Beth’s Best Dishes
Chicken tikka boti from Dosa Boti
1210 Canton St., Roswell
Published in the August 5 Family Meal newsletter
I stumbled upon Dosa Boti after grabbing cocktails and dinner in downtown Roswell last weekend. The small Indian restaurant took over the space formerly occupied by Rhea’s Take Out Foods at the corner of Canton Street and Woodstock Road.
Rhea’s #1 closed in 2022 after the death of the incomparable Mahfuz “Jimmy” Hussain, who purchased the OG Rhea’s in 2013. Under Hussain, Rhea’s became a household name in Roswell, with people traveling far and wide just to eat its burgers and chat with Mr. Jimmy.
Today, the space is home to Dosa Boti, serving generously portioned combo plates of Paneer and Chicken 65, mutton keema tacos, butter chicken, and dosas. Despite having already eaten, we decided to grab takeout for the road, ordering chicken biryani ($14.99) and a chicken tikka boti ($13.99) stuffed with vegetables and apricot chutney wrapped in a dosa. I’m already making plans to visit for breakfast, which includes a variety of dosas and an Indian bread omelet.
Flourless chocolate torte from Publix
Published in the August 12 Family Meal newsletter
You promised to bring dessert to the party, but you’re running late or haven’t had time to preorder from your favorite local bakery, so you pop into the nearest Publix.
After a taxing week at work, a friend arrived for a Friday night dinner party at my home with two tortes from Publix in tow: a European cream and triple berry torte ($14), and the other a flourless chocolate truffle torte ($14). The former was light and fresh with puckery berries crowning the top. The latter (the darling of the dinner party) was rich and dense, a super chocolatey, decadent delight that paired beautifully with a glass of Broadbent Rainwater Madeira, a medium-dry fortified wine with nutty complexity and a clean finish.
I’ve attended more than a few weddings over the years in which the cakes were custom-made by the local Publix. And how about the countless parties where platters of petit fours, mini tarts, brownies, and slices of crème cake from a Publix bakery graced the tables? Let’s face it, the Publix bakery rarely disappoints. It certainly didn’t on that Friday night.
Burger night at Sammy’s
565 Northside Dr., Adair Park
Published in the August 19 Family Meal newsletter
Located at Abrams Fixtures on Northside Drive, Sammy’s teems with customers lining up to order coffee and sandwiches throughout the day, like the meaty Italian sub Samborghini or the Samuel with smoked brisket pastrami and Swiss cheese served on rye toast. While currently open for breakfast and lunch until 3 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, Fridays include extended hours.
Every Friday, from 4-8 p.m., owners Jason Furst and Chef Sam Pinner serve single and double-stack smashburgers, drinks, and specials like barbecue nachos and whole smoked wings. But the compact smashburger, which comes with a single ($8) or double patty ($12), is the main attraction on Friday nights, evidenced by the tightly packed dining room and people huddled around tables filled with Samburgers during a recent visit.
Pinner doesn’t monkey with the simplicity of the smashburger, giving it a little zhuzh with mayo, melty American cheese, pickle chips, and red onions sandwiched in a toasted brioche bun. Pair with a glass of bubbles or the “champagne of beers,” Miller High Life. There’s also a $9 50/50 martini made with Murrell’s Row Tulsi gin and La Quintinye Royal Extra Dry Vermouth.
More Best Dishes from 2025:
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Sarra’s Best Dishes
Chicken shumai from Canton House
4825 Buford Hwy, Chamblee
While cruising down Buford Highway one night with one of my closest friends, the vehicle instantaneously swerved into the parking lot of the original Canton House in Chamblee. You call it an impulse. I see it more like a force of nature. Said friend ordered the chicken shumai, and although I had my doubts (my regular move is shrimp shumai), the dumplings quickly overturned them. There is something special going on with that combination of chicken and seasoning that just cannot be replicated in the shrimp shumai. And, yes, we checked.
Hama Hama oysters from Kimball House
303 E. Howard Ave., Decatur
I visited the San Francisco Bay Area in August and ate oysters a few times while there. However, I recently had a much better oyster experience far closer to home at Kimball House in Decatur. My table opted for a mix of East and West Coast bivalves, and even though I prefer salty East Coast oysters, the Hama Hama oysters from Washington were actually my favorite of the half-dozen. These oysters were vastly different from what I typically enjoy in an oyster (brine and salt), but the high quality was undeniable. The Hama Hama may not have the intense salinity I normally prefer, but the fresh, clean taste and minerality of the oysters brought me back to the Pacific Ocean.
Salmon and black-eyed pea salad from Oak Grove Market
2757 Lavista Road, Decatur
Oak Grove Market on Lavista Road in Decatur has become one of my favorite haunts since moving back to Atlanta in 2024. It’s my de facto choice when I want a substantial, affordable, and good-quality lunch. I also adore that the market keeps Justin’s almond butter cups in stock for my fellow peanut-allergic pals. I usually grab a chicken or tuna salad and two sides at the counter, but caved and went with the Tuesday salmon special on my most recent visit and tore that fish up. I paired the salmon with black-eyed pea salad to amp up the protein and iron.