Restaurant to Soon Occupy Vacant Courtyard by Marriott Space?
Decatur Metro | October 2, 2013This blurb was tacked on to the end of the Focus’ downtown development update in the September issue and I’ve been waiting with bated breath to see what becomes of it…
The Marriott Courtyard appears to be close to a deal for a new restaurant in a long-shuttered space located on the southeast corner of the hotel to the left of the main entrance. The space has a beautiful outdoor patio area and a restaurant will bring some much-needed energy to this part of downtown Decatur.
But nothing yet!
Latest from Decaturish
The Chocolate Bar had once talked of relocating there. Guessing that won’t happen now that the previous downtown decatur location closed down.
Dim Sum anyone?
We checked out Gunshow last night and their dim sum style of service was a lot of fun. The food was pretty darn good as well.
We were there last Friday. Interesting concept and fantastic food. The prices on bottles of wine and beer are outstanding.
I agree…Most fun I had trying a new place since…well..Paper Plane which was not all too long ago.
Mmmm dim sum. That reminds me–when in the Chinese restaurant opening on Church?
Wasn’t there a pretty strong indication that Guy Wong’s Cantonese/dim sum place, Big Boss Chinese, was going to move in here? Seems like a good fit.
Winnona Park Stud walked by Gunshow last night while picking up a friend before the Braves game. It looked really bright inside – like a teaching kitchen or laboratory. Was it weird eating in a place that’s so bright inside?
“Baited breath?” Does that mean it will be a seafood place?
Ha!
No, just that I have terrible breath.
Hooters would be awesome!!!!
I think we’ve got enough seafood, right? Being 250+ miles to the beach makes me a little leery of seafood. But I can’t think of any other style of restaurant that we’re missing at the moment.
We could use a brew pub with good food.
I like the food. The beer, not so much.
Would love a conversation-friendly, table-cloth restaurant with a bit of sophistication for grown-up occasions. Most attempts are too noisy, awkward service etc. Closest for us is Cafe Lily, but the ambiance is wanting.
And yet you couldn’t support Ruby Tuesday…
“Would love a conversation-friendly, table-cloth restaurant with a bit of sophistication for grown-up occasions.”
That’s really not what Decatur does best, so I don’t see it happening (in a nutshell, Leon’s is what Decatur does best).
But what about Parkers? This is where we take visitors who don’t like noisy, trendy places or alcohol-dominated restaurants.
Parker’s is great. We took my parents there the last time they were in town. About two bites into his pork chop my dad asked what was the name of the restaurant we ate at the last time they were in town. I told him it was the Iberian Pig. He said, “Yeah, that tapas crap. You can keep your fancy small plate shit, THIS is real FOOD!”
And no, before anyone asks, I am not related to the JT who owns the place. For one, sharing the same first name, or initials, does not make one related. And two, the stupid guy doesn’t even know how to use an underscore…
What’s wrong with the ambiance at Cafe Lily? I’ve always found it pleasant and especially love the patio. Plus the service and food has always been great for us. We also love Parkers. I suppose my dear hubby falls into the category of J_T’s dad, but I also love the more trendy, not-so-great for conversation places yet never feel put out opting for Cafe Lily or Parkers in lieu of the others because they always deliver.
“But I can’t think of any other style of restaurant that we’re missing at the moment.”
Vietnamese (my preference), Chinese, Korean, Jewish deli, Cajun (not my preference)…
+1 for Vietnamese. Would kill for a C’om in our hood.
Ooh! What I wouldn’t give to be able to run to Decatur for a bahn mi instead of trekking all the way to Buford Hwy!
Souper Jenny?
It will be a “hotel restaurant” when it comes right down to it, yes? So I would expect something with pretty general appeal. However, if someone wants to open a good (or even decent) Vietnamese restaurant in Decatur, I promise to spend money there often!
There used to be a Vietnamese place here – Viet Chateau, where Pinewood is now. Maybe it was too early and Decatur’s culinary sophistication had not yet arrived. I went there a few times and liked it ok.
And there was Garlic Thai or Thai Garlic, where Native was, next to SnoBall Cafe. I think the problem with many of the Asian restaurants that have come and gone in Decatur is that they’ve been just ok. Ok works for suburban malls but not currently in Decatur. There’s too much good to great competition.
I think part of the problem is that authentic Asian restaurants (particularly Chinese and Korean) need a customer base of Asians, which is not likely in Decatur (though Indian may be an exception).
that’s a strange thing to say.
