Matcha is not a new trend, and it is more than what its current social media obsession might suggest. It can be traced back to ancient China during the Tang (618–907) and Song (960–1279) dynasties, where tea leaves were steamed and pressed into bricks for storage. Later, it was ground into a powder (more similar to the matcha we’re familiar with currently). This sort of tea traditionally used to be whisked with hot water and was prized for its healing and spiritual attributes. However, this was forgotten over time as loose-leaf tea became popular.
However, matcha as we know it today and matcha culture originated in Japan. In the 12th century (Kamakura period), a Zen monk called Eisai introduced tea seeds and powdered tea to his monk buddies. Here, preparing powdered leaf was a staple in monastic life. Over time, the matcha became integrated into Japan’s culture, especially with chado (traditional tea ceremony). Chado “invites self-reflection and the pursuit of deep spirituality within simplicity, an essence of Japanese culture that endures to this day” (quote from Matcha Direct). To the Japanese, it was more than a drink; it was an important part of their spiritual culture. Now, it’s a widely loved drink around the world with origins from China thousands of years ago! It’s crazy how that happens.
I’m No Matcha Expert, Okay
I honestly wasn’t too fond of matcha when I first tasted it, probably five or so years ago. I thought it tasted like agriculture. Yuck. However, I’ve slowly been going around to different matcha places, trying different drinks. I’ve been liking it! However, I’m currently only able to stomach matcha lattes. I can’t take it with just hot water yet, I’m not a huge fan of grass, unfortunately.
That being said, I’m not a matcha expert! I know people are super into this shit, but I’m not. I just now what tastes good (to me). So, keep that in mind.
Food Review
I purchased two things here, but let’s start off with matcha soft serve ice cream. They also have an “extra-strong” version, but I’m still scared of that. Matcha, if you’ve never had it before, has a potent umami flavor that’s slightly bitter but somehow has undertones of sweetness. Also, it’s commonly called “grassy,” which it most definitely is. However, the matcha blended with the creamy soft serve is outstanding. It helps cut the bitterness, leaving you with the more pleasant, sweeter notes, but it still leaves enough matcha flavor to taste the earthiness of the tea. It is also not overly sweet. The cone comes in is thin, crispy, and subtly sweet. It was a great mouth-feel experience.
I also got the matcha brown sugar cheese foam latte. Cheese foam might sound gross to those who are unfamiliar. It is mostly sweet, slightly savory, and a bit salty. Don’t worry, it’s made with cream cheese… not parmesan. However, I will say this is probably one of my favorite drinks of all time. No exaggeration. It’s really, really good. It has a nice sweetness that isn’t overly sweet. It has a chewy, clear jelly at the bottom (maybe lychee?). It’s a creamy latte with rich, sweet brown sugar syrup at the bottom. The matcha is subtle and delicious, and it mixes well with the entirety of the drink.
However, I will say, I’ve been here when this place first opened, and I had the milk and strawberry soft serves, and I didn’t really care for them. I think it was overly icy rather than creamy.
Somewhere hidden inside an unassuming supermarket is a food court packed with various delicious Asian foods. Best of all, it’s affordable. However, when I ask other people if they’ve tried it, even other foodies, the majority of them have never heard of it. So, I wanted to start my Jusgo Supermarket food court series, where I visit every single food vendor and rate them. FYI, if you want to go straight to the food court, go through their “Tokyo Kuma” entrance.
Malaysian Food
I’m always on the hunt for good Malay food. My mother is from Malaysia, so it’s a cuisine I grew up with, but for some reason, restaurants in Georgia tend to struggle with it. It is highly underrated due to a lack of popularity, but it is a flavor bomb from some of the world’s best cuisine. Malaysian food is a culinary fusion of mostly Malay, Chinese, and Indian. If you’ve never had it, you can anticipate the savoriness and umami from the Chinese, and the powerful, aromatic spices from India. It is one of my favorites for a reason.
Walking up to this humble booth, you may not even know what it is upon first glance. It has the sign “Zhang’s BBQ Chicken,” but when I talked with the owner, it is actually an old sign from the previous owner. Below it, you may see a brown fabric covering one of the window openings with “Welcome to Penang,” which is their true sign. Do not be fooled by their appearance; they serve a variety of dishes, from Chinese to even Thai, but Malaysian is apparently their specialty… and it’s good.
