What's Hot

What's Hot?

Cassolette vase and its base, ca. 1785. © High Museum of Art-Museum de Louvre/Peter Harholdt

Is it just us or does midtown seem to be especially hopping these days? A spate of restaurant and boutique openings and new condominiums are signs of things to come. The Midtown Mile, a coordinated redevelopment effort, will solidify the area's newfound energy, with 1 million square feet of planned retail that is drawing comparisons to Chicago's Michigan Avenue.

A quick stroll down Peachtree Street any evening will prove that midtown has new life not just in the restaurant and retail arena - with new condominium high-rises like the Spire and the Metropolis, even city dwellers out walking their dogs evoke a cohesive neighborhood feel. So, what's extra hot in midtown?

Fune: With a name that means "boat" in Japanese, Fune brings a little Eastern culture to midtown. The restaurant's centerpiece is a 110-foot conveyor belt that combines the traditional revolving concept found in sushi bars across Asia with a futuristic yet elegant ambience. The belt is equipped with technology that monitors how long each plate has been on the belt, discarding any item after a short amount of time. Sushi master Yasukini Watanabe's creations and the experience itself are worth checking out. Even for non-sushi fans, the appetizers and the sushi rolls making the rounds during the restaurant's debut were fresh and flavorful. Small plates with two to three sushi rolls range from $3 to $5.50, so try a variety. If you go to Fune at night, you'll see bartenders replace the chefs behind the belt - which leads to the drinks. Be sure to try the Geisha Girl, a concoction made of vanilla vodka, sake, cranberry and lime juice, if only because it has rose petals floating in it. And, yes, while parking in midtown can be a pain, Fune offers complimentary one-hour parking in the Spire parking deck and $3 valet service on nights and weekends. 860 Peachtree St., Spire building; www.funesushibar.com; (404) 541-9322.

Gordon Biersch Brewery: In the mood for something a little less exotic and a little more casual? Try Gordon Biersch Brewery, just a few steps down the street from Fune. The restaurant features its own hand-crafted brews, which stick to the tradition of the old Reinheitsgebot German purity law, which means the beer contains only four ingredients: barley, hops, water and yeast. You can view the brewery while dining, and there's a pool table on the second level. The menu features a variety of made-from-scratch traditional fare such as burgers, pizzas and pastas. 848 Peachtree St.; www.gordonbierschrestaurants.com; (404) 870-0805.

The High: Speaking of new life, the High Museum is experiencing a renaissance with its unprecedented Louvre partnership, which has drawn more than 200,000 visitors since the Louvre Atlanta exhibits opened in October. And it still has a few years to go. Through 2009 the High is presenting a series of exhibitions from the Paris museum. Kings as Collectors and the newly opened Decorative Arts of the Kings, which features decadent and ornate vases, vanity mirrors and sitting room furniture, will be on display until Sept. 2. According to Michael Shapiro, the High's director, the museum is particularly pleased that 20 percent of that audience has been schoolchildren. So stay tuned, there's much more to come. 1280 Peachtree St. NE; www.high.org; (404) 733-4400.