Best Of Atlanta 2007 Header Large

2007 Index of Winners

BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Park 75 (Featured)

With all the glitz and glamour in Hotlanta, some days you just want an excellent meal in a quiet, sophisticated room. When the micro-mini-wearing waitresses have got you down, when you've tired of the scenesters and Pan-Latin jazz-infused small plates, head to PARK 75 in the Four Seasons. The old-style hotel service is impeccable, and chef Robert Gerstenecker's dishes are classic and refined. The five-course, 12-dish tasting brunch is an especially indulgent luxury, but be sure to wear pearls and sensible heels. No one cares about your hipster credentials here. less...

BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

TWO urban licks

Even after three years in business, there's still nowhere like TWO URBAN LICKS for wowing a date or out-of-towners with the fabulously trendy Atlanta dining scene. The futuristic warehouse valet line is impressive enough, but nothing beats the rush of energy that comes when you enter that monumentally dramatic dining room. The music, the beautiful people, the view of the city, the oversized light shades, the rotisserie, the open kitchen, the painting of wild beasts, the meat lollipops all meld into a frenzy of perfectly trendy mayhem. There will come a day when this isn't the hottest place in town, but we have not seen that day yet. less...

Best Appetizers BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Floataway Cafe

1123 Zonolite Road 404-892-1414 http://www.starprovisions.com Pure, fresh, simple - those are the guiding principles for the cuisine at FLOATAWAY CAFE. The appetizers are particularly exemplary of the style of cooking that has made chefs Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison famous. Beets with avocado and feta cheese offer a cooling, creamy, salty study in freshness. Grilled chicken livers are given a woodsy rosemary personality, countered by the sweetness of onion jam. Starters here are so good, it's perfectly smart to make a whole meal of them. less...

Best Bakery BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Bread Garden (Permanently Closed)

549-5 Amsterdam Ave. 404-875-1166 Not only does BREAD GARDEN provide bread to some of Atlanta's best restaurants, it sells its perfect loaves directly to the public as well. The small shop in the Amsterdam Walk shopping center also sells sandwiches, pastries and amazing cookies. Now, if only owner Katharinemore...

Best Bar Food BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Tap : A Gastropub (Permanently Closed)

Pubs in Atlanta have been increasingly devoted to providing decent food as well as booze. Now we have an out-and-out gastropub, TAP, another project of Bob Amick's Concentrics Restaurants. Chef Todd Ginsburg offers a menu of small plates that includes buffalo-style fried calamari, pozole, and toast with chocolate and chorizo. If you want more than grazing fare, there are six entrees, such as roasted scallops with minestrone, and organic chicken and artichoke stew. The decor - yet another Johnson Studio project - highlights brewery hardware, and features a red deer that demonically overlooks the scene. Good beer selection, too. less...

Best Barbecue BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Daddy D'z

264 Memorial Drive SE 404-222-0206 http://www.daddydz.com Not only does DADDY D'Z have the best barbecue in town, it also has one of the most pleasingly grungy atmospheres, lovably attitudinal waitresses and delicious sides to boot. For a Sunday afternoon hangover meal, what can beat the pork plate with mac-n-cheese and collard greens? The sauce has good spice and a hefty dose of vinegar, and isn't too sweet. Ribs are a messy wonder. Who's your daddy? less...

Best Beer Selection BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Brick Store Pub

125 Court Square 404-687-0990 http://www.brickstorepub.com A great place for intense conversation and incredible libations - or vice versa - the BRICK STORE PUB has been a Decatur institution for the past decade. Former Athens denizens Dave Blanchard, Mike Gallagher and Tom Moore have created a cozy sippin' nook for true beer connoisseurs. Constructed for unobtrusive communication, the Store features a welcome escape from the sports-bar mentality of multiple TVs, raging jukeboxes, flat domestic beers and noisy, macho posturing. Here, the beer is the star, the customer is king and the attentive staff knows the pub's brew list well. Intown, out-of-town and international beers are among the choices from more than 15 drafts and well in excess of 65 extraordinary bottled beers. If you like it strong, head upstairs to the delightful Belgian Beer Bar. less...

