From upscale to down-home, trendy to classic, metro Atlanta's Top 50 restaurants span all palates and pocketbooks. To help you find your favorites, we have grouped the restaurants by similar cuisines or geographic origins: American/BBQ/steak | French | Italian | tapas | Mexican/Pan Latin | Asian/Indian | Greek/Persian.

Becky Stein/special (ENLARGE)
Porterhouse for two at Kevin Rathbun Steak.
Elissa Eubanks/ajc staff (ENLARGE)
Poached Quail Egg with Wilted Pea Shoot and Chicken Jus, Shaved Perigord Black Truffle at the Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton in Buckhead.
Keith Hadley/ajc staff (ENLARGE)
The eggplant dish at Ecco.
Becky Stein/Special (ENLARGE)
Steamed fresh basil rolls at Tamarind Seed Thai Bistro in Midtown.
Louie Favorite/ajc staff (ENLARGE)
Pork chop with tomato gravy at Bacchanalia.
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AMERICAN / BBQ / STEAK

Aria

490 E. Paces Ferry Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-233-7673.

www.aria-atl.com

Beaded curtains beyond the bar give way to a neon chandelier that looks like a colossal mosquito. Bejeweled dogs look like fresh relics from Isis' lair. Juxtapose these with checkerboard-backed banquettes and waitstaff in shirts that fall somewhere between Hawaiian and western. Eating at Aria is as visual as it is visceral, and it's become a perennial favorite among Atlanta foodies and food neophytes alike. Chef-owner Gerry Klaskala has always had the ability to throw finesse into even the simplest of dishes, striking a synchronistic chord between hip and comfortable. The "creamless" celery root soup laced with the earthy flavor of black truffles has become a signature, as has seasonally accented Hudson Valley foie gras and heirloom Bulls Blood beets with goat cheese. Fresh Georgia mountain trout is always interesting, though the able, seasoned staff will steer you toward the slow-roasted pork. Kathryn King is a formidable pastry presence and her desserts are some of the best in the city. Don't miss her warm chocolate cheescake. 6 -10 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. $$$$

Bacchanalia

1198 Howell Mill Road N.W., Atlanta. 404-365-0410.

starprovisions.com

Bacchanalia has become the most celebrated restaurant in Atlanta. One bite of dinner at this elegant-yet-easy-going restaurant will tell you why: beautifully sourced ingredients (many from the chef-owners' own Summerland Farm), well-procured meats, cheeses and fish make for rare and fresh finds on your dinner plate. Amid modern, warm tones and warehouse chic, chef-owners Clifford Harrison and Anne Quatrano, along with chef de cuisine Joshua Hopkins, cook with easygoing personality and an understated sense of flair. Flavors here coax, then lull you into submission. Daily menu changes make it hard to play favorites, but look for silkiness in every bite of soft, sexy sheep ricotta gnudi served with fleshy, tender poached Maine lobster and baby zucchini and yellow squash; or foie gras torchon with tiny slices of sweet poached peaches on brioche with marcona almonds. The cheese course shouldn't be missed — adjacent Star Provisions offers the best cheese selection in the city — expect everything from lusciously gooey Epoisses de Bourgogne to boldly tart Kenny's Kentucky Blue from Barren County, Ky. Dessert may bring heady offerings of honeydew granita with a tiny canteloupe lollipop. And Star Provisions (with a newly minted meat and sausage room), easily does what so many in other cities have tried and failed at, offering prime ingredients from the menu to buy for yourself, along with an excellently priced selection of wine. Dinner: 6-9:30 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. $$$$

Bone's

3130 Piedmont Road, Atlanta. 404-237-2663.

www.bonesrestaurant.com/

There is no other steak house like it in Atlanta: The testosterone-charged atmosphere, the prime steaks, the innate timing of the seasoned waitstaff, the old-school attitude of the kitchen — like an old standard, they're what Comden and Green would have drummed up had they been restaurateurs instead of Tony-winning songwriters. The steaks remain things of glory, with their crispy-black char surfaces, fine grain and man-sized portions. A la carte sides of colossal shrimp cocktail, the grit fritter and hash browns are menu must-haves. The front room still dons caricatures of famous-and-forgotten Atlantans and the wine list is deep and expensive, though you may find yourself ordering a Tom Collins just for the heck of it. Scotch is a must. This place isn't sooo five minutes ago; it's ageless. Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Dinner: 5:30-10 p.m. Sundays-Fridays; 5:30-11 p.m. Saturdays. $$$$

The Chocolate Bar

201 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur. 404-378-0630.

www.thechocolatebardecatur.com

Two talented chefs, Aaron Russell and Nick Rutherford, have teamed with owner and former nurse Karen Britain to create the area's very own reason for eating dessert first, The Chocolate Bar. A small space is bathed in warm wood tones (very chocolate-y), there's a small bar and even tables to sit outside on Decatur's main drag, West Ponce de Leon. If life were perfect, this is how we should eat all the time. Start with a "culinary cocktail," so named because it borrows an element from the kitchen as well as the bar — the refreshing watermelon spritzer is like drinking a fizzy piece of super-sweet, ripe watermelon topped with sparkling cava or champagne. It's like drinking summer. The muskiness of muscavado sugar darkens the flavor of a passion fruit mojito while a tequila "old fashioned" is fiery with agave nectar infused with serrano chile. Or choose a wine from the more than happy selection — short, but deep. Then move to nibbles of well-procured charcuterie — rich sopressata, dry-cured bresaola, finocchiona and Molinari salami and Black Forest ham smeared through grain mustard — plus bites of Sweet Grass Dairy's creamy lumiere cheese and a bite of savory manchego with cooked pears and bitefuls of marinated olives. But save room for what's really important — dessert. Don't look for homey, fudgy, sloppy or gooey here. And don't try this at home. These lovely selections are delicately made, easy on the eyes and full with flavor — the triple threat in pastry arts. 5:30-11 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays; 5:30 p.m.-midnight Fridays-Saturdays; 5:30-10:30 p.m. Sundays. Closed Mondays. $$

C&S Seafood and Oyster Bar

3300 Cobb Parkway, Suite 3240, Atlanta. 770-272-0999.

candsoysterbar.com

Owners Rich Clark and Jon Schwenk have created in C & S Seafood and Oyster Bar a brasserie-style restaurant that's a little lower Manhattan and a little Boca Raton. The interior has a lush-life look to it, even though it's small, narrow and planted in the corner of a strip mall off Cobb Parkway. The decor is brooding in spots, brassy in others. This classic fish house is a refreshing change from Atlanta's usual steak-and-sushi gig: Big-boy portions of raw oysters and cherrystone clams, classic cocktails such as pisco sours, a variety of fish from arctic char to rainbow trout flown in fresh daily, steaks and sides of spinach with olive oil and garlic. The grand steak and fish houses of the early 20th century are American gastronomic icons, and C & S proves its mettle when it comes to making simple preparations like broiled or chargrilled fish with sides of roasted fingerling potatoes and haricot verts into big, bold plates of beauty. Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Dinner: 5-11 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5 p.m.-midnight Fridays; 4 p.m.-midnight Saturdays; 4-10 p.m. Sundays. $$$