I chose the “Penang Curry Mee,” which is a coconut curry soup served with both thick egg noodles and thin rice noodles, AKA vermicelli. You have the choice of chicken, shrimp, or both, and of course, I got both. Duh. I chose this dish because it is closely related to one of my favorite dishes in the world—Curry Laksa. Some use both names interchangeably, but there are small differences. Curry laksa is a thicker and more potent version with more of an association with Kuala Lumpur, while curry mee is a lighter base with origins from Penang (fitting).
Food Review
When the soup hit my table, it was steaming. Great sign. The broth is good; it has its distinct coconut milk taste with balancing hits of acidity. The fresh egg noodles are amazing, they’re nice and soft but still have bite to them. While the thin rice noodles add more substance, I definitely prefer the egg noodles over them. The shrimp was perfectly cooked, but the chicken was a little plain for my preference. It was boneless chicken, but I think you can get a bone-in chicken, but you have to ask for it. It’ll probably taste better. Overall, the broth was nice and homey, but could be a little stronger for my taste.
I’ll admit, I’ve had this dish here a few other times. Sometimes the broth is spot on, but sometimes, it leans a bit salty. So, be aware of that. The owner was kind and saw me filming, so she gave me some fried dough. It was helpful to soak up some of the soup. If you’ve got a larger appetite and need more substance, that could be a good route to go. I don’t think I’ve ever fully finished my meal there, though. So, it is not a necessity.
If you’re wondering, yes, it tastes even better the next day. It makes it closer to how I want it, a bit stronger.
What I think will draw in a lot of people is that it is quite affordable. The meals are not small, and we ordered three entrees for a total of $39… and took some home. If you’re on a budget but still want to treat yourself and try something different, this is a great option. As well as other vendors in this food court.
If there’s a must-try dish you’ve had here, let me know, and I’ll happily come back.
I recently checked out Chubby Cattle BBQ’s soft opening in Duluth, GA. I love their other restaurant, literally right across the street, that offers a Shabu. I will say, if you’re looking for a budget spot, turn back now. Chubby Cattle offers a premium experience with top-notch service. I usually never care about good service, but they always take the cake with knowledgeable, kind servers. After talking with someone who works there, they only hire people who are quite experienced in that particular sector (KBBQ, Shabu, etc.), and they have to prove it. The last part seems kind of sinister, but those are their words.
The Soft Opening Experience
Anyway, let’s talk about the actual soft opening. I’ve been to other soft openings, and they’re typically really busy. This was no exception. We waited an hour to be seated, so keep that in mind when you’re going during their soft opening period. Please also remember that the employees are still in training, so if you’re overly picky about stuff like that, first of all, relax, but secondly, please wait until after their soft opening period. However, I still found the service to be good, but they weren’t as knowledgeable as they typically are.
Tiers
Like their other locations, they offered different tiers that offered different proteins and dishes. I got the diamond tier, which was priced at $88 a person, but they also offer gold and silver. Diamond allows unlimited proteins and two special dishes per person per two different categories—so four total (gold allows one per category, and silver, I believe, doesn’t have any).
Chubby Cattle has a self-service unlimited drink section, and their two milk tea stations offered a delicious option. However, I did miss the “Chi Forest” sparkling water they have at their Shabu location. Wagyu is fatty, and sometimes you don’t want to wash it down with milk tea, which doesn’t really serve as the best palate cleanser. It is nice to have another option that is refreshing, and that isn’t soda. They also have a sauce station in this area, but I did not find the sauces necessary. Everything else is ordered and brought to you, so if you’re boujee, don’t worry.
Review
Pele was my server, and I got permission from him to mention him by name. He did a great job and gave me a fantastic suggestion right off the bat—the “A5 Wagyu Otoro Thick Cut”. It was definitely the stand-out of the night, and it made me wish Diamond came with unlimited everything like the Shabu location, because I really wanted to drown myself in this cut of wagyu. It was extremely flavorful and fatty, but it’s not gristly. I had this along with the “A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Short Rib,” and that was also great, but not as fatty and flavorful as the other cut. It’s still a solid choice. From this category, I also had the “A5 Miyazaki Ribeye,” which was good but not as notable, and the “A5 Finger Meat,” which was the only marinated one I had. I loved the marinade on this and had a familiar KBBQ taste, sweet and savory, but it was grisly and chewy in parts.
