Two Stars for Marcel; Three Stars for Staplehouse

Creative Loafing's Jennifer Zyman reviews Marcel, Ford Fry's old-school European steakhouse. Zyman awards the Westside restaurant a "good" rating of two out of five stars, saying it may be too inconsistent for the price point:

A sole meunière was so dry that no amount of caper butter sauce could save it. On the other hand, an enormous veal Parmesan with bubbly cheese and a crisp crust was superb. ... For the $300 it cost my party of three to dine at Marcel, I expected more precision from both the service and the food. I could easily blow it out at any other steakhouse where consistency across the board would ensure a fulfilling experience. At this price point, however, dining at Marcel is a gamble.

Over at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Ligaya Figueras assesses Staplehouse in Old Fourth Ward. Figueras pens a letter of gratitude to the restaurant and gives it an "excellent" rating of three out of four stars:

At Staplehouse, chef Ryan Smith and his team are putting out the kind of food I imagine when I hear the term New American cuisine. It means using local, seasonal ingredients that have a true sense of place to execute composed dishes in unexpected, thoroughly modern ways. ... When you walk into the industrial chic dining room with exposed brick, tall ceilings and white subway tile, you'll be greeted by smiling servers who know the menu like the back of their hand, from sourcing to cooking preparation. What's more, the staff exudes sincerity and warmth. There is no air of pretentiousness here.

THE ELSEWHERE AND THE BLOGS: Burgers, Barbecue & Everything Else says Minero is one more reason to head to Ponce City Market. Atlanta Restaurant Blog finds outstanding chicken and waffles at The Rotisserie Shop. Marie, Let's Eat! has a lovely lunch at Del Frisco's Grille. Friday Date Night enjoys perfect pasta at Il Giallo. Fried Chicken Lips says BeetleCat would do well to embrace its "surf shack" side. Hunger Pangs in Atlanta says Marcel doesn't disappoint.