Atlanta Restaurant Updates: new places & faces

[markemorse]

I always kinda got a doomed vibe from Eatzi's. It never seemed like there were enough customers there to justify all of the employees. I'm surprised it took so long for this to catch up with them....

Now Alon's on the other hand, is pleasantly understaffed...very European.

mem

[Voodoo]

I never got the impression that EatZi's was overstaffed. The staff that I saw at the counters (sandwiches, hot station and desserts) that I went to all seemed to be busy. I just think their prices were too low. There were things in there that I could get for MUCH cheaper elsewhere (creme fraiche, for example, was exactly double what I'd pay at Dekalb Farmer's Market), but some of their prepared food was a steal. The striatta sandwiches lasted two days, as did some of the hot station combos like meatloaf or family chicken combos. At a place that high end, getting two meals worth for around $10 is too cheap. They could have charged more.

[markemorse]

The employees were definitely always busy, it was a hive of activity. Making tons of food. I just always felt like they outnumbered the customers, or at least it would've been a fair fight. maybe it had to do with when i was there...definitely not rush hours or lunch now that i think about it...more like if an appointment in buckhead ended early and i missed everyone's lunch service.

anyway, also, yes...too cheap as well for some of that food.

mark

Edited November 20, 2006 by markemorse (log)

[micropundit]

Well I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday and are now getting ready for the Yuletide season. That’s right, only 27 more shopping days left!

I got a chance to checkout DOLCE ENOCATA last week and came away very impressed. The new 12,000 square foot northern Italian spot is one of the 3 upscale restaurants created by the L A based Dolce Group that is being exported to the ATL, all in Atlantic Station. DOLCE, and its siblings TEN PIN ALLEY and GHEISA HOUSE , is designed to bring the same type of celebrity associated buzz to Atlanta that the Dolce Group restos have brought to El-LAY.

DOLCE’s décor is swank; the lighting is low and sexy and the bar has a nice design feature embedded in to the marble top.

The service was smooth-there were some veterans of some of the ATL’s fine dining temples numbered among the staff; and, the food was very good and priced on par with similar places in town.

Management is composed of some real industry veterans who have been in and around the local scene for years. I got a sense from them that they are setting their goals for the restaurant very high. They understand the competition and they are ready for the challenge.

All in all, DOLCE is a sign of things to come for the Atlanta dining scene: hip, fashionable out of town operators looking to make a splash-and some cash-in the ATL by going after the prime locations in town.

Question of the Week: What long time downtown lunch favorite’s owners are ready to retire and cash out?

NEWS and NOTES:

Downtown. After a 5 year run in Gwinnett County, Wine South, the week long annual celebration of good wine and good food is moving its 2007 event to the Georgia World Congress Center. The 8th Annual Wine South festival will be held on September 27-30, 2007.

THE FOOD STUDIO will feature "The Decadence of Truffles" menu, created by Executive Chef Mark Alba, with white Alba truffles in each dish from Dec. 4-9. . There will also be a prix-fixe menu on Dec. 10 as a finale: $90 pp., with wine pairings, $130. Menus may be viewed at: www.thefoodstudio.com. Call 404-815-6677 for further details.

NO MAS CANTINA won the 2006 Downtown Design Excellence award for best restaurant design, beating out the Johnson Studio’s BED.

Duluth. BLUE MARLIN SEAFOOD has opened at 1600 Pleasant Hill Road. It will serve 12 different kinds of fish as well as crab legs, shrimp and lobster, all flown in fresh daily.

Midtown. The Industry Bigfoot attended the soft opening of SWEET LOWDOWN and reported that appears to be “ a South City Kitchen for the twenty somethings.” Will have to check it out.

After my meal at DOLCE, Dave Schrader, the GM, took me on a tour of the soon to be completed TEN PIN ALLEY, located upstairs from the restaurant. The 15,000 square foot space is spectacular: 40 ft ceilings, 30 plasma screen TV’s. 3 levels including rooms for billiards, a DJ booth suspended 20 feet in the air, 9 lanes of bowling and 3 VIP lanes in a private space! There is strict dress code and some serious security on site. I believe that TEN PIN is going to seriously upgrade the entertainment quotient(EQ) of our fair city.

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Thanks for checking me out again, please keep it up and remember that a good example is the best sermon. Oh, and thanks for the feedback on last week’s column, please keep it up.

[Voodoo]

So if Linton Hopkins is going to be on Iron Chef America, I guess we can expect to see him on television in about 4 years.  I might have missed it, but I don't think Blais' episode, which was talked about here a long time ago now, has been televised yet.

