pourquoi pas

the Globe closing October 10th.

You and I have talked about this at great length and we both agree that the statement is true. But please, do not encourage this type of behavior. Atlanta is a slow moving market but based on the model of Chicago, it could succeed. You just have to keep cramming fine dining down the throat of the population and train your clintele. You think Chicago could have handled Gras, Achatz, or Cantu 10 years ago. Absolutley not in the midwest. But Trotter and Tramonto sustained and eventually broke the camel's back. Screw the hotels, that's what they there for. Let a fine dining restaurant put the strain on there budget, a million dollar 1st floor condo will cover the truffles.

...another independent swallowed up by a group...Atlanta needs to get back on track and chill with the monopolies that water down the dining experience.

...more on the Globe's new fall hours. Quite a few changes are taking shape at the midtown bistro. Chef Joshua L. Perkins reigns over his fall menu which has always been an exciting mash-up of modern and classic mediterranean fare. Also, the week lines up a restaurant sponsored event each night of the week. Notably, a service industry night, or S.I.N on Tuesdays. As well as After Dark Sessions with DJ Bigg H, Thursday nights from 10pm-2am. The restaurant is now open until 2am Thursday-Saturday and offers a great late night line up either before or instead of the club. the GLOBE

After browsing the ajc today, it seems as if our city is overrun with stars. Ms. Ford cannot help herself from giving out 4 stars. At one point, certainly around now, you lose the plot. Atlanta could start seeing a Michelin phenomenon, where stars are given back. As the immortal Marco Pierre White said, after handing his back, "I refuse to be judged by someone who knows less about food than I do."

Marcel deserves no pity from anyone. I have cooked with a lot of people like him. Lots of talk about passion and desire but nothing to back it up. Marcel doesn't put anything of himself in his food. He keeps it safe, not to the untrained eye, but anyone who has a decent cookbook collection can tell. So far this season, he has ripped off Michelle Richard, Ferran Adria, and Joel Robuchon. He is not taking risks, he's taking recipes. Im not saying thats a bad thing. Marco Pierre White said it best, "You cannot re-invent the wheel, you can only change the hub." I don't disbar him from picking from some of the best, but please don't call this souless hack revolutionary.

True, most people are not serious about food. I still don't see how Atlanta cannot be a serious food city. Do you think NY, Philly, San Fran is full of foodies. Surely there are people in those cities who love the chains and love the places "to be seen." Yet, they also have some of the best restaurants in the nation. Atlanta should be capable of sustaining restaurants with national prestige. Yet with Seegers gone, Soto gone, and probably a few other recognizable names to follow, it does not bode well for the future. Investors will go with what makes money. Right now Atlanta is showing that flash and hype sells more than truly ethereal dining. There are a lot of restaurants where I will go and have a very good meal in this town. There are not enough places that awaken every sense during the dining experience.

To the recent posts of the decline of our culinary civilization in Atlanta: It is true that the city has made a horrific turn into the trendy and mostly corporate dining destinations. And with the continuous opening of "sexy" bars and "cool" lounges, food is now deemed less meaningful next to atmosphere and scene. There doesn't seem to be a real answer to this downward spiral because the places attract so many of our city's residents and these martini Valhalla's thrive while institutions of passionate cooking are failing. The true future of this city lies with so many of the many talented cooks still toiling in the last of this city's training grounds. Cooks who sacrifice so much for the sake of learning at The Dining Room, Bachannalia, Joel. Add to that, Aria, Repast, and Restaurant Eugene. This city needs to cultivate its local talent, not search the country for new blood. There are so many talented cooks in these restaurants that have "made their bones" in this world and chose to live and work in Atlanta. Sooner or later they will come up and be ready to bring food back into the spotlight. Until then, these training grounds need support. The students cannot learn without schools. Atlanta needs to support fine dining. Until it is shown that Atlanta has a respect for food, periodicals such as the NY Times, and Starchefs will continue to look at us as a trendy wasteland of sub-par restaurants. We should be offended by the comments of these writers. We should also take them to heart and show them that we have real talent in Atlanta and we have the ability to compete with food cities.