Gossip
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
News / Gossip Chef Jeffery Wall leaving La Fourchette
Posted by Stephanie Dazey on Wed, May 16, 2012 at 2:31 PM
Just short of two years after taking the helm at La Fourchette in Buckhead, chef Jeffery Wall (formerly of Joel Brasserie) announced his resignation on Tuesday. "If anyone wants to have dinner cooked by me," Wall said on Tues., "better make it before may 28. After that I'll be a part of another beastly crew without the helm in my hands. I look forward to it."
So where will Wall land? We hear that La Fourchette's loss could be Empire State South's gain, but only time will tell! More details as they arise.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Gossip One Eared Stag fights closing rumors
Posted by Laura Horton on Wed, Jan 18, 2012 at 2:09 PM
- James Camp
- One Eared Stag
The posting, which Buddha acknowledges is an unconfirmed rumor, says the Inman Park restaurant will supposedly close in February. Phalen says there's no truth to the report. Fans and staff have taken to the comments section, shooting down the rumor with venomous responses - including addressing the blogger as "foodie butthead" and "fattie buddha."
From what we've heard, One Eared Stag is safe. Sure hope so, because where else will Besha get "insane" and memorable dishes like chicken livers over risotto with bacon powder? This city needs a little bacon powder.
Gossip Boners BBQ owner can't quit digging
Posted by Scott Henry on Wed, Jan 18, 2012 at 1:49 PM
Dear fellow BBQ enthusiast,
You may have recently heard some pretty bad things about us via the internet, or maybe you didn't because you were hard at work and dealing with much more important issues. I would like to acknowledge my mistake of "felony bad judgment" and have publicly apologized for my bad behavior.
My mama always told me that "if you don't have anything nice to say than don't say anything at all," however, we are all guilty of not listening to our parents. Truth be told the restaurant business is a tough business to be in and I had a bad day as we all do. I lashed out at someone directly and what I should have done is lash out at the system instead. The great thing about this country is our right to freedom of speech. No one should ever be penalized for speaking his or her mind, right or wrong, left or right.What really matters is that BBQ, and food in general, is about passion and there is no one more passionate about food than me. I wear my heart, passion and pig on my sleeve and am very proud to be a part of the BBQ community. I would like to offer Atlanta BBQ members a one time 20% off discount at Boners BBQ so that you can come and see/taste for yourself what we're all about and then make up your own mind.
Andrew Capron
OK. My initial concern is that his very first sentence comes off as glib. Actually, any description of the situation other than, "You may have heard that we behaved deplorably toward a paying customer," would sound a little self-serving.
But the part that really bothers me is his contention that, "No one should ever be penalized for speaking his or her mind." Where do people get the notion that the First Amendment entitles them to say anything they like — no matter how inappropriate, hurtful or douchey — without fear of being criticized for being inappropriate, hurtful or douchey? It doesn't work that way.
My advice to the Boners crew: You might want to quit talking publicly about this unfortunate episode before you pull another boner. Or hire a PR agency.
Although coupons never hurt.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Gossip Tiny Cardamom Hill opens with intriguing menu, ambitious cocktails
Posted by Scott Henry on Thu, Jan 5, 2012 at 3:42 PM
I was surprised to find Cardamom Hill located in a small, strip center storefront a couple doors down from the Little Azio at Northside Drive and I-75. To overcome this liability, owners Asha and Bobby Gomez had much of the dining area walled in with rustic wooden room dividers. As a result, the place has only 54 seats. Will that seem claustrophobic or cozy? Last night was not terribly representative, so I'm afraid I can't say.
As usual, I beat a path to the bar — not simply because drinks were free, but because the barkeep is the dapper Brian Stanger, who's mixed at Abattoir, Top Flr and, most recently, the new Bourbon Bar at the Intercontinental. He jumped at the chance to work at this tiny newcomer, he says, because he'd been itching to have carte blanche to run his own bar program, and because he hankered to use exotic fruits that would earn weird looks in most bars.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
News / Gossip / Food & Life Cameron Diaz's culinary tour of Atlanta
Posted by Stephanie Dazey on Tue, Sep 6, 2011 at 12:14 PM
- Angela George/Wikimedia Commons
Where in the world is Cameron Diaz? I know you’ve all been losing sleep over this one, but you can put your worries to bed. The AJC reports that Diaz is filming in Atlanta today, as she has been on and off for the past few weeks. And thanks to a handful of Atlanta’s most dedicated Tweet-a-holics, we are able to track not only where she's at, but also what she's eating. Thus far, Diaz has been ogled at the following ATL eateries:
It seems as though CD is on the hunt for down home, Southern cooking. Might we suggest a few of our favorite Southern and Southern-tinged restaurants? Cameron! Darling! We got you girl.
Fried chicken? Busy Bee Cafe Check out the CL review here.
Elegant modern Southern? Cakes & Ale. Check out the CL review here.
Barbecue? Community Q BBQ Check out the CL review here.
Creative modern Southern, kick ass wine list? Empire State South Check out the CL review here.
Any Diaz sightings out there? C'mon, folks, give us your celebrity obsessed swoonings in the comments. Oh, and Cameron, feel free to let us know how you like all these places we've suggested. Thanks, doll.
