Athens, Georgia Paul V. Hartman FIVE  AND  TEN 1653 Lumpkin St, in 5 Points (706) 546-7300 Continental-American; light and airy; casual; moderate pricing. This place is now well established as Athen's best fine dining venue. A creative kitchen is the reason, with fixed menus which change with the seasons and a variety of specials every day. The menu is eclectic and interesting, the food well prepared, arrives at the table in good order and at the temperature requested. The most interesting and extensive wine list in Athens is here, with multiple choices by the glass. A bit noisy, due to the flat ceilings and brick walls. Attentive and well informed staff. Lunch and dinner; 11:00am - 10:00pm. Reservations accepted. BASIL PRESS 104 E. Washington , at Lumpkin, Downtown (706) 227-8926 We are obliged to downgrade this once-good restaurant. We arrived on a Monday night, the place was empty. Our group of four ordered 4 different main courses. Everything was mediocre, including the bread and salads. A wine list that was once terrific now has only 4 white wines by the glass. Better restaurants than this have closed downtown. Sad to witness. Lunch and dinner; 11:00am - 10:00pm. Reservations accepted. LE   MAISON  BLEU Main Street, Watkinsville, just before Rt 15 begins (706) 769-6480 European; casual; moderate pricing. Our group had pork tenderloin, filet mignon, and rack of lamb, and all of them were cooked to proper temperature, elegantly presented, and wonderfully appreciated. The kitchen appears to be adequately staffed, assisting the resident chef. A separate room for group functions. A new regulation allows wine and beer service in Oconee County. We found the wine list here to be the best in the Athens area, both by-the-glass and by bottle, in both breadth and uniqueness. Lunch Tuesday to Fri 11:00; Dinner Tuesday to Sat from 5:00pm. Sunday Brunch. Reservations accepted. THE NATIONAL 232 West Hancock Avenue (Snow Tire building) (706) 549-3450 Spanish/Mediterranean. Parking nearby. Because of the ownership, this new place has a reason to expect good crowds. One person told my wife "it's better than 5&10", which is saying something. So my group of six descended on it after it was up and running a couple of weeks: "let 'em get the kinks out". The six included two restaurant owners, two serious cooks (one with a published cook book), and yours truly the gourmand. A formidable group, which passed around the variety of things we ordered. The verdict: does not stand up to its advance commentary. Some items were quite good, others quite ordinary. Not as "good" as a place named Mia Madonna a block away, which folded some time ago. At The National, the food is Mediterranean with a definite Iberian tilt. The name and concept are derived from the oldest Spanish restaurant in New York City, "La Nacional". Wines from Spain, Portugal, France and Italy, are available by the glass. The main courses are limited. Wait staff ready to hand and knowledgeable. (We will give this place a second look.) Notes on our return, 2008: The opinion remains the same: there were interesting things well done; there were others poorly done: food combinations that did not work. They need to put a rudder on this boat. Decide what they are going to do, and do it. Lunch M-F, Dinner M-Sat, from 5:00pm. Reservations accepted. ON THE BORDER Atlanta Highway at Timothy (706) 543-2299 Mexican-Texican. Festive building. Easy parking. The outside of this place is so distinctive that if they ever had to sell, only another Mexican place could take it. The food inside is sufficiently distinctive, however, that they should be quite successful in Athens. One of a chain of 90 restaurants which began in Dallas in 1982, the theme is Mexican cowboy with Texan flavors. The corn flour tortilla is not emphasized: steak and chicken is. Lunch and Dinner from 10:00am, 7 days a week. No reservations. THE   GEORGIA   CLUB Barber Creek Road, off 316 (770) 725-8100 Continental-American; formal/dressy casual Built beside two golf courses with anticipation of substantial residential communities, this upscale restaurant is currently open to the public, presumably, not forever. The chef is CIA, which means Culinary Institute of America, always a good sign. The wine list is ho-hum but the food is worth the trip. This place is 12 minutes from my west-side Athens home and, at most, 25 minutes from yours - a convenient drive. Nine main courses for Dinner ($15 - 28) occupy the current menu preceded by seven preludes, all nicely presented and well created. Plus nightly specials. The plates arrived hot - good news among restaurants which think serving food on the cool side is au currant. I had the beef tenderloin, served at the right temperature. She had the salmon special with three types of potatoes - nicely done. We finished by splitting the chocolate tort - over powering. Lunch 11:00am - 5:00pm daily. Dinner Fri & Sat nights only from 5:30pm. Reservations appreciated. O L I V E   G A R D E N Atlanta Highway at Bypass (adjacent to Barnes & Noble) (706) 227-2225 American-Italian. Moderate. Easy parking. A 500 store chain, which Athenians have waited years to appear in this town. The question is, why do Americans crowd into Olive Garden even in cities where there are