Slice Cafe, Diced and Done With in Alpharetta

Slice Cafe, open since last Spring has closed in Alpharetta. Located at 52 Main Street, the eatery was well received by critics upon opening but was never able to carve out a niche amongst other more moderately priced options in the area. The eatery's executive chef, Charles Dalbec was formerly of the ill-fated Emeril's Buckhead eatery. The restaurant's website and phone number are both disconnected so we were unable to garner any additional info. Also, its unlikely anything will be eager to move in but who knows, maybe we've turned a corner! Repeat Atlanta!

You Gotta Eat! Checkers Coming To Broad Street

Earlier this week we announced that Thai Gourmet would be reopening as a Juicy Green yogurt eatery. Now, Checkers is opening too, right across the street. Taking a space that had most recently been KFC, Checkers is opening on Broad Street in downtown Atlanta. Based in Tampa Bay, Florida, Checker's Drive-In Restaurants will enter Broad Street amidst stiff competition from Taco Bell to its left and McDonald's not far to its right. Additionally, "Wonderful World," from Tin Drum Asia Cafe, offers affordable hamburgers a few doors down. Rumor has it that Chick-Fil-A has its sights set on a location in the area also. Though no opening date has been announced for Checkers, we expect for them to open by mid September. Repeat Atlanta!

Not So Good Fortune... Chopstix Buckhead Is 86'd!

So, I spent some time in China last year and savored some fine fare during my visit.  From Cantonese, to Pekingese, to Szechuan – the cuisine is as varied as the lovely people.

Back in the States, this grasshopper craved some of the same experiences … the strong lauded Chopstix nearly topped the list. With it’s Hong Kong roots, this establishment has garnered a formidable presence in Buckhead.  Having a staff as polished and efficient as any I’ve seen, I fear the flavors of the cuisine have been slightly lost in translation.  From a hot & sour soup that was entirely overpowered by black pepper, to a calamari appetizer drowning in its “sweet & syrupy” sauce – for a moment I lost confidence in my self-proclaimed discriminating palate, but I cannot deny the reception from my taste-buddies.  In this case, I understand the necessity of an efficient staff, as a full water glass is required to endure the tragically over salted Szechuan chicken.  Even the spicy pork fried rice spoke desert-dryness and lacked any semblance of spiciness… the water was good though.  So for now, regrettably, I must say – 86 on the ‘Stix.

Rick does play favorites! Click here for the most recent pick, Hal's! 

57th Fighter Keeps On Fightin, Reopening Soon

57th Fighter Group Restaurant, closed since late 2006, is due to reopen in late September, followed by its grand reopening in early October. The menu has been tweaked a little and is said to be "American Eclectic" with steak, seafood, pasta along with some other usual suspects. Chef Sam Adams will be in charge of the kitchen with Tricia Clancy being brought back in from the restaurants earlier incarnation as General Manager. The decor is very much the same as it was, WWII inspired with improvements made to the facilities and to the kitchen. The parking lot was also resealed and the land surrounding the eatery landscaped for the first time in a while. Always a fan of their outdoor patio, allowing a rare dining experience as planes and helicopters land feet away, we can't wait to try it out. If you would like additional info, they already have a Facebook fan page set up with details and pictures. While you're at it, become a fan of Repeat Atlanta! With seating said to be about 150-175, this would make a great neighborhood gathering spot as Chamblee hasn't had anything like this eatery since, well since 2006! Repeat Atlanta!

Façonnable Opens At Lenox With Some Familiar Faces

Façonnable finally opens at Lenox. As we first reported last June , Façonnable has now opened its first store in Atlanta, at Lenox Square in Buckhead. Occupying a portion of the former Polo Ralph Lauren space in the main corridor of level one, almost half the staff came from the recently shuttered Mark Shale across the hall. Previously an exclusive house brand of Nordstrom in the U.S. and later purchased by Nordstrom in 2000, the brand was sold in 2007 to M1 Group, a Lebanese private equity group. The new plan for the brand is to open boutiques in select locales from coast to coast. Repeat Atlanta!

A Hole In One More Space At Lenox As Bobby Jones Closes

Bobby Jones, one of the original retailers within the "Luxury Wing" at Lenox Square closed this past weekend. Following the closures of locations in Beverly Hills, Las Vegas, Hawaii, and a relocation of their in-store shop in Hickey Freeman's 5th Avenue store, the only remaining stand alone location is in Naples, Florida. Parent company Hartmarx filed bankruptcy this past January and was subsequently purchased by Emerisque/SKNL North America in late June. While a number of outlet stores remain open, its appears the brands new owners are trying to minimize the number of full line retail locations. As the space at Lenox is quite small, hopefully it wont be vacant too long. Maybe Judith Leiber wants to come back? Repeat Atlanta!

Waffle House Smothering and Covering Downtown Colleges

Following the opening of a Waffle House at Underground Atlanta early last year, not far from Georgia State University, another location is opening not far away at the soon to open Parker H. Petit Science Center at Piedmont Ave and Decatur St. A 10-story science and research facility, the building is due for completion next spring. Waffle House has plans to follow that timeline with hopes of opening their eatery in late spring. Waffle House seems intent on feeding grits and waffles to as many Georgia State students as possible, but they're not stopping there. Waffle House will also open at Technology Square, not far from Georgia Tech. Located at 5th and Spring, the Waffle House will open in the former American Apparel space, next to Tin Drum Asia Cafe. With hopes to open by late this year, or early next year, Georgia Tech students are already getting excited after word of its opening started to circulate this week as classes started. Repeat Atlanta!