Dining out: Sampling ‘the Ellis Island of the South’
Clarkston, Ga., offers a culinary world tour in a single square mile, said Beth McKibben in Eater.
Identified as a haven for refugees in the early 1990s, the tiny city just east of Atlanta is now home to residents from more than 50 countries and calls itself the most diverse square mile in America. It’s also now a gem of greater Atlanta’s dining scene. “In a single afternoon, diners can enjoy Ethiopian, Nepalese, Burmese, North Indian, Eritrean, and Vietnamese food”—all without changing their parking spot.
Chef Winnie’s Kitchen Addis Ababa–born chef Woinshet Legesse Emory fled Ethiopia in 1991 after her politician husband was jailed by the opposition. She managed food service at many top hotels before earning a degree from Le Cordon Bleu and starting this small restaurant of her own, where she cooks traditional Ethiopian, but also Mexican and American with an Ethiopian twist. Be sure to try the jackfruit curry tibs and gomen with injera, or the quesadilla, served in a red tortilla with Ethiopian spices. 4238 E. Ponce de Leon Ave., (404) 228-9152
PS–Asian Restaurant One of a handful of top food destinations at the Clarkston Village shopping complex, PS-Asian serves two of Clarkston’s must-have dishes: mohinga, a fish soup with rice noodles that is a Myanmar signature, and bak kut teh, a fragrant pork rib soup often found in Singapore. 926 Montreal Road E., (770) 549-5637
Abyssinia Café & Restaurant This charming spot next to PS-Asian is a great place to grab a karkaday (an Egyptian hibiscus tea) and breakfast ful, a stew featuring fava beans, scrambled eggs, onion, and green pepper. Later on, try the awaze tibs—beef sauteed in onions, tomatoes, and barbere. 926 Montreal Road E., (404) 941-9263