Best Breakfast BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Java Jive

790 Ponce de Leon Ave. 404-876-6161 Open for more than 10 years now, JAVA JIVE is especially popular on weekends, when there's always a wait. The Midtown diner has a retro '50s feel with Formica tables and vinyl seating. The staff, like the coffee, is bracing but excellent. Gingerbread waffles with lemon curd have long been the favorite here, although pancakes are good, too. And the biscuits have no peer. Are you getting the drift? Aim for the heavy carbs. The egg dishes are decent, but the kitchen is at its best carbing you up. less...

Best Brunch BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Shaun's (Permanently Closed)

1029 Edgewood Ave. 404-577-4358 http://www.shaunsrestaurant.com It's been a huge year in Atlanta for new restaurants, but none has captured our hearts quite like SHAUN'S, the Inman Park bistro from Shaun Doty. Serving clean, inspired New American food in a beautiful old street-front building, Shaun's caters to a real need in Atlanta - upscale neighborhood dining. Brunch is especially impressive, with deliciously refined takes on brunch classics. Try the trout over grits along with a mistral mimosa. less...

Best Cajun BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Pappadeaux - Marietta

10795 Davis Drive 770-992-5566 Gumbo is one of those rare dishes where the more stuff you add, the merrier shrimp and crab and oysters, chicken and duck and andouille sausage, lots of spice or a little, load up the rice or don't. The charm is in the mix, but so is the challenge. Gaining a sense of proportion becomes key. Atlanta is blessed with a range of gumbo offerings from independently owned restaurants, but the chain PAPPADEAUX gets it just right in its seafood gumbo. The broth is just thick enough, the roux just the right shade of brown, the debris of crab just tattered enough, the spice just hot enough. (Someone knows how to tap that cayenne dispenser!) less...

Best Cheap Eats BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Eats

600 Ponce de Leon Ave. 404-888-9149 It's seriously hard to find a decent inexpensive meal in Atlanta these days. EATS has been around about 15 years - long enough that it was there before Ponce de Leon became the kind of place that would host a Home Depot and Whole Foods. The restaurant serves excellent jerk chicken, lemon-pepper chicken and pasta dishes. What's more, the vegetables - especially the corn and collards - are terrific. The atmosphere is ... well, they remodeled the men's room this year. It looks great! less...

Best Chef BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Arnaud Berthelier

3434 Peachtree Road 404-240-7035 http://www.ritzcarlton.com ARNAUD BERTHELIER is deeply symbolic of the Ritz-Carlton's tradition of bringing Atlanta its best chefs (Guenter Seeger and Joel Antunes also once held the head chef position there). Berthelier is cooking some of the best food this city has ever seen, and his technique is both bold and delicate. Dishes such as chilled Parmesan and bean cream with pesto ice cream show his boundless creativity at creating luxury with unexpected components. Put your palate in his hands for a special occasion and prepare to be delighted. less...

Best Chef BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Kathryn King

Not only has KATHRYN KING consistently turned out fantastic desserts at Aria for years, she also consulted on the dessert menu at JCT Kitchen, where the gingerbread pudding could be the best thing to happen in Atlanta desserts all year. Her capacity to meld traditional recipes and flawless techniquemore...

Best Chinese BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Tasty China (Marietta) (Temporarily Closed)

585 Franklin Rd Se 770-419-9849 The much-lauded chef Peter Chang has left TASTY CHINA, but the kitchen staff hasn't missed a beat. In fact, they've introduced a whole new slew of dishes even while retaining the Szechwan favorites that made Tasty China Atlanta's ultimate foodie destination for Chinese. Try any of chef Liu's new lamb dishes, or go for any of the old favorites - hot and numbing beef rolls, wontons in chili oil, fish and coriander rolls. There are more delicious dishes on the menu here than you'll ever have time to eat, so go soon and go often. less...

Best Chinese BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

East Pearl Seafood Restaurant

1810 Liddell Lane 678-380-0899 If eating gloppy rice soup with bits of pork and mushroom in a mountain chalet appeals to you, then EAST PEARL is your place. The soup is delicious, as are the dumplings and duck's feet. East Pearl has a selection slightly less greasy than other dim sum places in town, and the huge tables of Chinese families who flock there every weekend appreciate it. The mountain-lodge decor is still pleasingly surreal. less...

