Atlanta etc.: Marilyn Wolf's Food Blog and Restaurant Blog

Ti-Yen and I have a long-overdue reunion and a great lunch at Luu New Tung Kee Noodle . This is one of several locations around the Bay Area. The decor and atmosphere are clean and efficient, just as one would expect from this place. The noise level is low and talking is easy. I ordered a large combination won ton noodle soup. Combination means beef, chicken, pork, and prawns. The broth had a nice chicken flavor. The noodles tasted great and had just the right amount of toothiness. The won tons combined the best of the pasta and meats. Everything about my bowl was warm and homey.

I had lunch today at Oriental Pearl, one of the many banquet-sized Chinese restaurants in Chamblee. I've eaten there on several occasions and have enjoyed their food. Today, I decided to further my noodle quest. I had the roast pork noodle soup. The broth was quite good, as were the greens in the soup. The pork was pretty tasty but not thrilling. The noodles were fine. I would rank this noodle soup as pretty good, definitely something I will order again, but not the Holy Grail of noodle soups that I am seeking.

I have a sentimental connection to Canton House. It's how I discovered Chamblee. Shortly after moving here, I drove around just to explore. When I stumbled across a big Chinese restaurant that served dim sum seven days a week, I thought I was in heaven. I've eaten there innumerable times since then. One of my favorite dishes is the chicken hot pot. The hot pot, I believe, comes from the Hakka region. As a stew, it's a great variation on traditional Chinese themes. Their steamed fish is also very good. Today, I had the roast pork Cantonese noodle soup and some dim sum. The soup definitely hit the spot, although I don't think it was quite up to Ollie's in New York.

My Columbia University friends took me to Ollie's Noodle House today, in this case the location across the street from campus. Ollie's was one of the leaders in the NYC noodle revolution that took place 10-15 years ago, when noodles moved out of Chinatown and across Manhattan. Since I'm in search of good noodle soup in Atlanta, I thought this would be an excellent comparison. I've always been an Ollie's fan and they didn't disappoint today. I had pork won ton soup: won tons, slices of pork, and thin noodles. The won tons were tasty little birthday packages and the pork was very tender. The broth was very flavorful. It really hit the spot on a rainy day. Where is a good place for Chinese noodle soup in Atlanta? There are lots of choices for Vietnamese noodles, but I really don't know where to go for Chinese noodle soup...

A string of meals with colleagues allows me to discuss several different types of food. For yesterday's lunch, I went with Mary Jean Harrold to a relatively new campus establishment, the Coffee Snob in the IBB building.  I'm a big fan of their salad, which has an impressive array of ingredients.  I'm an even bigger fan of their matte.  I had assumed that it was some sort of Indian variation on a latte, but the owner tells me that it's from a South American plant.  It's a wonderfully spicy drink.  I get it with skim milk and no honey because I don't think it needs sweetening. Yesterday's dinner was further from campus.  Vince Mooney and I went to Mezza in north North Druid Hills.  They serve Lebanese food in a tapas format.  The food is excellent and the small plates allow you to sample more dishes, which is always nice when you aren't an expert in the cuisine.  The atmosphere is chic.  And as a bonus, the owner is a Georgia Tech grad. Today's lunch w...