Table Talk

By DAN

August 8, 2007 10:22 AM | Link to this

Cafe Anice in Buckhead or Atmosphere in Midtown….both awesome ! We could put ECCO in Midtown in the french column also.

By Eddie

August 8, 2007 10:42 AM | Link to this

McDonalds has the best french fries.

By Foodie

August 8, 2007 10:45 AM | Link to this

Hey, Eddie - - you’re supposed to be calling them “Freedom Fries” aren’t you?

By MG

August 8, 2007 10:49 AM | Link to this

La Madeleine is still going strong. Now that’s as French as it gets!

By Mike

August 8, 2007 10:54 AM | Link to this

La Madeleine is NOT going strong - the locations on West Paces and in Vinings have closed.

Maybe the one on West Paces WAS as “French as it gets” - last time I was there, the manager was extremely rude, indicated that he wanted to close early but couldn’t because WE showed up, then made homophobic remarks. And messed up our order!

By John

August 8, 2007 11:12 AM | Link to this

There’s a little jewel over in Brookhaven…Au Rendezvous…it’s on Windsor Drive. A family from Vietnam owns it. Not fancy French but very good bistro French. The beef bourgine can be cut with a butter knife. They have decent wines or you can bring your own (there’s a modest corkage fee).

By Speakeasy

August 8, 2007 11:18 AM | Link to this

french food is dead in atlanta

By Analchord

August 8, 2007 11:20 AM | Link to this

The French have a particular genius with food, non?

By Peace

August 8, 2007 11:29 AM | Link to this

Cafe Alsace in Decatur is a great place to have a wonderful lunch and/or dinner in a cozy setting.

By Donkey200

August 8, 2007 11:31 AM | Link to this

I agree with John about Au Rendezvous. Always good and pretty inexpensive. Love their escargot! Wonderful little salad or soup with your entree. And don’t forget the most AWESOME Cointreau crepes for dessert!

By Kathy M

August 8, 2007 11:33 AM | Link to this

La Petite Auberge (?) what about that?

By Kathy M

August 8, 2007 11:39 AM | Link to this

Is Violette still on Cheshire Bridge?

Wasn’t it another French restaurant before that? There was one (somewhere)—-a tiny little place—I used to go to in the early 80’s…it was SO EXCELLENT…maybe “la Petite France?”…can’t remember anything anymore :O)

By BPJ

August 8, 2007 11:42 AM | Link to this

There’s a real opportunity for more good French places here, at all levels: restaurant, brasserie, bistro, and café/bakery. Atlanta has a large French & Francophile community. But please, not chains; give us individual, chef-driven places.

I was very sorry to hear of Joel’s temporary closing, but in the meantime, there’s FAB, Fleur de Lis, Anis, & Atmosphere.

By BPJ

August 8, 2007 11:53 AM | Link to this

And one more good place: Au Pied de Cochon, in the Intercontinental Hotel (near Lenox)- don’t think of it as just a “hotel restaurant.” A tip: avoid the expensive valet parking, and park in the rear - much cheaper.

By Donkey200

August 8, 2007 12:12 PM | Link to this

Violette is on Clairmont Rd. just north of 85. It’s still busy, but I don’t know if the food has stayed up to snuff since the owner was killed about 3-4 years ago. I haven’t been in about 6 years.

By Jazoit

August 8, 2007 12:23 PM | Link to this

Cafe Alsace used canned green beans and tried to pass it off as “haricot vert”. There was no ice bath involved with those olive drab mushy beans. Food is mediocre at best. You can’t find a decent Coq au vin, Bouillabaisse or Gratin Dauphinois…hell you can’t even find a real Salade Niçoise in all of ATL. French food is too ethnic for the pedestrians of ATL. Booo

By gponced

August 8, 2007 12:24 PM | Link to this

Violette is still tasty. I was there on Monday. It would be nice to have some French or European bakeries in town. I think they are a characteristic of a cosmopolitan city. With the influx of condos intown, maybe some bakeries will pop up where residents can walk out of their house and down the sidewalk for a fresh baguette or coffee…wouldn’t that be great?

By Dan Armstrong

August 8, 2007 12:35 PM | Link to this

I need to add Cafe Fluer De Lais in the HEALY building downtown to my earlier post above…FANTASTIC!!

