Dining Around ATLANTA. - Review - restaurant review

Travel America, Sept, 2000 by Vivian Holley

In times past, when Atlantans were heard caroling the praises of a great restaurant, chances are they were recalling a culinary adventure in New Orleans, or maybe New York, or even across-the-country San Francisco. The local dining picture really did not encourage any bragging rights.

But oh, how times have changed. These days in the increasingly diverse southeastern capital, awards and accolades are flying, and you can't swing a chicken leg without hitting a hot restaurant or a celebrity chef. Not to mention the math. With more than 8,000 restaurants currently cooking up a storm in the Atlanta area, you could pull up to the table in a different setting every day for some 22 years.

Even if you visit on a regular basis, expect to see some changes on the food front since you were last in town. Here's a sampling:

Downtown, Nikolai's Roof serves up a grand overview of the city from its perch high atop the Hilton Atlanta. Orchestrated with low-key panache by maitre d'hotel Michel Sauvage, Nikolai's presents French-flavored cuisine with a Russian accent, backdropped by sophisticated decor and a noticeable touch of drama. Along with nightly dinner, now comes the chance to soak up the scene by day. The restaurant recently launched a Sunday brunch serenaded live by balalaikas.

Close by, the Ritz-Carlton chucked its more formal fine-dining concept last December in favor of the delightfully casual Atlanta Grill. It's a prime spot for bellying up to a clubby mahogany bar and power-lunching with locals. Decorated with vintage Atlanta photos, the Grill's breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus sport a Southern accent. Free for all: the nonstop parade of storied Peachtree Street, viewed from an outdoor veranda.

In leafy Midtown at the Four Seasons, Park 75 serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner six days with brunch on Sunday. A skip from the city's sprawling arts complex, Park 75 is perfect for pairing with a play or a symphony concert, or a blockbuster exhibit at the center's High Museum. Recently introduced is the Chef's Table--seven courses with wines, enjoyed at a stainless steel table in the kitchen while Chef Brooke Vosika provides commentary on his seasonal New American dishes.

In contrast to the Four Seasons' citified dining venue is the cozily intimate setting of Le Saint Amour, tucked into a five-room Midtown bungalow with the feel of a French country house. In Atlanta's near-year-round fair weather, diners head for the newly added patio for lunch or dinner. Post dinner, Chef Paul Fagg sends them home with a fresh-baked gift from his kitchen.

A skip northward and you're in Buckhead, where the chic come to shop and the hip to party. In the midst of the commotion is a serene retreat aptly christened Seeger's--home base for noted chef Guenter Seeger's stunning creations. One of the hottest dining tickets in town since Esquire magazine annointed it the nation's best new restaurant, Seeger's will stage a high-five event October 22, when lucky guests will be treated to five courses prepared by a quintet of five-star chefs from throughout the country.