I vividly remember the first time I ventured to Buford Highway with my family; I went to So Kong Dong, an authentic Korean restaurant, not knowing what to expect. I was 11 at the time, and at that age Korean food sounded like a death sentence to me, but I ended up loving it. I recently got my license and decided to drive myself up there to explore Buford Highway’s other hidden treasures.

CHEF LIU: CHINESE

Chef Liu is a place where every Atlantan must eat at least once.  The atmosphere and superb food make it worth seeking out. Right as I was seated, I was served a pot of Chinese green tea, which went along perfectly with the calm environment of the restaurant. My waiter recommended I order the Shanghai juicy steamed pork buns (nicknamed bun soup) with a leek pie. There are 13 different kinds of dumplings to choose from, and I chose to add pork dumplings and an onion cake to my meal. Yes, I did order a lot of food, but the quantity still surprised me. One order of dumplings can easily serve two people, but the dumplings were so delicious that I ate all of them.

While eating the bun soup, I soon realized why it was nicknamed that. They literally are dumpling-like buns, with soup inside. Messy yet delightful. The leek pie was not what I expected; it was almost like a leek-stuffed calzone. It was so delectable that by the time I got to the onion cake I would have been surprised if anything could have been as tasty as my previous dish.

While I was enjoying my meal, I was easily entertained by the Chinese dating show that was playing on the TV in front of me. Even the waiters were entertained; they sat at the empty tables watching it during their breaks.

The food at Chef Liu is fresh, homemade, exotic and affordable all at once; there really is no reason not to go.

SO KONG DONG TOFU HOUSE: KOREAN

The second I walked into So Kong Dong, I knew it was the real deal. The menus are written in Korean characters with a tiny English sub print to explain what you are about to indulge in.

I ordered mushroom tofu soup and Korean barbeque ribs marinated to a sweet perfection. Conveniently, there is a button you can press for your waiter to come to your table when needed, and the service was very prompt and professional.

The dinner came with a full range of complimentary appetizers, including egg noodles, kimchi, a traditional Korean appetizer, cold radish soup and a whole fried fish (eyeballs included). When I pressed the button for my waiter to bring me my check, my meal came to $12.95. It was a lot of food, but I left craving more. I highly recommend this restaurant; it will suit all types of eaters, from meat lovers to vegans.

EL REY DEL TACO: MEXICAN

El Rey Del Taco is unlike the traditional Mexican chain restaurants typical of metro Atlanta. It is known for excellent and affordable tacos. For $1.60 you can get a homemade tortilla and choose from a variety of meats and fish.

I chose goat meat with fresh cilantro and grilled onions. A goat meat taco might seem a little intimidating, but it was spiced perfectly and the homemade tortillas made it a perfect 10.

Despite the quality of the food, the service was not great. Although fast, my waitress was not too friendly.

El Rey Del Taco hosts a casual atmosphere with soccer, the national sport of Mexico displayed on many TV’s throughout the restaurant. If you are up for a quick, cheap and flavorful bite of authentic Mexican food, I could not think of a better place than El Rey Del Taco.

RINCON LATINO: CENTRAL AMERICAN 

As I walked into Rincon Latino, it looked like an upscale McDonald’s. Its food, however, did not reflect that at all. Rincon Latino offers a range of Central American meals, from Guatemalan pupusas, a fried and stuffed tortilla (not to be mistaken with a quesadilla), to an Honduran breakfast. I ordered the shrimp cocktail and a bean-and-cheese pupusa. The shrimp cocktail was fresh and spicy, the perfect counterpoint to my pupusa. The shrimp cocktail was massive and could have been a meal in itself. The pupusa was a perfect portion and only $1.99.

Rincon Latino’s environment was not lively; there was only one other person in the restaurant. It was quiet as well, and because the food was so exotic, a more upbeat atmosphere would have complemented it better. The food was great, though, and that is the reason to go to Rincon Latino.