Omnivore Atlanta

MING’S BAR B Q: This undisputed king of authentic Chinese staples—including Peking duck—makes some killer rice plates. Any dish using the superb honey roasted BBQ pork is a sure thing. The “Young Chow Fried Rice” is a simple version laced with carrots, peas, pork, shrimp, bean sprouts and just enough oil to coat each grain of rice in a sumptuous slickness. But there are numerous other fried rice plates to suit any craving that strikes you. 5150 Buford Highway, Doraville. 770-451-6985.

PENANG: Buford Highway regulars flock to this ethnic staple for some of the best Malaysian cuisine in Atlanta. However, the Thai dishes—especially the fried rice—deserve some recognition. The “Thai Fried Rice ” appears in a mound of stir-fried rice, chicken, shrimp and vegetables tinted red from a spicy paste made with lemongrass. Another worthy order is the “Pineapple Fried Rice,” which is stuffed with shrimp, fatty cashew nuts, eggs and shrimp paste, and served in a hollowed out pineapple half. 4897 Buford Highway. 770-220-0308. www.penangatlanta.com.

V1 BBQ & CAFÉ: V1’s version of “Yong Chow Fried Rice” has all the usual suspects—roast pork, shrimp, egg, green onions, peas and carrots—but the Chinese sausage takes it to another level. The kitchen’s light hand with the soy sauce allows the ingredients to shine. 3940 Buford Highway, Duluth. 770-623-1136.

(photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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ALON’S BAKERY AND MARKET: This widely loved bakery’s assortment of mini cookies is proof that the best things often come in small packages. Chewy and gooey Krakovskis—raspberry preserves sandwiched within an almond-based cookie—and crumbly Mexican wedding cookies are displayed alongside the occasional specials of French macaroons and hamantashens. Lazy bakers will love the convenience of buying a tube of dough—like the chocolate chunk pecan—to bake at home and pass off as your own. Our lips are sealed. 1394 North Highland Avenue. 404-872-6000; 4505 Ashford Dunwoody Road. 678-397-1781. www.alons.com.

HENRI’S BAKERY: Henri’s doesn’t try to be overly fancy, but it churns out every classic sweet imaginable to an extremely loyal clientèle. Gingerbread men (and women), thumbprint cookies dotted in a spectrum of pastel icing and every other cookie you can imagine sit side by side in the colorful case. The bakery also makes plenty of fun cookies for holidays, such as a large sugar cookie decorated with romantic sentiments to let your valentine know just how sweet he or she is. 61 Irby Avenue. 404-237-0202; 6289 Roswell Road. 404-256-7934. www.henrisbakery.com.

THE COOKIE STUDIO: The owners of The Cookie Studio approach every cookie recipe with a scientific approach until their ideal is met. An example is their pitch-perfect chocolate chip cookie, which the bakers worked on for eight months. A simple sugar cookie exhibits the proprietors’ skill. It’s everything you could ever want in a sugar cookie: crumbly, soft and just sweet enough without being cloying. 747-C East College Avenue. 404-373-8527. www.thecookiestudio.net.

(photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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Soft white sandwich bread gets a bad rap. Health nuts extol the virtues of breads packed with grains and seeds. Food snobs prefer crusty artisan loaves and consider white bread an affront to their delicate sensibilities. Well, I say white bread absolutely has its place in everyone’s kitchen. Sandwiches such as egg salad, BLT, grilled cheese and PB&J simply aren’t the same without white bread’s soft, formfitting goodness.

Now I’m not talking about any old white bread here. I’ve tried almost every grocery store brand and none approaches Japanese shokupan, also known as milk toast or milk bread. It only takes one aromatic whiff to let you know how radically different it is from its spongy Wonder Bread cousin. Shokupan is an intricate series of airy and buttery layers. The golden crust is just thick enough to provide some structure without having to run interference if you’re eating it untoasted. When it is toasted, the bread resembles a crème brulee with its shattering crust and creamy insides. It’s a beauty to behold.

Many local Japanese and Korean bakeries make some version of shokupan. Although each bakery has its own twist on the shape, height and size, the insides are always intoxicatingly similar.

Check out the list below to find a shokupan bakery near you.

BAKERY CAFE MAUM: 7130 Buford Highway, Doraville. 770-263-7447; and other locations. www.bakerycafemaum.com.

JOLI KOBE BAKERY & BISTRO: 5600 Roswell Road. 404-843-3257; 1545 Peachtree St., Suite 115. 404-870-0640. www.jolikobe.com.

MOZART CAFE AND BAKERY: 5301 Buford Highway. 770-936-8726, and other locations.

TOMATO JAPANESE GROCERY: 2086 Cobb Parkway, Smyrna. 770-933-0108; 7124 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Norcross. 770-263-7838.

