All you need to be merry is a good drink

Draft Magazine just put out a fun lineup of its 9 essential holiday cocktails in its November/December issue. Try some of these for your Christmas/Hanukkuh/Kwanzaa festivities, and be bored with your drink no more.

Snowflake
2 ounces Leblon Cachaça
2 ounces coconut milk
2 ounces canned lychee syrup
1 teaspoon simple syrup
Pour all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, and strain into a martini glass.

Yule Berry Tini
1 ounce DeKuyper Pucker Berry Fusion Schnapps
2 ounces VOX Vodka
splash of sweet and sour mix
splash of cranberry juice
squeeze of lime
Pour all ingredients over ice and mix thoroughly.

Peppermint Froth
1 1/2 ounces Grey Goose Vodka
1 ounce peppermint schnapps
1/2 ounce simple syrup
1/2 ounce cream
Candy cane or peppermint patty, for garnish
Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is frosted and beaded with sweat. Strain into glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with candy cane or peppermint patty.

Eggnog White Holiday
1 ounce White Chocolate Godiva Liqueur
1 ounce Navan Cognac
eggnog
Shake all ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into a glass. Garnish with gold flakes.

Poinsettia Cocktail
3 ounces cranberry juice
1/2 ounce Cointreau
Champagne
orange peel curl
Combine Cointreau and chilled cranberry juice in a flute. Add orange twist and finish with a splash of Champagne.

Chocolate Eggnog Martini
2 ounces Ketel One Vodka
1 ounce Amsterdam Chocolate Liquor
1 ounce eggnog
Combine ingredients in a shaker; shake with ice and strain into a glass. Garnish with nutmeg and chocolate syrup. Serve in a chilled martini glass.

Baked Apple Pie Cocktail
1 1/2 ounces Cruzan Coconut Rum
½ ounce apple juice
dash Apple Pucker liqueur
whipped cream, for garnish
Set aside whipped creap; pour remaining ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake thoroughly. Strain into a glass and top with a dollop of whipped cream.

World Peace Cocktail
1 1/2 ounces Bombay Sapphire Gin
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
¼ ounce elderflower syrup
¼ ounce almond syrup
3 drops blue curaçao
Pour ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish, as the World Bar does, with a white chocolate dove on the rim.

Cranberry Sauced
2 1/2 ounces Grey Goose L’Orange
1 segment fresh orange, muddled
1 tablespoon organic cranberry sauce
Shake ingredients eight times over ice, and garnish with a rosemary sprig and three fresh organic cranberries.

Media news

Just found out Modern Luxury, which publishes The Atlantan in Atlanta, axed its editorial staff (except Nancy Staab, the editor in chief). Seriously? These multimillion dollar corporations astound me, thinking they can provide quality regional editorial from another remote location. What with all the layoffs at publications all around the city and nationwide, the future of publishing is on shaky ground, my friends.
...
Two weeks later, Peach magazine folded, and everyone was rushed out the door after relinquishing their corporate BlackBerries. Scary.

Print Shop

Did you know that fennel pairs nicely with langoustines, lobster and crab? Or how about Thai fish sauce with steak? Beyond the assumed tried-and-true pairings (tomatoes and basil, lamb and rosemary, apples and cinnamon), how do you know what flavors go together? Why not take a page from the best or, better yet, 374 pages? In “The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America’s Most Imaginative Chefs,” Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg guide readers through thousands of food pairing ideas and suggestions to inspire the chef in all of us to create new and harmonious flavor combinations.

Great cooking goes well beyond following a recipe. It’s also about knowing how to season and prepare ingredients to coax the best possible flavor and pleasure from them. Page and Dornenburg draw on the combined experience of dozens of leading chefs from top restaurants across the country, who share their flavor discoveries, cooking techniques and tips in sidebars such as “Selecting and Using Salt,” “Herbs 101” and “Pairing Pastas with Sauces.”

“The Flavor Bible,” $35, is a must-have reference for all kitchen shelves—mine is right next to “The Joy of Cooking.” www.becomingachef.com. Imagine culinary luminaries Alice Waters, M.F.K. Fisher, Julia Child, Anne Willan and Gina Batali in your kitchen, talking you through preparing lobster Newburg or twice-baked spinach soufflés. “Cooking with Les Dames D’Escoffier: At Home with the Women Who Shape the Way We Eat and Drink,” $35, brings these and other phenomenal women into your own life, speaking to you about their exclusive recipes for delicious treats such as buttermilk berry coffee cake with lemon spice topping from New York Dame Carol Prager, who shares how to prepare the dessert ahead of time using a container method, and Charleston Dame Nathalie Dupree’s best grits with greens and shrimp. (Her insider tip: Serve the mixture with warm corn chips as an indulgently Southern hors d’oeuvre). Along with more than 120 essential recipes, readers can expect engaging and sage advice from some of America’s most trusted food experts.

