therese

Cut off the "anglais" bit at the end of the web address and you can get to the French site. Way more appetizing.

Here's to hoping that they have somebody re-do the English version of the menu. Loved the "grilled chitterling sausage"---they might want to translate that one back into French.

So I'm guessing the owners are not familiar with the book.

Hmm, Tin Drum. Can't say I've heard of it. The name's a bit odd. Do they serve eel?

If it's going to be a brasserie then this would be more like Atlanta's Bouchon.

Well, okay, if I'm going to eat a doughnut it may as well be a yeast-raised, deep-fried one. And if I'm going to eat a fast food fried chicken sandwich it may as well be one made with an actual chicken breast that's reasonably well-prepared and not gooped up with extra condiments.

Agree absolutely here, FoodTutor. I suggest that we all started using the alternate (and correct) spelling, Chick Filet. No more worrying about whether it's an "a" or and "A" at the end of the word, and sales should soar: they're selling chicks? To go? I don't actually mind odd spellings if they're part of a trademark, for obvious reasons. I do, however, absolutely loathe the use of terms like "kuntry cookin'" used to describe an establishment. More twee crap. Oh, and I don't see the appeal of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. I don't think I'd like Crispy Cream doughnuts any better, either.

Not only do I remember this, but my mother knew the guy who invented Mountain Dew. Not the original formula (never widely marketed, lemon-lime like Sprite or 7 Up), but the one that was eventually marketed by Pepsi. His name was Bill Jones and he was from Marion, VA. His family had fallen on very hard times in the period before he hit it big with Mountain Dew, and my mother recalls his wife having to hold her shoes together with canning rubbers. [above quote scavenged from the Chik-fil-A thread]

Sounds like you did experience some sort of fluke. Chik-fil-A sandwiches are generally pretty highly seasoned, and also generally quite hot. The chicken (it's an actual piece of chicken breast, not a patty in the way that I think of a patty) is juicy enough that no dressing (like mayonnaise) is necessary, though I wouldn't eat it without something to drink alongside. The bun is not the point of the a Chik-fil-A, and it does end up on the flabby side as a result of having been wrapped in a foil patch with a hot piece of fried chicken and pickles. Were I you (and had some free time on my hands) I'd contact Chik-fil-A and point out that you'd had a crappy one (and where, of course, so that they can fix it). They'll almost certainly make it up to you and send you a coupon for a second try.

Exactly. And the best part is how big-hearted and adventurous the rich folk feel about it: "Why look, honey, they're just like us! And look here at what marvelous things they can do with a chili dog!" Destro800 did have a good point about using the local vernacular. Atlanta does have some subculture local vernacular, but what many visitors think they should be looking for along these lines is not actually local: we're not on the coast, so unless you're interested in trout or catfish it's not local, and there isn't a big barbecue tradition here either, so don't agonize over finding it. Over on chowhound there's somebody looking for Cajun food in Atlanta for visiting Australians. They have been directed to Pappadeaux, where I'm sure they'll be very happy.

You're not going to share?

I'm confused. Why the hell would I care what the rest of the world thought? I live here, I eat here, I don't give a rat's ass what the rest of the world has to say about it. If I did I'd go eat in the rest of the world (which I do, but that's beside the point I'm trying to make here). I don't think we just need more/better competition, but I also don't think it hurts. I don't think we need just throw up our hands and say "Lawsy lawsy lawsy" and step'n'fetchit on over to the Krispy Kreme because they turned on the HOT DONUTS NOW sign, or eat a yellow dog walking because we don't know any better. If nobody pushed the envelope, whether here or in New York, we'd still all be eating Beef Wellington and cherries jubilee. Why are diners in New York any different than diners in Atlanta? Do people just get stupid when they leave Manhattan?

Oh boy, I hope so. More cool restaurants for me to go to. Sounds like the Intercontinental and St. Regis will be going very upmarket conventional, and much of their bread and butter business will be expense account dining. So as long as the economy rocks so will they. And local Atlantans will benefit from having just that many more options, helping them to get over their fear of "fancy". I think there is a certain "critical mass" that you have to reach in terms of population size, density, and demographics, but I also think the issue of critical mass comes into play with the number of restaurants. If there are only a couple of acknowledged great places in town then the dining public will tend to "save" them for special occasions. A larger number of really fine dining restaurants will also mean that they have to compete, not necessarily a bad thing if you're aiming for an overall improved experience. Seeger's and The Dining Room presently compete directly for my (and my employer's) dining dollar, and The Dining Room wins: I can count on great food (not necessarily absolutely perfect, but pretty close) and great service at The Dining Room, whereas I run the risk of embarrassing important guests if I take them to Seeger's. I really wish Seeger's could come up to the mark, because then The Dining Room would have to compete harder on the food side of things.

