YumbleBUS: our new blog is now online!

You will be redirected to YumbleBUS.com in 15 seconds. Or, you can go there now.

Top Restaurateur's BLT Steak Set for '08

IN THE NEWS: The AJC's Meridith Ford gives three stars to La Oaxaquena Taqueria (6738 Tara Blvd., Jonesboro), while Bob Townsend reviews Tossed (201 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur, 404-378-1400), and H.M. Cauley considers Yellowfin Chophouse (10595 Old Alabama Connector, Alpharetta, 770-587-4121) and California Dreaming (745 Chastain Road, Kennesaw, 770-428-2055). ... Cauley notes the opening of the coffeehouse SIP (528 Main St. in the Lindbergh City Center off Piedmont Road, www.siptheexperience), and the third area location of Marlow's Tavern (Plaza Midtown, 950 W. Peachtree St., marlowstavern.com) ... Ford notes the upcoming Atlanta openings from nationally renowned celebrity chefs, including the scheduled December 2008 opening of BLT Steak from chef Laurent Tourondel (BLT stands for Bistro Laurent Tourondel) inside the W Atlanta Downtown. Tourondel recently was chosen as restaurateur of the year 2007 by "Bon Appetit" magazine. ... Ford also notes the Sept. 26 opening of Lola Bellini Bar & Restaurant, the Italian restaurant from Here to Serve Restaurants (Tom Catherall's group of Twist, Shout, Strip, Noche, Posh and Goldfish) at the new Terminus Plaza in Buckhead (Terminus 100, 3280 Peachtree Road NW, Suite 150, www.heretoserverestaurants.com). accessatlanta.com ...

Creative Loafing's Besha Rodell gives three stars to Top Flr (674 Myrtle St. 404-685-3110), while Cliff Bostick visits the Brazilian-influenced Beleza (905 Juniper St., at Eighth Street, 678-904-4582), Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q (1238 DeKalb Ave., 404-577-4030), Buddha (100 10th St., 404-874-5158) and notes the Sept. 19 opening of Southern cuisine spot Relish (590 Mimosa Blvd., Roswell, 770-650-7877). ... Emily Hanson reports that Linton Hopkins, executive chef and co-owner of Restaurant Eugene in Buckhead, is teaming up with wife Gina and mixologist Greg Best to open Holeman and Finch Public House, a restaurant that will focus on charcuterie and dishes like house-made fettuccini, fried bologna and mustard, and cane sugar cola floats. It's slated to open this fall at the Aramore across from Restaurant Eugene. atlanta.creativeloafing.com ... Steakhead's Atlanta Eats Blog lunches at Marlow's Tavern in Midtown. atlantaeats.blogspot.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Midtown's Toast Is Toast; Cypress Moving In

IN THE NEWS: The AJC's Meridith Ford gives three stars in reviewing Indian vegetarian spot Banaras (3300 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Suite J, Duluth, 678-417-1911), while Bob Townsend reviews Rare (554 Piedmont Ave., Atlanta, 404-541-0665), Adrianne Murchison considers Siamese Basil Thai (6034 South Norcross Tucker Road, Norcross, 770-242-4015), and H.M. Cauley reviews VIII Fifty Restaurant and Lounge (1570 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell, 678-206-0850) and Blackstone Cafe (4685 S. Atlanta Road, Smyrna. 678-239-4473). ... Cauley reports the closing of Midtown's Toast, with Cypress Street Cafe set to take over the spot at 817 W. Peachtree St. sometime in October. ... Cauley also notes that former Dick and Harry's space in the Holcomb Woods shopping center has been leased by the owners of Twisted Taco, a Midtown Tex-Mex concept, set to open as early as November. ... Elizabeth Lee reports that it took no more than nine raw oysters to infect a Fulton County woman with a deadly bacteria, one that she may have been particularly susceptible to, according to state reports. The 52-year-old woman died on Aug. 10, just four days after a midafternoon seafood meal of raw oysters and cooked crab at Spondivits Seafood & Steak on Virginia Avenue near Hartsfield-Jackson airport. Fulton County health inspectors checking the restaurant found oysters stored at too warm of a temperature, according to investigation reports obtained under the state's Open Records Act. ajc.com ... Zagat Buzz reports that to celebrate its 20th anniversary, the James Beard Foundation is hosting a series of food festivals and special dinners in 20 cities nationwide. The events kick off on September 18th in New York with a lavish menu inspired by Beard at Four Seasons. The celebrations continue the next week with elaborate dinners cooked by first-rate toques in Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Short Hills, NJ and Washington, DC. All of the events are unique, with different chef lineups and dining formats ranging from gala dinners to walk-around tastings, so check the individual city pages for details. Though prices for the dinners vary, all of them will be followed up on September 29th with special events at local Williams-Sonoma stores where chefs will be offering cooking demos, book signings, specialty food tastings and kids' educational activities free of charge. For more information about the event, logon to www.jbftasteamerica.com. zagat.com ...

BLT Steak Coming to New W Atlanta Downtown Hotel
The new W Hotel in Atlanta will be home to a New York steakhouse making its first foray down South, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reports. Barry Real Estate Cos. and BLT Restaurant Group ironed out a deal to bring the upscale modern steakhouse BLT Steak to the new W Atlanta Downtown Hotel & Residences, currently being built at Allen Plaza. The restaurant will open in December 2008. ... The Chronicle also reports that Planet Smoothie Café and Tropical Smoothie Café are about to get a lot more competition. FROOTS, a similar quick-service concept, has 80 stores planned for Georgia in the next 10 years. The chain has stores in Alpharetta, Kennesaw and Johns Creek. atlanta.bizjournals.com ... Creative Loafing's Besha Rodell gives two stars to Pacific Kitchen (913 Bernina Ave. 404-223-9292. www.pacific-kitchen.com), while Cliff Bostick visits Lamplighter Café (280 Connally St., 404-247-0240), Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q (1238 DeKalb Ave., 404-577-4030) and the Albert (918 Austin Ave., 404-872-4990) in Inman Park, and Maureen McCarthy considers Chris' Pizza (Toco Hills Shopping Center, 2911 N. Druid Hills Road. 404-636-7544). ... Rodell notes the Sept. 12 reopening of the totally retooled Joel, while Emily Hansen reports on the fifth anniversary specials at Woodfire Grill(1782 Cheshire Bridge Road) on Sept 19-22. ... atlanta.creativeloafing.com ... The Blissful Glutton visits Antojitos Mexicanos "La Revolucion" in Marietta (585 Franklin Road, 770-420-0544) and Gimza Polish Restaurant in Norcross (3425 Medlock Bridge Rd., 770-441-2268). blissfulglutton.blogspot.com ... AtlantaCuisine.com samples the Cuban sandwiches and pizza at L'il Louie's (2495 East-West Connector, Austell, 770.439.9555). ... ChowDownAtlanta.com previews Taste of Atlanta, set for Oct. 13-14 at Atlantic Station with more than 70 Atlanta restaurants participating.

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Vinings' South City Kitchen Gets a New Chef

IN THE NEWS: The AJC's Meridith Ford awards three stars in reviewing Babette's Cafe (573 North Highland Ave., Atlanta, 404-523-9121), while Bob Townsend reviews Cafe Alsace (121 E. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur, 404-373-5622), and H.M. Cauley considers Blue Moon Pizza (4600 West Village Place, Smyrna, 770-436-4446) and Cinco Mexican Cantina (5755 Vickery St., Cumming, 678-341-6962). ... Cauley notes that Chip Ulbrich is the new executive chef at South City Kitchen in Vinings. (770-435-0700, www.southcitykitchen.com). ajc.com ... The Atlanta Business Chronicle features Lime Taqueria & Tequila Bar, set to open in October in a new mixed-use project called the West Village in Smyrna. atlanta.bizjournals.com ... Creative Loafing's Besha Rodell notes Richard Ullio, chef/owner of the new Beleza (905 Juniper St. 678-904-4582), while Maureen McCarthy considers Bagel Palace Deli and Bakery (2869 N. Druid Hills Road. 404-315-9016). atlanta.creativeloafing.com ... ChowDownAtlanta.com visits Ethiopian eatery Queen of Sheba (1594 Woodcliff Dr. N.E, Atlanta, GA 404.321.1493). ... Blissful Glutton reviews Dancing Goat Cafe (419 W Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur, 404-687-1100), and Ann's Snack Bar (1615 Memorial Drive, 404-687-9207). blissfulglutton.blogspot.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Decatur's The Epicurean Shutters Doors

