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Mon., Wed-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Mon., Wed-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 10:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
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A while ago, I attended the UYE at Frank Ma's with bunch of lovely Yelpers and had a wonderful dining experience. But as I sat down in front of my computer to write a review the next day, I wondered, "Would I have liked Frank Ma's as much as I did if I didn't go in a group?" I tried to ignore the question. But it lingered forever and ever and a little longer. Urgh, the damn reasonable doubt. So Hyeon and I revisited Frank Ma's to see if my first impression was correct.
I will say that it was difficult (and a bit scary) to walk into a restaurant that the sole language used doesn't really match my language knowledge. In other words, I had no clue what the special on the board was, had difficulty understanding our waitress, etc. (Now I know what you feel like upon walking into a Korean restaurant!) I asked our waitress for recommendation, but she didn't give me any; she sort of explained the specials of the day (which we didn't understand) and that was it. Hyeon and I tried to translate the menu, but that didn't really work, either. So we just ended up ordering the specials (which I later learned to be Pepper Steak) with some other dishes. My favorite was the Onion Pancakes, which just melts in your mouth.
Overall, the food was still very delicious - just as how I remembered it from the UYE night. But it lacked variety: Obviously, it's hard to try all those different entrees with only two people! Still, the incredible portion persisted. I swear, we didn't order that much, but we went home with three containers (which we enjoyed the next day).
As I mentioned above, although our waitress and we had difficulty understanding each other, I could feel the warmth in her service. She was friendly, prompt, and helpful to a degree. She was always smiling and explained carefully as to what each dish was. I really appreciated that.
Answer to my question: I think I enjoyed it a bit more when I went with the large group. Nothing beats all that variety! The night I went back, Frank and Amy weren't there, so I was a little bit bummed. But I'm still really thankful that I had the chances to try Frank Ma's legendary cooking before he goes into retirement. I just wish I knew about Frank Ma's a little sooner! Now where am I going to get my Onion Pancake fix?
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I've been sitting on Frank Ma's for a while. No, not actually sitting on Frank Ma the person. That poor man is getting up in years and I would squash him like a bug. I mean, the Yelp event happened there weeks ago and I've put off writing about it. I don't know what took me so long. Maybe it's because I didn't want to write in the post UYE rush. Maybe it's because I needed some distance to determine what I was going to write. Or maybe it's because when you review one Chinese restaurant, 30 minutes later you want to review another one. I don't know, but I feel I owe you my review of Frank Ma's Din Ho.
Seriously, Frank Ma's Din Ho is going to be the only time you'll WANT to hear "Ma" and "Ho" in the same sentence because that'll mean you're getting ready to sit down to some of the best Chinese food in Atlanta. For disclosure's sake, I haven't actually eaten here as a civilian yet. Instead I came as one of the Yelp mob that descended here weeks ago. As a result, we may have been treated better than most, but based on other reviews, I don't think that was necessarily the case. Regardless, we came, we saw, we ate. And boy did we eat. We ate tofu, we ate chicken, we ate beef and fish. We had vegetarian dishes and their famed (for good reason) soup dumplings. It was all pretty damn amazing. Go see the pix I posted above for more info.
Now, I wish some of it had a little more spice and bite to them, but I think he was holding back a little since these were shared, family-style dishes. When you don't know everyone's palates, the middle road must be followed. Sigh. That's fine and makes me want to see what would happen if I was allowed to drive off directly into spice town. Whoohoo! See ya, suckers!
Great Chinese food served up with a smile and an explanation. A lighted disco floor at your feet. It's enough for five stars for Franks Ma's Din Ho!
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Trust the Frank.
After reading many yelp foodie's reviews on Frank Ma's, it was time to venture off to check it out. . . and may I humbly present some reasons why you should too:
1. Crazy light up floor: I don't think this gets enough attention because everyone is consumed in directing their chopsticks chock full of thank- goodness-for-frank Chinese food into their mouths.
2. Depth of menu: You could eat here for months and not duplicate a meal. Keeps it entertaining!
3. Group Dining: On the advice of a much more versed in Frank-ness yelper (thanks Kit!), when getting a large group together, you can go for a sort of prix fixe menu - you name the amount, and they'll put something together to your specifications.
4. Trust the Frank: related to no. 3, if you've ever tried to make a large group reservation somewhere, if you're like me, then you've run into some problems. "no, we can't make reservations. no, we can't split checks. whoops, we lost your reservation!" Making a group reservation was crazily easy here. They had our party of nearly thirty people set up with tables along one side of the restaurant and were locked and loaded. Seriously major points from me - I've even had one restaurant tell me that they wouldn't even accommodate a group of that size for a weekend night. Preposterous. Don't let this happen to you, and just go see Frank.
5. The Food: I've now been here twice - once with just a few people and the time with nearly thirty. Both times. Food. Amazing. I woke up the next morning craving more at 10 AM. And, again related to no. 4, for our group dining prix fixe meal, Frank & Co. chose a really tasty breadth of dishes to suit everyone.
6. BYOB: is awesome. BYOB nearly makes me hear angels singing in the background. Did I mention that there's no corkage fee? Just plenty of opportunity to pair your Chinese food with whatever your biceps can carry in and your pocketbook desires - from two buck chuck to a bottle of Dom.
So I thank the yelps for propelling an awesome new place to go for me. . .and I share the yelp in the hopes that you will too! So go and trust the Frank. And the Amy. And the eggplant.
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I had read all your rave reviews about Frank Ma's on Yelp so my expectations were set pretty high. However, the bar got set lower yesterday b/c I had read a blog about the chef leaving earlier this month and Frank/wife leaving at the end of this month ... so I knew I may not get the same experience like so many other raving fans. Either my friend & I came on an off day or maybe the transition had already started. We both agreed we wouldn't come again.
First, there was an uncomfortable vibe about the place. You definitely didn't feel like you were in Atlanta anymore. It didn't help that we got a lot of stares from the staff & Chinese customers. I think some nice music in the background could've helped ... but instead they had Chinese TV.
