Our first stop...the Washington DC area

And we've embarked on our trip...first stop, the Washington DC area.  We actually decided to fly up here for a wedding before starting our Europe trip.  Joe has known the groom, Mahan, since high school and we met his now wife, Teresa, several years ago when they started dating.  Mahan's family is Persian and Teresa's family is Korean, and while the wedding ceremony mostly showcased many Persian traditions, it was lovely to see everyone in their respective traditional clothing.  Some of the Persian traditions carried out utilized food to "signify and emit sweetness, love, joy and prosperity to the couple," which I thought was absolutely beautiful.  For example, various family members came up to the front to grind and sprinkle bits of sugar cones on the lovely couple to symbolize sweetness in the marriage.  Various foods, including painted eggs to signify fertility, nuts to symbolize strength, and flatbread for prosperity were offered to the couple on a large, ornately decorated table.  We had such a great time celebrating with them!

The next day was actually our second-first (Joe and I had two weddings last year, so it's the first anniversary of our second ceremony) anniversary, so we celebrated by watching Pitch Perfect 2 because my husband is awesome and I love acappella.  I have to say, it was a great movie but not nearly as classic as the first one, which I suppose I should have expected going into it.

Afterwards, Joe's parents took us out for an amazing Japanese buffet which included everything from fresh sushi to ramen and udon noodle soups to pan-fried gyoza!  We all needed a nap to recover from that dinner.

Finally, we got to meet up with our dear friend, Victoria, for a lovely hike on the Billy Goat trail in Great Falls Park.  This trail offered amazing scenic views of the Potomac River but also was fairly challenging with some serious rock hopping.  We only did the Billy Goat A part of the trail, which was only 3 miles, but it took us a good two and a half hours to finish Part A of the trail and walk back on the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal path back to the parking lot.  What a workout!  Here are some breathtaking pictures from our hike this morning:

Afterwards, we all felt exhausted (but accomplished) so we re-energized with some Afro-Portuguese food from Nando's, featuring the amazing peri-peri (piri piri) chicken.  Even though this is originally a Portuguese prepartion, it turns out piri means "pepper" in Swahili and refers to a type of pepper that is generally grown in southern African countries.  The chicken is evidently marinated for twenty-four hours and it is absolutely delicious!

Roasted chicken, buttery mashed potatoes, and green pea mash
with cilantro and mint.

Thanks for meeting up with us, Jared and Victoria!

Please do not judge my protruding belly, which resulted from eating
too much delicious chicken and mashed potatoes.  

Next stop, Toronto!

To graduation and beyond!

Well folks, it happened -- I graduated with a doctoral degree in epidemiology, after five grueling years of hard work.  There were moments that I felt nothing during the major graduation milestones, like when I turned in a paper copy of my dissertation, or even when my doctoral degree was posted in my academic report.  But then there were other times where I felt overcome with emotion, like when I cleaned out my cubicle, my comforting desk space for the last 3 years.  Or when I got to see my family waving proudly at me while I was on stage with 200 other Emory PhD graduates.  Even then, even when I look at my now framed diploma, I don't feel like it's real.  But it is.  And that's pretty magical.

Hip, hip, hooray!

What a special moment!  Both sets of parents came to celebrate.

I made my husband stand next to me
in my sweaty robes. I hope they dry clean
those things!

It was hot and steamy as all hell but I wanted a picture
with my parents, gosh darn it.

Yay!  I'm being hooded!
(Photo credit: Devang Dave)

...Because I had to include at least one picture with food
(this was at Folk Art in Inman Park). PS - It was delicious.
We love Folk Art!

Me in front of the Emory entrance gate.

I had a moment a few weeks ago when I found out an old mentor of mine passed away.  Presumably he had been ill for quite some time, but I actually hadn't spoken with him in over a decade.  His passing reminded me of the power of mentoring and how our biggest heroes, those we choose to emulate, can shape who we are, who we become, and how we effect (hopefully positive) change in the world.  It truly humbled me.  It also empowered me in a way.  We can all choose to contribute positively to society and create opportunities for others to do so.  I sure hope I can make a meaningful difference in someone else's life, or make a powerful impact in the world.

So, onward.  What's next?  Well for me, I'll be spending the next two years at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a fellowship (the Epidemic Intelligence Service) designed to train public health professionals how to respond appropriately to public health emergencies.  Basically, I get to learn how to be a professional "disease detective!"

