Atlanta for a quick trip

[Reignking]

I'd hate to say this but I was at Repast the other week, and the seared tuna with potato and quinoa was an absolute failure. It was so bland. Strangely enough, it is the dish shown in this article. I found the crust of thyme and ground mustard on the lemon chiffon very interesting, though, but not enough to make up for that dish.

That night, I tried to go to H&F, but at 7 on a Friday there was a 2 hour wait!

Flip by bus or cab is probably is a great idea -- considering the parking. For such a hyped restaurant, I thought it more than lived up to it.

[therese]

Another vote for FLIP, and we've been to 4th & Swift several times and enjoyed it. We also like Repast and go pretty frequently; only once have I not enjoyed my meal, and that night the chef wasn't there.

Sean's (in Inman Park, very convenient to the MARTA train station with the same name) and Cakes & Ale (in Decatur, a couple of blocks walk from the MARTA train station with the same name) are also both excellent. Another very hot restaurant at the moment is The Porter, located in Little Five Points. Great selection of beers et al., and the food is very good, pub food but much better and more interesting (plus it's cheap). Pura Vida is another of our consistent favorites.

I was underwhelmed by Spice Market, but perhaps that was just high expectations.

And now for the really, really important advice: if you take a cab, always always always have some idea of where you're going, because your cab driver almost certainly won't have the faintest clue unless it is the airport, a downtown hotel, or Emory University Hospital. Print out a map, have the address handy, and be ready to call the restaurant from your cell phone so that the driver can speak directly to a local. Assuming he speaks English, that is.

[Shelby]

Just a quick update. I'm staying at the InterContinental Buckhead. It's close to our friends and it was a darn good price.

The restaurant in the hotel is Au Pied de Cochon. I can't even pronounce it lol.

[therese]

The Intercontinental's a very nice property, and since Atlanta's got so many hotel rooms you can get great rates if you're not competing with a large meeting (and really steep rates if you are, and very possibly no room at all). Au Pied de Cochon is interesting from a decor perspective (flying pigs, blown glass fruit light fixtures) and is modeled on the original one in Paris.

Let us know where you got to eat.

[Shelby]

Last night we ate at Au Pied de Cochon. I had the scallops. Hubby had the duck. It was really good. We should have ordered a salad or something, though, because I was still kinda hungry.

[dockhl]

I am so happy I stumbled upon this thread. I'll be in Atlanta, staying at the Hyatt Regency from Apr 4-7. I'll have my sweetie with me for Sat/Sun nights (we'll be getting in late afternoon) and hoped to find out as much as I can before we get there. No car, so we'll take cabs, I imagine.

Since we'll be pretty tired Sat night, I was thinking fairly casual (Flip, maybe?). I was disappointed to see that Blais had left Home. Is it still good? (I have no idea where it is relative to where I am staying.) So much great info in this thread...........

During the day Sunday, we'll want to be out exploring, and then a romantic dinner on Sunday night.

Any and all suggestions will be appreciated ! One caveat..he hates sushi Oh well, if that is the only thing to avoid, we're in pretty good shape !

Thanks in advance for all your help.

[Dave the Cook]

After Blais left Home he opened Flip, though Mark Nanna is the real exec there (Blais did the menu design and remains creative director). I'm not the best-connected guy in the city, but I'd avoid Home until they figure out what they're doing; I think they're on their third chef since Blais.

Having said all that, be prepared for a wait at Flip, especially on a Saturday night. It's a fine choice, but Atlanta is a fairly relaxed city, and there are lots of good places in midtown and the old fourth ward where you can chill and eat very well.

I recommend Restaurant Eugene for your romantic dinner Sunday.

And if you're cabbing it, go back uptopic and read therese's guidelines.

[Reignking]

I've really enjoyed Joel the last two times I've been there -- last week and during the fall.

If you want a relaxing Saturday night, Flip would drive you nuts. I ate at Home the weekend the he left; I came away unimpressed (OTOH, I really enjoyed Flip).

[RAHiggins1]

Flip's wait times aren't as bad as they were now that its been open longer. I'd say go ahead and go it doesn't take long to get seated. Or, go for lunch on sunday and get seated right away. Last weekend was the first timeit was open on Sunday and really it was wide open all day long.

Edited March 11, 2009 by RAHiggins1 (log)

[dockhl]

Flip on Sunday sounds like a great idea. Where is my hotel (the Hyatt Regency) in perspective to the above suggestions?

Eugene sounds good. I was also checking out Aria, sounds like good food and they have a private wine cellar table for two......... (can you tell I really MISS this guy?)

Any fun suggestions, other than food? I need to look at a map and get an idea of neighborhoods and where everything is.............

[Reignking]

Flip's wait times aren't as bad as they were now that its been open longer. I'd say go ahead and go it doesn't take long to get seated. Or, go for lunch on sunday and get seated right away. Last weekend was the first timeit was open on Sunday and really it was wide open all day long.

