What was unusual about my discussion with Willie B. several years ago was that it took place at the zoo in Atlanta, Georgia, and that Willie B. was a then 36 year old gorilla. Despite the difficulty of finding a common language, Willie seemed to agree with me that the most exciting thing in the history of Atlanta (other than the fact that he had become a father six months earlier) had occurred during the Civil War when Northern General William Sherman burned the city to the ground.

Originally opened in 1889, completely modernized in 1985, and since then consistently rated as one of the 10 great zoos of the world, the animals who live here reside in am artificially constructed rain forests, a Masai grassland area and other habitats that closely resemble those of their native lands. Willie B., his harem of four female gorillas and his baby are the undisputed stars of the zoo, but that did not stop me from being charmed by Zambezi, an African elephant who weighs 2650 kilos, a male Sumatran Tiger named Raguno who seemed to gain special pleasure from growling at me, a Komodo dragon from the Flores Islands in the Indian Ocean who refused to breathe fire for me, and an Australian kookaburra, a bird whose laugh-like sounds reminded me of just how silly we humans must appear to some of the creatures who reside full-time in the zoo. I also found myself developing an odd attraction to Franny, the zoo's 4 meter long bushmaster snake. Even though Franny eats only twice a year, one doesn't want to be near her when she finally gets hungry, because she generally manages a whole pig or two as her meal.

Not long afterwards, strolling through the streets of mid-town Atlanta on my way to dinner, I reflected that Willie and I might not have been quite fair to the city's reputation. As I glanced around during my walk, for example, I enjoyed the mixture of early twentieth century and supermodern architecture almost as I did the sparkling cleanliness of the city streets. I reflected that even though Atlanta lacks the reputation for being an "exciting city", it has been consistently rated as one of the best cities in the United States in which to do business (the city is home to the international headquarters of such companies as Coca Cola, CNN and Delta Airlines); its airport has the world's largest and possibly most efficient passenger terminal; and its hotels, which boast more than 55,000 rooms, make the city one of the world's largest convention cities. Personally, however, I had come to Atlanta not to study statistics but to dine,because in the last decade, Atlanta has become one of the most exciting culinary centers in the United States.

From my point of view, there is no better place to start to sample the fare of the city than at the "Buckhead Diner", a restaurant that perfectly expresses the kinds of culinary adventures one can encounter in Atlanta. Although the unknowledgeable may sneer when they hear that this eatery is a "diner", this highly stylized restaurant is one of the most justifiably "in" places of the city. More than that, however, food lovers know that no diner ever served food like this and that everything you eat here will be a modern American original. What chef and partner Gerry Klashkala has created in this palace of muted neon lamps, space-age plastic tables and well polished copper is a homage to the American diner. Even though all of the old favorite American dishes are here they are reinterpreted with remarkable inventiveness. My own meal started off with a Caesar salad with smoked oysters, continued with grilled smoked pork chops that were served with fried onions and potatoes and sublimely light Parkerhouse rolls that came with a crock of homemade butter. I am not even embarrassed to admit that I finished off with a huge slice of banana cream pie that was piled high with white chocolate and the most dense whipped cream I have ever found outside of Vienna.

After my meal I needed a stroll and the neighborhood of Buckhead, in which this and many others of the city's best restaurants are located, is well worth exploring by foot. Atlanta has its poor people, but this is definitely not where they live. The beautiful homes here all have exquisite gardens and garages, many of which are home to two or more BMW convertibles. Even the office buildings here are special, nearly all built within the last decade, and nearly all architecturally appealing. To the great credit of Buckhead, the area also contains the "Lenox Square Shopping Center", one of the very few shopping malls I have ever found that is neither vulgar nor loud. In fact, I have never found a shopping center I like better and I recommend it highly to anyone who can afford the prices of such exclusive stores such as Neiman Marcus, Britches of Georgetown, Polo/Ralph Lauren, Bally of Switzerland, Cartier, Ciro of Bond Street, and Hoffritz Cutlery. In fact, I found this place in such good taste that I recommend it even to ordinary mortals. During my own wanderings through this buyer's paradise I purchased two chocolate truffles at Godiva chocolate ($5.50, but for which I received a free cup of cinnamon espresso coffee to sample); bought two postcards at Charles Dickens Stationary Shop ($2.25 each); and purchased two boxes of wooden matches from Davidov of Geneva ($3.50 each). To rest my now tired feet, I stopped at the charming "Le Coze", a traditional French brasserie in the shopping center, for tw0 glasses of cru Beaujolais wine and an absolutely delicious apple tart that was served with a slice of aged old Cheddar cheese.

