BimBim Yum

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For months and months, I said "nay" every time someone suggested we go for Dim Sum on a Sunday morning. Yes, I know it's traditional for dim sum, an Asian meal consisting of lots of small servings,  to be consumed as "brunch" food on Sundays. And yes, I know there are all sorts of dumpling goodies to be found on those little food carts the waiters push around the dining room. But really, in 100% honesty, what I really feel like on a Sunday morning is a nonfat chai and some WaHo cheese eggs if I am going anywhere at all beyond my couch with the Sunday paper. Shrimp and soy sauce? Umm.... :P

That said: I did venture out for dim sum a few months ago and found Oriental Pearl up on Buford Highway to be quite delightful. They prefer their dim sum a bit later in the day there, so we were able to sample the cuisine after noon, leaving me to think of it more like lunch. I still think about those sesame ball things today.

My last real food experience up on Buford Highway was almost two years ago with a stop at what we thought then was a Korean BBQ place. Knowing now that real Korean BBQ places offer the at-table grills to make your meat, this little spot still managed to please our (somewhat picky) American crowd with a table full of, believe it or not, mostly vegetables and not much meat at all.

It's been on our mind ever since, and so we finally went back last week to check out the healthy cuisine again. This time, I made a note of which meals from the mostly Korean symbol-menu our waitress helped us order. Because goodness gracious, this food was SO GOOD. So much so, I want to go back again NOW!

Place: So Kong Dong Tofu House
Location: 5280 Buford Hwy, Suite C, very close to 285 and just shy of my fav Hur's Jewelry Mart.

Don't be alarmed if you feel a little out of place as an English-speaking person here. They are really nice and love helping newcomers with the menu. Things that we tried that you might like too:

• The vegetable pancake is a Korean meal staple, and comes in versions with seafood, too. We liked topping it with the sesame soy sauce; it serves a table, or two people for a light main meal. 
• All the meals come with a variety of small bowls to share, including kimchi and white rice. Try it all because most of it is awesome.  I do have to say the tiny dried fish were too chewy for me, though. 
• Any of the soups are fantastic. They come with a raw egg to crack into the (literally) boiling soup before eating, where it cooks right up. I liked the mushroom-tofu soup, and heard the one with beef was also tasty.
• The Combo Specials serve up a lot of the above along with some BBQ meat. Try this if you are looking for a little bit of everything, or if you are with a group that is adventurous.

Have you tried some of these dishes before? ATL-iens -- what is your favorite Asian stop-over in town?