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Openings
Savage Pizza, the pizza king of Little Five Points, has opened an Avondale location. Famous for its yeasty doughs, which chefs toss and rotate until they're thin and round, Savage deals in unique fillings, such as their famous chicken Cordon Bleu. Calzones and subs round out the menu. Lunch & Dinner daily. Savage Pizza, 115 Laredo Dr., Avondale Estates, GA 30002, 404-299-5799.
Metrotainment Cafes has opened another Hudson Grille, this time in Midtown. The building, which has housed two previous restaurants, including Sweet Lowdown, is a large space on two levels. The Midtown location offers a slightly different menu; the salads are the same, but there more steaks among the main dishes and the smothered burgers offered at Brookhaven and Perimeter are not on this menu. The facility is good for private parties and special events. The atmosphere is more of a sports bar, so it has appeal for alumni clubs. Lunch & Dinner daily. Hudson Grille, 924 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30309, 404-892-0892.
Expanding its horizons, FLIP opened its second location, but this one didn't hit the streets of Atlanta. Instead, Richard Blais and team, including owners Barry Mills and Ron Stewart, chose Birmingham, Ala., for this new venture, located in The Summit Shopping Center. Taking the concept of the hamburger joint to the next level, they have designed for both units to date interiors of sleek modernity, with well-lit spaces and lots of stainless steel. In the Birmingham location, a row of tables centers the space, which features a countertop bar on one side and a row of banquettes on the other; stainless steel chairs create a crisp backdrop for the vibrant pops of color from the red carpet. Off to the side of the restaurant, an outdoor patio features stainless steel elements and bright red accents. The food is the same exploration of inventive burgers and similar sandwiches, milkshakes and assorted drinks. Lunch & Dinner Mon.-Sat. FLIP Burger Boutique, The Summit Shopping Center, 214 Summit Blvd., Birmingham, AL 35243, 205-968-2000.
With the re-branding of the Sheraton at Lenox Square as the Atlanta Marriott Buckhead Hotel & Conference Center, Shula's 347 Grill opened in December 2009 as the hotel's main restaurant. Named for Don Shula, the famed coach "emeritus" of the Miami Dolphins, the restaurant is chiefly a steak operation with plenty of seafood, fish, chicken and vegetarian options, the latter led by a dish of wild mushroom ravioli. There is a definite emphasis on fresh and fit cuisine. The casual, chic bar features a top-of-the-line video system offering flat panel TVs perfect for sports watching. Dark hardwoods, granite-topped tables and dark leather booths enhance pigskin-covered walls showcasing photographs of local sports stars and national legends as well as popular Atlanta landmarks. Lunch & Dinner daily. Shula's 347 Grill, Atlanta Marriott Buckhead & Conference Center, 3405 Lenox Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30326, 404-848-7345.
Longtime Atlanta restaurateur Warren Bruno, of Atkins Park Taverns fame, and managing partner Michael Goot, opened Ormsby's, a 6,162-square-foot restaurant of the classic neighborhood tavern type at White Provision, a historic restored mixed-use project in West Atlanta. The classic pub menu includes snacks, starters and entrées such as bangers, links and wieners. The full bar offers an extensive selection of craft beer and classic cocktails. Beyond the food and bar menus, Ormsby's most distinguishing feature is its array of leisure games and activities, from an old-fashioned photo booth and bocce court to darts, pool tables, shuffleboard and tabletops inlaid with backgammon and checkerboards. Ormsby's serves lunch, dinner and late night fare daily. Lunch & Dinner daily. Ormsby's, White Provisions, 1170 Howell Mill Rd. NW, Ste. 20, Atlanta, GA 30318, 404-968-2033.
