Our Appetizing Aperture of the Week: Spice Market's Vegetarian Bento Box

Did you know this Saturday, October 1 is World Vegetarian Day?  While you can usually only enjoy the deliciously satisfying Vegetarian Bento Box on Monday nights at Spice Market in Midtown, guests can also enjoy one this Saturday in honor of the day!  

It's Follow Friday; Meet Our Tweep of the Week @datenightmag

Atlanta singles and couples needn't succumb to ho-hum dates with Date Night Mag on their Twitter radar.  

The Atlanta-based online magazine is your complete dating resource, covering advice, restaurants, activities, he said-she said and even ways to date when you have kids. Follow Date Night Mag on Twitter (@datenightmag).

We're Psyched for Sake at RA Sushi

Cheers! With 13 kinds of sake (12 from Japan and one from California) and two different sake flight options, RA Sushi in Midtown is the place to honor International Sake Day on Saturday, October 1.  RA Sushi's sushi rolls and Japanese-fusion specialties are proper companions to the sake menu options, as are your fellow sake-sipping friends!

Live Music, Beer, and Lederhosen: It's Fadóktoberfest Time at Fado!

If you thought Oktoberfest was a German celebration, think again!  Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant is putting an Irish spin on the famous fall festival with Fadóktoberfest!  Their annual street party started six years ago and is still going strong, averaging 2,000 guests in attendance!  Doors open at 8 a.m. for live English Premier League action.  Then music by the Astral Freaks starts the street fest at 6 p.m., U2 cover band Desire takes over at 9:15 p.m., and a DJ will keep the party going for the rest of the night -- moving totally inside the pub from 11 p.m. until 2 a.m.  At 8 p.m. the feats of strength begin, with the Strongman Stein Holding Competition and a bratwurst eating contest!  So grab your Lederhosen and head down to Fadó!  Tickets are available through Spiral Entertainment; $10 in advance or $15 at the door.

Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant:  273 Buckhead Avenue; 404-841-0066.

Fun at the Farm This Sunday

One of our favorite foodie festivals is coming up this weekend: Field of Greens. And the weather is going to be perfect!!

The setting at Whippoorwhill Hollow Farm combined with delicious tastes from the best chefs in town just make it a great Sunday afternoon activity. Check it out Sunday, October 2 from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Chefs from Woodfire Grill, No. 246, JCT. Kitchen & Bar, Chicken and the Egg and Briza will be among the more than 50 food artisans in attendance. Slow Food Atlanta is the host and beneficiary. Whippoorwhill is a 74-acre certified organic farm located in Walnut Grove - a short 45-minute drive east of the Atlanta. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the gate, and children 12 and under are admitted free! Sorry, Rover has to stay at home.

A YouTube video from 2010 presents a flavorful preview for newcomers, and Facebook has more details.

Get Your Caffeine Kick and Your Sugar Fix at Krispy Kreme in Columbus, GA for National Coffee Day

What better way to get through the work day than with a couple sips of caffeine and a few nibbles of sugar! In honor of National Coffee Day, September 29th, “on the house” literally means a free 12-ounce cup of House Blend Coffee from Krispy Kreme Doughnuts in Columbus, GA, and a free Hot Original Glazed® Doughnut too (And you thought cops were on top of the shop again)! Whether you are just passing by, or specifically heading to Krispy Kreme to cash in on this sweet deal, stop in or drive through for a complimentary cup and its perfect pairing, one of Krispy Kreme's sweet signature glazed doughnut.

The offer is limited to one complimentary coffee and doughnut per customer on September 29; no purchase necessary. This special is only at the Krispy Kreme at 6761 Veterans Parkway in Columbus, Ga.

Last Chance for Cocktails in the Garden This Season!

We like to think of it as a great way to greet this lovely fall weather, but truthfully, it's the last chance to sip, nosh and stroll through the Atlanta Botanical Garden after hours during one of our favorite summer cocktail parties known as Cocktails in the Garden. Get your fix tomorrow, September 29, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. when No. 246, Decatur's hottest new restaurant, provides tastes of their Italian-inspired specialties. This month's theme, which pairs a specialty cocktail with a plant or garden feature, is "Skylines and Spirits." Admission costs $18.95 per person (free for Garden Members) and also includes DJ tunes. A full cash bar is available as well.

Cornhole For A Cause? Sign Me Up!

