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Food & Drink

Great Spaces: Grace 1720

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One of Fourteen included in Our Great Spaces for Your Corporate & Holiday Events

Grace 1720
5155 Peachtree Pkwy #320
Peachtree Corners, GA 30092
678-421-1720
grace1720.com

A fountain in the courtyard, travertine marble floors, and pretty chandeliers create a stylish, European ambiance that might be just the thing for your ideal holiday gathering. Grace 1720 in the Forum is a neighborhood favorite for American contemporary dining and beautiful surroundings.

The rustic-chic décor sets the stage for a memorable celebration. On September 14, 2019, they just had a celebration of their own. The faith-based family that owns the establishment celebrated its 15th year in business.

The restaurant name is a nod to Bible verse Matthew 17:20, which expresses the notion that nothing is impossible for those who have even the tiniest amount of faith, because even if that faith is as small as a mustard seed, it can move mountains.

Writer Patrizia Winsper getting a selfie with Managing Partner Kevin Gardner.

Managing Partner Kevin Gardner took some time to answer my questions for this piece. He has recently joined the team and hopes to help move the restaurant forward for at least another 15 years.

The Little Drummer Boy and a Mustard Seed Walk into a Bar…

 The Chef’s Room is great for a group of 10-12 people who want a private space. The doors can be shut for total privacy.

The Private Dining Room upstairs features a beautiful chandelier and a large banquet table. It will hold 40 people seated. Cocktail parties could accommodate more.

The Bar Area is a perfect place for a cocktail party.

The Main Dining Room can fit 60 or more. In cooler weather, the doors in the dining room open out to the patio creating an indoor/outdoor experience.

The Patio offers nice views, a fountain, and a fireplace for the cooler days ahead. It can seat 45-50 people. If you reserve the patio and the weather does not cooperate, they will likely hold the Private Dining Room for you upstairs, so there’s always a Plan B.

A total buyout would allow you to host the maximum number of guests, 155 occupancy.

How About a Holiday Party at Grace 1720?

Gardner explained why you might choose to host a corporate or family holiday gathering at Grace 1720, “We have a uniqueness here. I think we are that casual elegance. We have easily the best patio in Peachtree Corners. The best wine selection in Peachtree Corners for sure, if not in Gwinnett. We’re family-owned. We’re not a cookie-cutter restaurant. And we are very willing to work with any size party, any type of party. If there are any special menus you need or anything like that, it definitely works here.”

Besides holiday parties, Grace 1720 is a terrific location to host any special occasion.

When asked to describe the menu, Gardner gave the mouth-watering reply, “We’ve got amazing appetizers. Our chicken spring rolls are probably one of our best things. We have a great crab cake… eggplant bruschetta, cheese platters… great salads. We always have a different soup of the day. They make all that fresh in the back. We have a great shrimp bisque. We’ve done a roasted corn one I love.

Today was a cauliflower soup which was actually really good, and I’m not a person who likes cauliflower. We have a great beet salad if you like roasted beets, a Caprese salad. At lunch we have amazing sandwiches; we have an amazing turkey and brie sandwich. We make the focaccia bread here. Great burgers: we have a salmon burger. We’ve got fish tacos. We’ve got a lot of eclectic types of sandwiches at lunch. We have some knife and fork types of things as well. Our chicken risotto is kind of a mainstay here. We have a great chef, Tino Salazar, and he can do just about anything.”

Gardner continued, “Our cuisine is American contemporary – but there are a lot of other influences. Our shrimp and grits are almost south of the border because of the sauce, it’s not a traditional southern sauce, but it’s delicious. Oh, and the smoked salmon linguine, … That’s probably one of my favorites right now… It’s so savory I don’t want to stop eating it.”

Recent post from Grace 1720 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/grace17.20/

Book it!

“Make your plans as soon as you can,” warned Gardner. They do guarantee reservations for large parties with a credit card on file. “It gives us plenty of time to work with you on the menu, and on drink selections. We could tailor a wine selection for the party. Maybe some crafted cocktails. We have a lot of local craft beers.”

They are currently considering the possibility of catering parties off-site in the future. Until then, restaurant hours are Monday-Saturday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. They are closed on Sundays, except for event reservations and shopping season in December.

Retaining a space at Grace 1720 allows you to go in and set up for your event as early as you like. “We limit the party time-frame only at lunch because if we have something coming up at dinner, we need time to clean the room and the next group can have time to set up, but it’s a pretty long time-frame. If they came in for a noon party, I really wouldn’t need them out until about 4 p.m. At dinner, we usually close at 10 p.m.,” said Gardner.