Best Coffee House/Coffeeshop BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Counter Culture Coffee

877 W. Marietta St. 678-358-6114 http://www.counterculturecoffee.com There's a new coffee company in town COUNTER CULTURE COFFEE. The owners are so devoted to java that they've opened a training center in the King Plow Arts Center and hold a weekly "cupping" (think wine tasting but with coffee) on Friday evenings that is open to the public. The company specializes in forging personal connections with coffee growers, and some of the best places in town, including Octane, are now devotees of Counter Culture's beans. less...

Best Coffee House/Coffeeshop BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Octane Coffee (Permanently Closed)

1009-B Marietta St. 404-815-9886 http://www.octanecoffee.com If you're one of those coffee snobs who proclaims loudly that since your visit to Italy you simply can't abide American cappuccino, then head over to the Westside's OCTANE, where you'll find a version pretty dang close to the real thing. It's also a great place to work, eat or grab a beer after work. The staff has good taste in music, the art on the walls is local and vibrant, and they take their coffee seriously. Every neighborhood should be so lucky. less...

Best Cuban BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Palomilla's Cuban Grill House (Permanently Closed)

6470 Spalding Drive 770-242-0078 Atlanta was lucky to take in a huge wave of Cuban immigrants in the '70s, and we're still reaping the culinary rewards. Ironic, then, that the chef at PALOMILLA'S, Javier Salas, actually is Peruvian. No matter. The new cafe features the best Cuban food Atlanta has ever seen. Lunchtime specials, such as chicken fricassee, are ridiculously inexpensive. The papa rellena - stuffed, deep-fried mashed potatoes - is a heavenly mixture of textures and flavors, with picadillo seeming to erupt from the loaf-sized appetizer. Other standouts tamales, roasted pork and a mango pie that is without peer anywhere. less...

Best Deli BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Muss & Turner's - Smyrna (Featured)

1675 Cumberland Parkway 770-434-1114 http://mussandturners.com MUSS & TURNER'S is much more than a classic deli, but even if you strip away the cooking classes, the vacuum-sealed gourmet meals and the evening menu of such dishes as wild stripe bass bouillabaisse and grilled hanger steak, you're still left with the best deli meats and sandwich menu in the city. Well, it's not exactly in the city. It's in Smyrna, but it's certainly good enough that people from all parts of Atlanta journey there. However, if you order at least $100 worth of food, the deli will deliver (with 48 hours notice). less...

Best Food Trend BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Southern Cooking

It seems absurd, but until the last year or two it was difficult to find good SOUTHERN COOKING outside the city's soul-food cafes. The exceptions were Watershed and Horseradish Grill, but they've been joined now by JCT Kitchen and Bar, Rare, and Sweet Lowdown. Restaurant Eugene's Sunday suppers pay homage to our regional tradition, and Quinones at Bacchanalia also features a Southern accent. All these restaurants endeavor to use local ingredients and, besides preparing traditional dishes, most also do creative riffs on the food of our mothers and fathers. less...

Best French BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Trois

1180 Peachtree St. 404-815-3337 http://www.trois3.com Both traditional and modern French are represented on the menu at TROIS, so whether you're in the mood for beef bourguignon or wild salmon with truffle coulis, chef Jeremy Lieb understands the grandest of cuisines and interprets it beautifully. To really French it up, try the chateaubriand for two or the burgundy snails, and don't forget to check out the pleasing selection of French wines. less...

Best Hamburger BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

The EARL (Featured)

488 Flat Shoals Ave. 404-522-3950 http://www.badearl.com THE EARL is frequently praised for its bar food, partly because of the now-legendary Earl Burger, which this past year earned kudos in a much-cited Wall Street Journal piece about Atlanta as America's burger capital. The unce patty of Black Angus beef is perfectly prepared to order over an open flame. It's never greasy, features fresh and perfectly proportioned dressings (leafy green lettuce, red onions, tomato, pickles), and is served on a buttered and toasted sesame seed bun. The optional wasabi mayo offers a nice change of pace and displays an attention to detail that allows the Earl Burger to sizzle to the top. less...