←

If that's true, I would recommend doing that for Sunday lunch...

Since you are staying downtown, you've got only a few restaurants that I would recommend. In walking distance are FAB, Room at Twelve, BLT Steak, and DrinkShop. I've enjoyed FAB; Room is good, and probably more relaxed; BLT is quite new and much more expensive, so maybe not what you were looking for (I haven't been); Drinkshop is a cool new bar that I'm anxious to check out.

Cabbing, of course, opens up a lot of possibilites.

[micropundit]

Kessler wrote a nice piece on SOCIAL, which is behind FAB on West Peachtree Place.

Edited March 11, 2009 by micropundit (log)

[SeAAttle]

I will be in Atlanta for a conference late June. A colleague/friend will also be there and we have a tradition of dining at top end places whenever we attend the same meeting. Staying at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis and happy to take a cab. I lived in the South for 10 years and am not interested in "traditional southern". Also, since I am from Seattle, seafood is out. Not a big steak fan. (Gee, I am sounding very particular). Have dined in Atlanta twice before. One I remember was New Year's Eve 2000 at Panos and Pauls.

Any recommendations for the hot spots would be appreciated. Also, jazz club recommendations. Unfortunately, I think we will have only one night free (probably a Thursday).

Thanks for your help.

S.

[Dave the Cook]

I'm not sure what you mean by "top end": best in the city, or best in category. I think the consensus on the four best restaurants in the city is (without ranking them): Bacchanalia, Quinones, Eugene and The Dining Room, with a long list of fifth-spot contenders.

[micropundit]

I will be in Atlanta for a conference late June.  A colleague/friend will also be there and we have a tradition of dining at top end places whenever we attend the same meeting.  Staying at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis and happy to take a cab.  I lived in the South for 10 years and am not interested in "traditional southern".  Also, since I am from Seattle, seafood is out.  Not a big steak fan.  (Gee, I am sounding very particular).  Have dined in Atlanta twice before.  One I remember was New Year's Eve 2000 at Panos and Pauls.

Any recommendations for the hot spots would be appreciated.  Also, jazz club recommendations.  Unfortunately, I think we will have only one night free (probably a Thursday).

Thanks for your help.

S.

←

S,

For Jazz, try Churchill Grounds on Peachtree in the same structure as the Fox Theater. Not far from your hotel and there is a new :hotspot" across the street , Livingston, located in the Georgian Terrace Hotel.

[gwilson]

Definitely Churchill Grounds for jazz. There is a Sambuca club here, but I prefer Churchill's music.

Other restaurants I'd recommend are La Pietra Cucina, Woodfire Grill, Abbatoir, Aria, Canoe, Pura Vida.

-Greg

[SeAAttle]

Sorry for the vague request. The four best is what I had in mind. Had considered the first three but need to read about The Dining Room. Thanks.

I'm not sure what you mean by "top end": best in the city, or best in category. I think the consensus on the four best restaurants in the city is (without ranking them): Bacchanalia, Quinones, Eugene and The Dining Room, with a long list of fifth-spot contenders.

←

[SeAAttle]

Definitely Churchill Grounds for jazz.  There is a Sambuca club here, but I prefer Churchill's music.

Other restaurants I'd recommend are La Pietra Cucina, Woodfire Grill, Abbatoir, Aria, Canoe, Pura Vida.

-Greg

←

Thanks to you and micropundit for the suggestions, both restaurants and jazz.

[SeAAttle]

Chose Restaurant Eugene. Will report back.

Are restaurants in Atlanta non-smoking?

[JAZ]

Yes, they're all non-smoking with the exception of a very few bar & grill places that seem to have some kind of exception.

[Dave the Cook]

Restaurants with patios usually allow smoking on them.

[RAHiggins1]

If you break for lunch head to Flip Burger Boutique on Howell Mill Road.

[SeAAttle]

Yes, they're all non-smoking with the exception of a very few bar & grill places that seem to have some kind of exception.

←

Thanks. That is important to me.

[markemorse]

FWIW, went to Pura Vida a week or so ago for a taste, ate at the bar: Diablo Shrimp Cocktail with Butternut Gelee; Duck Confit with Caramelized Plantains; Fried Zucchini Blossoms with Smoked Sour Cream. All of it was fine, but not amazing. We were trying to order a bit light, and probably could've done a better job, but...I think if I had it to do over again, I'd go somewhere else (Eugene, Holeman & Finch, JCT, and Woodfire were my other main interests). Great cocktails and atmosphere, though.

[a10er]

Had a beautiful dinner at Restaurant Eugene last night. Beautiful summer veggies and the service was really great. We had a bottle of the Côtes de Roussillon (2007) that was delicious!

Plus, my friend and I ate quietly, far from our fellow conference attendees!

Thanks for the recommendation.