They have set menus for lunch and dinner parties. There are three or four options. Lunch can range from about $20-$24 per person, up to $30. Dinner is a little bit higher. They will try to tailor the menu to your needs.

Because weekends are in high demand, and demand drives the price, you might consider hosting your holiday party on a Monday or Thursday night, and possibly receive a discount.

Low: A starter and an entree. At lunch, it would be a salad and a sandwich and a non-alcoholic beverage. Everything you add is extra. Or you could get packages that have everything, so you know all of the costs upfront.

Mid: Desserts are now included. (They are usually an add-on). And you get a little more of a choice of starters and entrees. You start getting into some higher priced items as well, like steak, salmon or duck.

High: Lunch $34-35. You get a salad or soup, several choices of entrees, desserts and non-alcoholic beverages.

Dinner is a little bit higher. Their most expensive menu is about $40-$45 per person. That doesn’t include any of the alcohol which is always separate.

If you plan to have just wine, they will charge based on consumption or the number of bottles they pour. Bar Package: Host an Open Bar for 1 or 2 hours. You can choose some very high-end wines or liquor, or you could offer a few different tiers. Usually, they charge per person for alcohol, based on what the menu is going to be and the time frame.

Call Managing Partner Kevin Gardner to discuss your casually elegant holiday get-together at 678-421-1720.

Disclaimer: Pricing is meant as a guide and is subject to change, please check with the individual facilities directly.

Patrizia hails from Toronto, Canada where she earned an Honors B.A. in French and Italian studies at York University, and a B.Ed. at the University of Toronto. This trilingual former French teacher has called Georgia home since 1998. She and her family have enjoyed living, working and playing in Peachtree Corners since 2013.

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Food & Drink

H&W Steakhouse Opening in Peachtree Corners

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(Photography by Bruce Johnson)

Norsan Restaurants has announced the upcoming opening of its new restaurant concept, H&W Steakhouse. H&W is the third fine-dining steakhouse concept from Norsan Restaurants.

The company also operates Pampas Steakhouse in Johns Creek and Frankie’s The Steakhouse in Duluth. H&W aims to bring modern fine dining to Peachtree Corners with USDA Prime Steaks and a variety of seafood options.

H&W Steakhouse
Left to right, Martin Ramirez, COO of Norsan Restaurants, Thomas Minchella, Executive Chef of Norsan Restaurants

The restaurant was designed by architect Filipao Nunes out of Monterrey, Mexico.

“It fills us with great pride to be part of such an important project, which was designed to create an experience on par with the menu,” says Nunes. Our goal was to allow for elegance to shine in every single detail, staying faithful to the essence of the brand.”

Chef Thomas Minchella leads the culinary team at H&W and has served as Norsan Restaurant’s Executive Corporate Chef since 2020.

Chef Minchella, formerly the Executive Chef of McKendrick’s Steakhouse, looks forward to the opening and sharing his menu and creations with guests. He states, “Creating delicious food is my passion, creating a culinary staff is my ambition, and creating guests is my love!”

Norsan CEO Norberto Sanchez shares, “We are very excited to open our new concept H&W Steakhouse. Taking center stage at H&W will be handpicked premium steaks and a fantastic array of seafood offerings. Our hospitable and professional service team has one goal: to make our guests feel at home.”


H&W will soft-open late September with a limited number of reservations available.

Reservations will be available via Opentable and directly through the restaurant. Follow along on Instagram for the official opening date and ongoings @hwsteakhouse.


Source: H&W Steakhouse
Photography by Bruce Johnson

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Food & Drink

Shah’s Halal Food Celebrates Opening in Peachtree Corners

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Images courtesy of the City of Peachtree Corners

Mayor Mike Mason, Peachtree Corners Business Association (PCBA), business professionals and community well-wishers joined the Hameed family, owners of Shah Halal Food, and staff to celebrate the opening of its new Peachtree Corners restaurant with a ribbon-cutting celebration and lunch event.

Khurran (Kay) Hameed shared, “At Shah’s Halal, we take pride in offering the highest quality, most authentic and delectable halal cuisine at a fair price. We are excited to bring our exceptional dining experience to Peachtree Corners.” 

In addition to dining services, Shah’s Halal also offers to-go orders and catering for special events.

Mayor Mason, along with PCBA Board Members Lisa Proctor, Allison Reinert, Suzanna Martinez and local business supporters were on hand. 

“The city council and I are delighted that you have chosen Peachtree Corners for your business location,” said Mason. “We are pleased to have this new restaurant available as part of our business-friendly city.”

