Hankook Taqueria - West Midtown Atlanta

You can find Hankook Taqueria at 1341 Collier Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30318. I think someone told me that technically the area is called Underwood Hills, but most recently anything west of Midtown, since Atlantic Station has been developed, usually gets referenced as West Midtown (makes sense, right?). The restaurant is in a standalone building next to a railroad overpass. There's limited parking out front and to the sides but I believe you can safely park on the side street. Nearby is the very good Piece of Cake main facility (also worth visiting for a slice or cupcake, so save some room).

I'm not quite sure how I first came aware of Hankook - I think someone said "Have you had a Korean Burrito?" and I was like "Where?!" and that's what it took. I believe Hankook was the first Korean-Mexican fusion restaurant in Atlanta, or at least the first I can remember. The two styles blend together so well, more like marriage made in heaven. Sweet Korean BBQ with a bit of gochugang (Korean hot sauce) in a taco? I'm there! This restaurant spawned the local Takorea chain which is still owned by the came people I believe. One reason you come here is because of some of the unique dishes and specials that are on the menu not found at Takorea. The other reason is that you've spent the day at one of the nearby breweries and need to eat something (nearby you have Atlanta Brewing, Second Self, Scofflaw and Monday Night).

The menu is pretty simple - Choose 1-n number of Tacos, a Burrito or Bowl and choose a protein: Beef, Chicken, Pork, Tofu, Veggie, Fish or from the Premium List: Shrimp, Calamari, Tong Dak or one of the Daily Specials. This will have a mixed-garninsh: Lettuce/green cabbage mix, green/white onions, cilantro and sesame soy vinaigrette. Of course all the meats are done Korean style so combinations of sweet/spicy Korean BBQ sauce. The burrito is served with Kimchi rice (which you can also order as a side). Next, add one of the Street Snacks like the Bulgogi Kimchi Fries or Man-Doo dumplings to the order. Can't be simpler and the prices are very affordable - eat a little or a lot.

Things I've had here:
* I'll skip the Tacos and Burritos as you get the idea and they're all good - use one or multiples of those as the base of your meal.
* Sesame Fries - Crispy Fries with Chipotle Ketchup - quite good - crisp twice fried (they seem to have a light tempura? coating).
* Bulgogi Kimchi Fries - Queso, roasted kimchi, fried egg with gochujang - love these, more like totchos and good for sharing
* KoKuma - Tempura Fried Asian Sweet Potatoes wth Sweet Chili Aioli - sweet, slightly crunchy with mild spice from the creamy sauce
* Man-Doo - fried dumplings with pork, ginger, scallions and ponzu (I grew up with something similar so always get an order of these) - quite good
*Quesadilla - Bulgogi Beef with cheese and spicy sauce or cheese only
*Chips  Queso - chips with melted cheese - personally I'd skip these and get the Kimchi Fries
Nachos - Bulgogi Beef on chips, queso, salad mix, jalapeno and sour cream (as above)
* BiBimBop - rice, bulgogi beef, bean sprouts, spinach, mushrooms, zucchini and a fried egg, topped with gochujang - good but I've had much better (super cheap here at $8)
* Smoked Wings - think these were on the specials menu, you get a pile of chicken wings, chipotle-smoked in my case with a spicy BBQ sauce - I recommend these highly if they're being offered.

The place is a bit of a hole in the wall and is more cafeteria-like than fast-casual. You order at a counter and walk along the front edge to pay - once you pay they bring the food to your table. Drinks are along one wall on the left with options for fountain soda, tea and water. It's super simple. The interior is a bit dive-ish - more like something you would find in Little Five Points or East Atlanta Village.

Service is good but very limited - the place gets packed during lunch, best time to go is early afternoon.

