Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Woods on South closed this week. The South End restaurant helmed by celebrity Chef Marvin Woods lasted only eight months. The restaurant was previously known as Southend Brewery. Woods tried to do some innovative things to the Southern cuisine on the menu, but it apparently wasn't enough to make the restaurant a success.

I think it's going to be a challenge for anyone who tries to run that space. It's one of the largest restaurants around, certainly in South End, which I'm sure makes the overhead expensive. The large space, including the patio, and the large parking lot made it an appealing place for special events. I went to several events there as Woods on South and a few when it was Southend Brewery. But a restaurant needs substantial daily lunch and dinner traffic to survive, and when I went there on regular occasions it was always rather sparse. I suggest whoever opens it next divide it into two separate restaurants.

There's a new restaurant in town, Plan B, that I checked out for the first time last night. Plan B opened about a month and a half ago in the former space of City Tavern on East Boulevard in Dilworth. The new place is more of a bar than a restaurant. Gone are the restaurant style tables and booths. They've been substituted with high tables, which are advantageous for standing at with drink in hand and appetizer on table.

Plan B looks cool inside. Very sleek with white walls and great lighting. The servers wear shirts that say "got plans?" And about its name, it's rather interesting, don't you think? It makes me think of the place being a second option or of the birth control method. Neither one is a good connotation for a new bar. I made a similar comment about the naming of the new Club Amnesia. I made a funny—at least I thought it was funny (read that blog post here).

I met a friend at Plan B last night who told me that Tuesday nights on the rooftop were popular. Apparently that was also the case when it was City Tavern. The weather was perfect to be on the roof. The appetizers we had were pretty good—Asian Chicken Quesadillas and Tex-Mex Tacos. But the best part of it all, which I'm sure is why this night is so popular, is that Tuesdays are half-price wine bottles night. You can't beat getting a bottle of wine for the price of two glasses.

1 comment :

  1. OMG!!! I was just at this place.. I was hoping that they would survive.. The food was not all that great but the customer service was outstanding.. which doesn't really say much because there was only about 12 people there.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts with Thumbnails