Superica - Krog Street Market - Inman Park Atlanta

You can find Superica at 99 Krog St, Ste C, Atlanta, GA 30307 in Krog Street Market. Parking is across the street in an open lot, along the streets in any available space or in a private lot provided by a valet.

We visited Superica as the beginning of a short crawl that ended at the Dogwood Arts Festival (walking along the Beltline) and ending at Ponce City Market with my friend Arvin R (we eventually picked up Kymber W on the way back). If you haven't been to Krog Street Market yet you really should try it - if for nothing else, the huge beer selection at Hop City - but I digress. On this day we decided to hit Superica for brunch before hitting the Beltline - we had no real plan other than to eat and drink beer, get a little exercise and take in the sights.

The Krog Street Market used to be Tyler Perry's music studio and can be found in Inman Park - it's now a multi-use facility that houses several restaurants and shops and has become an intown destination, with several things to offer including today's visit to Superica. This is my second time at Superica, having visited previously right after they opened and frankly, not having had the best time. Those of you who know me also know that I have one of those cast-iron stomachs that can withstand quite a lot, both is spiciness and in outright obnoxious behaved food - my prior visit to Superica ended with me having a rather painful evening and next day - first time this has happened to me in many years (and that includes a trip to India!). I can only guess that the mojo that I had as Superica was a bit tainted and initially this did not provide further impetus to return. However I finally decided that I should give the restaurant a second try and I'm glad I did as this is indeed fine Tex-Mex.

 Brunch here was interesting as you can imagine, a South-of-the-Border mix of breakfast food and good Mexican spicy favorites.  We were provided a basket of chips with a few dips which was an awesome way to start things - also on tap my favorite local brew, Creature Comforts Tropicalia. 

I ordered the  Huevos Rancheros - house tortilla, 2X beans, ranchero sauce, 2 eggs sunny-side up, avcado and bacon. I must say that this is the best version of this classic dish that I've ever had and I've had the dish many, many times in several areas of the US and Mexico.  Everything here worked to build an interesting, textural palate - and it went so well with the tropical citrus in the beer. Simply delicious.

Arvin ordered the  Chorizo, Potato & Eggs - 2 eggs scrambled with chorizo, potatoes and cheese - really quite a ton of cheese. I tasted these but frankly the didn't compare to mine.

We also ordered a side of Hot Cakes - Double Stack with whipped butter and buttermilk syrup as it wouldn't have been a breakfast without pancakes, right? Anyway, these were quite good with a really surprising syrup and honestly, we didn't need these and didn't get through half the stack. Who knew?

The service on this day was quite good - we arrived early enough that it wasn't too busy but it was packed with a wait by the time we left. In all quite a good way to start a hike and day of drinking!

-- John 

(also posted to Yelp) 
 

Red Snapper Seafood Restaurant - Cheshire Bridge

You can find the Red Snapper Seafood Restaurant at 2100 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30324 - this is a two-story brick building that looks like it would house some insurance or realty company and not a restaurant. Parking is a bit weird and constrained - the lot in front of the entry gets filled up quickly - there's some additional spaces in the back but I'm not sure if they're supposed to be used or not - it may be a weekend thing (meaning if you take up all the spaces during regular business hours you may be at risk).

I've visited this restaurant many, many years ago - it's unclear to me if it had the same owner. I've always made fun of the name due to the unsavory location along Cheshire Bridge Rd, better known for strip clubs than restaurants - "Red Snapper" seemed to fit a different context, no? In any case, I don't have much of a memory of my previous visit. What got me thinking about this place again was  Jim Stacy's Get Delicious program where he featured the restaurant. I basically liked everything I heard - from Jim's dad extolling the fried shrimp on the traditional fried seafood platter to the interview of owners Jimmy and Somporn Veeranarong, Thai ex-pats that have brought a unique approach to seafood and Cajun cooking. After that I've been eager to try the ginger snapper, gumbo and fried shrimp and Red Snapper did not disappoint!

The exterior as mentioned in red brick with a wrought-iron railing, "The Red Snapper" in neon and a dark red awning with the address "2100" in white. It's a bit reminiscent of some of the restaurants you see in the NOLA Quarter. The interior has an cozy traditional bar (the only part of the restaurant that was familiar to me) and a dark dining room with traditional finishes, cloth napkins and tablecloths - it's not at all what you would expect. I started things off with a Moscow Mule, served in an appropriate metal cup. The menu has seafood, steak and chicken with combinations along with the traditional mix. I opted for the gumbo which I thought quite good if not exactly traditional - this is a peppery gumbo which I loved - don't expect the traditional sassafras earthiness you'd find in Louisiana.

We ordered various fried items - all were quite good. The batter here is more like a beer batter with the expansive breading found in tempura cooking - much lighter than you might expect. My Ginger Snapper was just delicious - everything from the tartness of the fish to the perfectly cooked sauteed shrimp makes this one of my favorite seafood dishes in Atlanta. In all we had a great time and everyone got their fill. I think this place is very solid with a few standouts - well worth trying.

-- John

(also posted to Yelp)
 
 

Barbecue Street - Kennesaw Georgia

You can find Barbecue Street at 3895 Cherokee St NW, Kennesaw GA 30144 - in the Kroger Shopping Center at the corner of Cherokee St and Jiles Rd not too far from Shiloh Rd.  Facing the shopping center from the St (Kroger will be on your left), the restaurant is about in the middle of the row of buildings. There's plenty of parking out front.

