Foodle

The best meal of my life was 2006-era Ducasse, when Christophe Moret was cooking at the Plaza Athénée, in Paris. This was nouvelle cuisine long matured: when sauces had lightened but still had heft; when Bresse chicken and Gariguette strawberries still made you swoon. When hospitality was so precise it included a fresh tablecloth for dessert and a silver tray of reading glasses at the ready (à la Taillevent). No Montblanc pens, sadly, because paying wasn’t the ceremony; everything else was. The vial of ginger consommé to ‘chase’ poached shrimp. Chicken livers served in a glass coupe. A crab head crowned with a foam made from its own innards. It convinced me I had to visit Ducasse’s other flagships.

So over the next decade, I did: to The Dorchester, in London, with Jocelyn Herland at the helm; then Le Meurice, where he moved after. By then, Ducasse’s obsession with clear but potent stocks had taken hold, as did the vegetable pots. The cooking became more cerebral, embracing bitter and floral notes. But not everything landed.

At their latest flagship in Macau —The Morpheus —Ducasse and his CDC Cedric Satabin scale back, striking a tenor that appeals to both bling-chasing casino prowlers gagging for caviar and jaded gastrotourists seeking something new.

A recent dinner here is referential but studied — and quietly showy. Beyond the classics — radishes dipped in warm butter, then chilled; a trio of dainty terrines — you’ll find three sauces with a faultless guinea fowl: an emulsion and two sets of jus (a consommé in a vial; and a headier double-boiled one), strawberries served macerated, confit, and plain; that vegetable pot, where manicured carrots, radishes, and courgettes are cooked separately, united in chicken lardo, then steamed in bouillon. The rum baba is as good as I remember. My favorite is Satabin’s take on vichysoisse, nested with jewel-sized cubes of potato crumb.

Yes, it all sounds a little safe. At times I longed for something more incongruent. No matter. That’s a Napeolon-era coupe you were sipping from, a maitre’d reminds you — as he ferries diners to the kitchen, where the magic of Ducasse is (very much) still alive. Less

The most reliable thing about dining at Robuchon is the bread. Early in the meal, a chariot, paneled in the kind of lacquered wood you’d find inside expensive yachts, is wheeled over with a dozen breads (baguettes, brioches, rolls in pastel hues), which servers pick as you point or pine.

Not all of bread at Robuchon Au Dome is worth their fill, but they reflect a consistency that outlives Robuchon. My first taste of his cooking — Paris, late 2000’s — was extraordinary, and though few others measured up, it’s unfair to play that card. Because unless you’ve dined at Jamin (I haven’t), the satellites probably never dipped below Michelin-level quality — except in Hong Kong, where it did. Robuchon Singapore struggled with location; Tokyo held impossible standards; London’s Michelin grip kept things tight; New York flitted between okay and great; and no one could complain about Taipei’s Robuchon, given the prices.

Yes, the pommes puree varied (gummy here, gamey there), but the disc of caviar still floats on exactly 72 dots of cauliflower cream. Servers still rush to pull your chair as soon as you glance at the restroom. Service at Dome, as with other Robuchons, is telepathic and balletic. But it’s also among the chummiest.

It lets your guard down, so you forget that food here isn’t what it was when Robuchon Galera was the greatest French restaurant in Asia. That the leather binding of the glorious 17,800-label wine list is starting to fray. And that the scratches on once-pristine china show when midday light hits through that glass dome.

Consider the beetroot — still wincingly sweet on a 3rd visit. Or the morels, which ate limp. The Comte cheese ravioli, which lacked punch, and the parsley oil, imparting little beyond color. Stuffed pigeon and foie-gras tested the limits of sourcing — unclear if it was even a Brittany breed (irony meat, unevenly cooked). And while the white asparagus was sweet and meltingly soft, the dish isn’t emblematic of 3*.

The live piano, though, might be. At times it swells from ‘90s lobby tunes into a soundtrack fit for the climax of a Korean drama, where the protagonist, wallowing in regret, finally repents. There’s still hope. Less

Told ya! 😏 Anything under the Middle Eastern umbrella is getting a lot more biz from me since I HAVE to eat healthier, and their vegetarian side dishes & apps are as tasty as any cuisine IMHO! 🌱🔥