Best Ice Cream BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Hank's

5658 Riverdale Road 770-907-5813 http://www.hanksicecream.com The bad news is that HANK'S lost its lease in Grant Park. The good news is that the Houston-based company is looking for a location in Midtown. Meanwhile, a Hank's has opened inside Wakefield Foods near the airport in College Park. Yes, it's worth the drive to stock up. The butter pecan takes that classic to a new level. The black walnut is better than oral sex. When Valentine's Day rolls around, Hank's sells rose-flavored ice cream, maybe the most exotic flavor we've tasted outside the kitchen of a molecular gastronome. less...

Best Indian BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Madras Saravana Bhavan

2179 Lawrenceville Highway 404-634-4400 A vegetarian restaurant (where you won't miss the meat), MADRAS SARAVANA BHAVAN is so popular that owner Narenda Patel opened a meat-serving restaurant at the opposite end of the shopping center in which MSB is located. The dosai, forearm-length rice-flour pancakes filled with spicy potatoes and other seasoned veggies, are the favorite here. In fact, the dosai get so huge you can order one that literally fills the table. We urge you to branch out and experiment with other dishes, including any of the curries (try the one made with eggplant) or the thali plate, which gives you a sampling of many dishes. The restaurant is currently undergoing renovations but will re-open at the end of this month. less...

Best Italian BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Sotto Sotto Restaurant

313 N. Highland Ave. 404-523-6678 http://www.sottosottorestaurant.com Riccardo Ullio, the owner and executive chef of SOTTO SOTTO in Inman Park, is a perfectionist who hasn

Best Korean BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Hae Woon Dae BBQ

5805 Buford Highway NE #5 770-458-6999 There are plenty of other Korean restaurants in Atlanta, including those that specialize in tofu and soups, but HAE WOON DAE still soars to the top. Hae Woon Dae specializes - around the clock - in meats grilled at your table. Soon after you order bulgogi or any other of the many meat dishes, an employee arrives with a bucket of thermonuclear-hot coals that he dumps in the grill in the middle of your table. Meanwhile, you're noshing on a vast array of complimentary pickled goodies and eyeballing the zillion athletic trophies decorating the restaurant. Sound surreal? Try it at 3 a.m. less...

Best Local Brewery BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

5 Seasons

5600 Roswell Road Suite 21 404-255-5911 http://www.5seasonsbrewing.com The beer selections rotate seasonally at 5 SEASONS, but there's no doubt these guys are brewing the best local beers around. In the past year we've especially enjoyed the Belgian-style beers on tap in Alpharetta, and the Dry Irishmore...

Best Margarita BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Element

1051 W. Peachtree Road 404-745-3001 The margarita at ELEMENT would be cool if it were only what it appears to be on first look a Slurpee for grown-ups. But the liquid-nitrogen frozen cocktail works as more than a novelty when you take into consideration that the low temp of the scientific technique usedmore...

Best Mexican BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Zocalo

187 10th St. 404-249-7576 http://www.zocalocreativemex.com This is a difficult call every year because metro Atlanta has so many authentic Mexican restaurants. Most of them, however, are taquerias. In fact, ZOCALO operates a taqueria itself in Grant Park. But its Decatur and Midtown locations offer more substantial menus. The chili en nogada - a stuffed poblano pepper with walnut-cream sauce, garnished with pomegranate seeds - is a seasonal favorite. But you should also try anything with the restaurant's homemade mole sauce. less...

Best Middle Eastern BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Mezza

2751 LaVista Road 404-633-8833 http://www.mezzabistro.com There is nothing more consoling than Lebanese comfort food. That's exactly what you'll find at MEZZA, located in a shopping strip on LaVista Road. Small plates of love emerge from the kitchen, and the deeply flavored meats are especially delicious.more...