(also posted to Yelp)

Nuevo Laredo Cantina - Westside - Atlanta Georgia

You can find the Nuevo Laredo Cantina at 1495 Chattahoochee Avenue NW, Atlanta, GA 30318 right across the street from a small parking lot provided by the Atlanta Pepsi Beverages Company (yes even Pepsi has a small stronghold in this city dominated by Coca Cola). Nuevo Laredo is in the short section between Collier Rd and Marietta Blvd. There's some small amount of parking around the restaurant but most people use the lot across the street.

Long before there was a "Westside" as a destination there was Nuevo Laredo. I remember visiting this place in the early 90's for the first time - it coincided with my retiring from the restaurant biz and I remember getting quite drunk off the fine margaritas and Diablo chicken. Over the years I've visited quite a few times - mostly to drink and enjoy the patio but it had been a few years. I was visiting the nearby Monday Night Brewing with friends and after running out of tickets we decided to get a bite - since there were a few who hadn't been to this venerable Tex-Mex establishment, we ended up here with about a 45 minute wait. I know that sounds horrible, but one of the very smart things the management of this restaurant did was to provide a very efficient bar near the entrance - you can order drinks (in our case, pitchers!) and some snacks. We enjoyed chips with a great salsa and guacamole while we waited for our table.

The restaurant is small - they could easily expand to double the current size and do well, based on the crowds (of course they would also need to expand the kitchen which could be why they haven't gone that route). The upstairs has the bar to the right of the entry and a dining room to the left. There's a downstairs that isn't apparent when you walk in and the deck-patio with entry from the bar. Average wait times during the week is in the 30-45 minute range and an hour on weekends. Try to get there earlier if you can and you'll get the best food and service. The food here is Tex-Mex in general, but there's a bit more emphasis on the Mex side of the equation that makes it interesting. You'll find a good mole here and a level of spiciness that you won't find in the schwag Mexican restaurants in the burbs. The salsa is fresh with plenty of cilantro - don't bother coming here if you don't like cilantro as it's in pretty much everything or used as a garnish.

The margaritas here are quite good - love the sour-mix they use as a base and they tend to be stronger that what you're used to getting. Do yourself a favor and buy them by the pitcher - easier for everyone and you won't be fighting against the crowds of people for singles. My preference is to sit on the patio if possible but it's usually just too damn hot with Atlanta's extended summer and short fall/winter/spring. Service is quite good at Nuevo Laredo with a very knowledgeable staff however as you may have already surmised, it gets very busy here so expect to wait. The food and drink will be well worth it but be prepared to wait and order that replacement pitcher before you hit bottom. If you don't like margaritas they also have sangria - I haven't tried it but have heard that it's good. They also usually have a selection of local craft beer as well as you're typical Mexican and American favorites.

Try the cheese sauce (chile con caso) here with chorizo - simply fantastic. For the entree I gravitate towards the mole and diablo as already indicated. I haven't tried it but the tamales looked and smelled wonderful (well, maybe I had a taste and from what I remember it's quite good). By the time I had a bit this last visit I was rocking pretty hard on those pitchers. Look for the specials in the upper right corner of the menu - you can't go wrong with any of them. The rice here is much better than your typical "red" rice that you find elsewhere (can't stand that stuff) and the black beans are fantastic. Also make sure you have plenty of salsa on hand. For something a bit lighter the carne asada here is quite good - I'd recommend the tacos.

In all my last visit was everything that I remember from my first and subsequent visits. I'll be coming back.

-- John 

(also posted to Yelp)
 

Flip Burger Boutique - Westside Atlanta at Howell Mill Rd

You can find this location of Flip Burger Boutique at 1587 Howell Mill Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30318. It's on the left traveling South and is due West from Atlantic Station, as the crow flies. Parking is limited but free - try to visit during slightly off-hours to ensure a space. The interior is modernist with plenty of shiny white surfaces and glass. There's a nice deck out front where you can watch all the idiots get backed-up in the crappy traffic - they like it when you yell at them for no reason, but forego throwing any items at the cars - they don't like that and may pull-over to find out "what's your problem"...

