OK, now this is just getting ridiculous.  Tomorrow’s News Today reports…

The Asheville favorite [Tupelo Honey] has been serving southern favorites in since 2000, and recently started to expand their concept. The restaurant opened a second Asheville location in early 2010 and just opened their first out-of- state location in Knoxville, Tennessee earlier this week.

Not surprisingly, sources say that Decatur is the likely local target for the restaurant’s planned Atlanta area expansion. I had the pleasure of dining at their original location earlier this summer, and would describe the restaurant as a cross between the original Flying Biscuit Cafe and Another Broken Egg Cafe.

Decatur and Asheville sittin’ in a tree.  How long do you think before John Kessler writes a Decatur/Asheville article for the AJC Sunday paper?

Photo courtesy of jessicareeder via Flickr

UPDATE: No longer a rumor.  Chai Pani confirmed it on their Twitter page HERE.

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Michael points out this Atlanta Mag food critic Bill Addison tweet…

Heard that @chaipani, which rocks Mumbai-style street food & thalis in Asheville, just signed a lease on Watershed’s old Decatur space. #yes

Nothing yet on Chai Pani’s Twitter page or website.

Is this Asheville’s trade to Decatur for the recent news that Farm Burger – which is located in the same building as the old Watershed space – would be opening a 4th location in Asheville?

Regardless, great news for the Decatur restaurant scene and the West Ponce streetscape!

Bruce sends along this great little production created by some high school students in a Learning Tribe documentary film class.  According to Bruce, the creation of this video was “a fledgling effort in front of and behind the camera for the students.”

Nice work everyone!

Yogurt Wars from Bruce Miller on Vimeo.

Tomorrow’s News Today reports that Farm Burger’s next location won’t be inside the Atlanta metro area.  Heck it won’t even be located in the state of Georgia.

According to TNT, Farm Burger is following in the steps of another Decatur staple, Universal Joint, and opening a fourth location in Asheville, NC.   Farm Burger will be located in the “historic Leader building”, which looks like it was just sold in January.

TNT goes on…

George Frangos, founder of Farm Burger, has been scouting other southern cities for his planned expansion outside of Atlanta and sees Asheville as a good secondary market considering its similarities to Decatur, home of the original Farm Burger.

So the question is: Is Asheville becoming “Decatur North”?  Or is Decatur becoming “Asheville South”?

Photo courtesy of lumierefl via Flickr

Kristin writes in…

The Decatur Farm to School Fall Dine Out will be held Tuesday, October 16, 2012 from 7-11am for breakfast/coffee spots and 5-9 pm for dinner/dessert restaurants. The theme for our Fall Dine Out is ‘Fast and Fresh!’ Enjoy a quick and delicious meal at a participating restaurant and a percentage of the proceeds will be donated to Decatur Farm to School (DF2S) to sustain its mission of integrating fresh, whole, locally produced foods into the City of Decatur school community’s classrooms and cafeterias.

Participating restaurants include The Bakery at Cakes & Ale (5-9pm), Community Q, Farm Burger, Kitsch’n 155, Mellow Mushroom Pizza, Oakhurst Market, Raging Burrito, Revolution Doughnuts, Rise-N-Dine, Sugar Moon Bake Shop, and Yogurt Tap. Little Shop of Stories will also be donating a portion of their evening sales to DF2S.

As a part of the Dine Out, we will be sponsoring a raffle with great prizes from local restaurants and businesses – including The Bakery at Cakes & Ale, Community Q, the Farm Mobile, Kavarna, Little Shop of Stories, Oakhurst Market, Raging Burrito, Rise-N-Dine, the Wylde Center, and more. Funds raised will go toward supporting teacher workshops, kitchen trainings for our cafeteria partners, classroom and garden projects, and student taste tests. Please spread the word and be sure to take family, neighbors, and friends out for a nice meal to celebrate a great cause, support our local businesses, and enjoy delicious food. DF2S is a branch of the Wylde Center.

Visit us at http://www.decaturfarmtoschool.org/.

The Cousins Properties folks sent out a press release this morning announcing some new additions to the Emory Point retail portfolio, including nationally well-known brands like Bonefish Grill and LOFT, which is owned by Ann Taylor.

Also coming to Emory Point is a gourmet burger joint called “Burgerfi“, which according to the release “resembles hamburger stands from the 1950s and 1960s, but with a twist – it only serves all-natural, grass-fed beef with no chemicals or additives.” and currently has 22 locations around the country, Paradise Biryani Pointe, which will offer “many variations of biryani – a popular, rice-based dish – and features Indian, Persian and Middle Eastern inspired dishes in a unique café atmosphere.”, and an “electic women’s boutique called “Francesca’s Collections”.

According to the release, 82% of Emory Point’s retail space is already filled and that many of the restaurants and shops will be opening starting in November.

And in case you need a retail recap up until this point (ha!), other retailers already announced include: fab’rik, Lizard Thicket, American Threads, The General Muir, La Tagliatella, Jazmin Spa, JoS. A. Bank Clothiers, Marlow’s Tavern, Tin Lizzy’s and CVS, among others.

photo courtesy of Fresh to Order

Louis points out that there’s info floating around the interwebs that a new tavern is coming to Emory Village next year.  Here’s a blurb from a PR site about the new spot, “Ink & Elm”…

Ink & Elm: Located in Emory Village, Ink & Elm is a 7,000 square foot tavern, lounge and dining room that celebrates the deep history of Atlanta’s Druid Hills neighborhood, including Frederick Law Olmsted, the neighborhood’s designer who is also behind NYC’s Central Park and the neighborhood’s Olmsted Linear Park. The location provides the perfect spot for Druid Hills’ residents as well as Emory faculty and students to gather, socialize and dine. The dark and cozy design for the tavern is loosely based on a turn of the century landscape design studio, while the dining room takes into account Olmsted’s approach toward garden and landscape design with a light and airy mood. Ink & Elm is expected to open early next year.

Urbanspoon and Yelp have the address as 1577 N. Decatur Road, which puts it down near the Panara/CVS end of Emory Village.

Rendering courtesy of Eater

Decatur lunchers now have another lunch option if they’re looking for a noon day lunch out on the town.  A bit of news from a restaurant that’s only been open in the evenings to-date…

The Pinewood located in Decatur is now serving lunch for sit-down and on-the-go diners, Monday through Friday from 12-2 p.m.

Guests may either call in their order or order at the counter. Diners who place their lunch order to go will receive their meal in a brown-bag with napkins and utensils inside.

The new lunch menu includes sandwiches, salads and soup, as well as side items. All sandwich options include the choice of any side item. Along with the aim to serve tasty, chef-driven food, The Pinewood is also committed to providing healthy menu options.

Photo courtesy of The Pinewood’s Facebook page

Where’s the best place to purchase seafood in this landlocked city?

Sit-down restaurant, takeout or grocery store.  Where do you buy your sea creatures?

James took this pic of a new restaurant sign hanging in the old Feast space along East Howard Avenue in the Old Decatur neighborhood.  MAR’s website describes the venture thusly…

Coastal Mexican Fare Comes to Decatur.

Wood-roasted Fish. Coastal Tacos.  Tostados.

Ceviche. Aguachile. Sashimi. Carpaccio. Oysters. Lobster + Crab Buckets.

Tequilas. Mojitos.  Micheladas. Margaritas.