The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead

3434 Peachtree Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-240-7035.

www.ritzcarlton.com/hotels/atlanta_buckhead

The Dining Room continues its dramatic reign as the best dining experience in the city with executive chef Arnaud Berthelier and his playful, modern approach to the many cuisine his menu encompasses. He is director, script writer, actor — and his offerings are livelier than ever. "Liquid" chorizo appears encased with a scallop 'sausage" until pierced — and a spicy broth flows over the bowl with lentils and the flavor of piment d'espelette (a smoky mild pepper from the Basque region). A tiny quenelle of pesto ice cream rests gracefully over Parmesan and bean cream topped with a gelled safffron broth. Main courses might include anything from a tableside "distillation" of kobe syle beef in a mod version of sukiyaki to a "study" of American octopus — grilled with lime and eggplant confit and in terrine with tahini and pulled meat in a salad with chick peas and tomato confit. A fig clafouti is classic perfection, served warm with burnt honey and gorgonzola ice cream. And though the hunt club portraits and continental feel of the decor profess otherwise, the staff has never felt this buoyant. The exit of passionate Chantelle Pabros Grilhot as sommelier was a massive loss , but the rest of the staff remains upbeat and impeccably professional in spite of it, and new sommelier Robert Evans seems apt and happy to step into such large, um. heels. The extensive wine list remains a thing of beauty, and the cheese and friandise carts make the meal like no other in the city. Yet it is Berthelier's festive mood that elevates the attitude of the staff, his script of dish after incredible dish that provides the soul of the performance, and his presence in the Dining Room as the meal closes that proves he considers himself just another member of the ensemble. 6-9:00 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays; 6-9:30 Fridays-Saturdays. $$$$$

Five and Ten

1653 S. Lumpkin St., Athens. 706-546-7300.

www.fiveandten.com

This funky spot just a walk away from Athens' main drag and a mere hour from Atlanta is how the term "destination" began to get bandied about in relation to restaurants. It's fast becoming one of the South's greatest reasons to visit Athens, and it's right in our own backyard. Owner Hugh Acheson, this year nominated for the James Beard award, is the perfect chef: He cooks with energy and invention, and values ingredients above all else. His cooking, and the restaurant, thrive on a low-key Southern vibe with an edgy, seasonal take on freshness. Frogmore stew, loaded with fat Tybee Island shrimp, fingerling potatoes, corn and spicy andouille in a soulful tomato broth has become a signature. The pickle plate is a Southern marvel and shouldn't be missed — each sweet-and-sour bite full is made in-house, from bread and butter to pickled okra. Acheson flash-fries veal sweetbreads, dusted in cormeal, to perfection and offers them with a custard of Red Mule grits, a local Athens mill. Along with the discreetly elegant desserts, like pear crostada or sticky date pudding, and a staff that actually cares about what's going on in the kitchen, Five & Ten is a sweet reminder of everything that's right about Southern cooking — and cooking in general. The wine list is plenty friendly with excellent bottles between $30 and $50. Dinner: 5:30-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 5:30-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Brunch: 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sundays. $$$

Floataway Cafe

1123 Zonolite Road N.E., Suite 15, Atlanta. 404-892-1414.

www.starprovisions.com

Make way for the remodeling: A brand new private dining room bathed in buttery hues, as well as the expansion of the main dining room were to be finished by the end of September. Bacchanalia chef owners Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison's second venture, opened in 1998, basks in a simple plan of utilizing wood-oven roasting (the pizzas are the most authentic Italian in town), wood grilling, lots of local, seasonal ingredients and house-cured charcuterie. Flowing sheers that separate common rooms and light tones of avocado and sand sooth the eyes, while dishes of a wood oven-baked Summerland Farm egg (from the owners' farm in Cartersville) and Georgia white shrimp with local butterbeans sooth the palate. The menu changes too fast to keep up, but expect highlights from seasonal heirloom vegetables and plates of pan-roasted black grouper with summer succotash, as well as homespun desserts like warm peach turnovers with house-spun brown sugar ice cream. 6-10 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. $$$

The Globe

75 5th St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-541-1487.

www.globeatlanta.com

Ultra modern, the Globe embodies an attitude that is part Soho, part San Francisco — and all Atlanta. In a city rife with mingling diversity, the Globe's ueber contemporary atmosphere is where it's at, baby. Chef Joshua Perkins' worldly menu is light and inviting, and his execution of tidbits liketempura frites of asparagus and haricot vert have become signature in a very short while since the restaurant's opening. Tasty bites of dates and chorizo wrapped with bacon in a tart and sultry piquillo pepper sauce are the perfect way to start things off, making it easy to move on to an interesting offering of duch bresaola served with brioche, plumps mission figs and baby greens. The pineapple upside down cake is reason enough to return for a seasonal fix of butter and caramelized pineapple, and the hip bar serves the gamut from house-made sangria to house-muddled Pimms cocktails, plus a seemingly never-ending list of newbies. Lunch: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Dinner 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; Late Night: 10 p.m. - midnight Thursdays-Saturdays. Brunch: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays. $$$.

JCT Kitchen

1198 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. 404-355-2252.

www.jctkitchen.com

Everything about chef-owner Ford Fry's new Southern restaurant, JCT Kitchen, works. He has taken the fundamentals of great French bistro cooking and done with it what all gifted Southern cooks do: Cook great food. The restaurant, located at Westside Urban Market in the spot where first Commune, then Sampan crashed and burned, was created by Smith Hanes Design, with an interior completely transformed: Open to light, the walls are bathed in muted tones of khaki; a farm table in the center of the room is home to a server's station stacked with flatware wrapped in blue-and-white dish towels used as napkins and big glass pitchers of water. The menu boasts of farmstead cooking, and Fry lives up to the interpretation with fried chicken that rivals Watershed, chicken and dumplings, shrimp and grits and desserts worth saving room for. Lunch: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. Dinner: 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays;5-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Bar open later. $$$

Kevin Rathbun Steak

154 Krog Street, Atlanta. 404-524-5600.

www.kevinrathbunsteak.com

It only stands to reason that restaurateur Kevin Rathbun — raised in Kansas City with a penchant for cooking approachable cuisine and an Atlanta pedigree that includes the Buckhead Life group and his own growing family of popular restaurants (Rathbun's, Krog Bar) — might, just might, decide to open a steakhouse. The no-way-this-could-fail idea must have been irresistible to the chef we love to love. And while the menu indeed caters to the carnivorous, the most surprising and perhaps pleasing thing about Kevin Rathbun Steak is that someone who doesn't eat meat could find plenty to eat — and like — about it. Portion sizes, as expected, are generous. Sides of crispy, light fried okra (with Rathbun's pleasing remoulade) and a cute crock of scalloped sweet potatoes intermingled with Gruyere cheese are reason enough to not order steak. The two-inch-thick prime steaks are beautiful, though the crown for best in the city still belongs to Bones. Gorgeous nonetheless, they certainly put in a grand showing for close second. 5:30-10:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5:30-11:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. $$$$