Also, Joe and I decided that we have been tired, cranky, and aching for a vacation for quite some time, so before I start my position in July, we're taking a month long trip around the world!  Okay, so we're not really traveling the entire world, but we do get to visit some really great cities.  We're leaving tomorrow, and starting off to a quick weekend trip to the DC area for a wedding, flying up to Toronto to see some of my extended family, then heading to Vienna, Prague, and various parts of Italy, Greece, and Turkey.  We're pumped!  We're utterly exhausted from wrapping up work things before we leave, but luckily, we get to leave all of that behind for an entire month!!  I've never been so excited to set up an out of office reply on my email accounts.

I'm hoping to document the highlights of our trip in this blog when we get breaks (and when I dump all of my camera photos onto the laptop).  So stay tuned, y'all!  

A quick getaway to Destin

After a several month hiatus, I'm back, folks.  Not that anyone reads this thing anyway, but I've been a bit removed from the blogosphere the last several months because I had been working hard (VERY hard) on finishing my PhD dissertation, which I recently submitted a few weeks ago!  Three cheers for me!

Evidence that I publicly defended my dissertation!

...and that I submitted my dissertation online.  

...Oh!  And that I submitted the paper copy of my dissertation to
the graduate school.  Wahoo!

In celebration, Joe and I took a weekend trip to Destin, Florida to get away and generally disconnect from the CDC/Emory world that has been especially consuming our lives over the last year.  We initially booked this vacation to Destin because it was cheap, and going to the beach seemed like a splendid idea (primarily because the weather would be ideal for reading a book on the beach without getting baked in the sun).  Part of me was a little hesitant about taking a beach vacation on a weekend which coincided with both Easter and Spring Break (for some), but we decided to book a room a few miles away from downtown Destin in hopes of having a bit more peace and quiet.

Basically, we had one of the best vacations ever, guys.  Blue skies for most of the weekend, white sandy beaches, pristine waters, and oh -- REALLY awesome seafood.

Don't believe me??  Just see for yourself!

A steamed seafood platter "for two" (in actuality, probably
should have been for a family of four, at least!)

...the aftermath.

One of the BEST seafood restaurants in the Destin area, Dewey Destin.
It's not a super fancy place, but it's fantastic!

I've never had such unbelievably delicious gumbo. 

This had shrimp and giant pieces of crab (see spoonful of
delicious crabmeat).  All seafood is locally caught.

Um, guys, I loved the gumbo so much, I literally went back
for a second bowl two hours after I ate the first one.

JUICY cobia fish sandwich.  I hadn't even heard of this (locally caught) fish!

Doesn't have to be fancy to be a
great restaurant!

The menu for another phenomenal restaurant we visited twice
on our trip, Stewby's Seafood Shanty.  This place had the
cheapest, freshest seafood we've had in a long time!

Fried seafood platter with shrimp, oysters, and some white,
flaky fish (I can't remember the name of it).  We got
potato salad with bacon and ranch dressing (YUM) and
cheesy grits (so Southern).  

Grilled ahi tuna salad.  Amazing, and SO fresh --
despite the tuna being (supposedly) caught
somewhere close to Destin, I think
we paid $8.99 for this GIANT,
entree-sized salad.  Whoa!

Grilled shrimp tacos.  'Nuff said.

Oh, and the views weren't so bad either. :)

The view right outside our hotel.

This is the path that we took to get to the beach from our
hotel every morning.

Breakfast on the beach, courtesy of Publix. :)

Some of the scenery we encountered while hiking alongside
the beach in Henderson State Park.

Beach rosemary!  This isn't actually rosemary, but 
it does grow on the beach, and it smells (and tastes) divine.
If we were local, I definitely would have put a sprig or two
of this in a hearty lamb or pork dish!  This stuff was everywhere!

Just a few miles away from the beach, we
saw lots of pine trees on another hiking trail.

The triumph of good over evil...with some goat curry thrown in!

Growing up, Durga Puja was the event of the year.  Don't get me wrong -- despite my American upbringing, I'm well aware that the ten days of Durga Puja in Houston, or frankly any other other city in the world, doesn't compare to what happens in Kolkata.  While I've never experienced this joyous occasion in the great state of West Bengal in person, I've seen plenty of videos of the festivities, the crowds, the bright colors and fireworks, the dancing, the merriment -- it brings a smile to my face and makes my heart swell with pride at how such a holiday can bring together so many people from all over the world.

For those of you unfamiliar with this holiday, here's a short blurb.  Durga Puja is the biggest celebration of the year for Bengali Hindus and deeply symbolizes how good always triumphs over evil.  Every fall (sometime between October and November, depending on the Bengali calendar), this festive occasion commemorates when Goddess Durga, the face of purity, strength, beauty, and power, defeats the almighty Mashishashura, the evilest of all demons.  Everyone feels cheerful and upbeat during the entire ten day festival!