By @@

August 8, 2007 12:51 PM | Link to this

The best restaurant in Atlanta serves up Franco-Chinese hybrid food. They have sweet and sour croissants, (recommended), and stir fried pate de fas grois, and oh! the eggroll suzette is the best in the world!!

to die 4!

warning; stay away from the Cordon Bleu Moo Goo. (yuck, I speet it out)

By frank

August 8, 2007 1:04 PM | Link to this

We always went to Petite Auberge, I have been going there since I was a child. They also have a pretty good German Menu on certain days.

By Rod

August 8, 2007 1:10 PM | Link to this

Scuse me, but what is FAB?

By Kenneth

August 8, 2007 1:14 PM | Link to this

French food is rapidly becoming Halal goat and we have a lot more of that around. France Akhbar!

By Eddie

August 8, 2007 1:15 PM | Link to this

Kroger has some good french bread but it’s just as good if wait a day and get it with the red sticker price fifty cents instead of a whole dollar. If you put enough butter on the day old french bread it’s just as good as the dollar loaf you get on the same day.

By Merci

August 8, 2007 1:15 PM | Link to this

You must try Fluer de lis. Downtown on Walton St east of Forsyth.
Authentic presentation-Read fattening Authentic service-Read Lingering Don’t plan to do anything else that night Authentic Atmosphere-Read do not go if you are afraid of vagrants

But this place is awesome.

By Bill

August 8, 2007 1:22 PM | Link to this

Violette is still serving delicious French fare. No matter how long I’ve been away, whenever I return the food is as good as, or better than, before. Plus, the service is dependable and intelligent. Au Rendevous is a real gem, more country French and a little off the beaten path. It’s cozy enough that we usually meet those at the next table and share our wine.

By irish65

August 8, 2007 1:39 PM | Link to this

Violette is excellent, and “The South of France” is still good. It’s on LaVista at the LaFont plaza.

By RK

August 8, 2007 1:39 PM | Link to this

Fleur de Lis downtown is a hidden gem that anyone — not just French food lovers — should try.

I was sad to see Seasons leave, too — they had the most authentic Fondant du Chocolate.

By Yeahright

August 8, 2007 1:44 PM | Link to this

I go to the Village Cafe in Fayetteville. They have good food! if you have troubing sleeping at night you should eat here. It will knock you right out!

By Odeur Très Mauvaise

August 8, 2007 1:50 PM | Link to this

I have not seen a decrease in French food in Atlanta, moreso a lack of variety of French food locally. The same few places for the past twelve years does not inspire the locals’ palates I suppose.

But ask me if the French bathing habits is thriving in Atlanta? I will say L’Oh Oui! Oui! Oui!” [gag. barf. uggh!] Catch a MARTA train, or worse a bus, during a summer rush hour after a sudden afternoon rain.

The raunchy odor of the stinky, rarely washed poor citizens of Atlanta crunched together into a humid mass like a freshly tinned can of marinated snails is a vomit-inducing experience. Worse than being at Disney World surrounded by ten thousand ill-hygeined Europeans!

Alas, the French spirit is very much alive and well in Atlanta, and no amount of rain can fade that aroma.

By tp

August 8, 2007 2:13 PM | Link to this

“South of France” at LeFont Plaza(Cheshire Br. at LaVista) recently closed. The sign on the door said an asian fusion restaurant would be opening there soon!

By Noelle

August 8, 2007 2:24 PM | Link to this

I remember the grandmama of French restaurants, Ciboulette. It was fantastic. i continue to mourn its closing.

By BPJ

August 8, 2007 3:10 PM | Link to this

For salade Niçoise, try Fleur de Lis in the Healey Building. (BTW, it IS a good place to eat before going to Theatrical Outfit, The Rialto, or the Tabernacle - all 3 are around the corner.)

FAB is “French-American Brasserie,” an awkward name for a good place - it’s the rebirth of Brasserie Le Coze, which was at Lenox; FAB is in Allen Plaza Downtown. Try the white bean soup and the skate wing in brown butter sauce.

I, too, miss Ciboulette - it’s just the kind of place someone needs to open, in Midtown.

By ming

August 8, 2007 3:12 PM | Link to this

Atmosphere near Piedmont Park. Quiet and sedate and wonderful food.