Quinones at Bacchanalia

1198 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. 404-365-0410.

www.starprovisions.com

What a lovely lady is Quinones. From award-winning Bacchanalia chef-owners Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison comes a restaurant with a soulfulness that is at once sensuous and sexy, yet ever so ladylike. The kitchen takes a fresh, young approach to a prix fixe menu that could have drowned in its own soberness, but doesn't. Instead, seasonal offerings buoy dishes that speak with a slight Southern accent, and offer flavor as their driving force.Quatrano has morphed the menu into one that approaches, if not entirely encompasses, a canvas of Southern cooking, focusing on traditional ingredients from the Southeast rather than sticking strictly to conventionally Southern cooking styles. Chef de cuisine Andy Carson creates elegant dishes that roll ever so elegantly along with the seasons, whether it be succulent roast pork loin with glazed pork belly served with a dainty butterbean "stew," or brown turkey figs with a tiny scoop of scuppernong sorbet. The entire meal can be paired with wines, each selection based on depth and heaviness, not just flavor. Quatrano sets the pace for the region, and if this is where Southern regional cooking is headed, we're in for a smooth ride. Dinner reservations: 6-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays. $$$$$

Rathbun's

112 Krog St., Atlanta. 404-524-8280.

www.rathbunsrestaurant.com

Kevin Rathbun's take on modern American cuisine makes his eponymous restaurant perhaps the most popular in the city. Here, Atlantans find what they love — a sophisticated but completely accessible approach to dining out and a menu loaded with influences from the Southeast, Southwest and Rathbun's native heartland. Goodies like the kitchen's sea scallop Benedict over country ham grits and always-fun eggplant steak fries, cut thick, crisp-edged and covered in confectioner's sugar remain ever popular, while seasonal offerings of heirloom tomatoes with pear Balsamic vinegar and olive oil keep the menu updated and honest. Simple risotto with summer squash, strong hits of thyme and Parmesan may be one of the kitchen's best kept secrets, and proof that nobody here is trying to reinvent the wheel. Save room for pastry chef Kirk Parks' creamy, dreamy peanut butter-banana cream pie or his take on coconut cake — half cake, half custard — coupled with creamy Key lime curd. Dinner: 5:30-10:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5:30-11:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. (Bar opens at 5 p.m.). $$$

Repast

620 Glen Iris Drive, Atlanta. 404-870-8707.

www.repastrestaurant.com

The look is Chelsea evening in New York: rich avocado tones give way to an industrial, open space where wooden beams and low-lit candles offer texture and warmth. Repast looks smart yet is comfortable, and the menu chef-owners and husband-and-wife team Joseph Truex and Mihoko Obunai have crafted is a list of well-prepared, simple dishes that have classic bistro appeal. Even better, this Midtown gem has done nothing but improve since its opening in 2006. The medjool dates wrapped in bacon and stuffed with marcona almonds have become neighborhood legend, the kind of snack to pair with one of the excellent glasses of Bordeaux from Truex's comfortably formidable wine list. Scallops encrusted with porcini mushrooms are sweet and succulent, perfectly cooked and show off the kind of smart cooking that comes from classical training paired with lots of time behind a busy kitchen line. Seared hamachi rubbed with tandoori spieces is a breath of fresh air, and this couple always makes it easy to save room for dessert, like a sensuously dark terrine of chocolate pate served with smoked fleur de sel and a sexy smear of olive oil. The menu changes often to match the seasons, but there's always a stable of dishes that while universally appealing, offer a little something more than the ordinary. 5:30-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5:30-10:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. $$$

Restaurant Eugene

2277 Peachtree Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-355-0321.

www.restauranteugene.com

Chef-owner Linton Hopkins has turned this lovely Buckhead gem into a four-star destination. From the lively, old-fashioned cocktail list to the well-sourced meats and vegetables, Hopkins cooks by the creed all chefs should: Fresh, local, seasonal. His Sunday supper menu is a testament to the notion that Southern cooking neither be heavy nor pedestrian. Instead dishes such as cracklin' pork osso buco, a gorgeous shank crisped at the edges and fall-from-the-bone tender over Anson Mills grits, transcend their meager origins. Often he uses ingredients — corn, okra, skillet greens — to remind us of the South, but with a whole new attitude: snapper with sweet potato mash served with wilted baby arugula and spiced pecan brown butter. He uses Allan Benton's bacon from Madisonville, Tenn., and shrimp from the Georgia coast, letting ingredients pop from the plate with calculated flavor; nothing appears happenstance. The menu changes often to reflect the seasons, but no matter what time of year, the food cultivates a genteel Southern accent, even if it's a plate of sliced Fuyu persimmon and Beenleigh blue cheese. On a menu full of top-notch ingredients, seasonal produce and gentle flavors always inspire but never offend the dressy Buckhead crowd. 5:30-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 5:30-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. $$$$

Rexall Grill

3165 Buford Highway, Duluth. 770-623-8569.

www.rexallgrill.com/

Attached to the Rexall Pharmacy, this old-fashioned, soda fountain-style meat-and-two's popularity is legend in Gwinnett for some of the best home cookin' found away from home. Fresh okra is hand-cut, dredged through cornmeal and lightly fried; macaroni and cheese that will bring back memories of your mother's checkered apron strings. Do not leave without trying the homemade peanut butter cake. Ditto the chocolate. 5:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays. 5:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays. Closed Sundays and Mondays. $

Sam & Dave's BBQ2

660 Whitlock Ave., Marietta. 770-792-2272.

www.lostmountainbbq.com

Well, mop me with Carolina sauce and color me crazy. This second location of the Pork University crowd's first, BBQ1, is just as good, if not better, with some of the best pulled pork and brisket in the area. The beans are smokier and sexier, with a sweet, brown sugary darkness, and the cole slaw still has that peppy, poppy-seed-and-pineapple zip. The three-cheese macaroni 'n cheese should be illegal. But it's the pork and beef barbecue has that slow-smoked, striated, pink-ringed madness that turns men, women and children from polite, napkin-using, elbows-off-the-table types into crazed maniacs ready to kill for the closest wet nap. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Closed Sundays. $$

