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

We had a bout of chilly days a couple of weeks back and I thought it was awesome. I love cold weather. But now that we are hitting 90-degree temps once again, my addiction to ramen is going to take a slight backseat to cold ramen. Slight. Not a whole lot.

So. I’ve been eating Taka’s Hiyashi Ramen since he debuted it in April. It’s so perfect for the scorching weather summer is about to bring us. This bowl of goodness comes with cold, chewy noodles, slices of tender pork, strips of egg, and a phenomenal sweet-salty-tangy broth. It’s not on the regular menu anymore so you must ask for it. And remember, it’s a cold noodle dish. It’s totally different from it’s big brother ramen, but just as good. Trust me. I know ramen.

Taka Sushi Cafe
375 Pharr Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 869-2802

Technorati Tags: Atlanta, Japanese, ramen

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

Ramen makes my world stop at a stand still. But, summer is just around the corner and I knew my thrice weekly addiction will have to wane and give in to more refreshing cold soups. Well, guess what. Taka just put out a new addition to their menu. Cold Ramen!!!

It’s unbelievably good. Chewy egg noodles bathed in a soy-vinegar broth. So light and refreshing. The tender pork marinated in five-spice powder didn’t really knock my socks off but gave the broth added flavor and dimension. I would so get this again next time.

Oh, and the lunch ramen comes with a side of steamed gyoza. Lunch of champions!

Available til September.

Taka Sushi Cafe
385 Pharr Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 869-2802

Technorati Tags: Japanese, Buckhead, cold ramen, ramen

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 Chinese symbol for Happy

So you all know by now how addicted I am to ramen, right? I ate 58 bowls last year and I’m up to 15 bowls this year (with my sister) so far. It’s only February, by the way, so I’m sure I’ll break my record last year. (Well, I’m not the Ramen Girl for nothing . ) I think I’m gonna have to share the title with my sister who is equally obsessed with it these days.

I’ve been literally waiting for this Korean (Japanese) ramen joint to open. Every week since early January, I’d peek at how much progress they’ve had in building the place once occupied by Shabu King in the Super H plaza in Duluth (outside on the left of the plaza, not inside the grocery). Brought to us by the same folks who own Honey Pig, they opened to the public yesterday with a very limited menu (thanks to the intel from my friend G4). I was their very first paying customer. (It’s ramen, hello?) And I also came back today.

First, I have to admit, the place is beautiful. Japanese contemporary zen is how I describe it. There’s this long communal bar in the middle with a crevice filled with unlit chunks of charcoal. The bar stools are cemented to the concrete floor so if you’re short like me, it’s not gonna be comfy as you’ll be too far from the table. I really like the enclosures for the hanging pendant lights which are lined with colorful Chinese fabrics. Everything just looks so cool.

Limited menu. They were offering only four items for now. Tonkotsu ramen, tonkatsu plate, kabob tonkatsu plate, and gyoza. I was never a fan of Korean-owned Umaido because the broth is so bland and tasted exactly like the ones in the packets you buy for 25 cents. I also don’t like their wheat flat noodles, albeit housemade. So I came here with no expectations whatsoever thinking it’s going to be just another Korean-owned ramen place. Surprisingly, the broth is very good. Really good. Not Jinbei or Haru good but very good. It is very flavorful and has a good consistency. Bold and creamy. The roast pork they use is tender and delicious. Oh and the noodles? They use egg ramen noodles like the Japanese version!!!

The Tonkatsu plate is good as well. You get a huge serving of pork fillet lightly coated in panko batter then fried to a beautiful golden brown. The pork is juicy, tender, and tasty. A side of cabbage salad, a bowl of steaming rice, and a cup of miso soup complete the meal. But wait, you also get a bowl of black and white sesame seeds. You crush them with the wooden pestle and then they come and top it with tonkatsu sauce. Sweetish-savory, nutty. Add a dollop of the Japanese mustard and you’ve got one great dipping sauce.

The Kabob Tonkatsu is almost identical except they put pieces of pork meat into skewers and separate them with pieces of sweet onions in between. Fun!