Friday, September 2, 2011
News / Gossip / Gravy Train Gravy Train: Changes at So Ba, Farm Burger Buckhead opens today
Posted by Stephanie Dazey on Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 7:35 AM
- courtesy of So Ba
- So Ba
Nhan Le, owner of So Ba, is planning on creating an every night industry night at his restaurant in East Atlanta Village. Le is totally revamping the restaurant's patio, bringing in local artists to decorate, and creating a kind of restaurant within a restaurant from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. Monday-Saturday. Helping him with his endeavor is chef Angus Brown, who currently works at Miller Union. The new menu will cater to the libertine palates of all the night-crawling restaurant folks who find themselves wandering the streets, famished and thoroughly parched after a hard night's work. Between them Brown and Le are planning a menu with Asian, French and Italian small plates and family style meals such as whole fish and whole chicken. The patio-turned party should be open in a couple of weeks - Le hopes to launch right around the East Atlanta Strut. Hooray for industry nights that don't include Jägermeister!
Farm Burger Buckhead is open as of today with Dan Latham at the helm as chef.
Houqua Tea Room opens on Sept. 6 and is located below Saba in Emory Village. Hoqua will feature more than fifty different varieties of "loose" teas, specializing in teas of the orthodox manufacture. Ortho-what? Orthodox manufacture is to tea, as viticulture is to wine.
Watch your back, Fork and Screen, Cobb Theatres’ CinéBistro is coming to town. The motion picture exhibitor plans to open its “dinner-and-a-movie” concept at Town Brookhaven (next to Oglethorpe University) in late September. CinéBistro will feature first-run and independent films in addition to offering full-service, in-theatre dining, American bistro cuisine courtesy executive chef Isaac Stewart, fine wines, and signature cocktails.
Fifth Group Restaurants announced Wednesday that executive chef Craig
Richards of La Tavola Trattoria will replace chef Micah Willix as the executive chef at Ecco beginning Sept. 26. Chef Brent Banda, who has worked as Richards’ sous chef at La Tavola for the past three years will replace Richards as the restaurant’s executive chef. No word yet on where Willix will land.
Chef Mark Nanna has left FLIP Burger Boutique, where he has lead the kitchen since its opening in December 2008. Eater Atlanta caught up with Nanna, and spoke with him about why he left. Nanna cited that he and management “had reached an unfortunate impasse in regards to the vision they had for [his] position.”
Friday, August 26, 2011
News / Gossip / Gravy Train Gravy Train: Chef-tastic ice cream from High Road, Sweeney to Cakes & Ale
Posted by Laura Horton on Fri, Aug 26, 2011 at 10:59 AM
Cakes & Ale formally announced David Sweeney’s role at the new location, which will be to lead lunch at The Bakery portion of the restaurant. The Bakery is described as having its own identity and offering a casual, comfortable place for the pastry chefs to showcase their talents. The lunch menu will go beyond pastries, offering sandwiches, soups, and salads made with local ingredients.
Open Table released their Diner’s Choice list of top restaurants for late night dining, and a few Atlanta spots made the cut. Cafe Circa, HOBNOB, Loca Luna and Shout were all included in the nationwide list.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Gossip Secret fig cook and more
Posted by Cliff Bostock on Thu, Jul 28, 2011 at 10:31 AM
- Lance Gummere
- Giant among figs
It seems Gummere ordered 20 lbs. of figs that, thanks to the rain, split open, making them unsuitable for dinnerplate presentation, but fine for preserves. Goldman offered her help and labored in the kitchen until midnight. She did a good job.
In related news, Gummere sent me the accompanying photo of the giant fig that entered his kitchen....
About a zillion people have asked me what's going on with the old San Francisco Coffee location on North Highland south of Ponce. It's Richard Blais' Haute Doggery, of course. Alas, the bistro de les hot dogs is not opening in August, after all. Sometime...in...the...fall....
James Oxendine has an interview in Atlanta Magazine's "Covered Dish" blog with Marc Taft, owner of the new Chicken and the Egg in Marietta. Taft was formerly manager of Pacci and has hired several former fellow employees, including executive chef Joseph Ramaglia.
The new restaurant's promotional material promises "modern farmstead fare." I wish Oxendine had asked Taft about his inspiration to do that. I know it's a fad and I think it's commendable that chefs have turned to organic, sustainable, local, transcendentally gustatory ingredients, but, as Jason Hill of Wisteria told me recently, there's so much pressure to subscribe to the movement that it's not unusual for restaurants to lie about their sourcing....
Popeyes is moving its headquarters to Dunwoody, reports the twittering AJC. That means Popeyes will be the AJC's neighbor, since our "city newspaper" moved there itself last year. Meow.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Gossip / Food media Rumor: Cumberland Island's Whitney Otawka to appear on next season of 'Top Chef?'
Posted by Besha Rodell on Wed, Jul 27, 2011 at 1:37 PM
- Courtesy Greyfield Inn
- Whitney Otawka
I have eaten this woman's food and she's the real deal, at least in the kitchen if not on the grand stage of reality television. Here's hoping the rumors are true.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Gossip Watershed to open new restaurant?
Posted by Cliff Bostock on Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 2:39 PM
I hope this happens for real, since I would love to see Truex bring back the cooking which made his defunct restaurant, Repast, one of my favorites in the city.
