Quick Bites: Changes at King + Duke, Simply Seoul at Ponce City Market, and more

• James Camp/CL File
• King + Duke

King + Duke’s executive chef, Joe Schafer, has departed the Ford Fry-owned restaurant on amicable terms. Drew Belline, who was recently named VP of Culinary at Fry’s Rocket Farm Restaurants group, has assumed Schafer’s role at the 3060 Peachtree Road eatery as the company hunts for a new top toque.

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Sixteen months after a fire badly damaged the building that houses the Little Five Points location of Corner Tavern is getting a long-overdue facelift. Co-owner Melanie Rabb said the $350,000 renovation is finally underway, and will result in new features such as a rooftop patio and a possible VIP room. An early November opening is projected for the pub at 1174 Euclid Ave. Updates as they arise.

Old Fourth Distillery is rapidly nearing the opening of its bottling facility and tasting room at 487 Edgewood Ave. which, as the first in-town distillery since 1906, will usher in a new era for Atlanta spirits. (As reported last week, it will precede the arrival of American Spirit Works, the forthcoming 199 Armour Drive facility of American Spirit Whiskey, which is slated to open by early 2016.) Old Fourth Distillery was actively bottling on Thursday, September 4, and the rest of the operation is on track to debut shortly. Vodka with infusions will be available first, followed by gin, and whiskey. Details as they arise.

Buckhead’s Mae’s Bakery (2770 Lenox Road) fell victim to a daylight break-in on Tuesday, September 2, WSB-TV reports (H/T to Eater). Masked gunmen reportedly broke a window at the 2770 Lenox Road establishment, darted inside, swiped funds from the cash register (totaling less than $200), and stole the wallets of customers in the store. This marks the second Buckhead restaurant robbing in a week; According to The AJC, Smashburger (?2625 Piedmont Road) was burglarized overnight on August 26.

Two months after its pending arrival was first announced, Dallas-based restaurant Princi Italia is on track to open in place of the originally planned location of Taco Diner. The corner spot at 77 12th St. will be renovated at a cost of approximately $550,000. We’ll provide a timeline and further details as they arise.

Simply Seoul Kitchen, the brick-and-mortar venture from Holeman & Finch alumna and kimchi chef Hannah Chung, will open at Ponce City Market (675 Ponce de Leon Ave.) in February 2015, Atlanta magazine reports. The young Chung’s products already have an ardent following; it sells at a number of natural food stores and farmers’ markets. The Ponce City Market stall will be a prime source for her steamed buns in flavors like “vegan mushroom with kimchi, Riverview Farms beef bulgogi with kimchi, and Riverview Farms pork with spicy Korean barbecue sauce and daikon radish kimchi slaw,” with a few more flavors on the way.

A location of Grub Burger Bar is coming to Loehmann’s Plaza in North Druid Hills. The Texas-based chain already operates one Atlanta location at 2955 Cobb Parkway (which opened in April), and its second one will soon replace Lettuce Souprise You at 2470 Briarcliff Road, which closed July 31. The 4,000-square-foot space will receive renovations soon, and the new burger joint should open in February 2015. New neighbor The Fresh Market will follow in April or May.

Szechuane favorite Gu’s Bistro is planning a vacation from September 15 to October 7. The 5750 Buford Highway eatery will be closed for this three-week period. In related news, the restaurant’s spinoff concept, Gu’s Dumplings, is slated to open at Krog Street Market by October.

On the heels of its most recent opening at 1248 Clairmont Ave. in Decatur, Arden’s Garden is readying to debut an outpost on the Westside “soon,” What Now Atlanta reports. The juice shop at 969 Marietta St. will be followed by four additional in-the-works locations—slated to occupy Emory Walk, Collier Road, Auburn Ave., and Vinings. The new stores will mark 12 total locations for the metro area.

High Road Craft Ice Cream will launch its new Scoop Shop and Factory Store on Saturday, September 20 at 1730 West Oak Commons Court in Marietta. The nationally lauded, chef-approved treats are available in a superb variety of flavors, from Vanilla Fleur de Sel to Roasted Coconut Makrut.