S IM P LY D EL I C IOUS
tast emaker
Where his
heart is Restaurateur Christian Favalli reveals the stories behind La Grotta, the Buckhead restaurant that’s become his second home—and the exciting new eatery he’ll open this spring story:
Kate Abney
A
s one-half of the father-son duo running the front of the house at La Grotta Ristorante Italiano, the charming Christian Favalli has spent nearly his whole life at one of Buckhead’s most beloved dining institutions. In 1975 at age 5, Favalli moved from Bermuda to the States with his family when both his father, Sergio, and Chef Antonio Abizanda were hired to open the Bugatti restaurant at the Omni Hotel. Noticing a lack of quality Italian cuisine in the city, the two then opened La Grotta in Buckhead in 1978, where Abizanda serves as executive chef to this day, lovingly crafting Northern Italian cuisine for hordes of loyal devotees. (They opened a second location, La Grotta Ravinia, in Dunwoody in 1993 and sold it to new owners in 2009.) With the younger Favalli and his wife Kristy opening their first restaurant, Saltyard, at The Brookwood in May, we thought it was high time for a check-in. Here, Favalli offers his working wisdoms. Photo: Sara Hanna
What’s the story behind La Grotta? When [my father and Chef Abizanda] opened La Grotta, it was arguably one of the first fine dining restaurants in Atlanta, so it became ingrained in the city itself. It’s still a go-to for special occasions, meetings and romantic dinners. What has given this spot staying power? Consistency. There are so many places that have come and gone, but they’re flashes in the pan, based on trends. La Grotta is based on the principles of consistent food and fresh, local ingredients. That’s how it’s always been done in the Old Country, if you will. You essentially grew up at La Grotta. What was that like as a child? Early on, my father constantly needed extra help. I started in the coatroom when I was almost too short to carry them; at age 10, I was washing dishes. By 13, I bussed tables, then waited tables for years before eventually cooking professionally in the kitchen around 17. After college, I moved to Italy for two and a half years and cooked in several kitchens to get that back-ofthe-house experience.
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Did you always know you’d follow in your father’s footsteps? My father was kind enough to finance my way through college. After four years at the university, we sat down and had that father-and-son conversation. When I told him I wanted to stay in the restaurant industry, not only did I learn some new Italian curse words, but I remember his quip to this day: “Do you know how much spaghetti I had to sell to put you through college?” That still resonates with me. But I told him this is where I wanted to stay. I understood that it was more than a career; it’s a lifestyle choice. La Grotta’s Peachtree locale is as legendary as the restaurant; how did your father select it? He was given an offer he couldn’t refuse, in a manner of speaking. But really, Buckhead was affluent, and almost all the clientele that visited him at the Omni were from Buckhead. After scouting several places, he knew it would be the future of Atlanta dining. The location lends part of the charm to the restaurant, not only because of its subterranean feel, but because it’s in a residential area, close to our regular customers.
January/February 2013 | Simply Buckhead
We hear you’re giving it a little refresher. Yes, we’re tackling a pretty big renovation, the first in 13 years. We’re going back to The Johnson Studio, who helped us with our last redesign back in 1998, so they were a shoo-in. Are they designing your new dining spot, Saltyard, too? Square Feet Studio is, actually. It will be sort of a gastropub-meets-social house, and we’re spending a lot to dampen noise levels—because that has been a big concern with restaurants in Atlanta. There will be a really gracious, nice patio that will wrap around the building, with heaters and fans for extended use. Inside, there will be lots of reclaimed wood, industrial elements and subway tile, plus soft draperies and ‘punches of color.’ I’m a monochromatic guy, but [Square Feet Studio principal] Vivian [Bencich] convinced me. We’re super-impressed with the job they’re doing. La Grotta’s food is rooted in tradition, so what will make Saltyard’s different? My wife, Kristy, and I love to go eat at
places for just one dish—like Kyma for the octopus or Abattoir for the beef tartare. Sometimes, we’ll go to four restaurants in one night just to have a plate at each place. Kristy and I started thinking how cool it would be to have all these dishes under one roof. So we talked to friends and started putting together lists of all our favorites. We’ve created a pretty solid menu that will rotate seasonally when ingredients are at their peak. Intriguing! So what’s on it? It will be extensive—25 to 30 small plates ($4-$10), about five to eight bar snacks ($3-$5) and a few entrée portions ($18-$25) for those who want a traditional meal. The cuisine will be mostly Mediterranean, but have influences from all over the world. We want to offer great food at a good value. This will be a place you come twice a week to have three small plates, a glass or two of wine, spend $25 a person, and walk out feeling not only satiated, but good about the experience. I don’t feel like we have that in Buckhead or Midtown now, and it’s an underserved niche we’re looking to fill. n