Best OTP Restaurant

Praise be the OTP restaurant that makes intowners (not to mention out-of-towners) jealous. Marietta’s SPRING is such a place. Chef Brian So, formerly of Sobban, crafts elegantly simple compositions — like a recent sweet corn risotto with charred padróns and a scattering of local chanterelles — that showcase our region’s bounty as well as any farm-driven ITP mainstay does. The rustic dining room, converted from an old train depot, makes good use of exposed brick and old wood beams, reminding you that you’re in the heart of a place with history — a feeling that’s increasingly hard to find among Midtown’s construction cranes. But be warned: Bon Appétit recently selected Spring as one of the 50 best new restaurants in the U.S., which will surely spur visits from well beyond Marietta’s bounds. 83 Church St., Marietta. 678-540-2777. www.springmarietta.com. less...

Even after all these years, the fiery nuances of Szechuan cuisine at Marietta’s Tasty China - and the mild intestinal discomfort that can accompany it - is still totally worth the drive. Despite many personnel changes since opening in 2006, Tasty China has managed to keep churning out the kind of hot and numbing, tongue-tingling fireworks that keep us venturing back out to the ‘burbs for more. Try the burning ma la burrito-like beef roll or a bowl of bubbling red peppers and tender white fish. And don’t forget the crispy cilantro fish rolls. Sure Tasty China has a just-barely ITP sister restaurant in Sandy Springs, but the trek out of town and the divey, strip mall feel of the original only make the Szechuan treasures that much more enticing. less...

Southwestern and Asian on the same menu? The pairing may sound unlikely, but SIA’S in Duluth has been forging its own brand of fusion for six years with consistently thrilling results. Set in the tony Shops of St. Ives (an oxymoron-defying upscale strip mall), the restaurant’s amber-hued ambiance inspires locals to pull out their cocktail dresses and sports jackets for an evening of easygoing glamour. Owner Sia Moshk might guide first-timers to the crisp, corn flour-dusted calamari and the signature cranberry grilled lamb chops with spinach-bacon strudel. Regulars, though, know to keep an ear cocked for the kitchen’s inventive nightly specials. “10305 Medlock Bridge Road, Duluth. 770-497-9727.” less...