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I seriously doubt that Richard's episode of ICA will ever air since he is no longer at the helm of ONE. I could be wrong though. That entire episode was filmed around the chef of One Midtown Kitchen, not the former chef of OMK, now cooking in Miami.

Too bad because I figure he wiped the floor with his opponent.

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In the words of Lee Corso, not so fast my friend! The Blais episode (vs. Batali) premeries this Sunday. Batali is pretty formidable, so I don't know if he'll wipe the floor with him, but I hope Blais represents our city well, even if he's not here any more. It reflects well on our city if he does well as though he is a great chef, he is just one of several in that tier of chefs in Atlanta.

[micropundit]

Last week,after reading the newspaper of general circulation’s piece on Todd Rushing , the operational guru behind Concentrics Hospitality-ONE MIDTOWN KICHEN, TROIS et al- last week, I was convinced that Midtown was now officially the “it” spot for Atlanta’s dining scene. After quotes from the Toddmeister like..”(our) business strategy is to play to Midtown.. a cornucopia” and ..the Midtown client is ..more adventurous and sophisticated..” I thought, this guy has his finger on the pulse of Atlanta diners, judging by the success of his business, and if he said it must be true, right? Well not so fast there, according to the Industry Bigfoot of the top 21 Atlanta restaurants by sales (2004), 14, including the top 3, were in Buckhead. In fact, only 1 of the top 21 was in Midtown and it was not a Concentrics property. Midtown may have the flash but Buckhead still has the cash.

Maybe that will change with the launch of TROIS, a unique offering from the Amick stable, It is a different model for several reasons, not the least of which is the fact that they did not utilize the talents of Bill Johnson as the designer. Johnson, who had designed all of their big hits except LOBBY at TWELVE, is widely regarded as Atlanta’s David Collins-London’s go to guy for the sure fire hit. According to Mr. Rushing..”..TROIS is part of both the company’s and the city’s growth and development”. Guess they have outgrown the local hit maker?

Speaking of Midtown and hits, I had a chance to chow down at VENI VIDI VICI last week and the former hotspot has still got it. I stopped by for lunch on a lark, and was I glad I did: enjoyed a solid meal and service. And the smell of the roasting meats was a welcoming element in a room that has stood the test of time very well. Oh and by the way, it is a Buckhead Life restaurant.

Question of the Week: Which resto of a popular Midtown based group is threatening to break up their string of number 1 hits with its dwindling customer base?

Atlantic Station. Look for AUNT ANNE’S, a soft pretzel shop to open up this spring in the rapidly growing retail district.

Buckhead.As of December 1st, SOUPER JENNY is expanding from a soup and sandwich shop that has a cult like following to include a late night dessert, coffee and wine feature. The night time transition will begin on Fridays and Saturdays from 7pm until midnight.

Cobb County. RAY’S ON THE RIVER, the long time hot spot and a personal fave for their Sunday brunch, is going through a multi-million dollar expansion and renovation project designed by Ed Seiber(RESTAURANT EUGENE,SPICE.)

Inman Park. Music superstar Usher is the franchisee of THE GRAPE property opening December 23 at 300 Highland Avenue. The Atlanta based company that started in 2000 with a Vinings location of the hip, winebar,restaurant and retailer concept, is going strong with 25 locations in 5 states.

Well that is all from here for now, take care and remember, nothing in the world b can take the place of persistence and determination

[micropundit]

Well, Atlanta’s dining scene has registered on yet another national barometer, so to speak. We have been recognized, albeit in a somewhat condescending fashion, for having the type of hip and hot places that is marking a new wave of American dining.

Antoinette Bruno, Editor in chief of Starchefs.com, an insider web magazine, has proclaimed our fair city the city of casual chic dining.(Casual chic means, in essence, that the food is not prepared with all of the ceremony of a Japanese parrot funeral).Think traditional but with a twist.

Starchiefs.com started in 1995 as a home for celebrity chiefs to chat among themselves. It has now evolved into a monthly magazine for the foodservices industry. In this month’s issue Ms. Bruno reviewed Atlanta’s food scene and found it to be in sync with the rest of the country in terms of recent culinary trends. Her review focused primarily on the 25- 35 demographic that is nightly en scene at spots such as TABLE 1280, TROIS and ECCO. She found these places, as well as others, to as stylish as their cliental with cuisine to match.

