New url for Peach Buzz
Bookmark this new url for Peach Buzz.. We have moved to Wordpress!
Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2006 > October > 12 > Entry
Eager patrons descend for 12 tastemakers’ best
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“Culinaire,” the chef-stuffed Taste of Atlanta opening night party at Atlantic Station’s Twelve Hotel, proved to be one-stop shopping for the scoop Tuesday night. Twelve of Atlanta’s top chefs were assembled around the hotel’s ballroom, offering samples of signature dishes from their eateries at the preview event for this weekend’s food festivities.
First up, we chatted with Rathbun’s and Krog Bar owner Kevin Rathbun as he and his assistants served up Chinese takeout boxes filled with Thai squid salad. As he preps Kevin Rathbun Steak, his upcoming third Inman Park eatery on Krog Street, the chef told of his recent field trip to City Hall to apply for various licenses.
“I asked what we could do about changing the name of the street from Krog to Rathbun,” he cracked. “I was told, ‘Kevin, that’s never gonna happen!’ It never hurts to ask, though.”
At the Restaurant Eugene booth, owner/chef Linton Hopkins was doling out sinful samples of roasted kabocha squash with house-cured country ham drizzled with a buttermilk hollandaise.
But the longest lines were formed by the patient foodies craving a taste of Aria’s ricotta spinach ravioli with veal meatballs. “I think the lines are long because they can smell it,” chef Gerry Klaskala theorized as he handed us a sample of his grandmother’s delectable, cooked-all-day family recipe. “Now, stop writing and taste!”
Not only was the taste worth the wait, we contemplated licking our Styrofoam plate.
With us in line were Vinings couple Johan and James Brown, who were also busy lapping up tastes from some of the city’s top restaurants at their inaugural Taste of Atlanta outing. “We love sampling great food,” James told us as Johan arrived with samples of butternut squash soup courtesy of Taurus restaurant. “They used to have a similar event in Boca Raton [Fla.] that we always attended. It’s a wonderful way to check out new places.”
A good ‘Report Card’
As we rounded a corner in the Twelve Hotel ballroom, we bumped into a guy who inspires endless eye twitching from the metro area’s restaurant owners. Yes, among the attendees was CBS 46 consumer reporter Adam Murphy, who does the TV station’s frequently stomach-churning “Restaurant Report Card” segments, where he discloses lousy local food inspection scores.
“All the restaurants here are top-notch so they probably don’t have a problem with me being here at all,” Murphy told us. “You’re probably not going to see a rat writhing in agony on top of a stove here!”
Murphy says he practices what he preaches on air and checks out a restaurant’s posted inspection score before he sits down anywhere.
Well, except, like the rest of us, when it comes to those late-night cravings. “Sure, like anybody else, I’ll hit a drive-through occasionally,” Murphy said. “That’s when you’re taking a gamble, though.”
Food fight!
We also witnessed some good old-fashioned, homemade trash-talking from CBS 46 meteorologist Gene Norman and B98.5 FM’s Will Gara, who will face off this Saturday at 5 p.m. during a “Taste of Atlanta” cook-off. “I’m going to wipe the floor with him,” Norman told us confidently. His wife, Elaine, says her hubby’s turkey lasagna and dirty rice are tops with her.
Bragged the prepared Norman: “I may also do a more fall-like dish since I’ve already taken a look at the long-range Doppler Radar forecast and noticed we’ll have cooler temps this weekend.” Countered Gara: “I’m not scared of that weatherman. I’ve got my grandma on speed-dial!”
Taste of Atlanta events will be sprinkled all throughout Atlantic Station this Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more info: www.tasteofatlanta.org.
Fresh out of food
As it turns out, it was best that we had a few nibbles under our Buzz belt. By the time we popped into the one-year anniversary party for MetroFresh in Midtown, a human tornado had already gutted owner Mitchell Anderson’s popular Monroe Drive eatery. Aside from a few stray chips, 250 attendees had scarfed every scrap of food in the place. The refrigerated cases were even cleaned out.
A still slack-jawed Anderson told us: “It was wild. The restaurant was jammed with customers, the patio was jammed with customers, and there were people sitting on the curb out in the parking lot balancing plates on their laps!” The party served as a thank-you for the popular takeout joint’s successful first year.
The smartest thing Anderson said he did in his debut year? MetroFresh’s daily e-mail menu and message he now sends to more than 2,000 customers. Assessed Anderson: “It’s a way to personally connect with everyone who walks in the door. That way, everybody is a part of this place.”
Overscene
Poncey-Highland resident Jane Fonda, her daughter Vanessa Vadim and the Oscar winner’s grandchildren, dining safely a few feet away from Anderson’s party Tuesday night at Nam in Midtown Promenade. After dinner, the family took in a film at Midtown Art Cinema.
Celebrity birthdays
Comedian-activist Dick Gregory is 74. Singer Sam Moore of Sam and Dave is 71. Opera singer Luciano Pavarotti is 71. News correspondent Chris Wallace is 59. Actor Hugh Jackman (“The X-Men”) is 38.
Contributing: News services. If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
Permalink | |
