Ford Fry Dishes Out New Details on No. 246

Restaurant partners Ford Fry and Drew Belline have unveiled a few more details for their new restaurant, no. 246.

The two chefs are transforming the former Eurasia Bistro space on Ponce de Leon Avenue with plans to open no. 246 (twofoursix) in May. With seating for 100, no. 246 reflects the original name of the plot of land, which dates back to the early 1900s. 

As executive chef of the new restaurant, Belline plans a menu of Italian-inspired cuisine composed of local ingredients. 

“Drew and I share a passion for locally sourced ingredients, simple preparations and wood-fired cooking and are both really excited to bring Italian-inspired dishes with Californian influences to Decatur,” said Fry in a release.  “I think Decatur is the perfect neighborhood for us to create this cool yet comfortable dining establishment that we both envision."

The dinner menu will feature things such as crispy Fior di Latte cheese curd with San Marzano tomato and fried olives; charred octopus with smokey potatoes, pickled celery and chili-lemon vinaigrette; and garlicky tiny clams with toast and parsley.  

Then there's items such as tortelloni with Ken’s mushrooms; Meyer lemon and sheep’s milk ricotta agnolotti with parmesan; and Ramano pizza with San Marzano tomato, anchovy, tiny olives and Calabrian chiles.  All pasta dishes will come in two different sizes.  

Some of the meat dishes include steak with Romanesco, spring onion and Delfina potatoes, and of coure there's pork. The menu will offer a crispy suckling pig with gratin and pork jus.

Items on the dessert menu include a chocolate tart with sea salt and olive oil, and a ricotta zeppoli with warm chocolate and sour cherry.

“Lately the culinary trends in the Southeast have been very meat-centric, but we’re trying to make the food at no. 246 more about vegetables and dishes that guests can eat every day,” Belline said. “The menu will be driven by what local producers have to offer.” 

Fry is owner and executive chef of  JCT Kitchen & Bar.

Belline served most recently as the "chef de cuisine" at Floataway Café. He has also worked at Charlie Palmer’s Kitchen 22 and Tom Colicchio’s Craft in New York as well as Quinones at Bacchanalia and Floataway Café in Atlanta.  

On the inside of the restaurant, no. 246 will have reclaimed wood on the floors with contrasting white and dark hues on the Venetian stucco wall. Two big double hung windows will open out to the sidewalk. 

A special four-top “chef’s table” will be located inside the kitchen where guests can put themselves and their taste buds in the hands of the chef. 

The restaurant will also serve lunch Monday through Saturday. Menu items include: tuna conserva with tiny olives, an herb salad and warm flatbread; yesterday’s porchetta sandwich with Fontina and Calabrian chile conserva; and a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich featuring Belline Farm’s tomato, Fior di Latte, backyard basil and prosciutto.  

The restaurant will not take reservations. But they will have shuffleboard and a back deck area where live music will be played on weekends.