The Atlanta chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier is hosting the popular 8th Annual Afternoon in the Country on Sunday, Nov. 9, at Serenbe. Foodies will rejoice with inspired delectables and tastings from renowned culinary artists and winemakers. The day promises a host of interesting activities, including a silent auction, a cake raffle, live music and hayrides. Proceeds benefit the chapter’s scholarship fund for women in the culinary, beverage and hospitality arts and Georgia’s growing organic farm community. www.ldeiatlanta.org.

Recently, I attended the grand opening party for Legal Sea Foods, the New England-style restaurant in the Hilton Garden Inn in Downtown Atlanta. A full-fledged feature will appear in an upcoming issue, so I’ll spare you the details of the warm and inviting dining destination with scrumptious if-by-sea fare for now. However, when you do visit, consider investing $26 in the chain’s own collection of recipes, “Legal Sea Foods Cookbook,” which contains 200 fresh and simple dishes from appetizers to desserts. My fave? The easy-as-pie microwaved red snapper. Dinner’s ready in six minutes. The informative guidebook also offers tons of interesting information on all varieties of fish and tips on how to purchase, like the fact that mackerel has a small bone in the middle of the fillets that you should ask your fish merchant to remove. www.legalseafoods.com. SP
When she’s not checking out restaurants, interviewing chefs or nodding off after her fifth glass of wine, Life, Food & Style Editor Kirsten Ott dishes culinary and cocktail insights. E-mail her at kirstenott@sundaypaper.com.
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Published in The Sunday Paper, 11-2-08

New & noteworthy

Hallelujah. Winos everywhere can rejoice now that Georgians are finally legally allowed to order wine from vineyards within our very own state, including Wolf Mountain Vineyards & Winery, a 25-acre family-owned and operated wine growing estate located just five miles north of the historic town square of Dahlonega, Ga. The new law, passed on July 1, opens wine shipping restrictions and allows Georgia wineries to ship to Georgia consumers. Now, wine connoisseurs who are 21 or older can order up to 12 cases of wine a year by Internet or telephone and have it shipped directly to their home or office. For more information or to place an order, call 706-867-9862 or visit www.wolfmountainvineyards.com.

A WALK IN THE PARK
Grant Park's annual Summer Shade Festival is generally thought of as a stellar selection of artisans selling their wares and fun, family-friendly entertainment. And it is. But it's also home to Corks & Forks: A Fine Food & Wine Event, which showcases the city's top chefs. The festival is free; Corks & Forks cost $35 in advance or $45 the day of. Ticket holders are treated to signature dishes from some of Atlanta's top restaurants and wine pairings from around the world, as well as wine seminars and beer tastings. Participating restaurants include Babette's, Canoe, Steel and 4th & Swift. Corks & Forks is held Aug. 30–31, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Historic Grant Park at the intersection of Park Avenue and Berne Street. For more information or to buy advance tickets, visit www.summershade.org.

A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS
Every week, it seems, I'm visiting restaurants, tasting new menu items or indulging in beloved classics. Whether I'm out with my fiancée, friends, family or colleagues, I try to pick places I've not been before or in awhile, so I can stay on top of what's new and noteworthy. This week was no different, with the exception of one restaurant we're at all the time. Maria and I headed to the patio of East Point Corner Tavern on Friday for dinner, where I enjoyed the Hawaiian chicken salad, while she had a barbecued salmon BLT sandwich and a side of mashed sweet potatoes, and we shared an indulgent slice of turtle pie. Saturday, our lunch at Brake Pad in College Park delivered the goods as usual. We both had our standard white truffle chicken salad sandwich, which is filled with ripe cranberries and served on wholesome eight-grain bread. Paired with a bed of greens with balsamic vinaigrette and goat cheese, and an icy glass of Sweetwater 420, this afternoon delight is the way to go when you're on the Southside. Monday, I held a show for my jewelry line at Girls Night Out at The Melting Pot in Midtown, where I tried the spinach and artichoke cheese for the first time. Insanely delicious—and surprisingly good with apples.

Tuesday, Maria and I were flying high as we were whipped up the elevator shaft to the 72nd floor of The Westin Peachtree Plaza to dine at The Sun Dial. My warm Georgia peach soup, laden with Maytag blue cheese cream and pecan ancho chile pesto, was on another level of heartwarming goodness, and Maria's BLFGT (bacon, lettuce, fried green tomatoes) sandwich, with peppercorn ranch sauce on grilled Texas toast, had the right amount of crunch and Southern hospitality. The breathtaking 360-degree panoramic views of Atlanta added to the experience. On Wednesday, the day before we send our paper to the printer, was a lunch with a friend at Star Provisions in West Midtown. She and I both selected a slice of the blue cheese-and-fig pizza, along with beet salad and minted peach salad (she skipped our state fruit for a bowl of lentils). At $3.20, the lemon and mint carbonated soda I opted for was the most expensive thing in my order, which refutes what many people say about the market-style restaurant being overpriced. My freshly prepared and wholly satisfying lunch was only $8.48, and that's pretty decent in my book. SP
Have something for Dish? E-mail Life, Food & Style Editor Kirsten Ott at kirstenott@sundaypaper.com.

