Omnivore Atlanta

Ever wonder what goes on inside Anthony Bourdain’s head?

I guess, although Tony always seemed like the kind of guy to just say what he’s thinking. That’s one of the best things about his award-winning Travel Channel show “No Reservations.” That and the look on his face when he’s gotta eat another poop shoot.

But we ask because Anthony Bourdain has a new TV series on the way in 2010, which promises a presumably elusive look into the celeb chef’s mind. The show’s animated and it looks … kinda bad. For “Anthony Bourdain’s Alternate Universe” the well-traveled chef’s animated doppelganger is some sort of too-cool-for-school, brain-eating (see Sandra Lee and Rachel Ray) Dr. Evil type. Sure, the real life Tony is also a too-cool-for-school, brain-eating Dr. Evil type, but the brief Travel Channel teaser makes cartoon Tony look like a bratty, image-obsessed Frankenstein. I prefer the weathered human curmudgeon to the salty, well-coiffed drawing. The teaser’s porn-y music doesn’t help either.

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DEADLINE IS 5 P.M. FRI., NOV. 20!

Click on the photo for more info.

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I just received this photo from a friend of mine who waits tables at the restaurant:

When I spoke to her yesterday, she told me that the clean up was moving along quickly — all the interior wood had been replaced (although it still needs to be stained), among other things — and that the restaurant was anticipating an early November re-opening. This could change a few things…

(H/T to Lindsay Saripkin; Photo by Kelly Smith)

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CL's 2008 Food Issue

Congratulations (!) to Besha Rodell whose 2008 Food Issue, My week on an all-Georgia diet, took home first place for Newspaper Food Feature under 250,000 circulation at the Association of Food Journalists conference in New Orleans. (We also hear that some guy named Obama was honored today too, although not for his food writing …) For the issue, Besha challenged herself to do that which so many preach yet so few seem to accomplish — survive on a purely local diet. She allowed herself a few basic cheats (salt, oil and yeast), but otherwise maintained a strict Georgia-grown dictum: no sugar, no pepper, not even any beer!

The result was a funny, honest, down-to-earth diary documenting her experience and experiment. She also spotlighted some of the faces behind the food on her table, such as Mike Buckner of Fielder’s Flour and beekeepers Donna and Ray Lopes. Since she came on as Creative Loafing’s restaurant critic and food editor in early 2006, Besha’s won two other AFJ awards and was nominated for a James Beard award in 2007 for her 2006 Food Issue. Congratulations Besha!

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That’s right a brand new and improved Movies & TV page! We combined all the best parts of our other sections into a comprehensive one-stop-shop for all things Movies & TV. There’s a blog feed with all of the latest Movies & TV content from Culture Surfing (”Lost,” “24,” etc.), a search engine for movie showtimes, recent reviews, links to interesting stories around the web, Film Clips, movie trailers, and a whole section dedicated to those Hollywood Products that you love!

Check it out at clatl.com/movies_tv and leave any comments you have over on our A&E blog Culture Surfing.

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For the past few months, we’ve been crashing on the couch over at our sister blog, Freshloaf. We kept the place pretty tidy for the most part, posting something A&E related every now and then. After a while, we got comfortable and started posting reviews, features and interviews. It wasn’t long before we introduced new columns covering TV, gaming and books, among other things. A&E content was strewn about Fresh Loaf like piles of laundry. Now, our Fresh Loaf roomies didn’t ask us to leave, but you know how it is when it’s not your place, per se, and your friends are stopping by all the time, leaving comments and whatnot… . It didn’t take long for us to find a new spot at clculturesurfing.com.

At CL’s Culture Surfing blog, we have the freedom to wax poetic on anything we please, from viral videos, to local theater and visual arts, to television and more. We brought along 15 of our most popular posts from Fresh Loaf to give you a taste of what we’ll be offering.

We welcome your feedback, and encourage you to leave comments on the blog or to send me an e-mail at debbie.michaud@cln.com.

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As Valentine season draws near, so does CL’s celebration of unquenchable desire, debilitating crushes and white-hot attraction: our seventh annual Lust List.

