Dining Near Chamblee-Tucker Road

Mr. Plow and I live in a glorious unincorporated (for now) area of DeKalb County that's not quite Chamblee and not quite Tucker. Those two cities are, however,  quite literally connected by Chamblee-Tucker Road. Over the years, we've discovered three delicious dining spots along the CTR corridor, each with an Asian flair and all providing tasty, memorable food.

Ponko Chicken
2896 Chamblee-Tucker Road
Atlanta, GA 30341

Let me admit this right up front: we have been ADDICTED to Ponko Chicken: it's been love and cravings since the very first bite.

Ponko Chicken uses the tagline "where eats meets west," a play on the combination of Japanese flavors and techniques with the decidedly American concepts of chicken fingers and fries. The result of this mash-up is stupefyingly delicious. In fact, it's so delicious that I'm confident these chicken fingers - crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside, and topped with a drizzle of a suggestion-of-soy/touch-of-teriyaki sauce - might be the best you will ever eat.

You can go for the Basic (three tenders and a side), but Mr. Plow and I splurge for the Meal (five tenders and two sides). The sides include Ponko Fries (topped with sesame-seaweed flakes), Sticky White Rice, and a wonderfully rich Cole Slaw with a sesame dressing. Each meal is also accompanied by fresh pickles and a bit of buttermilk ranch sauce. (Full confession: our favorite variation is to mix the rice and the slaw and the pickles and the ranch and the tenders all together in the totally cute box and savor a little taste of everything in each bite.)

Finally, don't leave Ponko without trying a Betty, their signature cookie that combines oatmeal, walnuts, and chocolate chips in a crispy, lacy treat.

Food Terminal
5000 Buford Highway #B201
Chamblee, GA 30341

Two giant things to know about Food Terminal: the dining room is expansive and the menu is a glossy full-color magazine! Another important thing to know: the Malaysian cuisine - a sort of Pan-Asian experience that includes rice dishes, noodle dishes, baos, and curries - is soul-satisfying.

On our first trip to Food Terminal, Mr. Plow and I had no idea about the abundance of food that was about to come our way, so we ordered way too much (we enjoyed the leftovers just as much the next night at home). Once seated, you'll be presented with the aforementioned menu-catalog, helpfully divided into categories. Want something unique? Try a rolling hot plate (note: enough to serve at least four people) like the "Cheese 'n Cheese," a sizzling skillet filled with tomato-braised rice, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, bacon, spam, scallions, spring onions, and bell peppers!

Now that we've settled in as frequent customers, we've also settled in to some familiar, comforting favorite dishes. We like to start with a couple of cold Japanese beers and a plate of super-spicy Szechuan Steamed Wontons. For the mains, Mr. Plow favors the Thai Chili Pan Mee (a bowl full of spicy ground chicken, shitake mushrooms, spinach, and pan mee noodles topped with a fried egg) while I savor the Grandma Pork Tossed Noodles, featuring tender and tasty barbecue pork and three crunchy fried wontons!

Hopstix
3404 Pierce Drive
Chamblee, GA 30341

Craving craft beer and Asian-fusion? Then, Hopstix - featuring more than ten house brews always on tap and a tasty, eclectic menu - is worth a visit.

Let's start with the brews: Mr. Plow always finds a potent IPA (or two) to his liking and I'm usually perfectly satisfied with a straightforward witbier or lager (or a sour if there is one on offer). Can't decide among the 10+ varieties? Order a flight and sample a few!

The food at Hopstix is both quirky and tasty. For example, you might want to start with the unique Sushi Corndog, a spicy tuna roll that has been battered and fried and is served up with a side of spicy mayo. The sticky chicken wings have the perfect combination of sweet and heat and pair nicely with a cone of fresh-cut fries (also served with that toothsome spicy mayo). Or...you can try a few skewers of meats or veggies, piping hot from the Japanese robata grill. Finally, the special rolls are huge and satisfying - especially the Kamikaze with yellow tail, tuna, cucumber, shisho leaf, sriracha, and scallions.