After 25 years in business, Emory Village’s beloved Asian fusion restaurant, Dragon Bowl, closed its doors. The owners released a statement attributing the close to the seasonal business model, COVID-19, and changes in management.
In the weeks since the restaurant has closed, I’ve found myself craving Dragon Bowl’s signature crispy brussels sprouts, tangy kimchi pickles, and juicy grilled chicken, so I set out to recreate my go-to Dragon Bowl order at home!
Step 1: Choose Your Base
My favorite base at Dragon Bowl was the “Dragon Rice” — a mix of brown rice and long grain rice that added the perfect level of sustenance and crunch to my meal!
In order to recreate this, I purchased a wild rice mix and combined it with a package of pre-made frozen brown rice. I was also a fan of the kale salad blend, which I would recommend creating with a kale slaw mix and an Asian-inspired vinaigrette!
Step 2: Choose Your Protein
In terms of protein, the chicken at Dragon Bowl was always my favorite! For this recipe, I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts and seasoned them with olive oil, salt, pepper, lots of fresh garlic, a dash of soy sauce, and onion powder.
I kept the seasonings simple here as the sauces and garnish add a lot of flavor later on. I let my chicken marinate in the seasoning for about an hour and then pan-fried it with some extra olive oil, making sure not to overcook the meat.
Step 3: Choose Two Veggies
In my humble opinion, the most outstanding part of Dragon Bowl’s menu was their use of vegetables. For this at-home recreation, I decided to make my own version of their crispy brussels sprouts and roasted broccoli.
I began by thinly slicing my veggies to achieve maximum crispness, leaving the stems on my broccoli relatively long and cutting my brussels sprouts into slim quarters. I then coated both very generously with olive oil, salt, pepper, a splash of soy sauce, and a pinch of garlic powder. I also added a small drizzle of honey to my brussels sprouts for some extra flavor.
Before roasting, I lightly coated both the brussels sprouts and broccoli with corn starch — a trick to make them extra crisp! I then popped them in the oven at 425 degrees and roasted them for around 30 minutes.
Step 4: Choose Your Sauce
For my sauces, I went the easy route and purchased pre-made Japanese-inspired teriyaki sauce. I found this brand at Kroger, but I would encourage anyone interested in making their own sauces to do a quick Google search as there are many recipes out there online!
Step 5: Choose Your Garnish
In terms of garnishes, my favorite at Dragon Bowl was always the kimchi pickles. If you plan to make this recipe, I recommend you make these ahead of time to give them the proper amount of time to marinate!
I left mine in the fridge for several hours before eating. In terms of preparation, they are actually quite simple. Just combine the following ingredients in a mason jar or airtight container: 1 cup rice vinegar, 1-2 tablespoons sugar, grated ginger (to your liking), red chili flakes (to your liking), and lots of coarse salt. Add in your sliced cucumber slices, and pop in the fridge!
Step 6: Assemble and Enjoy!
Once all my components were complete, I assembled my bowl by placing my veggies and chicken atop a bed of my brown rice blend, drizzled with teriyaki, and topped with my kimchi pickles.
My finished product was delicious and definitely satisfied my Dragon Bowl craving. I would encourage anyone else missing this Emory Village spot to recreate my recipe!
