Woodfire Grill

The two young restaurateurs were wise enough to keep chef de cuisine Kevin Gillespie, a Georgia native who had cooked on and off with Tuohy since 2005. A mere 26, he was a James Beard Award semi-finalist this year for the rising star chef of the year, an honor that goes to those talent age 30.

Gillespie possesses an innate sense of what tastes well together, and follows Tuohy's farm-to-table mantra to the letter. He's also extremely smart and well spoken, telling me by phone last week of his former mentor: "Michael had an extremely formative role in how this city views food."

True. But where Tuohy's greatest asset became his stature as a spokesperson for a movement dear to him, Gillespie's talents are closer to the kitchen. He is, technically, a better chef than Tuohy.

Proof lies in delicately seared Sonoma Valley foie gras, perfectly silky, mated with dried cherry puree that could make shoe leather taste good. Gillespie's touch is graceful (his eye and palate), offering smaller portions presented artfully in wisps of crushed candied almond delicately strewn in an angle across the plate. This is not coy, cute cooking; Gillespie's efforts are sophisticated, intricately derived and planned and seasonally motivated.

He delivers wood-grilled duck breast (it's roasted on a spit) in its best, yet rarest, form: medium rare, delightfully lacking the fattiness and tough texture with which it's so often associated. Prettily dashed across thin slices of the bird is a winter-cum-spring-inspired carrot-ginger relish. Roasted artichokes — the first sign of spring — are served over local arugula, with an herby salsa verde to go with creamy béarnaise.

Inspired by super chef Thomas Keller, a "liquid gingerbread cookie" is the spicy base note of a sauce to accompany pork tenderloin over rutabaga with roasted sunchokes. Gillespie makes a ginger-laced cookie that he crushes in a food processor, then adds liquid. A cleverly bundled, tiny cabbage "dumpling" filled with chicken is a delicious accompaniment.

On one visit I stumbled on a tasting of a few of the wines of Northeastern Italy presented by Quinones, who is affably wine-wise, but not to the point of stuffiness. Instead, the tasting was very relaxed and casual — and an insane bargain at $15 dollars per person (tasting eight wines, including a wonderfully bold Amarone della Valpolicella from Zenato).

Pastry chef Brittany Emerson, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, was experimenting with a new tartlet, which was brought in place of her wonderfully tangy lemon meringue. Instead, a creamy, cheesy mascarpone filling with an exceptionally buttery crust was served with pistachio ice cream.

The meat and cheese provender and cafe placed in the front of restaurant is thankfully gone, and Quinones and Moussa have opened a long-shuttered back deck for outdoor dining, strewn with tiny lights. But the smell of the wood fire still wafts through the night air, from the parking lot through the dining room.

I miss Tuohy — he was one of our city's greatest culinary assets. But I'm glad to know that his kitchen — and restaurant — is minded by people who care as much as he did about cuisine.

WOODFIRE GRILL

Overall rating:

Food:

Seasonal, contemporary American

Service:

Very good, though sometimes a little slow between courses

Price range:

$$-$$$

Credit cards:

Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club

Hours of operation:

5:30-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 5:30-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday

Best dishes:

The menu is currently changing to reflect spring offerings. On my visits, I enjoyed crisp fried hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, cream of celery soup, foie gras, wood-grilled duck breast and a three-course chef's tasting

Vegetarian selections:

Grilled kale, roasted sunchokes, Anson Mills polenta with mascarpone

Children:

Yes

Parking:

Complimentary valet

Reservations:

Yes

Wheelchair access:

Yes

Smoking:

No smoking

Noise level:

Low

Patio:

Yes

Takeout:

Yes, from the bar menu

Address, telephone:

1782 Chesire Bridge Road, Atlanta, 404-347-9055

Web site:

KEY TO RATINGS

Outstanding:

Sets the standard for fine dining in the region.

Excellent:

One of the best in the Atlanta area.

Very good:

Merits a drive if you're looking for this kind of dining.

Good:

A worthy addition to its neighborhood, but food may be hit or miss.

Fair:

The food is more miss than hit.

Restaurants that do not meet these criteria may be rated

Poor

.

PRICING CODE:

$$$$$

means more than $75;

$$$$

means $75 and less;

$$$

means $50 and less;

$$

means $25 and less;

$

means $15 and less. (The price code represents a meal for one that includes appetizer, entree and dessert without including tax, tip and cocktails.)