Second trip to @alzeinshawarma, an amazing Syrian spot in Johns Creek at Jones Bridge & Douglas Rd! 🇸🇾🍽️ Not pictured: the Arabic chicken shawarma—differs from Persian with its pocket-sized marinated sliced chicken instead of kabobs. 🥙🔥 It’s pressed more aggressively than Jerusalem Bakery & could loosely be described as more quesadilla-like than my other faves like Yalda, Noosh, JB, etc. Also, maybe a little more spiced! 💥✨ Like the other spots, top shelf but with a unique twist!
Big fan of the hummus, baba ghanoush, & mutabai (roasted eggplant) too! 🧆🥑 Like I always say, my reviews on good, bad & ugly are infallible 😂 but distinguishing between Middle Eastern, Lebanese, Mediterranean, Persian, Syrian, Palestinian, etc.? That’s an art. 🎨 But I can definitely taste the subtle variances, and I’m grateful that in AlphaRozCreek & Sandy Springs, I have some serious options for all of the above! 🙌🌍

#Foodie #MiddleEasternEats #ShawarmaLover #SyrianFood #HealthyEating #AtlantaEats #FoodAdventure 🍽️🔥 Less

Repeat: I’m starving! 🍽️ And these pics? Just placeholders for my impeccable taste. 🧐 Nothing looks good in Styrofoam, and let’s be real—this sandwich isn’t sexy looking, no matter how hard you try. 😂

BUT—this baked turkey sandwich at @picaso_chicken? 🔥 A superb Peruvian chicken spot in Duluth’s City Farmers Market. Easily among the top 5 turkey sandwiches in the metro. Been here several times—and trust me, the rotisserie chicken is elite! 🍗💯

I specialize in finding the real hidden gems, so I don’t throw that term around lightly. Possibly the best rotisserie chicken for miles. The pictured sanguche de pavo? Straight Atlanta Grubber Best Sandwich material! 🏆

#FoodieFinds #HiddenGem #PicassoChicken #PeruvianFlavor #TurkeyDoneRight #AtlantaEats Less

Because of a 🤣 comedy of errors, I mixed up two new katsu spots 🍽️ in the same part of town! Though I ended up at the "other" one instead of where I thought I was going, it turned out to be a delicious mistake 🤩. Anyway, I made my list ✅ and checked it twice! Where I landed was @kanpeki_tonkatsu in Johns Creek 📍—in that Medlock shopping center with the movie theatre 🎬.

The 🍗 chicken katsu with dark meat stole the show! Flavorful, crispy, juicy, and tender—it’s one of the best chicken dishes I've had in a long time 🤤. Katsu is like the Japanese cousin to European schnitzel 🇯🇵➡️🇪🇺. While that dish had me hooked, the tebasaki wings 🍗 with soy sauce, ginger juice, garlic, toasted sesame seeds, and more were also a major win 💯.

Hopefully, all my future "senior moments" 😂 will pay off just as well. I’m definitely coming back, but I also NEED to try the other place I originally had in mind—Aji-Katsu—soon! 😍

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Mrs. Grubber and I are deep into the rite of passage of getting old: 🏥 doctor’s appointments all over town. But when you’re the Grubbers, you turn 🍋 into 🍽️…sometimes dinner!

Had a delicious lunch at @haven_restaurant_ 😋 More bad photography 📷 by me, but as always, hungry boy is just looking for his placeholder for an infallible appraisal.

🥗 Mrs. Grubber had—guess what? I dare you! Yep, chicken Caesar salad! 🐔🥬 She was very happy with the dressing and impressed with the generous chicken portion. She doesn’t rank things, but clearly liked it better than most around town… and she’s had more than anyone!

🧡 As for me, I devoured roasted Bay of Fundy salmon with couscous 🐟🍚—so good! I assume the name comes from being in Brookhaven, just outside Chamblee.

💯 Very good place! Would definitely go back. 🍽️🔥

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#BrookhavenEats #ChambleeDining #DoravilleFoodie #AtlantaEats #LunchInAtlanta #HiddenGemsATL #FoodieAdventures #EatLocalATL #SouthernBites #ATLRestaurants #TastesOfAtlanta Less

🔥 Told you katsu has been on fire in #JohnsCreek & #Suwanee! 🍽️ @ajikatsu_johnscreek, right on the #JC border, delivers top-tier #tonkatsu that’s thick, crispy, and packed with flavor. 🍛 But don’t sleep on the other dishes—gyoza 🥟 was among the best I’ve had, and the sushi rolls 🍣 were stellar. Even the cabbage salad 🥬 hits different, especially with that dressing! 😋

🎌 I’ve been saying it forever—#JohnsCreek has seriously leveled up in elite #AsianCuisine, especially along Medlock Bridge. But let’s give #Suwanee its flowers 💐—spread out but absolutely slaying in the food scene! 🔥Oh and I have at least one more hot katsu lead to follow!