Only Willie B. could fail to be impressed by the statistics of the hotel to which I returned, the "Marquis Mariott". Designed by architect John Portman to be the South's largest hotel, the Marquis has 1,674 rooms, a fifty story tall atrium that opens to a huge skylight, 32 high speed open glass elevators that seem to fly up and down from the lobbies to the guest floors, 25,500 indoor plants, 300,000 square meters of wallpaper and corridors so long that each time I walked from the elevator to my room I had more exercise than I usually want in a week. Although my own
preference when travelling is for hotels more than 100 years old, this supermodern palace of glitter seemed to enchant nearly all of the other guests I met. Whatever, it did allow for a comfortable nap before my dinner date.

I was with a French colleague and, because our time in Atlanta was limited, we decided to divide our dinner between two restaurants that night. We started off by returning to the area of Buckhead, there to visit "The Dining Room" at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, there to have our first two courses. Seated in the quiet, dignified, mahogany lined dining room we started off with two first courses, the first of chunks of lobster on a potato mousseline, all of which had been placed in the shell of a sea-urchin, and the second of which was a foie gras with onion marmalade and home made brioches. Both dishes were so good that they left us in awe, but we did not hesitate to continue, myself with two tender juicy squab, one filled with wild rice and pistachio nuts and the other with lentils that had been seasoned with finely chopped truffles and my companion with a marvelously smooth and rich squash soup dotted with white truffle oil.

From here we made our way by taxi to "The Patio on The River" which some, including Gourmet Magazine, feel may be the best restaurant in the United States. That may not be much of an exaggeration because executive chef Michael Phipps, who is a tenth generation Atlantan worked first at Paris' Hotel Crillon and then at Taillevent before he felt ready to open his own establishment. The atmosphere here is comfortable and inviting, the service is excellent and the wine list is one of the best you will find anywhere. And the cooking is definitely special, a classic French cuisine that shows a marvelous sense of innovation by being blended with just the right touch of Southern overtones to make it truly innovative and truly exquisite. Because we had already had our first two courses we restricted ourselves to one order of herbed oysters served on squares of cornbread, one of triple thick lamb chops served with aioli, and two desserts, the first of fresh dates with Parmesan cheese and the second of a gratifying, warm chocolate cake served with coffee ice cream that had been made from especially imported Kona coffee beans.

Towards the Coast

The next morning, as I drove south-east from Atlanta to the Coastal Islands it became eminently clear that Georgia is basically an agricultural state. I drove past what seemed like countless miles of peanut farms, cotton plantations and farms that boast literally millions of pecan and peach trees. I found the farms and plantations all charming, but was brought almost to a point of despair by the seemingly infinite number of fast food joints that lined the roads. (If ever you do feel tempted to stop for a quick meal, my advice is to skip the hamburger and pizza joints and stop either for roast beef at an "Arby's" or for Southern fried chicken at "Mrs. Winner's", both of which can be found throughout the state). Because I avoid fast food whenever possible, I was delighted after three hours to come to the town of Douglas, where cotton and tobacco are how the people make their living, and where fast food is still relatively unknown.

After visiting a tobacco auction, where literally dozens of tons of tobacco had been sold within an hour, I strolled around for a few minutes in the town. There, as if to prove that the famed southern hospitality that I had seen in the big city of Atlanta was really genuine, one complete stranger, a seventy five year old woman, invited me into her house for a glass of iced tea, another slightly younger woman offered me a glass of lemonade, and one man actually gave me a taste of his home made whiskey. Although state officials deny vehemently that Georgians are still making "moonshine", the illegal, highly potent whiskey that author William Faulkner made world-famous, nearly every person I met who lived outside of the city had at least one cousin or uncle whose whiskey was supposed to be the best in the state. The man who made the whiskey I tasted boasted that it was "at least as good as any you'll find in the South". I appreciated his warmth, his humor and his hospitality, but my preference for fine Scotch whiskey remains firm.

Nearly everyone in town recommended the "Country Cabin Steak House" as the best restaurant around, so it was to this remodeled log cabin that I made my way. Sitting on the side of a small lake which is full of catfish, bass and eels, the traditional meal here is of a huge pan fried steaks, a plateful of grilled shrimp, baked potatoes in which the potatoes are scooped out, and mixed with cheese before being reheated under the grill, and "honey butter bread" that is so rich you could make an entire meal of it. Served with iced tea (which is served throughout the state at breakfast, lunch, dinner and between meals), the meal was simple but perfect but, being of a curious nature, I wondered just what was happening to the catfish I saw a young man bringing into the kitchen. I wandered in, there to be immediately offered a lightly breaded deep-fried catfish, the dish that all Southerners adore but, because it is considered "poor-people's food" rarely allow themselves to eat when in public. The fish were marvelous and despite my well known wine-snobbery I discovered that iced tea really is the perfect accompaniment to fried catfish. Also in the kitchen I had the opportunity for the first time to sample boiled peanuts.

