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News for Restaurants in Atlanta
August 2011 Archive

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RESTAURANT NEWS

Openings

Smashburger Hot on the heels of its first opening, Denver-based Smashburger, a fast-casual restaurant, opened a second location at the corner of Medlock Bridge and State Bridge Roads on Wed., August 10. Southern flavors include an Atlanta burger with peach BBQ sauce and jalapeño peppers. Burgers begin with 100-percent-fresh, never-frozen, Certified Angus Beef smashed on a flat grill to sear in the juices, then served on toasted artisan buns and dressed with cheeses, fresh produce and condiments. Beyond burgers, marinated chicken sandwiches, grilled and seared hot dogs, signature salads, veggie frites and garlicky Smashfries round out the menu. Beer, wine, Häagen-Dazs shakes and root beer floats make up the better quaffs. Lunch & Dinner daily. Smashburger, 9775 Medlock Bridge Rd., Johns Creek, GA 30097, 770-497-6274.
 

News Bytes

A seating area at Cakes & Ale Cakes & Ale Moves, Expands
Billy Allin and his wife Kristin have opened their Cakes & Ale at its new location, still in the heart of Decatur, where they grow some of the restaurant's produce in their urban garden. Adjacent to the new location, and connected to it by means of a clever pass-through, is the Bakery at Cakes & Ale, which also will serve lunch as well as dessert, limited fine wines, a few beers and coffee. Cheese- or sausage-filled gougère, croissants and pastries are among the treats. Chef David Sweeney, remembered for his lively, intelligent food at his now-closed Dynamic Dish restaurant, will head up the team doing lunch at the Bakery at Cakes & Ale. Allin previously graced the kitchens of Chez Panisse, The Martini House in Napa Valley, and Watershed in Decatur. Dinner Tues.-Sat., first Sun. of month. Cakes & Ale, 155 Sycamore St., Decatur, GA 30030, 404-377-7994.
 
Spiced Right Roswell Prepares to Reopen
Spiced Right Ribhouse Barbecue in Roswell lost its roof to a spring storm. For a while it seemed nothing was happening to restore the place. But a lot was going on, in fact, behind the blue tarp. Owners Charlotte and Rob Holloway don't own the building, which made rehab a bit more complicated. Factor in the requirements of Historic Roswell's stringent building requirements designed to preserve the historic character of its commercial and residential structures, and there were several sets of spoons stirring the pot. The Holloways look forward to a reopening in November. So do hungry neighbors, who also look forward to the music. Spiced Right Ribhouse Barbecue, 635 Atlanta St., Roswell, GA 30075, 678-352-9633.
 
Portofino Looks to Le Marche in August
Each month Portofino in Buckhead features dishes from the various regional cuisines of Italy. For August, the restaurant focuses on Le Marche, with such dishes as whole-wheat agnolotti with wild chickpea purée and kale served in a Parmesan broth. Also offered is an appetizer of porchetta (boned, herb-stuffed pork, slow roasted) with pickled vegetables and Parmesan polenta, and an Adriatic seafood stew in roasted tomato broth and romesco sauce. Portofino is a lot easier to get to than Le Marche, so having access to the regions' flavors without a long flight is a sweet deal. Lunch Mon.-Fri., Dinner nightly. Portofino, 3199 Paces Ferry Pl., Atlanta, GA 30305, 404-231-1136.
 
Watershed To Relocate by Year's End
Decatur's temple of Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock's singular brand of Southern cooking closed its doors after dinner service on Sat., Aug. 6, to prepare for a move to new circumstances. "New" Watershed will stay true to its roots and continue to serve Southern-inspired cuisine, including the classic fried chicken. The restaurant design will offer guests a bar, dining room, large outdoor patio and ample parking. The lack of parking, patio and private dining room, which the new location will provide, has been severely limiting for the restaurant. Owner and one half of the Indigo Girls duo Emily Saliers commented, "While it was not an easy decision to leave Decatur, we are unable to offer our guests these added amenities in our current location. We are deeply grateful to the Decatur community for 13 years of support." Watershed, 406 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur, GA 30030, 404-378-4900.
 

Chef Shuffle

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Closings

CLOSED FOR GOOD
Take your taste buds on a walk down memory lane! Check out our exclusive closed restaurant database for Atlanta to virtually visit your favorite dining spots from the past. Bazzaar, R.I.P.

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CULINARY EVENTS
Want to
learn to cook? Try new dishes? Meet a foodie friend for fun? Check out our compilation of culinary events in your area.

View our calendar of Wine Dinners & Tastings in Atlanta

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VALENTINE'S DAY WINES

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CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS

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GAYOT'S RESTAURANT AWARDSOver the years, we have been electing restaurants to be on GAYOT's Yearly Restaurant Awards.

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