IN THE NEWS: Creative Loafing's Besha Rodell notes the Aug. 28 closing of The Epicurean Restaurant (1361 Clairmont Road, Decatur.) and gives two stars to Thrive (101 Marietta St. 404-389-1000. www.thriveatl.com), while Maureen McCarthy's Cheap Eats considers Little Cuba (3350-D Chamblee-Tucker Road, Chamblee. 770-451-0025) and Cliff Bostick stops by Top Floor (674 Myrtle St., 404-685-3110), La Tavola (992 Virginia Ave., 404-873-5430), and Jalisco (2337 Peachtree Road, 404-233-9244). ... Bostick also reports the opening of gourmet food shop Paulsen's Foods (748 Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway, 404-873-1804) and reports that Calavino Donati, former owner of the Roman Lily Café, has assumed management of the Oakhurst Grill, which has been renamed Calavino's (350 Mead Road, 404-270-9575). Andiamo to Go, selling prepared meals to go, will be next door. atlanta.creativeloafing.com ... The AJC's Bob Townsend awards two stars in reviewing the newly reopened Ray's on the River (6700 Powers Ferry Road, Sandy Springs, 770-955-1187) and also reviews Rise 'N Dine (1565 N. Decatur Road, Atlanta, 404-377-4407), while H.M. Cauley considers Provino's (2252 E. Main Street, Snellville. 770-972-8411), Cafe Misto (47 Reinhardt College Parkway, Canton, 770-704-0667), and Relish (590 Mimosa Blvd., Roswell. 770-650-7877). ... Cauley notes the openings of Valenza (in the former Mix location, 1441 Dresden Drive; 404-969-3233; www.valenzarestaurant.com.) and Little Cake Bakery (3792 Roswell Road, 404-841-8856). accessatlanta.com ... The AJC's Duane Stanford reports the aggressive Atlanta expansion plans for California-based chicken chain El Pollo Loco and Charlotte-based Bojangles Restaurants. ajc.com ... ChowdownAtlanta.com reviews Mi Pilon (5705 Peachtree Industrial Blvd, Norcross, 770-797-2924), and Love Letter Pizza and Chicken (10820 Abbotts Bridge Rd, Ste 350, Johns Creek, GA 770-813-8882). ... BlissfulGlutton.blogspot.com visits Australian Bakery (463 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta 404-653-0100; 48 S Park sq NE, Marietta - 678-797-6222). ... AtlantaIntown.com reviews Sun in my Belly (2161 College Ave., Kirkwood) ... Atlanta Foodies reviews Daddy D’z BBQ Joint (264 Memorial Dr., Atlanta, In Historic Grant Park, 404-222-0206, daddydz.com), KC Pit BBQ (234 Hilderbrand Dr., Sandy Springs, 404-459-6497, www.kkcpitbbq.com), and The Vortex Bar & Grill (Little Five Points, 438 Moreland Ave., Atlanta, www.thevortexbarandgrill.com). atlantafoodies.blogspot.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Taqueria del Sol a Runner-Up for Best Tacos

Brooklyn's Peter Luger Steak House and New Orleans' Willie Mae's Scotch House were among the winners in Bon Appetit magazine's recent Food Network special. Winning restaurants were selected from each of three semifinalists for the best versions of six quintessential American classics: pizza, steak, tacos, hamburgers, fried chicken, and ribs. The winners were announced on the Good Eats with Alton Brown show on the Food Network.

Here are the winners and runners-up:
PIZZA: Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix (WINNER); DiFara Pizza, Brooklyn, NY; Pizzeria Mozza, Los Angeles
STEAK: Peter Luger Steak House, Brooklyn (WINNER); Cut, Los Angeles; Doe's Eat Place, Greenville, Miss.
TACOS: Taco Taco Cafe, San Antonio (WINNER); Taqueria del Sol, Atlanta; South Beach Bar & Grill, Ocean Beach, Calif.
Hamburgers: Bobcate Bite, Santa Fe, NM (WINNER); Taylor's Automatic Refresher, St. Helena, Calif; The Meers Store and Restaurant, Lawton, Okla.
FRIED CHICKEN: Willie Mae's Scotch House, New Orleans (WINNER); Price's Chicken Coop, Charlotte, NC; Blackberry Farm, Walland, Tenn.
RIBS: 17th Street Bar & Grill, Murphysboro, Ill (WINNER); Charles Vergos Rendezvous, Memphis; Jaspers, Plano, Texas.

IN THE NEWS: Best newspaper restaurant criticism first place award winner Gail Shepherd of New Times Broward/Palm Beach, runner-up Tom Sietsema of The Washington Post, and third place winner Besha Rodell of Creative Loafing in Atlanta have been honored by The Association of Food Journalists in its 2007 awards competition. They received their awards Aug. 25 at a reception and banquet held in conjunction with AFJ’s annual conference in Minneapolis. ... The AJC's Meridith Ford reviews Luckie Food Lounge (375 Luckie St., 404-525-5825, luckiefoodlounge.com), while Bob Townsend considers Haas Bar (1314 Glenwood Ave., East Atlanta, 404-230-6177), and H.M. Cauley reviews Seafood Soiree (4469 Marietta St., Powder Springs, 770-943-2707) and Luciano's Ristorante Italiano (10970 State Bridge Road, Alpharetta, 770-375-8203). ... Cauley also notes that Copeland's of New Orleans has closed its Alpharetta location, and the former Snooty Fox at 12460 Crabapple Road has been reinvented as the Dogwood Bar and Grill. (770-667-1112). accessatlanta.com ... Creative Loafing's Besha Rodell gives three stars to Chocolate Bar (201 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur. 404-378-0630. www.thechocolatebardecatur.com), while Cliff Bostick visits French restaurants Atmosphere (1620 Piedmont Ave., 678-702-1620) and Violette (2948 Clairmont Road, 404-633-3363) and blogs about Top Floor (674 Myrtle St., 404-685-3110), and Maureen McCarthy's Cheap Eats considers Azalea Bistro (At the Women's & Surgical Center at DeKalb Medical Center. 2701 N. Decatur Road, Decatur. 404-501-5020). ... Bostick also reports Calavino Donati, owner of the defunct Roman Lily Cafe, is opening a new restaurant, Calavino’s, in Oakhurst Village (350 Mead Road, 404-270-9575, currently occupied by the Oakhurst Grill. The restaurant should be operating at full capacity by Sept. 1. atlanta.creativeloafing.com ... The Epicurean Restaurant (1361 Clairmont Rd., Decatur, 404.321.0530) has a new chef, Jon Wolf (Ritz Carlton), and Chow Down Atlanta checks out the results. chowdownatlanta.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

J. Alexander's Set for Old Houston's Spot

IN THE NEWS: The AJC's Meridith Ford awards three stars in reviewing Clark & Schwenk's (3300 Cobb Parkway, Suite 3240, Atlanta), while Bob Townsend reviews Quinnie's BBQ (2860 LaVista Road, Decatur), Adrianne Murchison considers Mittie's Tea Room Cafe (35 South Peachtree Street, Norcross), and H.M. Cauley visits Entree Vous (960 Mary Eliza Trace, Marietta) and Londzell's (2300 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell). ... Cauley also reports the old Houston's near Perimeter Mall is being transformed into a J. Alexander's, a multi-state restaurant chain based in Nashville whose first Georgia location opened in the Forum in Norcross. Look for an opening sometime in October. ... Ford reports on expansion at Floataway Café (1123 Zonolite Road N.E., Suite 15, www.starprovisions.com), owned by Bacchanalia chef-owners Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison. The renovation is scheduled for the second and third weeks of September, with hopes of closing only one or two days. accessatlanta.com ... Creative Loafing's Besha Rodell gives two stars to Mezza (2751 LaVista Road), while Cliff Bostick checks out Atlanta Cupcake Factory (634 N. Highland Ave), Ted's Montana Grill (133 Luckie St.), Eclipse di Sol (640 N. Highland Ave), Wolfgang Puck Express (1745 Peachtree St.), and Atmosphere (1620 Piedmont Ave.), while Cheap Eats visits Salsa (Howell Mill Village, 2020 Howell Mill Road). atlanta.creativeloafing.com ... TheBlissfulGlutton.blogspot.com reports: Ricardo Ullio, owner of Sotto Sotto and Fritti, is gearing up for the openings of his two news restaurants, Beleza and Cuerno. Beleza will be a Brazilian-inspired restaurant with a focus on healthy foods. It is slated to open Aug. 14. ... Cuerno will be a Spanish restaurant with dishes like Paella and other regional specialties. Cuerno will not be open until the fall. Both restaurants will be located in the 905 Juniper Street building. ... AtlantaEats.blogspot.com visits Capozzi’s NY Pizza & Pasta. ... Walnut Street Capital has bought Atlanta gourmet coffee shop chain Saxbys Coffee for an undisclosed amount, and plans to open 40 new stores within the next six months, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reports. Saxbys Coffee's headquarters will move to Philadelphia. The coffee chain already has 27 locations. One of the first in metro Philadelphia was developed by Joe Grasso, principal and founder of Walnut Street Capital. atlanta.bizjournals.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Taqueria Del Sol Among Tacos Finalists

Bon Appetit magazine's September 2007 Restaurant issue features three finalists in a list of quintessential versions of six American classics: pizza, steak, tacos, hamburgers, fried chicken, and ribs. Winner will be announced on the Food Network on Aug. 18 (Good Eats with Alton Brown, 6 and 10 pm CDT). The finalists:

PIZZA: Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix; DiFara Pizza, Brooklyn, NY; Pizzeria Mozza, Los Angeles
STEAK: Peter Luger Steak House, Brooklyn; Cut, Los Angeles; Doe's Eat Place, Greenville, Miss.
TACOS: Taco Taco Cafe, San Antonio; Taqueria Del Sol, Atlanta; South Beach Bar & Grill, Ocean Beach, Calif.
Hamburgers: Bobcate Bite, Santa Fe, NM; Taylor's Automatic Refresher, St. Helena, Calif; The Meers Store and Restaurant, Lawton, Okla.
FRIED CHICKEN: Willie Mae's Scotch House, New Orleans; Price's Chicken Coop, Charlotte, NC; Blackberry Farm, Walland, Tenn.
RIBS: Charles Vergos Rendezvous, Memphis; 17th Street Bar & Grill, Murphysboro, Ill; Jaspers, Plano, Texas.

