverview pork tenderloin cutlet is flavorful on its own and coated in flavorful, crunchy batter. Double flavorful. But wait. It’s the curry that will blow you away. Peppered with fork-tender bites of beef and simmered for over 8 hours, it is thick yet smooth and velvety. The flavor is bold but not offensive. Savory and delicious. The chuka soba noodles provide more textural backdrop to the meat and curry. YUM.

Fried Camembert Cheese. Clothed in thin tempura batter then fried golden. Nothing beats the crunchy exterior and gooey, soft cheese inside. Forget ho-hum mozzarella sticks. This is the wave of the future.

Crab Noodle. If you love crabs like I do then you would love this dish. Fresh blue crabs from that morning’s farmer’s market find are steamed, flaked, then stir-fried with eggs. Think fried rice except with soba. The crabs and egg stick to the noodles. Served on a bed of crisp lettuce and topped with a few sprigs of cilantro. Squeeze a few drops of lime, stir, eat. The taste of crab is evident but not overpowering. Unbelievable. So delicious.

I’ve had practically everything on the old menu. Everything here is fantastic. Most of my favorites are making a repeat appearance on the new menu so be sure to try them all: buns, onigiri, gyoza, shoyu tomago… And you can thank me later

Miso Izakaya
619 Edgewood Ave SE
Atlanta, GA 30312
(678) 701-0128
Closed on Sundays
Dinner every night from 5:30pm
Late night dining: Every night except Mondays from 10PM-Midnight

Technorati Tags: izakaya, ramen, onigiri, Atlanta, Inman Park, Japanese, Guy Wong

I’ve been going to Miso a lot. No, really, a lot. You see, I have a class on Thursdays that ends late: 9:30PM. I’m super hungry at that time and Miso has ramen and small plates that are perfect for late dinners. And it’s so close to school! So, yeah, I’m there every week. Last night, they opened on a normally closed day and had a special menu that was collaborated with Dynamic Dish’s David Sweeney. Remember his veggie dishes? If you weren’t there then you missed out on these…

This Gindara (miso cod) is part of my death row meal

Best part: nothing was over $9. Every single thing was delicious. My sister and I ate the entire menu. Our absolute favorite: the lemon quinoa with English peas topped with mint buttercream. It was an OMG moment. I ate veggies — proud of me? Complete menu here.

Miso Izakaya
619 Edgewood Ave SE
Atlanta, GA 30312
(678) 701-0128
Late night dining: Every night except Mondays from 10PM-Midnight (Closed Sundays)

Technorati Tags: Japanese, ramen, izakaya, Inman Park, Guy Wong, David Sweeney

Miso Izakaya’s tonkotsu ramen is reminiscent of the ramen in the bay area. The broth is clean tasting — no heavy condiments or flavorings are added. You get the true taste of the broth from the tons of pork (and chicken) bones that were boiled for 27+hours. It is delicious. The hippie toppings are top-notch. You have these amazing morsels of corn that are garlicky (let it soak to flavor the broth), a big nori sheet, mushrooms, tender, braised pork belly, a soft-boiled egg. Available every night (except Monday) after 10pm. Intowners, you no longer have to complain about the drive to Smyrna or Duluth. You now have your own ramen place. It’s fantastic. Go!

Oh, before I forget… get these yumminess with your ramen:

Miso Izakaya
619 Edgewood Ave SE
Atlanta, GA 30312
(678) 701-0128
Late night dining: Every night except Mondays from 10PM-Midnight

Technorati Tags: ramen, izakaya, Inman Park

You all know by now how much of a ramen freak I am. If not, you’ve been hiding under a rock Anyway, (my sister and) I always, always eat ramen with onigiri. It’s a ball of rice filled with yummy things — pickled plums, fish roe, etc. — and most often wrapped in a sheet of nori. Some izakayas grill them and those are the best. Earlier this month, I ate the best onigiri. At Miso Izakaya. It was beyond heavenly: grilled, with a few patches of toasty, crunchy bits, and filled with the most amazing crispy salmon. It was superb!!! An oh-my-gosh-give-me-a-moment-of-silence moment. I was totally blown away.

Did you know? I’ve had onigiris at most places in Atlanta: Taka, Sushi Mito (grilled), Haru Ichiban, Blue Fin (Duluth), Yakitori Jinbei, Umaido (grilled and filled with chashu), Sushi House Hayakawa, Sushi Yoko. They’re all good and they all have different versions. But Chef Guy’s onigiri is THE BEST.