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The Sunday Paper, Dish column, August 24, 2008

Something to savor

Food from around here just tastes better. It's riper, sweeter, juicier, perkier and more flavorful. It's time for a farm-to-table meal in all its glory, yes? On Tuesday, August 12, at 7 p.m., Inman Park's Parish presents a four-course meal comprised of entirely local ingredients perfectly paired with local wines and served family style at the Communal Table. Join farmer Bill Yoder for a special grower’s dinner. Check out the menu lineup:
First course: Broadbean and crispy pancetta salad, tomato, pecorino, mint vinaigrette. Broadbeans are from Stillwater Farms. Tomatoes from Bill Yoder. Mint is from Parish’s garden.
Second course: Apple-walnut risotto, gorgonzola cheese. Apples are from Ellijay, GA. Cheese is from Sweet Grass Dairy in Thomasville, GA.
Third course: Roasted Springer Mountain chicken, sweet sausage, Yukon gold potato, pearl onion, balsamic butter. Chicken from Springer Mountain Farms in Mt. Airy, GA. Sausages are handcrafted at Parish from Riverview Pork. Potatoes are from Waverly Bros in Forest Park, GA
Fourth course: Peach crostata, ginger ice cream. Peaches are from Neil Taylor and Split Cedar Farms in Ellenwood, GA

Tickets cost $60 per person, not including tax and gratuity. Space is limited. Call Parish at 404.681.4434 to make a reservation. Parish is at 240 N. Highland Ave. Atlanta, 30307

New & noteworthy

New and noteworthy
By Kirsten Ott

Atlanta’s restaurant scene is always buzzing with activity. From chefs selling off their businesses to new restaurants opening, there’s always something going on. Read on to get the scoop.

GO WEST, YOUNG MAN
OK, so Michael Tuohy may not exactly be a young buck starting out in his career, but the owner of Woodfire Grill is returning to his roots in California soon and has put his restaurant up for sale. For the past 22 years, the San Francisco native has served as a leader in Atlanta’s burgeoning restaurant scene with innovations such as his groundbreaking Chefs’ Café, where he was doing farm-to-table even before it was trendy. Continuing on that path, Chef Tuohy will launch a farm-to-table restaurant called Grange, which will be in the Citizen Hotel, a new 200-room stylish boutique property in Sacramento, Calif. August 12 is the official six-year anniversary date for Woodfire Grill, and Tuohy will host his farewell dinner for his longtime fans and friends in Atlanta. The restaurant, which features local, seasonal and organic cuisine, will remain open after Tuohy departs. Woodfire Grill is located at 1782 Cheshire Bridge Road. 404-347-9055. www.woodfiregrill.com.


OPEN FOR BUSINESS
In bloom is the seriously Southern Dogwood Restaurant, which opened to the public last week. Chef and co-owner Shane Touhy has teamed up with Scott Black to serve his take on Southern hospitality and sophisticated cuisine. Housed on the ground floor of the Reynolds condominium building on Peachtree Street, the 150-seat Dogwood is awash in Southern splendor with a earthy palette of mossy green, espresso and tangerine.
The menu is ripe with American-style dishes with regional influences and many local products. The grits bar features creamy, yellow, stone-ground grits, served with Southern delights like lowcountry shrimp, fried oysters with spicy hollandaise sauce, and ham and pimento cheese. For an entrée, try the SoCo glazed pork chop with caramelized shallots and silver queen soufflé. For now, Dogwood is open only for dinner, but lunch service is coming soon. Dogwood Restaurant is located in the Reynolds Condominium building at 565 Peachtree St. 404-835-1410. www.dogwoodrestaurant.com.


LAP UP THE LUXURY
The Mansion on Peachtree, the luxury hotel and residences near Lenox Square that’ll soon be home to Tom Collechio’s Craft restaurant, recently premiered its contemporary Italian restaurant, Neo. With Director of Restaurants Guido Piccinni and Executive Chef Eric Chopin at its helm and Chef de Cuisine first-generation Italian-American Giuseppe Napoli overseeing the daily operation and menu creations, the 95-seat restaurant, which overlooks a fine set of English gardens, is poised to be one of the hot new spots in town for upscale dining (plates are far from cheap, but worth every buck). Superb customer service and decadent decor leaves diners wanting for very little. Of the fare, personal favorites include the antipasto board featuring an array of meats, cheeses, olives and juicy figs, as well as the beet salad, a beautifully plated dish of red and yellow bababietola in aged Pecorino, mint and orange. A standout among the entrees is the pappardelle neopasta with Maine lobster in a lemongrass sauce. For dessert, the tiramisu is divine. The restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, as well as a five-course Sunday brunch with a weekly menu that showcases the chef’s selections. The hotel’s Mansion Bar, an elegant 30-seat affair, offers a small menu and signature drinks, like the Lady Violette, a lovely blend of vodka, crème de violette and champagne. Neo is located at 3376 Peachtree Road. 404-995-7545. www.mansiononpeachtree.com. SP
When she’s not checking out restaurants, interviewing chefs or nodding off after her fifth glass of wine, Life, Food & Style Editor Kirsten Ott dishes culinary and cocktail insights. E-mail her at kirstenott@sundaypaper.com.
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The Sunday Paper, Dish column, August 3, 2008