Chef Todd Ginsberg has seen it all, from working for Frédéric Robert and Alain Ducasse to TAP and TROIS (now closed) in the Concentrics Restaurant group. We also remember the graceful fare he helped create at Asher in Roswell. Now he's heading the team at Bocado (Spanish for "mouthful"), where his gift for developing exciting small plates will make this inventive establishment a destination in the Marietta Street redevelopment area of downtown Atlanta. Seeking out the best of local ingredients, Ginsberg produces comfort fare such as braised veal cheeks on grits, chicken thigh on fried polenta with Brussels sprouts and bacon, and his version of the Mexican "torta," with ham, roast pork, chilies and cheese. Sweet Grass Dairy cheeses from South Georgia and a warm chocolate tart convey the kind of cooking one finds in this comfort moderne-style establishment. There's also a classical panna cotta with minced fresh fruits on top. Lots of in-house-made touches convey a unique and personal style. Lunch & Dinner Mon.-Sat. Bocado, 887 Howell Mill Rd. NW, Atlanta, GA 30318, 404-815-1399.
The Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View to Reopen for Valentine's Day
The Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View at the top of the tornado-damaged Westin Peachtree Plaza hotel will re-open with new windows and new floors in time for Valentine's Day. A weekend-long celebration featuring chef Christian Messier's seasonal American cuisine is planned. Some of the city's most breathtaking views have long made this restaurant a popular destination for marriage proposals, averaging one proposal per night---more than 400 a year---and management expects 40 marriage proposals to take place this Valentine's Day. Wedding-intent bachelors should reserve early for the purpose. The three-course prix-fixe menu is $69, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are highly recommended, as this is a sell-out every year. The hotel will have, at project's end, the largest window replacement job in the Western hemisphere, the result of the tornado damage that hit the hotel in 2008. All 6,350 windows in the 73-story hotel were to be replaced. The Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View, The Westin Peachtree Plaza, 210 Peachtree St. NW, Atlanta, GA 30303, 404-589-7506.
57th Fighter Squadron Restaurant Returns
In October, the engines of the old 57th Fighter Squadron Restaurant roared back to life like a renovated B-17 bomber, ripping a new page right out of WWII nostalgia. The place is named in honor of the old 57th Pursuit Group that was organized in 1940 and activated in January 1941 at old Mitchell Field, LI, NY. The original restaurant, closed for some years, re-created the specter of a French farmhouse of the era with WWII memorabilia throughout the grounds. The food and wine both were then less interesting than the circumstances, as patrons could sit at tables and watch planes take off and land at the nearby general aviation airport. Appearing partially bombed out, the building with randomly arranged dining spaces is a visual "I'll Be Seeing You," and the sound system runs through endless replays of vintage tunes. Today, the menu is American with Southern touches, focused on steaks, seafood, roasted chicken and short ribs at dinner--all served in he-man portions. Sunday brunch is a buffet, after which (3 p.m.) a bar menu is available until 8 p.m. This is a great place to bring kids and let them in on the history of an almost-vanished era. In charge of the kitchen at the revived 57th is chef Mo Darger, tapped for the position from Utah. Dancing and music will come after the first of the year. The 57th Fighter Squadron Restaurant, 3829 Clairmont Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30341, 770-234-0057.
On January 2, 2010, "Top Chef" contestant Eli Kirshtein cooked his last dish at Eno by Zaza. Kirshtein's plans call for doing a private gig then heading to New York to cook special menus at Solo, a posh, glitzy kosher restaurant. But he assures us this is a special assignment, to last a few months, and that he will be back in Atlanta as soon as possible. He hopes to find investors and create his own establishment. Eno has undergone several staff changes since being purchased by Atlanta Hawks' center-forward Zaza Pachulia, who hails from "the other" Georgia. Replacing Kirshtein as top toque will be his sous chef, Justin Cox. Eno by Zaza, Cornerstone Village, 800 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30308, 404-685-3191.
To the surprise of Atlanta's dining world, The Dining Room of The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, has closed after a 25-year run. Under Guenter Seeger, The Dining Room rode to international fame and fortune, and his tenure there was followed by those of such toques as Joël Antunes, Bruno Ménard, and Arnaud Berthelier. Management cited not only the economy but also changes in dining habits that occasioned its demise. The Dining Room, The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, 3434 Peachtree Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30326, 404-237-2700.
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