We had read about the mysterious disappearing (and award-winning) chef Peter Chang, so when we realized he opened a restaurant in Atlanta just late last year, we knew we had to visit his establishment during our trip this past February. So after we loaded up on doughnuts, we headed to Peter Chang's Tasty 2 for some Sichuan Chinese food!
We started with the scallion bubble pancake and the pan-fried three flavors.
The pan-fried three flavors rocked my world. It's tofu skin over sticky rice over a mix of minced pork and mushrooms.
The flavors combined beautifully, and the texture of the rice was perfect. I was trying to be a lady, but I really could have eaten twenty of these!
As you can see, the scallion bubble pancake is not your average scallion pancake.
It's a big puffy thing of really thin fried dough, and it comes with a curry sauce to dip. It seems they were going for more of a roti-type thing than an actual scallion pancake, because you really couldn't taste much scallion at all. I loved the puffy shape, but I was generally underwhelmed by this.
Next came the crystal shrimp, which looks so simple, but it was really fabulous.
Shrimp, snow peas, asparagus in a ginger sauce. It was wonderfully light but flavorful.
Which is good, because we needed something to balance out this: spicy fragrant deep-fried duck.
This may have been Han's favorite! (You know how she is with anything duck!) The name does it justice: it was incredibly spicy, fragrant, and deep-fried... all in a very good way. It didn't feel greasy at all, even after many many pieces inhaled. That special Sichuan peppercorn gave this almost a perfumy heat. Ymmmmm...
We also ordered Sichuan double-cooked pork belly with leek.
Look at that fat! I loved the thick-cut leek with the pork belly. My only complaint that it was a tad salty. In general, we were very happy with our first Peter Chang experience, and no doubt we will seek him out wherever he is in the future, because I will follow the man anywhere for another taste of his pan-fried three flavors.
After Chinese food, we wanted to chill out to some groovy jazz, so we headed to Dante's Down the Hatch. Let me tell you: this was the BEST decision ever. What a treat of an establishment! I can't even describe it well enough to do it justice, but it's got elements of all these things: restaurant, concert venue, zoo, and amusement park.
There's a huge pirate ship in the middle of the restaurant, and we were lucky enough to sit inside the ship and listen to some awesome jazz. The rest of the restaurant is a quaint wharf, and the whole place looks like a little wharf town come alive. ADORABLE. My pictures came out way too dark, so promise me you will click on the website and go through the pictures. It's worth it.
We wanted dessert, so we ordered a pecan pie, a chocolate fudgecake, and I got their most famous dessert drink (its name has since slipped my mind!).
The desserts were solid, but nothing special. My alcoholic dessert, though, was incredible. Praline-y and ice cream-y, it was just perfect.
On our way out, we said hi to the resident crocodile at Dante's that walks/swims around the moat.
Isn't he precious? Dante's apparently takes in rescue crocodiles that zoos or people don't want anymore. Such kind-hearted souls at Dante's. As if I needed another reason to fall in love with this place!
Dante's is also known for its fondue, and they do it up big. We weren't fortunate enough to have tried it, because you have to give them a few days notice and have at least a party of six. It's okay, because now I know the first place I'm going whenever I'm back in Atlanta!
We started with the scallion bubble pancake and the pan-fried three flavors.
The pan-fried three flavors rocked my world. It's tofu skin over sticky rice over a mix of minced pork and mushrooms.
The flavors combined beautifully, and the texture of the rice was perfect. I was trying to be a lady, but I really could have eaten twenty of these!As you can see, the scallion bubble pancake is not your average scallion pancake.
It's a big puffy thing of really thin fried dough, and it comes with a curry sauce to dip. It seems they were going for more of a roti-type thing than an actual scallion pancake, because you really couldn't taste much scallion at all. I loved the puffy shape, but I was generally underwhelmed by this.Next came the crystal shrimp, which looks so simple, but it was really fabulous.
Shrimp, snow peas, asparagus in a ginger sauce. It was wonderfully light but flavorful.Which is good, because we needed something to balance out this: spicy fragrant deep-fried duck.
This may have been Han's favorite! (You know how she is with anything duck!) The name does it justice: it was incredibly spicy, fragrant, and deep-fried... all in a very good way. It didn't feel greasy at all, even after many many pieces inhaled. That special Sichuan peppercorn gave this almost a perfumy heat. Ymmmmm...We also ordered Sichuan double-cooked pork belly with leek.
Look at that fat! I loved the thick-cut leek with the pork belly. My only complaint that it was a tad salty. In general, we were very happy with our first Peter Chang experience, and no doubt we will seek him out wherever he is in the future, because I will follow the man anywhere for another taste of his pan-fried three flavors.After Chinese food, we wanted to chill out to some groovy jazz, so we headed to Dante's Down the Hatch. Let me tell you: this was the BEST decision ever. What a treat of an establishment! I can't even describe it well enough to do it justice, but it's got elements of all these things: restaurant, concert venue, zoo, and amusement park.
There's a huge pirate ship in the middle of the restaurant, and we were lucky enough to sit inside the ship and listen to some awesome jazz. The rest of the restaurant is a quaint wharf, and the whole place looks like a little wharf town come alive. ADORABLE. My pictures came out way too dark, so promise me you will click on the website and go through the pictures. It's worth it.
We wanted dessert, so we ordered a pecan pie, a chocolate fudgecake, and I got their most famous dessert drink (its name has since slipped my mind!).
The desserts were solid, but nothing special. My alcoholic dessert, though, was incredible. Praline-y and ice cream-y, it was just perfect.On our way out, we said hi to the resident crocodile at Dante's that walks/swims around the moat.
Isn't he precious? Dante's apparently takes in rescue crocodiles that zoos or people don't want anymore. Such kind-hearted souls at Dante's. As if I needed another reason to fall in love with this place!Dante's is also known for its fondue, and they do it up big. We weren't fortunate enough to have tried it, because you have to give them a few days notice and have at least a party of six. It's okay, because now I know the first place I'm going whenever I'm back in Atlanta!
6450 Powers Ferry Rd,
Sandy Springs, 30339
(678) 766-8765
Dante's Down the Hatch3380 Peachtree Rd NE
Atlanta , GA 30326
(404) 266-1600
(678) 766-8765
Dante's Down the Hatch3380 Peachtree Rd NE
Atlanta , GA 30326
(404) 266-1600
Peter Chang briefly had a restaurant in Charlottesville that was awesome!
ReplyDeleteDude. One of our biggest regrets in life will be not ordering a few more platters of that pan fried three flavors. I also could use a whole barrel of the super-spicy-crunchilicious-duck!
ReplyDeleteI'm ashamed to admit I've never heard of Peter Chang. Regardless, everything looks delicious!
ReplyDelete