(AllHipHop News) Straits Atlanta, the Asian fusion restaurant owned by rapper Ludacris, is closing its doors after four years of operations. Located in midtown Atlanta, the restaurant featured a blend of Asian cuisine by restaurateur, Chris Yeo, who owns five other restaurants, none of which are being affected by the closure.
Featuring signature dishes like Kung Pow Lollipops, a delicious hand-held chicken dish, Straits, despite its celebrated entrees and celebrity owner, suffered from low-guest turnout, perhaps due to the high-priced menu that somewhat excluded Ludacris’ hometown, urban fan base.
The rapper’s latest venture, Chicken N Beer, a new restaurant located in the newly-expanded Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, serves “comfort foods and craft beers using locally-grown ingredients.” “As I continue to learn and evolve as a businessman, I am extremely excited to put my restaurateur footprint into a new venture inside the busiest international airport in the United States, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport,” Ludacris stated.
Named after Ludacris’ 2003 release, Chicken N Beer is one of 150 restaurant and retail ventures that were approved to open at the busy airport, while Jay-Z’s 40/40 Club proposal was denied. Luda’s close relationship with Atlanta Mayor, Kasim Reed, is rumored to have also helped him in his bid to secure the contract at Hartsfield-Jackson, which accommodates 89 million passengers per year as one of the world’s busiest airports. Ludacris was a strong supporter of Reed’s mayoral campaign in 2009, which was won by less than 800 votes.
Straits Atlanta is currently listed as closed “Until Further Notice.”