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Blais IS Back in Town
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Photo: Joey Ivansco/AJC staff
AT RIGHT: The boy is back in town: Richard Blais’ crystal burger and foie gras milk shake from his now-closed restaurant, Blais. He’ll be making them again at a new spot called Flip.
Chef Richard Blais, who will be one of the contestants on Bravo’s fourth season of Top Chef (premiering tonight) has struck a deal with businessman and investor Barry Mills to design the menu and serve as executive chef for an upscale hamburger restaurant, tentatively called Flip.
Blais was most recently chef at Element in Midtown, which closed last fall due to financial woes (the chef, who has become known in Atlanta for his whacky take on molecular gastronomy, was actually away taping the Top Chef series when the restaurant closed). His restaurant, Blais, was a critical smash, but his destructured brand of gourmet-goes-gonzo left diner cold. It closed in 2004. He later enjoyed a short-but-successful stint at One Midtown Kitchen, then left for a consulting job in Florida before returning last year to work at Element.
Located on the West Side near the Atlanta Waterworks, the Blais’ burger palace plans to offer ground meats of all sorts, not just beef. And Blais says he intends to spend a lot time and effort creating the “best veggie burger in the world.”
“We’ll be offering house-made sodas like root beer, and I’m looking to make side dishes a focal point, like maybe house-made tater tots,” Blais told me by phone. And what of foie gras milk shakes, the his most infamous dish and critically acclaimed dish?
“Oh yeah,” Blais said, “they’ll be there.”
Blais will continue consulting at Elevation in Kennesaw, as well as other projects for his consulting company, Trail-blais.
The opening of Flip is planned for later this summer.
Blais still plans to eventually open another fine dining establishment, hopefully in Atlanta. ‘I want a five-star experience,” he said, “and I hope I can do that in Atlanta.
One of the issues Blais had was location. If the bad boy of brunoise was to open a white-linen concept, where should it be?
Permalink | Comments (18) | Post your comment | Categories: Dining
Comments
By MP
March 12, 2008 5:50 PM | Link to this
Great news; looking forward to checking this place out!
A 5 star resto in Atlanta can only survive in an upscale hotel , one with an exclusive cliental. Midtown if you are looking to open within the next 5 years.
By Ana
March 13, 2008 10:05 AM | Link to this
I can’t wait to check out that veggie burger!
By Ana
March 13, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this
I can’t wait to check out that veggie burger!
By NiNi
March 13, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this
There is nothing like an old fashion american hamburger. My family and I would love to see a square burger appear here in Atlanta like “White Castles”. You have a lot of northerns relocated here and we all miss the great “White Castles”. We have to fly them back here are drive to Nashville, TN. This is what we would love to see come to town!
By Delighted
March 13, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this
NiNi, have you ever tried the Krystal. I’m thinking that it is similar to White Castle burgers.
By Rodney
March 13, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this
Which came first, the White Castle or the Krystal?
Nini, they’re basically the same. Give Krystal a shot.
I’ve had both and I remember a MARGINAL difference, but nothing that should preclude you from satisfying your W.C. craving with a Krystal.
As for Blais - GO RICHARD! You give that uppity foul-mouthed Andrew what’s coming to him!
Can’t wait for Flip - it’s been since his Bazzaar days that I’ve had the foie gras milkshake so I’m PUMPED.
By heidic
March 13, 2008 11:15 AM | Link to this
I’m glad to hear he’s back and he chooses Atlanta. With Seegar and Joel gone, we’d do well to attempt to keep talent in our neighborhood. I had a birthday dinner at Blais in Buckhead 2/04 and absolutely loved the playful idiosyncracies. Food is supposed to be fun, sensual, satiating and educational, and Richard gives us that. (i’m a former pastry chef, and can appreciate his whimsy…) I say, Richard, if you’re reading our comments, come to Decatur with the five-star offerings.I’d be a frequent customer. And yes, get that sous chef imposter from New York eliminated early in the season!
By jp
March 13, 2008 12:18 PM | Link to this
OH, There is a difference between Chateau Blanc, and that awful thing called a Krystal. Don’t let anyone tell you there is not. Drive up to Nashville and try one, do not buy them from K Roger, not even close. White Castle is THE original fast food hamburger, and still the best!!! jp
By bevino
March 13, 2008 12:26 PM | Link to this
i was also glad to see richard wax that Yankee in the crab cake challenge on Top Chef. You could tell just by looking at them that Mr Blais would win I cannot wait for his burger restaurant and I only wish him the best and would love to open a restaurant and have some of his ideas on board!
By Lamont Sanford
March 13, 2008 12:38 PM | Link to this
Blais is from NY…so he’s a Yankee as well. He transplanted down here. Duh.
Why does Atl take years to copy NYC concepts? POP Burger…
By james
March 13, 2008 2:31 PM | Link to this
Richard Blais needs to pursue a career in a field other than food. If you study his resume he has closed most restaurnts he has cooked at and everyone but him has lost money trying to support his painful recepiets. Once he told everyone that he won on the Iron Chef but he actually lost by a large margin. Although Atlanta says they are foodies, Gunter is gone, Loel is broke and noone will support another Blais experiment. Richard, try L.A. they have food wierdo’s there.
By RK
March 13, 2008 3:30 PM | Link to this
“Located on the West Side near the Atlanta Waterworks”
Where?
Glad that when Meredith wrote about the ATL contestants in Top Chef that her spoilers were wrong. When I saw that he had crab cakes, I knew he’d make smoked mayo.
By Rodney
March 14, 2008 11:09 AM | Link to this
You know, someone said it best on one of the other blogs in the AJC (and I can’t remember which) - enough with the Atlanta bashing … it is sooo three years ago. :)
By Bobby
March 26, 2008 11:51 AM | Link to this
Rodney, I beg to differ. There is a big difference between the casa blanca and that thing they call a Krystal Burger. Krystal cannot even compare. If a White Castle franchise did open in the metro area, it would be an instant hit.
By Rodney
March 26, 2008 3:51 PM | Link to this
It’s the same as someone claiming to detect a marked difference in Coke and Pepsi - I just don’t buy it.
Yes, I can tell a difference. Is that difference pronounced enough for me to prefer one to the other? No.
That’s all I said and all I’m saying - there’s a marginal difference between the two but really … when you’re eating little tummy-grenades, who cares? :)
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