In the end, it’s the experience that matters.
Sure, Michelin puts its stamp of approval on a restaurant. The shiny, saturated pictures online follow, as does the plaque on the wall. But at the end of the day, people know it’s not enough to read about it if they haven’t experienced it for themselves.
That’s what brought two guys from Chicago down to the bar at Little Coyote after the Michelin awards were announced in November. They had some time off work and had gotten in the car and driven down for an impromptu road trip to check out restaurants on the Michelin Guide American South Edition.
Over warm, fresh tortillas, tender barbecue and strong drinks, they chatted with Chef Erik Niel, who shares the story in a phone interview.
After the Michelin awards ceremony in November, Erik and Amanda Niel, the husband-and-wife team whose three restaurants in Chattanooga — Easy Bistro, Little Coyote and Main Street Meats — all received a Michelin nod, saw the impact on their businesses overnight.