Tag: Illegal Food

As obvious as the physical transformation of Atlanta’s restaurant scene has been, an underground dining revolution is also underway. The latter—waged by chefs hosting pop-up “restaurants” and dinner series, as well as entrepreneurs offering incubating spaces—isn’t as easy to observe as the former. But it’s similarly impressive. In many ways, it’s more impressive.

Steven Lingenfelter, the owner and chef of Illegal Food, is an unlikely ambassador for Japanese food. He’s never been to Japan, and he grew up eating “meat and potatoes.” But his version of okonomiyaki, a savory japanese pancake, is one of Atlanta’s most well known dishes.

Don’t let the intimidating pronunciation stop you from ordering these satisfying Osaka-style fries, festooned with pickled ginger, fermented chili sauce, toasted seaweed, and Japanese mayo—all topped with pencil shavings of bonito flakes (dried and fermented fish).

A look at 4 of Atlanta's newest restaurants, including Superica, Community Smith, Illegal Food, and Colletta.

As this issue went to print, Illegal Food was in the process of building out its new space in Virginia-Highland, where Bar Meatball and Pozole once lived.

It was the year of the city center. With the opening of Buckhead Atlanta, Inman Park’s Krog Street Market, and Alpharetta’s Avalon, restaurants opened in droves. Local chefs got a nod from the James Beard Foundation, a lime shortage caused momentary panic, and one popular pop-up signed on its first brick-and-mortar location. Read on as we remember when.

Burger star lllegal Food expects to open its restaurant in early January. The restaurant is helmed by executive chef and partner Steven Lingenfelter, who's working with partner and general manager Laurie Dominguez, previously a bartender at Six Feet Under; sous chef Danny Benson; and investor/acting sommelier Didier Stahl. They share details below.

4 dining events to check out in December, including Buckeye Creek Farm's open house and Peachtree Road Farmers Market's year-end artist market