Atlanta food and restaurant blog | The Blissful Glutton » Smyrna

First impression: Heirloom Market BBQ (Smyrna)

blissfulglutton — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 14:00:51 +0000

While browsing through the Atlanta food blogs yesterday morning, I read that the author of Fried Chicken Lips, Kit Fenton, had found a new barbecue spot off of Powers Ferry Road. I sent it to my husband, the ‘cue fiend, who predictably suggested (read: demanded) we meet at Heirloom Market BBQ for lunch. Kit, who really has a knack for sniffing these new places out, gave it positive remarks so expectations were high.

The restaurant is in a tiny space next door to a food mart. It only seats about 15 folks so getting it to go may be a better option. Before we get to the food, a little background on the spot from its website:

Heirloom Market is the smallest of places with the biggest of hearts. This chef driven restaurant was designed with the idea of paying respect to iconic BBQ food ways with the touch of our personal flavor. Chefs Cody and Jiyeon decided to create Heirloom Market with one basic thought “What can we enjoy doing for the next 10 years”. We decided to cook to our strengths. Simple, Classic, and Fresh are three adjectives that should never be lost when providing such a polarizing cuisine as BBQ. Jiyeon, a South Korean ex-pat, grew up with the flavors of grilled meats, pickled vegetables, and a constant array of side dishes. Her culinary training and travels in the states has led to a deep rooted love for “Seoul” food or classic Southern cuisine. Cody (a Texas born, Tennessee raised, Atlanta trained Chef) has spent countless hours cooking, eating, and appreciating everything BBQ. Together they have created a place that provides the best of “the things we eat on our days off.”

Heirloom is using all local meats when possible such as Riverview Farm’s meats and Patak’s sausages. Therefore, the prices are a little higher than other ‘cue places that use cheaper quality cuts. Moon and I got the Southern Sampler so we could, well, sample as many meats as possible.

The brisket is excellent. Read: fatty, tender, and smoky. The chopped pork and chicken were equally gorgeous. The ribs, however, needed more time as they were a bit tough.

There is a long list of sides to pull from including some fancier chef specials. We went basic and got mac and cheese, cole slaw, and beans.

We could not find fault with any of them. I especially appreciated the chunk of pork in the beans and the lighter mayo dressing on the slaw. Another plus? The buttered and griddled (?) buns and the homemade pickles that came with our meal. Heirloom also has a few different sauces depending on which style you like–something I always appreciate.

Verdict: New ‘cue with pedigree and some serious potential. Go for the brisket, pulled pork, or chicken and don’t forget a chilly bottle of Mexican coke on the side. I’m a fan despite it being early in the game.

First impression: The New Orleans Connection: Smyrna

blissfulglutton — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:42:00 +0000

Cheesesteaks, Cubanos and po’ boys all have one thing in common aside from being sandwiches. They are, by far, among the most challenging sandwiches to find authentic versions of outside of their birth places. I’m not saying you can’t find good versions here (I love Roy’s Cheesesteaks), but a true representation is almost as elusive as good Atlanta dim-sum. And that is why we trekked up to New Orleans Connection in Smyrna after reading the raves about it on Atlanta Cuisine.

The restaurant, which is tucked away in a mini strip mall, has all the markings of a New Orleans style restaurant: File gumbo, jambalaya, beignets and po’boys. We tried to show a little restraint despite the abundance of Creole classics and “only” ordered two po’boys (oyster for Moon and shrimp for myself), an order of jambalaya and some beignets.

Moon’s oyster po’boy: This looked delicious, but the sandwich fell flat in a big way. The oysters tasted off, the bread was stale and no amount of hot sauce or seasoning from having it fully “dressed” could save this sandwich.

Oyster po’boy innards

My shrimp po’boy: This sandwich had the same problems the other suffered from and the shrimp were tiny and tough. I left 3/4 of it in the basket and made a meal out of the semi-acceptable hush puppies we were told came from a bag. Sigh.

Hush puppies

The jambalaya tasted like it came from a box. It was dry and processed tasting. I needed two big gulps of soda to choke it down. The beignets–something I haven’t found a good version of since Huey’s closed–were a mess. They tasted like they’d come from a package (sensing a theme here?) and reeked of old oil. To make matters worse, the interior was completely dense like a donut instead of puffed and airy as a true beignet should be. Massive FAIL.

Verdict: Would I go back? Definitely not. The trip was a waste of gas. Moon and I could barely make it through half a sandwich. Meh. We had to go have a second lunch to wash the oyster and old oil funk off our tastebuds. I can’t say there is any reason go here when there are so many better options like Muss & Turners, Tasty China, Tandoor, etc. nearby. Try it for yourself and let me know what you think.

INFORMATION

Address: 1669 Spring Road, Suite B, 30080

Phone: 770-874-3404

WEBSITE

Bella’s Pizzeria: Smyrna

blissfulglutton — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 19:45:00 +0000

RESTAURANT REVIEW:
A good slice of Pizza is hard to find in Atlanta. So, I was excited to find Bella’s Pizzeria on a recommendation from Tom Maicon of Atlanta Cuisine. I went to check out the Smyrna location because it is closer to my home. I got a small cheese and was on my way. They use Grande cheese which is the king of pizza cheese. It makes a big difference. The pizza had a nice thin and crispy crust. The sauce was fresh tasting and a perfect compliment to the authentic cheese. The Acworth store has a gas oven which is supposed to make the crust even crispier. I am very excited to add this place to my rotation. Go check it out if you are in need of a good slice.

RESTAURANT INFORMATION:
Address:3599 Atlanta Rd SE # A13
Phone:(770) 437-8056
Website: Bella’s Pizzeria
Cuisine: Pizza