Buford Highway is an area of international mini-malls about 10 miles north of Atlanta. Taquerias are jammed next to Korean restaurants, which abut Chinese dim sum parlors and Vietnamese cafes. Com Vietnamese Grill is one of the more ambitious restaurants along the eating corridor, which stretches all the way to Doraville.
I ate my way across Vietnam last year, and ever since then, I’ve been skeptical of any State-side renditions of Vietnamese dishes. Happily, after one bite of duck-filled la lot leaves at Com, I instantly dropped my guard. Com serves interesting dishes I never encountered across the Pacific.
To drink, I ordered a mix of milk and fresh, pulpy orange juice, served on the rocks. I know it must sound disgusting, but the drink tasted incredible.
I was very happy with my Com experience. Unfortunately, I wasn’t paying close enough attention while I was at the restaurant. In a post-meal scroll across Com’s website and Meredith Ford’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution review, I realized I could have ordered charcoal grilled sheep’s head and an off-the-menu item, alligator hot pot. Next time.
After reading Com’s write-ups, I was intrigued. After eating their food, I left a believer.
FYI: Things are going so well, the Com owners plan to open a second branch in January 2006, up Buford Highway in the town of Chamblee.
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