A depiction of Durga, often referred to as Maa Durga
(Mother Durga), which I stole from the internets.

Maa Durga visits her parents every year for five days starting on the sixth day, or Shashti.  During this time, she is adorned with flowers and lovingly offered food, drink, and entertainment.  Everyone shows up in their best, most colorful and intricately designed saris and kurta pajama sets, and women show off fancy new earrings and other accessories.  Friends and family members reunite after many months or years apart.  Generous gifts are given and received.  To prepare for one last feast before Durga returns home, a goat sacrifice is made on the ninth day (Mahanavami).  The fresh goat is then marinated and stewed for hours for all to enjoy.  Nowadays, at least in Houston, the priest uses a machete to chop open a sugar cane branch, which is then offered as a "sacrifice" (in lieu of a goat).  

...and of course, the feasting begins!!

I've mentioned a time or two that my mother shows her love through cooking, and growing up, she would often make us goat curry for special occasions.  This was an extensive process, as you can imagine.  Her fresh supply of goat required a long drive to a family-owned butcher shop called Fyza's, which sadly no longer exists.  She and my father would haul home several pounds of goat, which was then cut, cleaned, and stored for future use.  When it came time, the meat was marinated and stewed for a whole day, tickling our senses.  Hints of garlic, onion, tomatoes, garam masala, and soft, gamey goat would permeate the entire house as it cooked on the stove for several hours.  While visiting Houston, my mother used to make pounds of goat curry, which she subsequently froze and packed into a suitcase for me to carry back to Atlanta.  "You don't get good food out there.  You don't have time to cook," she'd say.  I think she was well aware that neither was true, but this was how she showed her love.  Plus, I never turn down a good batch of goat curry, or my mother's cooking for that matter, let's be honest.

I've only made goat curry twice now and it's largely because I don't know where to get fresh goat in Atlanta.  I really haven't been impressed with any of the butchers I've been to around here (suggestions welcome, folks).  The last time I was in Houston a few months ago, though, I jumped at the opportunity to take a few pounds of goat back to Atlanta so I could make a pot of goat curry for my husband and myself to celebrate Durga Puja.  (Don't worry, the meat was frozen for the two hour flight, so it stayed fresh.)

Since I was going for a traditional Bengali dinner, I also whipped up some khichuri (a comforting mix of rice, moong dal, and spices with a porridge-like consistency), potol bhaja (fried pointed gourd), tandoori paneer (not Bengali, but still delicious), and for dessert, a rich, soupy rasmalai (store-bought, since I'm still not a pro at making Indian sweets).

Luckily, it was all a success!  And, the goat curry tasted just how my mother makes it -- I was pretty pleased with myself, I must say.

A less than ideal photo taken with my crappy cell phone.  Sorry, folks!
I'll do better next time!  

I don't have time to post recipes for all of the dishes I prepared that day, but I've included the one for goat curry below; apologies (as always) for the inexact measurements.


Ingredients:

-A few cloves of garlic
-1 medium-sized onion (I prefer red or yellow)
-Small cuts of goat (preferably the leg of a younger goat), maybe a few pounds
-1 tbsp turmeric
-1 tbsp garam masala (ground cloves, cinnamon, cardamom - I usually use a coffee grinder to this)
-Plain yogurt
-Fresh ginger root
-1 large tomato
-1 green papaya, peeled, cubed into 2-3 inch blocks
-Salt, pepper to taste
-1 tsp sugar

Marinade:

-Mix enough yogurt to generously coat the goat pieces with roughly chopped tomatoes, onion, and garlic, and add to a blender or food processor.
-Add salt, pepper (I use whole peppercorns for a bit of a kick), 1 tbsp of turmeric, and 1 tsp of sugar to the mixture and blend until smooth.
-Marinate the meat in the blended mixture. It's nice to do this for at least a few hours.

Preparation:

-Toast the garam masala in a large pot (large enough to hold all of the meat plus more) until you smell the fragrant aroma of the spices (usually about a minute or less)
-Add the marinated goat, cover the pot, and cook on medium-high heat until the mixture starts bubbling and the meat is no longer raw.  You should notice more significantly more liquid in the pot after a while from the tomatoes and yogurt.
-Add a generous amount (maybe a handful?) of fresh, grated ginger and the green papaya cubes
-Add more water if you want the stew to be more "soupy" (optional).
-Cover again and let simmer for 3-5 hours, until the meat has softened.