Shaun's

1029 Edgewood Ave., Atlanta. 404-577-4358.

www.shaunsrestaurant.com

In chef Shaun Doty's Atlanta career, he's managed to move from hot-vibe hoedowns like Mumbo Jumbo to the tony spot of executive chef at the High's Table 1280. After leaving that restaurant last summer, he came up with Shaun's, a bistro with a modest menu in the spot that once was classic Deacon Burton's. Doty's menu is true bistro, a term that gets thrown around as easily in Atlanta as peroxide and Palm Pilots, though very few of those using it actually know what it means. It means small; down-to-earth; affordable. It's usually chef-driven, and the chef is usually the owner — that's Shaun's. It means soft pillows of gnudi surrounding a succulent chunk of pork belly in a jasmine seasoned broth; steak frites fried in duck fat with mussels in a white wine cream sauce; beautifully breaded Berkshire pork schnitzel with parsley and toasted peanuts. Doty is secretly one of the best dessert chefs in the city — and the down home bistro gooey goodness of a sticky toffee pudding is proof. Ditto the old-fashioned smartness of a cinnamon milk tart (think Midwestern/Southern panna cotta). The restaurant's posh yet understated style brings to mind world-class favorites like Chanterelle in New York and No. 9 Park in Boston, but certainly no other restaurant of this caliber in Atlanta. In a city glutted with glitz and glamour (and $7 million price tags), Atlanta needs a restaurant like Shaun's the way Bedford Falls needed the Savings & Loan. We need its simple, understated beauty if for no other reason than to have a fine place to eat that doesn't involve neon and sushi. Dinner 5-10 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays; 5-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 5-9 p.m. Sundays. Brunch: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays. $$$

Table 1280

1280 Peachtree St. N.E. (at Woodruff Arts Center) Atlanta. 404-897-1280.

www.table1280.com

Table 1280's new chef, Todd Immel, will satisfy the High's eclectic crowd with a menu that's oh so simple to ease into: Clean lines of prosciutto di Parma on a white plate, wrapped around bits of sweetly spiced apple marmalade to start; a chilled, velvet-textured corn soup with bits of feta to contrast the corn's savory sweetness as an interlude; and excellent lamb, pink and fleshy, served with a coulis of roasted red peppers and sherry vinegar with broccoli rabe over tangy yogurt as a second course. Immel's dishes are approachable, yet impressively executed, possessing quiet charm with a bold modern edge. Lunch: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays; Dinner: 5-9 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Brunch: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays. $$$-$$$$

Thrive

101 Marietta St., Atlanta. 404-389-1000.

www.thriveatl.com

It takes guts to open an upscale restaurant, bar and lounge in what was once a downtown Gorin's, where there's no free parking for customers (hence the free valet) or employees, and where no one wants to come unless they are already there. What Thrive has going for it is a local edge — general manager and partner A.D. Allushi is a Buckhead Life alum and owner Jeff Safari, who, among other things, owns the incredibly successful nightclub Compound. Ian Winslade of Posh created the menu, which at first comes across a little cheeky, kind of like offerings found on a catering menu for a party at a golf club. But after a second glance there is almost a feng shui genius to its polar oddities — elbow macaroni with cheese and bits of ham sounds downright pedestrian until you taste and it becomes a creamy-vs.-salty mess of something you want to just smear around and have fun with. Shrimp cocktail, on the other hand, is a delicate offering of plump shrimp in a salad of buttery avocado and diced tomatoes with a spicy-sweet sauce peppered with horseradish. Big sandwiches for lunch ( go for the grouper) and a separate sushi menu round things out. 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. 5:30 p.m.-midnight Saturdays; 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Sundays. $$$

Watershed

406 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur. 404-378-4900.

www.watershedrestaurant.com

This oddly comfortable space, a converted gas station in Decatur, is an ideal setting for chef Scott Peacock's upscale Southern classics. This is after-church-on-Sunday food, and a blessed reminder of how important cooking used to be to all of us. The vegetable plate is the best in the city, with beautifully seasoned greens, lightly fried cauliflower florets, creamy (but not too sweet) sweet potatoes and cabbage. Savory shrimp grits with hearty slices of Pullman bread to dip or smear have become, like the fried chicken, staples on a menu that is half signature, half seasonal. The spoon bread is downright unlawful and the butter bean hummus (a signature) the perfect dip for a smattering of seasonal raw veggies. Finishing the evening with a slice of wholesome chocolate cake or a plateful of warm cookies is like visiting Grandma's house without having to help with the dishes. There is a laid back ease to Peacock's seasonal cooking, and dinner or brunch here will remind you of long past Sunday suppers. Lunch: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. Afternoon menu: 3-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. Dinner: 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. Brunch: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays. $$$

Woodfire Grill

1782 Cheshire Bridge Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-347-9055.

www.woodfiregrill.com

While some merely pay lip service to the slow food concept, Chef Michael Tuohy is busily wrapping his chef's mitts around a menu designed for in-season corn or heirloom tomatoes. A California transplant, his creed has always been to use fresh, seasonal and indigenous if possible. With one of a handful of wood grills in Atlanta, his meats (and fish) have that wood-roasted or wood-grilled flavor only this kind of treatment can produce. The fine cheeses and wine list are destinations on a menu that serves up soft shell crab in season, carnaroli risotto with Sungold tomatoes, sweet corn and Parm, and some of the best fritto misto the city has to offer. All this in an atmosphere warmed with glowing lights and the intoxicating smell of smoke. Though the breakup of the front of the restaurant into a more casual cafe gives the restaurant a small identity crisis, it also adds an unexpected spot for dining without a reservation. Dinner: 5:30-10 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays; 5:30-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 5:30-9:30 p.m. Sundays. $$$

FRENCH

Bistro VG

70 W. Crossville Road, Roswell. 770-993-1156.

www.knowwheretogogh.com

Restaurateurs Chris and Michele Sedgwick didn't build their OTP dynasty of popular places - Aspen's, Vinny's, Theo's Brother's Bakery, Pure Taqueria and Van Gogh's - without taking a few risks. In October 2006, they closed Van Gogh's (the popularity of which, admittedly, was beginning to wane), redesigned it, then reopened in November with a new name, Bistro VG, a new look and a new menu that touts a fresh take on modern French food (and woodfired pizzas and pasta, of course). The look is country French, though the space is much larger than any bistro - expansive brick walls have been splashed bright with off white, one adorned with a painting of clouds and blue sky. The ecru-painted floors give way to tables adorned with farmhouse linens, each thread as different as a snow flake. The bar sports a communal table that flanks a pebble-studded fireplace. And the menu? Approachably French with lots of loose interpretation, from charcuterie plates of salami and prosciutto to offerings of pate with brown mustard and cornichons to pan-seared skate wing and tarte tatin. Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays (with small plates from 2:30-5 p.m. in the bar and lounge). Dinner: 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 5-10 p.m. Sundays. $$$

French American Brasserie

30 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd., Atlanta. 404-266-1440.

