Ring in the Chinese New Year with Tin Drum Asiacafé

How many of you are aware of the Chinese New Year? It’s an important centuries-old festival observed at the turn of the traditional lunar Chinese calendar. Also known as the Spring Festival, Chinese New Year is about food, family, fun, and often celebrated in dance with very colorful lions, dragons, and fireworks (oh! my!). And since few can make the trip across the pond to enjoy Chinese New Year in China, the good folks at Tin Drum Asiacafé are ramping-up their menu by bringing the tastes of the festival right here to Atlanta!

Recently I was invited by the Association of Food Bloggers to attend a private tasting of Tin Drum Asiacafé’s scrumptious menu. I was especially excited for this event because I think Tin Drum’s concept is super cool.

Named after an ancient legend, the restaurant pays homage to the vibrant Asian culture and the bonding aspect of coming together and sharing a meal. As the legend goes, there was a man who would walk the streets banging on a tin drum. All of the locals would follow him around, bouncing to the beat, stopping at the cafes to enjoy the food together. And thus, the Tin Drummer became legend. It was a very lively affair that would be celebrated for centuries to come.

Inspired by the way the Tin Drummer was the “pulse for the community in ancient times,” Tin Drum Asiacafé focuses on the authentic service of a quick Asian street-side café like those of legend. Preparing each meal to order with fresh and simple ingredients, the restaurant makes you feel like you’re getting a really genuine Asian street café experience, and best of all, the food is way beyond street quality! 🙂

As for the menu, I was intrigued by the dynamic mix of bold-flavored, traditional Asian fare. Prepared by Tin Drum’s Corp Chef & Café Trainer, Kirk Bondi, cuisines includes those inspired by the cultures of China, India, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam, making for a truly unique Asian menu that I could not wait to sink my chopsticks into!

First from the tasting menu, I was able to try two of the special Chinese New Year, limited-time offerings, both short rib-based. Honestly, how can anyone be mad about short ribs?! There were the Peking Short Rib Noodles, which are Chinese barbecue-style skewers with ingredients that would make anyone’s mouth water: short ribs doused in sweet and savory sauce and glaze carrots, red onion, soba noodles, bok choy, chopped green onion, and roasted garlic, all wok-tossed in a delectable roasted pepper sauce. Scrump!!!

The other Chinese New Year limited-time menu item is the Chinatown Short Rib Tacos, which is two grill flour tortillas filled with the same Peking style BBQ short ribs that are tossed in the tangy sauce. Accompanying the short rib are glazed carrots, red onion, roasted garlic bok choy, and the ultimate topper: Chinese cabbage slaw with chopped green onion. Gasp!!!

These two yummy short rib dishes are only available until April 3rd, so get there fast!

Since I was enjoying Tin Drum’s cuisine so much, I decided to try one meal off of the tasting menu as well. I gave the Pad Thai a taste, and although this is a popular Asian dish, I especially loved Tin Drum’s version. The dish consisted of a sweet Thai citrus sauce, stir-fry rice noodles, scallions, bean sprouts, carrots, lime, crushed peanuts, egg, and sautéed chicken. It was the perfect finishing fare to complete my celebratory Chinese New Year tasting experience.

I’m so glad the Association of Food Bloggers invited me to try this fantastic restaurant. Lucky for Atlantan’s, Tin Drum Asiacafé has 13 locations throughout the Atlanta Metro area. And no matter which location you visit, you can be rest assured that each one shares the same incredible tastes. Here’s to good food and

Happy Chinese New Year!