Hot Dish Review

Riding the wave (pun intended) of trendy fusion tacos, this relatively new spot on the square in Marietta marries Mexican and Asian street foods to create a fun and flavorful menu. Think Takorea and Hankook.

The concept is simple, really. Take a typical Asian meat and sauce, like chicken with peanut sauce, and stick it in a flour tortilla, which unfortunately, is the only kind they have at Taqueria Tsunami. Asian is used here in the broadest sense with a variety of cuisines represented, from Korean to Chinese. Other creative dishes incorporate typical Asian ingredients like fried wontons to re-create Tex-Mex dishes like the nachos we shared on our recent visit with TH, our friend from Louisville, and her man D.

Topped with shredded Kogi BBQ short ribs, queso, fresh jalapenos, lettuce, and corn salsa, the nachos were crisp and light. Some cilantro would have made this great starter even better. We took turns licking the plate. We also tried the avocado cilantro egg rolls, a somewhat decadent combination of fatty avocado wrapped in wonton wrappers, then fried. Nevertheless, neither of these dishes was greasy.

We ordered a variety of tacos for our main dishes, thinking we could share them, but alas, they were pretty darn small. TH’s tiny Thai chicken taco looked lonely in the middle of her big plate. LC got the Baja fried fish taco as expected, along with the Aloha chicken because our server said it was the spiciest one on the menu. He also tried the jalapeno cheddar tots on the side. I ordered the Rich Man’s taco filled with grilled steak and the Rising Sun with Vietnamese pork.

Both of my tacos were tasty but didn’t have much zing. I requested a tiny side of guacamole to add depth. The steak would have been better wrapped in a corn tortilla. I made a mental note that a similar steak taco at Bad Dog Taqueria was superior.

Everyone devoured their tacos and guzzled their beers with smiles. None of us was impressed with the jalapeno cheddar tots that tasted of neither jalapeno nor cheddar. In fact, we concluded that both flavors were in the dip….isn’t that queso? That’s cheating!

Enjoying the balmy Spring evening at a sidewalk table, we felt a few drops of rain as we finished off our tacos. No worries, we would head inside for dessert. All three sweets offered sounded yummy. We ended up getting sopapillas to share and two orders of apple pear empanadas. It was sugar overkill, each plate arriving with a full scoop of vanilla ice cream. But we managed to munch our way through the plate of fried wontons, light as air, sprinkled with cinnamon and drizzled with honey….not your typical sopapillas. Each order of empanadas was not just one but two fried pies, crispy and full of fruit. We were happily stuffed.

With another location in Buckhead, Taqueria Tsunami is a solid contender in the fusion taco wars. So the next time you’re craving Thai food but your hubby wants tacos, you’ll know what to do.

70 South Park Square, Marietta 678-324-7491

The Kentucky Derby fell on Cinco de Mayo this year….an unfortunate coincidence. LC and I were the only two of our group going to the track for The Derby, however, we wanted to enjoy breakfast with the gang before donning our hats and throwing our (I mean his) cash away.

Our Derby trip hostess TH, a college friend of LC’s, often visits Wild Eggs for breakfast, and suggested we go there. The decor was bright and modern, with a partition cleverly made of plastic eggs encased in glass. We weren’t necessarily in a hurry, but the 45 minute wait for a table was a bit lengthy. The girls enjoyed mimosas and the gentlemen bloody Marys while we waited.

As a regular, TH knew our server well. Once seated, he delivered an enormous complimentary cinnamon roll for us to share, however we had to wait an additional 30 minutes for our coffee. Not a good start.

Folks love to recommend their favorite dishes to me when they discover I’m a food writer. Usually I go with my instinct, but on rare occassions, I take their advice….and then regret it. Unfortunately, my breakfast would prove to be a perfect example of the latter.

Several menu specialties have a Tex-Mex flavor including Kalamity Katie’s Border Benedict which TH said was the best thing she ever ate. I was in the mood for a benedict smothered with rich hollandaise so why not try it with a Mexican twist?