The gyoza are also very good. The wrapper is thin and chewy and the meat filling is perfectly balanced (in taste and quantity) with the herbs. It doesn’t reek with chives and scallions which I like. A great appetizer, don’t miss it.

So far so good. Can’t wait until they expand their menu to include other ramen flavors (shoyu and miso), okonomiyaki, izakaya items and sake. Was told it gets more moody at night when they turn down the lights. Do it!

More pictures (click on the mosaic to go to my Flickr page):

Raku Donkatsu + Ramen
2550 Pleasant Hill Rd.
Suite 112
Duluth, GA 30096
770-476-1212

Technorati Tags: ramen, Duluth, Atlanta, Pleasant Hill, tonkatsu

What would your death row meal be? Mine would consist of many dishes from many places. I’d call it Chloe’s Food Festival. And yes, I’m planning on having one all in one spot instead of making several stops daily. It would have ramen (of course), Korean dishes, Japanese, Wong’s buns, cheeseteaks, bread and butter, pork, sope, etc., etc.

In any case… Three weeks ago, during a boring Thursday night graduate class, I received Miso Izakaya’s December menu via email. The monthly omakase had everything I wanted. Everything. You know how all prix fixes never have all the things you like? Well, this one has it. It’s like, a menu, written for me. A Chloe Omakase. I had to wait a couple of weeks. A celebratory dinner for another semester completed. Was it worth it? You bet. It was my death row meal.

My $25 omakase started with Blue Crab miso soup. My mom taught me and my sister how to eat crabs on our own when we turned 4. It was a rite of passage. We’ve loved them since then. My miso soup was the perfect starter especially since it was freezing outside. The lump crab meat was fresh, sweetish, and tasted of the ocean. Cliché, I know, but it did!

Next came Crispy Duck Buns. There is no one, and I mean, no one in the city that makes better Chinese buns than Chef Guy Wong. I’ve been to literally all the dimsum places in town and his is 5-star. Really. The buns are pillowy soft with a smooth sheen. The filling? Out of this world. Wong’s Buns (as I call them) are so fantastic you owe it to yourself to try them. I had to eat a few extra orders of his Kakuni buns. These had super tender stewed pork belly in sweetish-salty reduction sauce that is truly amazing.

Steamed Gindara was next. Black cod, prepared Japanese-style, has been a childhood favorite. The fish melts in your mouth. So delicious. So clean tasting. Here at MI, it was served with a gingery soy sauce that was so mild which allowed the real taste of the fish to stand out. Honestly, I could eat 5 pounds of this. With a side of sushi rice.

Kakuni & Grits. Aside from many, many types of food, I’m also all about pork. Grits, you say? So did I. But it paired so well with the stewed pork belly. It was creamy and cheesy. The pork literally melted in my mouth. The tasty fat liquefied the minute it hit my tongue. Wow. Double wow.

The perfect ending to this amazing meal was a scoop of homemade, roasted black sesame ice cream that reminded me of another favorite, taro (purple yam).

So there. I was so happy after I ate. Oh, and guess what’s in store for January? Ramen!!! Go. Now.

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

Technorati Tags: Japanese, omakase, Inman Park

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

Haru’s tonkotsu ramen has been consistently amazing these past few weeks. Want to jazz up your soup like I do? Add a soft-poached egg for $1.00 extra. You can thank me later.

Haru Ichiban
3646 Satellite Blvd
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 622-4060

Technorati Tags: sushi, Japanese, Duluth, Pleasant Hill, Gwinnett

Uni makes the absolute best food porn, no? This uni sashimi tastes as awesome as it looks. So creamy. Silky. Smooth. Heavenly. Melts in your mouth. My happy food. Yum.

Go ahead, be happy!

Oh, and, yeah, three more days before I come back!

More here.

Sushi Huku
6300 Powers Ferry Rd NW
Atlanta, GA 30339
(770) 956-9559

Technorati Tags: uni, Japanese, Smyrna