I have enjoyed peanuts raw, toasted, and roasted. I have eaten peanuts coated with salt, and coated with sugar but I never knew that peanuts could be as tasty until I tasted them boiled, or as the good people of Douglas call them "Georgia style". (To boil young raw peanuts wash the shells well and then soak in cold water for about 30 minutes. Put the peanuts in a pot and cover them completely with water, adding 2 tablespoons of salt for each liter of peanuts. Boil the peanuts for about 40 minutes and then taste them. Add salt if necessary and then taste them again in 10 minutes longer, If they are not yet ready, add more salt if necessary and cook for 5 minutes longer, continuing to taste every 5 minutes until they are cooked to your taste. Drain the peanuts after cooking and then either serve them at once or freeze them, merely letting them thaw to serve).

After half a dozen glasses more of iced tea, I continued on my way and by late afternoon had arrived at Sea Island, a narrow eight kilometer long strip of land between the mainland and the Ocean and the hotel known as "The Cloisters" where I was to spend the night. Because this is one of the most charming hotels at which I have ever spent a night, I forgive them for being less than a century old. Opened in 1928, the original buildings consisted of low sprawling stucco buildings with red-tiled roofs, which gave the hotel a decidedly Mediterranean feel. More recent additions reflect the deep eaves and roof lines of the Caribbean. A hotel where the service is as important as the quality of the rooms or the food, this is a place where the staff is so attentive that it is almost impossible to light your own cigarette.

Although one need not be a millionaire to say at The Cloisters, staying here surely makes one feel like a millionaire. Set back from the ocean, and with a private beach for the use of guests, nearly every room has a patio or faces on a cloistered terrace, there is a grand lounge with a high beamed wood ceiling, and the gardens are a subtropical balance between natural and cultivated beauty. Best of all, as far as I was concerned, is that every entranceway, every public area and every one of the rooms is furnished with heavy, tasteful antiques, all of which provide an ongoing treat for the eye. Even though I can sympathize with those who enjoy golf, tennis, horseback riding and any of the other sports in which one can indulge here, I found myself busy doing nothing more than leisurely exploring the antiques, the gardens and the paths leading to the sea. I confess that during all of my explorations, my right hand was occupied with a tall glass that held a mint julep, the most traditional drink of the south. Most miraculously, within seconds after finishing off a glass, one of the hotel stewards was at hand to hand me a fresh one.

Known as the "Golden Islands", the islands along the Atlantic coast are paradise for lovers of seafood, so that night in the hotel's formal main dining room I could not resist starting with half a dozen boiled shrimps, which I enjoyed with nothing more than a bit of lemon juice; a crab and sherry bisque; and that ultimate of American treats, soft shell crabs. Soft shell crabs are nothing more than young blue crabs that have been trapped during the moulting season, that is to say when they have shed their old shells and are just starting to grow new ones. So tender are these crabs that they are meant to be eaten whole, soft shells and all. The ones I received had been first boiled, then fried in lemon butter, stuffed with crabmeat and finished under a hot grill. Happily, most of my European companions were not familiar with this treat and after eating the stuffing left their whole crabs to me. I managed with no problem at all to polish off eight of these, all downed nicely with a bottle of excellent 1988 Grand Cru Chablis that I had selected from the hotel's excellent wine list. Whatever they say about Georgian restaurateurs, they tend to have very good wine lists.

The next morning, after a tour of Sea Island and adjoining Jeckyll Island in a horse-drawn trolley, I found myself on Tim Goddard's charter boat, the "Dixie Lady", making a tour of the bay leading to the ocean. Sailing out past the shrimp boats (which, on good days can earn as much as $5,000), and then coming in close enough to the shore to see the oyster fishermen at work, and then going out to sea just far enough to be joined by a school of friendly, playful dolphins, this was an excellent and relaxing way in which to see the islands. We had asked Tim to make a light breakfast for us. Even though his idea of a light breakfast was a huge basket of herbed shrimp, an enormous pile of New Orleans style spiced crab legs, an unbelievably large amount of fresh crab meat in a spicy cocktail sauce and an abundance of fresh fruits, we managed to finish off just about everything he had set out. Taking our clue from Tim and the members of his crew, we discovered that everything tasted even better when eaten with the fingers and that even our beer tasted colder and better when drunk straight from the bottle.