The menu described the dish as “green chili cheddar corn cakes, topped with chorizo, two poached eggs, queso fundido, pico de gallo, sour cream, green onions, and avocado”. Visions of crispy corn cakes, juicy slices of spicy sausage, poached eggs with creamy yolks, and chunks of avocado whirled in my head. I wasn’t sure about the queso sauce, described as “sauce like you put on nachos” by our server so I requested it on the side along with a side of hollandaise.

When the plate arrived, 80% was covered with potatoes. I have no use for potatoes and didn’t realize they accompanied the benedict or I would have made a substitution. Sadly, the corn cakes were thick and dry, there was a tablespoon of very salty crumbled sausage scattered on top, and my poached eggs were overcooked. The bits of avocado could have fit in a thimble and the queso was disgusting but, of course, there was no hollandaise. I had to wait another ten minutes for that. It was impossible to hide my dissatisfaction. Meanwhile, another damn cinnamon roll came out.

Like the horses racing by us at Churchill Downs, much of the food we ate was also a blur. We enjoyed decent boxed lunches from Lotsa Pasta on Oaks Day. During The Derby itself, LC and I got a lobster roll at one of the snack bars near the betting windows. Among all the ladies with hats were a couple of dudes with sombreros, reminding me that it was Cinco de Mayo.

In a futile attempt to have a decent bite of Mexican food, LC and I decided to stop at Senor Iguana’s on the way home. All we wanted was a table outside, a decent margarita and a few tacos. Too much to ask? You bet. There were no tables available on the patio so we sat at a hightop in the bar. LC ordered skinny margaritas, but the bartender had clearly never made one before, filling the tall plastic cup with soda after a shot of tequila and a squirt of lime juice. Horrific.

We fared better with the starters. Chips were quite good dipped in freshly made guacamole and queso (much better than the queso at breakfast) and there was a lovely dish of jalapenos to spice it up. Tacos were not offered individually so we got one order with fish and another with carne asada, all on corn tortillas. I requested cheese on the beef.

Our server brought out pork instead of beef but quickly remedied the error, although the advertised diced onions and cilantro were absent. Each taco was made with two somewhat soggy tortillas. I peeled off the unnecessary tortillas and added guacamole. An unexpected bowl of tasty red chili sauce was served with the carne asada which did a decent job of covering up the chewy, flavorless meat. Shoulda gone to Chuy’s.

Uncharacteristicly, LC didn’t win at the track. And Wild Eggs and Senor Iguana’s didn’t place.

Despite being less than five minutes from my condo, I hadn’t visited Park Tavern in over five years. There was a time when AD and I frequented the place, sitting by the fence that separates the restaurant from Piedmont Park, our bare feet in the sand, drinking cheap beer and chain smoking. Then we’d go across the way to The Highlander to play Nudie Mega Touch. If you don’t know, don’t ask.

Park Tavern was also the scene of a couple of Halloween parties that I can’t actually remember, but the photos are proof I was there….once as a pregnant majorette with pigtails, smoking a cigarette. Super classy.

The warm weather had LC and I hankerin’ for a relaxing afternoon on a patio. Tired of our regular Mexican patios he suggested Park Tavern….perfect for April Fools Day, I thought. The place was always full of ‘em.

A few things had changed over the years. Soft sand was replaced with big pebbles. An entire Asian section, including sushi, had been added to their otherwise standard bar food menu. Other things had not changed at all, like the crowd of young wannabees, trustafarians, and dogs. Yes, schnauzers, terriers, corgis, and great danes shared the sunny patio with us silly humans.

Our brief wait for a table gave us the opportunity to grab a drink at the bar inside. LC tried one of their specialty brews that the bartender swore tasted like Fruity Pebbles….and it did! I finally decided on a glass of bubbly. Just then, the hostess escorted us to our table, one of the hightops with cushy brown pleather barstools. At last we could take a deep breath and reeeelaaaax as we watched the sun set.

I couldn’t bear the thought of another plate of hot wings, onion rings, or crispy fried things, so we opted for the Asian side of the menu, starting with the Baja California roll and the Wagyu beef lettuce wraps. The roll, requested without cucumber, was packed with crab stick and avocado, then topped with more crab and avocado, drizzled with wasabi mayo and sprinkled with sesame seeds. We added a good dose of bright green wasabi that made our eyes water.