We first ordered the soup filled dumplings but unfortunately got them after dinner b/c the ones we ordered were delivered to the wrong table. They were actually pretty good - better than Chef Liu's on Buford Hwy. We also ordered the onion pancakes b/c they had gotten great reviews - but they didn't taste fresh and they were hard like they had probably been sitting in the kitchen all day. We also ordered the "mapo tofu" ... that was just ok. We had tasted better. Maybe we ordered the wrong dishes. Maybe Frank/wife had already left. Whatever the reason, today was a sad day b/c I had hoped for delicious authentic Chinese cuisine. You can bet this restaurant won't make my list of favorite Chinese restaurants. My favorites -- Canton Cooks, Namchunhong, and Canton House.
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Frank Ma's HAS to be my 300th review because they are the best and deserve that honor. I went here with a large group and that's what you have to do or else you can't eat everything! We ordered tons of dishes and I'm so glad I got to sample so much!
Frank Ma's...wow. It's just awesome. I think I should just run down a list of what we ordered, it's easier that way:
Cold salted duck - I really liked this, but I think I was the only one. It had a lot of bones and I have no problems letting my prehistoric instincts come out to rip tender flesh from bone. Plus, I'm Jewish. We like salty, stinky, cold things (see lox)
Cold pork tripe w/ Schezuan peppercorns - This was just fucking amazing. I'd never had Schezuan peppercorns until I ate this and now I'm an addict. You could smell the garlic wafting off this dish when they put it down in front of you and the tripe was so incredibly tender. It was my favorite dish of the evening by far and something I would never skip ordering. If you think you dislike tripe because it sounds "icky", you're retarded. This was like eating tender, moist, flavorful pork. Absolutely outstanding.
Xiao Long Bao - You know what, I was a little disappointed with these. Good flavor, but not a lot of soup were in mine. That's the best part! Still, they are tasty.
Chive dumpling - This was the only thing I downright didn't like as it was really bland. It's a mixture of scrambled egg and chives in a thin dumpling. Sorry Frank Ma, but do not want.
Ma Po Tofu - I knew I would like this, but at first I was mildly annoyed that we ordered something a little mundane. Holy crap, I was stupid because this was awesome! The tofu in it is amazing, I wouldn't be surprised if they made their own. I could not get enough of this, it might have been my favorite entree! Seriously, so good!
Three Cups Chicken - This was also awesome and ordered on the recommendation of Blissful Glutton. It has a sweet sauce, but not cloying and with a lot of depth in flavor. And the whole cloves of garlic? How great is that! I wanted to try Three Cups Squid, but we already had a seafood entree so chicken it was. There's always a next time!
Pork Belly w/ Jalapenos - This was good, but a little salty for my tastes. All the men at the table loved this to death, definitely a sausage party kind of dish. The pork belly was excellent though, not greasy or heavy at all.
Fish in Hot Oil - The fish in this is really nice and the long you let this sit, the more flavorful it gets. At first I thought it was bland, but when I took seconds, you could really taste everything. Surprisingly, even though the fish is literally in oil, it doesn't make you sick and isn't heavy in the slightest.
I can't wait to visit again (next week actually!!!!) Frank himself seated us and was very sweet and funny. Plus, they have a disco floor with rainbow lights in it. How classy! LUV U FRANK MA'S!!!!
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Jane and I wanted to go for some Chinese food tonight. We went to an unnamed Chinese food chain at Cumberland only to find that the crowds were insane. This was a Saturday night at 8pm though, so its not like we shouldn't have expected it.
So we left... I was going to take us to another of said restaurant's locations, but then realized... WHY DIDNT I CHECK MY YELP BOOKMARKS BEFORE DECIDING ON A PLACE?
I decided we ought to try Frank Ma's since its on my list. I vaguely knew the area it was in, so we drove to Chamblee, but then needed to know where to go. A quick text to 46645 (GOOGL) got me the address, and 2 minutes further down Chamblee-Dunwoody, we just happened to run into New Peachtree Rd. SCORE!
We walked into the restaurant and Frank's wife Amy greets and seats us. She immediately asks if we want some steamed pork buns. Without thinking about it, we said "Sure!". A great decision as they were delicious. The plate of sliced pickled white radishes provided for the table were spicy but not overwhelmingly so, and I devoured the plate.
Then, we order. Jane orders the fried rice with a bowl of egg drop soup. We get the soup a few minutes later and its in a huge bowl with enough soup for 4-5 people! The fried rice was definitely delicious, not a soggy greasy mess like some Chinese places serve.
I attempt to order the Chinese sty;e pork belly (bacon) with jalapeno, curious because I've never known bacon or jalapeno to part of Chinese cuisine. Amy Ma informs me they were out of bacon that night. I then asked what kind of fish the various "fish" dishes featured. She did not answer my question, but asked if I liked spicy food (very much thank you :) and quickly recommended the sliced fish in hot oil.
Remembering reading about it in a yelp review I decided to go with that. That was the best decision of the day.
And, OH MY GOD the bowl of fish was easily enough to feed a family. My wife was shocked because I don't eat fish, in fact outside of a certain few types of sushi or fish n chips, I Just Don't. Eat. Fish.
This fish was tender and flaky, in a very spicy mix of oil and black pepper with a few vegetables thrown in, but they were extremely generous with the fish.
And our bill was less than $35.
I can't wait to come back!
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I USED TO LOVE THE LANGUAGE BARRIER. It kept everything foreign, different, making each meal at a chinese restaurant more chinese simply because I couldn't understand anything. I didn't need to understand, back then I just wanted good food. Of course I also used to order general tso's chicken thinking it was authentic cuisine straight from Zhongguo.
It's the details that make everything great at Frank Ma's. The way Amy Ma welcomes you when you first enter; how the server smiles, surprised when your Caucasian dinner-mate actually orders her food in Mandarin. The way the food comes out with the wok-essence infused, visibly floating upward, intertwined with the rising steam. Dumplings cooked to perfection, balancing the pan fried outer texture with the heavenly ingredients within. Entrees prepared with copious amounts of oil, leaving residual spoonfuls only adding to the flavor, multiplying the desired effects. Your meal will definitely make you happy.
