Aja Restaurant

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Candy S.

Joined 4 months ago

Nice vibe. The food is very average and so are the cocktails. A nice hangout though and very chilled.

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karis985

Joined 6 years ago

Sooo good! And I love the trendy ambiance. Perferct for a girls night :)

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Meals with Megan

Joined 4 years ago

GET A JOLT OF EXCITEMENT AT aja. Aja is excitement, a high-energy vibe, and is one of the crown jewels in the Here To Serve Restaurant Group’s dining portfolio. Giving the vacated space of Emeril’s a total facelift, Tom Catherall reached into his TomTom days to create a chic club-like eatery that specializes in what put this masterful chef on Atlanta’s culinary map in the 90’s with his innovative Asian-fusion cooking.

The real thrill of dining at aja is to experience the many different foods and flavors that are so atypical to the American palate. To fully embrace aja, order for the table and share with friends, and possibly neighbors. The Chinese street food Har Gao is a translucent steamed rice paper dumpling that’s stuffed with a succulent shrimp and served with a chili sauce that adds a nice flair to this dim sum. Another traditional dumpling to consider is the pan-fried Pot Stickers that are filled with ground pork, ginger, garlic and shitake mushrooms. Then there is Korea’s most beloved barbeque Bulgogi - grilled slivers of beef tenderloin marinated in a soy sauce mixture. The char flavors of this dish are amped up with a side of kim chee, fermented vegetables. If fish is your desire, the Japanese inspired Yellowtail with a thin slice of jalapeño that’s drizzled with a citrusy yuzu soy sauce is simply divine. The list of these sensational bites seems endless - have fun finding your favorites.

Besides these Asian tapas, there is a selection of delectable sushi to wow the senses, but it is the intriguing rolls that are different from what you might find elsewhere. The Makimono Roll selection is journey to ecstasy. The scrumptious Super Crunchee Roll is comprised of tempura shrimp, lush avocado, house smoked salmon that’s topped with a tangy mayonnaise and a sweet teriyaki glaze. Don’t miss the jaw-dropping Cambodian Redneck Roll created by the talented Sushi Chef Jimmy Meas – a combination of spicy tuna, lime leaves, fried shallots that’s topped with hamachi and salmon, then drizzled with a self created Jimmy Sauce, total yum!!!

Chef Marlyn’s skills really shine in her creative interpretation of small and large plate offerings. The stunning Chinese influenced Honey Ginger Chicken is strips of chicken breast that are stir fried with crispy snap peas and tossed in a sweet and tangy honey ginger sauce; get a side of aromatic Jasmine rice and you’re set. The Vietnamese Boo Luc Lac or Shaking Beef are tender morsels of beef tenderloin and watercress that are tossed in a sassy soy based sauce and is nothing but pure delight. The “not to be missed” dish is the otherworldly Spicy Lamb Vindaloo, this savory Indian inspired curry is an explosion of insane flavors that will cause a gasp. Ask for some extra paratha bread to dip into the zesty sauce after the last bite of this tender meat is gone, it will help to control the OMG drool from happening, it’s that good.

Just when you think the kitchen can’t produce anything any better, it does. A carved out young coconut is filled with house made coconut ice cream and topped with shaved lush coconut ice and basil seeds, let the taste buds go wild and enjoy the sensory completeness. So to get that jolt of pleasure, take a dash of happiness add a pinch of satisfaction and stir in contentment, and you have aja.