After polishing off my glass of prosecco I switched to nigori to compliment our Asian snacks on order. Nigori is cold unfiltered sake with a mild, milky, nutty flavor and a surprisingly high alcohol content.

Served with strangely bland kimchi and flacid, flavorless sauteed mushrooms, the strip of sinewy steak was doubtfully the pricey cut of Wagyu advertised. The cilantro mentioned (and quite likely the deciding factor in my wanting to order this appetizer) was nowhere to be found. Nonetheless, we wrapped the ingredients in the cups of butter lettuce. A great idea, but not well-executed.

Still feeling a twinge of hunger, LC and I decided on one final Asian appetizer, the tuna tacos. Now, you know I don’t even like tuna, but sometimes if it’s good quality and served rare (or raw), I’ll give it a go, like the fantastic tuna tartare chef Scott Serpas makes at his restaurant. I was apprehensive about it, sorta like ordering foie gras at Chili’s.

Imagine my surprise at the five little triangular tacos, crispy wontons filled with thick slices of seared tuna, avocado, lots of cilantro, radicchio slaw with a slightly sweet dressing, and wafer-thin slices of fresh, hot jalapenos. They were awesome! I could have eaten ten of them.

As the sky grew darker the patio became illuminated, alternating between green, blue, and red lights. My tiny sake cup was empty. I promised LC we would return on a lazy Summer day sometime soon for more people and dog watching. As for the ghosts, there were a few, but they turned out to be harmless.

500 10th Street NE 404-249-0001

On my recent trip to Cancun, I was just as excited about the tacos as I was about the sun and sand. Not the chain restaurant variety often passed off as authentic in the states, but real Mexican tacos!

Another recommendation by our hotel, Taco Grill was across the street at the open-air mall smack in the middle of the hotel zone. You have to question the authenticity of mall restaurants, particularly those catering to tourists. But with its sunny setting directly on the water, the quality of the food was almost secondary.

On our first visit we were in full vacation mode, ordering margaritas with salt at lunch, lazily munching on chips and a variety of salsas, including one made with avocados….too thin and too spicy to be guacamole. We loved it. LC ordered the taco special, a choice of four, while I tried two a la carte: carne asada and pork, all on corn tortillas. Like most gringos, we requested them with cheese.

Shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes topped our tacos. Little ramekins of cilantro, jalapenos, and diced onion were served with them, along with the salsas and guacamole. The tortillas had decent corn flavor, although they were probably not made fresh at the restaurant. My pork and beef were unremarkable, as were LC’s fish and tiny shrimp, but topped with the spicy fixin’s they were better than most in the states.

On our last day in Cancun we had about an hour to grab a quick bite and decided to return to Taco Grill. We ordered the exact same thing but this time, the tacos came to the table utterly unadorned. We had forgotten to order the cheese and the kitchen apparently forgot the lettuce and tomatoes. They did pile the tortillas with tons of meat to which we added tons of the salsas. We sucked up our drinks, inhaled the tacos, then ran across the street to our awaiting taxi.

So I started thinking….here we are, eating tacos in Mexico, so aren’t they authentic by default? Yes they are. But sometimes authentic is not amazing, it’s just OK.

Despite the fact that Cancun is Mexico’s answer to Panama City Beach, I was excited to go on the spur of the moment trip when LC invited me for Valentine’s Day.

I love Mexico, especially the Mayan Riviera. The locals are friendly, the weather is hot, and so is the food!

Mexican cuisine is among the most popular in the world, with its vibrant colors and flavors. It appears to be simple, yet encompasses such complex recipes as mole sauce and tamales.

My last visit to Mexico was to Cabo, on the Baja Peninsula. B joined me there in July 2010, where we found plenty of heat….just not on our plates. That region’s cuisine is built around seafood, using milder chilis than the meatier dishes of the Yucatan Peninsula. We feasted on lobster, prawns, and fresh fish with plenty of excellent guacamole.