We tried all of the “Diamond Special Dishes,” and I was really pleasantly surprised they had Uni/Sea Urchin. While I will say it wasn’t as creamy as other places I’ve had it, more people will get the opportunity to try it. There were two scallop sashimi dishes (one with caviar and one with uni) that were great. The scallop was silky and sweet, but the dashi-like sauce was a bit too tart. They also had two wagyu “sushi” dishes that were good, but overall slightly underwhelming. One was uni and caviar, and the other had foie gras (fattened duck or goose liver if you’re unfamiliar). The foie gras was extremely decadent, but the rest was solid but unnotable.
For the standard dishes, the most memorable to me was the beef tongue. I loved it. I am a fan of tongue, but this was even more flavorful than normal. It comes with a lemon wedge, but I find it unnecessary. It is very delicious on its own. Everything else was good, but nothing else stood out significantly. The seafood was excellent as well. The salmon and yellowtail carpaccios were delicious, and even though I am a diehard salmon fan, I really loved the yellowtail due to the sriracha and jalapeno topping. The dashi-like sauce at the bottom of the salmon one was similar to the scallops’—it was too tart.
There is also soft-serve ice cream if that is important to you. The vanilla has good flavor, but it was a bit too icy for me.
Conclusion
I really do love the Chubby Cattle locations. I think it’s really easy for something like this to be a gimmick, but they make it a fun, memorable experience, and it’s always delicious. The “worst” things there are still good/fine, which is a win in my book. This location was no different. Even though it was a hectic, busy soft opening, they still managed to kill it (once again, shout-out to Pele). I do want to come back again once they’ve got a better groove going on. The Shabu location got better as time went on, and I hope this location does the same. I will say I miss the roasted bone marrow they have at their Shabu location, but I think this place is on a similar footing to their other location right across the street—and that’s a compliment.
Ahhh… Panda fest. I still have mixed feelings about it. I think it’s a great idea to showcase local Asian food—we have so much here in Georgia. However, it fell flat in the actual execution. Not only was it extremely crowded and loud, but it was also very expensive. The lines were ridiculous, and it was borderline unbearable until nighttime.
Yes, I know that festivals are traditionally crowded and food lines are long, but it’s different from other festivals I’ve been to in Atlanta. Traditionally, you’re only in the food line once, and then you get to walk around and enjoy the rest of the event. However, when the entirety of the festival revolves around food, you’re left standing in line the whole damn time! I felt like I was at Disney World, but instead of getting to ride “It’s a Small World” at the end, I got to eat some over-priced, mediocre food! How exciting!
Why Was This Disappointing / Hawker Centres
“Drink stall at an iconic hawker centre in the central business district of Singapore”
Why did I think this was a good idea? It reminded me of hawker centres in parts of Asia (Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia). My mother is from Malaysia, and I have been there a couple of times. They’re truly a gem, and I really want that experience here in Georgia. If you’re unfamiliar, hawker centres are open-air markets where the stalls serve cooked food, and sometimes they specialize in only one dish, which I think is a lost art. They’re also community spaces where people of different cultures get to interact, dine together, and try other ethnic foods.
One place Panda Fest fell flat is that it was not affordable… not even in the slightest. I think I went to one booth that was affordable, and that was Java Saga, and everything was $10, and I commend them for doing that. Hawker centres are affordable, and I know that this was not advertised as one, but I think if they wanted to improve their festivals, they could take some inspiration from hawker culture.
If you went there hungry (like me), you had to drop so much money. It’s hard to fully enjoy the festival and relax when you’re dropping $15 or more on a small portion of food at every booth, and sometimes it wasn’t even that good. We spent $24 for one (1) chicken skewer!!! Like what the fuck?
Anyways, this is a contrast to hawker centres, where you can get a wide variety of food for reasonable prices… and the food is amazing and hot. It makes me borderline depressed that we probably cannot have anything like that here. Especially with the upcoming (and current) tariffs, that dream is even further from my grasp. In parts of Asia, these markets are an integral part of the culture. At Panda Fest, however, the food didn’t feel as special. It didn’t really taste special, either. Yes, the festival was very cute, but the food and experience weren’t up to par.
Food Reviews
The first things I ate happened to be the best, and it happened to make me super optimistic about the whole experience. That slowly faded away, though. I had teriyaki takoyaki at a booth that just said “takoyaki” on the front. It was $16—a bit steep for sure, but not even the worst offender for tonight. If you’re unfamiliar, takoyaki is a round, ball-shaped Japanese snack which is made with batter and octopus in the middle. It is really cool to see them made. The cook pours the batter into a pan with a bunch of round divots, puts the octopus in, and then quickly flips all of the snacks over with chopsticks.
