When the restaurant adjacent to her Acworth shop moved to bigger quarters, Joanne Tubo saw the chance to put her own culinary stamp on the town's expanding dining scene. She had a name — Waterstone Grill — and an idea of the menu, but first she had to tackle a complete makeover of the century-old building at 4849 N. Main Street.

"We started with the basement, where we dug out several loads of dirt," said Tubo, who has owned the Wind in the Willows gift shop on Main Street for seven years. "We put in a new lower level where there's room for future expansion."

Renee Brock/Special (ENLARGE)
The Waterstone Grill is housed in a rehabbed century-old building in Acworth.
Renee Brock/Special (ENLARGE)
Roasted balsamic corn is put over grilled salmon on a bed of sauteed spinach and potatoes gratin topped with lobster sherry cream sauce.
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On the main level, workers rebuilt the tin ceiling and exposed brick walls. "This was an infill building, joined to the two on either side by the roof," said Tubo, "so people will see different shadings in the brick on either side."

From there, the space was fitted with a long bar along one wall, booths and tables for about 75 guests. Then, Tubo hired chef Gary Lyons, formerly of Aspen's Signature Steaks and Chicago's, to come up with a menu with global influences.

"You'll see a little bit of French, Italian and Asian," said Tubo. "And steak — cooked in the same sort of 1,600-degree broiler they use at Ruth's Chris [Steak House]."

Worldly cuisine

Waterstone's menu opens with favorites of regional flavors: crispy calamari with sesame ginger and marinara sauces; artichoke-cheese dip with feta cheese and pita toast points; beef spring rolls with mango sweet-and-sour and mustard sauces; fried green tomatoes with a black-pepper buttermilk-ranch topping; and bacon-wrapped barbecue shrimp with horseradish.

Salads include spinach, walnut and pears, grilled salmon and mixed greens. Lyons has perfected a Guinness beer soup, with potatoes, bacon and scallions, offered alongside a soup du jour and lobster bisque.

Seafood selections include scallops with a honey, soy and ginger glaze; grilled salmon in a lobster sherry sauce; sauteed trout and crabcakes. Meat lovers may be challenged by the 14-ounce ribeye or opt for the filet mignon, baby back ribs or one of the three burgers. Pecan-crusted chicken, lasagna (with meat or sans) and the signature dish — orecchiette pasta topped with shrimp and grilled tenderloin in a crab cream sauce — round out the menu.

Desserts range from a light lemon sorbet to a decadent chocolate trifle or sampler of three different cheesecakes.

From the bar

Start off with one of a dozen special martini mixes. In keeping with the global theme, the bar stocks bottled beers and wine from around the world.

Future plans call for Waterstone's basement level to morph into a casual pub with an expanded beer selection and more casual food.

WATERSTONE GRILL

• Where: 4849 N. Main Street, Acworth, 30101, 770-974-4899

• Signature dish: Orecchiette pasta with shrimp and tenderloin in a crab sauce

• Entree prices: $11.95-$28.95

• Hours: 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays; 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays

• Reservations: yes

• Credit cards: yes

• Web site: www.thewaterstonegrill.com