*Note: If your meat is a little older and/or tougher, you may want to cook it the pressure cooker prior to preparing the stew.  This ensures the meat is soft and tender.

*Note 2: Some of you might be cringing because there are no potatoes in this recipe.  I actually prefer goat preparations without potatoes, but with lots of "kaacha pepe" (green papaya).  It tenderizes the meat so well, melts into the stew, and makes the dish a little healthier.

Reminders of gratitude

Full disclosure: this post has very little to do with food.  It mostly has to do with life.

Life hasn't been easy lately.  I'll spare you all the details, but I've been on an emotional rollercoaster ride for the past few months, which you can imagine is extremely trying.  I think when life gets uncomfortable, it's generally because we feel that one or more things are out of our control, and it makes us feel uneasy.  It's naive to think that we have control over anything in our lives, of course, even the little things (or rather, we should never feel like there is 100% certainty in what we define as outcomes).  For example, I planned to do the dishes a few nights ago after dinner -- something which I expected would take about five minutes, but ended up taking 20 because I: (a) burned the bottom of the pot I used to make some chicken curry (hence, intense scrubbing was needed), and (b) tried to scrape off the burned layer with my thumbnail, resulting in an unforeseen injury (no need to explain further).

I think for a while, I felt that adopting a dog would help with it all.  I know that if we brought home a pup who desperately needed a "forever home" (the accepted lingo used by most shelters), we would care and provide for him/her, and gosh darn it, we would love our new member of the family with every fiber of our beings.  I even had my eye on a one-eyed Beagle who stole my heart shortly after meeting her a few weeks ago.  Her name was Jenna and she had a sign in front of her pen that said, "Please visit one of my friends!  I'm being adopted today!"  I felt so happy for her.  I know living beings should not be defined by their handicap, but I really felt for this dog.  Here she was, a two year old dog bred to hunt hares and dig tunnels and run around outside and be active.  Yet, she was not only cooped up in a small pen at the Atlanta Humane Society, she also had a single functioning eye.  To make things worse, we went back to the Humane Society a week later and Jenna was back in.  Turns out her adopter didn't realize how active Beagles are and she had "too much energy" -- clearly not a good fit.  (*Side note: This really makes me angry.  How do you not realize Beagles are active dogs?!  That's a no brainer to me.)  My heart just went out to her.  Every time I looked at her or thought about her, I heard Sarah McLachlan singing in those damned SPCA commercials that make everyone tear up, including my macho husband.  When we visited with her, she seemed timid and shy, which just made my heart ache more.  I thought about all the reasons she was left with this one eye, and was consumed with the idea that we would save her from her previous life, which clearly was wretched (*another side note: I know nothing of her background.  Maybe it wasn't actually that bad, but she DID end up in a shelter, so clearly something went wrong.).  

In other words, I felt that I needed CONTROL over something.  I needed to feel like I could create a better life for her because I could not control other aspects of my life, make things better in my own life (better = changing situations based on expected outcomes).

...I clearly recognize, in retrospect, that this isn't necessarily the best reason to get a dog.  I understand that.  And to be clear, Joe and I have talked about getting a dog some day, and when we do, it will be a decision based on both logic and emotional connection, and we'll make that decision together.  Also, for the record, Jenna was adopted within the week, although Joe and I agreed to revisit the idea of adopting her if she did not have a permanent owner in a few weeks.

*Third side note: I have the most understanding husband ever for putting up with these emotional pangs for cute dogs, and just generally speaking.  God bless that man.

The whole point of this story is that life has ups and downs, and we can't control most things.  When someone is describing his/her truly shitty situations and another person responds with, "Well, it has get better from here, right?"  It makes me think, "Well, you don't know that.  None of us do."  Although this sounds kind of crappy, it can also be a reminder of how important perception and outlook on life can be.  Appreciating the little things around us -- small, but kind, gestures of strangers, spotting things in nature which strike us as truly beautiful, personal and professional successes -- these are reminders of our universal connection, our oneness with the world.

Does anyone else think it's just incredible that the European Space agency landed a probe on a FLYING COMET (I promise, this is related)?!  Though we have limited data from Philae, this mission is just the beginning of exploring untouched parts of our universe about which we know next to nothing!  There is so much we don't know about the world around us, but being curious and appreciative of our surroundings brings us closer to feeling that sense of oneness with the universe.  Feeling this sense of unity can take us away, even if for a moment, from our individual lives.  In the grand scheme of things, the universe is vast and awesome, in which we are small specks of human life.  However, we have the intellectual capacity to advance science and technology so we can better understand our surroundings, and for that, we may be small, but not insignificant.  But on a more personal level, other people in this world may be going through the exact same struggles (however we define them) that we are, and this connects us as a community as well.