Best mixologist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Greg Best

Not to be confused with the bottle-juggling bartender, the mixologist works like a chef sourcing fresh ingredients, rare liqueurs and forgotten recipes - and crafting cocktails designed more for complexity of taste than for raw potency. At Restaurant Eugene

Best New Restaurant BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Shaun's (Permanently Closed)

Best Overall Restaurant BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead

3434 Peachtree Road 404-240-7035 http://www.ritzcarlton.com The best place in the city for a fine upscale meal is THE DINING ROOM AT THE RITZ-CARLTON BUCKHEAD. From the flawless service to chef Arnaud Berthelier's inspired menu, which successfully blends luxury ingredients with modern technique, the restaurant has found a formula that makes for the meal of a lifetime. Apart from the world-class cooking, highlights include the best cheese cart in town and a fabulous wine list that is 600 bottles strong. There's only one restaurant in Atlanta that could compete head-to-head with the best establishments in New York and Paris, and this is it. less...

Best Patio Dining BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Canoe

4199 Paces Ferry Road 770-432-2663 http://www.canoe-atl.com There's nothing on Earth like a majestic Southern river, and no place in the city to eat overlooking one as beautiful as the patio at CANOE. The view of the Chattahoochee is breathtaking, as are the incredible gardens that surround the restaurant.more...

Best Pizza BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Fritti

311 N. Highland Ave. 404-880-9559 http://www.sottosottorestaurant.com Atlanta's palate has been elevated by many new (and primarily suburban) pizza practitioners who've opened up shop in recent years. But no pie in town has our hearts and mouths so completely infatuated as FRITTI, which has us coming back over and over for the classic and authentically Italian regina margherita pizza, the height of delicious simplicity with sauce, bufala mozzarella and a scattering of fresh basil. Pizza perfection. less...

Best Place for a First Date BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Chocolate Bar (Permanently Closed)

201 W. Ponce de Leon Ave. 404-378-0630 http://www.thechocolatebardecatur.com There are enough aphrodisiacs on the menu at CHOCOLATE BAR to drive a hoard of potential lovers mad with lust. Between the oysters, creamy cheeses and multiple decadent chocolate creations (including a few that involve booze),more...

Best Restaurant for Late-Night Dining BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Hae Woon Dae

Best Restaurant to Bring the Kids BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Dante's Down The Hatch

3380 Peachtree Road NE 404-266-1600 http://www.dantesdownthehatch.com If boiling oil and crocodiles don't scream "kid friendly," we don't know what does. Seriously, the hot fondue pots at DANTE'S DOWN THE HATCH might be a safety concern for really little kids, but what could be more fun than cooking your own food and looking at nautical-theme-park-inspired decor? The pirate vibe and life-sized crocodiles should keep the tykes entertained until the cauldrons arrive. less...

Best Restaurant to Take Visitors BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Watershed on Peachtree (Permanently Closed)

406 W. Ponce de Leon Ave. 404-378-4900 http://www.watershedrestaurant.com You've heard it countless times when visitors come to town "Where can I get a real taste of Atlanta?"

Best Sandwiches BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Alon's

1394 N. Highland Ave. 404-872-6000 http://www.alons.com There are a lot of notable sandwiches in Atlanta, but during the last year one has outshined all othersthe bresaola panini with Parmesan and pepper sauce at ALON

Best Soul Food BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Son's Place (Permanently Closed)

100 Hurt St. 404-581-0530 The corner of Hurt Street where SON'S PLACE has stood for 12 years may have become a lot trendier over time, but Son's still serves the best honest, old-fashioned Southern soul food in town. The cheery, yellow-checkered tablecloths and the stellar collards, mac-n-cheese and baked chicken are all reasons to be glad to live in Atlanta. If you happen in when the ethereal squash casserole or the peach cobbler (from the peach tree out front) sre being served, you'll know once and for all that living in the South is a true blessing. less...

Best Spanish/Tapas BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Krog Bar

112 Krog St 404-524-1618 http://www.krogbar.com Even without a stove, the cooks over at KROG BAR are turning out tapas that best represent the true function of this type of food - small tastes to accompany wine. As such, the wine list at a tapas restaurant should be just as important as the food, and here, it is. A fantastic selection of Spanish and Italian wines complement the delicious meats, cheeses and small plates all accompanied by chewy, crusty, addictive bread. less...

