Shutter/Plywood Mashup: Punch Grill Becoming South

SANTA MONICA: Several readers sent in notes that after little more than year, Punch Grill on Wilshire Boulevard shuttered, soon to be replaced with a new bar and restaurant called South. A couple Southern-bred guys from Q's Billiards and Barney's Beanery are behind the venture, but as one owner, Adam Milstein, tells us, "It's not quite a Q's, but not a fancy fine dining place either." Inside will have black-and-white photos of of B.B. King, Elvis, Bourbon Street and Beale Street; outside, a new patio. Sounds like the boys are growing up and ready to leave the frat boy scene behind---to a degree. The drink menu has some sweet-sounding concoctions like the Peachtree martini or pineapple upside down cake, but there's also Abita beer from New Olreans (bonus) and a good old-fashioned mint julep. Foodwise, we're loving the idea of fried pickles and fried green tomatoes, ribs, po' boys, muffalettas, gumbo (Milstein went to school in Nola), fried catfish and the like. They hope to open on March 14. (3001 Wilshire Blvd)