revised BP#2

Tin Drum

 

In ancient Asian cultures, there was “Tin Drummer”-a town crier who was part wake-up-caller and part newscaster. Each morning, he walked the streets of town banging his tin rum and calling people to gather at the marketplace to nourish their souls with the freshest food and drinks from the cafes. While people ate, the tin drummer would entertain them with the current news. It was the heart of Asian culture and the beginning of each day.

Today, technology has greatly changed our world, but the beat goes on…the Tin Drummer is ALIVE and is calling YOU to the heartbeat of Asian cuisine at Tin Drum Asia Café! Check-out the latest “scoop” on the best food and drinks in ‘The Drumbeat’ and let us soothe your soul and appetite.

-by Steven, the owner of Tin Drum

 

Now, Tin Drum stands at Technology Square and is ready to feast you with the Asian flavor.

Several Asian food restaurants can be found at Tech Square but actually more people crowd in Tin Drum.

Why people prefer Tin Drum?

Actually, Tin Drum is closer to Georgia Tech, and has a brisk decoration outside and inside, which makes people pause for a while when walking by. But the core factors that attract people, especially students, to come are the taste and value for money.

Steven Chan, the owner, is a Hongkongese and born in America. He absorbed cultures of both China and America, and the food he made is both Asian style and suitable for American taste. He has owned this restaurant for six years and now has six chain restaurants in Atlanta. Apparently he knows how to meet the needs of common people needs as well as those of GT students.

Why did I mention GT students respectively? The answer is that Steven Chan graduated from Georgia Tech in 1992. And the Tin Drum at Tech Square is his starting point, where he initiated into his business and spread his restaurants across Atlanta. Back to the point, Tin Drum at Tech Square, as the origin, is the most adequate place to explore.

 

It was chilly and sprinkling when my friends and I were approaching Tin Drum. The bright light from Tin Drum was inviting especially contrasted to the dim restaurant near it. Its red logo on the white board could easily draw people's attention. Transparent glass instead of walls made Tin Drum feel like spacious and brilliantly lit up. Tin Drum gave out a welcoming and friendly signal and paused people for a while.

I stepped inside and was immediately surrounded by the cozy air and the aroma was floating around me. Tin Drum inside was neat and clean. Soft yellow and green were the dominant hues in Tin Drum and made people relaxed instead of being constrained. Tables there were with two or four chairs, good for getting your several friends together.

Partly because it was a Saturday night, there was a queue inside and a hint of noise. In spite of that, the ambience there is pleasant.

 

“Are these all Asian food?”I asked after seated, considering whether they were Asian or only so-called “Asian.”

“Yes, we have Chinese, Vietnam, and Japanese dishes.” A waitress smiled and answered.

I browsed the yellow, orange and white menu. The bright colors used on the menu attracted my attention and made it more coherent. At the top of the menu you could find a legend (As I quoted at the beginning), which explained the restaurant got its name on the menu. Also, from the story at the beginning people could know something fascinating about Asia. The menu was well-organized with appealing images. Sorts of food were placed in order from appetizer to beverage so that people could choose what they want and make an appropriate combination. Also, the menu contained some more entertaining things: kinds of music played there and nutrition tips, from which you knew that rice was a significant part of Asian food and key to longer life.

Scanning the menu, I found that food there was not simply fried but made in heterogeneous ways, such as stewing, frying, braising, roasting, and boiling. These various means to cook food not only avoided monotonous dishes but also elevated the nutrition content level in food. And I noticed that rice became a significant component of most dishes due to Asian diet habit. However, rice in Tin Drum was not plain but steamed or fried, which indicated that dishes there were modified to cater for American need.

 

We ordered Veggie Spring Roll for our appetizer, Japanese Curry Katsu, Chili Ramen, Miso Ramen for the main course and Thai Tea for our beverage. Those dishes almost covered every sort of food of Tin Drum. Just waiting for a while, the waitress began to serve up courses and cautioned us that the dishes were hot and we should be careful when consuming.

When I asked about the Veggie Spring Roll, the waitress introduced it patiently. It was a traditional Chinese snack and now, though it got a little bit sweeter, Veggie Spring Roll was still savory with the delicate sauce with a special taste. The vegetables in it absorbed the sauce and turned more delicious beyond my imagination.

Japanese Curry Katsu contained chicken, potatoes and rice. Despite the dish in flat yellow, it tasted so enticing and gave me the feeling of both absolute Asia and America. Chicken worked so well with the potatoes like an elegant theme with a graceful concerto.

Chili Ramen revealed a luminous red which made my mouth water. Bean sprouts mixed with ramen and owned a smooth taste. However, the dish was not as hot as it showed but somewhat sweet and flat. And the beef in it was well-done and hard to swallow. We couldn’t gulp up the course but left almost half of it.

Chicken, radish strips, and ramen composed the Miso Ramen. Yet Miso Ramen looked commonplace, the chicken in it definitely demonstrated an indescribably tender taste. Accompanied with radish strips, this course was both goluptious and nourishing.

Thai Tea was served as Asian Drink. The tea displayed a transparent red-brown and spread an elegant smell. I took a sip, and the marvelous liquid slipped across my tongue. It seemed to come with the bright sunshine in Thailand.

 

Basking in the enjoyment of Asian dishes, we remained in Tin Drum and watched raindrops crawling on the glass. The outside view was entertaining and poetic. Contrasted to the outside chillness, warmth inside was definitely precious. When the night crept in, all of us lingered and struggled to force ourselves to leave. In the darkness, Tin Drum seemed more inviting with a warm orange light.

In a nutshell, you can always get value for money in Tin Drum because food there deserves the prices due to its quality and quantity. In addition, you will feel leisure and carefree while staying in Tin Drum.

Want to try something exotic that you can afford and catch a piece of easy life? Consider Tin Drum.

 

Tin Drum, 88 5^th Street Technology Square Atlanta, 404-881-1368

http://www.tindrumcafe.net/index3.html

 

overall ★★★☆

food ★★★

prices ★★★★

service ★★★

Atmosphere ★★★