With that, I leave you with a few simple observations or thoughts of gratitude, despite the difficulties I've been experiencing lately:

1.  Many people find running uninteresting and repetitive, compared to other forms of physical activity.  Most people find long-distance running to be onerous and exhausting.  I crave it, especially in the fall season when the leaves turn.  I'm beyond grateful that I have two functional legs, a functional body, and am currently not fighting major injuries.  I am thankful that I could go for that 11.5 mile run this morning through neighborhoods full of brightly-colored leaves, glistening in the sun.  In particular, I feel grateful for running past the most beautiful gingko tree in someone's front yard -- their lawn was littered with bright yellow fan-like leaves that looked just like someone had strewn a million yellow flowers all over the grass.  I wish I had my phone at that moment to take a picture, but it looked something like this (but with a single tree).

2.  I'm thankful for my husband, who has been incredibly patient, supportive, and kind during this trying time.  I'm especially indebted to him for doing the laundry every single week, the one task I absolutely abhor and refuse to do unless I'm desperate (i.e. when I run out of underwear).

3.  At some point during my run today, I had a flashback to when I ran my first full marathon in early 2006.  Somewhere towards the end of my run, I spotted my mother cheering me on at the sidelines.  I still remember how freezing it was that day; this particular cold front was somewhat unexpected (as they often are in the great state of Texas), and she was wearing long, grey sweatpants and a huge pullover hoodie.  My mom's eyes just emanated, glowed with pride.  It took me by surprise, to be honest.  She took my hand briefly, I smiled and waved, and then I was off to tackle the remaining 6 or so miles in the race.  I'm not sure exactly why I remember that particular moment.  I suppose it was a bit of a boost during the dreaded "wall" that long-distance runners typically experience somewhere between miles 18-20.  So, I'm thankful that we, as humans, can capture memories like these and still remember them years later like they happened yesterday.

4. Though we've both been busy lately, Joe and I have shared many, many meals together over which we have had great conversations and shared countless laughs over the years.  There have also been innumerable meals we've shared with friends and family that have also brought us great joy and made us feel more connected to those we love, and for this, I feel incredibly grateful.

These reminders of gratitude help me get through the "downs" of life, and accumulate as I ride the "ups" of life.  I encourage all of you to take a moment, wherever you are in your life today, to think about a few things for which you feel gratitude, and keep those thoughts in the back of your mind as you continue your weekend.  I know I will.  

"Ryori" and our experiences with food

Joe and I went to Japanfest in Gwinnett County for a few hours on Saturday, where we saw dozens and dozens of vendors selling beautiful arts and crafts, martial arts presentations, and cooking demonstrations given by various chefs.  One of the presenters happened to be the personal chef for the Consulate General of Japan to Atlanta (serving the entire southeast United States), who we had the pleasure and honor of meeting.

Ryosuke Murakami seemed incredibly passionate and humble as he explained his journey to his current position (which is quite a prestigious one).  When the MC first introduced him and described his incredible accomplishments, I looked over at Mr. Murakami, who was struggling to keep himself composed and had tears of joy in his eyes.  He felt truly honored to be doing this demo.

Mr. Murakami didn't speak much English, so he had a translator by his side.  After briefly describing his background, he started his talk by introducing the Japanese word for "cuisine" or "cooking" -- "ryori" -- which translates to "purpose" or "reason."  He described how when he prepares food, he does so with reason and purpose.  Admittedly, his talk focused less on his cooking demonstration and more on the philosophy of Japanese cuisine, but we actually appreciated this.  Unlike chefs of other cuisines, Murakami's goal in serving food to a customer, friend, or relative, is not to make them full (although this would be ideal, of course), but to given them a truly authentic, original experience as they interact with their food.  This means appealing to multiple taste bud types with both flavors that pop, as well as flavors that are more subtle, throughout the meal.  Japanese cuisine is very unique in this regard.  There is more emphasis in what you taste and feel as the food touches your mouth, as it sits on your tongue and you slowly salivate and chew before swallowing -- in other words, the food experience.  In my opinion, we often forget to enjoy our food in an attempt to save time while multi-tasking -- or even worse, we sometimes don't care what goes in our mouths because we eat to "make it" until the next meal because of a jam-packed day full of work (I'm guilty of doing this all the time, by the way).   