On this sunday afternoon with the restaurant near empty, it's just my girlfriend and me. Frank Ma stops by our table and ask how is everything. "Hen hao chi" my girlfriend replies and a surprised smile registers on Frank's face. I sit there quietly eating my gloriously roasted Beijing duck, trying to avoid letting on that the only Mandarin I know is from lesson one of Pimsleur. She tells him of her time studying in Beijing and his eyes light up. Question after question he asks while I reach across the table with my chopsticks, snap at some perfectly braised eggplant and fill my mouth repeatedly while they talk back and forth.
'Hongshao qiezi' is one of the few vegetarian dishes I can always count on. Every restaurant has a slight recipe variation but all of them satisfy completely. If you're vegetarian and you're tired of eating fried rice with steamed vegetables or any number of tofu substitutions, try this Chinese eggplant dish. Even if it's not on the menu, ask for it and nine times out of ten they'll prepare it for you. The stuff at Frank Ma's is on par with the best.
I sit facing a wall of mirrors. The air outside is crisp and a thin layer of snow still covers the ground. I watch reflections as person after person comes in from the cold and is greeted by Amy Ma before walking to the back where a meeting is beginning. I eavesdrop, trying to identify the handful of words I understand, listening for tones, attempting to gain a language immersion lesson for free - all of it lost on me as I get distracted by the arrival of more food.
Sliced fish in hot oil is so much more than the title suggests and insanely fulfilling as my rice catches every flavor. If I could lick my plate without being seen, I'd do it in a heartbeat. And no matter how incorrect the sentence; this food tastes beautiful.
Frank Ma is looking at me, expecting me not to be rude and finally say something. He speaks perfect English, but instead I meekly respond 'Wo hui shuo yidianr putonghua' with a Beijing accent sounding a bit like a pirate. I add 'Wo shi Feilubinren' explaining that I'm Filipino. He grins and says in English, "Keep working on it". Just then a crash of dropped metal clangs from the kitchen and he abruptly walks away.
I look at our empty plates. Not a morsel of food is left. Mandarin being spoken in the kitchen carries out and fills the dining area mingling with noise from the meeting in back. Laughter mixes in with exclamations while the big screen television shows a celebration taking place somewhere in Taiwan. Reaching across the table my girlfriend holds my hand and tells me 'wo ai ni'. I don't know this term but like the food at Frank Ma's, translation is not needed - everything here taste beautiful.
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I am the newest member of the 'Cult of Frank Ma'.
Went for lunch and ordered off the menu, forget the buffet even if it is a deal at $5.99. Forget any buffet for that matter. The joint was jumping....filled to the max and line out the door.
There really isn't a whole lot to add to previous reviewers. Not only loved it, I'd rank it among my favorite restaurants in Atlanta.
We stuck with the standard recommendations: Soup dumplings, pan fried pork dumplings, 3 cup chicken, sliced fish in hot oil, shredded pork in hot garlic, and some type of dry rubbed green beans.
Soup dumplings were tasty, but my wife said they weren't the best she has had, can find better in NY/Chinatown...more soup in those buns please...and this ain't Richard Simmons requesting it. I felt the pan fried dumplings were better.
3 cup chicken was very flavorful, I was expecting total sweetness but it had a little spice to it so that pleased the taste buds. The downfall to this dish is the chicken is not boneless.
Probably not a good 'first date' selection since you are constantly trying to get small bits of bone out of your mouth. Unless of course, it is a bad date and you want to scare her off quickly. However, the bone picken is worth the effort.
The pork in hot garlic sauce was pretty tasty, but not so much hot as the oil flavor overwhelmed it a bit (sesame oil?).
The dry rubbed green beans were great. I don't know how they made them, I am assuming garlic and soy sauce was in it, and maybe some scallions. They were killer.
The best was the fish in hot oil. Amazing. Adding cilantro really took it up a notch. Not sure what type of fish it was, seemed like some sort of sole/fluke/flounder. Not fishy at all...and the hot oil is pure genius.
As Henry Rollins would say "Gimme gimme gimme, I need some more". I'll be back.
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Sold. Proud card carrying member of Frank Ma Food Cult.
Mr. Frank cooked up a solid meal for us - prixe fix so no one had to worry about sticking to trying any one thing. Which, at a restaurant you've never been to, you should just order it all. Especially at Frank's, because you won't be disappointed. He was considerate enough to make several dishes vegetarian since we had a few of those in our party.
My personal faves? The eggplant, the fish in black bean sauce, and the dumplings of course. I also loved the tender beef and the three cup chicken was great (although I didn't enjoy the bone picking out so much).
I'll be back Frank and Amy, don't you worry. Umm....I might just have to find a ride first (I have no idea how to get there....blame it on the head wound I had).
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I felt like I had come home when I walked into Frank Ma's. We dined here on Chinese New Year. I called ahead to ask if they'd be packed, but Frank assured me he'd seat us and that it was BYOB. Done :) When we got there, Amy and Frank greeted us and sat us at a table on top of the infamous "disco floor."
We ordered a variety of things, and everything we tasted was just so good. Honestly, I couldn't tell if my mom could make anything taste better (sorry, mom!). The dumplings and duck were both super crispy and not greasy. Our chinese broccoli was crunchy and the oyster sauce wasn't too cloying. While we ate, Frank went from table to table, chatting and joking around with guests.
If not just for the perfect food that reminds me of home cooking, the atmosphere and genuine friendly nature of the Ma's is why I'll keep coming back. In fact, I'm looking into having our wedding rehearsal dinner here!
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It was bitterly cold outside. Snow was on the ground. The mister and I were craving some good, hot Chinese food and we were wandering around a shopping center trying to find this Frank Ma's place we'd heard about... and we weren't having any luck. We decided some Chinese food was better than no Chinese food, and warmth was much preferred to the cold, and so resolved to give up our search and duck into a place called DinHo.