Anyways, it had a nice, soft batter on the outside, with a pleasant, chewy octopus on the inside. It was a good blend of savory and sweet from the teriyaki drizzle on top. One critique is that the batter was a bit too wet. However, this was easily the best thing I had that day.
Next, I had a Mongolian chicken skewer. Honestly, I am not too sure what is particularly “Mongolian” about it since it is just a skewer grilled over charcoal, but it tasted exactly how you think it does… like grilled chicken. I wish it were on the grill a bit longer to get more of that barbecue/charcoal taste, but the chicken was moist. However, this skewer was a whopping $24. Even with everything going on economically, I am not sure what on Earth compelled them to price a chicken skewer with nothing else on it at $24. For that price, I could buy a whole chicken and slaughter it myself. God has truly left us.
It was hot as hell out, so I stood in line for thirty minutes to get a lime refresher from “Brown Sugar Panda”. It was very much needed, but it could’ve used more flavor. It was kinda reasonably priced at $7. Ding Tea also has a lime drink for around the price… however, it costs a bit less and is wildly better. Go there instead.
Looking for the next food item, I came across a booth where everything was priced at $10! It was honestly a breath of fresh air, and the attendant at the front was very kind. It was Java Saga in Doraville. I’d encourage you to check them out just for this reason. I got the Taiwanese chicken bites. They were super crunchy and satisfying, though it was a little heavy-handed on the seasoning. Still, it was a good snack, and I loved the fried basil.
I wanted a dessert, and I came across this soufflé pancake booth since I love the soufflé pancakes at Fluffly Fluffy. I don’t know what this evil and dark-sided pancake was, but it was pale in comparison. It was pretty mediocre, cold, and the ube topping was a bit too sweet. The plain pancake itself was okay, but it was expensive for what it was. For $15, the pancakes were so tiny. Go to Fluffy Fluffy instead and get a really great soufflé pancake for the same price.
Lastly, I got the “king squid” at a squid booth. It is a HUGE squid grilled on a skewer that includes meat from the body as well as the tentacles. I honestly can’t believe my boyfriend and I finished the whole thing since it was the size of both our heads put together. Overall, it was pretty solid. I wish it were hotter, and the marinade was nice but slightly salty. It was $24, and I’m not really sure what the squid market is like, but for it was, the price wasn’t as horrendous as the skewer. It really was a ton of food.
What They Did Right and Future Opportunities
Okay, let’s talk about what they did right. This isn’t going to be super long. I liked the VIP section, the VIP was definitely worth it. They had nice bathrooms for the VIP section—I know it’s a weird compliment, but I know some people would appreciate it. Though I wish that VIP had more to offer, a great idea is having VIP lines for the booths to cut down wait times. I would definitely pay for that (once food prices come down). I honestly didn’t see many seating and eating areas for everyone else, which would overwhelm me. I’m glad I had somewhere to retreat to, and where I knew that they would have tables and chairs to eat my food.
I did feel bad for other people who didn’t have VIP, not just because they didn’t get the cute panda knit bag (which I actually loved BTW), but because I mostly saw people sitting on the ground and eating. It isn’t unusual for people to be sitting and eating at a festival, but at least at Piedmont Park, they get to sit on grass and not hard pavement. They should’ve set up some places where everyone else could eat—I know they wanted to make the VIP more special, but I think giving everyone else no seating is a bit cruel. Right? Make the VIP special by having shorter lines for them, like I mentioned before.
I also like how they marketed it in a way that highlights different Asian cultures. However, I think the marketing needs to be done with fewer influencers—have a more genuine story. Their influencer marketing campaign may have been done a little “too” well. Like I stated before, way too many people showed up, and it caused a bunch of people to not want to go again (based on other review videos I watched). It might’ve made the organizers happy for now, but they probably won’t be too happy when less and less people show up because this festival is honestly poorly organized and set up.
I also liked their cute panda mascot. I wish the merch was a bit cheaper and nicer looking, though. It was kind of comical seeing grown adult people wait in like to take a picture next to a giant panda inflatable. Was it really worth it, guys? I would’ve liked to see that branding more throughout the festival and possibly have more activities for adults.
What Atlanta Needs
Like I’ve said, this wasn’t a bad idea. Apparently this festival started in New York. I am honestly surprised because how can you plan a festival in the streets of New York City but not a lot in Atlanta? Anyways, I would love a hawker-style festival in Atlanta… better planned and executed, of course. It doesn’t need to be Asian food, but we need a festival that’s more affordable and one where the crowds can be managed either with a very limited sale of tickets (just price accordingly) or with a more robust VIP system to break up the lines.
