Earlier this year, I was approached by a publishing company, Globe Pequot Press, and asked if I was interested in writing a Food Guide book for Atlanta. I practically jumped out of my skin, I was so excited that they picked me. My publisher just sent me the cover of the book (pictured above) and I wanted to share it with you.

I’ve had so much fun over the last several months visiting restaurants around Atlanta and talking to staff and chefs. It has been a wonderful experience writing the book and I definitely have a new appreciation and respect for both authors and editors.

As you are reading this, I’m down in Florida for a short break and celebrating finishing the book!

Cheers!

These sweet treats come in unique flavors – green tea, chocolate and coffee – and hold coupons for everything from a 50% discount at Spice Market to a free night’s stay at the W Atlanta-Midtown to a complimentary Bliss Spa treatment. This offer begins on Tuesday, June 1, and will continue through the end of August.

Bar at Soba

Stepping inside Soba Bar and Bistro, you would never know that it once housed El Toro restaurant. The restaurant has been completely transformed. Gone are any traces of a chain Mexican restaurant, replaced by beautifully appointed furnishings and several semi-private dining areas, perfect for groups or couples.

We were seated at a booth, but due to the proximity of a family with a screaming baby we chose to move to a more private area. Seriously people, do you really need to be told it is rude to have your screaming kid at a nice restaurant after 8 pm on a Friday night? But I digress…the staff was super friendly about us wanting to move.

Soba Pork Dumplings

Much happier with out new seating arrangements, we perused the menu. Torn between the calamari and the pork dumplings, we chose the dumplings as it was the healthier option (not being fried). The six dumplings came out shortly and were extremely tasty. It is a perfect appetizer for two to share.

Soba Firecracker Shrimp

I ordered the firecracker shrimp which to me is close to a Szechwan shrimp. And Glen, although a little skeptical, ordered the tuna steak. Having not eaten here before, we weren’t sure how fresh the fish would be, but the tuna was done perfectly. The pink center was just right, not to mention what a generous portion it was.

Soba Tuna

We finished the evening with the Xango Cheesecake. This is cheesecake wrapped in wonton-like substance and drizzled with lemon, raspberry and chocolate sauce. The plating was absolutely beautiful. Although I was pretty full at this point, it was totally worth it.

Soba Xango Cheesecake

Our server was helpful, friendly and efficient the entire night, making great recommendations. He may have been a little green (perhaps this is his first server job) but his eagerness to please made the service completely enjoyable. Entrees are priced modestly under $20 and there are beer and wine specials even on a weekend night. Overall, Soba Bar and Bistro is a great find in East Cobb.

1060 E Piedmont Rd NE
Marietta, GA 30062
770 971 1888
Website

Extras: Date night specials on Friday and Saturday: 1 bottle of wine, 2 entrees and dessert for $50. Tax and tip extra.

P.F. Chang’s Orange Peel Chicken (from RecipeSecrets.net)

Sauce:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
4 green onions, sliced
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
peel from 1/4 orange, julienned (into 1/8″ thick strips)

1. Make the sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil; add garlic and
onions; do not let the garlic burn; add tomato sauce; bring to boil.

2. Add sugar, chili sauce and soy sauce; bring to boil; simmer five to
six minutes or until sauce thickens; remove from heat.

3. Prepare chicken: In wok or large skillet, heat oil. Meanwhile
cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.

4. In medium bowl combine egg and milk; mix well. Place flour in
shallow dish.

5. Coat chicken pieces – first in the flour, then the egg wash and
back into the flour. Cook in 2 or 3 batches until all chicken is
cooked.

6. When chicken is done, remove oil and rinse out wok with water;
reheat pan. When hot, add orange peel and chicken; heat through -
about a minute – stirring gently.

Want access to hundreds of recipes like this? Click Here!

Before I discuss food or service, let me just explain that Uncle Wong’s is a much classier establishment than the name would suggest. It has hardwood flooring, is tastefully decorated, even the silverware is the design of bamboo. Oh, and if you arrive after 7 pm on Saturdays, you’ll be treated to cloth napkins that are beautifully folded. But if you arrive when I did, you simply get a paper napkin.

Apparently, they didn’t have their napkins back from the cleaners when I had arrived. On Saturday? Really? Uncle Wong’s advertises that they open at 4:30 on Saturdays, and it isn’t a huge place, so you would think that they could have that part of their restaurant ready by then. By 7, I saw someone sitting in the corner folding napkins into pretty designs to be placed in the wine glasses.

Ok, no big deal, I’m not there for the cloth napkins. I’m there for the food. So, I’d had the sizziling rice soup before which was pretty tasty, but I decided to opt for the pork dumplings this time. They were a good portion for two to share and they had a great flavor combination of sweet and salty. From that point, everything wend downhill.

I think I’m just going to let Glen pick my entrees from now on. Whenever we go out, he always picks something better than me. The last time we ate at Uncle Wong’s he had Orange Roughy in Green Curry which was excellent. I chose the Seabass in Belcan (Malaysian) sauce. The sauce was so overpowering, I could barely taste the fish and it was not a pleasant sauce, very pungent. To be fair, the server did try to steer me away from that selection, but I wouldn’t listen and was not happy with my selection.

This time, Glen had the Spicy Mango Shrimp and I had the Dragon and Phoenix. Glen’s Mango Shrimp was pretty good with a fair amount of kick to it, but we both noticed that some of the shrimp had that overly fishy taste that is not pleasant.

Dragon and Phoenix, if you aren’t familiar, is almost like 2 different entrees. It is (at least at Uncle Wong’s) lobster and vegetables in a white wine sauce, and the other half is spicy chicken (really General Tso’s chicken). My spicy chicken was great, very flavorful.

The lobster, on the other hand, was horrible. It was rubbery and tasted like it had been de-thawed improperly, perhaps in hot water instead of cold water, and the whole thing was full of salt. They should be embarrassed to serve it. I thought I could cut some of the saltiness by added some rice to the dish, but it didn’t help, it was just a disgusting meal all around.

By 7:15, while we were finishing up our meal, the owner, or who I assume to be the owner, had brought his kids there. They were yelling and making a lot of noise, which certainly doesn’t add to the dining experience in any way. I don’t blame the children, they are just being kids, but I believe that if your customers are trying to have a nice evening out (and paying nearly $20 and entree), they really don’t want to hear screaming kids.

And here’s the kicker. I was using a Restaurant.com certificate. So, this means I get $25 off of my meal. Now, the certificate entitles the restaurant to add on a tip of somewhere between 15% to 18% (not all restaurants automatically do this). That’s fair, because although I am a good tipper, I know that not all diners are. But I fully expect that when they bring the receipt they identify that a tip has been added in, so as not to fool people into double tipping. They didn’t do this got a 30% tip in the process. Although it is my responsibility to catch this, it just seems a little dishonest to me.

I don’t think I will go back, but here’s my $0.02:
I think Uncle Wong’s would do well to stick with the basics like chicken, pork, beef, and shrimp. They have too many menu offerings to be able to offer fresh ingredients – 4 different kinds of fish, rack of lamb, filet minion, not to mention that the cuisine is a mix of Chinese, Thai and Malaysian. If they want to offer specialties on certain days that is fine, but I would hope they make sure that food is fresh.

2810 Paces Ferry Rd, Ste 220
Atlanta, GA 30339
678-309-3800
Website