News You Can Eat

Beloved Southern cook and author Edna Lewis died at age 89 on Feb. 13 at the home she shared with Scott Peacock, executive chef at Watershed in Decatur. The duo had become famous for their cookbook The Gift of Country Cooking, a companion to Lewis’ best-selling The Taste of Country Cooking, published in 1976. The odd couple of cooking became best friends, and when her health began to decline, Peacock opened his home to her and was with her when she died.

The much-talked-about and long-awaited building permit arrived in January, and Redfish was able to open its doors in time for Mardi Gras. Jack Sobel, founder of Agave (Cabbagetown) and Gregg Herndon, founder of Tiburon Grille (Virginia-Highland) partnered on the Grant Park eatery (located on Memorial Drive). Redfish features a full bar, extensive wine list and diverse Cajun-Creole cuisine, including classic Louisiana etouffee, jambalaya, seafood gumbo, red beans and rice, barbecued shrimp, oysters en brochette and redfish moutarde.

Chef David Silverman, formerly of Prime at Lenox Square, is now heading the kitchen at the newly opened Strip at Atlantic Station. The hip, three-story restaurant – which has the motto "meat, drink, eat" – is serving up steak and sushi. The main dining level has giant windows overlooking Atlantic Station, while the second floor, dubbed the "Meat Market," has the sushi bar and an in-house DJ. The third floor has a rooftop deck open year-round with heat lamps to ward off chilly nights.

Matty Cakes – a new bakery serving breakfast pastries, sandwiches, coffee drinks and, of course, delectable cakes – is now open at the corner of Piedmont Avenue and Rock Springs Road in Midtown. Owner Matty Lewis is doing a brisk take-out business, and the birthday cakes come highly recommended, as do the red velvet and coconut cakes.

Decatur-favorite Sweet Devil Moon is moving to the old Fishbone location at the corner of Piedmont Avenue and 10th Street across from Outwrite Books. The restaurant, which serves Peruvian-inspired tapas, is expected to open in the spring. A Mexican restaurant is rumored to be moving into the old location on Mead Road in the Oakhurst neighborhood.

Author and vanilla expert Patricia Rain will appear at Vanilla Sundae at the Atlanta Botanical Garden on March 19, 1 - 4 p.m. She will share samples of vanilla beans from around the world, and vanilla ornaments, artifacts, photos and other vanilla-themed treats, and sign copies of her books, Vanilla: The Cultural History of the World’s Favorite Flavor and Fragrance and The Vanilla Chef.

The High Museum of Art’s Wine Auction will be moving to a new Midtown location this spring – Atlantic Station. Beginning Wednesday, March 29, through April 1, the auction’s trademark big-top tents will be raised in celebration of this year’s theme, "Toast a New High. Ooh, La, La!" to honor last fall’s opening of the new wings and the October 2006 debut of "Louvre Atlanta."

This year, the auction will honor three special guests from the wine world – Jean-Michel Cazes, Alexandra Pereyre de Nonancourt and Maximilian Riedel.

The 2006 Wine Auction events kick off March 29 with the Artist Dinner; Thursday, March 30 offers a Trade Tasting and in-home Winemaker Dinners. A Premier Tasting Seminar, Gala Dinner Dance and silent auction will be held under the big-top tents on Friday, March 31. Saturday, April 1, events include the Vintners’ Reception and Live Auction followed by a new event, "Red, White & New" featuring wine, food, microwbrews, music and dancing. For more information, www.atlanta-wineauction.org.

Fernbank Museum will host Wine Tasting and Chocolate Pairings on Wednesday evenings, March 1, 15 and 29. Part of Fernbank’s Vine & Culture series, this program demonstrates how food, wine and chocolate complement one another. Pairings provided by Whole Foods on March 1, Muss & Turner’s on March 15 and Java Vino on March 29. $75 per person. Reservations required (404) 929-6400.

QUICK BITES: A new Thai restaurant, Spoon, has opened Downtown near the Georgia Aquarium at 688 Marietta St.... Tapas bar Sabroso has opened near the Edgewood Retail District in Little Five Points.... Dean Depuis is the new executive chef at South City Kitchen in Midtown, replacing Tim McGee, who is now heading the kitchen at the Vinings location.... The Spotted Dog pub has opened in the former fire station on North Avenue just across from the Bank of America tower.... Raving Brands has opened four of its eight concepts in Atlantic Station: Moe’s Southwest Grill, Doc Green’s Gourmet Salads, Boneheads Grilled Fish and Piri Piri Chicken and PJ’s Coffee and Lounge.... Chef Christopher Wilson, who relocated to Atlanta following Hurricane Katrina, has been named Emeril’s Atlanta chef de cuisine. Wilson, who has been chef de cuisine of Emeril’s in New Orleans since 1999, will oversee all kitchen operations of the Buckhead restaurant.... Two Midtown mainstays have closed: Bridgetown Grill across from the Fox Theatre and, just up the street, Agatha’s Taste of Mystery Dinner Theater.... City Grill has promoted Alvin Kiett to general manager of operations. Kiett will continue in his position as wine program coordinator.... The Midtown coffee bar Tarrazu will expand Downtown with a new location set to open this spring.... Repast, located in the Ponce Springs Lofts, has named Seth Molen manager of operations. Molen was a protege of co-owner and chef Mihoko Obunai at Le Cordon Bleu....Mexican restaurant Zocalo, which has restaurants in Midtown and Decatur, will open a third location in Grant Park this spring .... Taco Mac has announced it will open a location in the Lindbergh Plaza redevelopment on Piedmont Avenue in Buckhead.... Au Pied de Cochon in Buckhead is now serving a Sunday buffet lunch with French fare, traditional breakfast items and desserts....Midtown’s Wild Curry-Cha Gio, which served Vietnamese and Thai food, has closed.