Taking the plunge

Taking the plunge
Water and wine make a splash
By Kirsten Ott
LA VITA BUENA
Restaurateur Tony LaRocco continues to elevate expectations for restaurant-goers. The owner of Vita, the New York-style classic Italian restaurant in Buckhead where I had lunch last week, just installed the Natura water purification system. So instead of my typical order of a tall glass of city water with lemon (it relieves the twinge of chlorine for me), I agreed to give this fancy new water a try. It’s just $2 a person, which is about the price I’d pay for a Diet Coke or a sweet tea. Our server tells me he’s got sparkling and still; we take the bubbles. He returns with a frosted glass bottle similar to Voss water, except this bottle, he tells us, is reusable by the restaurant because the compact dispensing system is actually installed in the kitchen and the glass bottles are refilled throughout the day, eliminating waste and carbon footprints, and saving storage space. As we take our first sips (it’s delicious and refreshing), we’re given a rundown of what Natura water offers. The water purification system uses both high-grade carbon filters and UV technology to eliminate impurities and bacteria while retaining healthy, thirst-quenching minerals. Furthermore, these filters reduce chlorine compounds, particles and heavy metals, while retaining magnesium, zinc, calcium and all the good-for-you minerals. Vita is one of only four restaurants to have come on board with Natura (the others are Repast, Cakes & Ale and Steel). Vita is located at 2110 Peachtree Road in the old Mick’s location. 404-367-8482. www.vitaatl.com.


PORTUGUESE BY THE GLASS
In the 5,200-square-foot space LITKitchen behind Atlantic Station, owner Brad Lev continues his series, “An introduction to the wines of the world,” with a Portuguese wine tasting on Aug. 11, at 6:30 p.m. Take a trip through the Minho region where the summer sipper Vinhjo Verde is produced before heading through the Douro and other fine wine-producing regions to see what those in the know are drinking. The tuition of $35 includes a materials fee for wine and cheese. LITKitchen is located at 433c Bishop St. 404-249-4300. www.litkitchen.com.


TRAVELING ON THE VINE
Atlantans have another wine to choose from at restaurants as Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard crosses state lines into Georgia. The family-owned and -operated winery, which was founded in 1999 and released its first wine in 2003, is located in Charlottesville, Va.—just seven miles from Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, where American winemaking began. Kluge Estate has joined forces with Georgia Crown Distributing Company (another family-owned and -operated business) to introduce its stable of wines to Georgians. Kluge Estate’s classic East Coast wines and their unique terroir include the Blanc de Blancs, a brut sparkling wine made from chardonnay grapes I like to pair with sushi. The complex aromas are vibrant, exhibiting notes of ripe apple and pear with hints of hazelnut and roasted almond. The wine is medium-bodied with a creamy, finely beaded mouthfeel and a clean, zesty finish. Kluge Estate wines are currently offered at Repast, City Grill and Shaun’s. www.klugeestateonline.com. SP
When she’s not checking out restaurants, interviewing chefs or nodding off after her fifth glass of wine, Life, Food & Style Editor Kirsten Ott dishes culinary and cocktail insights. E-mail her at kirstenott@sundaypaper.com.
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The Sunday Paper, Dish column, August 10, 2008

Regator, The Social Blog Aggregator, Launches To The Public

Regator, the blog aggregator that acts like a mix between a standard RSS reader and Digg, has launched in public beta.

read more | digg story

Happy Pride

This weekend's for celebrating -- not just in the sense of "proud to be an American," but also in the "proud to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and any other category you might happen to fall in because you were born a certain way and damn it, you embrace yourself" sense. Yes, Atlanta Gay Pride is upon us, my friends. If you like it, come celebrate. If you don't, put your angry "gays are spawns of Satan, but I still wear wool and eat pork" Bible-beating signs down and give it a rest already.

 

Why we celebrate...