The restaurant was warm. It smelled good. Hot tea was immediately brought to the table. Things were looking up!
And, surpise, we managed to find the right place after all! It must be that internal Chinese food radar of ours. Or Kuan Yin in her infinite mercy. Or just plain dumb luck. Don't let that DinHo sign fool you, this is indeed Frank Ma's.
I had my all-time favorite, hongshao qiezi (eggplant braised in soy sauce). The texture was perfect- soft but not too mushy. The sauce was great, too... not too salty, not too oily. It didn't have the sweet undertone that the dish sometimes has, but the flavor was balanced and my taste buds were happy. The egg and chive pancake was perfect, too. The color contrast is amazing, and it's stuffed full of green goodness, rice noodles, and bits of scrambled egg.
But it's not just the food that makes this place great. It's the people! Amy and our waitress made sure the teapot was never empty. Frank the Friendly was greeting patrons left and right- what a popular guy! We had a nice chat about Beijing (I spent a semester there 5 years ago), he grew up nearby. He introduced one of his guest to me...I'm not sure why, but perhaps because a white girl speaking Chinese is an oddity, and most Chinese people are extraordinarly enthusiastic and complimentary at my attempts to master Mandarin.
When we finally finished eating, I didn't want to leave. I felt like I could hang out there drinking tea all day, sampling the menu and watching Taiwanese news on the big screen TV. Frank Ma's feels comfortable, familiar...like my grandma's house. And just like my grandma's house, you know you're in for a great meal.
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When Frank Ma's restaurant closed in September of 2005, his devoted patrons were devastated. Whenever friends and I would debate where to go for Chinese, those in the know would lament, "I wish Frank Ma's was still open!" Well, their prayers have been answered. Steve Drucker, a former restaurateur responsible for such finds as Chef Liu and Tasty China, reported on http://Atlantacuisine.com, that Frank Ma's would be reopening a week ago. Ma fans around Atlanta could barely contain their excitement.
I met Steve and some other friends for lunch yesterday--their first service since reopening. While I would not normally report on a restaurant's opening day, I am confident talking about this place because Frank and Amy Ma are no strangers to the restaurant business (I believe they have had about 5 restaurants in Atlanta). The super-friendly couple kept trying to retire, but they always get pulled back in to the business. As our dining companions filtered in, Frank greeted those he knew with big hugs and lots of chatter. One of our table members recalled Frank teaching him how to use chopsticks at 6 years old and another talked to Frank about his family with the kind of familiarity you just don't see much of these days. Through all of this, Frank had a massive smile on his face that never faded throughout our whole meal. It was all very endearing.
The restaurant has a Chinese buffet for lunch (which did not look half-bad), but we chose to order the Shanghainese and Taiwanese specialties off the menu. Actually, Steve did the ordering which I was more than happy to step away from since he knows the menu so well. As our dishes arrived, 5 pairs of chopsticks started darting around our table and the consensus was delicious. In between snapping photos (a task considering I was the only gal at a table full of very hungry men), I sampled the dishes. I am not lying when I said everything was delicious. I couldn't find fault with anything.
The Shanghai soup buns, probably one of my favorite things to eat in this world, were the first to arrive. I was so excited to have one that I didn't wait for the bowl and spoon required to eat one and just grabbed it with my. The paper-thin dumpling skins and flavorful filling were a welcome change to the frozen variety I've encountered around Atlanta lately.
Pan-fried pork dumplings were a new dish for me. The dumplings were linked together and I did not know what to expect when I bit inside. The filling was luscious and juicy ground pork so hot I had to pace myself. Just gorgeous.
Sliced fish in hot oil (the one dish I requested we order) was probably my favorite. The fish was confit-like and had the slightest hint of spice. Schezuan peppercorns maybe? This is a must order. Just make sure you place a little rice in your bowl to catch the juices from the fish. Stunning.
Three-cup chicken was a new dish for me. I was expecting it to be salty, but the dish had a pleasant sweetness (without being cloying) and the pieces of chicken were caramelized and very tender. I also enjoyed the whole cloves of garlic, which I ate more than my share of. A must-order dish.
The Chinese broccoli was sliced into manageable pieces and just al dente enough. A little green among a see of dumplings and meat is always a nice contrast.
Slices of pork belly stir-fried with leeks was another new dish for me. The soy-based sauce was silky and each slice of pork had the right amount of fat needed to make every bite a decadent dream for the pork love in you.
The onion pancake was expertly prepared. Flaky, light, and crisp.
The chive dumpling was another example fot he kitchen's excellent skills. A light skin filled with scrambled eggs, noodles, and bright bursts of chives. I couldn't get enough.
Verdict: Frank Ma is back and I think I am already addicted. Get over there now. Closed on Tuesdays except this week for the opening when they'll be open every day.
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After reading the couple of positive reviews for Dinho Chinese Restaurant, I decided to give it a try since I'm on a quest to find an alternative to China Inn in Chamblee.
When it comes to Chinese food, there are only a few things I'm willing to get, one of them being your standard Beef with Chinese Vegetables. When I tried to order that at Din Ho, however, the woman looked at me like I was criminally insane, and while I am both a criminal and insane, I'm not criminally insane (there's a fine legal difference). She had apparently never even heard of the concept. That's fine, I explained to her what it was, and she understood and sent the order to the kitchen.
When I got home and poured my order into my giant "chinese food pyrex bowl", I was seriously disappointed. There's no other word for it... it was disgusting. The brown sauce wasn't really so much a sauce as it was greasy au jus. The beef strips looked like the absolute lowest-quality beef "parts" they could find, and the one piece I did taste didn't taste like anything.
I'm absolutely willing to concede this to being an off night for them, and the fact that they didn't really seem to understand what it was I was aking for. That said, however, what they gave me was so far from my expectations that I can't go back there; it was quite inedible and it went down the disposal.
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I guess they host serious karaoke parties here as we dined next to a big television with microphones strewn about and on top of a disco dance floor that glowed from within.
