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Openings
Denizens of this Emory-area Decatur neighborhood greeted with enthusiasm the reopening of one of its most popular sports bars, Melton's App & Tap. The place had closed to take care of some needed repair work. Judging from the frenetic pace with which the staff is working, the regulars have returned and are keeping the folks on their toes. We like the burger, topped with cheddar, sautéed onions and mushrooms. Melton's App & Tap, Medlock Plaza, 2500 N. Decatur Rd., Decatur, GA 30033, 404-634-9112.
Taking the restaurant's name from a line in Shakespeare's play "Twelfth Night," Decaturites Billy and Kristin Allin crafted Cakes & Ale, a distinctive establishment known for its inventive cooking. The menu changes daily, offering dishes like arancini (rice fritters) with fennel pollen or potato gnocchi with veal and rabbit bolognese sauce. First-rate beers are available on tap and by the bottle. From the well-chosen wine list, many selections may be ordered by the glass and by the carafe, as well as the bottle, and the bottle prices include many fine wines in the $20s and $30s. The first Sunday of each month, the restaurant opens for Sunday Supper, with a themed menu that changes from month to month. Cakes & Ale, 155 Sycamore St., Decatur, GA 30030, 404-377-7994.
Viande Rouge in Johns Creek satisfies suburban demands for red meat and big red wines. The French-inspired menu also includes boeuf bourguignon and duck à l'orange, as owner Marc Sublette's lineage is Gallic. The many sides include a line-up of potato options, including pommes rissolées. For dessert, we recommend the coconut cream pie, while bananas Foster is among the dramatic dishes prepared tableside. Viande Rouge, Shops of Warsaw, 9810 Medlock Bridge Rd., Ste. 900, Johns Creek, GA 30097, 770-623-4959.
Barcelona Wine Bar has opened at the North Highland Steel Apartments in Atlanta. The restaurant brings to the city a taste of the Spanish style of eating rather than an authentic representation of specific dishes. Menu items include croquetas served with aioli, lamb chops with romesco sauce, and flan for dessert. Barcelona Wine Bar, North Highland Steel Apartments, 240 N. Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30307, 404-589-1010.
Richard Blais, the inspiration behind the inventive menu at FLIP burger boutique, teams up again with Barry Mills and executive chef Jared Lee Pyles to launch a hot dog specialty restaurant, HD1. Sausages and artfully seasoned meats ground in-house include fennel sausage with San Marzano ketchup, Fontina and grilled radicchio; merguez lamb sausage with red currant compote and minted cucumber salad; and the classic hot dog with sauerkraut and HD mustard. Late-night menu treats include a build-your-own "Kenturkey" or classic hot dog topped with a choice of house-made condiments such as canned beer mustard or pepperjack foam. In addition to hot dogs, the menu will include brisket chili with cool ranch oyster crackers and waffled fries with ma-ploy sauce. Hand-churned soft serve ice cream including bourbon and brown sugar will make a sweet ending. HD1's full bar offers craft bourbon and rum libations, along with ice-cold beer by the can. Lunch & Dinner daily. HD1, 664 N. Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30306, 404-815-1127.
"Burger & Beer" Special at a Rooftop Bar
JCT. Kitchen & Bar offers its "Burger & Beer" special every Tuesday through Thursday from 5 p.m.-10 p.m. in the rooftop bar, located above JCT. Kitchen. Guests will have the choice of one of three beers from Utah-based Uinta Brewing (Wyld Extra Pale Ale, Baba Black Lager or Hopnotch IPA), an environmentally sensitive brewery. Executive chef/owner Ford Fry's house-ground "Frito Pie" burger will also be among the offerings. Cost is $10. JCT. Kitchen & Bar, Westside Urban Market, 1198 Howell Mill Rd. NW, Ste. 18, Atlanta, GA 30318, 404-355-2252.
Meehan's Launches Annual Soup Competition
Meehan's Public House will hold its 1st Annual "Soup Wars" in January. Each of the pubs' three locations will feature special soups ranging in price from $6 to $9. They may be ordered with a sandwich or salad, as well as on their own. Four soups will be created by chefs Jordan Wakefield (Downtown), Val Domingo (Sandy Springs) and Branden Holte (Vinings). Patrons will be asked to vote for their favorite soup. The chef and pub with the most votes wins, and their selected soup will be featured in all of the pubs for the month of February. Meehan's Public House, Vinings Station, 2810 Paces Ferry Rd. SE, Atlanta, GA 30339, 770-433-1920.
Peasant Bistro Offers $5 Bites
Every evening, the Peasant Bistro in downtown's Luckie-Marietta District offers a selection of $5 small plates in the bar and lounge area. Paired with one of the $5 glasses of wine, these tapas-style dishes allow patrons to sample the fare of this contemporary bistro. Look for beet salad, shrimp and grits, mussels au nage and the chef's fish of the day. In addition, throughout the night lunch-size entrées are available, priced from $9 and $16. Peasant Bistro, Centennial Park West Condominium, 250 Park Ave. West NW, Atlanta, GA 30313, 404-230-1724.