What the hell is Atlanta Gay Pride, anyway? It's certainly not just a flamboyant show of feathers and leather. It's far more meaningful. Typically, Atlanta Gay Pride takes place in late June (the third weekend, to be exact) to honor the historic Stonewall Riots, which took place June 28, 1969. The event was a major catalyst for the GLBT community as it helped us develop a very strong and unified front. Standing together, we were going to fight back ... again and again. With organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign lobbying for our rights in Congress and California legalizing gay marriage, progress continues to be made, though we're far from true equality. As we band together during Pride, we're embracing our community for all that it is -- a veritable rainbow of bright personalities from all walks of life, be it attorneys and surgeons, teachers and police officers, military and artists, CEOs and sanitation workers, editors and accountants, restaurateurs and ministers, neighbors and friends. Together, we celebrate our similarities and our differences -- proudly.

 

What to do this weekend...

There's a plethora of activities this weekend to celebrate Atlanta Gay Pride, not just at the Atlanta Civic Center and the parade, but also at all the gay and lesbian bars around town. 

 

The main Atlanta Pride event is the three-day Atlanta Pride Festival, which takes place this year downtown at the Atlanta Civic Center (395 Piedmont Ave. NE). The festival kicks off at 6 pm on Friday, July 4, and lasts until 11 p.m. The next two days, Saturday and Sunday, the festival continues at the park, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day. Admission is free, and during the festival there's live music and comedy; a Pride Market featuring dozens of vendors, GLBT organizations and crafters; and a variety of forums and ceremonies.

 

Entertainment at Atlanta Pride is extensive and varied, and typically includes movies, concerts, cabaret and fashion shows. On Saturday, the Festival presents the first of two big parades, the Dyke March, which starts at 6 pm. The Atlanta Pride Parade is held on Sunday afternoon at 1 pm.

 

Happy Pride!

  

 

Coast to coast

Ludacris and Chef Chris Yeo open California-based Straits restaurant serving Singaporean cuisine
By Kirsten Ott, Life, Food & Style Editor, The Sunday Paper (published in the April 27 issue of The Sunday Paper)

Up until this point, glitzy, globetrotting and Grammy-winning entertainment mogul Chris “Ludacris” Bridges has been known for dropping hot chart-topping rhymes, attracting ladies like bees to honey and starring in Oscar-winning films such as “Hustle & Flow” and “Crash.” After this weekend, the Atlanta rapper earns himself the esteemed label of restaurateur, too. But he’s not going it alone. Ludacris joined forces with West Coast chef extraordinaire Chris Yeo, owner of three Straits restaurants in California. Straits, named for the Straits of Malacca, a waterway flowing between Malaysia and Singapore, broadens Atlanta’s palate with distinctive Singaporean fare, which incorporates the flavors and cooking styles of Thai, Indonesian, Chinese, Malay, Indian and Nonya cuisines with exotic spices and fresh herbs. The upscale $2.7 million restaurant nests in Midtown Atlanta, in the former Spice location, a building Ludacris purchased nearly one year ago and subsequently invested almost $1 million into renovations. The Sunday Paper caught up with business partners Ludacris and Chef Yeo (see sidebar) to talk about the grand opening, slated for April 25 as of press time, and, of course, a little bit about Luda’s ever-growing music-and-film career. The duo agrees on just about everything—except karaoke.

Q I understand you met Chef Yeo last year at one of your own benefits and then visited his restaurant in San Jose.
A We met at my foundation event that happens every year—the Ludacris Foundation—and we both have extreme passion for charity work and giving back to the community. We started a friendship from there, and he told me what he did. It was funny because I’d just purchased the real estate of the restaurant that used to be called Spice. … Meeting him it was almost like it was meant to be because he introduced me to his restaurants and we founded a partnership from there.

When you bought the building, what did you intend for it to be?
I intended to be a landlord and for someone else to come in there and run it.

So after you met Chef Yeo and visited his restaurant, you decided you wanted to open up a restaurant of your own with him?
Exactly. After I did it, I decided I wanted to go into a partnership with him on that same idea and concept for Atlanta. We changed the menu around just a little bit to fit what I call Southernese; we’re formatting it to fit Southern tastes.

What kind of dishes can we expect in addition to the ones that are on the California menu?
One of my favorite dishes on the menu is the chicken lollipop. The most important thing to understand about Chris Yeo and the whole point of this restaurant is that it’s Singaporean cuisine with a modern twist, so every year or just sporadically, he’ll always try new things. He changes with the times and the modernization of what’s going on around you. There will be a great menu, which he changes based on the people who frequent there and that’s how it is. There will continue to be new things on the menu, and the driving force of the new foods and/or plates are in the people’s hands.

People being local Singaporeans in California?
Right.

Do you and/or Chef Yeo visit Singapore often—or at all—to experience the local flavors over there?
He does it a lot more than I do. Our restaurant is for people who are world travelers—or even those who haven’t been able to travel the world yet, but just in their mind feel like they are world travelers—an energetic crowd. You know, if you’re aren’t able to go to Singapore today, then come to Straits Restaurant and get a taste of it. You’ll feel like you’re there.

