Restaurants

El Super Pan's Hector Santiago discusses Top Chef, Spam, and the problem with culinary school now.

The reimagined Polaris opens to the public June 10. The iconic revolving restaurant that first opened in 1967 now houses two living room spaces, a bar, and a small restaurant. There's a definite emphasis on cocktails and socializing over dining.

The iconic, round, spaceship-like building off Monroe Drive and visible from I-85 is about to open its doors again. Formerly home to a handful of short-lived concepts like Eros Tapas Bar, IXTLAN Ultra Lounge, and Piebar, the building is set to become a seafood and daiquiri spot called Cirque by February 2014 (at the soonest).

The return of ramen to menu of chef Guy Wong's Miso Izakaya is shaping up to be an event. Wong's ramen, which was once served only after 10 pm at the Old Fourth Ward eatery, earned him more than a few devotees and fans.

Smoke Ring, a new barbecue joint, is scheduled to open in Castleberry Hill at the end of September. The latest from 101 Concepts (they also operate Cibo e Beve, Food 101, and Meehan’s Public House), this “gastrocue” will be led by Jordan Wakefield, former executive chef at Meehan’s downtown, and his wife Erin. It occupies the space previously home to J.R. Crickets. Smoke Ring will serve traditional barbecue, as well as sliders, small plates, soups, and salads, with sides such as cotija corn on the cob, bacon, and jalapeno cornbread. Below, Wakefield shares details on the restaurant.

The pizza-maker who broke off from Antico and started his own restaurant will open Varuni-Napoli on Monroe Drive in Midtown the first week in April. Owner Luca Varuni says the fast-casual restaurant, which awaits its final inspection, will offer pizza and Italian street food made with ingredients imported from Naples.

This week, as longtime employees stopped by to pick up their final checks and his phone continued to ring off the hook, a full week after Dante’s Down the Hatch officially closed, the landmark Buckhead fondue and jazz emporium’s owner Dante Stephensen faced some difficult decisions. With a wrecking ball tentatively set to begin swinging at his 43-year-old business at 3380 Peachtree Road on October 31 and representatives at Ahlers & Ogletree Auction Gallery eager to auction off everything from the vintage autos parked out back to the last Dante’s daiquiri cocktail glass on September 21, the 77-year-old restaurateur has to figure out his future — and fast.

Justin Amick, an advanced sommelier and the son of Concentrics restaurateur Bob Amick, will soon open his 24,000-square-foot boutique bowling alley and entertainment complex, the Painted Pin, at 737 Miami Circle in Buckhead. The alley is at this time slated to open late next week.