The magazine also features favorite restaurant recipes, including: Lucia's in Minneapolis-St. Paul; Eve in Ann Arbor, Mich.; Dali Restaurant & Tapas Bar in Somerville, Mass.; Binkley's Restaurant in Cave Creek, Ariz.; Kelly Liken Restaurant in Vail, Colo; Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles; and Park Kitchen in Portland, Ore. ... And the mag also features 12 small restaurants and their recipes, including: The Little Owl, New York City; The Good Fork, Brooklyn; La Laiterie at Farmstead, Providence, RI; Cremant, Seattle; Bonne Soiree, Chapel Hill, N.C.; Hatfield's, Los Angeles; Canteen, San Francisco; Revolver, Findlay, Ohio; Le Pigeon, Portland, Ore; and Komi, Washington, DC.

And the magazine lists actor-pop star Usher's favorite Atlanta restaurants in an interview: The Grape (which he co-owns), South City Kitchen, Rathbun's, Cafe Dupri, and the White House for breakfast. epicurious.com/bonappetit

IN THE NEWS: The AJC's H.M. Cauley reports on the closing of Dick and Harry's, a dining destination for more than 10 years at 1570 Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell. ... Cauley also notes the Aug. 31 closing of Acworth's French eatery, Seasons de Provence, and the addition of a full bar to Cotton's, Seasons' neighbor at 4381 Senator Russell Ave, . ... Cauley also notes the openings of: the second location of Metrotainment Cafes' Hudson Grille, with a Brookhaven site (4046 Peachtree Road, hudsongrille.com) adding to the existing Alpharetta location; Marlow's Tavern, with locations in Vinings and Alpharetta, is now open in Midtown at 950 W. Peachtree St. Owned by the same company that oversees Aqua Blue in Roswell and Hi Life in Norcross, Marlow's is the restaurant group's version of a neighborhood pub where tavern food made from scratch is the star. www.marlowstavern.com. ... Critic Meridith Ford gives a "poor" rating to Geisha House (1380 Atlantic Drive, Atlanta), while Cauley reviews Varner's Restaurant and Tavern (725 Concord Road, Smyrna) and Pho & Com Asian Grill (915 Woodstock Road, Roswell). ... Bob Townsend rounds up Caribbean food, including Negril Caribbean Cuisine. ... The AJC reports the death of 25-year-old Conor Lancaster, who died in his sleep Aug. 8. He and his older brother, along with a friend, had just signed the papers to take over DePalma's Italian Cafe in northwestern Atlanta, where he would be a manager and co-owner. ajc.com ... Creative Loafing's Besha Rodell reviews Tap (1180 Peachtree St., www.tapat1180.com) and reports that The Farmhouse at Serenbe’s chef Tony Seichrist is taking a “culinary sabbatical” to Italy, and Nicolas Bour, former chef/owner of Iris and current chef at the Blue Eyed Daisy bakery at Serenbe, will be taking over chef duties at the Farmhouse. ... Cheap Eats spotlights Mediterranean Bakery (3362 Chamblee-Tucker Road, Suite B). atlanta.creativeloafing.com ... Blissfulglutton.blogspot.com reviews Tap. ... AtlantaCuisine.com reviews Kiosco (48 Powder Springs Street, Marietta). ... AtlantaFoodies.blogspot.com reviews Top Floor in Midtown (674 Myrtle St.).

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Joel In Midst of 6-Month Renovation

IN THE NEWS: The AJC's Elizabeth Lee reports: Joël, the acclaimed Buckhead restaurant with James Beard Award-winning chef-owner Joël Antunes, shut down after July 28's dinner service for six weeks of renovations. When the restaurant reopens in early September, diners will find a warmer setting and a menu designed to encourage frequent visits rather than special occasion splurges. Joël's impeccable French cuisine has been a favorite with critics but has struggled to fill its large dining room and bar, set on the first floor of the office-residential development Piazza at Paces, off Northside Parkway. So Joël, which cost $5 million to open in October 2001, is getting a makeover and downsizing from its original designer, the Johnson Studio. ... Meridith Ford awards two stars in her review of the new gastropub Tap (1180 Peachtree St.), while Bob Townsend reviews Shorty's (3701 Lawrenceville Hwy., Tucker), H.M. Cauley visits Ray's On The River (6700 Powers Ferry Road, Sandy Springs), and Adrianne Murchison considers Alligator Blues Cafe (15 Jones St., Norcross). ... Cauley reports, "The new West Village complex in Smyrna will soon be home to Lime Taqueria, the first restaurant venture for Diaz Foods, an Atlanta company that supplies restaurants and stores with authentic foods. Owner Rene Diaz says Lime will be chef-driven, with dishes such as mango papaya cilantro salsa and seared ahi on house-made corn tortillas. And look for limes to show up in daiquiris, martinis and margaritas. An opening is expected in October." ... Columnist John Kessler observes the return of the neighborhood market, spotlighting Sawicki's Meat Seafood & More (250 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur), Cabbagetown Market (198 Carroll St.), and Belly General Store (772 N. Highland Ave.). ajc.com ... Creative Loafing's Besha Rodell reviews Tamarind Seed (1197 Peachtree St., Suite 110, www.tamarindseed.com), while Cliff Bostick visits Palomilla's Cuban Grill House (6470 Spalding Drive, Norcross) and rounds up other Cuban joints, including his personal intown favorite Las Palmeras (368 Fifth St.), as well as blogging about upgrades at Las Margaritas (1842 Cheshire Bridge Road). ... Maureen McCarthy's Cheap Eats stops by Caffe Lisette (3489-D Chamblee-Tucker Road). atlanta.creativeloafing.com ... Atlanta Foodies atlantafoodies.blogspot.com reviews World Peace Cafe (227 Sandy Springs Pl., NE, Suite 302, Sandy Springs, www.worldpeacecafeatlanta.com), Williamson Bros. Bar-B-Q (1600 Marietta Hwy., Canton), Lobster Bar at Chops (70 West Paces Ferry Rd., Atlanta, www.buckheadrestaurants.com/chops) and Doc Green's - Salads & Grill (Perimeter Location, 4511 Olde Perimeter Way, Ste. 800, Atlanta, www.docgreens.com). ... USA Today rounds up tiki bars, including: Portland's Alibi Lounge, River Grove (Ill.)'s Hala Kahiki, Los Angeles' Tiki-Ti, San Francisco's Tonga Room, Atlanta's Trader Vic's, Saugus (Mass.)'s Kowloon, Fort Lauderdale's Mai-Kai, and Smyrna (Tenn.)'s Omni Hut. usatoday.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Alon's Bakery Plans Bigger Dunwoody Spot

IN THE NEWS: The AJC's Meridith Ford awards four stars in her review of Kevin Rathbun Steak (154 Krog St., Suite 200, kevinrathbunsteak.com) and blogs about Bob Amick's new casual sports bar Stats (300 Marietta St.). ... John Kessler soaks in the sushi preparation at MF Sushibar (265 Ponce de Leon Ave.) and Fune Sushi Bar (860 Peachtree St.) and reports that North Highland Avenue fixture Alon's Bakery and Market will open a second and much larger branch in the Park Place Shopping Center in Dunwoody, across the street from Perimeter Mall, hopefully in December. The 11,000-square-foot space formerly housed one of the two metro locations of Eatzi's, the upscale food emporium that closed last November. ... Bob Townsend reviews LottaFrutta (590-A Auburn Ave., Atlanta), while H.M. Cauley considers Zucca Bar & Pizzeria (745 Chastain Road, Kennesaw) and Spiced Right BBQ (635 S. Atlanta Street, Roswell). accessatlanta.com ... Creative Loafing's Besha Rodell also reviews Kevin Rathbun Steak, while Adina Fleming considers Rise 'N Dine (1565 N. Decatur Road), and Cliff Bostick blogs about his visits to La Fonda Latina (1639 McLendon Ave.) and Palomilla’s Cuban Grill House (6470 Spalding Drive). atlanta.creativeloafing.com ... AtlantaIntownPaper.com's August issue's The Blissful Glutton spotlights 25 Atlanta restaurant musts, beginning with the soul food spot Busy Bee Cafe (810 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, busybeecafe.com). TheBlissfulGlutton.blogspot.com reviews Buckhead's Little Cake Bakery (3792 Roswell Road) and the Korean spot Hanil Kwan (5458 Buford Hwy, Doraville). ... AtlantaFoodies.blogspot.com visits Doc Green's - Salads & Grill (4511 Olde Perimeter Way, Ste. 800, Atlanta, www.docgreens.com) and Smokey Bones Barbeque & Grill (2475 George Busbee Pkwy., Kennesaw).