Why is that? Do you think it is a coincidence that the more authentic Asian restaurants are located in parts of town with higher concentrations of Asians? I have been to a couple of Korean restuarants on Buford HIghway that have no English signage and have only a couple of employees speak English to handle the occasional American who ventures in.
I would say that probably most of their clientele in such places are American. They might not speak “Murican” as their first language, but that doesn’t make them not-American. Would you be willing to amend your comment and say that they have a couple of employees speak English to handle the occasional native English speakers? Call it PC if you want, but I would just it correct.
As far as most of their clientele, you and I clearly haven’t been to the same places. But, if it makes you feel better, native English speakers it is.
I call them (us) Englishers after the Amish.
Based on a Kessler review, we recently went to a Korean place hidden off of BUHI in Doraville. It had ZERO English-speaking employees. We ended up with far too much food because of miscommunication.
So Asian restaurants are not generally successful outside of Asian areas? There are plenty of examples that refute that. Just because you’ve not been to these places does not mean that they don’t exist.
Obviously ethnic restaurants are clustered around the corresponding ethnic regions but that does not mean that one could not be successful in our city. I think the people who just signed the lease on this space agree with me.
“There are plenty of examples that refute that”
There are exceptions to every rule.
“There are plenty of examples that refute that. Just because you’ve not been to these places does not mean that they don’t exist.”
But there are no examples in Decatur, outside of Americanized ones.
I think there’s some truth to this. Setting aside Chinese joints (which themselves kind of have to be jacks of several trades of otherwise disparate regional cuisines), it seems like it’s hard to cater to a non-native demographic and serve a specific Asian cuisine. So you wind up with a lot of pan-Asian “we do sushi AND Thai AND Chinese!” places like Green Ginger, Garlic, Mint, etc. Saigon Cafe is able to feature pho and other Vietnamese staples, but only by also offering Thai curries, fried rice, etc. I had a friend who told it was his favorite restaurant and I said, “Oh, I love pho!” To which he replied, “What’s that? I like massaman.”
All of this to say, I would kill for Vietnamese on the square. I remember Viet Chateau, and it was okay, not great, but I’d take that in a heartbeat over having to drive to BuHi (or even Saigon Cafe). If they could do pho AND a decent banh mi, so much the better.
No– it has to do with demand. Obviously in ethnic clusters there is the built-in demand. But there are loads of places around the US, and the metro area, where clientele demand ethnic food. 10 years ago in Decatur there was no Mexican food at all (maybe TDS was just opening, I forget) but now we have a TON of options (many are not great, but that’s a different story).
As Decatur gets more food-centered there will be plenty of demand for good Asian/ ethnic restaurants. Don’t take my word for it, look at all of the new places opening up around here INCLUDING this very space!!
My comment was about authentic Asian restaurants: there are very few in Decatur (some would argue none, with the exception of the Indian restaurants that are just outside the city limits). It remains to be seen whether this new place will be authentic or even good.
I think the issue is that you are equating “authentic” with the proportion of non-Caucasians in the restaurant. If that is your measure, then yes, almost by definition, those restaurants will not exist in Decatur.
But I do think that our citizens will support authentically prepared, delicious, ethnic Asian food. There are plenty of examples of these types of restaurants throughout most major cities including Atlanta. There just has to be the demand and I think there is.
“I think the issue is that you are equating “authentic” with the proportion of non-Caucasians in the restaurant.”
You think incorrectly. I’m equating authentic with food prepared with little or no concession to typical American taste. Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s any good, per se. That’s another issue.
You may be right that there is sufficient demand for that here, but I’m skeptical.
I’m not picturing a divey grungy stinky sticky place. I’m thinking Naan Thai or Nam. I’m very hopeful for Sobban.
For the most part, Mexican and Chinese restuarants have become so American-ized that they don’t even belong in this conversation.
Yes, there are few authentic examples of either around, with the exception of Buford Hwy. There certainly aren’t any in Decatur.
BuHi does not have a monopoly on authentic ethnic food (though it does have the most diverse selection of it in town), but you do still find the most authentic places in the neighborhoods where populations from those countries concentrate. I don’t see why that’s a controversial idea. It’s kind of common sense.
