Recession Proof Drink Deals

Who doesn't love a good time, or a night out on the town? Lots of restaurants in the area are making it more affordable than ever to head out and enjoy one of your favorite cocktails or a glass of wine. Here are some of the great deals hitting the Atlanta area. This way, you won't have to skimp on your beverages, or a night out with the girls.

Good times at Eclipse di Luna - Miami Circle are affordably endless. Bottomless, you might say, when you consider the $10 bottomless glasses of sangria on Sundays followed by buy-one-get-one-free Monday Mojito Madness. Friends can easily find their way to Buckhead's congenial tapas restaurant and bar where laughter flows as readily as the sangria, and sharing specialty tapas is a cinch.

Midway through the week you may find yourself in need of some relaxation. What better way to enjoy a Wednesday night than with Aqua blue Restaurant's wine flight? The $14 wine flight will consist of 3 different types of wine paired with a delicious cheese plate. Each Wednesday, a different wine and cheese pairing will be offered so don't be afraid to go more than once!

Half-off wine can never go wrong in my book, that is why I am so glad I heard about Woodfire Grill's deal to offer their wine list at half price every Thursday night through March! This 50 percent discount will be taken off every wine, both by the glass and by the bottle. The diverse list changes weekly to stay current with the best new releases from all over the world as well as to complement Chef Kevin Gillespie's ever changing menu.

Eclipse di Luna - Miami Circle: 764 Miami Circle; 404-846-0449.
Aqua blue Restaurant: 1564 Holcomb Bridge Road; 770-643-8886.
Woodfire Grill: 1782 Cheshire Bridge Road; 404-347-9055.

Cocido at Ecco: Que Bueno!

My Spanish friends are always saying, "que bueeeeeeeeeno" whenever they think something is great. So last night when I tried the cocido at Ecco that was the first phrase that came to mind.

I must admit that I had forgotten Tuesdays were the special night for this hearty Spanish stew. Ecco does a deal where you get cocido and a glass of wine for $24. Only on Tuesdays. Because that's the traditional Tuesday dish in Spain.

It changes up each week but last night the meats were two types of sausage and two types of beef. The brisket was melt-in-your-mouth good. Que bueno! Then there were beans and potatoes too. It's served on a plate with the broth in a small bowl on the side. Eating instructions were not included so I spooned the broth onto the meats. YUM.

They were pretty busy so you'll probably want to make a rez, but it's not a must. See you there next week! Que bueeeeeeeno!

Shane Tuohy of Dogwood to Cook at the Famous James Beard House

The year 2009 is already off to a great start for one of our favorite local chefs. Shane Tuohy of Dogwood has been invited by the James Beard Foundation to be a guest chef at the prestigious James Beard House. The mission of the James Beard Foundation, a not-for-profit organization, is to celebrate, preserve, and nurture America's culinary heritage and diversity in order to elevate the appreciation of our culinary excellence. It is an honor to have Chef Tuohy representing Atlanta when he presents his unique Southern culinary perspective at the storied house.

The April 18 dinner will be a five-course affair, complete with wine and dessert. One can only hope Chef Tuohy finds a way to incorporate his famous grits bar into the menu! Congratulations to Dogwood and to Chef Tuohy.

CHEERS!!

DailyCandy Definition

The DailyCandy Lexicon affectionately dubs these chef idolizers “Kitchen Aids.” Clever, clever! Foodie fans that we are, where do we buy the tee-shirts?

Kitchen Aid n. a chef groupie.

Michael Tuohy's California Restaurant Gets 4 Stars!

Big woo hoo to Michael Tuohy and the great review of his new restaurant Grange in The Sacramento Bee! We were happy to see Michael's great talents so quickly recognized in his new city and more than a little proud that his Atlanta roots and Woodfire Grill also got a shout-out in the article!

Congrats, Michael! We miss you, but we're so happy for you!

BCS National Championship Match-Up at Marlow's

I'm back from a long holiday vacation of eating, traveling and watching football. While the traveling is over and the left-overs are long gone, I still have football.

You better believe that I am anxiously awaiting the The FedEx BCS National Championship this Thursday between Oklahoma and Florida. If you aren't going to be in Miami for the match-up, Marlow's Tavern will be broadcasting on multiple big screens. Kick off is at 8 p.m. - see you there!

Signing up for Marlow’s e-blast newsletter will earn you $10 to go toward a purchase of $30 or more at any Marlow’s location around Atlanta. Simply visit Marlow’s website, click on “Join our Email List,” type in your e-mail address and voila, a $10 gift certificate is sent to your inbox. Print it out before the big game this Thursday!

Marlow’s Tavern locations: Alpharetta at 3719 Old Alabama Road, 770-475-1800; Kennesaw at 745 Chastain Road, NW, 770-425-8777; Midtown at 950 West Peachtree Street, 404-815-0323; Vinings at 2355 Cumberland Parkway, 770-432-2526; Northlake at 4156 LaVista Road; 678-987-1197; and coming in January to Duluth at 1950 Satellite Boulevard.

Riding Dirty Rates the Best Wine and Food Pairings in Atlanta

Eight weeks ago one of our favorite Atlanta bloggers Dirty South Wine, began a quest to get some of Atlanta’s top restaurants to compete in a wine pairing contest; this challenge became known as “Riding Dirty”. Dirty and two of his friends began Riding Dirty by setting some ground rules. They wanted to find the best demonstration of wine and food working together, but at an affordable price. Therefore, all the entries had to be paired with the glass of wine totaling under $25. Each pairing was documented by photos, videos and each restaurant had a chance to tell their story behind the wine and dish. At the end of the contest, Dirty selected the best wines and pairings from the restaurants. Here are some of our favorite picks by Dirty!

Best Traditional Pairing: Dogwood Restaurant
Dogwood paired a Rutz Maison Grand Cru Chardonnay with Lobster Grits.

Best Dish: Woodfire Grill
Pan roasted diver scallops, braised leeks and fennel, Bouillabaisse sauce, and herb salad.

Best Value: Toulouse

Best Belly Pairing: La Tavola

I think it is fair to say I have lots of new food and wine to try in 2009! With Dirty’s advice I know to expect nothing but the best!

Put a Little Mexican Food Into Your Resolutions

I'm an everything-in-moderation type of girl. Life's too short to pass on the pork belly in favor of a plate of lettuce with dressing on the side. But this is the time of year when we all evaluate our lives, especially our health, and make resolutions to do better. The thought of eliminating Mexican food from my life is enough to ruin my day so how happy was I to learn about Uncle Julio's "heart healthy" selections? Think mesquite grilled salmon filet, ensalada especial or grilled vegetable platter. The salmon comes with sautéed veggies and fresh pineapple pico de gallo. The ensalada boasts mixed field greens with grape tomatoes, jicama, cucumber, red onions and red cabbage plus a cap of grilled salmon or portobello mushrooms and citrus vinaigrette dressing. Loading up on veggies is no problemo with the scrumptious grilled veggie platter piled with zucchini, yellow squash, portobello mushrooms, red potatoes, red and yellow onions, roasted red and poblano peppers and a side of pineapple pico de gallo. Back in Uncle Julio’s hometown of Dallas, the restaurant’s chefs collaborated with medical and nutrition experts at Medical City Heart of Medical City Hospital to develop these tantalizingly good-for-you dishes.

Just think, if you get one of these dishes you can have an extra margarita! Just saying.