Omnivore Atlanta

THE OFFAL TRUTH: Foie gras and buttermilk pancakes at Home

We love lists – especially at the end of the year. And so, in no particular order, here are my top 10 picks for the best dishes I had in 2008.

The almond croissant at Parish.

Mussel and salami salad at Cakes and Ale.

The Proscuitto de Parma at La Pietra Cucina.

Fesenjan stew at Falafel Café.

The vegetable plate at the National in Athens

Buttermilk pancakes and foie gras at Home.

The burger at Holeman and Finch.

Apple and beet soup at Dynamic Dish.

Korean BBQ at Hanil Kwan.

Monkfish liver at Sushi House Hayakawa.

(Photo by James Camp)

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(Photo by Eamon Siggins)

My friends Aubrey and Thomas came into town this weekend to visit from North Carolina. Thomas is a sommelier who lived in Korea for a couple of years, and we get along well because we share a passion for French white wines and Korean barbecue (not together — in fact, often the latter as a cure for having indulged in too much of the former the night before). Having read Cliff’s article last week on Hanil Kwan, we decided to take a trip to Buford to try the barbecue that Cliff foolishly passed up in favor of a lunch special.

As you can see from this photo, Thomas takes his Korean feasts seriously. We ate a lot of food, and Thomas schooled us all on “the rules” of soju, the distilled, clear liquor native to Korea. “The rules” consist of never letting anyone’s glass go empty, and pouring and receiving using two hands.

Hanil Kwan serves some of the best Korean barbecue I’ve had in town, and service is helpful and friendly. I particularly liked the piles of salad — Thomas described it as fresh kimchi — that consisted of super fresh greens dressed in chili, vinegar and sesame oil.

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The above is not what you find in your average school lunch box, but it is typical of the fare at Hanil Kwan (5458 Buford Highway, 770-457-3217). That’s bulgogi pork — close to fiery-hot — with shrimp and vegetable tempura, along with some typical Korean snacks, served in a black lacquer box for very little money.

I visited the restaurant because I’ve had several reports that its quality exceeds that of the deteriorating but still popular Hae Woon Dae. The attraction at both restaurants are the various cuts of marinated meats grilled over charcoal at your table. I did not try that, but the kitchen-cooked bulgogi was delicious.

Service is great here. In fact, each table has a button to call your server. My impatient friend Gregg couldn’t resist “mashing” it, causing a screen near the kitchen to start flashing our table number.

More in this week’s paper.

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