Atlantico at St. Regis Bal Harbour is closed for "summer"; Spice Market rumors unconfirmed

By Lesley Abravanel | Lank@aol.com5/15/2012

The well-received St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort restaurant Atlantico, boasting the talented executive chef Jordi Valles and pastry chef Antonio Bachour is now closed--but only for the summer, says Michelle Payer, the hotel's director of PR. Or is it? "Atlantico has closed for dinner for the summer season, but we haven’t determined anything beyond that right now," Payer spins. Both Valles and Bachour, whose titles extend to the entire hotel and not  just the restaurant, aren't going anywhere, either, Payer says. "No one is leaving."

One rumor swirling is that that Jean-Georges Vongerichten, whose J&G Grill occupies the resort's other restaurant space, will open a branch of his swanky street-food inspired Spice Market in the Atlantico space. A rep for Vongerichten was surprised by that one, saying " I don’t have any information with regard to Spice Market, this is the first I’ve heard anything about that."  Payer was also curious, asking "Where do these rumors start?" With some speck of truth, perhaps? Or not. We'll keep you posted.