Speaking of the best. Have you had their Pork Buns? To. Die. For. Duck Buns? To. Die. For. Don’t take my word for it. GO.

Oh, one last thing… I swung by one lunch time and Chef Guy just happened to make a couple of bowls of ramen that day. So I begged to have a taste. Guess what — it’s 5-star ramen!!! It was delicious!!! And the toppings were unbelievable. He’s still tweaking it but rumor has it he’ll have it out in full-force in April. Oh, I also heard the well-guarded recipe came from his sensei in Japan. I know, I can’t wait!!!

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

Technorati Tags: Japanese, Inman Park, Guy Wong

The izakaya menu here is extensive– yakitori, kushiyaki, stews, grilled fish, pickled items, sushi, sashimi, soups; you get the idea. Prices here border on the cheap and as competitive as the other places. Get an item from each category and prepare to have a leisurely meal. Oh, did I mention, your first 12oz draft beer is only 99cents? Until September at least.

One of my favorites here is the Spicy Geso. I like their version of these deep-fried squid legs. The batter is so thin, almost non-existent, and each piece is laced with a spicy powder. You get chewy, crispy, and spicy. Love it.

I love Gindara Misozuke. Or ginadara for that matter. The portion here is a lot smaller but it is also $3 cheaper than its counterparts. It is perfectly grilled and melts in your mouth. There is a tiny hint of miso paste flavor and butter. Swoon.

I am such a sucker when it comes to Chawan Mushi. And I love all versions — Korean, Chinese, Japanese. The delicious chicken stock they use here is flavored with dashi and mirin and provides a great backdrop for the soft egg custard. Mmmm.

I wasn’t so impressed with their tonkotsu ramen. At $9.25, it didn’t even come with pork. The broth was a cross between shio and shoyu (salt and soy) and I couldn’t really taste the creamy tonkotsu. Serves me right for asking for something that’s not on the menu. They do have udon and soba soups that are far better. Get those instead.

No trip to an izakaya is complete without grilled squid. The Ika Butteryaki here is so tender and the butter-teriyaki sauce will blow you away. It isn’t your normal Americanized teriyaki sauce. Their concoction has butter, grated ginger, and a sweet soy sauce. Fantastic.

Skewers of pork belly and chicken balls rule here. The pork belly slices are thick, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The chicken balls are made of soft, minced meat. Get them both with salt. So good.

There’s this Eggplant Miso that I have to warn you about. It’s a thick slice of American eggplant that is marinated in miso paste then steamed. The middle part is hollowed and filled with eggplant meat and annatto. It’s good. But it is way too rich that you’d feel so full if you eat it first. So eat it last.

The sushi and sashimi here have improved in quality as well. So do be sure to get a few rolls and slices on your visit. What are you waiting for? Go now.

Insider tip:
Check website for new menu items monthly and dinner specials.
First order of 12oz draft beer for $0.99 available during dinner only all throughout August.
Selected wine and sake are 50% off on Sundays and Mondays.

Sushi Mito
6470 Spalding Dr
Norcross, GA 30092
(770) 734-0398

Technorati Tags: Japanese, izakaya, Norcross

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

Shoya Izakaya is such a fun, fun place. It isn’t your usual Japanese dining establishment. Instead, it’s a place for a group to hang out, drink lots of shochu or sake and eat delicious Japanese bar food. Food here is meant to be shared (in true Asian fashion) and ordering from all sections of the menu is great way to sample izakaya.

I have ADD when it comes to food. I can’t just order one thing or focus on just one taste. My mind is always jumping to the next… next order, next flavor, next topic of conversation. This place is so perfect for me because I get to taste so many different flavors in one sitting. On this visit, 20 was the magic number. For three people. And a bowl of rice for me.

First, shochu. I’m a real lightweight when it comes to drinking but you can’t go to an izakaya and not get shochu or sake. Our server suggested three kinds of shochu and we settled on Taiso which was okay but just not to our liking. Next, we moved on to some sashimi and salads.

The salmon sashimi was like butter. Enough said. The tuna was fresh but it wasn’t out of the ordinary. The uni (my absolute favorite sashimi since I was young) was the best I’ve had in a long time — sweet, buttery. Two orders of this did us good. A great start to more good things to come.