But I missed the fire of habaneros. Fast forward to this Valentine’s week in Cancun. Ironically, a rare cold front kept temperatures in the 70′s, but that didn’t keep me from putting on a bikini and drinking margaritas by the pool. The Westin Lagunamar’s casual restaurant, Viento, serves simple Mexican fare and Americanized snacks. LC and I had a chance to sample both during our stay.

Viento was our first stop when we arrived as our kickass villa was being prepared. We took in the view of the Caribbean Sea as we ate a light meal of carne asada tacos, guacamole, and chips, which were very thick….good for scooping up the guac, but not my favorite type. Soft corn tortillas wrapped the beef, grilled peppers and onions in real corn flavor. Pure joy! We added appropriately hot hot sauce, salsa fresca, jalapenos, and guacamole to the tacos and washed ‘em down with the first of many margaritas.

A couple of days later, we found ourselves in need of a snack to soak up the excess tequila we had consumed. I ordered fish tacos but neglected to request the corn tortillas, so they came rolled in flour tortillas. LC didn’t have to twist my arm to agree to the fried jalapenos stuffed with cheese and served with fries….totally greasy and completely American.

We ordered a couple more margaritas for dessert then headed back to our villa for a siesta!

See “About Me” photo….that’s where I am and what I’m wearing right now….

Each time B and I ventured out from the resort we passed by O Mole Mio. Ranked #43 in Cabo on tripadvisor.com, there were some good reviews on their tacos. Plus, the place was decked out in Mexican art like ornate silver crosses, colorful pottery, and most prominently, Catrinas, skeleton figurines in a variety of colorful costumes used to decorate homes during the Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.

It sounds gruesome but it is, in fact, a time for families to remember those that have passed and honor the spirits of the dead.

I was really hoping to find authentic Mexican food on this trip but it was becoming increasingly evident that most of the establishments, especially on the main street, cater to tourists. O Mole Mio is one of them. Their specialty is mole, the complex Mexican sauce traditionally made with chocolate and spices. Not a fan of mole, I did not succumb to the temptation to order it anyway as I often do (it’s made with chocolate people!).

B and I arrived early and took a table by an open window. Two seconds later she was shopping. Did I mention all of the artwork in the restaurant was for sale? We ordered margaritas and continued shopping, pondering our selections while sipping the salty tart cocktails.

The chips, like everywhere in Cabo, were extra thick, served with the standard pico de gallo and requested habenero salsa. We ordered two fish tacos and one beef to share. Can’t go to Cabo without having fish tacos! Kids with bowls of mini bobble-head animals came to the window as we waited for our food. B and I had already bought several of these by the marina and proceeded to add to our collection.

Our super-friendly server brought out our tacos. Grilled fish was enveloped by soft corn tortillas, a mound of guacamole on the side. Good but not outstanding. The beef was flavorful, but again, the tortillas couldn’t compare to the ones in Playa del Carmen.

B purchased a couple of silver crosses and a hand-painted vase. I found a really cool Madonna made of metal and paper on wood and couldn’t leave without a Catrina dressed in an aqua gown carrying a yellow purse.

Please enjoy my Mexican reruns as LC and I bask in the sun on the beach!
Arriving at Capella Pedregal around 1pm last Thursday, B and I quickly made our way to the swim-up bar in front of one of the resort’s restaurants, Don Manuel’s.

I say quickly, but first we had to assess our 3 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath villa, stocked with groceries I had ordered the day before. Our mayordomo was to make guacamole for us, but alas we did not get a personal assistant. Most impressively, however, the ingredients were placed in our refrigerator…..the exact ingredients I use for my kickass guacamole! Of course, I got the recipe from a Mexican cleaning lady twenty years ago. More on this later…..

The first order of business was a Corona Light with lime. Then we slipped on our bikinis and dipped our toes in one of our 2 balcony infinity pools (yeah, I’m serious).

Finally down at one of the infinity pools, we chose 2 deck chairs near the bar, overlooking the white surf and the turquoise waters of the Pacific. Handsome Latino servers happily decked out our comfy padded loungers with fresh white towels as we gazed momentarily at the blue blue sky.

