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.
Just because I was away doesn’t mean the world came to a screeching halt (shocking, I know). So here are some odds and ends from around the net from the past week+. I’ll leave this post, with a heavy heart.
One heck of a weekend if you ask me … lots of football, lots of food, and lots of food news. What else is there? Here are just a few of the rumblings and grumblings that got tossed around this weekend.
Top Chef: Las Vegas Reunites In The Dirty South Several of the contestants on Top Chef: Atlanta Las Vegas were seen in town this weekend. The group, comprised of ATLiens Kevin Gillespie and Eli Kirshtein, included out of towners Jennifer Carroll, Bryan Voltaggio, and Mike Isabella. The gang was spotted at the Falcons game sucking down some buzztastic grub from the new “it” barbecue joint … known round these parts as Community Q. Speaking of which, I grabbed a meal there last week, and I’ll definitely share in the next day or so (if not sooner).
The fun didn’t stop watching our beloved birds get tarred and feathered. To get the full Atlanta experience, the kiddos spent a good amount of time sampling ATL’s food. They took a trip to Flip Burger Boutique to see TC alum Richard Blais, to Holeman & Finch for some libations, to Pricci, and to each of TC:LVC Atlanta restaurants. UPDATE:Atlanta’s best BBQ blogger was kind enough to recap the events on his blog, pictures and all! Enjoy!
Holeman & Finch To Open Liquor Store Speaking of H&F, long-standing rumors seem to be getting a little more traction. Several “reliable foodies” have mentioned that the group behind ATLs most notable “gastro bar” are going to expand into the liquor store business. All signs point to Bottleneck as the name of the establishment. Andy Minchow, one of the proprietors of H&F, is scheduled to take the reigns. For all you mixologists-in-training, this will most certainly be your store of choice. The former Repast barista will be there to help you with recipes, ingredients, and drinking gadgets. Atlanta’s masked videographer Rowdy just posted a clip of Andy … check it:
Some Bar In Some Place Opened Some people just don’t “get it.” They somehow take the idea of underground coolness and screw it up by going the snobby/elitist route. Here’s what I’m talking about:
Everyone wants to be “Milk & Honey” but no one has the balls (or apparently the brains) to actually pull it off the way M&H did. A bar hoping to copy take inspiration from the NYC underground destination is doing its best to do everything Milk and Honey did not. It starts with the press release.
In this waste of digital paper, the owners were kind enough to provide the name of the bar. Then, they told you what area of town to find it (no specific information – just a generic address – it’s a phone booth of sorts btw). Oh, last but not least, they were nice enough to give out the name of their master mixologist (which everyone in the foodie circle already knows). The cherry? There’s a password to get in. However, they won’t give it out.
One of the reasons why M&H succeeded is because they played the game. They weren’t pretentious about what they were, and they didn’t try to have their cake and eat it too. This establishment seems to want its feet on both sides of the line. Not gonna happen here … You want to put out something in a press release … than do it … but don’t half ass it. As such … not even a name mention from yours truly. If you’re reading this and don’t know the story behind Milk and Honey … feel free to email me and I’ll elaborate. And if you’re dying to know what I’m talking about … search some of the more notable food blogs here in town … you’ll find the 205.5 without too much difficulty. They have a website already and … of course … A FACEBOOK PAGE!!!!!! The website actually tells you where it is. Grrrr …
Holeman & Finch is my favorite watering hole here in Atlanta, hands down and bar none. Though I think the food has slipped just a smidge since Adam Biderman bolted for the Big Easy, the drinks are as killer as always and the food is still quite good. After Biderman departed back in May, Jason Paolini was brought in to run the kitchen. For all practical purposes, he has made the transition seamless for the patrons. Yes, I did say the food has slipped a smidge, but I do mean that emphatically.
As expected, the menu has morphed ever so slightly since Paolini’s arrival, and the new additions have gone over quite well. As Tony continues to put his footprint on the restaurant, the food is gradually returning to normal.