Savannah - A City of Ghosts

The next stop on my Georgia expedition was Savannah. Unlike Atlanta, the most exciting thing that ever happened to this two hundred and fifty year old city was when General Sherman decided not to burn it to the ground. Sherman, who had left only ashes in every other southern city he conquered, was so enchanted with Savannah that he decided, instead of burning it, to give it to President Abraham Lincoln as a gift. On December 22, 1864, several days after occupying the city, the general sent Lincoln a message: "This His Excellency President Lincoln, Washington, D.C.: I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah, with one hundred and fifty heavy guns and plenty of ammunition, also about 25,000 bales of cotton".

The truth is that Sherman was captivated by Savannah, and years later he described the city in his memoirs as "an old place, and an unusually handsome one. Its houses were of brick or wood, with large yards, ornamented with shrubbery and flowers, its streets perfectly regular, crossing each other at right angles, and at many of the intersections were small enclosures in the nature of parks. The streets and parks were lined with the handsomest shade-trees ... and many of the houses and churches were of an unusual beauty".

It was raining during most of my visit, but the rain was a warm and refreshing one that did not stop me from strolling for many hours, and as I walked I realized that Sherman's description is as accurate today as it was in 1864. The historic area of the city, and the port, both now completely restored, contain more than 2,400 architecturally and historically significant buildings, all located within an easily walking area. Even though this is one of the United States' largest historical urban landmarks, it is not merely a memory of the past, for most of the buildings are residential, many house charming shops and coffee shops, and only a few are actually museums. The dozens of small parks all have comfortable benches or grass areas on which to sit and picnic if one likes; the churches and the synagogue (built by Portugese settlers in the 1700s) are open to the public, and, as I learned during my walks, many of the homeowners are delighted to receive guests, to show them their homes and to offer them a cup of iced tea.

To my great pleasure, I learned that many of the homes in the historic area have been converted into "Bed and Breakfasts", but bed and breakfasts like these I have yet to find anywhere else in the world. The place at which I was staying, "Folley House Inn" was typical. Built in 1896, every architectural detail has been faithfully restored, every room is a delicate blend of traditional aristocracy and contemporary finesse. My own room had a wood burning fireplace, place, a four-poster bed so high that I had to climb two stairs to enter it and enough antique silver, china, Oriental rugs and hand colored engravings to keep me absolutely enchanted.

Like many of the houses in the historic area, Folley House is said to have a ghost. While visiting different homes I heard stories about at least three ghosts with no heads, one ghost that traditionally rides a donkey, one who steals chocolates from the cupboard at night, and another who has a fondness for old Sherry wine. I was disappointed because none of these ghosts chose to make an appearance during the time of my visit, but I was not disappointed by the complimentary chocolates, sherry and port wines and tea that are served every evening just before and after
sunset.

For a city with slightly under 150,000 inhabitants, Savannah has a surprisingly large number of good restaurants but by far the finest meal I had here, and one that ranks among the best on which I have dined in the United States, was at Elizabeth Terry's charming "Elizabeth on 37th". Terry is such a highly respected chef her restaurant is consistently listed by top critics as one of the top twenty-five restaurants in America. Hers a modern southern cuisine with equal overtones from France, and I started off with fresh trout and oyster mushrooms in a ginger vinaigrette sauce. I followed this in turn with an apple and squash soup with bits of fried foie gras, a succulent saddle of lamb with truffled mashed potatoes, and finally a delicate and delicious creme brulee. During my meal I sipped a California Chardonnay from Robert Mondavi Wineries, a 1990 Chateauneuf-du- Pape from Chateau Mont Redon and finally, merely to celebrate the superb meal on which I had dined, a half bottle of Cuvee Dom Perignon 1985 Champagne.

Useful Addresses

In Atlanta

Buckhead Diner: 3073 Piedmont Road. Telephone 262-3336. This place may be "only a diner" but it has won rave reviews in "Gourmet", "Bon Apetite" and "The New York Times". In addition to the dishes on which I dined, try the sandwich of smoked goose breast and gorgonzola cheese, the grilled salmon hash, the chilled lobster gazpacho; and the peach bread pudding. Prices are surprisingly reasonable. Reservations suggested.

The Patio by the River. 4199 Paces Ferry Road, N.W. Telephone 432-2808. Another of America's finest restaurants, with a comfortable and inviting atmosphere and excellent service, specialties include herbed oysters served on squares of cornbread; crabmeat Mornay; triple thick lamb chops served with aioli; grilled salmon with dill and shallot butter; and sauteed North Georgia mountain trout. Expensive. Reservations recommended.