Food is really good. The pork buns are really good as everyone else has noted. The chives stuffed pancake was even better. Three-cup chicken was also good. Chinese broccoli is great though I would recommend you try it without the heavy oyster sauce.
Say only kind things about the food while you're in this place as Frank and Amy Ma are definitely eavesdropping on your conversation, eager to swoop in and correct any wrongs and adding to the feeling that you're eating with your grandparents.
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After reading Leah and Mark's review of Frank Ma's, and having been a reader of Blissful Glutton's site for a while, I needed to see what the hype was all about for myself.
We were excited to find a new option that was so positively reviewed for Chinese food. I grew up in San Francisco, as well as New York, both with a substantial Chinese population, that had so many tasty options when it came to my neighboring cuisine. Having been in Atlanta for the last 7 years though has done me no good, until now, when it came to fulfilling my desires to eat Chinese.
Finding this place isn't tough, but it's in a location that I would never have ventured out to otherwise. The parking lot was packed, and as a pre-dinner adventure, we walked in next door to the market. Quickly seeing the veggies, I became both excited and hungry... Promptly we left our little pit stop for the main event of the evening.
Walking in, we were hit with a wonderful mixtures of aromas coming from all the tables. Immediately I was excited. Seated promptly, we scanned the menu and I began to choose the dishes for our meal. Our selection was the following:
Onion Pancake
Pan Fried Pork Dumplings
Juicy Steamed Pork Dumplings (Soup dumplings)
Wonton Soup
Stir-Fry Chinese Broccoli
Shredded Pork in Garlic Sauce
Mind you this is a huge order given the fact that it was just Shelli and I eating tonight. Mainly I was looking for a sampling of what they had to offer, and I didn't want to miss out on anything.
Immediately after ordering, plates started rushing to our table. Our 4-top was starting to look too small to hold all the items we ordered. First out came the soup. It was a nice family sized bowl, probably meant for 4 people or more. Just as we started serving that to each other, we were brought the Chinese Broccoli and Shredded Pork in Garlic Sauce... All the smells and tastes were wonderful. I began to think how I had been depriving myself of such wonderful tastes for so long.
As we were eating away, the Soup Dumplings came out... This was the main reason I had come here... I had seen the pics on this review, and was excited. Truth be told, I was a little disappointed with how small they were, and how they seemed to lack the broth I was accustomed to getting when ordering these in New York. Nonetheless, like a familiar old friend, I was glad to see them on the table, and treated them with care and respect as I ate them from the soup spoon.
The Onion Pancake and Pan Fried Pork Dumplings were last to join our table, and again, I was staring wide-eyed at what I was about to consume...
The onion pancakes seemed a little on the doughy side compared to what I was used to in NY. The ones up there seemed to be flakier and crispier... The pan fried pork dumplings took a shape I was unfamiliar with, resembling the assembly of an enchilada... They were tasty nonetheless, but I guess in my head I was hoping for a "gyoza" style presentation. Silly me to think that it would be Japanese style in a Chinese restaurant. Either way it was all consumed with delight.
Overall we had a wonderful time and Amy was a wonderful host. We look forward to trying it again (real soon). We even snagged a menu to study for next time. :)
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Somehow, Frank Ma's has been under my radar for the past 2.5 years. Unreal, really. I do try to find as many good Chinese restaurants as I can. Given that I'll be moving soon, I'd better enjoy what I may!
Frank Ma's is a homey styled restaurant located in Atlanta's closest equivalent to a chinatown. It's not chinatown, NYC, but it still has some gems. This is one.
One of the most difficult things to come to grip with, however, is the thematic variance of this restaurant. It's the chinese equivalent of an all-American Bistro. A little northern, a little southern, a bit of Taiwanese, but not a whole lot of cantonese.
Before I go any further, let me tell you that for me, this place is difficult to review, because I've been biased by Dio S., who told me its the best in Atlanta. Second, someone else reviewed as "better than Tasty China". I can only assume she meant when the world class chef was there. (Incidentally, he's working for the Chinese Consult in Texas. He's that good, and that well remembered). The current Tasty China is not worth going to (IMO).
With these expectations in hand, I have to say that the food is well prepared. It's tasty, inexpensive, served promptly, warmly, and professionally. It's also home-style.
The food here is prepared like mom might cook for an army. In my opinion, it doesn't have the flourish required for "couture chinese" which is, unfortunately, what I was expecting...
My parents and I ordered:
Mapo tofu (My test dish for sicuan places)
Beef fried noodles (Northern style, no Canto here)
Pea sprouts (Garlic/oil)
Chili Squid
Xiaolungbao.
I'll start from the bottom, and move my way up. XLB's are exquisite things. They are often done badly. These are fair. For me, the skin was not strong enough; a bit doughy and easily broken, and a bit thick for my liking. The soup consistency was excellent. Frank Ma's serves things a tiny bit salty for my taste, but the meat and soup left a very satisfying sensation in my mouth. The vinegar/soy/ginger sauce that accompanied the dish was solid, but not spectacular. Fresh ginger, in more vinegar than soy is my preference.
Chili Squid was great. I had no complaints about it. The squid consistency was just the right balance between springy and softened by heat. Still moist and crunchy. The chili was mild... and a bit salty, but the balance of the dish worked very well.
Pea Sprouts were decent. Again, a bit salty for my tastes, and the sprouts were moderately fresh. These felt as if flash-stir fried. Cooked ultra briskly, and not more than necessary. Good frying technique.. I would've preferred fresher raw materials, but I guess that's my umami focused bias coming out.
Beef Fried noodles. Good northern staple food. Quite competently fried, again. Consistent frying technique and consistent flavour. Nothing shocking, but solidly good.
Mapo tofu. I'm in favour of more peppercorn and chili. There was also use of sour-ish peppers and vinegar that really masked the flavour of the tofu. Fresh tofu in Mapo tofu can be of any sort, but I'm most in favour of very soft, tender, moist tofu that is slightly sweet. When covered with liberal peppercorn and chili, the contrast is amazing. The pork should be the primary repository of the saltiness and chili flavour, IMO. The variant at ol' Tasty China used black bean sauce/paste which added a deeper, maltier taste to their version (which is non-standard). Some of you might love this variant of Mapo tofu, but I'm not.
