Voodoo

It's like a dream come true. Seeger stays and offers cheaper options for us hobos. I can't believe it. Just awesome.

You may not get many answers here. While we Georgians have to share with 8 other states, Florida, strangely, has its own forum: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=SF&s=&f=204

Another elite chef lost to NYC? Makes me sick.

Boo yah! Voodoo got himself a reservation. Now we'll see if this Seeger's can outdo my two favorites, Soto and Bacchanalia.

Losing Soto, Blais and Seeger in the span of six months is a disgrace. That's three of the top ten chefs in the city, none of whose true vision for fine dining (Soto with his failed prix fixe and Blais and Seeger with their failed eponymous restaurants) could make it in this city. That's a sad indictment of that state of cuisine in Atlanta. Meanwhile, Cheesecake Factory still has a 3 hour wait every night.

ACK!!!!

If you're going to get in a cab, you might as well go to Midtown which is only 3 miles away. There, you'll find some of the trendiest and best restaurants in the city, though you may not find the two in the same restaurant. Way, way, way more quality options in Midtown, though.

City Grill and Atlanta Grill (Ritz Carlton right across the street from Westin) are both good. There's also McCormick & Schmick's and Ruth's Chris at CNN Center if chains are more your schtick. There's a Morton's a few blocks down from the Westin. Nikolai's Roof is also a few blocks away but is generally regarded as overpriced. There's a Hooters across the street. I haven't been impressed with Azio's and have never been to Dailey's. Ted's Montana Grill is great for burgers.

Is this Raving Brands planning on touching the existing Flying Biscuits? They shouldn't... I heard on NPR today that they are planning on opening 100 Flying Biscuits nationwide with the first branches right here in Atlanta. Frankly, even as insanely packed as the Candler Park location I go to is, I'd rather they not open any more branches in Atlanta. For one, I don't want the quality to go downhill. Secondly, I hate when businesses cater to the OTP crowd.

I think Bone's is a clear best for steaks in ATL. I like both Tamarind and Nan Thai for thai restaurants. They are sister restaurants. Tamarind is pure thai, far less expensive and far less fancy. Nan Thai is more thai fusion, trendier and pricier. In my opinion, the regular menu at One Midtown is not nearly as spectacular as the tasting menu. If you are going to be at the Four Seasons or Ritz (Buckhead), you should make it a point to go to their respective restaurants - Park 75 and The Dining Room. Never been to either but both are very well regarded. If I had one meal to go to in Atlanta, it'd be at Bacchanalia. Full disclosure: I have also never been to Seeger's.

Thanks for the responses. I'm looking forward to my dinner at Alan Wong's. Having never been to Hawaii, I doubt I'll find it redundant. I'll be the guy who finds the passion fruit coulis refreshingly innovative.

Could you elaborate on this? Are you suggesting that Wong, Mavro et al are not very innovative because most of the people who eat there are mainlanders who only a few times in their lifetimes? I have one (expensive) meal in Honolulu next week, so I don't want to make the mistake of choosing wrong. I've gotten reservations at Wong's but have been thinking about going to Chef Mavro instead.

I think it's Sunday/Monday. I did it a while back. Here's what we had: 1) Oyster dippin dots with cocktail sauce over a thin cucumber slice 2) Hamachi sashimi with marinade served with freeze dried salsa verde 3) "Impasta" 4) Calamari with tartar sauce pipette served over malt vinegar "shot" 5) "Doughnut" made of onion and gruyere cheese with green gelatin goo in chicken broth 6) Shellfish noodles in bonita fish broth 7) Smoked salmon with apples, butter foam, and pistachio/concentrated arugula juice 8) Pork with picked cabbage and succotash 9) Passion fruit sauce with coconut sorbet 10) Chocolate truffle with pistachio ice cream Many of the first few were small servings of items on the regular menu. I think the latter half were all special creations. I didn't really care for the first dish, but it was an interesting concept. Perhaps it was my general distaste for oysters. The main dish, the pork with pickled cabbage, was delicious, as were the two desserts. I would say 3 of the dishes were excellent or superb, 4 were very good, 2 were good and 1 I didn't care for (oysters). All in all, I thought it was a great buy at just $49 without wine. Some have suggested that it is not only one of the best buys in the city, but one of the best overall meals. I wouldn't go that far as I would put it a a tier or two below Soto and Bacchanalia, but isn't just about every restaurant? It's clearly an upper echelon place, and it's equally clear that Blais is an incredibly innovative and dedicated chef. I wouldn't be surprised if, in the near future, Blais is rivaling the very best restaurants not only in Atlanta, but anywhere in the Southeast. I just think he's not quite there yet, but his talent is readily apparent in every dish on the tasting menu, whether you loved it or not.

If I could only go to one steakhouse in the South, it wouldn't be Berns. Bone's in Atlanta would be my choice. Nowhere near the wine selection, obviously, but I think the meat compares favorably.