How intense has this process been for you—opening a new restaurant?
It’s been extremely intense ’cause I’m a real impatient person and one thing it’s done is taught me a hell of a lot of patience. It’s been a year in the making. And then the projection and trying to renovate and get everything right. But I’m definitely one person that may be impatient just because I’m so excited to open it up. But I think that waiting a whole year, we got everything the way it’s supposed to be, and I’ve learned a lot of patience. I just think that if you’re gonna do something right, it does take time. It was hard but I stuck through it. And now [that it’s opening], I’m extremely excited.

What has been the biggest challenge with opening up a restaurant in Atlanta?
There are a couple of challenges, but I would say the biggest challenge is getting the décor right and making sure that, well, first and foremost, I want to make it sexy and cater to females. I feel like if you cater to women, they come and the men will follow. When you have a restaurant, the elements you need to support are good location (which I think the location is great in the heart of Midtown Atlanta), the ambiance is important, of course the food is important and the service.

The Johnson Studio designed Straits with a rich color scheme of reds and chocolate. Is that different than the California Straits?
It’s a little bit different—kind of a fire-and-ice theme to it. Yeah, it is a little different.

The Californian Straits offer live jazz, DJs and karaoke. Do you plan to offer the same type of musical entertainment?
I think we’ll have DJs and some lounge-type music, but I’m not sure about the karaoke. I don’t think we’re gonna do that. Don’t never say never, but I just think that’s not first on my list.

Will there be a dancing area?
There will be more of a lounging type area, yeah, but as far as a dance floor in the restaurant, there won’t be that. There will be a small area for dancing in the lounge area on the main area. There is a separate, private lounge downstairs that is kind of like a place where you can dance.

Will people be able to order small plates in the lounge area?
Yes, absolutely.

Do you have plans to open any other restaurants in Atlanta—or anywhere else?
Of course. But, of course, first and foremost, we’re waiting on the success on this one and then we’ll work from there. We’ll do it one at a time.

Your music has had some exotic elements in the past—most specifically “The Potion” from “Red Light District.” Is that a reflection of your interest in other cultures and regions of the world?
Absolutely. I think it’s only natural that as I grow and continue to expand—and our fan base expands—that I talk about more of my experiences: traveling and going to different places. It all reflects, not only my personality, but in my music.

Does that play any part in your appreciation for Singaporean cuisine?
Absolutely. Because nowhere in the world do I feel like the service is better, in my opinion.

In restaurants in Singapore or at Straits in California?
Both. As far as service is concerned, they are the best.

What makes it different than some of the other upper echelon restaurants already here in Atlanta?
People have to come to the restaurant and answer that for themselves.

Can you tell us a little bit about your next album? We’ve heard that you’ve collaborated with Good Charlotte and Eminem on it—is that right?
No, I didn’t collaborate with Eminem. I was just saying that that was one person I was trying, one day, to collaborate with, but I have not done that so far. I’ve been in the studio with Good Charlotte, but the main thing you need to know about this album—it’s called “Theater of the Mind”—and it’s basically somewhat like a motion picture album. The way that the songs flow into each other, they have great concepts to them, and, as far as music being theatrical, and you being able to imagine yourself in a specific, whether it be mood or, well, it’s just like the name implies. It puts you in kind of a theatrical place. It plays out like a movie.

Speaking of movies, what can you tell us about any upcoming movie projects? You’re in Guy Ritchie’s next film, “RocknRolla”—what else is coming up? “RocknRolla” comes out Oct. 31. That picks up where “Snatch” and “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” leave off, in my opinion. Really, really good. Idris Elba and Thandie Newton, Gerard Butler, Jeremy Piven—a lot of different people in that movie. Then there’s a movie in the Tribeca Film Festival called “Ball Don’t Lie” that I did.

What’s your role in that movie?
Basically it’s about a boy who plays basketball who’s in a foster home, and basically I’m one of the directors of the foster home. Isaiah Washington—doesn’t he play on “E.R.”?

Um, he used to be on “Grey’s Anatomy.”Yeah, that’s it! He’s in it also. And then there’s a movie starring Gerard Butler called “The Game” that should be out in early 2009. It’s kind of a futuristic action flick. If you remember “The Running Man,” it’s kind of interesting because as futuristic and virtual as video games are these days, it’s set about 15 years in the future. Convicts are able to shave time off their sentences and get out of jail if they put themselves in this video game. I actually play a video game figure so I help the human beings outside of jail. Extremely interesting. They put themselves in the game. And last but not least, I’m in Toronto now finishing up shooting “Max Payne,” based off the very popular video game in the 1990s. Mark Wahlberg is the lead and plays Max Payne, and I play an internal affairs agent. That’s four movies on the way, and the album, so I’ve got a lot going on.