Because I had such a strong background in music growing up, I sometimes hear songs playing in my head when I am savoring something particularly delicious.  I know it sounds silly, but it's true.  Most often, I'll hear "Jupiter: Bringer of Jolity" from The Planets Suite, by Gustav Holst, which is not only my favorite piece from the suite and one of my favorite songs of all time, but just a perfect accompaniment to eating a great meal.  For me, it serves as a reminder that good flavor comes from the marrying of several (or more) ingredients, and of course, a lot of love.  Oh, and that good food just makes me happy.  Really tasting and savoring our food can change our experiences with meals!

Source: http://www.globalatlanta.com/article/27150/japanese-cuisine-to-be-showcased-at-japanfest-sept-20-21/

My "Best of" list of Atlanta!

The last few weeks haven't been easy for me, I'll admit.  I'm exploring different dietary options based on some health issues I've been having.  Without disclosing too many details, I'm closely following components of my health as I add and take out certain things from my diet so I can examine any significant changes.  This leaves me to crave many of the foods I've eliminated from my diet temporarily, with the fire and intensity of a thousand burning suns.

My cravings have motivated me to put together my "best of" list for restaurants in Atlanta.  Thinking about some of these foods gives me something to look forward to at the end of this experiment!  So, without further ado, here's my list of favorites, by cuisine (in no particular order):

1. Best burger: Grindhouse Killer Burgers.  Grindhouse offers many options for meat-lovers and vegetarians alike, and even has turkey burgers on their menu for those avoiding beef (like me).  They allow you to build your own burger and there are endless options for customization!  It's hard for me to limit my intake when I go into Grindhouse.  I often go with the Gringo style turkey burger (add bacon for an extra layer of decadence!) and a large avocado salad.  The avocado salad is absolutely delicious and PACKED with flavor and heat.  For those avoiding major sources of gluten, you can top the salad off with a meat / veggie patty for a delicious entree.  Also, I have to say, the crinkle-cut french fries are some of my favorite fries in Atlanta.  My only issue?  They don't give you nearly enough in a single serving!

*Runner-up: The Vortex: Endless possibilities for burgers, funky atmosphere, and oh!  TATER TOTS OFFERED AS A SIDE!  For literally a heart-stopping burger option, try one of the coronary bypasses (single, double, triple)!  Oh, and don't forget to try their decadent potato salad, packed with real chunks of bacon!

2. Best smoothie: Lotta Frutta, hands down, has the best smoothies in Atlanta.  I can name two other places here that are quite popular, but they are: (1) pretty mediocre at best (in my opinion) and (2) much more expensive than Lotta Frutta.  This is a local joint which is a favorite of Joe and mine that also happens to have some of our favorite grilled cheese sandwiches!  For more on Lotta Frutta, refer to my previous blog post here.  

3. Best barbeque: It's hard to go wrong with Community Q Barbeque.  They hosted our post-wedding lunch in Atlanta and did not disappoint!  Their fall-off-the-bone pork ribs are so finger-lickin'-good that you'll have to finish the whole order instead of saving half for lunch the next day!  Oh, and oh, the mac 'n cheese.  Sorry to say, Mary Mac's, but Community wins my vote on the mac 'n cheese.  Decadent and buttery with just the right amount of crispiness on top, you won't want to stop eating this side dish long after you're full.  My other favorite sides include the bone-in chicken, black-eyed peas with rosemary, and sweet potatoes with kale.  Mmmm-mmm-mmm!

4. Best Southern: Despite Community Q winning the award for mac 'n cheese, Mary Mac's Tea Room takes the cake for overall Southern cuisine.  They do serve a decent mac 'n cheese, as well as pork ribs, fried chicken, fried pork chops, tomato pie, and Thanksgiving style turkey.  Mary Mac's serves each table with a basket of bread before the meal, including freshly baked cinnamon rolls and southern cornbread.  But what I go gah-gah over every time I eat there is the pot likker.  For those of you unfamiliar with pot likker, it is essentially a rich and salty broth flavored from collard greens and pork.  Generally, the ratio of greens: pork for pot likker varies across restaurants, and I don't generally love pot likker, but Mary Mac's goes heavy on the smoked pork and it's hard to resist.  Best of all, you get a free serving of pot likker if you're a new customer at Mary Mac's!  

5. Best pizza: Antico's serves traditional Neapolitan pizzas and calzones.  They're pretty bare bones in terms of customer service and there's always a crowd, but they serve the best pizzas in town.  The kitchen is actually right next to the seating benches, which I find to be kind of fun to watch as the customer.  Also, the family that owns Antico's recently opened up Chicken Gio's and a gelateria called Caffe Gio.  Joe and I have to check out both of those soon!