www.fabatlanta.com

The good news about FAB (French American Brasserie) is that the food, from chef Kaighn Raymond (who was the chef at the old Brasserie, too) is, on most levels, better than Brasserie Le Coze. The skate wings are crisper, saltier and even bolder than before, scrumptious in their brown butter sauce with fat, Pantellerian capers. The profiteroles are the French answer to a Dairy Queen sundae: plump and filled with nutty pistachio ice cream, drenched in Valrhona chocolate sauce and tons of fun to make a mess with. The sweetbreads are preciously plump, soft-centered works of art delicately placed over whipped potatoes graced with mushrooms and surrounded by a pool of black truffle sauce, topped with micro greens. Watercress salad is fresh, bright and perfect for lunch with an equally good assiette of cheese that includes manchego, pecorino de tartufo and soft, luscious brie de meaux. Couple all this with a completely approachable wine list that also offers deep options. Owner Fabrice Vergez is smart enough to know that there was no way to move downtown into a developing space such as Ivan Allen Plaza and keep the old Brasserie. Not only is the space more than twice the size and a complete departure from the old, the menu includes new additions, such as a large offering of steaks, chops, shellfish and oysters along with Brasserie favorites like the escargot and mushroom soup. Cleverly, there is no stone unturned — the convention crowds will have no trouble finding something to like at FAB, and regulars will find their favorites, too. Too bad the space — large and overstated — lacks the personality the menu begs for. But nevermind. Picking over every little detail here is like complaining that George Clooney is too short. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Closed Sundays. $$$$

Joel

3290 Northside Parkway N.E., Atlanta. 404-233-3500.

www.joelrestaurant.com/

Joel recently closed to remodel and reopened in mid-September. The change to this dining room is dramatic -- a massive reworking that literally cuts the former space in half, but keeps the fabulous checkered banquettes and giant orange-and-red tile wall that separates the kitchen from the dining area. The former bar -- and alas, gorgeous bathrooms -- are gone. James Beard award-winning chef-owner Joel Antunes magically creates modern French cuisine in slightly less subtle portions than before, but still beautifully manicured and now more approachable. The menu is extremely different, but keeps some of Antunes best signatures: the melt-in-your-mouth mango pavlova; the chilled Andalusian gazpacho crowned with an elegant quenelle of bright-tasting tomato sorbet; his penchant for cannelloni -- either filled with lamb or made with cabbage and served with succulent chicken in a hearty lemon jus. Kurobuta pork cheeks are close to caramelized in their juices, with a layer of richly rendered pork belly and bits of sagey sausage. Nothing, from appetizers of bluefin tuna tartar to sides of buttery parsnips, is anything less than magnificent -- it's as if the newly constructed menu has given the kitchen a new lease on things, just like the dining room. Service is more down to earth and comfortable than it has ever been, and the wine list is a gorgeous tome. The restaurant is an oasis of delightfully unpredictable French cuisine, with lots of Mediterranean and Asian influences, and deserves its well-earned fifth star. Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Dinner: 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. $$$$

Trois

1180 Peachtree St., Atlanta. 404-815-3337.

www.trois3.com

Restaurateur Bob Amick is so much better when he puts his efforts into a grown-up venue such as Trois. A man who has built a restaurant empire based on the kind of glitzy glam that Atlantans lap up like the latest vodka martini, his realm includes prepubescent pretties One Midtown Kitchen, Two Urban Licks, Piebar and Lobby at Twelve, the menu at which, until now, has been the most sophisticated of his ventures. At Trois chef Jeremy Lieb has taken Amick's pinup fantasy of a modern French restaurant and brought it into flattering focus, albeit with a few strokes of the airbrush. All of Lieb's dishes possess a clever modernity that impresses but never overreaches or intimidates, even in the portion of the menu dedicated to a few brasserie-style classics such as beef bourguignon and flounder Parisian. Pastry chef Jonathan St. Hillaire's desserts are modern marvels. Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Dinner: 5:30-11 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5:30 p.m.-midnight Fridays-Saturdays; 5:30-10 p.m. Sundays. $$$$

ITALIAN

Antica Posta

519 E. Paces Ferry Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-262-7112.

www.anticaposta.com

Atlanta rarely reforms old houses into great restaurants (even Bacchanalia moved to a warehouse gig). But the yellow house on East Paces Ferry is our biggest exception, cooking up great Tuscan meals from owner Marco Betti, who also owns a restaurnt in Florence.The waiters are of the camp of seasoned professionals who call you "milady" and bring you sips of Muscato at the end of the meal. But it's the rustic Tuscan food that keeps this restaurant's reservations booked. Capesante — seared scallops — have become one of the restaurant's signature dishes, sweetly seared and placed over a bed of savory chickpea puree. Ditto the duck ragu, with tender pulled meat, served over anything from tortelli stuffed with ricotta and spinach to farfalle. Rucola salad, served like a chiffonade with a generous portion of Parmigiana Reggiano, snaps with flavor, and there is always a fish of the day. Dessert has always lacked the presence other courses here possess,so enjoy another super Tuscan from the formidable wine list and settle back for a pleasant evening. Dinner: 5-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 5-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Lunch: 12-3 p.m. Saturdays only. $$$

Baraonda Caffe Italiano

710 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. 404-879-9962.

www.baraondaatlanta.com

Since 1999, Baraonda has been satisfying the crowds that hit the Fox and those looking to nullify a serious pizza jones by hitting the spot with Italian-style sandwiches and fresh, simple salads like the rucola with shards of Parmigiana as well as plates of simple pastas. But for the real Neapolitan deal, stick with anything that started as dough: the pizzas are baked in a wood-burning oven and are magically crispy and thin-crusted in the center, with fat doughiness towards the edges. Brawny waiters in black T-shirts are all part of the trendy attraction, and the dining room has expanded to include a lovely sideroom. Next door, enjoy the meats, cheeses and wines at the same owners' Enoteca Carbonara. 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 11 a.m.-midnight Fridays; noon-midnight Saturdays; noon-10 p.m. Sundays. $$

Ecco

40 Seventh St., Atlanta. 404-347-9555.

www.ecco-atlanta.com

A year and a half after its quiet opening on Seventh Street, it's hard to argue with the success of this charming, sophisticated restaurant, housed in what was once the Atlanta Fencing Club. The kitchen seems to value freshness and sourcing, a fact most evident in the offerings of charcuterie and fine cheeses which should be made into the meat of any meal here. Signatures of fried goat cheese with honey and chitarra pasta du jour round out the best of a flawed, but fun, menu. Chances are taken with offerings of grilled octopus and luscious sardines — and the gamble pays off. The wine list has deep options from old and new world selections, and the dining room staff is competent and informed; what they can't answer they'll find out. Bar and patio opens daily at 4 p.m. Dinner: 5:30 to 11 p.m. Mondays-Wednesdays; 5:30 to 11 p.m. Thursdays; 5:30-Midnight Fridays-Saturdays with late menu to 1 a.m.; 5:30 to 10 p.m. Sundays. Bar open later. $$$