The review concluded by stating..” in a city not generally associated with the vanguard of culinary trend chefs and diners have definitely entered the new era of casual chic.” Thanks, (cough) I think.

Question of the Week: What downtown hotspot is rumored to be in trouble due to the cliental it is attracting?

NEWS AND NOTES:

Berkley Heights. A new concept in ready-to-cook meals ,MY GIRLFRIEND’S KITCHEN, has opened at 1700 Northside Drive. It features the option of a customer preparing the meals with the assistance of on site chefs or already prepared meals. The meals come in aluminum pans or zip locked bags and are easily tossed into the oven or sauté pan. Contact at (404)-350-8045 or www.mgfk.com for further information.

Decatur.INDIE COFFEE and BOOKS, is now open at 340 W. Ponce de Leon Avenue,Suite 100. It features organic coffees, teas and pastries, as well as a selection of fiction and non-fiction titles not generally available in major bookstores. Contact at (404)-378-7110 or www.indiecoffeeandbooks.com for further information.

Glenwood Park. VINO LIBRO,open less than 3 months, has already changed chefs: Chad Anderson has replaced opening chef Alex Rosado.

Midtown. AGNES and MURIAL’S has a new owner. David Kifield Jr. has purchased the Southern food spot from Glen Powell who opened the resto in 1995.

Old Fourth Ward. The HIGHLAND BAKING COMPANY is expanding both physically and menu wise. The retail are will be expanded and the new menu will include more baked goods for the rapidly gentrifying ‘hood.

Well thanks again for checking me out and remember, sometimes the beaten path is for beaten people.

[micropundit]

Catherall to launch Posh at former Seeger's

Atlanta Business Chronicle - 7:37 AM EST Tuesday

The restaurant company that brought Atlanta Twist, Goldfish and Shout has bought the location of the former Seeger's to open a new restaurant called "Posh."

Here to Serve Restaurants will open Posh at 111 West Paces Ferry Rd. in January. Certified master chef and Here to Serve owner Tom Catherall will run the new 80-seat restaurant, which will have the elegance and charm of a white table cloth establishment. The menu will consist of market fresh chef's choices changing weekly.

Catherall -- the creator of Prime, Noche, Goldfish, Twist, Shout and Strip -- had been on a 10-year hiatus from the kitchen , focusing on being a restauranteur and overseeing the menus his six establishments.

"I took one look in that Rolls Royce of kitchens and couldn't wait to start cooking again" Catherall said of the former Seeger's.

Another Here to Serve creation Lola, Catherall's first Italian concept, will open in the new Terminus building summer 2007.

[Voodoo]

So I guess Seeger's is closed officially then, eh? How long has it been closed? No announcement that I saw.

Seeger's, regarded as perhaps the best restaurant in the Southeast, being replaced by a Here to Serve restaurant says a lot about the state of fine dining in Atlanta. Out with the old, staunchy and expensive, in with the new, trendy and fun, no matter how good or bad the food may be.

[micropundit]

As we approach the end of a dynamic and often exciting year, I would like to first thank all of you who have participated in this experience for your time and attention. There has been an increase of almost 300 % in readership since this time in 2005 and the qualitative feedback I have received has been excellent as well. So I would like to close out this year by recognizing that while this year has been good for me, Atlanta’s foodies and our friends, I believe that 2007 will be even better.

For instance, in this week’s business media Bob Amick is quoted as saying that he will open 4 restaurants in 2007. Now we know about TAP, the 14th Street gastropub, and PARISH, the white table cloth New Orleans style spot in Inman Park, but where are the others to be located? Even if they are not within the confines of our fair city, Bob’s optimism and energy are welcome signs of things to come. Further, there is talk of developing a downtown dining district by the leading developer in town. There have been discussions with city hall and the recruitment of tenants has begun. And this doesn’t take into account the new players such as THRIVE; LUCKY FOOD LOUNGE; FIRE OF BRAZIL and JALOPENO CHARLIES, all of whom will open their respective doors in downtown in early 2007.

With all of this culinary energy flowing our way in 2007 here are 5 things I would like to see in Atlanta’s 2007 dining scene:

First on my itinerary would be a high end Japanese restaurant in downtown. The NOBU’s and JAPONAISE and others of their ilk have proven to be big winners in the global dining capitols; a similar experience in the ATL should be profitable to the owner as well as the city’s dining scene.

Second, I would love to see an expanded and enhanced Sweet Auburn Curb Market that would assist Atlanta chef’s efforts in the growing farm to table movement. The talent in the marketplace today could work their magic on an even higher plane with a greater access to fresh and wholesome product.

