Joel Atunes is flying solo these days. Atunes, of The Dining Room at Ritz-Carlton Buckhead fame, is a Frenchman who trained in Nice under Paul Bocuse and went on to win his own accolades in Lyon, London, and Thailand. His experience as chef of a restaurant in the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok shaped his style, and his cuisine successfully strikes the chords of both East and West. His American debut has been stunning, and his solo venture in Atlanta is proving very successful. The highly anticipated 128-seat French brasserie with Mediterranean and Asian influences opened in late 2001. The restaurant includes a 65-seat tapas bar/lounge, two 16-seat private rooms, and Joel patisserie, a gourmet takeout shop offering fresh pastries, sandwiches, and light meals. Designed by The Johnson Studio--creators of Canoe, Bluepointe, and Aria--Joel features a clean, sleek design featuring high windows and classic materials. The space is minimal and contemporary, and color is used sparingly to give it a dramatic international feel. The 16-seat wine room has a glassed-in wall that holds 5,000 bottles of wine. As if that wasn't enough, Atunes boasts that he has the biggest piece of cooking equipment in the country--a 62-foot stainless steel stove, the longest in a standalone kitchen in the United States. Each of his 12 chefs focus on the preparation of three or four dishes from start to finish, and each has his or her own cooking area along the massive stove. Wow.

The restaurant's menu illustrates Antunes' extensive culinary experience in Paris, the South of France, Asia, and London. The menu is limited enough to keep your head from spinning, yet so varied that you don't feel cheated. Appetizers include sautéed snails with corn ravioli in truffle broth, and fresh oysters with horseradish sorbet. Entrees range from baked seabass with tomato lasagna and tapenade to roast guinea fowl with black olives served with polenta. Whatever you choose, you must save room for dessert or the after dinner cheese service. Especially tempting is the chocolate granite with chocolate streusel. Philippe Buttin, formerly of London's famed Mirabelle restaurant, compiled an impressive 300-selection international wine list with selections from Chile, Spain, France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States. An equally impressive reserve list is also available.