WHITE WINDMILL BAKERY AND CAFÉ: 2550 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth. 678-584-0000; and other locations.

(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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JCT KITCHEN & BAR: JCT’s vegetable plate is just what we crave when the spectrum of brown winter foods has grown tiresome. Chef Ford Fry uses an assortment of seasonal vegetables from the Local Farmstand located outside of Star Provisions and cooks them with great care. Fry adds some heft to the dish with the addition of pillowy homemade gnocchi as a base. The dish is finished with a buttery sauce made with chicken stock. A vegetarian version using white wine is also available. 1198 Howell Mill Road, Suite 18. 404-355-2252. www.jctkitchen.com.

RIA’S BLUEBIRD: Chef/owner Ria Pell’s Brisket Breakfast is not only soothing, but a guaranteed hangover killer. Pell slow cooks the brisket for 14 hours and uses the braising liquid to create a spicy tomato broth. The broth is ladled into a large bowl and topped with chunks of the fork-tender beef and two poached eggs. The combination of the silky broth, rich egg yolks, buttery beef, and crunch of the accompanying toasted baguette creates an orgy of textures in each bite. It’s had us hooked since we first tried it years ago. 421 Memorial Drive. 404-521-3737. www.riasbluebird.com.

SOTTO SOTTO RESTAURANT: Hearty pastas with rich meat sauces are a no-brainer when there’s a chill in the air. One of our favorites is Sotto Sotto’s Lasagnette alla Bolognese, a sort of free-form lasagna. Chef/owner Riccardo Ullio takes the long strands of homemade lasagnette pasta (a lasagna and pappardelle hybrid) and tops them with a slow-cooked traditional Bolognese sauce (made with veal, pork, beef and bits of charcuterie) and creamy bechamel sauce. He then flash bakes the dish in the restaurant’s wood-burning oven to marry the flavors. 313 N. Highland Ave. 404-523-6678. www.sottosottorestaurant.com.

(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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BABETTE’S CAFÉ: Chef/owner Marla Adams’ swoon-worthy shoestring fries beckon at this cozy and classic French-Mediterranean restaurant. Adams’ gorgeous fries are her homage to a version she had in Istanbul as a child. She credits the dryness of the fry’s interior and golden exterior to soaking the potatoes until almost no starch remains. The crispy potatoes are served in a towering pile alongside hearty dishes such as grilled herb-crusted lamb chops with a red wine reduction. 573 N. Highland Ave. 404-523-9121. www.babettescafe.com.

FLOATAWAY CAFÉ: The restaurant takes its produce and preparation seriously, and that’s evident in its perfectly executed pommes frites. The freshly cut fries have an intense potato flavor — likely a result of the restaurant’s notoriously impeccable sourcing. But the real reason these spuds are so addictive is their ever so subtle sweetness. The fries are offered à la carte or on the side of a smoky wood-grilled hanger steak that’s consistently cooked to the correct temperature. 1123 Zonolite Road, Suite 15. 404-892-1414. www.starprovisions.com.

MUSS & TURNER’S: Skip the chips the next time you visit this sandwich heaven and go for the house-made French fries instead. The fries are cut daily, given a quick soak, blanched, fried to a golden crisp and served in a massive — emphasis on massive — paper-lined bowl. It’s more than enough for two people. Ketchup will do, but one of the house-made dipping sauces such as Sriracha aioli, thyme aioli or remoulade take the fries to another level. 1675 Cumberland Parkway, Suite 309, Smyrna. 770-434-1114. www.mussandturners.com.

(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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TAQUERIA EL REY DEL TACO: Skilled matrons of the kitchen knock out fresh tortillas while gossiping and laughing. And those fresh tortillas and the exceptional salsas—both smoky roja and creamy verde—are the reason to visit. Tacos filled with chivo (goat) or cabeza (beef cheeks) are exceptional. And no table is complete without a massive goblet of vibrant red seafood cocktail studded with chopped onions and cilantro. 5288 Buford Highway. 770-986-0095.

LA OAXAQUENA TAQUERIA: The main draw for most at this perennial favorite is the large tlayuda—think Mexican-style “pizza” made on an enormous tortilla from the Oaxaca region of Mexico. Tacos—like the tender cabeza—arrive atop a large, fresh tortilla finished with a charred baby onion and lime wedge for a perfect contrast against the fatty beef. The salsa bar (Atlanta’s best) is pristine and offers a wide variety of freshly made toppings. The restaurant is expanding to a new location across the street any day now—call ahead. 6738 Tara Boulevard, Jonesboro. 770-960-3010.