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Aria Tops 'Jezebel' Mag's Best 100 List

Jezebel magazine names Atlanta's 100 Best Restaurants in its July 2007 edition. The top 10: Aria, New York Prime, Bacchanalia, Bone's, Haven, Posh, Chops Lobster Bar, The Dining Room, Rathbun's, and South City Kitchen. jezebel magazine.com

IN THE NEWS: Taco Mac, an Atlanta wings chain, is ready to slash, dunk, sack and sing at Philips Arena, where it will become the stadium's first sit-down restaurant open to the public year round, the Atlanta Business Journal reports. The deal -- a 10-year lease with the arena's managers, Atlanta Spirit LLC -- will put the wings eatery in front 2 million potential customers -- the folks that attend Atlanta Thrashers, Atlanta Hawks and Georgia Force games and concerts each year. ... The AJC's Meridith Ford awards four stars in her review of the Thai restaurant Tamarind Seed Thai Bistro (1197 Peachtree Street), while Jon Waterhouse rounds up places with pizza by the slice, including Enzo's Pizza (4487 Hugh Howell Road, Tucker), and Bob Townsend reviews Pho Dai Loi (4061 Jonesboro Road, Forest Park). ... H.M. Cauley reviews Flowery Branch Yacht Club (5510 Church St., Flowery Branch) and reports on shakeups in Brookhaven: "The well-received Mix restaurant created by Michel and Tonya Arnette is moving to Midtown. The site is still under wraps, but a deal is in the works, the Arnettes say. Meanwhile, the Mix site at 1441 Dresden Drive is about to morph into Valenza, an upscale Italian restaurant focusing on fresh seasonal and local ingredients for pastas, risottos, meat and seafood. The interior is also getting an overhaul to create more of a Northern Italian look. An opening is expected late next month. Also slated for Brookhaven in August is the second location of Hudson Grille. ... Cauley also reports that Ritter's has added more seats in the bar area (4719 Lower Roswell Road, www.rittersrestaurant.com). ... John Kessler takes a first look at Kevin Rathbun Steak (154 Krog St.). accessatlanta.com ...

Creative Loafing's Besha Rodell reviews chef Richard Blais' Element (1051 W. Peachtree St., www.elementmidtown.com), while Cliff Bostick visits The Globe (75 Fifth St.), Penang (4897 Buford Highway), Green Sprout (1529 Piedmont Ave.) and the 50-year-old Manuel’s Tavern (602 N. Highland Ave.), and Cheap Eats stops by Weeyums Philly Style (900 Main St., Stone Mountain). ... Rodell also reports, "Two months after Jeff Smedstad, the chef who turned Sala-Sabor de Mexico into one of the best modern Mexican restaurants in the city, left to return to Arizona, the restaurant has been sold. Fifth Group, the company that also owns Ecco, La Tavola, the Food Studio, and South City Kitchen, has sold Sala to the folks who own Vine, Twelve Grapes LLC. Fifth Group also recently announced that the Food Studio, located in the Westside’s King Plow Arts Center, will undergo a facelift and menu revamping." ... Bostick also notes the opening of Top Floor (674 Myrtle St., another lounge-restaurant in Midtown. The chef is Taria Camerino. atlanta.creativeloafing.com ... The Blissful Glutton visits Napoli New York Style Pizzeria in Sandy Springs. blissfulglutton.blogspot.com ... AtlantaEats.blogspot.com writes, "Tomo may be one of the better kept secrets for Atlanta sushi. Chef Tom Naito worked for world renowned Master Sushi Chef Nobu Matsuhisa in his Las Vegas restaurant for three years, and has now opened his own place in Vinings, located in a Kroger shopping center just south of Cumberland Mall on Cobb Parkway." ...

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

'Bon Appetit' Features The Farmhouse

The August 2007 Bon Appetit magazine's Top Tables feature includes: Seattle's Brasa (2107 Third Avenue, brasa.com); Boulder, Co.'s The Kitchen (1039 Pearl St., thekitchencafe.com); Brenham, Texas' The Inn at Dos Brisas (9400 Champion Drive, dosbrisas.com); Kansas City's Bluestem (900 Westport Road, bluestemkc.com); Chicago's Crust (2056 W. Division St.); Atlanta's The Farmhouse (10950 Hutcheson Ferry Road, Palmetto, serenbe.com); and San Francisco's PlumpJack Cafe (3127 Fillmore St., plumpjack.com). epicurious.com/bonappetit

IN THE NEWS: The AJC's Meridith Ford awards three stars (very good) in her review of chef Richard Blais' new Element (1051 West Peachtree St., Atlanta, elementmidtown.com), while H.M. Cauley considers Pacific Spice (5485 Bethelview Road, Cumming), and notes dog-friendly Nancy G's (4920 Roswell Road, www.nancygscafe .com) ... The paper visits McCray's Tavern (4500 W. Village Place, Smyrna). ... The AJC also looks at wine bars, including Decatur's Java Monkey. accessatlanta.com ... Jezebel magazine's July 2007 issue includes its list of Top 100 Atlanta restaurants, including Bone's, Haven, and Posh. jezebelmagazine.com ... Creative Loafing's Besha Rodell looks at restaurant foibles, while Cliff Bostick blogs about his visit to Pasta Vino (2391 Peachtree Road, in Peachtree Battle Promenade). atlanta.creativeloafing.com ... The Hudspeth Report thehudspethreport.com features the new TAP gastropub (1180 Peachtree St.) and notes the recent closings of City Garden, Chima Steakhouse, CJ's Landing, Club 112, Ethan Patrick's, Jack Rabbit Lounge, Mick's, Roberto's World Tapas, SAGA, Stool Pigeons, Tongue & Groove, Trattoria Monaco, and Viet Chateau. ... Hudspeth also notes the welcomed name and concept change of M!X (1491 Dresden Road in Brookhaven) to Valenza Italian, with an August opening planned. ... The Blissful Glutton blissfulglutton.blospot.com reviews Umezono (2086 Cobb Parkway, Smyrna).

By Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Dagwood's Sandwich Shoppes Pile It On

IN THE NEWS: A new restaurant franchise is moving into Georgia with an eye on the state's baby boomers, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reports. Dagwood's Sandwich Shoppes is a Florida-based chain co-founded by the artist who draws the Blondie comic strip. The comic features a character named Dagwood who is always eating elaborate, oversized sandwiches, and the restaurant concept is built around that character. ... The AJC's Meridith Ford reviews The Chocolate Bar (201 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur), while Lori Johnston reviews Mimis Café (1880 Mall of Georgia Blvd., Buford). accessatlanta.com ... Creative Loafing's Cliff Bostick reviews Luckie Food Lounge (375 Luckie St.) and Across the Street (668 Highland Ave.), while Maureen McCarthy visits The Old Tucker Fountain (2329 Main St., Tucker.). atlanta.creativeloafing.com ... The Blissful Glutton blissfulglutton.blogspot.com reviews Mary Mac's Tearoom (224 Ponce De Leon Ave NE) and Muss and Turner's (1675 Cumberland Parkway, Ste 309, Smyrna). ... Atlanta Eats visits Blackstone, a steakhouse in the growing Smynings area around South Atlanta Rd. atlantaeats.blogspot.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

'SI' Features Abdulla the Butcher's

Sports Illustrated's sicom July 2 double issue spotlights former sports stars who now run restaurants, in particular barbecue joints. Featured athletes and their eateries include: Robert Porcher (Detroit Lions) Seldom Blues jazz and supper club, Detroit Breakfast House & Grill, and Grand City Grille, Detroit; Nate Thurmond (NBA Hall of Fame center), Big Nate's Barbecue, San Francisco; Randy Jones (San Diego Padres pitcher), Randy Jones' BBQ, Petco Park, San Diego; Sammy Walker (Olympic weightlifter), Sammy Walker's Bar-b-que, Rowlett and Forney, Texas; Billy Sims (Oklahoma Heisman Trophy winning running back), Billy Sims Barbecue, Tulsa, Edmond and Broken Bow, Okla; Larry Shreve (pro wrestler), Abdulla the Butcher's House of Ribs & Chinese Food, Atlanta; Lee Roy Selmon (Tampa Bay Bucs star), Lee Roy Selmon's, seven locations in the Tampa area; Al "Bubba" Baker (pro football player), Bubba's Q, Avon, Ohio; Greg "The Bull" Luzinski (Phillies slugger), Bull's Barbecue, Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia; and Boog Powell (Orioles slugger), Boog's BBQ, Camden Yards, Baltimore.

IN THE NEWS: Rising soon in Atlanta will be a new sandwich franchise that is set to give Panera Bread, Blimpie and Atlanta Bread Co. a new challenge in the lucrative lunchtime market, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reports. Rising Roll Gourmet is a home-grown Atlanta sandwich shop, with 13 units across the Southeast, seven that are in Atlanta. After slowly rolling out in the Southeast while developing the franchise system, Rising Roll is set to tackle new markets. The chain is looking to grow to 100 units in the next five years. The concept was founded by the father/son duo of Bob and Jeff Weiss, who created Uptown Gourmet in Norcross and Midtown. ... The AJC's Meridith Ford gives two stars in her review of Flying Biscuit Cafe (3515 Northside Parkway, Suite 12, Atlanta), while Bob Townsend reviews Super H Mart Food Court (6335 State Route 85, Riverdale), H.M. Cauley visits Ray's New York Pizza (880 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell), Jon Waterhouse stops by Wildfire (94 Perimeter Center West, Atlanta), and the paper also lists the best places to get budget Mexican. ... Cauley reports that the Flying Biscuit Cafe first location outside the Perimeter is set to open this fall in the Publix shopping center on Johnson Ferry Road near Lower Roswell Road. The former Mama Fu's space will also be the Biscuit's first free-standing operation, founder Delia Champion tells Cauley, who also reports on the expected fall opeing of a J. Cristopher's in the vy Walk development, off Cumberland Parkway in Vinings, that formerly housed Doc Chey's. ajc.com ... Creative Loafing's Besha Rodell gives two stars in her review of The Pecan (3725 Main St., College Park; www.thepecanonline.com), while Cliff Bostick visits the new gastropub Tap (1180 Peachtree St.), Cabbagetown Market and Little's Grill (198 Carroll St.), and Nicola's on Lavista. atlanta.creativeloafing.com ... The Blissful Glutton blissfulglutton.blogspot.com reviews Richard Blais' Element in Midtown.