The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Buckhead: 3433 Peachtree Road, Tel 237-2700. Formal but not stuffy, the food here is worth a special trip. Try such dishes as the stuffed squab, the squash soup with truffle oil, the lobster on potato mousseline, the baked bananas served with caramel ice cream.

The Abbey: 163 Ponce de Leon Avenue, N.E. Telephone 876-8532. Set in a former church, originaly built in 1915, the beautiful building that houses this charming restaurant boasts 20 meter high stained glass windows and vaulted ceilings. The setting is Medieval, the menu is American and the cooking style shows a strong French influence. Specialties include asparagus wrapped in country ham; trout filled with herbed bread stuffing and wrapped in bacon; chicken breast stuffed with goat cheese, tomatoes and basil; and wild strawberries and toasted nuts with vanilla ice cream. Reservations recommended. Expensive.

Ciboulette: 1529 Piedmont Avenue, N.E. Telephone 237-2700. Serving truly great food at remarkably reasonable prices in a comfortable setting this is justifiably one of the city's most popular spots, the crab with leeks, the seafood pates and terrines and the hot smoked salmon fillet served with couscous are all excellent. Reservations not accepted.

Anthony's: 3109 Piedmont Road, N.E. Telephone 262-7379. Located in a beautiful and authentically restored antebellum plantation house that was originally built in 1797, seven of the eleven dining rooms have fire places, the wallpaper and upholstery are exact reproductions of 18th century fabrics and all of the items of decor have been certified as genuine 17th and 18th century antiques. The food is entirely American, many of the recipes dating from the Colonial Period. Specialties include chilled curried carrot and yoghurt soup; grilled quail with cornbread dressing; peanut chicken; lobsters stuffed with shrimps and corn; and wild turkey stuffed with chestnuts and raisins. Prices are high but the value for money is excellent. Reservations necessary.

Indigo Coastal Grill. 1397 N. Nighland Avenue. Telephone 876-0676. When chef and co-owner Alix Kenagy calls his fish and seafood restaurant "a spicy little joint" he is not far off the mark, for this is as unpretentious a place as one can find anywhere. Despite its informality and "laid-back atmosphere", the food critics of the New York Times, Gourmet, the Boston Globe and Paris' Le Monde have all written rave reviews about the distinctly American fish and seafood that are served here. Specialties include lobster, corn and conch chowder; conch fritters, mussels with shallots and wine; and salmon or scallops in parchment with a tequilla-marjoram based sauce. Dessert specialties include Key Lime Pie and Tia Maria Flan. Prices reasonable - moderate.

In Douglas

Country Cabin Steak House: On the road between Douglas and Pearson, Georgia. Telephone (912) 422-7828. In this remodeled log cabin you can dine on simply but well prepared steaks, shrimps, pork chops, all served with traditional Southern side dishes. Iced tea is the de rigueur and delightful beverage here. Prices very reasonable.

On The Coastal Islands

The Cloisters: Sea Island, Georgia 31561. Tel 1-800-SEA ISLA or (912) 638-3611.

The Jeckyll Island Club Hotel: 371 Riverview Drive. Jeckyll Island, Georgia 31527. Telephone 1-800-841-6262.

The Dixie Lady Tourboat: Captain Tim Goddard. Telephone (912) 635 2891.




In Savannah

Elizabeth on 37th. 106 East 37th Street. Telephone 236-5547. It is worth a special trip to dine here. In addition to the dishes on which I dined, try the crab soup with sherry wine, the spiced stuffed lobster, the pigeon pate, and the apple pie with home made peach ice cream and cheddar cheese. Be sure to look over the extensive wine list. Prices moderate. Dinner reservations strongly suggested. No reservations necessary for lunch or afternoon tea.

John and Linda's: 315 West Street, on the corner of Julian Street. Telephone 233-2626. The pleasant hum in this brick and wood part antique, part competely modern restaurant is an indication that the people here are enjoying themselves. Chef Olive Davis does a good job with combining traditional Southern with intelligent modern French cuisine. Try her oysters in honeyed hot sauce served with blue cheese, her crabmeat and corn fritters, the raviolis with Italian sausage, onions, mushrooms and spinach, and any of her shrimp dishes and steak dishes. Prices are very reasonable. Reservations suggested.

Foley House Inn: 14 West Hull Street. Chippewa Square. Telephone 232-6622.

© Daniel Rogov