Now it was time for tequila! And a snack, too. B and I ordered two shots of Herradura with salt and limes plus two margaritas. Chips, salsa, and guacamole started us off. The chips were very thick. I was hoping this was not typical to Cabo San Lucas but as the days wore on, it became evident that it was the standard. As were white corn tortillas that were wrapped around our shrimp tacos rather than the coarse, intensely corn-flavored yellow ones.

The shrimp were plump and fresh, as I would expect sitting ten feet from the ocean, and their guacamole was authentic and chunky. Pico de gallo and a habenero salsa provided some kick.

As did our unexpected second shot of tequila. That kick put me to sleep on the chaise lounge to the sound of the crashing waves and the Latin acoustic guitarist that played poolside as the sun set.

A good start.

After a busy week of work and travel a casual dinner close to home was just what the doctor ordered. It had been a coon’s age since I’d eaten at Two Urban Licks. With so many new trendy spots opening each month, revisiting old favorites often ends up on the back burner.

LC and I walked into the dimly lit restaurant, which is cozy despite its cavernous interior, and took up residence at the first bar. We lucked out, as a cool little band was playing in the corner. The huge rotating rotisserie remains the focal point of the space, centrally located in the open kitchen.

Two is where chef Scott Serpas sharpened his skills prior to opening Serpas, one of Atlanta’s best restaurants. In fact, his signature salmon chips and lamb lollipops remain menu favorites.

I started off with a glass of red wine poured from one of their 42 stainless steel barrels, an ingenious one-of-a-kind gravity flow system. We proceeded to order several appetizers to share….the salmon chips, shaved calamari, black bean soup, and tacos.

The first dish to arrive was the salmon chips, four big potato chips each topped with short smoked salmon, chipotle cream cheese, capers, and red onions. I’ve eaten these many times and remember them being much better. On this visit, an overabundance of salmon, which tasted fishy, made the chips soggy. None of the other ingredients stood out resulting in a disappointing start.

The shaved calamari followed. A respectable yet standard fried version drizzled with a sweet a spicy sauce and wasabi cream. Black bean soup, garnished with a bit of cotija cheese, cilantro and jalalpeno creme fraiche was soothing and flavorful, but not very photogenic.

However, my favorite small plate was the tacos filled with tender Korean BBQ beef, crunchy kimchi, jack cheese, and cilantro. Only complaint is they sat in a puddle of juice, causing the crispy shells to become instantly soggy.

A few small plates leaves room for dessert! I couldn’t pass up the bread pudding, although it is described as “white chocolate cranberry”. I have no love for white chocolate, an oxymoron for a product made from cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids, and vanilla, lacking the part of the cocoa bean called the nib that gives chocolate its flavor. So it is not chocolate.

However, I had it on good authority that the stuff was undetectable in this dessert. The bread pudding was luscious and perfectly paired with excellent brown sugar ice cream that sat upon a mound of chocolate cookie crumbs for a textural extravaganza of crunchy, creamy, chewy deliciousness. We licked the plate.

820 Ralph McGill Blvd. 404-522-4622

Have you been to the Botanical Gardens’ holiday light extravaganza? We haven’t either, although we did try to go. When he couldn’t purchase tickets online, LC called to make sure we could just show up. So we piled into two cars and sat on Piedmont for 30 minutes, just to be told it was sold out.

How can walking through a freakin’ garden be sold out for God’s sake? Nature can’t sell out! Dejected, we headed north on 400, not sure where we would land.

Some of us were hungry, others were not. LC and I had planned on getting food at the Botanical Gardens, but alas, it was not to be. We spotted several potential dining destinations, but we had to keep it simple having two kids along.

Then I spotted On The Border, the Tex-Mex spot that sits in the enormous parking lot in front of Old Navy and Nordstrom Rack in Buckhead. My only previous visit was with AD years ago, and our main purpose was drinking margaritas, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from the food, although I suspected it would be rather unimpressive since this is a chain that has invaded all but 12 states in the U.S.

On The Border doesn’t proclaim to be authentic Mexican. They do, however, offer plenty of dishes one would find in my favorite country….tacos, carne asada, grilled fish. And lots of your Americanized standards like nachos, enchiladas, and a thing called a Big Bordurrito that looks like a Burrito on steroids.

