Omnivore Atlanta

I haven’t confirmed it, but I heard from a reliable source this evening that the Holy Taco folks in East Atlanta Village have inquired about taking over the Grant Park location that was most recently Lamplighter. The source said Carmen Cappello, the chef-owner of Lamplighter, will not be reopening at the location, despite earlier announcements he would start a burger operation…

Speaking of burgers, Richard Blais reports that three new locations of Flip will open in the next year — one in Washington, DC; one on the east side of Atlanta; and one in another city yet to be determined.

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HOW SWEET IT IS: The peekytoe crab cake at Market

Remember when “chain restaurant” referred to McDonald’s and Burger King? Stand on any corner in just about any city and you’ll see at least two members of fast-food chains facing one another. These days, they all seem to be competing by offering lunch specials that will feed a family of 10 for $3.50.

Now you can stand in Buckhead and see expensive gourmet chain restaurants staring one another down. Among the latest to open is Market in the W Buckhead (3377 Peachtree Road, 404-523-3600). It’s across the street from Craft. Both restaurants are part of New York-based chains owned by big-name chefs — Tom Colicchio in the case of Craft and Jean-Georges Vongerichten in Market’s case.

This is Vongerichten’s second Atlanta restaurant. His other venue here, Spice Market, opened in early 2008 at the W Hotel in Midtown and features mainly Asian flavors. (He also operates a Market in Paris.) The newbie’s menu, while also includes some Asian flavors, is described as a compendium of “greatest hits” from Vongerichten’s popular New York restaurants including JoJo, Vong and Jean Georges.

Market’s interior was designed by Karim Rashid, well known to New Yorkers for his ultra-modern, slightly Jetson work in multiple disciplines. The operative word here is curvilinear. I’m sure you’ll find a straight line somewhere in the two-level restaurant, but it won’t be easy. Some of the super-graphics remind me of those biomorphic psychedelic projections you used to see on stage when groups like Jefferson Airplane performed. You remember those, right? Picture yourself inside a very colorful lava lamp. (more…)

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BUN IN THE OVEN: Shrimp burger with Nutella shake and fried rutabegas

At a time when restaurants are struggling, when many people’s dining budgets are severely curtailed, it’s quite a feat to be the guy who’s drawing a two-hour wait on a Monday night.

That guy is Richard Blais, molecular gastronomist, reality TV star, inventor of the foie gras milkshake, and now, purveyor of hamburgers so pedigreed they require a “boutique” to sell them.

Flip Burger Boutique is Blais’ first project since leaving Tom Catherall’s Home, where he stopped by for a while after almost winning Bravo’s “Top Chef.” There’s a vast difference between Home’s forced nature and boring Buckhead sensibility and Flip’s freewheeling nuttiness. Located on a congested strip of Howell Mill Road between tire shops and used car lots, Flip’s clean modern lines and playful aesthetic are apparent before you even turn into the parking lot. Once inside, it’s obvious that fun is the objective. (more…)

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ON THE FLIP SIDE: A selection of Blais' burgers

Pity Richard Blais. The brilliant runner-up in Bravo’s “Top Chef: Chicago” has a local history of jumping from one restaurant kitchen to the next.

Critics – by which I mean average foodies – grouse repeatedly about Blais’ peripatetic ways. They want him to stick to one kitchen for a few years, pushing out the same menu night after night, refining his skills, holding his nose to the grindstone, learning to be miserable, laboring under owners who wave market receipts in his face and scream, “Less liquid nitrogen! I beg you! It’s eating up our profits!”

My guess is that Blais would stick around a restaurant that (a) gave him enough freedom to experiment fully and (b) attracted the kind of business his work deserves. In the meantime, who can blame him for enjoying himself by following his bliss? Go, Richard.

His title at Flip (1587 Howell Mill Rd., 404-352-3547) is “creative director.” He has designed a menu for owner Barry Mills that features wacky and mainly delicious takes on the classic American burger. I’ve visited the restaurant twice and found Blais cooking both visits. While I’m all for this concept, I think it would be ridiculous for Blais to devote his talents exclusively to this undertaking, no matter how much foodies think he should chain himself to one stove. (more…)

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I’ve been to Flip, Richard Blais’ new restaurant, and I’ve seen the future of the hamburger … and the milkshake.

Two visits, with six other people, have allowed me to sample just about all of the menu, which I’ll be reviewing in my Grazing column week after next.

A few random observations:

Make a reservation! I had 30-minute waits on Friday afternoon and Monday night. Yes, that’s right. The most deserted night of the week in Atlanta restaurants is packed at Flip.

Best regular sides: The smoked Caesar salad with a couple of amazing tempura-fried anchovies and the fried rutabagas.

Best milkshake: The Nutella with burnt marshmallows. The Krispy Kreme, which literally includes a blended doughnut, was way too sweet for my taste. Not that I didn’t consume every drop.

Best burger: So far, my favorite has been the “lamburger” with green-olive relish, cucumber yogurt, raisin ketchup and mint. A close second is the Southern one, “country-fried” and topped with pimento cheese and green-tomato ketchup (above).

Best non-meat burger: Maybe the codfish with malt vinegar, tartar sauce and pea-shoot salad.

Best hair: Richard Blais’ faux-hawk has grown to wonderfully Eraser-Head dimensions. He said he’s been unable to find the time to do anything but cook, so the broken windshield wiper on his car and his hair remain unattended. My server during my first visit, Neil McCarty (left), swore that Blais is not requiring other staffers to share his hairstyle. It’s just a coincidence that Neil, who I think typifies the spirit of the new “burger boutique,” shares the look.

