Eating Americana

Eating Americana in Norcross, Georgia, Serves Some of Metro Atlanta’s Best Fried Chicken | Eater Atlanta

"Tucked away in a Peachtree Corners shopping center behind several fast-food restaurants, Eating Americana is a no-frills spot where chef-owner James Chien serves what he calls a love letter to American comfort food. I learned he opened on March 16, 2020, and for nearly two years ran the place entirely himself—waiting tables, answering phones, cooking and delivering food—before hiring help. The interior is simple, with photos and paintings of Cajun and American dishes, vintage Coca-Cola signs and kitschy American-flag throw pillows, but people come for the food: the bone-in fried chicken is the menu’s superstar (about 20 minutes to prepare, with a crisp, golden breading that has a subtle kick and juicy meat underneath; Chien keeps the seasoning secret and eschews buttermilk), served with rich mashed potatoes and green beans. Other standouts include weekly meatloaf drizzled with brown gravy, a multi-cheese macaroni and cheese made with lots of half-and-half, garlic parmesan mashed potatoes, a seafood pasta with shrimp, lobster and crawfish in a tomato cream sauce, and dramatic Cajun-influenced dishes such as a crawfish-stuffed soft-shell crab; desserts feature house-made pies like key lime, peanut butter and white chocolate banana cream. Chien’s cooking reflects his background—born in Hong Kong, raised in Manhattan, trained in Cajun/Creole techniques under Bud Deslatte—and his stated aim of keeping dishes “hot, fresh, and consistent.”" - Lia Picard