IN THE NEWS: The AJC’s Meridith Ford gives three stars in reviewing Indian vegetarian spot Banaras (3300 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Suite J, Duluth, 678-417-1911), while Bob Townsend reviews Rare (554 Piedmont Ave., Atlanta, 404-541-0665), Adrianne Murchison considers Siamese Basil Thai (6034 South Norcross Tucker Road, Norcross, 770-242-4015), and H.M. Cauley reviews VIII Fifty Restaurant and Lounge (1570 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell, 678-206-0850) and Blackstone Cafe (4685 S. Atlanta Road, Smyrna. 678-239-4473). … Cauley reports the closing of Midtown’s Toast, with Cypress Street Cafe set to take over the spot at 817 W. Peachtree St. sometime in October. … Cauley also notes that former Dick and Harry’s space in the Holcomb Woods shopping center has been leased by the owners of Twisted Taco, a Midtown Tex-Mex concept, set to open as early as November. … Elizabeth Lee reports that it took no more than nine raw oysters to infect a Fulton County woman with a deadly bacteria, one that she may have been particularly susceptible to, according to state reports. The 52-year-old woman died on Aug. 10, just four days after a midafternoon seafood meal of raw oysters and cooked crab at Spondivits Seafood & Steak on Virginia Avenue near Hartsfield-Jackson airport. Fulton County health inspectors checking the restaurant found oysters stored at too warm of a temperature, according to investigation reports obtained under the state’s Open Records Act. ajc.com … Zagat Buzz reports that to celebrate its 20th anniversary, the James Beard Foundation is hosting a series of food festivals and special dinners in 20 cities nationwide. The events kick off on September 18th in New York with a lavish menu inspired by Beard at Four Seasons. The celebrations continue the next week with elaborate dinners cooked by first-rate toques in Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Short Hills, NJ and Washington, DC. All of the events are unique, with different chef lineups and dining formats ranging from gala dinners to walk-around tastings, so check the individual city pages for details. Though prices for the dinners vary, all of them will be followed up on September 29th with special events at local Williams-Sonoma stores where chefs will be offering cooking demos, book signings, specialty food tastings and kids’ educational activities free of charge. For more information about the event, logon to www.jbftasteamerica.com. zagat.com …

BLT Steak Coming to New W Atlanta Downtown Hotel
The new W Hotel in Atlanta will be home to a New York steakhouse making its first foray down South, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reports. Barry Real Estate Cos. and BLT Restaurant Group ironed out a deal to bring the upscale modern steakhouse BLT Steak to the new W Atlanta Downtown Hotel & Residences, currently being built at Allen Plaza. The restaurant will open in December 2008. … The Chronicle also reports that Planet Smoothie Café and Tropical Smoothie Café are about to get a lot more competition. FROOTS, a similar quick-service concept, has 80 stores planned for Georgia in the next 10 years. The chain has stores in Alpharetta, Kennesaw and Johns Creek. atlanta.bizjournals.com … Creative Loafing’s Besha Rodell gives two stars to Pacific Kitchen (913 Bernina Ave. 404-223-9292. www.pacific-kitchen.com), while Cliff Bostick visits Lamplighter Café (280 Connally St., 404-247-0240), Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q (1238 DeKalb Ave., 404-577-4030) and the Albert (918 Austin Ave., 404-872-4990) in Inman Park, and Maureen McCarthy considers Chris’ Pizza (Toco Hills Shopping Center, 2911 N. Druid Hills Road. 404-636-7544). … Rodell notes the Sept. 12 reopening of the totally retooled Joel, while Emily Hansen reports on the fifth anniversary specials at Woodfire Grill(1782 Cheshire Bridge Road) on Sept 19-22. … atlanta.creativeloafing.com … The Blissful Glutton visits Antojitos Mexicanos “La Revolucion” in Marietta (585 Franklin Road, 770-420-0544) and Gimza Polish Restaurant in Norcross (3425 Medlock Bridge Rd., 770-441-2268). blissfulglutton.blogspot.com … AtlantaCuisine.com samples the Cuban sandwiches and pizza at L’il Louie’s (2495 East-West Connector, Austell, 770.439.9555). … ChowDownAtlanta.com previews Taste of Atlanta, set for Oct. 13-14 at Atlantic Station with more than 70 Atlanta restaurants participating.

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