La Tavola Trattoria

992 Virginia Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-873-5430.

www.fifthgroup.com

An evening at La Tavola Trattoria will have you sipping Sartori Amarone Valpolicello and singing along to the rumbling voice of Nat King Cole. Both may lead to romance, reminiscing or a sentimentally sexy combination of the two. In between, chef Craig Richards (who cut his Italian teeth at Lidia in Pittsburgh, part of the dynasty of restaurants from Lidia Bastianich) will offer a candid approach to Italian cooking, with few fervent flourishes, just a lot of honest cooking with a modern touch. Simple charcuterie in the form of speck and prosciutto proffered with a few olives, little more; or mussels with parsley, oregano and thyme, the broth a perfect ruse for dipping crusty slices of bread. Well-made risotto, plump seared scallops, beet salad — all served simply, and with lots of integrity. Coupled with the restaurant's eminent charm, a night out here is full of amore. Dinner: 5:30-11 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5:30-midnight Fridays-Saturdays, 5:30-10 p.m. Sundays. Brunch: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays. $$$

Sotto Sotto

313 N. Highland Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-523-6678.

www.sottosottorestaurant.com

From the fresh rosemary bushes that line the front walk to the cooling tones of blue in the otherwise makeshift dining room, this Italian beauty's hushed touch combined with the fresh take the restaurant puts on authentic Italian cooking make for an evening of fine food and conviviality. The kitchen continues to put forth dishes with a creative take on the traditional, and though there's no one region overly represented here, the love of fresh ingredients well rendered is as Italian as it gets. Menu favorites like cape sante with cannellini beans pepped up with roasted peppers and arugula are pure joy, the scallops plump and perfectly seared. And the risotto mantecato — a signature — is even better than you remember, the rice a perfect mix of cream and pearls offset by caramelized onions and rich 12-year-old balsamic in the center. The menu gets a splash of freshness from offerings of spinach and ricotta gnudi and wood-roasted fish served whole with potatoes and spinach. Dessert is often as simple as fresh local figs coupled with masarpone. Add a cozy, comfortable wine list and seasoned staff, Sotto Sotto is the best of Italian in the area. 5:30-11 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5:30 p.m.-midnight Fridays-Saturdays; 5:30-10 p.m. Sundays. $$$

TAPAS

Eclipse di Luna

764 Miami Circle N.E., Atlanta. 404-846-0449.

www.eclipsediluna.com

This funky tapas destination in Miami Circle keeps packing 'em in. Is it the mojitos? Absolutely. But truth be told, there's a darned good authentic tapas menu lurking beneath that glass of muddled mint and rum. Slide your drink over and check it out: standards such as patatas bravas — decadent, crisp-edged potatoes with spicy Romesco sauce — and fried calamari pack a peppery punch. In a riff of Spanish meat mania, serrano is served with chorizo and pork loin alongside peppy roasted peppers and olives, while mussels deliciously rep things from the sea. Even a simple serving of grilled aspargus spears with shards of nutty manchego is as good as it gets, and it can get crazy, especially on a Friday or Saturday night. Belly up to the bar and get used to it. That's what the mojitos are for. 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesdays; 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays; 11:30 a.m.-midnight Fridays-Saturdays. Dinner only: 5:30-10:00 p.m. Sundays and Mondays. $$

Pura Vida

656 N. Highland Ave., Atlanta. 404-870-9797.

www.puravidatapas.com

Pura Vida is a classic example of a neighorhood fave becoming a destination rave. Nowhere in the area are there tapas like this — chef-owner Hector Santiago infuses everything from his kitchen with true gourmet presence and lots of elbulli-esque style. Start with a Brazilian-inspired caipirinha or a cool flute of sparkling cava, then get down and dirty with papitas criollas a caballo — a naughty bowl of aji-and-amarillo smashed Colombian gold potatoes crowned with a slow-cooked egg, garlic chips and grains of pretty pink Bolivian salt. Or go for the traditional flavors of a tamal verde en hoja, with barbecued chicken in soft, musky masa steamed in a cabbage husk accented with goat cheese espuma (foam) and a slighty spicy poblano sauce. The pace is brisk, not brusque, and the informed and dedicated staff will keep things coming for you all night. Large, colorful art originals dot the brooding walls, and the concrete floors seem to soak up the sounds of the crowd. Smarty and sexy, once you've tried Pura Vida, you won't want to stop. 5:30-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 5:30-11:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. $$

MEXICAN / PAN LATIN

La Oaxaquena Taqueria

6738 Tara Blvd., Jonesboro. 770-960-3010.

There is no other Mexican food in Atlanta quite like the soul food served up at this divey taqueria in Jonesboro. These Oaxacan wonders are the stuff cravings are made of: Tlayudas, the giant, hand-shaped corn tortillas topped with savory beans and spicy chorizo, strings of queso fresco and fresh avocado, with loads of lettuce, tomato and fresh salsas dipped up from a steam table. Or thick gorditas filled with goat meat and beans. The tamales, corn-husk wrapped or in banana leaves, are perhaps the best on the planet, stuffed with musky masa and shredded chicken and served with spicy red sauce or piquante green sauce. If you don't speak Spanish, don't worry — just point to what you want and it will magically appear. 8 a.m.-11:30 p.m daily. $

Palomilla's Cuban Grill House

6470 Spalding Drive, Suite B, Norcross. 770-242-0078.

www.palomillasatlanta.com

This little restaurant has a strange, intoxicating magic to it. When you eat here, it's not just the food — which is hands down the best Cuban food in the Atlanta area — that lulls you into submission. There is a strong sense of community here, and it's transcendent, as if that dish of grouper in salsa verde (a thin piece of tender fish in a creamy sauce of garlic and parsley, blanketed with three sauteed shrimp) came with its own white dove and olive branch. One bite, and everyone is happy. And fish isn't the only thing that will give you a sense of laissez-faire. Masas de cerdo, chunks of pork that are so tender they shred from the fork with the tiniest of nudges, is Palomilla's very own Happy Meal. Thick chunks of pork are marinated just enough to give flavor and juiciness, then are deep-fried and served with a Cuban mojo sauce and lime. Ropa vieja goes beyond the classic — shreds of tender flank steak are drenched in a juicy sauce rife with garlic, cumin, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions and oregano that taste as if they've been stewing all day. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. $-$$

Pao de Mel

2359 Windy Hill Road, Suite 340, Marietta. 770-690-8007.

Pao means bread; mel means honey — and the aroma of fresh sweet bread, laden with milk and honey, pulls you in the moment you step in the door of this bakery/lunch counter. Inside is a Brazilian bread bonanza full of traditional goodies like airy sweet breads filled with pastry cream, rosca (a round braid iced with vanilla cream and coconut) and coconut-and-yucca squares. Brazilian steak sandwiches are served traditionally with eggs and corn as garnish, and there are savory Brazilian street pastries, called salgadinhos, like sumptuous coxinhas and quibes (a bulghur wheat dough filled with cream cheese.) Cakes and flan round out the menu for dessert. 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays. $

