Temos List

If you’re a fan of Indian Food and haven’t checked out Masti yet, you’re missing out!

When I was in culinary school I took advantage of the study abroad program and went to school in Southeast Asia for a summer. Half of my time was spent in Thailand and the other half in Singapore. I am half Thai so I was very familiar with their culture and cuisine but Singapore was brand new to me. I did not realize they had such a large Indian population but they most certainly do and with that comes super delicious Indian food! We had the opportunity to train with a Master Indian Chef who taught us how to use a tandoori oven, make naan, sheek kabob, garam masala, etc. My friend Matt and I would travel around the city and hunt down the best Indian spots because we were both so blown away by all the different flavors and techniques. It was quite the experience.

So when I recently took my first bite of sheek kabob at Masti, my mouth and mind were blown away! It tastes exactly like the version I learned how to make while I was in Singapore; I couldn’t believe it. If you’re not familiar with sheek kabob, they’re basically chicken meatballs that are seasoned with assorted spices, chilis, and mint, then cooked in a tandoori oven, garnished with fresh lemon juice, sautéed onions, and a cilantro chimichurri type sauce. It’s beyond delicious.  I could tell they really used a tandoori oven too because of the holes in the center of the kabobs which indicates they were skewered, and then of course because of the texture and flavor of the naan bread! Honestly, I haven’t ordered anything that I haven’t been a fan of yet. The food is super spot on. Give it a shot if you’re a fan of Indian cuisine!

What I usually order: Sheek Kabob, Garlic Naan, Chicken Tikka, Potato Masala Mash Dosa, and Samosas. No, not all at one time. That would be a lot of food but that’s what I’ve had and it’s all super delicious.

What you should know: They have two locations. One in Atlanta and one in Duluth. I have only been to the Duluth location. They also do not seem to believe in air conditioning or ice which is very much like my family in Thailand so perhaps that’s why it didn’t bother me too much. If you like ice or AC though you may have to put in a request or perhaps suck it up and pretend you’re in India. Either way, it’s going to be one of those.

Website: !http://www.mastiatlanta.com/

My family and I are obsessed with sushi and our number one regular go to spot is Sushi Mito off of Spalding Drive in Peachtree Corners. It is a full on restaurant with a sushi bar so if you dine in you have  some seating options. The staff is always very friendly and service is usually pretty quick.

When the pandemic first hit, this spot was one of the first, from my observations, to really take it seriously and consider the experience of a concerned customer. All employees wear masks, there is sanitizer everywhere, they put up clear plastic sheets to separate every two seats at the bar, and if you choose a pick up order you don’t have to go inside to get it, they will bring it out to you when you pull up.

When it comes to the fish, it is always on point and fresh. We’ve never had a bad experience with “fishy” tastes or anything off. The rice is perfectly cooked with a nice balance of salty, sweet, and sour notes. They have a pretty large menu that goes beyond sushi so if there is a guest in your party that doesn’t want fish they’ll definitely have options.  For a while they were also doing “Sake Flights” where you could sample about 4 or 5 different Sake’s at one time for around $15 if I recall correctly; It was definitely worth it.

All in all, this is a great spot to hit up if you’re in the area and want quality sushi with great service.

What I usually order: Salmon Serrano is a must! Although I ask for no cream cheese as I consider that inclusion to be blasphemy when it comes to sushi but to each his own of course. The Volcano Roll is great if you like hot rolls. The Yellow Tail Carpaccio with Jalapeno and Yuzu is amazing. I’m a big fan of Uni and when they have it it’s very good. The Tamago Nigiri is a common go to as well.