That's interesting about downtown. I hadn't considered what impact all the boutique hotels coming downtown would have. Still, I'll have to see it to believe it. Downtown is as devoid of quality dining as anywhere else in the city. It's really startling. I heard through the grapevine that Blais was on his honeymoon last week when my good friend and his good friend, the latter of which is a very prominent chef in the Atlanta area, popped into One last Monday to do the tasting menu. Imagine their surprise when they found out Chef Blais wasn't there. Mick's is maybe the worst dining experience I've had in Atlanta. Maybe the Buckhead IHOP at 2 am was worse, but that's it. Good riddance.

After trying for a month to get reservations during my three day trip up to New York last week, I finally got reservations at Babbo 5 hours before my 10 pm reservation last Saturday night. Needless to say, I was excited. I started out with the Babbo Salumi with “Cipolle Modenese” and Babbo Olives. It was certainly good but by no means great. My second and last course was Tagliatelle with radicchio castelfranco, pancetta and caprino. Perhaps it's because I'm not used to some of the ingredients, but I really didn't care for this dish very much. It was oily and downright bitter in parts. It seemed to vary in taste from bite to bite - some good, some bad. There were moments after bites when I wondered if I wanted to continue eating this dish. It got better, but not enough to make me take a chance with dessert. Regrettably, I'd have to rate this as one of my least pleasurable high end dining experiences in some time. The atmosphere was cool and I loved the hostess, but the food clearly left me wanting. I'll chalk it up to ordering a dish that didn't gel with my palate because my two friends seemed to enjoy their dishes, but I must say that my experience at Babbo did not live up to the high expectations I had. Next time, I'll get the pasta tasting menu, which I was precluded from getting because not everyone at our table wished to have it.

I went for lunch last week, and I thought it was excellent. We did the prix fixe menu, which was a "Rhubarb Tasting Menu" that day. It left me quite full and very satisfied. I only vaguely remember the first dish, but it was some combination of a couple of different preparations of rhubarb, including a sorbet and a gelee, with avocado. The second course was a rhubarb crusted striped bass. The third and final course was a poussin with rhubarb incorporated somehow, but I'm not sure where. All three courses were great, and at $35 sans wine, it's a fine bargain.

I've got reservations for two at Yasuda next week. How bad can I expect the damage to be? I'm not much on drinking, so that helps. I'm coming from Atlanta, where the best place in town (former best place, actually - he just closed down to give NYC a shot - you bastards!) charged between $4-7 for pairs of nigiri. Don't laugh - I have a feeling Soto is going to take NYC by storm. Being that good in such an awkward location (in more ways than one) makes me think that Soto will be ridiculously good now that he has better access to fish. Sorry for the Soto advertisement, but to my original question...any help?

Loco Luna?

If I had one dinner in Atlanta, I would go to Bacchanalia (only now that Soto has closed). For lunch, it all depends on what you're in the mood for.

I've been once for lunch, and I thought the food was just okay, nothing special. Don't remember what I got, don't remember what's good. It probably isn't worth your time to skip the meal altogether unless you are really serious about going to a good place for every meal. It's certainly not bad. I'd say it's a slight step up from Olive Garden.

Yes, you can get to IKEA using public transit if you don't mind the walk at the end. Take MARTA to the Arts Center Station (N5). Walk north on Peachtree to 17th St and turn left, taking the 17th St bridge over the freeway; you can't cross at 16th St, the official street address for IKEA, because there's no bridge there. You could also walk south to 14th St and cross there. You might want to take MARTA to IKEA and then take cab back if you've given in to the temptation to buy something bulky or heavy. Do note, though, that it can be extremely difficult to get a cab in Atlanta. No problem catching one at the downtown hotels, but getting one to come to another location can be very time-consuming, and hailing one on the street anywhere but downtown nearly impossible. The customer service desk at IKEA can probably call you a cab, but give yourself plenty of time. The store itself is pretty much the usual IKEA experience. ← There is a shuttle from the Arts Center MARTA station in Midtown to Atlantic Station (where IKEA is located), so need need to walk.

They knew you'd be there? Because, other than Seeger's, these restaurants are generally pretty busy when I'm there. I've not been to Seeger's since the re-do, and since there are fewer tables now he may be managing to fill them. ← Point blank, Soto moved because the Atlanta market did not challenge him. He tried to do something challenging, but the prix fixe menu did not go over well from a business standpoint. Atlantans aren't ready for 4 hour meals with $100+ price tags.

Never really noticed the bread wasn't that good at DFM. If you're looking for good bread, I think Alon's might have the best bread on this side of town.

I live in Morningside, and DFM is one of the farthest things I travel to. It is pretty far to use as a grocery store, as I do, for anyone not near Decatur and VERY far for someone on the Westside or OTP. Though the Midtown Trader Joe's location will be closer to me, I doubt I'll shop there much. DFM is incredible.