Pure Taqueria

103 Roswell St., Alpharetta. 678-240-0023.

Part of Alpharetta's dining boom, Pure Taqueria is another addition to Chris and Michele Sedgwick's growing family of restaurants that include Bistro VG, Aspens, Theo's Brother's Bakery and Vinny's. Of them all, it is by far the best. In it lies the couple's fondness for Mexican culture and food, and eating here feels like a day at a Mexican beach — the mood is relaxed, open and breezy. Ditto the short list of Mexican favorites that include queso fundido, fish tacos, ceviche and mean margaritas. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Sundays (Bar is open until 11 p.m.). $$

Taqueria del Sol

1200 Howell Mill Road N.W., #B, Atlanta. 404-352-5812.

www.taqueriadelsol.com

This sunny, Baja-bathed taco joint's attitude is soooo taco nazi that sometimes you may want to grab the counter guy by the lapels and remind him there are things in life besides beef brisket tacos and chunky guacamole. But once you've sunk your teeth into one of the fish tacos and wrapped your mouth around its poblano-studded tartar sauce, you'll forget the I-don't-care-attitude of the staff. The richly seasoned beans, chile-laced turnip greens and frosty frozen margaritas will make you forget, too. Truth is, the line moves fast and the system works. If only the system had better manners. Lunch: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, noon-3 p.m. Saturdays. Dinner: 5:30-9 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays. 5:30-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. $

Tierra

1425 Piedmont Ave. N.E. #B, Atlanta. 404-874-5951.

www.tierrarestaurant.com

Tierra embraces that immeasurable cross between gourmet and good — foodies come for the diverse, pan-Latin menu, and keep coming back because everything just tastes so great. Chef-owners Dan and Ticha Krinsky know enough to leave favorites such as the steamed mussels and the ever-loved pionono alone. They also know to add weekly changes (usually to celebrate a Latin country's holiday). Staples like the Salvadorean papusa, with thick corn tortillas melded together with gooey cheese offeset by tart curtido (think coleslaw), and the Brazilian-style roasted chicken with a sauce of cashews and peanuts swimming in a ginger-laced coconut milk, so organically good, are the essence of soulful cooking. The tres leches is the best anywhere. Ever. A wine list short but brimming with all sorts of Latin and Spanish selections rounds out the evening. Every summer the owners spend a week in a different Latin country to bring back dishes for their specials list, as well as art for the walls of this cozy spot in Ansley Park. 6-10 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays.; 6-10:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. $$$

ASIAN / INDIAN

Banaras

3300 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Suite J, Duluth. 678-417-1911.

www.kwalityrestaurants.com

Banaras is far more than a vegetarian Indian restaurant. Open almost nine months, it's pan-Indian, for lack of better explanation, encompassing a vast range of vegetarian dishes that can be found in North and South India, though most Atlantans may associate only South Indian cuisine as vegetarian. There are many dishes here, such as sabudana wadi — a small dish of succulent tapioca "cutlets" seasoned with mustard seed and served with a thin yogurt — that are not often seen elsewhere. Chef Subash Satpal has cooked in India, New York and Florida, but it is in this tiny strip mall on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard that he may finally make a name for himself — within a paradigm of flavorful layers, his food is simple and homey, and as affable manager Rayomand Umrigar explains, "the kind of simple dishes many people make at home." Between an array of South Indian dosai and North Indian naan and chaat, there is also thali, where Satpal cooks up choices, like spicy green beans and a starter of couscous cooked with bits of vegetables that has the same warming, healing effect as chicken soup. Dal is made with black lentils in a thick gravy spiced with shards of cinnamon bark and is the perfect dip for a warm bit of naan. Umrigar is the perfect host, explaining in detail the intricacies of each dish and encouraging exploration throughout the menu. Choices may be broad, but the menu is not in the least overwhelming or long-winded. Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; noon-3 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays. Dinner: 5:30-9:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 6-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 6-9:30 p.m. Sundays. $

Co'm Vietnamese Grill

4005-E Buford Highway, Atlanta. 404-320-0405.

www.comgrill.com

Dishes at this Vietnamese favorite are packed with a punch of flavor in a hip little eatery that embraces the intricacies of what this cuisine possesses when conveyed at its best. The digs are neat and trendy, with colorful drop glass lighting over tables, large, colorful paintings, and brooding wall colors. Dig in and enjoy favorites such as la lot leaves stuffed with a spicy lamb, or goi — a salad of julienned mango and apple with minced pork. Buford Highway is packed with food finds, but C'om is among the best. . 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. 10:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Sundays. $

MF Sushibar

265 Ponce de Leon Ave., Atlanta. 404-815-8844.

www.mfsushibar.com/

The slick digs and power-lunch players belie what's behind the success of this Midtown wonder: the freshest, best-made sushi in the city. Brothers Alex and Chris "Magic Fingers" Kinjo give their restaurant energy and attitude, but it's the quality of ingredients and creativity of Chris as sushi chef that have made this restaurant such a Ponce de Leon destination. From the crunch of the nori wrapped around a hand roll with crispy salmon skin to the glorious freshness of something as that's-so-'90s as a rainbow roll, nowhere is there a more palpable sense of quality to sushi in Atlanta. Don't overlook classics like the buttery toro (worth every penny of the market price) or funky twists like the kamikaze roll, hot with sriracha sauce or sunomono pickles and wakame salad. Look for a second location to open inside the Terminus Building later this fall. Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Dinner: 5:30-10:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5:30-11:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 6-10 p.m. Sundays. $$$

Nam

931 Monroe Drive, Suite A-101, Atlanta. 404-541-9997.

www.namrestaurant.com

From the owners of MF Sushibar comes a hip, elegant menu of nouvelle Vietnamese cuisine. Flavors here are fresh, clean and thoughtful — allowing for Vietnamese traditions while embracing an unmistakable modernity. Rice flour tamales (banh nam) are filled with pork, shrimp and woodear mushrooms, then wrapped and steamed in a banana leaf; the shaking beef, with pepper and lime for dipping, is a thing of beauty and a signature dish not to be missed. Grilled Japanese eggplant bathes in scallion, ginger and fish sauce, and something as simple as lemongrass tofu is made majestic. Bask in flowing, organza-like sheer panels between tables and a muted, modern atmosphere while sipping the sweetness of Vietnamese coffee for dessert. Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays. Dinner: 5:30-9:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5:30-10:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Closed on Sundays. $$$

Nam Chun Hong

5953 Buford Highway, Suite 105, Doraville. 770-454-5640.

This Korean-style Chinese restaurant in sparkling Seoul Plaza is from Dukyong Cha, the owner who brought the city wonderful Hae Woon Dae. In each of the simple noodle dishes, the freshness is apparent; each striation of noodle is as gloriously different as a snowflake. Anything Nam Chun Hong makes that involves the combination of flour mixed with water shouldn't be missed — the dumplings are translucent beyond reason, light, fresh and filled with minced shrimp and Chinese chives. The slightly seared dough of the pan-fried dumplings starts off a little heavy, then gives way to almost effervescent lightness, all dipped in vinegar and soy sauce. The restaurant serves bowl after bowl of cha jang mein, long noodles served with a rich black bean sauce rife with garlic and caramelized onions. Jam bong is the other specialty — a chile-spiced seafood stew full of fat mussels, octopus, scallions, an occasional shrimp and, of course, noodles. Lunch: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays-Saturdays. Dinner: 3-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 3-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. 3-10 p.m. Sundays. $$

Penang Malaysian/Thai Cuisine

4897 Buford Highway, Atlanta. 770-220-0308.

www.penangatlanta.com

From an unlikely chain in New York comes Atlanta's original locale of this Malaysian standout. Amidst a hokey Bali Hai backdrop, the full-throttle menu of authentic dishes will have you humming "Happy Talk." Chinese, Thai, Indian and native Malay dishes fill Penang's menu with mind-boggling selection, but it's the whole fish — red snapper deep fried in spicy Thai sauce and layered with okra and cilantro — that make the restaurant such a destination. Start with Indian roti pancakes dipped in a rich curry with potatoes and chicken, Malaysian pickled vegetables with peanut sauce or duck web in spicy Thai sauce. Even better, go for traditional gado-gado, an Indian-style salad layered with a shrimp pancake, potato-laden curry and mounds of freshly shredded jicama and cucumber. The fried taro shaped into a bowl for the sarang burong is a starchy, crunchy vessel for a stir-fry highlighted by shrimp and chicken. Don't skip dessert: the peanut pancakes, filled with ground sweet peanuts, redefine the meaning of PB and J. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Mondays-Sundays. $$

Tamarind Seed Thai Bistro

1197 Peachtree St., Atlanta. 404-873-4888.

www.tamarindseed.com

No restaurant in Atlanta creates the fire show that is great Thai food with quite the amount of flavor and finesse as Tamarind Seed Thai Bistro. The new name and new location, at Colony Square, are simply beguilements — this is Tamarind Thai Cuisine, dressed up with an interior designed by the Johnson Studio. Chef-owner Nan Niyomkul, along with husband Charlie and son Eddie, has packed up her galangal root and curry paste from the former 14th Street location, and things couldn't be better. Everything Nan touches turns to beautiful, from the bright fuchsia orchid on each plate to Tamarind's gorgeous new dining room, replete in layers of rich chocolate color, black lacquered tables and bright glass cookie jars of spices along the walls. And everything cooked here turns to flavor. Along with some of the best fish dishes the city has to offer, the classic Thai salads are small universes of enjoyment. Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Dinner: 5:30-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5:30-11 p.m. Fridays; 4-11 p.m. Saturdays. Lunch and dinner 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays. $$

Tasty China

585 Franklin Road S.E., Suite B-3, Marietta. 770-419-9849.

Chef Peter Chang may have put Tasty China on the map before promptly leaving, but the heat is still on with fiery Chinese food not to be ventured into lightly — the kitchen here still cooks with fervor, and lots of Sichuan peppers and peppercorns. Steer away from the American side of the menu and be persistent with fiesty owner Phuong Nguyen, letting her guide you toward the sloppy wonderfulness of a dish of sharp pepper fish, made with tilapia and silken tofu mixed in a heap of red and jalapeno peppers, or a hot beef dish with "spicy green peppers" brought as a sizzling hot pot teeming with slices of jalapenos. Their small, round green-ness hides under slices of tender beef, like a snake waiting to strike. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and Sundays; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. $$

GREEK / PERISAN

Blu Greek Taverna

26 Mill St., Marietta. 770-429-4096.

www.blugreektaverna.com

Blu looks as if it were airlifted from the coast of the Adriatic — dramatic silk screens of Mediterranean vistas take you beyond the restaurant's walls to a place in your imagination that is warm and sweet, with scents of citrus, sea and salt. The very real smell of kokinisto, a rich, tomato-y beef stew, will bring you back to Marietta. The menu reads like a textbook of all things Greek — flambeed saganaki, spongey triangles of salty feta with fat Kalamata olives drizzled in oil, dolmades, tangy avgolemono soup, mousaka. The wine list has two offerings: red or white. There is no need for novelty here, and you won't find it. Blu's pretty facade dresses things up in comfortable fashion, but it is really just an honest neighborhood tavern, filled with earnest dishes that encompass some of the country's most beloved dishes. Lunch: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. daily. Dinner: 5-10 p.m. daily. $$

Kyma

3085 Piedmont Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-262-0702.

www.buckheadrestaurants.com

Year after year this restaurant continues to set the gold standard for the Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, and chef Pano Karatassos, son of the Buckhead Life founder, strikes the right notes of homey authenticity and gourmet finesse with everything that comes from the kitchen. If you've got a special occasion to celebrate, Kyma is the place to have that kind of party. The menu offers what reads like a hit list of your favorite pop songs: Big beautiful fish, deboned at the table; crisply seasoned Greek potatoes, sprinkled with a dusting of tangy kefalotiri cheese; sweet, thick imported honey over creamy Greek yogurt and baby calamari so sweet and delicate it melts in your mouth after one quick chew. All these, plus the royal atmosphere drenched in blue and white and the regal treatment from the seasoned staff of that make you feel as pampered as a kitty cat. Save room — desserts such as galaktoboureko —a mesmerizing mix of semolina custard wrapped in phyllo — are perhaps the best course of all. 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. $$$$

Rumi's Kitchen

6152 Roswell Road, Atlanta. 404-477-2100.

www.rumiskitchen.com

Chef-owner Ali Mesghali, who was part-owner of nearby Persepolis, has branched out to take Persian offerings in the Atlanta area beyond the buffet and into something that smacks of tradition. Ancient tradition. For to truly experience the sweet-and-sour soulfulness of a mouthful of mast khiyar, one must first understand that Persia — now Iran —has played a central role in the development of world cuisine. Take note of that bite of badenjoon, baby. It's got history. Mast khiyar (diced cucumbers with yogurt, raisins, walnuts and herbs) is the perfect mate for the fresh-from-the-oven flatbread; mirza ghasemi (roasted eggplant with tomatoes and garlic) and dolmeh (ground beef, rice and herbs rolled into grape leaves), as well as kebobs and Iranian stews like badenjoon are staples of the varied menu. After dinner, dip into some Persian tea.. Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; noon-3 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays. Dinner: 3 p.m.-10 p.m. Mondays- Fridays; 3 p.m.-11 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays. $$

KEY TO RATINGS
Outstanding: Sets the standard for fine dining in the region.
Excellent: One of the best in the Atlanta area.
Very good: Merits a drive if you're looking for this kind of dining.
Good: A worthy addition to its neighborhood, but food may be hit or miss.
Fair: The food is more miss than hit.
Restaurants that do not meet these criteria may be rated Poor.

Pricing code: $$$$$ means more than $75; $$$$ means $75 and less; $$$ means $50 and less; $$ means $25 and less; $ means $15 and less. (The price code represents a meal for one that includes appetizer, entree and dessert without including tax, tip and cocktails.)