Atlanta restaurateur Sim Walker knows its a strange time to open a new restaurant.
But he’s choosing to embrace the challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic as he debuts his newest concept, Apt. 4B in Buckhead.
“We’re taking our time and using it to hone our skills and work out our kinks,” Walker said. “We want to introduce people to the space slowly.”
Located at 2293 Peachtree Road, the concept rolled out last weekend mostly to friends and family, with limited reservations opening this weekend for the public.
Walker, who previously owned Negril Village in downtown Atlanta, sees Apt. 4B as the more upscale sister to his other restaurant, Ms. Icey’s Kitchen and Bar in Decatur.
“Ms. Icey’s is Grandma’s house in Decatur,” he said. “Apt. 4B is the new loft apartment in the city. It’s the space you come to when you want to have cocktails at the bar, socialize with friends and listen to music.”
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
The “eclectic, intimate and funky” restaurant offers a menu developed by Haitian-American chef Dayana Joseph, who drew on French styles of preparation while using Caribbean flavors. Dishes including oxtail hummus, snapper ceviche, cracked conch and gochujang grilled octopus “remix Caribbean standards with other global standouts,” Walker said.
He also noted that the menu has inventive vegan options, including fried mushrooms with a Scotch Bonnet emulsion and roasted sweet plantain with a spicy sambal sauce.
The restaurant’s beverage program, developed by partner Tasha Cyril, uses similar themes and flavor profiles. Among mixed drinks, patrons will find the Soon Come, a revamped version of a traditional rum punch.
Apt 4B’s vibe aim to complement the menu. Previously home to 1Kept, which specialized in new Southern cuisine, the space is technically located on Peachtree Road, but patrons can only access it by going down a ramp to the back of the building, giving it a “hidden, speakeasy” feel, Walker said. The structure of the building remains intact from the 1Kept days, but “with a completely new attitude,” according to Walker.
Credit: Apt 4B
Credit: Apt 4B
A centrally-located bar serves as the 4,000 square-foot space’s centerpiece, along with an open kitchen and several sections offering a variety of seating options, including high tops and a communal table.
An outdoor patio that seats about 10 acts as an extension to the bar, with plans to add a drink rail in the future.
Walker envisions Apt 4B as both a dining and a listening experience. To that end, pictures of album covers adorn the walls (in addition to an art installation of reimagined Jet magazine covers from local artist Shaheed Rucker and stills from the videos of director Hype Williams), and a DJ booth decked out with turntables, McIntosh amps and Klipsch speakers greet guests when they enter. Walker owns more than 10,000 records, meaning Apt 4B’s soundtrack includes “a little bit of everything.”
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
To start, Walker is offering very limited covers, by reservation only via its website and Resy in one hour intervals from 5-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
He’s hoping to expand the restaurant’s hours in the coming weeks, and he and Joseph are working on rolling out a takeout program, including ready-to-eat items that are easy to reheat.
2293 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. 404-709-2906, apt4batl.com
Scroll down to see the opening menu for Apt 4B:
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Credit: undefined
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