For instance, the greatest proliferation of Korean places (and many of the best) are not on BuHi but up in Duluth and toward Suwanee, because that’s where the large Korean immigrant populations have located. There were a lot of authentic taquerias and other Mexican places in Smyrna when we bought our first house there in the early 2000s. But since then that area has gentrified quite a bit and most seemed to disappear. And as mentioned, the large Indian population adjacent to our own little burgh has led to a great diversity of authentic Indian places in and around Patel Plaza.
I’m not saying authentic places can’t exist outside of those enclaves. Of course there are exceptions, and happily so. I wish there were more. But it’s much harder for them to make a go of it without knowing they have a built-in clientele.
Just a few examples: Naan Thai, Tamarind Seed, Nam, Taka, Miso Izakaya, Little Bangkok, Hong Kong Harbor. Hell, even Siam on the square has been here for 10+ years. None of these restaurants are in neighborhoods with high Asian populations. Do you remember the “Americanized” place Eurasia? That was actually owned by Koreans but “Americanized” their menu and did not succeed because the result was not very good. Garlic did not succeed because the food was not good. If Little Bangkok opened in Decatur it would be an overwhelming success.
I would argue that there is plenty of a market in Decatur for a good place with authentically prepared food. I wouldn’t sell Decaturites short by saying we wouldn’t support it. There’s no reason why it can succeed in midtown and not here. The bar is quality, not geography.
I think a good 24-hour honest to goodness diner would be my choice.
After the hopes pinned and dashed on Decatur Diner, I’ve given up on that. We’re too upscale for that now. Decatur Diner is an oxymoron. Like Buckhead Diner was.
Maybe we’d have better luck, as the previous one was neither honest nor good.
+1 , although I think AHID may be right. Just doesn’t feel like a diner, even a good one, would work here anymore.
There probably isn’t enough car traffic for a 24 hour place of any kind, but I do wish we could get some late night breakfast downtown.
Hey guys, It’s going to be a restaurant serving dishes inspired by Asian street food and comfort food. The lease is signed. http://atlanta.eater.com/archives/2013/10/03/spring-tracking-2.php
Could this and the Guy Wong joint be one in the same? Although maybe now the most likely spot for that is back in the soon to be vacant GA Power space.
As far as I know, Guy Wong is not involved with the restaurant at the Courtyard hotel.
-Sonia from Eater Atlanta
This is exciting
http://m.atlanta.eater.com/archives/2013/10/03/spring-tracking-2.php
http://m.atlanta.eater.com/archives/2013/10/03/spring-tracking-2.php
I like that Atlanta Eater site!
(Buckhead Turkish restaurant Istanblue).
Also noticed on there that “Native” finally closed.. and that we might get a new Turkish restaurant in it’s place
Decatur doesn’t have a real destination breakfast place or a true vegetarian place. I’m eating at The Grit in Athens right now and am seriously thinking about trying to talk the owners into letting me franchise the concept.
The Grit is superb. Another great breakfast place there is Mama’s Boy.
Funny you should say that. The rehearsal dinner last night was at Mama’s Boy. It was good, but The Grit is still the king!
Check out The Branded Butcher.
The Branded Butcher was great, too! Had some of their food Saturday afternoon when we checked out the new rooftop bar at the Georgia Theater. There’s some good food stuff going on in Athens, for sure. It’s like those college kids, hippy musicians and horrible football fans think they’re in Decatur or something!
Decatur doesn’t have a real destination breakfast place? Really?… Maybe your sarcasm is too subtle for me, but just in case…
How about: Thumbs Up, Pastries A Go Go, Sweet Melissa’s or Cakes & Ale?
Weekend Brunch @ Marley House, Twain’s, Cafe Alsace, Wahoo! Grill, Leon’s Full Service, Parker’s On Ponce, Big Tex, MAR.. etc.
Just outside Decatur: Rise-N-Dine, Sun In My Belly, Radial
I’ve even heard a rumor that some people actually go to J Christopher’s!
Nope. None of those are places people come from outside of Decatur to eat at. Sorry.
I’m open to people disagreeing but that’s how I see it.
And there’s definitely no true vegetarian restaurant…
The Grit would kill it.
I take your point, though when we lived outside of Decatur we would go to Pastries-A-Go-Go on weekends. But that had more to do with a lack of such places near where we lived and the relative ease of getting to Pastries… Our destination breakfast/brunch places have long been Java Jive and Murphy’s, but both are usually too crowded and inconvenient in terms of parking to visit very often.