by Lucy W. on OMFG. Decor and Atmosphere- Completely gorgeous. Entering through the purple glowing exterior, candlelit stone entrance, and velvet curtain, the little lights everywhere took my breath away. There were tube lights dangling from the ceiling, white dried twigs entwined with white Christmas lights, taper candlelights on the bar...great atmosphere that was modern and warm at the same time. Wall near the bar was a beautiful ceiling-to-floor wine rack. Tables had a weird brown paper runner and the current trendy white rag napkins that didn't really go with the rest of the restaurant but succeeded if this was an attempt to dress this place down a bit. Bathrooms are individual unisex rooms, lit in one color (mine was red, my friend's was green) and look like they belong in a nightclub- not bad, but just unexpected. There's also a little lounge with a small TV, broadcasting the football playoffs...nice touch I guess for those who want to sneak away to check the score. Complimentary valet parking was a plus for this area, as there is no parking lot. Food- I had the $25 Sunday prix fixe deal, great value! Served with a box of breads and breadsticks and a garlicky edamame spread. Appetizer- Hand rolled Potato gnocchi with celery root, black trumpet mushrooms, sliced apple: Delicious pillowy gnocchi was perfectly paired with the mushrooms...apple added a nice garnishy-y touch. Entree- Baked Scottish salmon with carmelized crust, pickled red pearl onion: Cooked nicely (I asked for medium rare) but could have had less butter...a trend with seafood and fish here in Atlanta is to drown a perfectly prepared piece of fish with butter. Otherwise, it was wonderful. Dessert- Sorbets with bits of almond macaroon- (mango, champagne grape. dark chocolate): The sorbet was a nice finish to a great meal, especially the dark chocolate sorbet, which was rich, smooth and tasty. Tiny bits of macaroon were barely noticable but my focus was on the delicious sorbets. Wine- Sparkling Rose' and South African sauvignon blanc...went well with my dinner. Service- Nothing bad to say...our server was great at answering our questions about the wine and food, did everything right. No complaints at all. My stomach is full and happy...add this one to my favorites list.
by Srini V. on I wonder why Tao is so jam-packed. Granted, the setting is impressive. But given the mediocre food and distinctly boring business and tourist crowd, I can venture to guess it is one or more of three possibilities. The patrons: 1) Are not hip enough to go elsewhere 2) Are all employees of Tao, on rotation 3) Have lost their "tao" and ended up at Tao. Avoid Tao in much the same way that Gates would shy away from breaking bread with Jobs.
