Three Stars for Marcel; Two Stars for MF Sushi

Ligaya Figueras, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's new food editor, takes on Marcel for her first review. Figueras awards a "very good" rating of three out of four stars to Ford Fry's Westside restaurant, saying it's more brasserie than steakhouse:

Imagine a rainy day in Paris. You duck inside a brasserie to escape the drizzle, sitting down to a glass of wine, a fine cut of meat resting in its jus and perfectly salted, crisped frites. You lose yourself to the food, the ambiance and a roomful of convivial diners. You tuck away the cellphone because you realize this is what it means to live in the moment — and when was the last time that happened? That is Marcel.

Over at Atlanta Magazine, Corby Kummer gives the revived MF Sushi a "very good rating of three out of four stars. Kummer likes the restaurant, but says it doesn't bring the old MF Sushi magic of the restaurant's previous incarnations:

It's hard to get bad sushi here. Fresh nigiri, sashimi, and rolls often feature exceptional fish, particularly the addictive otoro, fatty tuna chopped with scallion and wasabi. The rice is lightly seasoned with soy and mirin and is sticky and slightly warm. The classic nigiri, sashimi, and "traditional" rolls are reliably fresh, with warm rice and cool but not cold (as in, just right) fish. ... But sushi transcendence? Keep moving. The specials are far more chancy than the classic sushi—a shame, because there are so many of them.

Creative Loafing's Angela Hansberger takes a first look at Little Trouble, the new Westside cocktail lounge from Victory Brands.

Little Trouble feels like walking onto the set of an '80s sci-fi flick. There aren't billboards on blimps floating by, but this place is a little slice of Blade Runner. It's more than a bar, but it doesn't quite feel like a full-on, sit-down dinner restaurant either. The snacks are flavorful and easy to share. Between the buns and bowls and stuff on sticks, the moody new lounge succeeds at serving all the stuff you crave when drinking. It's definitely a place to go if you're looking for a dark, neon-filled change of pace, or if the night's objective is to see and be seen.

THE ELSEWHERE AND THE BLOGS: Atlanta Food Critic says the food at Venkman's exceeds expectations. Fried Chicken Lips is keeping Wagaya on the radar. Atlanta Restaurant Blog thinks Grain is perfect for the late-night crowd. Bella Vivere has a phenomenal dining experience at Kaleidoscope Bistro & Pub. Eat It, Atlanta begrudgingly admits Bartaco is good. Friday Date Night says Hook, Line and Schooner has good food but disappointing execution. Burgers, Barbecue and Everything Else finds a juicy, messy burger at Big Al's Gourmet Butter-Made Burgers.