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Church's Chicken Eyes Atlanta Expansion

IN THE NEWS: San Antonio-based Church's Chicken, operator and franchiser of more than 1,600 fast-food chicken restaurants in 18 countries, announced a new partnership with a business brokerage outfit that will accelerate its new store opening program through strategic franchisee-recruitment methods, CoStar.com reports. Markets targeted for growth include Jacksonville, Orlando, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Detroit, Raleigh/Durham, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and Nashville. ... Fatburger, a Los Angeles burger chain, is planning to beef up its presence in Atlanta, the Atlanta Business Chronicle atlanta.bizjournals.com reports. With one existing Atlanta store, Fatburger Inc. believes Atlanta is prime for 10 more locations in the next two years, and possibly more. The 55-year-old burger chain isn't another Five Guys Burgers and Fries, another newcomer to the ATL. Five Guys limits its menu to burgers, fries and hot dogs. Instead, Fatburger has made its name on a variety of burger toppings, like bacon, chili and eggs. Fatburger already signed a 10-unit franchise deal in Atlanta with Willie Anderson, a former NFL pro who played for the Cincinnati Bengals through 2006. Anderson owns Atlanta's first and only Fatburger location, in Buckhead Crossing at 2625 Piedmont Road near the Lindbergh MARTA station. Anderson's next store is slated for Windy Hill Road in Marietta. ... ChowDownAtlanta.com visits Brazilian steakhouse Fogo De Chao (3101 Piedmont Rd.) and Tacqueria Los Hermanos (4418 Hugh Howell Road, Tucker) . ...

The AJC's accessatlanta.com Meridith Ford gives three stars in her review of Farmhouse At Serenbe (10950 Hutcheson Ferry Road, Palmetto), while the paper also reviews 5th Earl Market (309 E. College Ave., Decatur), Entree Vous (8465 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell), J.R. Crickets (4479 S. Cobb Drive, Smyrna), and AJ's Famous Seafood and PoBoys (2100 Roswell Road, east Cobb), while also plugging five great vegetarian-friendly places, including Buckhead's Cafe Sunflower. ... Ford reports on: the May 30 opening of Kevin Rathbun Steak; Tamarind Seed Thai Bistro owners Charlie, Eddie and Nan Niyomkul's quiet opening in Colony Square on June 10 -- it's the reincarnation of much-beloved Tamarind Thai Cuisine; James Beard nominee and chef-owner Hugh Acheson of Athens’ Five and Ten's new venture, The National, which is scheduled to open Aug. 1 at 232 Hancock Ave. in downtown Athens, with Peter Dale, Acheson’s sous chef from Five and Ten, running the kitchen; Linton Hopkins' fall opening in the Aramore directly across from his Restaurant Eugene of Holeman & Finch Public House; the opening of Tap, the American gastropub from restaurateurs Bob Amick and Todd Rushing (Trois, Two Urban Licks, One Midtown Kitchen, Lobby at Twelve, Piebar), on June 8; and the June 1 closing of Saga, the South African, Southern restaurant in Midtown. ... Creative Loafing's atlanta.creativeloafing.com Besha Rodell awards four stars to Quinones at Bacchanalia (1198 Howell Mill Road; www.starprovisions.com), while Cliff Bostick visits Tamarind Seed Bistro and the newest Figo (1021 Virginia Ave.), and blogs about Tap (1180 Peachtree St.), Middle Eastern mainstay Nicola’s (1602 Lavista Road), Vietnamese joint Saigon Basil (1870 Piedmont Ave), and barbecue spot Daddy D’z (264 Memorial Drive) ... Cheap Eats stops by BiBa's Italian Restaurant (4850 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville.). ... The Blissful Glutton blissfulglutton.blogspot.com visits Fiesta Plaza, and has a hanger steak burger at Star Provisions. ... Atlanta Eats atlantaeats.blogspot.com stops by Tap.

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Alpharetta's Trattoria Monaco Closes

IN THE NEWS: Reports the AJC's H.M. Cauley: "Taking home the "best of" award at the Taste of Alpharetta two years in a row wasn't enough to keep the kitchen going at Trattoria Monaco. The 2 1/2-year-old eatery on Windward Parkway shut its doors last week. "We gave it our all, but, unfortunately, the dream didn't pan out," said owner Don Monaco. "We made a lot of friends and had a great time here, but it's a matter of economics. There were not a lot of options." ... Cauley reviews Triple Play Sports Bar (2606 George Busbee Parkway, Kennesaw; tripleplayga.com) and Loafing Leprechaun (3070 Windward Plaza, Alpharetta; loafingleprechan.com), while Jon Waterhouse visits Mellow Mushroom Pizza (6100 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs; mellowmushroom.com). accessatlanta.com ... Creative Loafing's Besha Rodell reviews Geisha House (1380 Atlantic Drive, Atlantic Station. www.dolcegroup.com), while Cliff Bostick stops by Kevin Rathbun Steak (154 Krog St.). Bostick also reports: the opening Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe, a storefront to be operated by an online supplier of vegan goods, a few doors down from the old Roman Lily location (CosmosVeganShoppe.com). The Roman Lily location has been taken over by Across the Street, a Mexican restaurant that is scheduled to open in about two weeks. ... The openings of Tamarind Seed and Tap are blogged. atlanta.creativeloafing.com ... Nan Fine Thai Dining (1350 Spring Street) is reviewed by The Blissful Glutton blissfulglutton.blogspot.com ... A Florida-based restaurant chain is putting out feelers that it wants to greatly expand its reach, the Denver Business Journal reports. Earl of Sandwich, founded in 2004 and based in Orlando, says it's looking for franchisees around the United States, including Atlanta. ... ChowDownAtlanta.com visits Great Harvest Bread Co. ... New Orleans-based blogger YatCuisine food.yatpundit.com reviews Max Lagers (320 Peachtree St. NW).

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Trois Makes 'Bon Appetit' Hot List

The June issue of Bon Appetit magazine epicurious.com/bonappetit lists 10 restaurants as "summer's hotspots," new foodie destinations around the country. Prices range from $10 pizzas at Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles to the $54 and $67 prix fixe menus at Bijoux in Dallas. Here's the full list:

Momofuku Ssam Bar, 207 Second Ave., New York City
Central Michel Richard, 1001 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C.
Trois, 1180 Peachtree St., Atlanta
Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza, 641 N. Highland Ave., and 6602 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles
Tavolata, 2323 Second Ave., Seattle
Radda Trattoria, 1265 Alpine Ave., Boulder, Colo.
Aigre Doux Restaurant & Bakery, 230 W. Kinzie St., Chicago
Bijoux, 5450 West Lovers Lane, Suite 225, Dallas
Osteria, 640 N. Broad St., Philadelphia
Ad Hoc, 6476 Washington St., Yountville, Calif. (Napa Valley)

IN THE NEWS: The AJC's Meridith Ford awards two stars to new chef Jesse Perez's Southwestern cuisine of Buckhead staple Nava (3060 Peachtree Road 1, Buckhead Plaza, Suite 160), while Bob Townsend stops by Fune Sushi Bar and Ultra Lounge (860 Peachtree St.) and Jennifer Brett visits Tarahumata Mexican Grill & Tequila Bar (6195 Windward Parkway, Alpharetta). ... H.M. Cauley previews last week's opening of C&S Seafood and Oyster Bar -- carved out of a former Eckerd drugstore — at 3240 Cobb Parkway. ... Cauley also notes, "Head inside the Perimeter for the annual Downtown Atlanta Restaurant Week, August 13-19. This year, the cost of a three-course meal at participating eateries will be $25. Among the places that have already signed on are City Grill, Dailey's, French American Brasserie, Hsu's Gourmet, Luckie Food Lounge, Max Lager's, No Mas! Cantina, Pittypat's Porch, Pleasant Peasant, Ray's in the City, Thrive and Trader Vic's. See the complete list at www.atlantadowntown.com." accessatlanta.com ... Creative Loafing's Besha Rodell chats with Carlo Petrini, the founder of the Slow Food movement. atlanta.creativeloafing.com ... Popular Detroit tapas-style restaurant Small Plates is opening a second, larger location in downtown Royal Oak and plans to add more local venues over the next five years, including Atlanta, the Detroit Free-Press freep.com reports. ... ChowDownAtlanta.com visits Bob’s Home Cooking (3455 Peachtree Industrial, Duluth). ... Blogger The Blissful Glutton blissfulglutton.blogspot.com reviews Pho Dai Loi in Forest Park and stops by Element Gastro Lounge. ... AtlantaCuisine.com reviews chef Richard Blais' Element (1051 West Peachtree St., Midtown). ... Atlanta Foodies atlantafoodies.blogspot.com reviews Twist (In Phipps Plaza, 3500 Peachtree Rd.). ... A small, health-conscious fast food chain is getting ready for prime time. Tampa-based Evos recently inked multi-unit franchise agreements with two area developers. One will develop a minimum of 21 stores in Atlanta and North Carolina over the next five years, the Tampa Bay Business Journal reports. Evos currently has three units open in Tampa, one in St. Petersburg and one in Las Vegas, and it has two under construction, one near the University of South Florida and another in Sarasota.

