The owner is Rich Chey, who also operates Doc Chey's Noodle House and Osteria 832 Pasta & Pizza. I'm fond of the latter. It's an inexpensive trattoria but has plenty of sophisticated flourishes. The same is true of Stella.

The restaurant is serving only its "base menu" right now but will soon add a menu of seasonal specialties and desserts. It will be hard to get me to eat anything but the short ribs with root vegetables braised in red wine -- an exceptional version at a low price (above right). The cod and potato fritters are, um, stellar, too.

The restaurant features the extra-long bar (top photo) that most new restaurants seem to be featuring. I assume this trend is a reflection of how alcohol sales are up to 70 percent of many restaurants' sales these days, according to a friend in the industry. But it may also reflect the trend to eat at bars, something I've always enjoyed.

I'll have more to say about Stella in next week's Grazing column.

I paid a visit to Fox Bros. B-B-Q (1238 DeKalb Ave., 404-577-4030) this week. Besides craving some 'cue, I was curious to see if anything had changed. After my first visit in September, I reported finding the brisket way too dry, despite the great flavor. Then I returned and found it moist and fork-tender.

Other critics reported the same experience. The pulled pork likewise varied from dry to moist. So I ordered the combo plate (shown here) with both meats, collards and black-eyed peas, a special. Once again, the brisket was way too dry but the pulled pork was borderline. The collards and peas were awesome.

I don't understand the broad range in quality. I lived in Texas and do not remember the brisket exhibiting this much inconsistency at my favorite restaurants. An antidote, although sacrilegious, is to buy the 'cue to go and soak it overnight in the restaurant's good sauce. This basically turns it into moist Georgia-style barbecue.

I like the restaurant and its staff, but I'm mystified.

The baristas at the Ansley Starbucks were all, um, eagerly anticipating the much publicized closing of more than 7,000 stores for three hours at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. The purpose was for all employees to undergo training ordered by Howard Schultz, the company's recently reappointed CEO, to recapture the "soul of the past," according to the New York Times.

Actually, Schultz wouldn't call it training. He told employees via a video message: “This is not about training. This is about the love and compassion and commitment that we all need to have for the customer.” Oh yeah! In a memo a year ago, he talked about losing “much of the romance and theater” at the shops that seem to dot the corner of every urban intersection.

Actually, the Times reports that sales have been slacking at Starbucks and the company is closing 100 shops, including one here on North Highland Avenue. It has also cut back expansion plans.

I asked the Starbucks baristas Tuesday what there was to learn about making espresso when the shop uses an automated machine. One explained that the barista can still control certain factors that affect the taste of the drink. One of those, certainly, is the steaming of milk. It's very true that some baristas seem more talented at that than others.

I got this from an AOL story of reader-submitted uses for food. I can vouch for the hiccup cure — it's what we use in our house.

"Peanut Butter is great for removing crayon off of wallpaper. It won't fade the color." -- June

"30-some years ago, I remember going to a 50's style dance and putting an incredible amount of vaseline in my hair to keep it slicked back. Well, the next day trying desparately to get the vaseline out, we called a beauty shop and they recommended PEANUT BUTTER. And by golly it worked." -- CK

"If you place a small amount of peanut butter on a boil that won't come to a head (or any white-head for that matter) and cover with a bandaid overnight, it should be raised by morning." -- Ali

"Peanut butter is great for taking rings and age spots off of wooden furniture. Just smear on area, let stand a bit and then wipe off. Do not use fat free; only the real thing will do." -- Alice

" Peanut butter (creamy) is an excellent product for removing tar from the areas on your car. Just apply to a soft cloth and rub to dissolve the tar. Remove any leftover residue with soap and water." -- Don

"Does pitch from pine trees ever get on your car? It's so hard to get off -- unless you rub peanut butter over it. Usea paper towel, rub in a circular motion and to get the peanut butter off your paint finish, just wash the area with warm sudsy water." -- Marianne

"Peanut butter makes a great quick fix for the hiccups. Eating 1/2 to 1 tablespoon should do the trick. Used it for years and it works every time!" -- Amy

"Polish stainless steel with peanut butter. Smear a thin layer of peanut butter on the stainless steel. Let dry thoroughly and then buff out with a cloth, exactly like you would use paste wax topolish a car." -- Ron

"Try rubbing peanut butter on leather furniture to get out pen marks, grease and dirt stains. Works great on leather car seats as well." -- Rick

"Peanut butter removes the scratches out of Plexiglas. I had a boat and used it to rub minor scratches out of the windshield and it works great." -- Tammi

"Peanut butter is great for removing gum from shoes, shirts, and even from your hair." -- Cathy

You can read the whole story here. I especially like the special uses for Coke. Anything that kills aphids and "cuts through grease and dirt" sounds like a stellar thing to drink by the big-gulp cup.