Shah’s Halal Food is located at 5450 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 8B, in Peachtree Corners. Check them out at shahshalalfood.com/peachtree-corners/ or call 678-292-6426 to find out more.

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Food & Drink

Good French Fare Now Closer Than Ever

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Photos by George Hunter

Henri’s Bakery & Deli opens a Peachtree Corners location.

“Un bon repas adoucit l’esprit et régénère le corps.”

That common French saying, “A good meal softens the mind and regenerates the body,” is gradually becoming a theme in this part of metro Atlanta. As the Peachtree Corners food scene expands its offerings, world-class cuisine is becoming more and more available.

For example, one can find the mouth-watering goodies of a French patisserie near the Town Center. Henri’s Bakery & Deli is one of the newest food purveyors in the area, but it has a long-standing tradition of quality and service.

A tasty history

French immigrant Henri Fiscus started his first bakery at the corner of 10th and Peachtree streets in Atlanta in 1929. He quickly became known for his inventive recipes and the attention to detail he paid to his customers’ needs and wants. 

That legacy led to several shops across the metro area with the newest location in Peachtree Corners, according to company literature.

Fiscus passed away in 1974, just one day shy of his 80th birthday, but his family has carried on the traditions and original recipes but has employed modern business practices to spread the quality throughout the area.

To keep consistency and streamline costs, all the products are baked at central location in metro Atlanta.

“We have one commissary, where all our products are made daily overnight. We get a delivery every morning at 6:00. So, whatever we need is freshly made for the day,” said Henri’s Peachtree Corners General Manager Tarik Aboudi. “We want to keep the recipe the same and make sure there is someone on top of orders.”

Aboudi, originally from Morocco, has many years of experience in this kind of food business. When the Peachtree Corners location was looking for someone to lead it, he’d been at a local family-owned bagel restaurant.

“I enjoy what I do here and like working with the company. It’s a good concept,” he said. 

Unlike the other company, the hours are a little more family-friendly to his lifestyle, with the eatery closed on Sundays and wrapping up daily service by 6 p.m.

And the location is just 10 minutes from his home. “That’s one of the reasons I came here,” he said. “I don’t want to work eight to 10 hours and then spend another two or three hours in the car.”

With Henri’s being local and family-owned, it appealed to Aboudi on many levels.

“Family-owned businesses have a different personality than many corporations,” he said. “People care more about their legacy, and you get to talk to the owners face-to-face. It’s more personal and it feels more like you are part of a family.”

Feast for the eyes and tastebuds

When you get right down to it, the food is what brings people back.

“There’s a good selection of fresh pastries,” said Aboudi. “I was raised on fresh pastry and one of my favorites is the Napoleons.”

Of course, you can’t call yourself a French pastry shop without eclairs and croissants — sweet and savory. And although the name is French, Henri’s has lovely Italian fare like tiramisu and Greek baclava.

There is plenty to choose from for everyday eating, but Henri’s also provides sandwiches, salads and desserts for special occasions. “We have these little, small cakes with a flower on top called petit fours. Also, there is shortbread; that’s been popular for years and years,” said Aboudi.

There’s a wide selection of cookies, too — chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and a specialty called the ‘Mediterranean’ that’s gluten-free, as well as classic favorites like snickerdoodle and gingerbread people.

But wait, there’s more!

Breakfast sandwiches — with a bagel, croissant or toast base — come with eggs, cheese, bacon, chicken sausage, ham and/or cream cheese. For those looking for classic Southern fare, there are several types of cheese straws and wafers with chives, jalapenos and other tasty ingredients. 

Aboudi stressed that you’ll not find a more delicious cake anywhere. “Our cakes come in a lot of different sizes and flavors. You can get a six-inch round to a full sheet cake,” he said. 

Southern favorites, like red velvet and coconut, to modern twists, like cookies and cream and peanut butter, are just a few choices on the menu.

If you have a hankering for something different, customers are encouraged to work with Henri’s staff through the online form, by phone or in person, to build the perfect cake for their occasion.

For customers who just want to run in, grab something and go, there’s a refrigerated case with pre-made sandwiches and salads.

“We try to accommodate customers on every level,” said Aboudi. “We already are seeing a lot of business and we are getting good feedback.”

Henri’s Bakery & Deli is located at 5005 Peachtree Pkwy., Ste. #820 in Peachtree Corners. Visit them at henrisbakery.com/peachtreecorners or call 470-282-3349. Their current hours are 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

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