El Taco Takes Over Former Sala Space

The owners of Fifth Group Restaurants have joined forces with Executive Chef Shaun Doty, owner of Shaun’s, to create The Original El Taco in the former Sala space in Virginia-Highland. The new restaurant will open in mid-October. Doty is developing recipes for creative Mexican fare like tacos, tortas and salsas, and the Fifth Group Restaurants team is working with William Peace, Peace Design, to change the look and feel of the restaurant.

“The Original El Taco will be lively, bright, open, and - most of all - fun,” said Robby Kukler, co-owner of Fifth Group Restaurants. “We have known Shaun for years and when we found out he had been thinking about doing Mexican too, we knew it was a great partnership.”

“I love Mexican food and have wanted to do a restaurant like this for a while,” said Doty. “To have this opportunity to work with the pros at Fifth Group Restaurants is great.”

“We are going to create an easy, approachable destination for great Mexican food,” added Kukler.

Doty will work with a chef de cuisine at El Taco when the restaurant opens, while remaining executive chef at Shaun’s. The Original El Taco is located at 1186 North Highland Avenue N.E. (formerly Sala) and will be open for dinner nightly. Fifth Group Restaurants sold Sala in mid-2007 and reacquired it in July 2008.

For more information, call (678) 302-3251 or visit www.fifthgroup.com.

Pano's & Paul's Moving In Buckhead

The Buckhead Life Restaurant Group has announced that famed Atlanta restaurant Pano's & Paul's will close its location on West Paces Ferry Road early next year, but re-open with a new concept somewhere else in Buckhead. Rumor has it that the location might be in the ritzy St. Regis Hotel. Pano's & Paul's has been a dining destinations for local and visitors for nearly 30 years. 

Celebrate Vickery's 25th Anniversary, Aug. 23

Vickery's will celebrate its 25th anniversary with an afternoon and evening of events at the Midtown location, 1106 Crescent Avenue. For more details and to buy tickets, visit www.vickerys.com.

The Shed Hosts Mixology Classes

Want to make drinks like a pro? The Shed at Glenwood is holding Mixology 101 classes every Sunday from 2:00-3:00 taught by Caroline Mask. Learn everything from the basic tools necessary for a home bar to dazzling your friends with homemade infused syrups and delicious cocktails.

Check out the website at www.theshedatglenwood.com for detailed information on dates, times and topics. The class is $10 per session or $35 to sign up for a whole month. Please call ahead. Space is limited. Come for Brunch before class and receive 10 percent of your meal.

You can experience the drinks first hand by sitting at the bar and enjoying The Shed's Liquid Tapas menu. The cost is $12 and allows you to taste through a Margarita Flight, or try the Fresh Fruit Bellini Flight if you are in the mood to celebrate the day. Enjoy them with your meal or as a way to choose a favorite libation for the night.

The She is also hosting Wine Wednesday starting on August 27 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. The cost is $15 per person to taste through a theme of wines, get a glass of your favorite and enjoy Chef Daniel Atwood’s appetizers at the bar. The Shed is at 475 Bill Kennedy Way in Glenwood Park.

Fifth Group Christens Studio 887

 Food Studio, a Fifth Group Restaurant formerly known as one of Atlanta’s most architecturally dramatic dining spots since opening in 1996, has been converted into the perfect space for special events and holiday parties and will now be called Studio 887.  The new name, while paying homage to the former restaurant, reinforces the event space’s location in King Plow Arts Center at 887 West Marietta Street.  The area, managed by the company’s award-winning catering division, Bold American (no longer known as Bold American Catering), is located in the historic King Plow Arts Center and is newly available for corporate and social events. 

The 3,500-square-foot space will be able to accommodate up to 175 people for a range of events.  King Plow’s décor includes handmade brick, heart pine and oak timbers, huge rooftop windows and antiquated farm equipment that mingle gracefully with contemporary art, rich colors and modern light fixtures.  The space opens through a tunnel-like entrance, an understated indication of the hip ambience to come.  A wide staircase leads to a mezzanine that provides a great view of the hustle and bustle downstairs as well as a private loft area suitable for a smaller number of guests or more intimate function.

For more information, call  (678) 302-3251 or www.fifthgroup.com.

Quick Bites

Taqueria el Vecino is a new neighborhood taqueria from the creators of Crescent Moon and located in the Oak Grove Center, 2743 LaVista Road in Decatur. (404) 929-0301 or www.taqueriaelvecino.com. 

Amore is a new Mediterranean restaurant in the Plaza Midtown development. 950 W. Peachtree St., Suite 220 (404) 477-0404 or www.amoreatlanta.com. 

Calabash Vegetarian Kitchen, featuring Caribbean-influenced food, has opened near the federal courthouse Downtown. 233 Mitchell St. (404) 957-7376. 

JOEL Offers Quick Lunch Option

Looking for light and tasty dishes with a quick turn-around time? Or perhaps a power lunch to close the deal? JOËL Restaurant solves the weekly lunch break dilemma of finding a restaurant with fresh gourmet cuisine that can fit into that ever-so typical one hour lunch break with the launch of the new Bistro Lunch Menu.

Executive Chef Cyrille Holota has created a quick-to-order menu that will tempt lunchers’ taste buds while on the corporate clock. The newly-launched Bistro Menu, served during regular lunch hours in conjunction with the standard lunch menu, features gourmet pastas, soups, salads, and sandwiches guaranteed to be at the table in 30 minutes or less. The menu features items such as Button Mushroom Soup, a traditional French Croque Monsier Sandwich (Country Bread, Béchamel Sauce, Swiss Cheese, Ham) served with French fries or mixed greens salad, Ditalini Pasta (Diced Salmon, Cucumber, Parmesan Cheese, Dill Sauce) and a variety of other selections. The Bistro Menu is served in conjunction with JOËL Restaurant’s regular lunch menu as an alternative option for those in a rush. 

 3290 Northside Parkway in the Piazza at Paces. (404) 233-3500 or www.joelrestaurant.com