Notable noshes

A most appropriate place to start this week is by giving a big whass up to the many of you I ran into this past week. It's refreshing to know that you dig the vibe, whether you attend the type of functions I do or not.

The opening of Monty's Stone Crab Seafood Restaurant in Buckhead, located in the old Bennigan's building right behind the Swissotel, is how I started my week. For you seafood lovers who grow weary of driving all the way to College Park to Spondivits, you'll enjoy this addition. Unlike most of the restaurant openings that I've attended, this was done in a way to really give you a sampling of how the spot works and truly what the food tastes like versus creating an atmosphere that's circus-like; kudos go out to Maizie Hale and her PR staff.

The stars of this show, without question, were the stone crab claws. Ya boy here could have eaten them all night, but I didn't because I had other things to work on, namely three more courses. Might I add that the Blue Picasso aka Blue Cosmopolitan that the Detroit playa disguising himself as a bartender, Randall Cooper, served up was swangin! Go see him and tell him I sent ya.

Mid-week brought more socializing opportunities and I'm rather glad, because the month's of January and February can get real challenging for someone who is supposed to give you the lowdown weekly on the haps. It seems like the twinge of warm weather certainly helped, and what perfect timing for John Heilemann to come to town. John is the author of Pride Before the Fall, the book that chronicles the trials of Bill Gates & the end of the Microsoft era; stop clapping folks! Anyway, he was in town this week and I caught up with him over at a reception at Terra de Siena.

My favorite part of being at that reception was seeing Andre Thierry. Write that name down and this is why: Andre is a playwright who has worked at some of the finest restaurants in the city, but what many of you don't know is how talented he is. A while back, he dropped off to me his new work, Cuban Fakes, a play that centers on the death of slain designer Gianni Versace, and involves a woman, Esperanza Caceres, who declares that a very expensive painting is fake -- get it? -- setting the mood for a most interesting plot. I'm going to say this loudly: Can we please get this piece developed for live performance in Atlanta? I'm so tired of the arts floodgate that seems to remain open in this city, leading artists to go rafting out of here for other cities.

Earlier in the week, I had a chance to catch up with Laura Nix, whose business development & consulting firm, Division IV, is handling the newest restaurant to hit the Westside, Commune. Here's the deal. Commune is the hip New York-based restaurant that Atlanta businessman & partner Govantez Lowndes stumbled across while on a business trip there. He felt that Atlanta needed one, so he put his money where his mouth is, partnered with the owners of the NYC location, and there ya have it. Rounding out the team is Atlanta based Chris Cardinale and Paul Sullivan, the latter formerly of Mumbo Jumbo fame. Speaking of Mumbo, does every team in town opening up a new bar/restaurant have a former member of the MJ team on it? Hmmm! Any ol' way, it's scheduled to open up early spring and has a modern day "tavern feel." The centerpiece is the communal dining table made of African Wendgi wood, located in the middle of the restaurant, hence the name.

Other noteworthy mentions are that the bar is separate from the dining area and has a separate entrance. Those who wanna eat can eat, and those who wanna be seen can be seen. Good job, folks. Lastly, the opening time of high noon and closing time of 2 a.m., seven days a week, has this sounding like my new favorite spot. See ya there.

Meanwhile, readers keep your comments coming, but please, to the CL e-mail addy. Much respect.

Hug A Dread.