6. Best pho: Pho Dai Loi #2 off Buford Highway, close to Dresden Drive.  We love this place especially because they offer pho (at a reasonable price) with chicken broth.  I know, I know, it's traditionally made with beef broth, but I don't eat beef and there are few places which offer alternatives for non-beef eaters.  They have great shakes/smoothies as well!  We love the avocado and taro flavors.  On a cold winter day, I love going to PDL and ordering a kettle of jasmine tea with my chicken pho.  Comfort food that's healthy!

7. Best banh mi: Lee's Bakery, off Buford Highway and Clairmont Road, right next to the Chevron station.  Mr. Lee is the NICEST man and always tries to get to know his customers.  The meat they use is so delicious and tender and the bread they use is fantastic!  The toppings are traditional -- cucumber slices, cilantro, daikon -- but the flavored mayo sauce they use in the sandwich really seals the deal for me.  Plus, it's $2.75 a sandwich, and if you're going the "take-out" route, you can buy 5 sandwiches and get the 6th for free!  Hooray, you're set for dinner on your next board game night!

8. Best sandwiches: This is sort of a tie between two different places.  The first is Urban Cannibals, a little "bodega" (I put that in quotes because the restaurant advertise itself as such, but it's not really a bodega) in East Atlanta that also happens to serve food.  Urban Cannibals has spotty customer service but they have gotten better over the years, I'll give them that.  Their kitchen has, at times, poor ventilation and the products they sell in their "bodega" (which, again, is not really a bodega) sometimes seem out of place and random, but this is definitely one of my favorite places to eat in town.  They have quite a large and varied menu of sandwiches, salads, and soups.  My favorites include: the Santa Fe salad, Greek salad, the falafel samich, the urban gyro, and the carnitas po' boy.  They have fantastic soup options in the fall and winter seasons, too.  If you do go there, expect at least a 15-20 minute wait for your food, as they do make everything from scratch (making it extra delicious!).  Another thing to keep in mind -- they have limited seating so I'd recommend going during non-peak hours.  

The second restaurant is Victory Sandwich Bar.  Victory changes up their menu periodically, but my favorites include the Han Cholo (chorizo + pickled red onion + feta cheese = awesomeness) and the Mile-High Club (turkey + bacon + avocado + fontina).  Joe loves the Victory at Sea (anchovies + frisee + lemon mayonnaise) and the Hambo (proscuitto, mozarella, apple, balsamic vinegarette).  Their sides are decent, soups are seasonal and never disappoint, and their house salad is crisp and refreshing on a warm summer day.  Vic's is also famous for their drinks, including their Jack and Coke slushie.  Although their location in Inman Park got torn down (and replaced by a large retail space...grrrr), the restaurant/bar in downtown Decatur has a fantastic patio with beautiful globe lights that is a great place to chill anytime with friends.  

9. Best Ethiopian: Desta, off Clairmont and Briarcliff.  My husband's supervisor at CDC is Ethiopian and he was the one who first recommended it to us years ago.  Desta exceeded my expectations, as my first experience with Ethiopian cuisine was, unfortunately, sub-par, to say the least.  Our favorites are their lamb and fish tibs as well as the shiro, and we love sopping up the curry sauce from the tibs with injera (a spongy form of sourdough flatbread)!  Ethiopian and Indian cuisines have some overlap in spices and flavors used, which makes Desta a favorite of mine.  We love to finish off our meals with hot tea, which they flavor with fresh cloves.  

10. Cafe Bombay: Everyone who knows me relatively well knows I am extremely picky about Indian restaurants.  I mostly avoid them, honestly, because I know I can make most of their dishes better than they do (not to get cocky, but it's true).  Joe can attest to the fact that I go into most Indian restaurants describing where the cooks went wrong with each dish, and I could improve it, and how, oh how, could they charge as much as they do for THIS dish?!  Well, for the MOST part, Cafe Bombay meets my expectations (there are a few dishes I feel they have not mastered).  Check them out during their ever-famous lunch buffets, where they showcase several vegetarian and non-vegetarian options for their hungry customers!

11. Best cupcakes: Yum Yum!  I've reviewed them in a previous post, but they deserve another mention since they're so fantastic.  And, exciting news for them -- they've opened a permanent dessert shop in the Buckhead area.  Plus, they have also expanded their menu beyond cupcakes to macaroons, cheesecakes, eclairs, and pies.  Hooray!