🍏 Support your local #AtlantaGrubber by checking out DuffyStore.com! I adore #Apple products, and so should you! 😎https://duffystore.com/review-of-2025-apple-macbook-air-13-inch/

📢 Disclaimer: As an #AmazonAssociate, I earn from qualifying purchases—this doesn’t affect your price. But my reputation > commissions, so I only endorse what I genuinely love. 💯 #Foodie #EatLocal #GAEats #RestaurantReview #LunchVibes #TonkatsuLover #SushiTime Less

🌟 Foodies in #Alpharetta & beyond, we’ve got another 🔥 addition to the suburb’s unexpected global dining scene! #uOTPia has been the landing spot for international restaurant stars 🌍—think #MichelinStar Okiboru (NY 🍜), Al Zein (Buenos Aires 🇦🇷), & Slurpin’ Ramen (LA 🍜). Now, enter: @laghman.express.atlanta 💥 #UyghurCuisine

📍 Originally from Brooklyn 🗽—where it made waves, even landing a NY Times Top 100 spot 🎉 (sis, that’s no small flex in NYC’s packed restaurant scene 👀). Now, it’s holding it down in Alpharetta off Windward Pkwy! Right behind Helium Comedy Club 🎭 (also a Philly transplant 👏). #ATLFoodie #HiddenGems

🍽 Started with lamb manti, Turkish dumplings that hit like #momo but plated like #pelmeni—tangy vinegar & creamy sour cream made it a 10/10 🔥. Dumpling lovers, this is a must! And back-to-back winners? Aji Katsu just gave me next-level dumplings the night before. 🍤🥢

🥩 Next up? Guyurou Laghman, hand-pulled noodles with lamb & veggies, bursting with coriander & cumin vibes—but not the Chinese-style you might expect. It’s distinctly Uyghur, and I’m here for it! 🚀 Compared to classics from #LanZhou, #Xian, & Xiao’s Way (RIP 🕊), it holds its own but with a different flavor profile.

🤔 The real question: Do you live for dishes that are both good & unique? Or do you hit ‘em with the “not what I’m used to” reaction? 🚫 If you’re the former, this spot is for YOU! 🏆 Elite dining options in the ‘burbs keep expanding—Midtown is taking the L but don't get mad about it Midtown shops. Come out where you will thrive! 😂

📜 Menu hints: A dish that appears to be like Sichuan cumin lamb? Maybe a Uyghur take on lomo saltado? My tastebuds are on the case, and I’m not gonna let y’all down! 💪 #RunDontWalk#AtlantaEats #FoodLover

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Told y’all I’m on my #HealthyEating grind! 🍽️💪 The last two trips to @basksteakhouse I’ve gone all in on seafood. 🐟🦪🦞 From tuna crudo to seabass to raw oysters to scallops, they’re serving up some serious ocean vibes! 🌊 Crabcake next? 🤔

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—Bask is one of #Atlanta’s top steakhouses! 🥩🔥 And I’ve been raving about their elk carpaccio since Day 1. 🦌 Elk = lean protein win! ✔️ They even have an elk entrée, which is definitely in my future. But don’t sleep on their seafood—it’s elite! 🚀 Now, let’s talk #NextDoor drama. 😂

Cheap entertainment and bad advice galore! 🫠 While people stay hyping up mediocre restaurants within two miles of their house, the single WORST rule-of-thumb I’ve ever heard? Never order steak at a seafood place or seafood at a steakhouse. 🤦‍♂️ Yeah, enjoy #RedLobster and #Outback, Karen. 🫡 Fact: Some of the best seafood I’ve ever had has been at elite steakhouses, and Bask is absolutely in the chat! 💯🔥

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🌍💥 Is the Armageddon near? I’m giving mall food court recommendations?! Nah sis, times have changed! Independent vendors are shaking up the mall scene, and @kngsoulfood at @northpointmall is serving up some 🔥 righteous soul food! Crispy turkey wings 🍗, cornbread dressing 🥧, mac n cheese 🧀—WAY better than the old mall slop. Who knew?! 🤯It’s not the end of the world 🌎as we know it, and this tastes fine.

🔥💥 Support Alert! 💥🔥 Show some ❤️ to your Atlanta Grubber by checking out 👉 DuffyStore.com 🛒

🙌 My reputation means WAY more to me than any tiny commission 💸 I might earn. That’s why I ONLY hype products and businesses I personally use and love 💯✨

🙏 Thanks for your support—it truly means the world 🌎💚 Hope this hits the right vibe—let me know if you want any tweaks! 😃 Less