By T

August 8, 2007 3:18 PM | Link to this

Babette’s, bien sur. Best French food in Atlanta. And surely, we cannot forget Nikolai’s Roof. Russian name, but wonderful Gauloise fare.

By atlpsuchik

August 8, 2007 3:47 PM | Link to this

Surprised to see no one mentioned Bob Amick’s new jewel, Trois.

By BigDaddy

August 8, 2007 3:56 PM | Link to this

In this year’s BigDaddy Atlanta Food Awards, Cafe Anis on Grandview in Buckhead took the coveted title of Most Romantic Restaurant in the city. Wonderful Southern French.

Other options: Violette has been mentioned numerous times already. But two others that haven’t been discussed are Babette’s Cafe on North Highland and Trois on 14th. Babette’s is always quality brasserie fare. Trois has an interesting approach of offering Nouvelle Cuisinse as well as old classics, such as chateaubriand. The food is excellent, thought the atmosphere doesn’t exactly whisk one away across the pond (unlike the way a small joint like Cafe Alsace in Decatur does).

BigDaddy hasn’t ventured into FAB just yet, but if it’s anything approaching the superb Brasserie Le Coze, BigDaddy will by very happy, and may parade down Peachtree like it’s the Champs Elysee…

By Roxie

August 8, 2007 3:59 PM | Link to this

Douceur De France in Marietta is one the best kept secrets in all of the Metro area. Their food is superb and Authentic. I VERY HIGHLY RECCOMEND THEM! I have been to Paris and stepping inside this blue bungelow is like a direct transport back to the city of lights.

http://www.douceurdefrance.com/ 367 Glover St. Marietta, Georgia 30060 Phone: 770.425.5050 Fax: 770.429.0623 douceurf@bellsouth.net

By ^[]^

August 8, 2007 4:27 PM | Link to this

No great loss with Joel.

By JP

August 8, 2007 4:37 PM | Link to this

Foodie, please tell me we’ve stopped the “Freedom Fries” nonsense?!

By Tim

August 8, 2007 5:48 PM | Link to this

I can’t believe the praise for Violette. I’ve been there twice and both times it was terrible. My steak and vegetables were overcooked and over seasoned. I’m guessing that those praising Violette haven’t been to good French places such as Atmosphere or Cafe Anise.

By Jane

August 9, 2007 1:52 PM | Link to this

Altho not strictly French - more French-influenced, try The Epicurean in Decatur on Clarimont and No. Decatur Rd.

By Darin

August 9, 2007 3:37 PM | Link to this

Gotta add my own recommendation for Le Fleur de Lis Cafe downtown. My wife and I went there recently for our anniversary dinner and loved it so much we went back the next day for Sunday brunch. It’s a great little restaurant, very authentic, and a nice way to experience downtown. I would wait till it cools down a bit to visit - in the truly french hole-in-the-wall restaurant tradition, there’s no AC. Try the berry crepes at brunch.

By Charles

August 10, 2007 8:07 AM | Link to this

Like many Americans, we are boycotting anything French (Christian Dior, all French wines, Hermes, Lacoste, Michelin to name a few) - even their cooking in case their products might be used. When their country becomes a team player in the War on Terror we’ll support them once again.

Of course, they will become an Islamic nation if they don’t stop allowing so many Muslims into their country.

By Mike

August 10, 2007 10:11 AM | Link to this

The Epicurean in Decatur (clearmont Rd) I never had a bad experience there. French-influenced sounds right.They have a small menu that changes often and a great Burgundy wine selection.

By Mike

August 10, 2007 10:13 AM | Link to this

The Epicurean in Decatur (clearmont Rd) I never had a bad experience there. French-influenced sounds right.They have a small menu that changes often and a great Burgundy wine selection.

By Mike

August 10, 2007 10:15 AM | Link to this

The Epicurean in Decatur (clearmont Rd) I never had a bad experience there. French-influenced sounds right.They have a small menu that changes often and a great Burgundy wine selection.

By Nicole

August 10, 2007 12:10 PM | Link to this

Has anyone tryed “la Giverny” on Clifton Rd? Crab cakes are fabulous at the epicurean on Clairmont. great service also.