Tuesday, July 3, 2012

New Ethnic Eatery Joining Intown Center's Melting Pot

Himalayan Spice Restaurant & Bar is opening at Williamsburg Village Shopping Center.  While I am unable to definitively confirm it, I think it's safe to say the restaurant will feature Indian,
Tibetan or Nepali cuisine or a combination of all three. Williamsburg is already home to a number of ethnic eateries including Desta, the popular Ethiopian eatery and Meskerem, another Ethiopian eatery.

The exact space that Himilayan Spice is opening in was a Revco in the 80s and mid 90s before the drugstore chain was purchased by CVS in 1997.  CVS ran the store for a few years before closing it in favor of a newly built location near Toco Hill.

After the CVS left, the space was transformed into a restaurant space and first became Grand Buffet International House and later Asian Buffet II. 

Center
Williamsburg was home to Pure nightclub for about two years but it was forced to close in 2009 after having its certificate of occupancy revoked and facing mounting legal issues.  The center was also home to New Odessa, a European market and deli specializing in Russian goods which closed a year or so ago, despite having filled a need in the area.

Area 
Diagonally across the street from Williamsburg center in Briarcliff Shopping Center, Food Universe closed earlier this year and will soon be replaced by a next generation QuikTrip (QT).  The station is well underway and should be open by August.

As far as Indian cuisine goes, Cafe Bombay has been an area mainstay for many years and is located about a mile from Williamsburg in a shopping center adjacent to the Target Greatland on Briarcliff near Loehmann's Plaza.  Bhojanic, another Indian eatery, has been a favorite in the Emory / Decatur area since its opening in 2003 and is located a few miles down Clairmont, close to North Decatur Road.  Bhojanic owner Archna Becker will open a second location later this summer at The Shops Around Lenox near Lenox Square in Buckhead.

What is your favorite ethnic eatery in Atlanta? What would you like to see open in the former New Odessa or Pure spaces?  Are you looking forward to the new QT?  Please share your comments below.

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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Having a QT across from the Chevron, next to an IHOP and Popeyes pretty much dictates that this area will continue to look like a typical highway/truck stop. I do look forward to a new Indian Restaurant and perhaps the old Odessa could be an Indian Grocery and Sweet shop or some other more widely used ethnic grocer. The aesthetic appeal of the Clairmont/Briarcliff corridor just isnt going to attract much anytime soon if ever. If Trader Joes had moved in instead of QT you would have gotten a bunch of neighborhood excitement but what's to look forward in a QT when another onet exists a couple miles away on N. Druid and Briarcliff? Who could possibly be doing cartwheels over it?

At least the Golden Door massage parlor/sex shop's lease (strange looking building next to Volvo mechanic on Briarcliff) wasn't renewed and has been gone for some time.
Kathleen

MO's Mamma said...

Is this Himalayan Restaurant related to the one on Peachtree Industrial? We love the Indian Food there.

Atlantan99 said...

Hello Mo's Mamma,

I don't believe the two establishments are related.

Thanks for the comment and for reading the blog!

Anonymous said...

agreed. the area looks like crap. it needs a good cleaning and mow. yuck.

mindspringyahoo said...

I predict that the 49 cent softserve and 25-30 flavors of slushies and frozen coffee drinks (at the nextgen QT) will be quite popular, even a dessert destination spot for families in the area.

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