authentic Italian restaurants by the score? The answer must be: "Good enough Italian, at the Right Price." If I were to score this restaurant the way I do others (on the quality of the food) then I give it 2 and a half gems. But were I to score it on the basis of giving Americans what they think "good Italian" is, then I would have to give it 5 gems. Simply put, this place delivers what America wants. Example: the "signature salad" is only iceberg lettuce with croutons and some "Italian" dressing. It disappears. You can't run out of it as they will refill the bowl continuously. So too with the bread sticks, the flavor of which is sprayed or brushed on in a very thin layer. Some of the menu items are unknown in Italy. But enough of that - this place Pleases, and that is the bottom line. I prefer fine dining, but I have no problem coming here - in fact I enjoy it. Just like you. The desserts, by the way, are terrific. Lunch and Dinner from 11:00am, 7 days a week. No reservations. C A R R A B B A ' S Atlanta Highway near the Honda Dealership (706) 546-9938 Italian. Moderate. Easy parking. For a large national chain, the food here is pretty good. On a Friday night I counted 7 cooks working the open kitchen, 6 in black baseball caps, one in red - presumably the head cook. (We don't use the word "chef" for someone under a baseball cap.) The place is heavily staffed and the food appears promptly. My Italian friends love this place, just as they don't like Olive Garden. (Each has its individual charm.) My dining group had a variety of things and everyone was pleased. The Minestrone soup, a common staple in Italian restaurants, was especially good. No Lunch. Open 7 days a week. Mon - Fri from 4:00pm, Sat & Sun from 3:00pm. Reservations taken. SPEAKEASY 269 E. Broad Street (706) 546-5556 Diverse tapas theme and bar. Difficult parking. The idea of grazing on a multitude of small plates is now established, and it is a good idea for a college town, as it controls the final bill. Cooks with baseball caps reversed (they cannot be called chefs) operate out of a small kitchen, preparing a number of diminutive dishes in a pleasing variety. The fried asparagus was an interesting beginning, and the grilled salmon and the pork medallions following were nicely received. (The beef tenderloin kabobs were over peppered.) Clever deserts at the finish. About a dozen wines by the glass are available, and many of them are infrequently seen. Attentive service. A crowd which filled the place indicates a successful formula. Dinner only from 4:00pm to 2:00am, 7 days a week. Reservations accepted. LE CLOS at Chateau Elan Braselton, where Route xx crosses I-85 1-800-233-9463 French-Continental. Within Winery chateau. The name means "fenced area" in French. This upscale white table cloth restaurant is closer than anything (in the French style) in Atlanta. The price is fixed at $68 per person, 5 courses, and the menu is limited to a few selections in each category. The first course is an appetizer - there are usually 3 choices. A main course follows (3-4 choices), then an Intermezzo (usually a sorbet), then the Salad course (trailing the Main course, as is the European custom) and finally the Dessert course - usually 4-5 choices. You order everything at the beginning to allow for special preparation. Wine choices are optional, each course accompanied by the wine steward's selection to best compliment the course. The food is well prepared and the presentation is very elegant. Unfortunately, the locally grown wines are not up to the quality of the food. Indeed, if you like wine a lot, these wines are unpleasant. If that does not matter to you, then this is a great place for special occasions. The menu changes with the seasons, that is to say, quarterly. Note that they have a dress requirement (casual elegant; no jeans), do not permit cell calls at table, and forbid children under 12. If I had my own place, I would have the same rules. Dinner only, Wednesday through Saturday night, 6:30 - 9:30pm. INOKO 161 Alps Road (706) 546-8589 Japanese. Convenient parking. A true Japanese restaurant where a master Japanese chef cooks at the table where you sit. Knives flash in the air as meats and vegetables are sliced and diced and then grilled before your eyes: the show is a visual treat as well as a dining delight. The main production is steak, chicken, or seafood (shrimps or scallops) grilled rapidly, along with typical Japanese vegetables. Do not over-order, as the portions are generous. Lunch and Dinner from 11:00am to 10:00pm, 7 days a week. Reservations accepted. SHOKI 10 Huntington Road (706) 227-1933 Japanese. Convenient parking. One Japanese restaurant is much like another. You do not expect a gourmet experience, but you go for well prepared, simple food: steak, chicken, shrimp, scallops, and other seafood, all of it grilled in front of you with theatrical flair. This restaurant took over a large space in the mall across from Georgia Square (beyond the pink buildings and across the road from Rafferty's) and the extra space means plenty of leg room and a very large sushi bar. Banquet room available. No Lunch. Opens for Dinner from 5:00pm to 10:00pm, 7 days a week. Reservations accepted. Next: PAGE TWO of Athens restaurant reviews: