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News for Restaurants in Atlanta
July 2010 Archive

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RESTAURANT NEWS

Openings

The new Googie Burger sits in Centennial Olympic Park, at Andrew Young International Blvd. and Marietta St., near the Fountain of Rings, where kids splash away at leisure before enjoying lunch or after a visit to the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola or Imagine it!, the Children's Museum of Atlanta. The building's space age-style architecture, harking back to the Googie architecture of the 1950s, houses an exhibition kitchen. Guests walk up to a window, place their orders, and sit under a shaded tented area to enjoy their lunch. The Googie Burger advocates for the thin burger, hand-formed and cooked to order, with American cheese, lettuce, tomato and a signature sauce. Fries are cut and cooked to order. We recommend the milkshakes, especially the peanut butter and jelly. Lemonade is freshly made. Beer, wine and "adult" milkshakes are available for the grown-up set. Googie Burger, Centennial Olympic Park, Andrew Young International Blvd. & Marietta St., Atlanta, GA 30303, 404-223-4664.
 
Two couples and a lone chef, Matthew Murphy, teamed up to bring to Lilburn this full-service, casual fine dining spot. The partners include Murphy's sister, Monica, and her husband, August Pérez, and Carla and Tim Shannon. Three Blind Mice (a/k/a TBM) functions on many levels, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch, plus it's a wine bar. Murphy's Irish heritage notwithstanding, there's a substantial Italian hand cooking this otherwise eclectic menu. Wine tastings are offered from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. on Wednesdays, and Thursday is Tapas Night. Sunday is for beer tasting, at 7 p.m. Come for breakfast and enjoy a house-made granola and Counter Culture specialty coffee to start the day. Ladies at lunch fill the place at midday. And dinner patrons often linger to enjoy the bar scene, which stays open, offering a bar menu, until guests toddle off down the road. Oh, and it's also a market, selling wine retail and gourmet goodies. Three Blind Mice, Lilburn Plaza, 1066 Killian Hill Rd., Ste. 101, Lilburn, GA 30047, 770-696-3900.
 

News Bytes

Tomatoes Rule at La Tavola Trattoria
La Tavola Trattoria's 8th annual Tomatofeast celebrates tomatoes in multiple dishes from Wednesday, July 28, through Saturday, August 7. Enjoy them with either à la carte options or choose the $30 three-course prix-fixe menu. Among appetizer selections are a tomato and melon salad with buffalo mozzarella and pesto; and octopus salad with heirloom cherry tomatoes, colatura oil, pickled red onion, arugula and tomato vinaigrette ($6.50-$8.50). Tomatoes are everywhere during the festival---on pasta, chicken, fish and beef dishes, including burrata mozzarella ravioli with tomato salsa crudo and Sicilian oregano; garganelli with house-made fennel sausage, tomato and fresh ricotta; and pancetta-wrapped chicken thighs braised in tomatoes with cannellini beans ($16-$22). Tomatoes even appear in a sweet dessert---candied almond and tomato semifreddo with almond brittle ($6.50). Dinner nightly, Brunch Sun.. La Tavola Trattoria, 992 Virginia Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30306, 404-873-5430.
 
Natalia's Moves to New Location
The long-anticipated move of Natalia's in Macon, Geogria, about an hour south of Atlanta, has finally been accomplished, relocating the restaurant to new digs just a little closer to its Atlanta patrons. The new address is 201 N. Macon St., at Bass Rd., exit 172 off I-75. The phone number remains unchanged: 478-741-1380. Natalia's, 201 N. Macon St., Macon, GA 31210, 478-741-1380.
 
Mary Mac's Tea Room Marks 65th Anniversary with New Cookbook
Years ago, no self-respecting Southern lady could own a restaurant. But she could own a "tea room." And that's what many women-owned Atlanta restaurants were called. Most today are gone, but Atlanta's iconic Southern food restaurant, Mary Mac's Tea Room, survives. To mark its 65th year, current owner John Ferrell has authored a new book containing some of the venerable establishment's most famous dishes: Mary Mac's Tea Room: 65 Years of Recipes from Atlanta's Favorite Dining Room. Yes, the famous fried chicken and the chicken and dumplings (which may be even better!) are included. Mary Mac's Tea Room, 224 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30308, 404-876-1800.
 
Low Country Boils at Food 101
Food 101 is honoring low country summer traditions by featuring a Low Country Boil every Thursday evening on the outdoor patio. Executive chef Justin Keith loads up this time-honored coastal dish with Georgia shrimp, andouille sausage, red potatoes, corn and onions. The cost is $24, plus tax and gratuity. The all-you-care-to-eat meal is from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Drink specials will include $3 sangría and $2 Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. Seating is first come, first served and is limited. Food 101, Belle Isle Shopping Center, 4969 Roswell Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30342, 404-497-9700.
 

Chef Shuffle

Tom McEachern, executive chef at Ray's on the River, has been promoted to corporate executive chef, responsible for overseeing culinary development at all Ray's restaurants, including Ray's in the City and Ray's Killer Creek. At the same time, he will continue as executive chef for Ray's on the River. Situated along the banks of the Chattahoochee River, Ray's on the River is famous for its fish and its brunches. Ray's on the River, 6700 Powers Ferry Rd. NW, Atlanta, GA 30339, 770-955-1187.
 

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.

Check back soon for more news.

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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