Atlanta, GA (February 5, 2008) – On Friday, June 8, 2007, restaurateurs Bob Amick and Todd Rushing launched TAP, an American gastropub, in Atlanta, Ga. Named for the restaurant’s extensive draft beer and barrel wine selections, TAP is “a convivial place to have a pint” or glass of wine and the standout spot for seasonally-driven, innovative comfort food.  The environment encapsulates the spirit of Midtown Atlanta, bringing neighbors together in a welcoming setting to meet, eat and drink.

“Gastropub” is a term coined by Great Britain that is derived from the words gastronomy and public house and refers to old pubs that were converted to have a strong food element.  But as owner Bob Amick simply states, TAP is “a really cool bar with great food,” and his personal interpretation of a British-style gastropub. “TAP is a pub with excellent food that’s all about the ingredients. We are taking pub food to a whole new level,” said co-owner, Todd Rushing.

THE CHEF

Prior to joining the Concentrics Restaurants team in 2007, Executive Chef Adrian Villarreal launched his career in the Atlanta dining scene as chef de partie at Joël. Before settling in Atlanta, he began his career in France where he gained experience working at both Le Doyenne and La Maree after graduating Le Cordon Bleu, Paris.

Growing up, familial ties proved useful for Villarreal as his uncle owned the first restaurant in which he worked part time during his studies at Tecnológico de Monterrey, a top-ranked Mexican university system, where he earned a degree in economics.

THE FOOD

TAP serves supper seven nights a week and lunch Monday through Friday in addition to weekend brunch. Sample lunch dishes include Cowgirl Creamery Grilled Cheese, Warm Tomato Bisque; Baby Gem “Cobb Salad,” Chicken, Nueskes Bacon, Irish Cashel Blue Cheese; Roasted Beet Salad with sweet grass dairy goat cheese, watercress and pecans; and Mexican Pozole Verde Soup with braised chicken and pork and served with traditional condiments. Incorporating the restaurant’s Southern roots with a concept originating in Great Britain, supper features Salmon Creek Pork Cop with butternut ravioli, mushrooms, brown butter, sage and pinenuts; Roasted Scallops served with potato puree, chanterelles and celery in a garlic broth; and Crispy “Flat Sided” Flounder with roasted cauliflower, brussel sprouts, apple and Thai vinaigrette.

And weekend brunch includes Smoked Salmon, Red Flannel Hash, Sunny Side-Up Eggs, Horseradish Sauce; Huevos Rancheros with black turtle beans, tortillas and salsa roja; Gypsy Eggs with chorizo, Nueskes bacon, peas and spicy tomato sauce; and Warm House Made Oatmeal and Brown Bread Ice Cream. Available around the clock, TAP’s pub burger is topped with square cheese and served on an English muffin with a pile of shoestring fries.

ON TAP

Stored in and served from an impressive glass vault suspended above the bar, 21 beers and 16 wines are on tap. In addition to 21 bottled beers, these brews highlight the small microbreweries of the U.S. along with the great beer houses of Europe, making for a fine complement to the gastropub’s menu. The glassware varies from beer to beer, as each has its own particular glass with a unique size or shape, allowing guests to properly savor their favorite brew’s aromas and flavors. A unique addition to the list is a cask-conditioned beer, which has a more complex, rich flavor. These “real ales” contain live yeast and are brewed from only traditional ingredients with no preservatives. Therefore, they will only stay fresh for approximately one week. Cask-conditioned beer is served from an authentic British beer engine, a manual pump that allows TAP to serve this unique ale without the extraneous gas from a typical tap. Chimay beer, made by the Cistercian Trappist monks in Belgium, is also a noteworthy addition to the beer list as well as #’s Ale, which was specially developed for Concentrics Restaurants by the Atlanta Brewing Company. Also, eight white and eight red wines are available, along with four sparkling wines available only by the bottle. 

THE SPACE

The two-story space with a large patio was designed by Taylor Dawson Architects from Birmingham, Ala. Facing Peachtree Street, TAP’s 1,800-square foot patio offers the perfect spot to observe the hustle and bustle of Midtown Atlanta. Open year-round, the space seats 120, and this relaxing, outdoor retreat is available for party bookings. Hired to create the jovial interior of TAP was John Oetgen, a critically-acclaimed Atlanta designer. Dark woods and steel fixtures line the restaurant, highlighted by vibrant red leather, a soapstone-topped bar and simple yet stylish lighting. The second floor is defined by an open kitchen with counter seating.

Recognized as “Atlanta’s Best Gastropub” by Atlanta magazine, TAP is a standout spot for seasonally-driven, innovative comfort food courtesy of Chef Todd Ginsberg. An extensive international beer list and innovative barrel wine program makes TAP “a convivial place to have a pint” night after night.  Located at 1180 Peachtree Street in Atlanta, Ga., TAP serves supper seven nights a week, lunch Monday through Friday and weekend brunch. For reservations and more information, call 404.347.2220 or visit tapat1180.com.

Concentrics Restaurants

Concentrics Restaurants, founded in 2002 by Bob Amick and Todd Rushing, represents the industry’s most unique and electrifying restaurants. These award-winning Chef driven culinary destinations include ONE.midtown kitchen, TWO urban licks, TROIS, TAP, Murphy’s, Lobby at TWELVE, Room at TWELVE, STATS, LUMA on Park, PARISH Foods & Goods and the restaurants at theWit Hotel which will open in Chicago in May 2009. Each with its own mesmerizing design and unparalleled approach to food, these dining sensations are setting creative trends in both the hospitality and wine industries across the country. Concentrics Restaurants offers a full-service development and management team headed by Bob Amick, Todd Rushing and Mary Reynolds that provides A to Z solutions to any food and beverage operational needs. Due to national hotel, corporate and individual interests Concentrics Restaurants has partnered with Murphy's Restaurant, Sports Radio 790 The Zone, Legacy Property Group, France Developments, The Novare Group and ECD Company to launch and grow nationally successful concepts under the Concentrics umbrella. Concentrics Restaurants have been recognized in nationally-acclaimed publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Food Arts, O, The Oprah Magazine, Delta Sky, GO!, Lucky and InStyle magazine, along with having the first Atlanta chef to appear on the Food Network’s culinary showdown, “Iron Chef America” and a feature on “Rachael Ray’s Tasty Travels.”  For more information on Concentrics Restaurants please visit www.concentricsrestaurants.com.