YEAH! BURGER Announces the "Keepin' it Real" Card
YEAH! BURGER's "Keepin' it Real" card is a rewards card that earns patrons a point for every dollar they spend. A card-holding patron dining with either of the restaurant's two Atlanta locations swipes their card, and when the card totals $100, $10 is earned that may be applied to a food order. Founder Shaun Doty figures this is a way to thank all his patrons for their support of his two restaurants. Besides healthy fast-food options, YEAH! BURGER also offers gluten-free choices. Lunch & Dinner daily. YEAH! BURGER, White Provision Building, 1168 Howell Mill Rd. NW, Atlanta, GA 30318, 404-496-4393.
Wiener Wednesdays at The Family Dog
Chef Ron Eyester offers a mid-week uptick with the Widespread Wiener special at The Family Dog. Changing every week, the inventive creations he crafts with fresh frankfurters and sides put a singular stamp on the hot dog offerings. For more information, visit thefamilydogatlanta.com or call 404-249-0180. The Family Dog, 1402 N. Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30306, 404-249-0180.
Food Truck Park Opens in Atlanta
Mark Lindenbaum missed the food truck parks he'd known in Portland, Ore., and Austin, Tex., where he went to college, and determined to do something for the city of Atlanta. Partnering with Greg Smith, founder of the Atlanta Street Food Coalition, and Brett Holtzclaw, a marketing agent, the trio bought a grassy field last year at the corner of Howell Mill and Collier Roads, and developed the plan. The park opened Tues., May 31, and within minutes it was jammed with eager customers. Parking is a bit of a problem, although there are a few spaces on site, but adjacent businesses will tow if you park in their lots. Trucks that are regulars include Westside Creamery, serving up small-batch artisan ice creams and sorbets, Sweet Auburn BBQ, Yumbii (Korean and Mexican tacos) and Tex's Tacos. The Howell Mill Food Park, 1927 Emery St., Atlanta, GA 30318, phone not available.
Ashley Nakano has been named executive pastry chef at The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation, the resort located on Lake Oconee. Nakano will supervise all of the property's bakery operations and she will collaborate with the resort's executive chef Yann Chupin and the entire Ritz-Carlton Lodge food and beverage team to create an inventive line-up of pastries, breads, confections, in-room amenities, dramatic showpieces and cakes for special events. Her work will grace the resorts several restaurants, including Georgia's Bistro, Linger Longer Steakhouse and Gaby's by the Lake. Georgia's Bistro, The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation, One Lake Oconee Tr., Greensboro, GA 30642, 706-467-7135.
Chef Joël Antunes, the France native that once operated an eponymous fine dining restaurant in Atlanta, has undertaken a new venture across the pond. Kitchen Joël Antunes in London promises to be chic with art on the walls and a Provençal menu. Kitchen Joël Antunes, 29 Old Burlington St., London, UK W1, 020-7494 5660.
Originally launched at Vinings Jubilee Shopping Center, The Grape in that location has closed, leaving just one outpost of the once rapidly growing group of units still standing --- in Atlantic Station. The concept never seemed to find its footing, often bringing in franchisees who quickly deviated from the core values of glasses of wine and small plates. The Grape, Vinings Jubilee Shopping Center, 4300 Paces Ferry Rd. SE, Atlanta, GA 30339, no phone.
Atlanta-based rapper Ludacris (né Chris Bridges) and chef/partner Chris Yeo have closed their Midtown-based Straits Restaurant to focus on bringing to fruition the Chicken N Beer concept, chosen for one of 150 new dining slots at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The name of this concept, focused on casual comfort fare, harks back to a 2003 album the rapper produced by the same name. Straits Restaurant, 793 Juniper St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30308, no phone.
Some months ago, Fabrice Vergez, owner with Cindy Brown of French American Brasserie, told us of his disappointment with the downtown relocation of his Lenox Square restaurant Brasserie Le Coze. Originally begun by the late Gilbert Le Coze and his sister Maguy, of Le Bernardin in New York City, the now-closed Brasserie Le Coze lost its space to an expansion of Neiman-Marcus. "Fab," as Vergez is known, was clear that he wished to return to Buckhead. And now apparently the pair will do just that, announcing in December 2011 the closing of French American Brasserie and the spring 2012 launch of F and B Atlanta in The Ritz-Carlton Residences. We look forward to this repositioning of a fine French dining tradition in Atlanta, and the opportunity to welcome Fabrice and Cindy back to Buckhead. French American Brasserie, Southern Company, 30 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd. NW, Atlanta, GA 30308, no phone.
Ticha and Dan Krinsky will close their restaurant Tierra Friday, Feb. 17, citing a "serious rent increase" wanted by their landlord and economic conditions among the factors. Tierra, 1425 Piedmont Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30309, 404-874-5951.
MF Sushibar in downtown Atlanta has shuttered. MF Sushibar, 265 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30308, no phone.
Wildfire restaurant in Atlanta closed for business on December 21, 2011. Wildfire, 94 Perimeter Center W., Atlanta, GA 30346, no phone.
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