The dining room is cute with a homey-woody interior and stamped-metal ceilings. It has this wood-both thing going on to the left, I'm guessing to make it look more like a "street" from the name. There's a scattering of tables in the middle of the room then more along the right side. You're seated and will pay at the front counter when you're done. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from Barbecue Street - the menu includes many of your classic barbecue items at really standout prices. We decided to go "Full Monty" and order an assortment.

- Barbecue Sampler - this included chicken, pulled pork and pork ribs, Texas toast and choice of two sides - I ordered the Onion Rings and "Killer Green Beans." Price was about $15

- Catfish Dinner with two filets - this included hush puppies and two sides - my dining companion, Crystal H, choose the Collard Greens and the Mashed Potatoes with Gravy. Price was about $10.

- Fried Green Tomatoes - we ordered these as an afterthought and really there was way too much food so we could have deferred.

Of all the items I tried, the catfish is surprisingly good and unexpected for a BBQ restaurant, tender and delicate with a classic corn meal breading. The "Killer green beans" are interesting with great smokey flavor, bits of crispy bacon and a bit of sweetness from the caramelized onion. The only thing I found odd was the overall texture - more like those "French-style Green Beans" you find in a can - I think those can be improved a bit. I also really enjoyed the fried green tomatoes - the peppery batter worked well with some type of mildly spicy, paprika mayo.


Least favorite was the onion rings - appear to be a cakey beer batter and too bready for me. Also I thought the smashed potatoes underwhelming - they could have used more butter and spices like pepper - I'm sure that people that like mashed potatoes would like then though.

I had mixed thoughts on the BBQ itself - I have some fairly strong opinions on BBQ and prefer it to have more smoke rind than what I saw here - the chopped pork - I was a little confused with this and initially thought it was chicken. The ribs I think need a different rub - either that or a different sauce before serving - they tasted very ketchupy to me but then again all three of the sauces I tried tasted a bit too ketchupy. I didn't think to ask about a mustard based sauce (didn't really get to the chicken) but I would have liked to try it if they have one.

The service was excellent with the server coming by frequently to check on things and refill glasses. The owner? came by also to make sure we were happy. The prices were super reasonable, especially for BBQ. Overall I'd say that this was a 3.5/5 experience but I'm rounding up to 4 stars.

-- John

(also posted to Yelp)
 

Roy's Cheesesteaks - Smyrna Georgia

You can fine Roy's Cheesesteaks at 2900 Highlands Pkwy SE, Ste 1, Smyrna, GA 30082 at the end of a small shopping center. Parking is in the lot out front and there appears to be plenty - getting into and out of the lot is a bit awkward but manageable. The location is off South Cobb Drive and Highland Parkway.

I attended one of Lindy F's most excellent Sandwich UYEs, something I'd intended to participate in but have had a hard time due to my weird scheduling. This one coincided with a few other events - I think I went to three separate things on this same day with this being my second. Roy's is a cute, privately owned establishment that specializes in Cheesesteaks, as you would imagine by the name. It's basically fast-casual before that label became vogue, where you order at the counter and they call you up as the food is ready. I think there were about 10 or so of us so there was quite an assortment - I arrived a bit late so most had already started eating.

I went for a foot-long Philly with bacon and jalapenos - this was quite good with just the right amount of everything. The sandwich includes some Zapp's chips so I selected the New Orleans Kettle Style Voodoo - hey if you're going to do heat you may as well go for the gusto! I thought the Philly one of the best I've had in Atlanta with the right toasted hoagie, plenty of filling and cheesiness. Quite good.

Service here was excellent with very attentive people behind the counter. In all a great experience and it was awesome to get together with Lindy and her group of sandwich freaks - heh.

-- John
(also posted to Yelp)

Chong Qing Hot Pot - Chamblee Georgia

You can find Chong Qing Hot Pot in the China Town Mall at 5385 New Peachtree Rd, Atlanta, GA 30341. China Town Mall is tucked away off of New Peachtree Rd - I've generally heard the area referred to as Chinatown but that may be due to the mall's location - there are other Chinese businesses in about a one mile radius, but I don't know if the local population warrants the name - I think it's more about the businesses. 

China Town Mall is one of Atlanta's best kept secrets - featuring a good ethnic food court that's heavily visited during lunch. On this weekday early evening we were in the area and decided to hit the Chong Qing Hot Pot. The food to my tastes is more towards the traditional Chinese as opposed to the swag Americanized Chinese you get a places like Panda Express.

This is a food court so the dining hall is shared - what you'll find at Chong Qing are hot pots and good inexpensive Chinese dishes. The menu for the most part is handwritten on whiteboards behind the counter - there's also a takeout menu so you can order ahead and pick up or pick up and eat in the mall - you can't get much simpler. The board features vegetables, Fried Rice/Lo Mein, Hot Pots and Noodle Soups. You'll find the prices super cheap but don't let that fool you - the food here is way above average, especially for food court food.

Once you order they call out when it's ready - there's a kettle of tea, sweet-and-sour soup and steamed rice on the counter where you can help yourself. Make sure you get chopsticks and anything else you need while you're up there (don't worry I always forget to grab something).

On this night we went with the string beans and a Szechuan style Chong Qing Spicy Chicken. While some of the ingredients in the beans were a bit light the flavors still pulled through in this classic dish - the portion is very large and good for sharing - as I recall all the veggie portions are generous. 

The Chicken, frankly wasn't on par with Gu's or Peter Chang's Tasty China, but was still very good and filling. I think it's the type of dried peppers used or perhaps it's the whole pepper as presented instead of cut pieces - these don't have the level of intensity or spiciness. For $7.95 I don't have anything to complain about. In fact our entire meal for two people was about $15.

Speaking of costs - make sure you bring cash.

-- John

(also posted to Yelp)