When Nickiemoto’s restaurant closed after many years, a massive renovation took place and the space emerged as 5 Napkin Burger, a chain with locations in Boston, New York and Miami. After about a year, the restaurant closed. When it reopened once again, it was TEN, an Asian restaurant that turns into a club late night. The spot seems like a revolving door and I dismissed TEN as a flash in the pan, but when chef Duc Tran, formerly of C’om restaurant personally invited me to visit TEN, how could I say no?

Although it sounds so simple, the Norwegian Salmon dip (not pictured) was terrific. It was so fresh and light, our party of five mopped it up. The fried calamari and oysters were quite tasty too. It was nice to have a mix of fried oysters instead of the normal fried calamari on its own. The appetizers are substantial, so even two are good for a group of four to six to share. The stuffed grape leaves were the unanimous favorite at our table, the grilled lamb enveloped in the soft wrap pairing perfectly with the pickled carrot and crispy scallion. If you’ve been to C’om and had them, then you know what I am talking about.

There were so many tempting choices for entrees. Luckily we had a large enough group to give many entrees a try. Much like C’om, the menu is a mix of French and Vietnamese. There’s Shaken Beef Au Poivre and Beef Bourguignon Stew. There’s also Asian cuisine like the Flounder curry and the Bangkok curry.

My in-laws are not adventurous eaters and went with “safe” choices like the Bacon Wrapped Shrimp and the Salmon and Shrimp. But even these had a unique flair to them. TEN’s Bacon Wrapped Shrimp comes on a bed of soba noodles and basil pesto. Salmon and Shrimp, also served with basil pesto comes with smashed Taro as well.

Mr. ARB and I were both in the mood for some Vietnamese / Asian food and both eyed the Flounder curry and the most interesting item on TEN’s menu, Nouilles Cantonaises, lightly fried noodles with seafood in light Asian sauce. This is perfect for seafood lovers with large shrimp, mussels and salmon. The delicate sauce was perfect as it really complimented the dish. Sometimes a sauce like this can completely overtake the seafood. And the slightly crunchy noodles were a great addition.

If the appetizers are a generous portion to share, then the entrees are mammoth sized. I barely made a dent in my Nouilles Cantonaises. Tip: The sauce and noodles make a great meal the next day as well, especially after the sauce soaks into the noodles overnight. Everything was a presented like a work of art, especially the Bacon Wrapped Shrimp and the Flounder curry. A Tiramisu served with Pumpkin ice cream was the finale to our dinner and a perfect way to end it.

When Chef Tran told me he had created C’om restaurant, I knew we were in for a treat. And it didn’t disappoint. It is a shame that that outstanding cuisine seems to get lost in the sports-like atmosphere and clubby music of TEN. But if you are looking for some incredibly tasty Asian food, TEN is a solid choice.

TEN Atlanta
990 Piedmont Ave
Atlanta, GA 30309