Many of you apparently have already hit up Sobban since it opened a few days back, but here’s John Kessler’s initial take…

There are fewer than 40 seats inside Sobban, the Korean-Southern diner set under the horseshoe-bowed roof and soaring plate windows of a vintage Arby’s. That hasn’t stopped the crowds that (mostly) wait patiently to try this exciting new restaurant — one whose time most definitely has come.

You could argue that Atlanta has emerged as one of the country’s (if not the world’s) great towns for Korean food, and many of the area’s best chefs find inspiration from the restaurants and markets throughout the Northern suburbs. We’re ripe for a Western-style restaurant like this, which assumes a certain level of familiarity and comfort with Korean flavors on the part of the customer, both in terms of its chile heat and its twangy funk of fermented vegetables.

We’re receiving multiple eyewitness reports the last 24 hours that furniture has been moved out of HOLA Mexican Cantina at Church and Ponce and the place is now totally empty.

After being named the new principal of Oakhurst Elementary at last night’s school board meeting, Principal Robin Fountain sent along this note along to families this morning….

Dear Oakhurst and Clairemont Families,

Tonight at the November Board of Education meeting, I was named the new principal of Oakhurst Elementary. For the last four years I have served as Clairemont Elementary’s Instructional Coach. The three years prior to that I taught 3rd grade at Oakhurst Elementary. Before moving to Decatur, I taught 1st grade at Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary in Charleston, South Carolina and in Glasgow, Scotland.

For the last few years, I have been preparing for the next challenge in my career, and when the Oakhurst principal position was posted in October, I submitted a letter of interest. Last week after the interview process, CSD superintendent Dr. Phyllis Edwards offered me the position and I happily accepted.

Rest assured that Ms. Wheeler, Ms. Mack, and I are working closely on a plan to care for both school communities. Clairemont is full of wonderful students, teachers, and parents led by a principal who fosters leadership skills in her entire crew, and a new Instructional Coach will soon be hired. I will begin spending part of my time at Oakhurst, meeting with teachers, visiting classrooms, and attending SLT and PTA meetings.

I am grateful for the wonderful staff, students and faculty at Clairemont who have supported me and helped me develop my leadership skills over the last four years and I will miss seeing them on a daily basis. However, I look forward to working with Marcia Bryant-Fowler, Oakhurst’s Instructional Coach, as well as the creative and dedicated Oakhurst teachers and staff. Further, I am honored and excited to collaborate with the principals of all the wonderful K-3 schools and to lead the Oakhurst Crew through the next phase of CSD’s exciting journey.

I am looking forward to getting to know new students and families and hope that when you see me, you will reach out and introduce yourself!

Sincerely,

Robin Fountain