Blais on fire ... the latest on the greatest ...

[BryanZ]

Unfortunately, the death of the modern-minded Venue in Hoboken, NJ suggests that this isn't always the case. I think the Blais will need to remained relatively grounded (oh man, I crack myself up) within this relatively unique context. Are there any other restaurants like this? By "this" I'm not sure what I mean exactly. Perhaps modern-with-an-emphasis-on-LN2, Southern, located-in-an-airport? Am I missing anything?

[docsconz]

Unfortunately, the death of the modern-minded Venue in Hoboken, NJ suggests that this isn't always the case.  I think the Blais will need to remained relatively grounded (oh man, I crack myself up) within this relatively unique context.  Are there any other restaurants like this?  By "this" I'm not sure what I mean exactly.  Perhaps modern-with-an-emphasis-on-LN2, Southern, located-in-an-airport?  Am I missing anything?

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True, but I can not personally attest to Venue's greatness or lack thereof as I never had/took the opportunity to try it, though I would have liked to. I didn't say that it was easy.

How far from Atlanta or other major urban center is the location? How long from central city to the restaurant by car? Is there anything else in the vicinity worth traveling for? It is the rare restaurant that can be an attraction entirely on its own.

[Fat Guy]

Somebody actually did a restaurant guidebook targeted at private pilots, however I can't recall the title and my Google skills have failed me.

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Finally found the info on that book. It's called The $100 Hamburger: A Guide to Pilots' Favorite Fly-In Restaurants, by John F. Purner. There was a huge story about it in the Wall Street Journal a few years back. It has gone through a few editions, and the pilot community contributes frequent updates.

[therese]

How far from Atlanta or other major urban center is the location? How long from central city to the restaurant by car? Is there anything else in the vicinity worth traveling for? It is the rare restaurant that can be an attraction entirely on its own.

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It's a 40 minute drive from my house (which is another 3 minutes from the smack dead center of town if you were on the freeway). Well within the Atlanta metropolitan area, and Cobb County includes some of the wealthiest areas in Atlanta.

And of course that's 40 minutes without traffic. With traffic...well, when leaving town on Friday afternoons to go visit the grandparents (who live in Kentucky, so up I-75, the same freeway that goes to Kennesaw) we usually just stopped for dinner as soon as we ran out of HOV lanes, as the traffic slows to a very definite crawl.

[Voodoo]

To modify a coach by UNC basketball coach Roy Williams, ITP'ers have to drive by too many good restaurants to go to a restaurant in Kennesaw. Why drive 30 miles when there are plenty of good restaurants within a 5 mile radius? Oh, I'm sure I'll go, but not often. I don't think this restaurant will rely on much ITP business. We'll see how suburbanites take to Blais' style.

[Reignking]

To modify a coach by UNC basketball coach Roy Williams, ITP'ers have to drive by too many good restaurants to go to a restaurant in Kennesaw.  Why drive 30 miles when there are plenty of good restaurants within a 5 mile radius?  Oh, I'm sure I'll go, but not often.  I don't think this restaurant will rely on much ITP business.  We'll see how suburbanites take to Blais' style.

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I'll drive from Dunwoody to go to Seasons de Provence in Acworth, though, every once in a while.

[blueapron]

The restaurant will do just fine in Kennesaw. Frankly I don't think they really counted on ITPr's to keep Elevation busy when they came up the business plan, but I'm sure they would love to have them. A lot of loyal Blais fans will make the trip to the area, but there are plenty of food lovers in Cobb County and Marietta that will keep the place packed.Not to mention that airport is very busy with corporate jets and the like so that will add a 15 or 20 customers a day itself. I live next door in Marietta and it will be a welcome edition to this culinary starved area.

[docsconz]

Perhaps a naive question, but what does "ITP" stand for?

[Fat Guy]

It's Atlanta-speak for "Inside the Perimeter."

[docsconz]

It's Atlanta-speak for "Inside the Perimeter."

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Thank you.

[Dave the Cook]

A short item in the AJC's Peach Buzz outlines the scope of Blais's next project, an "upscale burger joint" with the working name of "Flip":

Located on the West Side near the Atlanta Waterworks, Blais' burger palace plans to offer ground meats of all sorts, not just beef. And Blais says he intends to spend a lot of time and effort creating the "best veggie burger in the world."

I know that Blais spent quite a bit of time developing the burger that's being served at Elevation. It will be interesting to see how he handles an entire menu of ground flesh.

ETA: the whole (short) story is here. Scroll down to "Blais & burgers."

Edited March 14, 2008 by Dave the Cook (log)

[RAHiggins1]

Richard Blais Hometown Hero - Dishing on Top Chef by Besha Rodell

Teaser-

Bravo's "Top Chef" has been especially emotional for Atlantans this season, with hometown chef Richard Blais in the running. Last week's finale dashed our hopes of an Atlanta Top Chef, with Blais losing to sweet and sensible Stephanie. The morning after the finale aired, I caught up with Blais by phone, and asked him about the show, his career and some of his more controversial co-contestants.

You can listen to the complete interview on the link page..

Edited June 20, 2008 by RAHiggins1 (log)

[pax]

Thanks for sharing this.

[Dave the Cook]

Blais has a new limited-time project in the works: in association with Billy Cole (cooking lately at Manresa and the gone-too-soon Element) and a couple of players to be named later, he'll be heading up a three-nights-a-week private-reservation spot at a tiny two-level space in hard-core downtown Atlanta. Four courses, prix-fixe, in the $75 to $95 range.

(Sorry for all the hyphens.)

[Reignking]

Blais has a new limited-time project in the works: in association with Billy Cole (cooking lately at Manresa and the gone-too-soon Element) and a couple of players to be named later, he'll be heading up a three-nights-a-week private-reservation spot at a tiny two-level space in hard-core downtown Atlanta. Four courses, prix-fixe, in the $75 to $95 range.

(Sorry for all the hyphens.)

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Thanks for the details. I didn't understand his twitter.

[Dave the Cook]

Nor did I, but that's viral marketing for you -- which is probably why I'm an unemployed marketeer these days. That single tweet filled up the first three nights: sixty seats.