And the restaurant. Do you even have downtime? Do you know what that is?
I don’t even know what that is!

What else is going on with you?
Well, we just launched a Web site. It’s extremely interesting, and I would love for you to check it out. It’s called wemix.com. It’s crazy in the music industry; this is basically where people put all of their original music on this Web site and they get feedback from their peers. So it’s almost like a democracy for music. And when I say music, it can be rap or any kind of genre of music. We got country music, jazz, blues, R&B; then you got producers putting beats on there. People all come together. It’s like a virtual “American Idol” to a certain degree because you get people to listen to you and judge your music and they can give you feedback on it. So it’s really, really cool. It’s going to put music back into the people’s hands. Definitely check it out.

I’ll do that. About how many people are involved in the launch of Wemix?
About four people.

Can you give me some names?
I can’t; they’re silent partners as of right now. One person I can name is Matt Apfel.

All right. I’ll check it out.
Thank you very much, my dear. SP

THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS
Heralded for introducing exotic and bold Singaporean fare to the United States with his successful brand, Chris Yeo is the executive chef and owner of the three Straits restaurants in California, and he now shares ownership of the fourth Straits in Midtown with Chris “Ludacris” Bridges. Yeo also owns Sino, a Chinese restaurant in San Jose, Calif. Now that he’s bringing his notable noshings to the East Coast, SP chatted with him to get the lowdown on how he’s going to take care of our insatiable appetite for interesting dishes.

Q I understand you’re planning on combining Singaporean cuisine with Southern flair. Tell me more about that.
A Oh, yes. Okra is one of the ingredients. Originally, I tried to introduce okra to the menu in California. It was not very popular. But in Singapore, we eat a lot of okra. It so happened that in Atlanta, people love okra. I also try to do some grits.

Are grits also popular in Singapore?
No, ha ha. But I’m trying to introduce them to my menu here. Also, oxtail. I’ve found that a lot of Atlanta restaurants use oxtail, too. It’s very popular in Singapore. So, in some ways, the things we use in Singapore are most popular, but in California, some of the things are not. So it came happen to be in Atlanta what’s popular what we eat in Singapore. So for us to introduce is easier.

Interesting. We like fried okra in the South. Will you be frying your okra?
No, what I do is deep fry it but no batter. Then I sauté with a chili paste.

How will the menu work? Will the vegetables be à la carte or will they come with a main entrée?
Most of our food is for sharing. Our eating experience is family style. Food is presented in the middle. [Dishes are] individually ordered, but shared by everyone.

Is that a customary way to eat in Singapore?
Yeah.

And how often do you get back to Singapore?
I really like there once once a year.

You manage all the Straits restaurants in California. How often will you be here?
I’m looking for a condo here in Atlanta. I really like the hospitality here—the Southern hospitality.

So do you think you’ll be splitting your time between the coasts?
Yeah, definitely. It’s not a bad flight. The flight coming here is only four hours. To New York, it’s five hours. So it’s not bad.

What else can you tell me about Straits that Atlantans can expect?
Atlantans can expect something they’ve never had before. It’s very addicting. Once they come, they’ll always come back again. The menu is large, so I encourage everyone to order dishes to be shared. The eating experience is much more fun if you share your dishes. The restaurant itself is so fun.

What are some of the menu highlights? Any personal favorites?
Chris likes the chicken lollipops. We actually offer two varieties of chicken lollipops. Chris likes the one with hoisin sauce, so those are on the Atlanta menu. My favorite is a mussel dish; also, the chili crab and the chili lobster. And our sea bass is always good.

How is that prepared?
We wrap it in an origami box, and we bake it in a wine sauce.

What’s slated for entertainment for Straits?
I would like to see what the Atlantans like, but definitely we’re going to have entertainment, a DJ—and karaoke, definitely. We even have a guy who flies here from California to mix music and arrange entertainment based on what people like.

To test the waters?
Yes, exactly. Our eating experience goes well with background music … [our customers’] bodies move when they eat.

So you’re going for a sexy vibe.
Riiiiiiiight, right.

What else?
I’m bringing my A Team from California to train everyone to Straits standards. Then I’ll have a chef that’ll stay here indefinitely. His name is Jackie Ng. My corporate chef is Tyson Wong.

Do you and Tyson work out the menus?
The menus come from me. He maintains and improves the menu.

And how often does your menu change? Seasonally?We have so many regulars [in California]; they do not want us to change the menu. It’s very hard to change the menu. The last time we changed the menu, the customers say, “Oh, you took off this dish that I like.” So it’s very hard for us to put out a different menu, but we still try to change small items—two or three items per year. But after we are open for six months, we’ll probably add more specials.

Ludacris raves about the customer service at Straits. What is different about Singaporean customer service that you’ve noticed?
Well, I like to say I want my wait staff to be genuine to the customers, and I want them to be interactive with the customers. Not just a server, but someone that our regular customers get to know as they come back again and again. It’s friendly, genuine service.