Beaches, backyards, bars...they've even been spotted entertaining athletes between competitions at sporting events. The cornhole craze has made its way to the back parking lot of Atkins Park Tavern in Virginia Highland for a cornhole tournament from 2 - 5 p.m. on Sunday, October 2. Live music from Homefront and SweetWater Brewery beer set the pace. Registration fees for the two-man teams are $25 per person/single or $50/team of two. Participants will receive one complimentary SweetWater beer with registration, and the Georgia Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team in Training "wins" 100 percent of the proceeds. First place wins $400 and other prizes include a Krups Kegerator, restaurant and bar gift certificates, a SweetWater cornhole set and SweetWater Brewery tour passes. Call 404-876-7249 or stop by the restaurant to pre-register with the manager on duty.

Atkins Park Tavern - Virginia Highland: 794 North Highland; 404 -876-7249.

May the Best Burger Win

Everyone loves a good burger. Combine eating delicious burgers and helping out a great cause, and you get Battle of the Burgers. Enjoy live music while sampling bites from Atkins Park Tavern, the New York Butcher Shoppe and other Atlanta restaurants. This year's event on Saturday, October 1 is at John Howell Park in Virginia-Highland. All proceeds support Embraced in its mission to collect and share gently used medical equipment locally and globally.

If you feel the need to burn some calories before chomping on some patties, register for the "Burger-Eating 5K Run" that starts at 9 a.m. Otherwise, show up from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. to get your fill of beer and burgers. Make sure you stick around and see who wins the "Judge's Choice, Best Burger" and to cast your vote for "People's Choice, Best Burger." Last year, Atkins Park Tavern delighted vegetarians with their meatless entry, taking home "People's Choice" in the division. Could they repeat this year? You'll have to come and see for yourself!

Pig Out at The Iberian Pig's Two Year Anniversary Celebration

They say pigs can’t fly, but The Iberian Pig has certainly soared to the top of the Decatur restaurant scene since it was opened by the Castellucci restaurant family two years ago. In honor of two years in business, The Iberian Pig is inviting Decatur residents and visitors to partake in their two-year anniversary and appreciation celebration beginning at 5 p.m. on Monday, September 26th.

Tune into your Latin side with live music by a Spanish trio and Tyson Bittrich and take in the artistic work of Hense as he unveils his new mural at 7 p.m. Enjoy food and drink specials all night like $3 Sherry Cañas -- a small Spanish snack and sherry; $6 glasses of sangria, cava and craft cocktails; and $5 "Haute" dogs. Suckling pigs will be slow roasted all day and carved in the dining room as tapas ($10). Call ahead if you want to reserve one solely for your table; $280 covers pig, salad and sides for 8-12 people and a bottle of wine.

Chefs will cut into Jamon Iberico de Bellota, aged for 48 months and procured when the bistro opened two years ago; it's the rarest and highest quality Jamon Iberico available! Try some at $18 per ounce. Experience the true flavor of Spain, paella, served for the first time at The Iberian Pig and priced at $16 for two and $32 for 4 people. Although reservations are suggested, go ahead and pop in if you're in the neighborhood.

The Iberian Pig: On the square in Decatur at 121 Sycamore Street; 404-371-8800.

Time's Running Out for New York Butcher Shoppe's September Specials

Can the last days of September really already be here?  Better hurry to New York Butcher Shoppe to take advantage of their monthly features!  Let's start with September's Certified Angus Beef and Wagyu beef specials and early week specials and then move on to New York Butcher Shoppe's Wine Club.  Visit your nearby New York Butcher Shoppe for Certified Angus Beef strips at $11.99 per pound and Wagyu sirloin steaks, priced at a mouthwatering $12.99 a pound.  Sought-after Wagyu beef is known for the tenderness, flavor and juiciness incurred by unsaturated fat marbling. Tailgaters, grab some NYBS award-winning chili at $8.99 each and get a free eight-ounce container of pimento cheese dip to use as an appetizer or chili topper.   Homemade shepherd's pie at $6.99 each comes to the rescue of many a weeknight menu planner.  And for this week's early week specials, look for boneless chicken breasts for $2.99 per pound (limit three pounds) available from Monday to Wednesday. Nice to pick up high-quality meats and top-notch wines in the same stop, and New York Butcher Shoppe has both -- and a Wine Club.  The first Wednesday of each month, NYBS chooses and gives two wines with tasting notes to Wine Club members.  Members also receive a 10 percent discount on all wine purchases.  Wine Club membership is $29.99 per month with a three-month minimum. For even more savings, buy five months and get one month free! This month's two featured wines for Wine Club members are Costamolino Vermentino di Sardegna DOC, 2008, a white blend of 90 percent Vermentino and 10 percent other Sardinian grapes, and youthful red San Polo Rubio IGT, Toscano 2009 made from Sangiovese Grosso.  New York Butcher Shoppe: Dunwoody at 2458 Mt. Vernon Road; 770-399-6328. Sandy Springs at4969 Roswell Road; 404-303-0704. Alpharetta at 5354 McGinnis Ferry Road; 678-624-0047.