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Later today, Atlanta’s best bar meets restaurant (a.k.a. Holeman + Finch) is set to be a location for an upcoming episode of the Food Network’s Chefs Vs City.

The premise of the show centers around a challenge from the show’s hosts (one part Aarón Sánchez and one part Chris Cosentino).  They find two local foodies chefs and dare the challengers to eat some of the more adventurous dishes from the city they call home.  While I’m not one of the challengers (good thing – cuz I’ll put most any dish in my tummy), it’s no surprise the H+F showed up on the schedule.

The gastro pub is best known for their burger, their hot dog [it is freakin awesome], and their cocktails.  However, true fans know that the establishment serves up what most people would call “exotic” parts of the animal.  Chances that the veal brains and/or the rabbit livers show up? I’d say strong to very strong.  More later as the details leak out.

Since my initial notations on Publik Social House and Bocado, I’ve made multiple return trips to both.  Unfortunately, things weren’t as good on subsequent visits in either case.  Keep reading for details on these two new Atlanta dining options.

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Publik Social House sits right at the corner of Peachtree and North Ave Ponce (thanks Peter!).  As the restaurant is directly next to the Fox Theatre, across from Gary Mennie’s Livingston, and near quite a number of other eateries, it might seem a less than ideal.  Normally, I’m really apprehensive when ownership takes one concept, uproots it, and then comes back with something totally different.  On the surface, it would appear that the owners of Publik, who previously operated Bazzaar out of the same space, did just that.  However, such isn’t exactly the reality.  Open just a handful of weeks, it was high time I had some food there and check out this renovated lounge.

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Overall:

Despite my initial impression of 5 Seasons Brewing Company over in Midtown, Atlanta, I was both willing and able to make a return visit.  In the two months since, I’ve made three return trips.  To be honest, I’ll have a very hard time mustering up the guts for a 4th.  As you may have surmised, this cavernous restaurant spends a lot of time talking, and little time delivering (both figuratively and literally).

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Check the right hand side … that’s a little eye candy for all you ladies.  Sorry girls, that’s @holtlyda and he is indeed, off the market.  Meanwhile, a conversation at 5 Seasons Brewing Company:

Oliver Twist: Please sir, I want some more.
Mr. Bumble: [thinking he must not have heard right] What?
Oliver Twist: Please sir, I want some…
[pauses hesitatingly]
Oliver Twist: more?
Mr. Bumble: [surprised beyond belief] More?

So that’s how it rolled pretty much all night.  However, in this case … the roll reversal was frequent. Confused?  Don’t worry, we’ll clarify the disaster over the next few minutes.

Every restaurant goes through growing pains.  Given that “certainty,” growing pains, at least in my mind, are defined as much by the solutions as they are by the problems.  The problems from Tuesday were ALMOST unforgivable.

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Dropped in at Holeman & Finch on Tuesday night.  As luck would have it – they were serving up an anniversary.  To celebrate the occasion, there was a special pork belly + coleslaw slider on the menu.  I hate coleslaw, but this sucker was seriously bad ass!  The pork belly was juicy and cooked to perfection.  Meanwhile, the coleslaw – which was mayo based – included freshly cut veggies, a hint of mayonnaise, and the perfect freshness in response to the intensity of that glorified bacon.

Turns out, Atlanta foodies and bloggers aren’t the only ones that love this place.  Travel+Leisure Magazine named H&F one of the best 50 restaurants in the country.  The blurb after the jump

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5 Seasons Brewing Co., the multi-location Atlanta pub, is expanding.  The new spot, dubbed 5 Seasons Westside, is slated to open April 1st at the corner of Marietta St and Howell Mill.  This will be the third location for the company and the three-flight space looks pretty nice (it was nice enough that movie folk reportedly filmed bits of Road Trip 2 here).

As you may have surmised, they are known for their in-house beer brewing.  The equipment for this location appears to be in place and I’m pretty confident they can make their April 1 deadline.  Whether that happens remains to be seen.  I’m going to go ahead and add it to the April Dirty List (not yet published).

Five Seasons Brewing Company Westside Address & Information:
1000 Marietta St. NW Atlanta, GA 30318 // 5 Seasons Brewing Co. Website // 5 Seasons Brewing Co Menus

Even before the kitchen opened to the public, Leon’s Full Service endeared itself to the Decatur dining scene.  The new pub, operated by the same people who run The Brick Store (internal), decided to assist with the drive to  raise money for employees of the 5th Earl Market.

Leon’s ran an eBay auction (link to screenshot) for the right to savor the first pint served at the restaurant.  The auction drew 56 bids and ended at $2,650.  The winning bid was placed by the owners of the Universal Joint, so kudos to them!!! Sometime around 5pm last night, the partners bellied up to the bar and took what was rightfully theirs!  Apparently, the under bidder got in on the action, though Leon’s did not make him/her honor the bid .  But that is neither here nor there, as the restaurant will have to produce if they want to survive in this economy.

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-”Leslie is out of town, want to go get buck crazy?”

-”For realz, let’s do it!”

Okay, so maybe that isn’t exactly how things transpired; and no, we did not hit the bottle hardcore on a Wednesday night.  Instead, Chris and I took advantage of his temporary freedom and journeyed over to The Book House Pub on Ponce.  I think we would have been better off walking the extra steps to The Local.  This place looks like it could get lost between the Everyman appeal of the Brick Store and the Local, and the superior food over at The Porter.

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