We’re not looking for strippers, models, actors or anyone who makes money off their looks. We want to hear about the unappreciated goddesses of the service industry, the unsung gods of blue collar grime, the angels of retail, the hunks of hourly wages.

Tell us where and how we can find the objects of your lust, as well as what makes them hot. And if possible, upload a photo. We don’t care where it comes from — Flickr, Facebook, MySpace, clandestine camera phone shot, etc. Or, if that’s too complicated for you, just add a link to a pic in the comment field.

Deadline for online ballot submission is January 23.

Check out Creative Loafing’s Feb. 11 issue to see if your crush made the cut!

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Aria (490 E. Paces Ferry Road. 404-233-7673. www.aria-atl.com) hosts a wine dinner next Wed., Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. featuring seven Freeman Winery selections alongside chef Gerry Klaskala’s five-course, $85 menu. Winery proprietor Ken Freeman will also be on hand to discuss his Burgundian-style offerings. The wining and dining’s limited to an intimate 14 people, so reservations are highly recommended.

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As Valentine season draws near, so does CL’s celebration of unquenchable desire, debilitating crushes and white-hot attraction: our seventh annual Lust List.

We’re not looking for strippers, models, actors or anyone who makes money off their looks. We want to hear about the unappreciated goddesses of the service industry, the unsung gods of blue collar grime, the angels of retail, the hunks of hourly wages.

Tell us where and how we can find the objects of your lust, as well as what makes them hot. And if possible, upload a photo. We don’t care where it comes from — Flickr, Facebook, MySpace, clandestine camera phone shot, etc. Or, if that’s too complicated for you, just add a link to a pic in the comment field.

Deadline for online ballot submission is January 23.

Check out Creative Loafing’s Feb. 11 issue to see if your crush made the cut!

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Miss Ann’s Ghetto Burger. Mulligans’ late and much-lamented deep-fried ham dog. Richard Blais’ foie gras milkshake. Atlanta sure has a knack for creating some wack (but delicious!) food.

The Travel Channel took notice and sent “Man v. Food” host Adam Richman down for a visit. The episode, which airs tonight at 10 p.m., features Gladys Knight and Ron Winan’s Chicken & Waffles, the Vortex Bar & Grill, and a stop at Big Pie in the Sky Pizzeria where Richman and his pal will take on the 11-pound Carnivore Pizza.

If you don’t have cable, or if you simply prefer the atmosphere, both the Midtown and L5P Vortex Bar & Grill locations will be showing tonight’s episode.

“Man v. Food”

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Creative Loafing Atlanta is looking for a visual arts writer with the knowledge, wit and point-of-view to become Atlanta’s next great arts critic.

Check out PopSmart for more info.

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Ted Hafer, owner of Athens’ wildly popular vegetarian restaurant the Grit, was found dead on the side of the road in downtown Athens this morning. Here’s the report from the Athens Banner-Herald:

Athens-Clarke police have identified the man who plunged from the top of the College Avenue Parking Deck as 42-year-old Ted Hafer.

Hafer’s body was discovered on a sidewalk on East Washington Street at about 10:40 this morning. Hafer was the owner of The Grit restaurant on Prince Avenue.

Police have ruled out foul play in the fall, though police would not say this afternoon whether authorities believe Hafer’s death was an accident or suicide.

Read the entire story here. (Please try to ignore the horribly insensitive headline “Man who plunged from parking deck identified as Grit owner.”)

The Grit has been an Athens staple for more than 20 years, famous for its “Golden Bowl,” a heaping bowl of tofu and veggies over brown rice smothered in gravy, and for its rock ‘n’ roll clientèle. Hafer co-authored the restaurant’s cookbook, The Grit Cookbook (Hill Street Press, 2001), with wife Jessica Greene, and it includes recipes for such delights as black-bean chili, Grit yeast gravy and Grit-style tofu. This is a sad, sad day for Athens vegetarians and nonvegetarians alike, as Hafer’s restaurant is loved by both. We’re sure he will be missed.

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