We started with tableside guacamole, and the usual chips and salsa, which would suffice for those that weren’t very hungry. Meanwhile, LC ordered the fish tacos, two big corn tortillas with fried whitefish and slaw. Me and TT tried the “street style mini tacos”….three little corn tortillas with jack cheese and fajita steak served with sliced avocado. The tiny tacos were somewhat reminiscent of those in Cabo, except they had melted cheese and recognizable meat. Both taco meals came with rice and black beans, and were under $10.

I must admit, I was surprised by the freshness, flavor, and quality of the food. No, the corn tortillas were not the best ever, but I’ve had worse at some tacquerias in my neighborhood for double the price.
Not surprisingly, nothing was spicy enough for me and LC, even with the addition of diced jalapenos.

We were stuffed but LC just couldn’t pass up dessert, and neither could I since he wanted the sopapillas, fried dough with a hollow center that one traditionally fills with honey. These came with both chocolate and honey for dipping.

Lucky for us, On The Border wasn’t sold out of taste.

1 Buckhead Loop NE #130 404-816-3171

More Southwestern love….
Nava is like an old friend. I think about visiting yet rarely get a chance. But when I do, I’m reminded of why I love her. She is consistent.

Sure, menus that constantly evolve showcase a chef’s creativity, but there is something to be said for perfect duplication. You can count on the same bread, the same taco, the same fritters, even with a change in chef.

Nava’s Southwestern theme has remained intact over the years as well, with American Indian blankets, pottery, and exposed wood beams dominating the dining room.

Some dishes have been added recently to coincide with hot food trends, like their ceviche bar, a collection of six types of ceviche made with various fish and shellfish marinated with an array of accompaniments. And Nava hasn’t failed to join the taco bandwagon, with a whole section devoted to the craze.

Another example of sticking to what works is Nava’s green chile lobster taco. It was a Kevin Rathbun original and remains on the menu to this day. A simple combination of succulent lobster meat and a little cheese wrapped in a soft spinach tortilla, accented with cascabel cream, salsa fresca, then drizzled with tequila sour cream. I would have one for dinner, but first let’s start with the ceviche our group of four shared.

LC and I met our company’s marketing genius CF and business associate JH at Nava’s intimate bar inside. We considered checking out the patio bar but it was simply too hot. Instead we cooled off with margaritas, then headed to a sunny table by the window.

We chose two ceviches, one made with mahi mahi and jicama and the other with shrimp and jalapenos. Both were light and fresh. CF is from Mexico, and therefore a ceviche expert. Both of us loved the crunchy cubes of jicama combined with the citrusy fish. The guys made sure not a sliver remained in the dishes.

As LC tried to decide on an entree, the others had determined they would share a few things, including another ceviche and some tacos. Remaining true to form, I ordered the lobster taco. However, wanting to experience a little diversity, I also ordered the alligator taco with smoked bacon, candied jalapenos, and killer crema. It sounded fun, creative, and delicious, but unfortunately they had sold out. So, I got the smoked chicken taco, which I thought was the same as the one that used to be on the appetizer menu. When it came out I took a bite and realized that beneath the tender shredded chicken was a good bit of green chile grits. A drizzle of annato sour cream finished the taco, and despite my lack of love for grits, so did I.

Meanwhile, I had effectively coerced LC into ordering the only entree I had ever tried, the spicy jumbo shrimp. I remembered it was a rich dish composed of two small black bean and goat cheese enchiladas topped with big juicy shrimp. A pineapple scotch bonnet glaze provided heat. My fork kept finding his plate!

While CF and JH munched on their tacos and ceviche, I could hardly take my eyes off my lobster taco. I shared with LC, already feeling the heavy burden of cheese, tortillas, and the unfortunately awesome bread that our server delivered prior to our meal.

Nava is not authentic Mexican, but I think it’s safe to say that it is an authentic representation of new Southwestern cuisine. CF agrees, and she should know. Speaking of authentic, I have accepted her challenge to a guacamole making contest….aye carumba!

Another margarita for dessert and we were off in our shiny black limo for a night on the town.

3060 Peachtree Road 404-240-1984