(Photos by Cliff Bostock)

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She’s not making any proclamations about the food yet, but there’s some cool photos to check out and the full menu on Bliss’ post about her first visit to Flip.

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I’m sure you’ve noticed that a lot of restaurants are offering recession-fighting prix fixe menus these days.

I’m a sucker for them much of the time. These menus usually tempt diners by offering them an extra course, usually dessert, basically for free. If you stick with just ordering an appetizer and an entree from the regular menu, nine times out of 10, you’ll end up spending about the same amount of money — sometimes less — and getting a better range of choices. And, of course, if you just ordered an entree, you’d save even more money.

Oh well. We visited The Shed at Glenwood recently and both of us ordered the $24 prix fixe menu, mainly because we wanted the restaurant’s excellent profiteroles made with Valrhona chocolate sauce and espresso ice cream. The rest of our meal was great, too: a pan-seared, free-range chicken breast with butternut squash for me and (cod)fish ‘n’ chips for Wayne.

The restaurant posts its special menu on its website daily … .

I returned to La Pietra Cucina with friends last week and, as usual, had a phenomenal meal. I ordered the short ribs, but this amazing snapper with caponata and a creamy tomato sauce (left) also made its way to the table.

A dish of brussel sprouts with butternut squash puree and gnocchi (below) was, hands down, the best treatment of the vegetable I’ve ever encountered … .

Note to Publix: Find a new supplier of Fuji apples. Kroger’s are about 10 times better than yours. While you’re at it, put cherries back in your nuts and dried fruit bins … .

Flip is open! Everywhere I go, people are taking bets about how long Richard Blais will remain at the restaurant. His technical title is “creative director,” so I’m not sure we’re even supposed to expect him to remain there as chef … .

I had probably the worst meal and service I’ve had in years at a new Buckhead restaurant last week. We’re talking entree side dishes served literally in little butter cups and service so bad that my annoyance turned into resigned embarassment. You’ll have to wait for next week’s Grazing column to learn the identity.

(Photos by Cliff Bostock)

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Craft and Craftbar are set to open on Monday. They will be open for dinner 7 days a week. Craftbar will open for lunch Jan. 5.

Flip was set to open this week but the date was pushed back until next Wednesday.

Stay tuned for early reports of both.

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I ran into Richard Blais outside the Ansley Starbucks today and he said his new burger joint, FLIP, will be opening next Thursday, Dec. 4, in West Atlanta.

He had just been playing in the kitchen of the restaurant at 1157 Howell Mill Rd. and has added descriptions of a few menu items on his blog. I don’t know about you, but I’ve gone too long without a $28, Wagyu and foie gras burger with shaved truffles.

Read Carly’s earlier post for more information about FLIP.

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Goodbye Big Mac, hello FLIP.

Restaurant industry veteran, Barry Mills teams up with Richard Blais (former chef of HOME and “Top Chef: Chicago” contestant) at Atlanta’s new “burger boutique,” FLIP. As creative director, Blais’ modernized burger menu is chocked full of unique twists on the American classic, creating sandwiches that can only be described as elegance on a bun. Here’s a sneak peak at a few of Blais’ featured burgers:

Po “boyger” with grilled shrimp, fried lemon and spicy tartar sauce

Lamb burger with green olive relish and raisin ketchup on a rosemary bun

Kobe burger, utilizing fresh beef from Japan, dressed with herbal butter, red onion marmalade and blue cheese.

The burgers are made tiny in hopes of encouraging diners to sample more than just one. And there’s even a MILKSHAKE BAR. Check out these milkshake flavors: Krispy Kreme, Peach and White Chocolate, and Sweet Tea?!

For the restaurant, Mills envisioned an ultra-hip space that “doesn’t take itself too seriously,” and enlisted design firm ai3, Inc. to deliver. FLIP is slated to open in late November.

FLIP is located on the west side of Atlanta at 1587 Howell Mill Road. Open for lunch and dinner Sun.-Thurs., 11:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m., and Fri. & Sat., 11:30 a.m.-11:00 p.m. www.flipburgerboutique.com.

Read what Blais has to say about FLIP on his blogsite.

(Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

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You may have already heard, but Richard Blais has resigned as chef at Home. You can read the full AJC story here. As I made quite clear in my review of Home, I never thought Blais’ talent was properly showcased there.

Last week I got a new reason to get excited for whatever comes next for Blais. A friend took me to Eno’s foie gras dinner on Thursday – six courses of foie prepared by six Atlanta chefs. It was an interesting night and I feel as though I’m still recovering. I haven’t wanted to eat much since then – each course on its own would probably have been wonderful, but six courses was a bit much.

The one course that stood out was prepared by Richard Blais, and it made me terribly nostalgic for Element and Blais totally unrestrained. It was classic Blais – very lightly poached lobster tail over sweet corn puree with maple foam, pickled lichee, and shaved foie (it had been frozen and grated, and looked like the shaved chocolate on top of a black forest cake). The flavors together were so bizarre and disorienting and ultimately delicious. The lichee made the dish, despite being the weirdest thing on the plate.

As of this post, Blais’ only definite project is Flip, the gourmet burger joint. But I’ve heard he’s looking for a “small restaurant” space. We’ll keep you posted as we find out more.

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