Third, I think that collaboration between fellow travelers, Anne Quattrano and Frank Stitt-Birmingham’s top toque and a favorite of the New York media- would be an all star affair as well as an asset to the city’s culinary reputation. I visualize a Midtown hotspot that serves fresh, well sourced product with great ambiance and stellar service.

Fourth, A hotel restaurant designed by Adam Tihany, the perennial choice of the global chic. Expensive? Probably, but the buzz about the project would generate interest from everywhere and therefore return the investment in spades.

Finally, and this is probably where I lose most of you, with all of the interest in maintaining/ expanding downtown’s tourist and convention trade as well as the anticipated increase in office workers, a GRAND LUXE CAFÉ is just what the doctor ordered. Yes, it is THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY’S prettier younger sister, but it does big, big numbers and its price points are appealing to tourists as well as office workers. So I hope that when the powers that be are planning the downtown dining district that they give the GLC people a call. IJS.

Question of the Week: What ATL hip-hop superstar will be joining Usher in the restaurant biz in 2007?

NEWS and NOTES:

Buckhead. POSH, Tom Catherall’s SEEGER’S by out and return to the kitchen extravaganza, is scheduled to open January 17, 2007. Bill Johnson reports that his services were not requested as Mr. Catherall will leave the interior as is.No word on the whereabouts of Herr Doktor Seeger yet.

VIA, an “Italian- inspired eatery “with a 50 foot bar and custom ceramic oven will open early 2007 in the Eclipse condos at 250 Pharr Road.

East Point. THE SILK CAFÉ, a smoothie café that also serves gourmet teas and coffees as well as desserts, has opened in downtown East Point at 1605 White Way.

Marietta. The local media is going gaga over the Sichuan cooking at TASTY CHINA done by chef Peter Chang (or Zhang,according to John Kessler). I’ll have to check it out.

Smyrna. The 10 top dining/ retail storefront, GOURMET 102, has closed.

Let me close by wishing all of you Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year. I will return January 2, 2007

[Daniel]

So I guess Seeger's is closed officially then, eh?  How long has it been closed?  No announcement that I saw.

Seeger's, regarded as perhaps the best restaurant in the Southeast, being replaced by a Here to Serve restaurant says a lot about the state of fine dining in Atlanta.  Out with the old, staunchy and expensive, in with the new, trendy and fun, no matter how good or bad the food may be.

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Are you serious! I am going to be in Atlanta in Jan and after looking through all the reviews, decided I had to eat here.. Oh well, back to planning.

[Voodoo]

If you were considering Seeger's, the only places that could be considered worthy replacements are Bacchanalia, Restaurant Eugene, Quinones, and Ritz Carlton Dining Room. Everything else will fall short, I'm afraid.

[Daniel]

What about the restaurant from the guy who battled Batalli in Iron Chef..The guy Blaise from One Midtown Kitchen.

[therese]

What about the restaurant from the guy who battled Batalli in Iron Chef..The guy Blaise from One Midtown Kitchen.

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Richard Blais is, unfortunately, no longer at One Midtown Kitchen, nor even in Atlanta: he moved to Miami several months ago, and we certainly miss him.

Voodoo's suggestions are the same one's I'd have. They're all excellent, and you won't be disappointed. My personal favorite is The Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton Buckhead, where Seeger first cooked when he came to Atlanta. The Dining Room recruits top chefs from around the world, and the present chef, Arnaud Berthelier, is no exception.

[Daniel]

Also I wanted to ask about Watershed in Decatur.. I love Scott Peacock's Book and would love to eat his food.. Is it far from Atlanta and would I have to rent a car?

[therese]

Also I wanted to ask about Watershed in Decatur.. I love Scott Peacock's Book and would love to eat his food.. Is it far from Atlanta and would I have to rent a car?

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No, Decatur is actually very close, actually "in town" Atlanta. Decatur is a separate town with separate schools and taxes and so forth (actually the county seat of Dekalb County, with the City of Atlanta straddling Fulton and Dekalb Counties), but Atlanta grew up around it years and years ago.

You can get to the restaurant very easily using public transportation: take the MARTA train to downtown Decatur and then it's just a few blocks walk to the restaurant.

We're going tonight, in fact. I gave my mom the cookbook for Christmas, and tonight's their last night in town.