I would love for my Sicuan native friends to critique this dish, as I fear that I might be hopelessly biased. Still, a good mapo tofu can truly make my night.
4 out 5.
I would've preferred more unity to the menu and food style. Frank Ma's does what it does really well... And I'll definitely miss this place, even though I'm giving it a four.
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Ok, excuse me if I sound a bit biased on this review. It's only because I had the opportunity to visit Frank Ma's with a large group of yelp food lovers and I'm thinking, perhaps Frank treated us a little more special then other tables.
After arriving to the resto I had a chance to mingle with the rest of the crowd and have a few drinks. I didn't notice the disco floor until someone pointed it out to me, but once you do notice, it's hard to restrain your self from wanting to pull a "Boogie Nights" dance move and throw it down like John Travolta.
After sitting down, the food started coming, and coming, and coming, and coming......................................
First it was the scallion pancakes, then the pan fried dumplings. Yum!!!
After that, it was platter after platter of beef, chicken, tofu, fish, shrimp, veggies all of it was pipping hot and oooohhhhh so delicio-so.
Let me tell ya, Frank served it up! He served it up with heaping side of eat that, that and this too.
As the food came pouring out of the kitchen, Frank would walk around and tell us what each dish was. He even served a few of the tasty goodness himself. Now come on!!!! What restaurant owner is going to do that?!?!?! Frank, that's who. And if your lucky, Frank may even teach you a few Chinese phrases. Frank said the funniest thing to me. He looked at me and said, "I bet my English is better then your Chinese" Yes Mr Frank, you are so right in that saying! hahahaha!
Back to the grub:
Every thing was so good, from the scallion pancakes to the pan fried white fish in black bean sauce. But for this foodie? What stole the show, was the Schezuan Beef. OOOOOOHHH yyyeeeaaaahhhhhhh. The beef was oh so tender and perfect with just the right amount of spicy to it.
If it's real authentic Chinese food that you seek, then go to Frank Ma's where the Chinese people eat. That's how you know it's good food. Look around, if the restaurant is full of Chinese people, then you know it's good food.
Couple all of that along with a great group of really cool yelpers, then you have the combination to a fantastic night. Thanks to Deanna for bringing the free booze! hellz yeah! and thanks to Frank Ma's for all the wonderful food. At $20 bucks a person, (for a large group on a fixed menu) You can't go wrong.
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I realize that Frank Ma has left, but we went a week or two ago and it was still the same great food. Man, i love the lunch buffet. I could eat there every day. I love the soymilk with sugar, the fried stick and the scallion pancakes.
The three cup chicken is fabulous. I really like that they rotate and change up their buffet. It's very good.
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I must be spoiled because I personally think my mom's hot pot is so much better than this. I got the chicken broth with the meat and seafood combo. I made myself a simple dipping sauce with soy sauce, sesame oil, chives, white onions, a little bit of garlic, and some eggs. In the end, I needed to get more soy sauce because the broth was not flavorful at all. I thought that the concept of the place was cool and different, I love seeing Chinatown branch out and try new things, but I think this place is more for the novelty than the deliciousness.
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3.5 stars
I'll start with a positive.......I've been in Atlanta for a month and this is the best Chinese I've had HERE. Unfortunately, that's not saying much. Usually Chinese restaurant are themed by regions, but there are no distinctions here in Atlanta. Chinese restaurants here sell food from many regions and have the most eclectic menus I've ever seen. Ferdinand H's is right, it's a Chinese version of an "all-American" bistro, a bit of everything.
Everyone raves about this place so I immediately came here desperately looking for a taste of home.
Up first was an order of Soup dumplings (Shao Long Bao's). It looked so good and I took careful measures to pick them up without piercing the tender skin and letting out all the soup. To my surprise these dumplings had absolutely NO SOUP in them....no wonder they didn't provide spoons. I'm sorry, but that is almost sacrilegious...that's like getting a burger without the bun...
Next was the scallion pancakes. It was done competently but a bit bland. So far, my confidence in this place was starting to waver...but was saved by the famous eggplant basil and ma po tofu. Things were beginning to look up! For our final dish, we had fish with hot oil.
The last few dishes absolutely made up for the crappy soup dumplings....and being the Chinese food snob that I am...I will even come back. Best combination Taiwanese, Cantonese, Shanghainese, restaurant in Atlanta.
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I love this place. The staff is amazing. Frank and staff treat (and cook) for you like family.
In my opinon, the Golden Budda (on Roswell) is the best American-Style Chinese food. Frank Ma's is the best authentic.
Order the fish in hot oil. It is amazing. Portions are large - you will have food to eat later. Prices are very reasonable in the $8-10 range.
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"Relax, don't do it, when you want to go to it..."
it's what I said to self with all the stir crazy bandwagon buzz on the internet the past couple of days. But like a newfangled toy, I had to try it asap!
After many reincarnations, the Ma's reopened to the delight of many serious foodies in Atlanta...living with mediocre chinese food on a daily basis. Tasty China got rave reviews for their super spicy sichuan/szechuan dishes...but the location, service and limited menu w/ their musical chefs, created a big drawback to some ITP'ers.
The cuisine here is accurate Shanghai and Taiwan purportedly...but it's a wolf in sheep's clothing. There's hints of cantonese in many of the dishes which I confirmed my suspicion with the Ma's. However, the food is top notch either way. There's a few misses on the menu though, like the Crispy duck, but the good out weigh the bad and the ugly. You need to ask for super spicy in the spicy dishes or else it's Chin Chin heat level.
Relax, they will be here...when you wanna come. They are stars here in Atlanta...but Frankie should goto Hollywood.
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I'm kinda missing the five stars that seem to be dropping on this place in almost every review. Maybe I ordered the wrong plate or something but it seemed average to me in terms of the standard Buford Hwy area chinese restaurants. I would recommend the chive pancake and from reading the reviews here it seems like the dumplings are the way to go.