I've now visited this location a few times and I feel that it's the best of the three.I was a bit dismayed at the Buckhead location (mediocre, over-priced food and lackluster service) but the now defunct Highland location and this one have more than made up for my initial opinion. This is one of those "fine dining" attempts at burgers but don't be put-off - there are a few tricks to ordering that make Flip worthwhile. First, instead of picking one of the signature burgers, go with the sliders - it provides up to three different flavor combinations to keep things interesting. Second, have a cocktail or beer with dinner but leave some room for the delicious milkshakes - I recommend the Marshmallow Nutella unless you're not into that flavor - then go with the Krispy Kreme Donut - both live up to their respective labels.

For a cocktail, try the Southern Gent - it's an interesting fusion of sweet whiskey sour and will remind you of a sweet tea. To get stared, try the pork-belly-on-a-stick with Coca-Cola ketchup and pop-rocks or the smoked brisket empanadas - this latter is quite good.

For those sliders, try the Butcher's Cut and a Crispy Fried Chicken Sandwich if they are available (the menu seems to change, or at least has changed during my last two visits) and don't forget the sweet potato tots. Or if you're really feeling it, order the trio of tots, rings and fries - very filling and all quite good as sides. And don't forget the milkshake - you can thank me later.

-- John


(also posted to Yelp)

Yeah! Burger - Westside Atlanta on Howell Mill Rd

Yeah! Burger can be found at 1168 Howell Mill Road, Suite E, Atlanta, GA 30318 in what's being collectively called Westside. Other than it being on the West side of Midtown, I'm not quite sure why it's called that but there you go. The restaurant is across the street from Room and Board behind the Saltworks Gallery.

 

Yeah! Burger is another of those boutique burger joints that seem to be popping up everywhere in Atlanta - the concept is simple. You peruse a menu while waiting in line, when you get to the counter you select your meat (grass-fed beef, organic bison, turkey, veggie, gluten-free vegan or grilled/fried chicken breast), your bun (artisan white, whole wheat, gluten-free, vegan or none), your cheese (American, cheddar, pepper jack, provolone, blue, swiss, goat or pimento) and your topping (too many to list). There are also a handful of specialty burgers with names like the "All-American" or "California Love" if you can't make up your mind. In all, this is a bit like being at a Subway or Maddio's Pizza where you can get exactly what you want. Of course there's a price - the burgers themselves range from $6.99 for the turkey to $9.99 for the bison and just about everything (with the exception of the very basics) incrementally increases the price. For your mac-daddy burger expect $10 or more depending on how much you load up. You also select any sides you may want or a Hot Dog or three (I'm very fond of the sweet potato fries and onion rings here or the napa coleslaw). There are also some salads and kids selections if you are so inclined (I'm not, of course). 

For drinks you can go all out and get a handspun milk shake or soda, or go from a larger-than-expected selection of adult beverages. Craft Cocktails, Wine by the Glass or Beer - both draft and bottled with a decent selection of craft ales and Belgians. Anything by Monday Night Brewing is worth ordering, in my opinion but there are many local craft options. The great beer list + burger options + sides produce an awesome trio to entice even the pickiest hipster. Speaking of hipster, this is "in town" so you're sure to fine the bearded lumbersexual or semi-washed hipster stumbling around at Yeah! to provide loads of visual entertainment (granted, many of them are students but I play 'em like I see 'em). 

The burgers here are perfectly executed and I must say I've enjoyed my several visits (don't worry, you wont confuse my shaved head with the Muppet-like coifs around) and I believe you will enjoy the food here too. The dining room is modernist (makes sense being so close to Room and Board and Knoll) with some fun, retro-styled graphics. Whomever did the design did a top notch job - the whole package is just stunning. Give this one a try, even if you've tried others and they just didn't make the cut. You'll be glad you did.

-- John

(shorter review also posted to Yelp)