GORDITA’S LA RANCHERITA: Every corn-based item is made by hand with fresh masa. Impossibly fluffy (and large) tortillas come with taco fillings such as fatty crumbled chorizo or the shredded pieces of goat barbacoa in an earthy red sauce. The gorditas are the best I’ve encountered outside of Mexico. Each is crisp on the outside for structure but has that essential layer of soft masa that tells you it’s fresh. Tip: the bakery next door sells a killer flan that is sliced to order. 2055 Beaver Ruin Road, Norcross. 678-206-0107.

(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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GATO BIZCO CAFÉ: It is easy to overlook this tiny spot with that winged biscuit franchise in such close proximity, but in-the-know locals head here for the homey ambiance and cozy comfort food. The sweet potato pancakes draw raves, but this purist orders the plain pancakes for their pitch-perfect density, fluffiness and subtle sweetness that isn’t cloying when syrup is added to the mix. 1660 McLendon Avenue. 404-371-0889.

JAVA JIVE COFFEE HOUSE & CAFÉ: People love this Ponce de Leon breakfast hangout for its retro kitsch, gorgeous biscuits, house blended coffee, and wonderful waffles. But the pancakes, ranging from plain to sweet potato to those made with nutty wheat germ, rarely get the praise they deserve. They look and taste as a pancake should – not too brown, big or gummy. 790 Ponce De Leon Avenue. 404-876-6161.

THE ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE: This classic chain earns props for longevity and its incredible breadth of offerings. No matter what kind you crave, OPH has you covered from tiny silver dollar pancakes you can dip in syrup, to pigs in a blanket, to the dutch baby—a pancake cooked in a cast iron pan until it resembles a mushroom cloud before it deflates into a sunken surface blanketed with powdered sugar. 2321 Cheshire Bridge Road. 404-633-5677. www.originalpancakehouse.com.

(photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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AUSTRALIAN BAKERY CAFE: When cereal just won’t do, start your day off the right way with a hearty “Aussie Meat Pie” from this exceptional Australian bakeshop. There are numerous styles—including a steak & kidney pie—but it’s hard to resist the original made with USDA ground beef swimming in gravy and served in a flaky crust that’s just as good when reheated back at home. 463 Flat Shoals Avenue and one other location. 404-653-0100. www.australianbakery.com.

BRAZILIAN BAKERY: The sweet items first catch your attention at this Brazilian carb haven, but the menu holds many treasures—especially the savory pastéis (Brazilian pies). The pastéis are made with a paper-thin crust stuffed with filling, formed into a large rectangle and deep-fried until it is bubbly and brown. The best versions are the “Frango” – shredded chicken in a special sauce that tastes like barbecue and the “Palmito,” a creamy hearts of palm mixture. 1260 Powers Ferry Road, Marietta. 770-818-0088.

THE ORIGINAL JAMAICAN RESTAURANT: This unassuming downtown restaurant serves some of the best Jamaican patties in the city. The crust is deep yellow from a healthy dose of turmeric, airy where it needs to be but still sturdy enough to hold the molten contents. The beef patty is the best of the bunch because its highly seasoned ground beef filling seems to reveal itself to you in layers and gets spicier with each bite. 166 Trinity Avenue. 404-525-8921.

(photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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Atlanta has witnessed numerous dining trends over the past year. But the focus on extensive charcuterie offerings at many restaurants and specialty food stores — using both in-house and imported products — is one trend we predict is here to stay.

ENOTECA CARBONARI: This little enoteca from the owners of Baraonda allows diners to build their ideal plate of Italian cured meats from a comprehensive Selezione di Salumi. Notable selections are the hard-to-find culatello, mortadella and finocchiona. 710 Peachtree St. 404-810-9110. www.enotecacarbonari.com.

HOLEMAN & FINCH PUBLIC HOUSE: The restaurant serves an ever-changing assortment of five to seven of chef Linton Hopkins’ house-cured creations — such as lonzino, coppa and pork rillettes — garnished with pickles, mustard and bread from H&F Bread Co. 2277 Peachtree Road. 404-948-1175. www.holeman-finch.com.

KROG BAR: Chef Kevin Rathbun’s Spanish-inspired tapas bar holds many treats for those looking for a Euro-style nosh. The Carne is offered à la carte so you can create a feast from a small but quality list of classic Spanish cured meats such as chorizo, Serrano ham and lomo. 112 Krog St., Suite 27. 404-524-1618. www.krogbar.com.

STAR PROVISIONS: Newly hired chef Todd Immel has already put his signature on the store’s charcuterie program with such items as a potted chicken liver mousse capped with duck fat, tangy merguez sausages with homemade harissa, ciccioli (a chunky pork terrine) and spicy sopressata salami. 1198 Howell Mill Road. 404-365-0410. www.starprovisions.com

(photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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