Salads are a waste of precious stomach space for me. But my sister wanted something to clean her palate — whatever — between flavors so she picked two: wakame and the house salad. The seaweed salad was pedestrian, but not bad. The house salad with the fried burdock root was surprisingly good, with the crispy burdock strips adding crunch.

At this point, I must have infected my dining companions with my ADD as the ordering (and conversation) turned into craziness. I applaud our server for keeping up with us and not once did she make a mistake with our numerous, confusing orders. Grilled Ika came next. It wasn’t as great as we hoped it would be (a bit on the gummy side), but we finished it, nonetheless.

Aside from uni, my most absolute favorite is Gindara. In Asia, gindara (silver cod or sablefish) is the equivalent of steak in America, with the best being served at only the first-rate places. My sister and I have loved this since we were kids, having first introduced to it as a breakfast staple in Japan. Here at Shoya, this miso-marinated fish was grilled to perfection. It melted in the mouth, as fresh as it can be, perfectly seasoned, and buttery. One word: orgasmic. We ended up getting additional orders of it.

The kushiyakis we ended up having were the chicken livers, gizzards, and pork belly. Our dear friend, the FryGuy, was giving us a lecture about liver preparation and something about buttermilk and how here differs from other places, but our food ADD was in full force at this point so we lost him after buttermilk. In any case, I particularly liked the livers because they were simply grilled lightly, seasoned only by a few shakes of salt, letting the true flavor to shine. The gizzards were a bit chewy but good in taste, otherwise. The pork belly speaks for itself. Eat it and weep.

Hamachi kama is something we saw our mom eat with gusto while growing up. She would regularly get a whole bunch from YDFM at 40-cents a piece (sometimes even for free) and grill it at home. I think they sell them by the pound now. That was way back before Harry had a falling out with his brother. He eventually opened his own place (Harry’s Farmer’s Market) which was later bought out by Whole Foods. Aha, bet you didn’t know that! Anyway, back to the food. The grilled hamachi kama was a bit pricey for its size but it was really delicious so it didn’t really matter. It was so yummy that I had to pick it up and eat it with my hands. A few bites of rice, a few dips in ponzu sauce and it makes for a fantastic meal.

Our server pushed the eggrolls and some fresh oyster on us so we agreed. These were wrapped in wonton wrappers, filled with shrimp and pork, then fried lightly. These were better than any Chinese versions you may have had. Crispy, flaky outside, savory filling, and eaten best with Japanese mustard and soy sauce. Good to try at least once.

The fresh oysters were huge. It was difficult to eat in one bite but we managed. I loved the chili oil and spicy oroshi with it.

One of the specials of the night was Okura With Sticky Seaweed. It’s a very light, refreshing salad made with paper thin slices of okra and sticky seaweed in an oil-vinegar-based dressing. I loved it. But then again, I love durian, too. You’ll just have to get past the sliminess and get to the refreshing part.

The Grilled Salmon and Ten-Musubi at this point of our meal were not really a good idea. It was an after-thought, ordered at the peak of our food ADD. The salmon, served on a sizzling hot plate, though fresh, was just ordinary. The shrimp onigiri was just too filling at this stage. The copious amount of rice enveloped a small sweet shrimp. Good but too filling. The drizzling of teriyaki sauce was also uncalled for as the shrimp was sweet enough and onigiris are usually plain anyway.

Last, and the perfect ending to our feast, was an order of Beef Ponzu Ae. Thin strips of marinated rib eye grilled lightly (rare) were served on a bed of field greens and drizzled every so light with ponzu sauce. It was superb.

There are so many more things on the menu that need exploring. While some dishes are better than others, there are quite a few stellar items that I would definitely get again. I am already plotting my next visit.

Note:
Our bill for 20 dishes (with shochu) came to close to $200 for three people before tip. We went overboard with the ordering but that’s just the way I am when it comes to food. By the way, we finished every last morsel.

Insider tip:
Located in the same plaza where Super H Mart Doraville will be. Next to Brand Smart USA.

The scoop:
Shoya Izakaya
6035 Peachtree Road
Doraville, GA 30341
(770) 457-5555
Tuesday-Saturday: 5:00pm-11:30pm
Sunday: 5:00pm-10:30pm
Closed on Monday

Technorati Tags: izakaya, Japanese cuisine, bar, Doraville