Of the additions, the house made hot dog is far and away the gold medalist. Ladies and gents, I’ve had hot dogs upon hot dogs upon hot dogs in my lifetime – and this hot dog is breathtakingly awesome. Mind you, it’s a bit gourmet, as is everything at H&F. Of hot dogs of this ilk – it might be the best I EVER had. Now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that this ground round of beef town has hit my lips only once to date. It’s possible that this was an aberration, but I seriously doubt it. After all, I’m not the only one to dig this pup!
Ah… last night was a good night. Amongst the many jewels of information that were passed around, I found out that a complete lineup of goods from Holeman & Finch Bakery are served up at nearby Savor Specialty Foods. Here’s the breakdown:
Approximately a month ago, H&F Bakery closed its doors to the public. However, the bakery still has a full array of goods available for wholesale. Savor, which sits in the Peachtree Battle Shopping Center just up the street from H&F, decided to get in on the action. Though I haven’t actually been to Savor since HnFB’s pseudo shutdown, I will say that I have always enjoyed their selection of gourmet goods and a good bit of the grub. Included in the selection at Savor are cookbooks, cookware, spices, mustards, and so forth. Meanwhile, they also have a food counter where they serve up things like cured meats, cheeses, fruit salads, chicken salads, and freshly made sandwiches. Last but not least, they also provide a catering service, though I’ve never tried it.
According to the gang at Holeman, most everything that could be had at the bakery is now up the street.
I was apprehensive to say the least. High-brow, underground supper clubs strike a strange cord with me. On the one hand, it’s kind of cool to hit up a private event that requires a trip to the piggy bank. On the other hand, there is something snob-elitish about events that come with a $150 price tag, all white garb, and a super secret location (as this one did). Mind you, supper clubs come in all shapes and sizes. However, this one clearly went the way of “deep thoughts … by F. Scott Fitzgerald.”
Atlanta has it’s fair share of private dining events and one such purveyor of said events is a woman by the name Jenny Levison. Known around these parts as “Souper Jenny,” there is a Buckheadsandwich shop which bares that moniker. Jenny’s shop is a warm and friendly place, and that led me to believe that my fears would be quashed when the event rolled around. In addition, I hear that entry into one of these seatings [sic] is as hard to come by as a golden ticket into Wonka-ville. However, that’s due to demand, and not any pretense. As it follows, when the opportunity to attend one of these events presented itself, I jumped. It was an evening of firsts, and the experience is worth a recap.
Backed by his kick ass McIntosh amps (yeah – I’ve said that before), Best makes a seriously killer cocktail … or two … or three … or … you get the idea. I can’t tell you how many times he’s whipped something up full of ingredients I’ve never heard of. If you haven’t been already, go grab yourself some pretty solid food while you punch yourself in the rye. There’s a decent chance we’ll cross paths … I visit often.
UPDATE: I always wanted to know what it was like to be a Playboy photographer. Okay, no … not really. But apparently, I now know one … though I didn’t realize it at the time of this post … that picture of Greg came courtesy of one Broderick Smylie. The guy, who has a serious case of the smiles, snaps many a good photos. Check him out via the linky belowy
This has the potential to break my heart. I, along with every other foodie in ATL, love Holeman & Finch, that über cool English pub in Peachtree Hills. Well, according to his own facebook status, Adam Biderman is packing his bags and moving to New Orleans. No word yet on when he’s departing H&F. It’s possible he’s already done; but, I saw him there on Thursday night.Update: Adam Is There Through The End of May!!!!!
In the meantime, I can assure you that this will be something I’ll keep my eyes on. Regan, Greg, Linton, and the rest of the gang run a hell of an operation. I am curious to see what the end result of this is. While I think Adam does a top notch job and this makes me sad … I wish him the best of luck on his journey home.
That all said, I expect H&F to remain my favorite hangout joint in town.
A good burger isn’t hard to find … a great burger is! Somewhat out of character for us, Atlanta actually has it’s fair share of top notch burger joints. While the best burger in town is a hotly debated topic, the usual suspects always seem to end up in the discussion. Holeman & Finch’s “Down Low Cheeseburger” is one such suspect. Well, these brisket/chuck patties just got some more national attention. The Food Network just published a 50 States, 50 Burgers report. Georgia’s representative? You guessed it! More after the jump!
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
Holeman & Finch
