Some people—Julie Andrews, John Coltrane—like their brown paper packages tied up with string. But we love brown paper when it’s taped up all over storefront windows—especially at this time of year. It’s the telltale sign that the restaurant elves are busy making all new kitchen toys for all of us good little boys and girls. And like wee ones in anticipation of Christmas morning, Restaurantarama almost can’t sleep just thinking about ripping off all of that paper and discovering what new dining wonders await for us inside. And there is a lot of brown paper out there right now. It’s like, well, Christmas!
 Waiting for the The Box to open: Chas Webster (left) is one of the owners of a new establishment in the old Atomic Burrito space that they’re calling The Box, tentatively planned to start up in time for a New Year’s celebration. |
Lucky for us, we have a direct line to a few elves who were willing to give us a sneak peek inside some of those packages. Chris Kabbash, a restaurant business broker involved in many of the dining deals around here, gave us some scoop on two places. First—drum roll please—it’s the old Atomic Burrito space. After a much-discussed closing of the tiny, Second Street SE venue, beloved as much for its generous late night music scene as for its generous grub, the space has changed hands officially and work has begun on its transformation. Kabbash tells us that the new owners, Michael Fitzgerald, Chas Webster and John Adamson, have yet to finalize the new direction of the place—which they are calling The Box—but he says that they will continue "the same sort of Atomic music scene." Rock on! And Kabbash says that they tentatively are planning to open in time for a New Year’s celebration. Rock on again!
Second, Kabbash tells us that Savour—the dining establishment from Ed Nafei that has been "Coming soon" to the old Hong Kong space on Emmet Street for quite a while now—is getting, well, a lot closer to the "coming" part. His says the new kitchen is in place and a new bar is not far behind. Restaurantarama sneaked a peek in the windows, which, conveniently, are covered in a much more transparent plastic, and saw that indeed the place is getting a major spiff-up. Kabbash says Nafei is working toward an opening at the beginning of the new year. (Read our April 2007 interview with Nafei for the full story behind Savour).
And we bring you tidings of Siips, the new wine bar going in the old April’s Corner space on the Downtown Mall. Owner George Benford tells us the place will open December 21 and that it will have a new name—it now will be called Siips Wine and Champagne Bar (emphasis added). Yep, in addition to the 80-plus wines by the glass that Siips eventually will have on hand, Benford says Siips will offer 10-15 sparkling wines by the glass from various regions—France, Italy, Spain, Australia, California and Virginia—as well as the usual champagne bar fixins’ ( e.g., caviar, paté). It seems wine bars and retail shops are multiplying as of late, but ain’t nobody doin’ a champagne bar as far as we know, so we thank Benford for filling this now so obvious void.
If all of this doesn’t have visions of pick-your-favorite-food-or-spirit dancing in your head, note that several other pending establishments we’ve been telling you about are soon to come on line. There’s the new Aromas at Barracks Road shopping center, Olivaté at the Albemarle Square Shopping Center, Chaps’ new canopy and outdoor eating space to come in 2008, the unveiling of the mystery restaurant next to Crush in Belmont and the expected launch of a third Arch’s on Emmet Street.
And if you are just too excited to wait for the opening of those presents, you could always check out Beer Run, which will have opened on Carlton Road by the time you read this. This shop/bar/restaurant offers beer on tap and to go, retail wine, espresso, breakfast munchies, lunches and dinners. If they offered a bed and some clean towels, we might just move in.
Got some restaurant scoop? Send tips to restaurantarama@c-ville.com or call 817-2749, Ext. 48.