The Stone Grill: Duluth, GA, USA
Cheese. And. Meat. How can you say no?!?! I heard about this new restaurant from a friend, and after seeing a few reviews on Yelp boasting of a Korean beef rib cheese fondue, I had to take one of my besties there for a belated birthday lunch. It had her favorites: korean, meat, and cheese! The entire menu was pretty much her favorite foods. Things that we got to eat were:
- corn cheese: melted cheese over a plate of hulled corn
- steamed egg, korean style
- korean kalbi (beef shortrib) fondue: yes I took a video, no wordpress will not let me upload it.
Corn Cheese: this is what it is folks. And it is GOOD.
PROS
- great amount: definitely shareable. As an appetizer, it’s pretty big
- good flavor: not super soggy which is what I’d expect from corn sizzling on a hot plate
- lots of cheese: it ain’t cheese corn with a sprinkling of cheese folks. These people were generous.
CONS
- none
corn cheese
Steamed Egg: I believe this came with the kalbi fondue
PROS
- huge amount/quantity: it came in a stone bowl that was almost too big for the bowl!
- came out super hot
- while not the super silky version like the Japanese kind, this is still ridiculously tasty
- not overly salty or overseasoned
CONS
- none
steamed egg
Kalbi Fondue: this was amazing. Whoever came up with this idea was genius. I wish I did. The cheese is lumped on the side and then set on the grill with the meat pre-cooked. The order comes with a minimum of 2 ppl per order and dukkbokki is mixed into the ribs. There is a spicy and non-spicy version. Reviews said that the spicy version was super spicy so I ordered the non-spicy or the least spicy version. I would say that this was just nice for me personally. Two other friends ordered the spicy version and it wasn’t bad either!
PROS
- great quantity: definitely shareable among 3 people if they are all light eaters
- crusty cheese! After all the dipping, the leftover cheese gets burnt (not crisped into charcoal) into a nice chewy cheesy “skin” that you can scrape and peel off.
- very flavorful
- the ricecake is also a nice break from just meat and cheese
CONS
- none unless you want something healthy, this is definitely a heavier meal
kalbi fondue
The panchan (side dishes) were also quite tasty, and the staff was generous as well. I’d have to say that it helps to know how to speak Korean, but it is not necessary. I’d definitely like to try their regular KBBQ though.
All in all a summary:
- corn cheese: ***.85 (3.85 stars)
- steamed egg, korean style: ***.75 (3.75 stars)
- korean kalbi (beef shortrib) fondue: ***.90 (3.90 stars)
You can find them next to Raku in the H-mart off Pleasant Hill Road. For those non-local to the area, they are located here:
