Atlanta/Philly restaurants [split]

[tandfman]

The restaurants in Philly are okay, but they don't have their own Zagat for a reason.

Sure they do.

http://www.zagat.com/shop/shop_products ... load=60002

They also have some wonderful restaurants. Better than okay.

[mike renfro]

As of last year, the Philly Zagat was in a shared version with other cities which didn't have enough either restaurants or interested diners to merit their own stand alone version. San Diego used to be in that volume. I did look before we went to the meet last year, and that was what was available at the local Borders. At any rate, we only had about 3 restaturant meals (lunch doesn't count) in Philly. We were staying with a friend out near Valley Forge, and on non meet days, we cooked at her place mostly. The one really nice meal we had was at a restaurant in the UPenn area. The food was good, but the place wouldn't make my top 10 in San Diego, and San Francisco? Maybe top 100, maybe not. We are a bit spoiled on the left coast.

No, we are a lot spoiled on the left coast :shock:

[BillVol]

Give me an authentic ethnic food any day over most of the top-rated Zagat places. Atlanta has had Zagat for years and most of the top-rated places there are bad IMO.

This is an interview with a cheese expert on the Atlanta dining scene before he left for SF. I think he may be back in Atlanta now.

http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/gyro ... ?oid=16753

[gh]

This Bay Area dude thinks Atlanta has a fabulous restaurant scene. Favorite is one cited in that article, Seeger's.

ps: color me dull.... since I was last in Atlanta Seeger's has closed. dang.

edited to add ps

[BillVol]

It is very sad that Seeger's has closed. That's one of the top places I never got to try, but obviously it was outstanding.

http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/gyro ... oid=114452

[dj]

The one really nice meal we had was at a restaurant in the UPenn area. The food was good, but the place wouldn't make my top 10 in San Diego, and San Francisco? Maybe top 100, maybe not. We are a bit spoiled on the left coast.

No, we are a lot spoiled on the left coast :shock:

The best Philly restaurants are not in University City. UC's highest regarded is the White Dog, which is very good in its own way. On the other hand, their menu is eclectic enough that many people--particularly out-of-towners--don't like it, and certainly not too often.

I'm wondering how many of San Diego's best restaurants are in and around San Diego State.

[gh]

I hear the sorbet in Philly's top restaurants is very good.

[BillVol]

This Bay Area dude thinks Atlanta has a fabulous restaurant scene. Favorite is one cited in that article, Seeger's.

ps: color me dull.... since I was last in Atlanta Seeger's has closed. dang.

edited to add ps

Not even personal letters from Georgia governor Sonny Perdue and Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin to Mr. Seeger could save Seeger's. I don't know why it closed. It was one of the best restaurants in the world according to the pickiest of critics.

[Bob H]

This Bay Area dude thinks Atlanta has a fabulous restaurant scene. Favorite is one cited in that article, Seeger's.

It was my Atlanta favorite too before it closed. My top choices there now are Bacchanalia and Quinones, which are a mile or so west of Midtown.

[Dietmar239]

Not to ruin a high-end food thread, but if I'm in Philly and craving a heart stopper you'll find me in Steves Prince of Steaks. Oh man!

[bad hammy]

The only problem with restaurants in Atlanta is you have to be in Atlanta to eat there . . .

:twisted:

[BillVol]

The only problem with restaurants in Atlanta is you have to be in Atlanta to eat there . . .

:twisted:

So true!

Bacchanalia/Star Provisions are great. Have not been able to try Quinones. We ate at Bacch when they were at the house on Piedmont and later at their current location on Howell Mill Road, formerly an industrial area now booming with restaurants and housing (guess that the housing has slowed down since we left town).

The people who own Bacchanaila are a great story. They work their butts off and have little to show for it. I'll try to find the article on them.

[bhall]

Next time you're in town try 4th & Swift.

[gh]

The one time I went to Bacchanalia (probably in '00?), as I was standing in the parking lot somebody honked at me from a passing car..... it was bhall!

[bad hammy]

The only problem with restaurants in Atlanta is you have to be in Atlanta to eat there . . .

:twisted:

So true!

Of all the big cities in the south that I have spent more than a day in (not a long list: Atlanta, Nashville, Knoxville, Washington, Raleigh, Charleston, Ft. Lauderdale and New Orleans) Atlanta was easily the least pleasant. New Orleans was obviously a great party town, and loved my visits to Washington and Charleston.