The Move is your monthly guide to the top food finds from Senior Editor Beth McKibben, who oversees restaurant and dining coverage at Rough Draft. Subscribe to our Thursday dining newsletter Side Dish to keep in the know.
Pesto BEC biscuit at People’s Town Coffee Bar
55 Milton Avenue, Peoplestown, Atlanta
The bacon, egg, and cheese (BEC) biscuit at People’s Town Coffee Bar comprises a fluffy, folded egg, crispy bacon, and gooey cheddar cheese cascading down the sides. The addition of bright green pesto gives this BEC an herbaceous pop. The savory breakfast sandwich can come on either a toasted bagel or a Southern-style biscuit. Opt for the biscuit provided to the coffee bar by Juniper Cafe, from the team behind Humble Pie and Lazy Betty. That’s my move.
Pesto BECs are only available on the weekend and sell out fast, especially those served on the soft, crumbly biscuit. It’s best to arrive before 10 a.m. For lunch, try the Chosewood grilled cheese with salami, pesto, peppadew peppers, mozzarella, and provolone. Pair it with an espresso tonic (‘spro ton) made with espresso, subtle carbonation from tonic water, and orange bitters.
Agedashi tofu in Doraville and Edgewood
Yebisuya, 6035 Peachtree Road, Doraville
Dead End Drinks, 130 Arizona Avenue, Edgewood
An essential dish on izakaya menus, agedashi tofu is pure umami comfort food. The dish comprises three to four cubes of firm tofu typically fried in potato starch and served in a warm soy-based sauce. It’s garnished with chopped scallions, daikon radishes, and occasionally fresh ginger.
I’m partial to the agedashi tofu at Yebisuya at the Super HMart complex in Doraville. Four generously sized, lightly fried tofu cubes come served in a rich soy broth topped with grated daikon radishes, scallions, and shaved nori (dried seaweed). Nori gives the dish added crunch, hints of salinity, and a bit of extra savoriness. Don’t be afraid to cup the bowl to finish any remaining broth. Order a pot of hot green tea to pair with ramen, omurice (Japanese-style omelet covering fried rice), or tenzaru soba (cold soba noodles served with wasabi, fresh ginger, and assorted tempura). Try the agedashi tofu at Dead End Drinks in Edgewood, too, paired with a martini.
Seven-Layer Country Captain Crunchwrap at SamWitch
Halfway Crooks Biergarten, 60 Georgia Avenue, Summerhill, Atlanta
Several restaurants and pop-ups have opened around Atlanta recently putting the sandwich center stage. This includes Bona Fide Deluxe in Edgewood, Humble Mumble in Midtown, The Best Sandwich Shop in Poncey-Highland, and The Velvet Hippo in Avondale Estates. Add my new favorite sandwich slinger SamWitch to this list, and the Seven-Layer Country Captain Crunchwrap Superb. You’ll find the sandwich shop serving from a bright yellow shipping container at the Halfway Crooks beer garden in Summerhill on the weekends.
Operated by Chef Mykel Burkhart and Sam Wilson Burkhart and Chef Tyler Oliver, the SamWitch crunchwrap is loaded with ingredients –remember, there are seven layers. No single ingredient overpowers the others, showcasing the chef skills of Burkhart and Oliver when it comes to successfully balancing flavors. The country captain crunchwrap is stuffed with smoked chicken, fragrant garlic-ginger basmati rice, sweet potato and almond spread, queso fresco, shrabbage, and raita. The tortilla is lightly fried, just enough to give the exterior ample stability to hold the contents of the sandwich in place.
Burkhart and Oliver are serious about sandwiches, including the blue crab rangoon grilled cheese and a pork and gator patty melt. Grab a beer from the container bar (I like Halfway’s German-style pilsner, Ada) and take a seat at a picnic table in the beer garden.