I'll have to go back and give that a whirl and see if it changes things for me. Most items on their menu are translated into English; however, there are a few that are inexplicably in Chinese only. Perhaps they assume that their customers who aren't Chinese wouldn't have any business ordering them. Shrug.
The specials are also only listed in Chinese.
Had the pleasure of going here for lunch and was presently surprised. Weekday lunch buffet is only $7 (walk out after paying and simply pay $7 and make sure to leave tip). You can't go wrong with the price for a nice lunch buffet. But price isn't the only thing that's great about this place. The food is absolutely WONDERFUL!!! From what I can remember, the buffet offered 10-14 hot dishes and a separate noodle/cold food bar. I didn't try any of the cold items, but the hot food was superb. They had these pancakes that absolutely rock. Out of all the items on the hot side, I only disliked the Bao (dumpling). Their eggplant with meat is to die for. Actually all the meat dishes were at the same superb level.
I only had the pleasure to have lunch here and have returned for lunch several times. Each time I returned, I was never disappointed. It only kept me longing to come back for lunch. Don't forget to get some of the Soy Milk drink, don't be shy and ask for a glass or simply grab a bowl and fill it up with the soy milk. I prefer the cold version, so make sure to ask someone around to see which container is hot or cold since it's written in Chinese. Enjoy!
Frank Ma's is the kind of place that makes me a bad yelper. I've been eating here or getting takeouts on a weekly basis since January, the same week the new menus were printed! If you love Chinese food, you must give this place a try.
It is a casual atmosphere. A little bit on the dingy side, but certainly not hole in the wall type of place. Menu is very eclectic but completely authentic. I would have liked a bit more choices in terms of small dishes, but the variety of available main dishes is dazzling. It is a very different menu than seen at most good Chinese restaurants in Atlanta (Canton Cooks, Happy Valley, China Cooks, Canton House et el.), which are all Cantonese heavy. And it is not focused like Tasty China. If anything, it looks like Cafe 101's menu, but more traditional. (Incidentally, the Ma's hail from Taiwan; Cafe 101 is Taiwanese) The menu is especially exciting to me, since it features numerous offal dishes that I dearly adore. Livers, kidneys, tripe, stomach, intestines, tendons, etc. come in many varieties, almost all delicious. The beef noodle soup (the Taiwanese version) is rich and wonderful.
Now I know a lot of people are going to go here and order the soup dumplings (eponymous XLB) or the pan fried dumplings. Apparently some of the best reviewers did (from Yelp or otherwise) and loved it. Bless their souls. But I think these actually happen to not be Frank Ma's best offerings. Many treasures can be found among the entrees: try the lamb stew, try the sauteed kidneys, try the seafood, try the three cup chicken, try the double cooked pork. In fact, try a bunch of pork dishes. Try the delicious onion pancakes. Try to get something different every time. The flavors are deep and execution true. And many of the dishes are a (Georgia-wise) exclusive, you just can't get them anywhere else (even more true now that Peter Chen no longer cooks at Tasty China)!
I haven't tried their breakfast and dim sum offerings yet, available on the weekend. Nor their lunch buffet, so I can't comment on those. But Frank Ma's is no doubt one of my absolute favorite restaurants in Atlanta.
PS: They close early. It's not one of those places that opens until 2 am.
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This place used to be Frank Ma's, which served up some seriously good and authentic eats..but now it is Dinho..which must get its name from the grocery store and bakery it shares its corner of China Town with.
When it opened Dinho seemed to have adopted Frank Ma's menu (leaving out only original dishes and substituting them with some sichuan dishes). So it seemed like a winner. Sadly, though, Dinho's chef(s) lacks the skill and talent needed to create consistently good dishes. Every time I have visited and ordered a dish I had previously, it tasted different and every dish is always lacking the depth of flavor that you can find at other chinese restaurants in the area.
The only thing Dinho has going for it is the pork jelly squares they serve for free before your meal...now those are consistantly tasty and not served elsewhere that I have seen.
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Definitely Have to agree with the other reviewers here!! WOW Frank Ma's is definitely the place to go when your belly is aching for some Chinese cuisine! I loved the veggie Dumplings and the fish in the black bean sauce! I visited Frank's with some fabulous yelpers, and the owner was kind enough to explain each dish in our prefixed course. From Eggplant, tofu, Beef that was sooo very tender, shrimp with veggies, soup dumplings, three cup chicken and probably some other dishes I cant remember.. there were so many! And finally for dessert red bean buns! (yay no stupid fortune cookies..lol) All in All had a great time with You fantabulous yelpers, and I'm excited to finally be part of the Frank Ma's food cult..I will definitely be venturing out to this restaurant again!
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The Ma's know how to serve up stellar food with grace. The atmosphere ain't much, but when you can get pork belly like this, who cares? I was lucky enough to be invited to a special group dinner (call ahead, Frank will take care of your group too) and had an incredible meal of hit after hit after hit.
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Thank you fellow yelpers for bringing a bit of visibility to this little gem. As I don't live nearby and as Frank Ma's is not located on Buford Highway, I fear I would never have learned of it otherwise. My wife and I made the the 20 minute journey last night and were very pleased with what we found.
The space is bright, modest and clean. Frank Ma himself is walking table to table striking up smalltalk with the patrons. I swear I heard at least three people mention to him that they were looking for good Chinese and read about his restaurant on-line - otherwise, they never would have known about it. Very cool. As we sat, hot tea, spicy pickled cucumber and boiled peanuts (maybe steamed) arrived at our table. Holy crap - boiled peanuts - never heard of this at a Chinese place. Did they know I was a hick from Georgia and were trying to make me feel at home? Is this traditional Chinese? I have no idea, but I love boiled/steamed peanuts - this is a good sign.