Wappo also serves lunch. Very pleasant-looking patio that we didn't get to try on our last visit. Wappo has also opened some sort of taqueria establishment on the main street in Calistoga. I've not tried it, but if you wanted a quick meal it might be worth a try.

I love both Indian and Japanese foods.

An Atlanta style? As distinct from a New York style or a London style or a Paris style? Because I think it would be really helpful to define just what it is that makes upmarket restaurants in those cities so very obviously wonderful and also so distinct from each other. Assuming they are, in fact, distinct from each other---I've not been able to tell them apart frankly, but then that's probably because I live in Atlanta. Grand scheme of things? Cutting edge? It's food. Just how deeply can a person care about fancy restaurants? On the other hand, we can care enough to not settle for crap. Most diners in Atlanta (exactly like most diners in New York and London and Paris) do settle for crap, quite consistently, but there are also people who are interested in great food here and will support local efforts. The fact that one of the 5 star (or whatever) restaurants in Atlanta sits empty is nothing to do with the dining public and everything to do with appallingly poor management (from this diner's point of view). And Blais' demise similarly reflected some very poor upfront decisions (again, my opinion). I moved to Atlanta in 1985, and things really were pretty desperately bad. Following destro800's logic there's been no point in the last 19 year's changes---we'll never measure up, so why bother?

Have to disagree, destro800. What truly good meals that embrace the Southern vernacular are we talking about here? Watershed fine, South City Kitchen hit or miss, a few others out there. Are we not supposed to prepare it or eat it if it doesn't contain Vidalia onions? Should Seeger and Menard just pack up their bags and leave us heathens to live on a steady diet of greens and cornbread?

1. Commune just closed, so never mind dropping in there for drinks. But not really a problem (see item #2) 2. This Friday at Bacchanalia? You might want to think a little farther ahead next time. 3. Joel's would be a very good option, particularly as the wine service and selection there are great. 4. Seeger's has great food, but some of the worst service around. 5. The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton is great all around, and would be my pick except that I wouldn't go on a Friday. Other options that are considered second tier in Atlanta but have great food and great wine are Woodfire Grill and Food Studio.

Haven't been to Ru San's in a while, but didn't like it and it doesn't sound as if I need to go back. Frenetic environment, sushi leaning heavily on fried/mayonnaise-y sorts of things. I could see going for drinks after I'd eaten somewhere else.

I agree that encouraging healthy eating habits is great, and that pregnancy is a great time to do it, as people are pretty motivated. But they're also often dealing with lots of other issues, many of them seen as deprivations: no smoking, no drinking, etc. There are often associated financial stresses, and mom may not necessarily feel up to starting to make her own multigrain bread around that time. I think framing it in light of gestational diabetes, important micronutrients not necessarily available from processed food, etc. is a good approach. But I also don't think it's appropriate to tell the other parents that they are harming their babies if they eat a Big Mac once a week. Now, twice a week...

Not that snobby. Particularly regarding the couple who shows up with fast food---sounds like they've both come directly from work, and managing to find food on the run between the two locations may be difficult. She needs food and she needs it now---if there were ever a time when a woman could indulge in the occasional Quarterpounder with cheese and fries this is it. If you don't like other people's idea of snacks then don't eat them. They may very well eat better at home, but don't want to inflict their nuts and berries approach on an unappreciative world. Next time bring some nuts in addition to the fruit---those women need calories.

My next visit to The Dining Room I'm planning on taking the shorter menu just so I'll have more room for the sweets trolley. The hell with the hat.

Can't wait to hear about jaypm51's dinner at Seeger's. I'm going to go ahead and guess the ending, though: great food, remarkably inept but also somehow arrogant service.

Books have it all over the web for that kind of "browsing", I agree.

Seems like this sort of resource has been rendered largely obsolete by the web. Plug the name of the product you'd like into Google and you'll come up with manufacturers and distributors of same. You can then either order the product directly, or get names of local retail outlets that carry it. You could just google "mt olive pickles"...