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

French American Brasserie Draws Raves

IN THE NEWS: The AJC's Meridith Ford awards a whopping four stars in her review of the new French American Brasserie (30 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd.), while Bob Townsend visits The Corner Pub (627-D E. College Ave., Decatur). ... Ford's Table Talk blog spotlights restaurants who do a great job with grouper, including: Thrive (101 Marietta St.), Lobby at Twelve (361 17th St. inside Twelve Hotel at Atlantic Station), The Inn at Serenbe and Farmhouse at Serenbe (10950 Hutchesons Ferry Road, Palmetto) and Element Restaurant & Lounge (1051 West Peachtree St., Atlanta). accessatlanta.com ... Blogger The Blissful Glutton blissfulglutton.blogspot.com also visits French American Brasserie as well as MF Sushi Bar. ... Steakhead's Atlanta Eats blog atlantaeats.blogspot.com is one of the first to weigh in on Kevin Rathbun Steak, which opened May 30 ... AtlantaCuisine.com's Tom Maicon reviews star chef Richard Blais' cutting edge work in the kitchen of Element (1051 West Peachtree St., Midtown). ... Atlanta Foodies atlantafoodies.blogspot.com reviews Nava (3060 Peachtree Rd, Atlanta). ... Chow Down Atlanta chowdownatlanta.com reviews PURE Taqueria (103 Roswell St., Alpharetta). ... From Anya Martin of the Atlanta Business Chronicle, "Given the city's size, it's no surprise chefs shuffle from one high-end restaurant to the next. However, Atlanta restaurateurs tend to accept that as par for the course, rather than seeing it as a threat. A look at one Atlanta restaurant company tells the tale. Over 27 years, Buckhead Life Restaurant Group Inc. has nurtured many of Atlanta's top chefs including Kevin Rathbun, chef and owner of Rathbun's; Ian Winslade, who first cooked for Bluepointe, then Tom Catherall's Shout and recently became chef de cuisine at Posh, the Catherall concept that replaced Seeger's; and Tom Harvey, who left Nava last fall for ONE. midtown kitchen. ..." The Chronicle also reports that Newport Beach, Calif., chain zpizza says Atlanta is on track to get 19 stores, three in 2007, as part of the company's ambitious expansion plans. ... Creative Loafing's Besha Rodell hangs out in North Carolina with Slow Food founder Carlo Petrini, in the States in part to plug his latest book, Slow Food Nation (Rizzoli, $22.50). ... Cliff Bostick reviews 5th Runway Café (420 14th St.), while Maureen McCarthy visits Lee's Bakery (4005 Buford Highway, Suite C). atlanta.creativeloafing.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Kevin Rathbun Steak Opens in Inman Park

IN THE NEWS: The AJC's accessatlanta.com Meridith Ford awards three stars (very good) to Palomilla's Cuban Grill House in Roswell, while Sandra Eckstein notes that Kevin Rathbun Steak is expected to open in Inman Park by the end of the month, and is already taking reservations for June and July. She also notes the openings of Geisha House at Atlantic Station, The Kingfisher Cafe in Pine Lake, and The Catch in Marietta. ... H.M. Cauley reviews Bin 75 (8455 Holcomb Bridge Road, Suite B, Alpharetta) and reports, "The popular Ray's on the River (6700 Powers Ferry Road) has been closed for several months while owners work on a complete overhaul of the space. But the view, the menu and the music are about to make a comeback in the next few weeks. That's good news for anyone who has missed the lavish Sunday brunch buffet! A re-opening is tentatively planned for the end of June." ... Neighborhood Nosh visits Goldbergs Bagel Company & Deli (4383 Roswell Road N.E) and Beetles BBQ (150 Towne Lake Parkway, Woodstock) ... The Atlanta Business Chronicle reports, "Candler Park soon will get Atlanta's first stand-alone outpost of Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q. The concept is taking over the former space of Southwestern restaurant Asada at 1238 DeKalb Ave. Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q is run by Jonathan and Justin Fox, 35-year-old twins. They have been serving barbecue for several years at Smithe's Old Bar across from Ansley Mall. They also use the bar's kitchen to prepare food for their thriving catering business. After Asada closed last year, Jonathan Fox said, he saw the "for lease" sign and said, "That's the place." ... The Chronicle also reports that Made In Japan Teriyaki Experience is actually a made-in-Canada concept with more than 100 stores in Canada, the Middle East, Italy and the Caribbean. The first U.S. outpost will open in Atlanta in The District at Howell Mill Road in June. It's part of a quest to open more than 40 stores in Georgia and hundreds more worldwide in the next five years. At Teriyaki Experience, customers can order a stir-fried meal with shrimp, chicken, beef or tofu, rice or noodles plus veggies. The made-to-order meal is then cooked in water, not oil, on a teppanyaki grill. ... Besha Rodell gives three stars in her review of French American Brasserie (30 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd.) for Creative Loafing, while colleague Cliff Bostick stops by Pearl (253 Peters St) and revisits chef Scott Peacock's Watershed (406 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur), in honor of Peacock being amed best chef in the Southeast by the James Beard Foundation earlier this month. ... Cheap Eats' Maureen McCarthy reviews Blue Bay (2750 Buford Highway, Duluth). atlanta.creativeloafing.com ... Blogger ChowDownAtlanta.com reviews Min Sok Chon (2550 Pleasant Hill Rd, Duluth) ... Blog The Blissful Glutton blissfulglutton.blogspot.com notes, "Chef Richard Blais, of Iron Chef fame, has made his return to Atlanta and is now manning the helm of Element gastro lounge located at 11th St. and West Peachtree St. Blais debuted his new menu this past Tuesday and initial reports are quite favorable." ... Memphis-based bloggers Squirrel Squad Squeeks squirrel-squad.blogspot.com visits brewmasters 5 Seasons North (3655 Old Milton Parkway, Alpharetta).

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Clermont Lounge on Esquire Best Bars List

Esquire magazine's second annual Best Bars of America list is out in the June 2007 issue. They include:

Lou's Pub & Package, Birmingham, Ala.; J Lounge, Golden Gopher, The Edison, The Broadway Bar, La Cita, Bordello, Redwood, and Bar 107, Los Angeles; Musso & Frank Grill, Hollywood, Calif.; The Polo Lounge, Beverly Hills; Beach Ball, Newport Beach, Calif.; Brennan's Pub, Marina Del Ray, Calif.; Bourbon & Branch, The Owl Tree, Vesuvio, and Zeitgeist, San Francisco; The Sportsman, Sonora, Calif.; Cruise Room, and El Chapultepec, Denver; Jimbo's, and Churchill's Pub, Miami; The Clermont Lounge, Atlanta; Lewers Lounge at the Halekulani Hotel, and La Mariana Sailing Club, Honolulu; The California Clipper, The Red Lion Pub, Bungalow, The Matchbox, Hideout, and Chipp Inn, Chicago; The Red Key, and Nicky Blaine's, Indianapolis; The Old Seelbach Bar, Louisville; The Chart Room, The Bar at Tujague's, Fritzel's European Jazz Pub, and Napoleon House, New Orleans; The Brewer's Art, and Shamrock Inn, Baltimore; B-Side Lounge, Cambridge, Mass.; No. 9 Park, Boston; Doyle's Cafe, Jamaica Plain, Mass.; The Bar at Seldom Blues, Detroit; Miller's Bar, Dearborn, Mich.; Bulldog NE, and Nye's Polonaise Room, Minneapolis; Half Time Rec, St. Paul; John D. McGurk's, St. Louis; Any bar on the Strip, Double Down Saloon, and Petrossian Bar, Las Vegas; Bemelmans Bar in the Carlyle Hotel, Little Branch, The Bar at Keens Steakhouse, Minetta Tavern, Jimmy's Corner, The Angel's Share, The Brooklyn Inn, The Rose Bar at the Gramercy Park Hotel, Flatiron Lounge, The Saloon, San Domenico Restaurant, Spuyten Duyvil, 21 Club, Grassroots Tavern, Bill's Gay 90s, Julius', and Pegu Club, New York City; Freddy's Bar & Backroom, Brooklyn; Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden, Queens; Thomas Street Tavern, Charlotte, NC; Andyman's Treehouse, Columbus, Ohio; The Library Bar & Grill, Norman, Okla.; Friendly Lounge, The Grey Lodge, and Southwark, Philadelphia; Dee's Cafe, Pittsburgh; Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, and Robert's Western World, Nashville; La Tuna, San Antonio; Donn's Depot, Austin; The Inwood Lounge, Dallas; Shooting Star Saloon, Huntsville, Utah; Sambar, Zig Zag Cafe, and Fu Kun Wu, Seattle; Hawk 'n' Dove, and The Tune Inn, Washington, DC; Holler House, Milwaukee.

