We all know that Sublime Doughnuts is the bestest doughnut shop in the ATL! Now, thanks to the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim team … the whole world knows it! WITNESS:
Oh yeah … Bakeshop has left Concentrics Restaurants! Don’t believe me? Well, I said it on twitter, so it must be true!
Somewhat beneath the surface, just under the wave of pizzerias and the influx of burger joints, Atlanta’s bakery scene is seeing an infusion of new life. With establishments like Bakeshop in Midtown leading the way, this new brand of baking is in stark contrast to what you and I may remember as the quintessential bakery. While some of my fondest memories were youthful excursions to Rhodes Family Bakery (website) on Cheshire Bridge, the glorified home kitchens and come as you are personas are being pushed around by big budgets and treated woods.
Don’t believe me? Look what happened to Holeman + Finch Bakery. While that no frills storefront suffered from location woes, they too were a bake first, look good second kind of a place. Consequently, their front windows have been boarded up, leaving those of us who crave delicious goodies scampering to places like Savor Specialty Foods.
Bakeries are no longer places to pick up your favorite treats, talk to your baker about the fam, and dream of all that hippy dippy stuff. They are now as much sandwich shop and coffee stop as they are dessert purveyor. It is smack dab in this world that we find Bakeshop, one of the newest explorations from the gang at Concentrics.
After several stints around our city, executive chef Nick Oltarsh has taken over the kitchen of the Lobby at Twelve in Atlantic Station. If this combination sounds familiar, don’t be alarmed. Oltarsh was the opening executive chef back in the day. After fluttering around the Concentrics Restaurants stable of establishments, Oltarsh is the man again after a five-year hiatus.
With his return, Oltarsh has put his touches on the menu. I don’t really recall what it looked like previously, so I can’t comment on the impact of the adjustments. Regardless, the restaurant pumps out food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
361 17th Street, Atlanta, GA 30363 // 404.961.7370 // Lobby Reservations // Lobby website // Lobby menu (pdf)
In any other city, or even at any other time in Atlanta, Max’s Coal Oven Pizza would have a fighting chance. Fair or not, two or three names have dominated our pizzascape during the last 12 months and change. Fighting for the table scraps that is our attention, Max’s has setup shop in Downtown Atlanta as one of the newest eateries from the Concentrics Restaurants Group.
To separate themselves from the crowd, Max’s has employed the only coal burning pizza oven in the state; and, it seems that the restaurant has hinged its reputation on this oven. In addition to claims of a better flavor (more on that in a bit), Max’s purports that “the coal oven promotes environmental sustainability by burning anthracite coal.” Unless Max’s knows something that is unknown to every country on earth, then that seems like a bit of poetic license if I ever saw it. I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t crazy, so I went on a little internet search. Here are a few things I found that seem to imply that Max’s claim is a bit specious. Leaving that where it should be left, we showed up at Max’s with every hope that delicious pizza awaited.
Two-months ago, the NY Times brought Serenbe Farms in Palmetto, GA to our attention. The Newspaper was a shining moment for chef Nick Melvin. Not a moment later, Melvin went splits-ville. I, like most everyone else, had no idea where he headed off to. On March 31st, Concentrics Restaurants lifted the veil from over our eyes.
Melvin, a New Orleans native, has returned to ATL to run Parish, a farm-to-table “Cajun influenced” restaurant concept down in Inman Park. While I suspect most of the real changes will take place in their main dining room, I wanted to dive in for lunch to see if anything had happened with the downstairs market. [By the way, the changes I expect to see are with the menu and not with the decor or the concept of the restaurant].
While I am waiting on confirmation of an opening date, Concentrics Restaurants is scheduled to open a new restaurant that will feature a “casual/elegant” dinning atmosphere (whatever that means) with comfort food. The restaurant is to be called 30 Tables, will feature breakfast all day, and feature the food of executive chef is Nick Oltarsh.
Oltarsh is known for his work at Atlanta’s Lobby at Twelve over in Atlantic Station [warning: stupid web designers and their stupid music]. I’ll post more details as I find out about this place.
30 Tables Restaurant Information:
110 Marietta Street, Atlanta, GA, 30303 // P: 404.469.0700 // 30 Tables Website
