But Straits has actually caught the eye (and tastebuds) of the foodie cognoscenti.
I gave the spot three stars in a review last year, citing certain tableside desserts as the only real problematic part of the experience. And Food & Wine magazine just unleashed a ten-page high glossy spread about Straits, including recipes from chef Chris Yeo, who Bridges met “though a friend†at a charity event. Today, I sat down with the 31-year-old guy who brought us “P-Poppin’†and “You Got Served†at his home in College Park. It was as eye-opening an experience as eating at his restaurant for the first time. Answering the door, Bridges was dressed in a black cotton pullover and black jeans and offered me breakfast (it was three minutes past 1 p.m.). “ I’m still on West Coast time,†he smiled. For a guy whose lyrics are unprintable in a newspaper blog, Bridges is immediately likable, with a broad, handsome smile. He’s charming and affable, even if his lyrics aren’t. Taking a rare few days away from the music industry, the rapper “loves his home†though he spends as much time as possible at the restaurant whenever he is in town. “I’m a foodie!†he exclaims, finishing a breakfast heavy on fresh fruit prepared by his life-long friend Willie Box, who Bridges put through culinary school and who now works as the rapper’s personal chef, as well as “the eyes and ears†of the restaurant. Straits, which once housed Spice, was in the beginning nothing more than a real estate purchase Bridges and his mother, Roberta Shields, ventured in to. But then he met Yeo, who owns restaurants in San Francisco and San Jose, tasted his food, and was hooked on the idea of opening a restaurant. When asked why Straits has been so successfully received, he’s quick to point out how good he thinks the food is, how great the modern ambience is and how wonderful the service is, but looking at it from a critical point of view, I would have to point to Bridges’ business philosophy as the prime ingredient of success — he caters to a diverse community and serves very good food. When something is broken, he fixes it, keeping close tabs on everything. “I hate getting calls about the hot water heater being broken,†he quips. And he keeps close friends like Box nearby, to keep an eye on things when he’s not around — and even when he is. “People are going to come to the restaurant out of curiosity. To see if I’m there. But that’s not what’s going to bring them back a second or third time.†So where does he like to eat, as such a newfound foodie, in the ATL “I love Rathbun Steak and BLT. And I love One Midtown Kitchen and Horseradish Grill. I still love that fondue place in Buckhead — Dantes, right†Right.
And, best of all, he compliments me on my pedicure. “I love feet. I notice feet. And you have nice feet,†he says of the purple, pink and white design on my toes.