IN THE NEWS: Creative Loafing's Besha Rodell looks at the improving state of Atlanta's dining scene through the eyes of noted veteran restaurateur Bob Amick (Two Urban Licks, Trois), who says when he first opened his restaurant, Mick's in the 1970s, closely followed by the Pleasant Peasant, "Atlanta really wasn't a restaurant town. You couldn't get a piece of fresh fish. Most people served frozen vegetables." ... Critic Chris Rodell calls East Atlanta Village's Cenci (1259 Glenwood Ave.), "hands down, the coolest vegetarian restaurant I've ever visited in our city." ... Cheap Eats compares the pizza joints Slice and Slice City. atlanta.creativeloafing.com ... The Atlanta Business Chronicle reports, "Rich Chey, the Atlanta restaurateur who created Doc Chey's Noodle House and Osteria 832 Pizza & Pasta, is bringing an Italian concept to Grant Park this fall. His new concept, Stella Neighborhood Trattoria, will be in a condo/loft project called Oakland Park, at 563 Memorial Drive, across from the historic Oakland Cemetery." ... ChowDownAtlanta.com looks at Alpharetta's Sushi Zutto ... The AJC's Meridith Ford www.ajc.com gives two stars in her review of LowCountry Barbecue Outpost (3455 Peachtree Parkway, Stonebridge Promenade, Suite 201, Suwanee) ... In a piece about extreme cuisine, Ford and colleague John Kessler note jellyfish and other delicacies at spots such as: Tomo Japanese Restaurant, Charcoal Plus, Nam Chun Hong and Hong Kong Gourmet ... Ford's Table Talk column opines that there's no sellout involved concerning local restaurateur Delia Champion of Flying Biscuit Café, although she writes, "It’s easy for those of us who’ve loved her tattered-and-tattooed haven in Candler Park since it opened in 1993 to wonder why last year she sold her concept to Raving Brands (which operates Mama Fu’s, Doc Green’s and Shane’s Rib Shack, among many)." ... And Kessler's column is a travelogue of his recent trip to New York for the James Beard Foundation awards. His pick restaurants hits: L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon at the Four Seasons, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, and A Voce. ... The Neighborhood Nosh column visits The Grape in Norcross, Olives Waterside in Sandy Springs, Stefan's Off The Square in Marietta, and High Cotton in Dunwoody. ... Atlantaeats.blogspot.com reviews the Mother's Day brunch at Pastis in Historic Roswell.

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Atlanta No. 8 on Best Restaurant Cities List

"Today ... most major cities in the U.S. have the kind of gastronomic diversity and regionality that is rich in every department, and even if you’ve visited recently, you can be sure that next time you go, there’ll be more new and enticing restaurants than you could possibly visit," writes Donald Burnam in a recent ForbesTraveler.com piece, "America's Best Restaurant Cities." "It’s getting hard not to have a great meal anywhere in the U.S.." Burnam continues.

Forbes' Top 10 Restaurant Cities:
1. New York City
2. Chicago
3. San Francisco
4. Los Angeles
5. New Orleans
6. Houston
7. Washington, D.C.
8. Atlanta
9. Boston
10. Las Vegas

Rankings were based on: Overall number of restaurants above the fast food level; Number of fine dining restaurants with national and international standing; Solid representation of regional American food; A wide segment of second-tier restaurants that would include seafood, steakhouses, and independently chef-owned restaurants; Breadth and depth of ethnic restaurants, especially if the city has neighborhood such as a Chinatown; A significant number of neigborhood restaurants where the locals tend to eat out regularly; A well-traveled clientele that regards eating out in that city one of the real pleasures of going there.

IN THE NEWS: AJC critic Meridith Ford looks at restaurants in Castleberry Hill, the historic district in southwest Atlanta behind Philips Arena that has become an enclave for artists and art galleries. Featured eateries: Wasabi Sushi Wine & Sake Lounge, 180 Walker St., Suite C; No Mas! Cantina, 180 Walker St.; Baltimore Crab & Seafood, 253 Peters St.; Pearl Restaurant & Lounge, 253 Peters St. ... The AJC's Neighborhood Nosh Special features five "meat and three" types: Our Way Cafe, 2831 E. College Ave., Avondale Estates; The Colonnade, 1879 Cheshire Bridge Road N.E.; Midtown's storied Mary Mac's Tea Room, 224 Ponce de Leon Ave.; Matthews Cafeteria, 2229 Main St., Tucker; and Westside's Carver's Country Kitchen, 1118 W. Marietta St. N.W. ... The AJC's Sandra Eckstein reports: Serenbe founder Steve Nygren (Blue Eyed Daisy Bakeshop, the Farmhouse restaurants) will open his third eatery, The Hil, in August with Hilary White as chef; Chef Tom Colicchio will now open his Craftsteak restaurant at the Mansion on Peachtree, not the Georgian Terrace Hotel, with a spring 2008 target date ... Eckstein notes openings of: Brasserie Le Coze, near the Georgia Aquarium; The retro lounge Noir in Castleberry Hill; The Atlanta Brewing Company in Midtown; and 5th Earl Market in Decatur, in the old Oz site at 309 E. College Ave.; Marietta's Houck's has moved to the former Sparkles Roller Rink and has been reincarnated as Trilogy. One closing of note: Midtown's Spice. ajc.com ... Creative Loafing's Besha Rodell gives three stars to Tierra, 1425 Piedmont Ave. Cliff Bostick stops by Osteria 832 (832 N. Highland Ave.) and reports that Grant Park's Hank's Ice Cream is losing its lease in June. Bostick and Rodell kicked off their new Omnivore Atlanta blog at http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/omnivore with a visit to Grant Park Mexican restaurant El Barrio (571 Memorial Drive) ... ChowDownAtlanta.com stops by Shane's Rib Shack .. AtlantaCuisine.com's pick hit is Urban eat.drink.lounge,
3580 East Crossville Road in Roswell ... Atlanta Foodies http://atlantafoodies.blogspot.com/ review Six Feet Under–Westside,685 11th St. and White House Restaurant, 3172 Peachtree Road NW.

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Watershed Chef Nabs James Beard Award

Chicago's Frontera Grill won Outstanding Restaurant of the Year and Michel Richard of Michel Richard Citronelle in Washington, D.C. was named Outstanding Chef at the 2007 James Beard Foundation Awards Ceremony. Hosted by CBS Early Show anchor Hannah Storm, the Beard Awards were held May 7 at Avery Fisher Hall in New York's Lincoln Center. More than 60 awards were presented by the country's pre-eminent nonprofit culinary organization, in its 20th anniversary celebration, and more than 1,600 industry leaders attended the ceremony. Other top awards went to: New York's L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, named Best New Restaurant; Thomas Keller (The French Laundry, Yountville, Ca.) received the award for Outstanding Restaurateur; and David Chang (Momofuku Noodle Bar, New York) received the Rising Star Chef of the Year award. Celebrity and culinary superstar attendees included Stephanie March, Ted Allen, Katie Lee Joel, Martha Stewart, Wolfgang Puck, Bobby Flay, Thomas Keller, Jose Andres, Tom Colicchio, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Padma Lakshmi, and Marcus Samuelsson. The Foundation's Media Awards took place at a separate event at the Hudson Theatre at Millennium Broadway Hotel on May 6. All Award winners received a bronze medallion etched with the image of the late James Beard, the esteemed chef, cookbook author, and food journalist. There are no cash awards. Established in 1990, the James Beard Foundation Awards recognizes outstanding achievement within the fine food and beverage industry in North America. For full awards results, please visit http://www.jamesbeard.org.

Beard Award highlights are:

AMERICA'S CLASSICS: Primanti Brothers, Demetrios Patrinos, Pittsburgh, Pa.; The Pickwick, Christopher Wisocki, Duluth, Minn.; Doe's Eat Place, The Signa Family, Greenville, Miss.; Aunt Carrie's, Elsie Foy, Narragansett, R.I.; I

Brookville Hotel, Mark and Connie Martin, Abilene, Kan.; Weaver D's, Dexter Weaver, Athens, Ga.

BEST CHEF, GREAT LAKES: Grant Achatz, Alinea, Chicago

BEST CHEF, MID-ATLANTIC: R.J. Cooper, III, Vidalia, Washington, DC

BEST CHEF, MIDWEST: Celina Tio, The American Restaurant, Kansas City, Mo.

BEST CHEF, NEW YORK CITY: David Waltuck, Chanterelle, New York, NY

BEST CHEF, NORTHEAST: Frank McClelland, L'Espalier, Boston

BEST CHEF, NORTHWEST: John Sundstrom, Lark, Seattle

BEST CHEF, PACIFIC: Traci Des Jardins, Jardinière, San Francisco

BEST CHEF, SOUTH: Donald Link, Herbsaint, New Orleans

BEST CHEF, SOUTHEAST: Scott Peacock, Watershed, Decatur, Ga.

BEST CHEF, SOUTHWEST: Nobuo Fukuda, Sea Saw, Scottsdale, Ariz.

BEST NEW RESTAURANT: L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Chef-Owner: Joël Robuchon, New York, NY

OUTSTANDING CHEF: Michel Richard, Michel Richard Citronelle, Washington, DC

OUTSTANDING PASTRY CHEF: Michael Laskonis, Le Bernardin, New York, NY

OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT: Frontera Grill, chef-owner: Rick and Deann Bayless, Chicago

OUTSTANDING RESTAURATEUR: Thomas Keller, The French Laundry, Yountville, Calif.

