Our Appetizing Aperture of the Week: Noodles & Company's Truffle Mac with Baby Portabellas

Looks like macaroni and cheese is all grown up at Noodles & Company with this delicious twist on the comforting classic -- truffle mac with baby portabellas.

Learn About Wine and Mingle with Wine Connoisseurs at Woodfire Grill's Louis/Dressner Winemaker Dinner

Whether you’re a wine aficionado or simply enjoy learning about the finer things in life, meet winemakers and taste wines at Woodfire Grill's Louis/Dressner Winemaker Dinner on Tuesday, January 17. Old world wine importer Louis/Dressner doesn't make the wines, but they have connections with more than 100 conscientious vignerons in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Croatia and Slovenia. Eric Texier from Chateauneuf du Pape and Jean-Paul Brun from Beaujolais, both winemakers whose wines are imported by Louis/Dressner, will discuss their naturally produced wines during the evening.

Even better, learning about the natural viticulture and tasting some of the exquisite wines is just the tip of the iceberg at this dinner party. You will also enjoy Woodfire Grill’s handcrafted five-course menu of four savory dishes and desserts plus wine pairings. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and costs $115 per person (includes tax but not gratuity). There are only 20 seats open to the public, so don't think about it too long. Make reservations now for this exclusive dinner by calling the restaurant at 404-347-9055.

Woodfire Grill: 1782 Cheshire Bridge Road; 404-347-9055.

It's Follow Friday; Meet our Tweep of the Week @SBKitchens

Squash Blossom Kitchens is a boutique catering company that specializes in small- to mid-sized dinner parties. Childhood friends Christine Roberts and Katy Purwin shelved their corporate careers to pursue their first love:  food. The duo is a regular on 11 Alive cooking segments, and have developed winning recipes for Jake's Ice Cream and Maggiano's. Follow their tweets (@SBKitchens) to stay on the detox track for 2012. Learn more about them on their Squash Blossomings blog.  

Happy 10th Birthday to The Dish!

Back in the day, before there were blogs, there was a little newsletter called The Dish. Every week, it was painstakingly typed, laid out with scissors and tape, copied on colored paper (different color every week!), and delivered around town to our city's concierges. Oh, and we faxed it to them too - woo hoo! What a difference 10 years can make!

Now The Dish is a weekly e-newsletter and daily blog post. The process is more efficient and our interns don't have to drive all over town anymore, but the goal is the same. We are still committed to spreading the news about the fun restaurant happenings going on in Atlanta.

We appreciate your reading and hope you'll sign up for the newsletter if you haven't already. Oh, and follow us on Twitter too! Can't wait to see what the next 10 years will bring!!

Sidle up to JCT. Bar for a Burger and Beer

Starting next Tuesday, JCT. Bar in Atlanta's Westside Urban Market is bringing back their popular Burger and Beer special. This year's combo features Ford Fry's house-ground "Frito Pie" Burger and a beer from Utah-based Uinta Brewing for $10. Beers options include Wyld Extra Pale Ale, Baba Black Lager or Hopnotch IPA. This deal runs each Tuesday through Thursday from 5-10 p.m. at the rooftop bar. The Burger and Beer is only available for a limited time, so make plans to stop on by for a "Frito Pie."

It’s National Soup Month – Start Slurping!

The MLA team just finished a two-day juice detox and after 48 hours of drinking nothing but cold, tart fruit juice, all I am craving is a hot bowl of soup. Luckily, it happens to be National Soup Month AND, despite the unseasonably warm weather we’ve been having, the weather reports for the rest of this week finally point to colder temperatures. I can’t think of a better time to sample our city’s selection of body-warming bowls of goodness. Check out a list of our favorites around town in the latest edition of The Dish. My must-haves are Aria’s creamless celery root and black truffle soup (you will not believe this soup doesn’t have cream in it!) and Spice Market’s spicy chicken and coconut soup (pictured above). Both of these feel totally luxurious and are super satisfying on a cold day.

Wine and Dine Prime Style at Fleming’s

What better way to prepare for a busy work week than enjoying a nice dinner at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar? Luckily, the top-end Perimeter steakhouse offers a three-course Sunday Prime Rib Dinner for only $29.95 per person (before tax and gratuity) until February 5. This three-course meal begins with your choice of The Wedge, Fleming’s house salad or a Caesar salad, followed by the prime rib with au jus main course. The prime rib is served up with creamy horseradish and Dijon sauces and your choice of a side. To top it all off, you can choose a decadent dessert for your final course. The wine connoisseurs at Fleming’s recommend pairing your meal with the Raymond, Napa Valley Sommelier Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009. At $8.75 a glass or $35 a bottle it’s a perfect choice! And of course, you can always choose from the Fleming’s 100 award-winning wine collection to round out your evening meal.   

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: 4501 Olde Perimeter Way in Perimeter Place Village; 770-698-8112.

Smash Your Way Into Winter!

Sizzling hot Smashburgers, chicken sandwiches, Smashdogs and veggie burgers send cold packing, if you catch our drift. If, however, cold calls you to the slopes, Smashburger again comes to the rescue with the Smashburger Winterfest sweepstakes. Enter online through January 27. One grand-prize winner will ski away with a trip for two to Colorado including hotel accommodations, a pair of Icelantic skis and a private tour of the Icelantic factory. Other prizes include Icelantic skis, a snowboard, 686 snowboard jackets, Winter Park lift tickets, Colorado Avalanche tickets and Smashgear. While you’re on the website, enter your preferred Smashburger location -- Alpharetta, Buckhead, Johns Creek, Kennesaw or Sandy Springs -- and receive news on specials and events.