[Dave the Cook]

I would add Repast to the list of restaurants worth trying. Its ambience isn't in the same class as Bacchanalia, Restaurant Eugene, etc. (nor, I'm afraid, is the service), but the food often is: the foie gras hot dog, crispy-fried oysters (order them both and take alternate bites), the house-made charcuterie plate, duck breast, sweetbreads, and lamb shank are stand-outs, as is the apple tart tatin with gruyere ice cream. The wine list is interesting, and if Andy is on at the bar, you'll find him a willing cocktailian conspirator.

[Gifted Gourmet]

I would add Repast to the list of restaurants worth trying. Its ambience isn't in the same class as Bacchanalia, Restaurant Eugene, etc. (nor, I'm afraid, is the service), but the food often is 

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and their menu on their website is right here ...

[micropundit]

The local newspaper of general circulation ran several interesting dining related stories during the holidays, among them was a piece by the up and coming hospitality writer ,Leon Stafford, concerning Atlanta’s efforts to market itself as a tourist dining destination. In essence, the story is that local convention and tourism officials are hyping the potential of the “food tourism” market-an estimated $51 billion domestic market – as the “next big thing”.

However, local restaurateurs and others are saying yes, but. The whole dialogue raised, at least in my mind, the question of whether or not we are up to par with the current hot spots such as Chicago in terms of attracting global gourmets to grace our restaurants.

In my mind, Atlanta’s current status as a culinary capital is largely based on the relative merits of the culinary offerings of some its Sunbelt siblings. Comparisons to some of the other cities in the Southeast have been really favorable, especially after the 1996 Olympics. In the past few years the local scene has been enhanced by both the home town players, ie Concentrics, Buckhead Life, and Here to Serve as well as the star power of the Emerils ,Wolfgangs et al. However, the question still remains as to whether Atlanta is good or just better that its neighbors?

It’s not as if other cities have not ridden this horse to success. 20 years ago London had the worst reputation foe food in the world and now it is clearly one of the world’s pre-eminent dining destinations. Likewise, Chicago has become the capital of American culinary innovation after Mayor Daley established a cabinet level position to market the city’s culinary expertise 20 years ago .But Dallas has recently suffered an exodus of some of its out of town fine dining establishments , with rumors of more to follow(can you say no more NOBU)

The article had some good quotes from people such as Kevin Rathbun, who stated”(that) Atlanta still has room to grow..’as a food destination’.” I believe that that is where my sentiments are. Going from a regional hotspot to a global food destination is going to take time, money and as one person in the article put it: “You have to bring in new blood and new commitments…”

Next week I am going to put my spin on the issue and propose a strategy that could put the ATL into the big time with the big boys and girls.

Question of the week: What recently departed, high maintenance but very talented chef MAY be longing to return to the ATL?

NEWS and NOTES:

Atlantic Station. The TASTI-D-LITE franchise here, as well as the other locations, has closed. Rumors are that the problems were far from the taste of the product.

Buckhead. Look for HOT STIX STIR FRY KITCHEN, an Asian fusion concept from Southern Hospitality Management-Compound night club, THRIVE- this spring in Lindbergh City Center. They will be located next to 5 GUYS BURGERS and FRIES.

Duluth. Are you ready for some Indo-Pak fusion? Well, according to the local media, ARMAAN, located at 3064 Old Norcross Road, is your place. The restaurant, which features a tapas bar and banquet hall .is being hailed as the first upscale restaurant to feature a combination of the cuisine of western India and southern Pakistan.

Midtown. BACHANALIA was named one of Food and Wine’s “25 Tasty places to try around the world in 2007” Wow!

ENO, the Mediterranean inspired wine bar and restaurant, has received the 2006 Sante Restaurant Award for Wine Hospitality. The program, the only peer judged restaurant and hospitality program in North America, honors 60 restaurants and professionals in the USA annually. Congratulations to the folks at ENO!

MID CITY CUISINE closed this past week. The 31/2 year old resto ,founded by foodie fave Shaun Doty, was often credited with starting the Midtown fine dining scene. The current owners blamed construction related problems from an adjoining office tower for the closing but have hinted that they are being heavily courted by several Midtown developers to open a similar concept in one of the new developments springing up in the hot ‘hood.

Poncey-Highland. BABETTE’S CAFÉ has added THE PANTRY at BABETTE’S, an in-house shop featuring the restaurant’s signature soups, desserts, sauces, and other offerings. Selections will be posted daily at www.thepantry@babettescafe.com, where you can also place orders for pick-up Tuesdays through Sunday.