OUTSTANDING SERVICE: Rick Tramonto, Gale Gand, and Richard Melman, Tru, Chicago

OUTSTANDING WINE AND SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL: Paul Draper, Ridge Vineyards, Cupertino, Calif.

OUTSTANDING WINE SERVICE: Mark Slater, Michel Richard Citronelle, Washington, DC

RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR: David Chang, Momofuku Noodle Bar, New York, NY

Trois on Conde Nast Hot List
Conde Nast Traveler magazine just published its Hot List of the world's best restaurants. Here are the hottest of the hot in the U.S.: Brix, Flagstaff, Ariz.; Cut, Beverly Hills; Hatfield's, Los Angeles; Katsuya, Los Angeles; Social Hollywood, Los Angeles; West, Los Angeles; Coi,
San Francisco; NOPA, San Francisco; Perbacco, San Francisco; Salt House, San Francisco; Ad Hoc, Yountville, Ca.; Dressing Room, Westport, Conn.; Michy's, Miami; David Bouley Evolution, Miami Beach; Quattro Gastronomia Italiana, Miami Beach; Trois, Atlanta; David Burke's Primehouse, Chicago; De La Costa, Chicago; Riche, New Orleans; Sorellina, Boston; Guy Savoy, Las Vegas; Nove Italiano, Las Vegas; Rao's, Las Vegas; A Voce, New York City; Boqueria, New York City; Gordon Ramsay at The London, New York City; L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, New York City; Little Owl, New York City; Momofuku Ssäm, New York City; Varietal, New York City; Waverly Inn, New York City; New York City; Herons, Cary, N.C.; Piedmont, Durham, N.C.; XIX, Philadelphia; Bess Bistro on Pecan, Austin; Craft, Dallas; Blue Duck Tavern, Washington, D.C.

IN THE NEWS: Orlando-based Darden Restaurants shut down more than 50 of its Smokey Bones Barbeque & Grill locations across the country on May 5 and said it will sell the remaining 73, The Orlando Sentinel reported May 6. The closings include Atlanta-area locations in Dunwoody, Duluth, Alphretta, Douglasville, Gainesville and Morrow. ... Atlanta magazine's Christiane Lauterbach reviews French restaurant Trois, 1180 Peachtree St. ... Blogger The Blissful Glutton reviews La Taqueria Oaxaquena, 6738 Tara Blvd. in Jonesboro ... Blogger chowdownatlanta.com raves about French bistro The Epicurian Restaurant, 1361 Clairmont Road in Decatur, as former Ritz-Carlton chef Peter Golaszewski holds forth ... AJC critic Meridith Ford blogs about French American Brasserie, the new venue from Brasserie owner Fabrice Vergez, which has opened in the Southern Company building. Ford also gives one star in her review of Emeril's, 3500 Lenox Road, Suite 100. The paper also offers a Mother's Day brunch roundup as well as neighborhood spotlights on: Bagel Boys Cafe, 1770 Haynes Bridge Road, Suite 102 in Alpharetta; Grapes & Hops Bar & Bistro 4856 Hog Mountain Road, Flowery Branch; Six Feet Under (Westside), 685 11th St.; and Bailey's Family Restaurant 4041 Atlanta St. in Powder Springs. ... The AJC's H.M. Cauley reports on Azoni's at 4719 Lower Roswell Road, and details the openings of: Bubbalini's, a 15-year-old restaurant in Florida that is building a second location in the Burnt Hickory Village off Whitlock Road in Marietta; and the July opening of Waterstone Grill, moving into the original Henry's Louisiana space at 4849 N. Main St. in Acworth. ... Creative Loafing's Cliff Bostick reports on the rechristening of Element (1051 W. Peachtree St), formerly Cherry, and updates info on Cantina La Casita (560 Gresham Ave.). Besha Rodell gives three stars to The Epicurean, 1361 Clairmont Road in Decatur. ... The Atlanta Business Chronicle reports, "A local radio personality is teaming up with two longtime restaurateurs to roll out the first-ever franchises of The Flying Biscuit Cafe. Jeff Dauler, one of the hosts of Q100's (WWWQ-FM 100.5) popular morning show, has partnered with George McKerrow Jr., co-founder and CEO of Ted's Montana Grill, and John Slocum, the founder of Slocum's Tavern & Grille, to kick off the venture. They plan to open five Flying Biscuit locations in Atlanta, with the first opening May 14 in Buckhead on West Paces Ferry Road. Eventually they plan to expand the homegrown dining concept -- famous for its light, airy biscuits and apple butter -- around the Southeast and even across the country."

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

James Beard Awards Await

Roughly the dining out equivalent of The Academy Awards, The James Beard Foundation annual awards ceremony takes place Monday, May 7, at the Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City. The talented Hugh Acheson of Five & Ten in Athens, Arnaud Berthelier at Atlanta's The Dining Room in the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead, and Scott Peacock of Decatur's Watershed are among the five nominees for Best Chef: Southeast. Go to www.jamesbeard.org for the complete list, but here's a partial list of national nominees:

-- Outstanding Restaurant: Boulevard, San Francisco; Frontera Grill, Chicago; Magnolia Grill, Durham, N.C., Picholine, New York; Spiaggia, Chicago.
-- Best New Restaurant: A Voce, New York City; Chochon, New Orleans; Cut, Beverly Hill, Calif; L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, New York City; Momofuku Ssam Bar, New York City; Restaurant Guy Savoy, Las Vegas.
-- Outstanding Restaurateur: Thomas Keller, The French Laundry, Yountville, Calif; Keith McNally, Balthazar, New York City; Richard Melman, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises (R.J. Grunts, Wildfire, Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!), Chicago; Drew Nieporent, Myriad Restaurant Group (Tribeca Grill, Nobu, Rubicon), New York City; Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Jean Georges restaurant, New York City.
-- Outstanding Chef: Tom Colicchio, Craft, New York City; Lee Hefter, Spago, Beverly Hills, Calif.; Jean Joho, Everest, Chicago; Paul Kahan, Blackbird, Chicago; Michel Richard, Michel Richard Citronelle, Washington, D.C.
-- Rising Star Chef: Nate Appleman, A16, San Francisco; Graham Elliot Bowles, Avenues at The Peninsula Hotel, Philadelphia; David Chang, Momofuku Noodle Bar, New York; Patrick Connelly, Radius, Boston; Daniel Humm, Eleven Madison Park, New York City.

Playboy magazine's May issue includes its list of America's 10 Best Steakhouses. (Hey, now you can say you really DO read the articles!) Those deemed bunny worthy include:

Bone's in Atlanta
Keefer's in Chicago
Cresecent City Steaks in New Orleans
Cut in Los Angeles
Bern's in Tampa
Craftsteak in Las Vegas
Grill 23 & Bar in Boston
El Raigon in San Francisco
Red in Cleveland
Sparks in New York City

Read more at www.playboy.com/style/a-list/steakhouses

IN THE NEWS: Slow Food Atlanta & Heritage Foods USA host their first annual BBQ from 1 to 5 pm EDT Saturday, May 5 at Studioplex, 659 Auburn Ave NE in Atlanta to celebrate local chefs, heritage breeds, sustainable farms and to raise money for the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Tickets are available in advance for $25. Enjoy tastings from over a dozen of Georgia's best chefs. Pair them with homemade BBQ sauces and vegetarian sides as well as beers from Sweetwater Brewing Co. and local wineries. Plus live music and more. For tickets, go to http://www.xorbia.com/tickets/thenewq/ ... Hot Stix, an Asian stir-fry restaurant, is set to open in Atlanta's Lindbergh City Center this summer, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reports. NYC celebrity chef Tom Colicchio will open an offshoot of his fine-dining restaurant Craft in 2008 in The Mansion luxury hotel and residences in Buckhead, the Chronicle also reports. (atlanta.bizjournals.com) ... AJC dining critic Meridith Ford gives a positive two stars to Marietta's Red Elephant Thai restaurant in April 26 editions, while the 19th annual Taste of the Nation May 3 at the Georgia Aquarium is previewed. Meanwhile, Six Feet Under's new location at 685 11th St. was noted recently. www.ajc.com. And in case you missed them, here are Meridith Ford's Top 10 Atlanta restaurants from the Spring Dining Guide: Bacchanalia, The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead, Ecco, The Globe, Joel, Kyma, MF Sushibar, Quinones at Bacchanalia, Rathbun's, and Sotto Sotto ... Creative Loafing's Cliff Bostick spotlights French American Brasserie, 30 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd., formerly Brasserie Le Coze. www.atlanta.creativeloafing.com

The top wood-fired pizzas in Atlanta? Floataway Cafe (www.starprovisions.com), Lobby at 12 (www.lobbyattwelve.com), Pricci (www.buckheadrestaurants.com) and Woodfire Grill (www.woodfiregrill.com) get the nod from Jennifer Zyman's informative blog at blissfulglutton.blogspot.com ... Decatur's newly opened deli 5th Earl Market is featured in atlantacuisine.com ... Chef-owner Shaun Doty's Shaun's contemporary restaurant (www.shaunsrestaurant.com), which opened in October 2006 in historic Inman Park, draws raves from blogger Steakhead at www.atlantaeats.com.