What’s your advice to people who are apprehensive about trying Singaporean cuisine—something many Atlantans have not had before?
I would advise them to try everything and if there’s something they don’t like, let the server know, so they can recommend dishes they might like.

DINING ESSENTIALS
Straits
793 Juniper St. NE
www.straitsrestaurant.com
Dinner: Mon.-Wed. 5 p.m.-midnight, Thu.-Sat. 5 p.m.-1 a.m., Sun. 5-11 p.m.
Brunch: Sun. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Reservations can be made at www.opentable.com.

Tequila for grown-ups

CREDIT:Courtesy of Partida Tequila
Partida Tequila

Tequila for Grown-Ups
(Originally published in the March 23, 2008 issue of The Sunday Paper, a weekly alternative newspaper in Atlanta)
By Kirsten Ott

Pairing’s not just for wine and cheese, folks. Just about every type of alcoholic beverage is jumping on the bandwagon to align culinary flavors with vino, vodka, beer and now tequila. Rich and delicious on its own, tequila has plenty to offer besides the traditional one tequila, two tequila, floor. You might be surprised what happens on your tongue when you sip on a premium tequila; it’s a lovely smoothness that’ll give any scotch or whiskey a run for its money. Put the college-drinking days behind you, my friends, and enjoy fine tequila served with gourmet fare at two of Atlanta’s restaurants.

Making introductions this Tuesday, March 25, are One Midtown Kitchen and Partida Tequila. Together, the brand and the restaurant present a four-course pairing menu for $75 from 7 to 9 p.m. Highlights from Chef Tom Harvey’s seasonal, high-energy American cuisine include masa griddle cakes with jicama and pomegranate seeds; jerk spiced duck breast; oysters on the half shell, cucumber, tequila-pink peppercorn mignonette; and rosemary-poppy seed pound cake, tequila-honey crème fraiche and lime
sorbet. All this innovative decadence is paired with refreshing tequila cocktails developed by world-class mixologists such as Jacques Bezuidenhout, Dale De Groff and Junior Merino. In the village of Amatitán, the birthplace of tequila, the Partida Estate produces four distinctive tequilas: Blanco (not aged), Reposado (aged six months), Añejo (aged 18 months) and the recently released Extra Añejo Elegante (aged 36 months). Reservations can be made on www.opentable.com. For more information on Partida Tequila, visit www.partidatequila.com. One Midtown Kitchen is located at 59 Dutch Valley Road. For more information, call 404-892-4111 or visit www.onemidtownkitchen.com.

On the same evening, Cabbagetown’s Agave restaurant and Corzo Tequila offer a tequila-paired four-course dinner as well—this one’s $60, plus tax and tip. Menu highlights include sashimi tuna ceviche with chile-rubbed jumbo scallops, tequila and chile seared jumbo Gulf shrimp with creamed baby spinach and white-bean and lobster-basil puree, tequila slow-cooked beer-braised short ribs in ginger lemongrass natural jus and a chocolate-pecan tort with caramel drizzle and honey-infused agave nectar. Corzo cocktails—concocted from the brand’s Blanco, Reposado and Añejo offerings—will accompany each course to maximize the Southwestern flavors served up by executive chef Richard Silvey. As a tradition, Agave follows its special-event dinners with a complimentary raffle for gift certificates for future visits, as well as bottles of whatever is being served that evening. Agave, which is housed in the historic Cotton Mill general store, didn’t sustain any severe damage from the recent tornado, but Boulevard (between Edgewood and Memorial) is blocked off due to the damage at the Fulton Cotton Mill Loft Apartments. To get to Agave, enter at the corner of Memorial and Boulevard into the parking lot of Blessens Tire Company. Complimentary valet service is provided. For more information on Corzo, visit www.corzo.com. To make dinner reservations, call Agave at 404-588-0006. 242 Boulevard SE. www.agaverestaurant.com. SP

When she’s not checking out restaurants, interviewing chefs or nodding off after her fifth glass of wine, Life, Food & Style Editor Kirsten Ott dishes culinary and cocktail insights. E-mail her at kirstenott@sundaypaper.com.

TRY THIS AT HOME
Partida Tequila sells a 100 percent organic agave nectar that makes quite possibly one of the best margaritas I’ve ever had—and trust me, I’ve had plenty. It’s the perfect blend of rich and tart, and it rolls down your throat so nicely. Plus, it’s low-glucose, so it contains fewer calories than traditional margaritas, and it’s all natural. Cheers!

Partida Margarita

1 ounce lime juice (app. the juice from one lime)
¾ ounce pure organic agave nectar
¾ ounce pure spring water
1.5 ounce Partida Tequila Blanco, Reposado or Añejo
Combine into shaker with ice, shake, pour into your favorite margarita glass, and enjoy.

Valentine's Day Special