As for our meal, it was great. As it was our first time here, we opted for some of the basics:
Hot and Sour Soup, Seafood Noodle Soup, Pan Fried Pork Dumplings (pot stickers) and Shredded (thinly sliced) Pork in Hot Garlic Sauce. Soon after we ordered, dishes began appearing one by one. First , the Hot and Sour Soup - in a bowl large enough for at least 5 people - It was perfect. Spicy warm and tangy with just a hint of smokiness. Then the dumplings (12 large) - porky and oniony - with a dark, sour dipping sauce - not like the scallion/ginger version I normally experience. At this point we were pretty full, but we powered through as the best was yet to come - the pork in hot garlic sauce. Wow! possibly the tastiest non-fancy Chinese entree I have ever eaten. Now we were stuffed and just had our server package the noodle soup (and the left over hot and sour and the left over pork).
We walked away happy, full and with most of our money (the entire meal, which was enough for 4, was $27 - yeah baby). Thanks to you yelpers out there for pointing me in Frank Ma's direction. We will be able to guide ourselves for many future visits.
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The food came out very quicky here. The Shanghai pork buns were good, although the skin was a bit delicate. Be careful when you grab them! The vegetables were fresh and delicious. The soups were well seasoned and tasty. Overall, dinner here is pretty good.
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Frank Ma's Dinho. Dinho. Frank Ma's Dinho. Dinho...this place has multiple personalities - or at least the name just keeps changing back and forth. Bill and I went when it was Frank Ma's and now we've been to Dinho - with all new servers. The same lighted floor and giant tv, the walls still covered in Chinese (other than restrooms, and same amazing menu. I'm not sure what half the menu items are, but the things I've ordered have always been really good. Dinho serves to impress, giving you amazing amounts of food whether you order it or not. The service was a little off, but I'm chalking it up to the new staff being there for all of two days so far. The green tea has to be the best green tea I've had - if you order potstickers as an appetizer - share cause they give you 12! Bill is an avid fan of the fish bowl. If you haven't gone, go now.
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Went here tonight and ordered soooo much food! First off, I must say the won ton soup is heavenly--mainly the won tons, because I've had better broth elsewhere. Apps and entrees were both good, but the main reason I liked them is because the veggies tasted so fresh. Still searching for the ultimate Chinese in Atlanta, and I am not so sure this it , but it is definitely good.
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"She's the boss, I'm the Frank."
The BF and I had occasion to visit Frank Ma's a few weeks ago. After scouring the Internet a year or so ago for a place that serves soup dumplings like the kind I enjoy in many of NYC's Chinatown restaurants, I stumbled upon Frank Ma's. Much to my dismay, I learned it had closed. Luckily, Blissful G. let us Yelpers with a serious jones for dumplings know of Frank's return to the kitchen last month. Upon my arrival at Frank's, I promptly placed an order for soup dumplings. With that craving satisfied, I perused the rest of the menu. Both Frank and Amy offered help and recommendations, which were most appreciated. I enjoyed all of my selections a great deal and much lip smacking ensued. Unfortunately, I remembered on the way home, my body often rejects Chinese food (but curiously, not soup dumplings) and I ended up with quite a bellyache. Grrrrr! In most other respects, my stomach is iron-clad. Anyway, this is very disconcerting for me because I really, really love good Chinese--the kind the Mas are serving with gusto. Maybe some fellow yelpers with an acute understanding of gastronomy can shed some light on what my problem might be so that I can enjoy the yummarific fare at Frank's again sometime. If not, I'll skip the sauced, stir-fried dishes and stick with dumplings, but I won't be happy about it.
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Better than Tasty China. There, I said it. Everything we ordered was heaven. The fish in hot oil, the scallion pancake, the snow pea tips, the pork belly with jalapenos, the crispy duck - MAN was it all good! I mean, "good" isn't enough - it was all straight up delicious! And Frank and "Mrs. Ma" were amazing. They were friendly, they made recommendations, they made sure we liked what we ordered, and they saw us off like they were our folks and they had just had us over for dinner. I love this place and I can't wait to go back!
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I haven't been here but in a shameless cross plug, Frank will be at the Taste of Chamblee event I just posted.
yuk. i really did not enjoy this place.
Apparently they are known for their buffet but it was small and the items were not that tasty. The thing that floored me was that their tofu dish had what looked like ground beef in the sauce. Weird. The staff was very nice but I will not be going back. Not worth the $7.
I have not found many good chinese places in Atlanta. I do miss Houston's diversity of good chinese, mexican and vietnamese. I am open to suggestions.
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its closed....went a week or so ago & its all locked up...pity, this was a as good as it gets for chinese in Atl...
I've been to Frank and Amy's place twice, first time just with my lao mei boyfriend, second with a gaggle of 13 people (chinese and not) for Chinese New Year. No matter what, we were always taken care of very very well (as any Chinese restaurant should, but sometimes doesn't due to perhaps language barrier/cultural barrier/"food issues" barrier). The food always tasted like home...and home for me means Shanghai, then my mother's cooking in Orange County, CA, sprinkled with visits to yum-yum authentic restos of the San Gabriel Valley in SoCal. Pork Belly with Leeks, awesome if you can handle the flavorful, fat-laden porkiness of it all. The sauteed snow pea leaves (dou miao), chinese broccoli, and garlic string beans taste like how my mom would make them. And the soup dumplings are a must for this Shanghai chick. Steamed carp was great as well...but only get this if you don't have any "omigosh, it's still got the head and tail, oh!, and ew are those bones still in there?"-issues. And no corkage fee...yet Frank nevertheless helped me open a stubborn bottle of prosecco with great gusto (hey, it was new year's, right?).
Living in the South now, I can't call this soul food without it being misinterpreted, but it's definitely Chinese food cooked with soul. If ever there was a worthy place in Atlanta to stretch your legs outside of General Tso's territory, or to get a fix for what you've been Sino-hankerin', this is it folks.
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Atlanta, GA
Category: Chinese
Decatur, GA
Category: Chinese
Atlanta, GA
Category: Chinese
Atlanta, GA
Category: Local Flavor
Doraville, GA
Category: Dim Sum
Rough ranking of Chinese eats reviewed so far.…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
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