Well I hope everyone had a great Holiday season and is looking forward to a prosperous new year, I know that I certainly am. Thanks for dropping by and remember our words are a faithful index of the state of our souls.

[Dave the Cook]

Question of the week: What recently departed, high maintenance but very talented chef MAY be longing to return to the ATL?

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My guess is here.

[Gifted Gourmet]

My guess is here.

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I'd have to second that, Mr. Dave ... time alone will tell ... and he does know the attraction he has for these environs ...

[LizR]

So I guess Seeger's is closed officially then, eh?  How long has it been closed?  No announcement that I saw.

Seeger's, regarded as perhaps the best restaurant in the Southeast, being replaced by a Here to Serve restaurant says a lot about the state of fine dining in Atlanta.  Out with the old, staunchy and expensive, in with the new, trendy and fun, no matter how good or bad the food may be.

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Are you serious! I am going to be in Atlanta in Jan and after looking through all the reviews, decided I had to eat here.. Oh well, back to planning.

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How about Joel?

Am I the only one on here who has had several negative experiences at Rathbun's? Not terrible, just not up to the hype.

[micropundit]

As promised last week, I am now going to delve into how Atlanta can and should proceed in its quest to bring tourists to its tables. To recap, an article in the local paper of general circulation touted the efforts of the shakers and movers in the local tourism and convention business to establish the city as a top food-travel destination. It made me wonder if in fact this was: A) possible and B) worthwhile.

After much thought and reflection-as well as consulting with various “experts”- I concluded that it was possible but perhaps equally important, certainly a worth while goal both in terms of dollars and cents but as a means and measure of economic development as well.

Why? Well, because in the big picture of life Atlanta exists in a globally competitive environment and any competitive advantage helps. And since we start in a good position vis a vis the food industry, we would be building on one of our strengths: a restaurants. The key, as the wise ones tell me, is patience. It is going to take years and resources to build a well earned reputation that will attract and retain the well heeled, sophisticated culinary traveler. There is some considerable work to do before we can start the whisper campaign to lure those who seek the unique and memorable culinary experiences.

Case in point: Sunday’s New York Times travel feature, 36 Hours, put the spot light on Atlanta and the restaurant comments, among others, had, shall we say, a slightly condescending tone:” a city where a treasured chef's departure can be front-page news, Atlanta has more than its share of fine restaurants, many of them cavernous, over designed, colonizations of old industrial buildings.”

My point is that before we go off on a crusade to bring in the big names from the big city(s), let’s take stock of who we are and what we want to be. In short , let’s create a Shared Vision between restaurateurs; customers; developers; public officials; and , others that can create the win- win strategy that will meet a majority of everyone’s needs. The public sector can have the enhanced revenue and job creation it wants; the private sector can generate the profits it wants and needs and, the public can enjoy a whole new range of dining options. Utopian: not really, however, it will require the services of some professionals to orchestrate the process. Tune in next week for the nuts and bolts of the process.

Oh, and a big shout out to john Kessler for his very nice piece on the resurgence of Southern cooking among Atlanta's restaurants.

Question of the Week : What former ATL temperamental top toque is set to open a spot in the Big Apple this spring?

Atlantic Station. AU BON PAIN has opened in the “food court” of Atlantic Station and is already doing a pretty good lunch biz.

Buckhead. MISTO, the Howell Mill Road Italian eatery, looks closed, apparently the victim of the rapid redevelopment of that corridor.

Grant Park. Two APRES DIEM alumni have teamed up to open SOLSTICE CLUB in the former NAYRIT location. The opening chef, Brian Scott, is an alumnus of the beloved ROMAN LILLY.

Inman Park. Check out the new wine shop, BRIX WINE MERCHENTS, in the Edgewood shopping center. It is located on the second floor, above WILLY’S.

Midtown. The former CHERRY BAR and LOUNGE on West Peachtree will re-open this spring as ELEMENT RESTAURANT and LOUNGE.

Vinings. ZARIA, the ATLANTA BREAD COMPANY’s foray into white table cloth dining has closed, after just a few months of operation.

Thank you for stopping by and remember happiness is the experience of living every moment with love, grace and gratitude.

[therese]

What  former ATL temperamental top toque is set to open a spot in the Big Apple this spring?

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Soto

[Voodoo]

Haven't heard Soto was ready to open his new restaurant yet, but when he does, I will fly up to check things out. He was doing amazing things down here in Atlanta. I can only imagine what he'll be doing with far superior access to fish and a lack of reluctance to buy or make anything on account of having a customer base that might not like it.