Best Steaks BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Kevin Rathbun Steak

154 Krog St Suite 200 404-524-5600 http://www.kevinrathbunsteak.com Attention carnivores You don

Best Sushi BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

MF Sushi

265 Ponce de Leon Ave., Unit B 404-815-8844 http://www.mfsushibar.com MF SUSHI is still king in Atlanta when it comes to raw fish. It's possible to have a truly exquisite meal here, especially if you take the time to find out what special off-menu treats the chefs are hiding behind the sushi bar. Regular sashimi and nigiri are perfect. And if you're curious about, say, monkfish liver, but have never trusted any place enough to give it a try, you're in for a treat here. MF has a wonderful sake list as well. less...

Best Thai BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Tamarind Seed Thai Bistro (Permanently Closed)

1197 Peachtree St. 404-873-4888 http://www.tamarindseed.com It was a sad farewell for Atlanta diners when Tamarind closed late last year. But now that TAMARIND SEED has opened in Colony Square, all is right with the world once more. Chef Nan Niyomkul creates hauntingly multilayered flavors, producingmore...

Best Vegetarian/Vegan BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Cafe Sunflower

2140 Peachtree Rd Nw 105 404-352-8859 In the world of vegetarian cuisine, imposters run rampant. Rather than innovating, some chefs opt for a selection of faux-meat dishes based on what they think vegetarians are missing. Not at CAFE SUNFLOWER. Here the food embraces its veggie roots with such dishes as the woodsy Tuscan sandwich stacked high with portobello mushroom, onions, tomato, spinach and creamy goat cheese. The Sunflower Box - an appetizer sampler cleverly displayed in a geometric bento box - lifts flavors from Asia, Europe and the Middle East, and the dairy-free cakes are a must. Vegetarian or not, when you eat at Cafe Sunflower, you're not missing a thing. less...

Best Vietnamese BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Co'm Vietnamese Grill (Permanently Closed)

4005-F Buford Highway 404-320-0405 http://www.comgrill.com We're still wholly enamored with COM VIETNAMESE GRILL more than two years after it opened and set foodie hearts ablaze with grilled meats, bold herbs and a swanker atmosphere than you'll find at the pho houses that populate the rest of Buford Highway. It's still the best in town at marrying home-style dishes with high-quality ingredients and friendly service. When you're in the mood for spice, mint, basil, charred meat and vermicelli, this is the place to go. less...

Best Wait Staff BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Quinones

1198 Howell Mill Road. 404-365-0410 http://www.starprovisions.com Led by maitre d' Rob Payne, the staff at QUINONES sets the standard for service in the city. Gracious, warm, pitch-perfect without ever being stiff or too formal, and yet gracefully adept at the precise dance that truly top-level servicemore...

Best Wait Staff BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Grant Central

1279 Glenwood Ave. 404-627-0007 There are plenty of restaurants in Atlanta where you have to provide a headshot when you apply for a job, and where the waitstaff uniform is some kind of microscopic miniskirt and super-high heels. That is so not hot. What is hot is the scruffy gaggle of servers and cooks at GRANT CENTRAL in East Atlanta. The tattoos, the dreadlocks, the sneers, the lopsided smiles, the crooked teeth, the spiky belts are all adorable, and even more so because the last thing they're going for is recognition of their hotness. Our hearts are aflutter. less...

Best Wine List BOA Award Winner

Year » 2007
Section » Archives » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2007 » Oral Pleasures » Critics Pick

Ecco

40 Seventh St. 404-347-9555 http://www.ecco-atlanta.com It takes a lot of time and knowledge to assemble those phonebook-like wine lists, but what is just as difficult in its own way (and actually more useful for a lot of people) is a short, smart, affordable and accessible list that doesn't rely too heavily on dumbed-down easy sellers. That's why the list at ECCO is especially impressive, with wines helpfully organized into Old World and New World styles, and cool grapes and regions featured heavily. There's an assertive Italian presence, but California, France, Germany and Spain are all nicely represented. Prices range from reasonable to special-occasion (or just rich-guy) opulence. less...

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