12. Best coffee/tea shop: I have two and a half favorites (one is a runner-up) here.  The first is Dr. Bombay's Underwater Tea Party in the Candler Park area.  They offer numerous types of tea and snacks for customers, and their ambiance is quirky and cute.  The room adjacent to the cash register area has rows and rows of bookshelves filled with all sorts of gems donated by Atlantans (and maybe acquired through other means? Not sure).  Customers can purchase the books for a buck apiece, or just browse while sipping on a hot tea.  One cool thing about Dr. Bombay's is their Learning Tea program, from which a portion of the profits made from the shop, as well as the funds generated from the book program, go towards providing educational resources for young women in Darjeeling and Kolkata.  Dr. Bombay's also hosts a monthly dinner club, in which proceeds go towards this wonderful project.  If I'm not mistaken, some of the folks at Dr. Bombay's make a trip to India every year to help out with building the organization.

Inman Perk is a great place to study/work, catch up with a friend, or hang out reading your favorite book while sipping on a tea, coffee, or an adult beverage.  Inman Perk also offers ice cream, pastries, and light meals, such as salads and sandwiches.  I basically lived here while studying for my PhD qualifying exams!  (Joe and I are also partial to the Inman Park neighborhood, which features many appealing options for food and drinks and is a little more pedestrian friendly than some other areas of town.)

*Runner-up: Down the street from Inman Perk, Parish is an upscale restaurant with a sandwich bar / coffee shop in the basement area.  The basement menu is a bit more affordable, and there are huge wooden tables downstairs which provide a great workspace on weekday afternoons when you might want a quiet spot to work over a delicious lunch!

13. Best ramen: Unfortunately, we don't have too many choices around here, but Umaido has a lot of great options on their menu.  Umaido is a bit of a drive from Atlanta (they're located in Suwanee), but I'd say it's worth it.  We only had one slightly negative experience there when we tried to order a cup of matcha tea.  They had no idea what it was, actually.  We put together later that Umaido is actually owned and operated by Koreans, and perhaps they don't update their menu and keep all of their employees in the loop all the time (it turned out they did NOT have matcha tea).  Despite this experience, I'd still say they have the best ramen in the area.

14. Best sushi: Hands down, the best sushi restaurant in town is Sushi Hayakawa off Buford Highway (notice a trend here??).  The head sushi chef is a gregarious Japanese man who is always cracking jokes behind the counter.  The prices are steep but the quality of fish is absolutely the best I have ever had.  One interesting tidbit -- Hayakawa has a Japanese toilet in their bathroom that I had a little too much fun with the first time I went there.  Actually, one of the employees spotted me headed towards the restroom and said, "You going to restroom?  ENJOY!"  I was initially confused until I walked in and saw ALL THE BUTTONS (ALL THE THINGS!).  Fantastic!

A second place that deserves a mention is Sushi Avenue in downtown Decatur.  We favor the Ponce de Leon Place location over the one on the Square.  The owners are often at the restaurant and say hello to their customers, which adds a nice personal touch to their customer service.  We go to Sushi Avenue a lot more often because their prices are reasonable, even if the seafood is slightly less than the best (it's still pretty good, though!).  In addition, they serve ramen, gyoza, tonkatsu, and other Japanese dishes that are delicious.  They also have different types of bento boxes, in which they include a pretty impressive variety of foods at a fair price.  Joe and I are partial to SA because we went there on our first date 6 1/2 years ago. :)

15. Best Peruvian: Las Brasas is a "mom and pop" shop owned and operated by native Peruvian John Koechlin.  Peruvian restaurants in the US are popularly known for their juicy, tender, flavorful rotisserie chicken dishes, and Las Brasas does not disappoint in this category.  They also offer the traditional aji sauce, a creamy concoction of black mint, aji pepper, and lots and lots of lime, which goes well as a salad dressing or dipping sauce for a side of sweet potato fries (which happen to be my favorite sweet potato fries in Atlanta, by the way).  Once you try this sauce, you won't be able to stop eating it, folks.  The heat of the sauce has never deterred me from finishing a whole container with my meal -- even with all the tears and nose-blowing that accompanies eating this spicy condiment!  This is an excellent review of Las Brasas, which also describes the painstaking process in making their chicken (which is obviously worth it).  Oh, and don't expect fancy silverware and dinner napkins at this joint.  It's run out of a tiny shack off E. Howard in Decatur and only has seating for about 5 people on their patio (no seating inside), but it's fantastic!  *Note: Joe and I had a good giggle when we stopped by Las Brasas for some delicious chicken one night, only to find a note on the door saying the restaurant would be closed for 3 weeks due to their daughter's wedding.  This absolutely warmed our hearts!  For those of you living close to Decatur, they deliver for FREE within a 3 mile radius!

Well, this is a small sample of the full list, I'll admit, but maybe I'll continue this later.  All this talk of food makes me hungry!