Authentic Asian Culture and Cuisine 15 Miles from Home
Recently, a friend commented about how interesting it is that people travel all around the world when there are so many undiscovered and unique destinations so close to home. The next day, Lucy and I were headed on an amazing Asian food tour around Atlanta with my friend Lizzie and her two children, Lana and Landon. This conversation came to mind, and thoughts about diverse cultures being so close to home hit home while on our tour.
Each day, millions of people travel through cities where micro-cultures exist that are so authentic, that if you visit, it is if you have traveled to their homeland.
Food is a gateway to culture. On this food tour, Lucy and I had the pleasure of accompanying our friends to learn about the cultures of Vietnam, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines through the food they eat. Not only did we gain insight into their food, but we also learned how these micro-cultures preserve their identity here in America.
Nam Phuong Vietnamese Restaurant
Nam Phuong is a Vietnamese family style restaurant. Typically, a group of people share a few entrees that consist of one or more meat dishes, a vegetable dish, and a soup. Each person has their own individual bowl of hot steamed white rice to eat with the accompanying dishes.
Lizzie brought us to Nam Phuong so that we could learn to roll our own spring rolls.
We were first served the rice paper and three dipping sauces, a fish sauce, a peanut sauce, and an anchovy sauce that is blended with pineapple.
Next, we were brought a beautiful plate of items to fill our spring rolls including beef, pork, shrimp, cucumber, carrots, a variety of herbs, leafy greens, and woven rice noodles.
You begin making spring rolls by wetting the rice paper and laying it flat on a plate. Only wet the rice paper slightly, it needs to be a little stiff so that you can easily lay it on a plate.
Next, fill the middle of the paper with the woven rice noodles and your choice of meats and vegetables. Fold the spring roll and tuck the ends into the roll.
By dipping the spring rolls into the various sauces, each bite has a unique flavor profile. All the spring roll and sauce combinations are delicious.
If you would like to try your hand at making spring rolls sometime and would like to order the same, our official appetizer was called the Nam Phuong Ba Vi.
Mr. Wish
Our next stop was Mr. Wish, a Taiwanese fresh fruit and tea shop. If you are looking for a healthy snack, this is the place to visit. All the drinks have bits of fresh fruit mixed into them.
On our trip, Lizzie and I chose the colorful fruit tea. Lucy, Lana, and Landon got the strawberry sherbet. I loved the colorful tea, but Lizzie thought that it was slightly tart. However, we all enjoyed the strawberry sherbet.
We left completely satisfied. The only thing we will do differently next time is to order larges instead of smalls!
Huy’s Sandwiches
Huy’s makes freshly made Vietnamese sandwiches and snacks. Their signature sandwich is the Banh Mi, a baguette filled with meats and vegetables.
On our visit today, we purchased a variety of snacks including:
Xoi Nuoc Dua (sweet sticky rice with tapioca starch, and coconut)- the traditional way to eat it is to roll rice cake into a ball and dip it into the sugar seasoning. You can also buy them already dressed, like sticky rice tacos.
Banh Chuoi Hap (steamed banana cakes with a coconut dipping sauce) were out of this world!
Banh Bo Nuong (honeycomb cakes)- one of the most iconic Vietnamese cakes because the inside looks just like a honeycomb.
Bahn Bao (steamed bun with egg and protein such as sausage and chicken) is a fantastic savory snack that can serve as a stand alone meal.
I Luv Hot Pot
I loved our last visit to J’s Mini Hot Pot Deluxe so I was excited to put a new spin on one of my Chinese favorites. We visited I Luv Hot Pot, where your choice of items strolls throughout the restaurant on a conveyor belt.
Choose your broth and mix in your favorite sauces from the fresh sauce bar. I Luv Hot Pot uses a conveyor belt to serve the items you choose for your hot pot.
Whenever you see an item that you would like to place in your broth, just grab it from the belt crossing above the table and enjoy.
Manila Mart
We visited the Manila Mart for Halo Halo and we were so glad that we did! Manila Mart is a Filipino owned and operated store that stocks brands commonly found in the Philipines. They also serve this amazing drink, which in the Filipino language translates mix-mix. Halo Halo includes the most delicious ube ice cream, shaved ice, coconut strips, corn flakes, and many more tasty mix-ins.
Ube ice cream is the prettiest color of purple and it taste delightful. It is becoming increasingly popular in the United States and I encourage you to try ube if you see it on the menu.
Treat Your Feet
After tasting so many authentic foods across Asia, we decided it was time to take a break from eating for a while. We went to Treat Your Feet and received nice and peaceful foot massages. It was so cute, when the technicians came into the room, they all were all so surprised and began laughing when they saw the kiddos in the chairs.
So Kong Dong Tofu and BBQ
At So Kong Dong, we ordered the hot stone bibimbap and a beef tofu soup, both with Korean short ribs. When the meals were presented to us, we received fried fish, kimchi, sweet glazed potatoes, broccoli, rice, and japchae (Korean glass noodles), my very favorite!
I have never in my life had tofu soup or bibimbap, but they were delicious. However, my favorite was the Korean short ribs. I could eat those perfectly marinated bits of steak all day.
Our tofu soup is called Soodubu and comes in many different protein varieties. You crack an egg into your soup and let it cook while you are preparing your rice and sides.
Our version of bibimbap is called dolsot bibimbap, not to be mistaken with regular bibimbap. Dolsot bibimbap is served in a hot stone, where it continues to cook as it sits on the table.
We began our journey at 10:30 am, and we were finished by 5:00 pm. Within that time, Lucy and I received an authentic glimpse into the cultures of Vietnam, the Philipines, Korea, Taiwan, and China. Lu and I had such an enjoyable experience, and we learned so much thanks to our friends. Now when visiting these restaurants, we can order ourselves. Will it be intimidating? Possibly. However, experiencing something so fascinating and delicious begins with a single step, and it just so happens to be steps from home!
We hope that you try our some unique and delicious restaurants in your neck of the woods soon. To read about our first fantastic food tour, click here.
What is your favorite Asian cuisine? We would love to hear from you. Please drop us a line in the comment section below!
Nam Phuong– 5495 Jimmy Carter Blvd, Norcross, GA 30093 and 4051 Buford Hwy NE, Atlanta, GA 30345
Mr. Wish– 5495 Jimmy Carter Blvd, Norcross, GA 30093
Huy’s Sandwiches – 6100 Live Oak Pkwy, Norcross, GA 30093
I Luv Hot Pot– 4500 Satellite Blvd, Duluth, GA 30096
Manila Mart– 5938 Buford Hwy NE #212, Doraville, GA 30340
Treat Your Feet– 5938 Buford Hwy NE Suite 103-105, Doraville, GA 30340
So Kong Dong– 5280 Buford Hwy NE, Atlanta, GA 30340