It’s great to highlight different cultures and have people try their dishes and learn about different heritages. I’m not sure blasting K-pop music taught me much about Korean culture, but I guess Panda Fest tried. Get proper organizers and hire people who truly care about the cultures and countries they’re highlighting. I’d love to see a festival in Atlanta that doesn’t feel like a cash-grab.
With a population of nearly 75,000 Vietnamese folks, Georgia is covered in their fantastic cuisine. Especially in Duluth, it feels like there is always a great place around the corner. At worst (and why is it always in Atlanta), it’s still pretty decent. I’ve never had a bad meal at a Vietnamese spot, and it’s truly a testament to the quality of their dishes. With their balanced flavors and aromatic herbs, it’s hard to go wrong.
With so many Vietnamese restaurants, it’s hard to choose where to visit. So, I wanted to share a place I’ve regularly visited for years. I’ve made so many memories here, and I wanted to share this place with my readers so you can make memories here as well.
Review
Why do I come here so often? Not only is their broth one of my favorites, but it’s open until 2 am! They’ve become a late-night staple for me when I don’t feel like punishing my body with McDonald’s. However, it’s not just a nocturnal visit, their pho broth is one of my favorites in Georgia—it is delicious, balanced, and importantly… not salty. Though I don’t think I’ve had any “bad” pho broths, they can lean salty or bland.
I typically get the “P2,” aka Pho with Filet Mignon, and I get the meat on the side. I love to do this because the meat is always softer and tender rather than it being added in the kitchen. Don’t worry; the broth is steaming hot when it comes to the table, so your beef can cook as much or as little as you desire.
They recently revamped their menu, likely due to new management, and added new items, including a side of extra bone marrow to add to your pho broth. I personally love bone marrow, so it seemed like a no-brainer to add it on. It added a bit more depth, richness, and a stronger umami note to the broth. It is important to note that it adds pure fat, so if that’ll make your stomach do cartwheels, I’d skip it. I will also say that I find this unnecessary; the broth is great on its own and should only be ordered by bone marrow fans. I prefer it roasted on the bone, anyway.
The pho is definitely a must when visiting here, and the price is fair—the going rate for pho within Duluth. I’ve had their pho dozens of times over many years. I’ve shared a bowl of pho with countless friends and family, and I encourage you to do the same. For this review, I split this into two different visits. I realized I had never tried any of their other dishes besides the pho. To give a more well-rounded review, I decided to come back and try their less-wet dishes.
Another part of the revamp is that they added new drinks to the menu reminiscent of things you’d order at a boba shop. I was a bit skeptical, but I ordered the mango green tea anyway. I was very pleasantly surprised. It has delicious, chewy mango jelly pieces at the bottom that are genuinely addicting. The tea is definitely sweet but not overly sweet. Overall, it was pleasant and satisfying. I really appreciate this addition. Honestly, it saves me a stop when I’ve finished my meal since my demonic stomach always craves a sweet treat.
My boyfriend, who graciously paid for all my meals, ordered the special combination banh mi (his new addiction caused by yours truly). It contains a traditional pork sausage rather than the popular grilled pork. It was yummy, and the sausage was flavorful, but it wasn’t overly rich, thanks to the fresh herbs and vegetables. It wasn’t anything special, but it was a good, solid banh mi. I will say it is a tad more expensive than the going rate in Duluth.
I got the grilled pork rice dish. I don’t know what the Vietnamese are doing to their grilled pork, but why is it always so amazing? This dish wasn’t an exception. The marinade is sweet yet savory, and the meat has an amazing smoky taste with a great balance of fat. I wouldn’t say that New Super Pho’s grilled pork is particularly better than other places, but Vietnamese grilled pork never disappoints, period. The portion and pricing are standard for other Vietnamese restaurants in Duluth, but it is small compared to an American portion, FYI. If you’re quite hungry, you’ll have to order some sides or another dish for sure.
Rating and Conclusion
Taste: 4.5
Value: 4.5
Memorable: 4
Total: 4.3
I love this place, it has been a comforting spot for me for years. It’s not always about reinventing the wheel; it’s about consistency, warmth, and a flavorful broth. If you get a chance to stop by, their pho and grilled pork dishes are a must. Let me know if you get to make memories here like I have.