What you should know: It’s not cheap but its not super expensive either. For the three of us, we usually spend around $80 – $100 at a time including tip. The quality matches the price

Website: https://sushimito.com/

Well I was off to a good start with Temo’s List this year and then the Coronavirus hit. I hit pause because it felt like the wrong time to be recommending restaurants when we couldn’t even go to them. However, I think we are all aware that this isn’t going away anytime soon and since most restaurants are open again with a limited service I’m going to start this list up again. So without further ado…

This month’s pick is Onikuma Izakaya! Onikuma is a Ramen Pop Up business ran by Chef Dan Brown. Dan is a good friend of mine who also happens to be an extremely talented Chef. He’s been working on perfecting Ramen for over ten years now and I’d say he’s nailed it.

Since this is a pop up business, the process and availability is a little different than a brick and mortar restaurant. Here’s how it works. He will make a post on social media with the menu and the day it will be available that week; usually Sundays. The price is $15 and orders can be placed online. Once completed you will receive a follow up email which will provide you with the details on when and where to pick up your Ramen.

These are Ramen kits which means you take them home and finish them there. You’ll get a bag of homemade noodles to cook, as well as the broth to heat up, meats, egg, veggies, and any additional garnishes. He will generally offer a vegetarian option as well.

The one pictured here is his Smoked Gochujang Brisket Ramen. Absolutely delicous! I also recommend the Onikuma Tonkotsu and the Shiitake Mushroom Ramen! Both are amazing!

If you live in the city or in the Metro Atlanta area I highly recommend you take advantage of this pop up when its available. You wont be disappointed!

Click here to learn more!

I wouldn’t normally pick a franchised restaurant as one of my favorites but Pokeworks does it right. If you’re a fan of sushi, or specifically poke bowls, this place is absolutely worth checking out.

When you walk in you’ll notice the layout and ordering process mimics Chipotle. They have a menu of poke bowls that you can choose from or you can build your own. You can choose between a poke bowl, a poke salad, or a sushi burrito. Then you pick your fish or if you don’t want seafood they also have chicken and tofu. They have a lot of great toppings to choose from such as corn, cucumber, jalapeno, cilantro, ogo seaweed, rice puffs, garlic crisps, shiso leaf, etc. There are quite a few different sauces to choose from as well.

One of the most important aspects of sushi is the fish and from my experience their varieties have always tasted fresh. The staff is friendly and the dining room and kitchen are always very clean.

I can’t speak for the entire franchise but the location in Town Center in Peachtree Corners does it right! Highly recommend!

What I usually order: Poke Bowl with Spicy Tuna & Salmon with a ton of toppings (many of which are mentioned above) and a medium amount of Ponzu Sauce. They also have a great selection of organic juice drinks and I often go with the Orange & Cardamom.

What you should know: Parking can be a pain on the weekends. One loaded poke bowl with a drink runs about $16.

Website: https://pokeworks.com/

Hello everyone and welcome to Temo’s List! What is Temo’s List you ask? Basically, it’s a list of my favorite restaurants/food spots in Georgia. Every time I research “best restaurants near me” the results I get are less than satisfactory and I often wonder how in the world some of those names even made the list. Therefore, I am compiling my own and once a month I will be sharing them with all of you. So lets get started!

The first one on the list is El Trompo Taqueria located in the Kroger Shopping Center at Jones Bridge Rd. and Douglas Rd. in Alpharetta. This is hands down my favorite Taqueria. Best tacos in town! They’re very affordable too! You order at the register and then have a seat; they will bring it out to you. They also have a little condiments bar with various homemade salsas, radishes, jalapenos, chopped cilantro, etc that you can adorn your tacos with anyway you see fit. They also have pickled vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower, and jalapenos. Sooo tasty!

If you’re looking for quality tacos then you absolutely must check out El Trompo! Highly recommend!

What I usually order: Carne Asada, El Pastor, Guava Juice or Horchata.

What you should know: Chips and salsa are not free. This is not a Mexican restaurant; it’s a family owned Taqueria. They are not the same. A Trompo is a spinning vertical rotisserie in which the pastor meats are cooked on. Now you know.

Website: https://eltrompotaqueria.com/