Here's An Easily Agreed Upon Pre-Nup: Host Those Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties At Spice Market

It’s that time of year again; when wedding bells are ringing, the perfect dress is waiting to be found, and brides-to-be are running around turning their dream wedding into a reality.

Let Spice Market in the W Atlanta-Midtown take some stress off your hands with their packages for one-stop bachelor/bachelorette party planning! The packages include two different menu options with portions large enough for the whole table to share (to accommodate six or more guests). For $25 per person, guests will receive two appetizers, two entrées and an assortment of house-made cookies for dessert. For $35 per person, guests will receive a glass of champagne, plus their choice of three appetizers, three entrées and two desserts. Each guest receives complimentary valet for the first three hours as well.

The fun doesn’t have to stop here, however. Keep the party going with celebrity-style access to Whiskey Park, a glamorous bar and lounge located on the third floor of the W Atlanta-Midtown. Guests will be seated at a VIP table and receive a complimentary bottle of champagne for every bottle of liquor purchased (two bottle minimum for VIP table). Non-table options are negotiable. Party reservations must be made at least 48 hours in advance and each group must specifically request the bachelor/bachelorette party package. Guests also may book a room at the W Atlanta-Midtown and stay the night.  Contact Damien Whitman at damien.whitman@whotels.com or John Pak at john.pak@whotels.com to get your party started!

Appetizing Aperture: New England Country Soup Southeast Soup Challenge Winner

And the New England Country Soup Southeast Soup Challenge grand-prize winner is (drumroll, please) Felice's mushroom and barley soup with rye croutons simmered up by Felice Bogus of Raleigh, N.C. Funny, her husband Robert won the "Best Presentation" prize for his Gulf Coast fish chowder with caramelized orange scallops. Congrats to a "souper-douper" couple. 

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

 

Libbie Summers and Chia Chong are tweeters behind Salted & Styled in Savannah, Ga. Midwesterner Summers is a creator/writer/culinary producer and is the writer behind "The Whole Hog Cookbook." Creator/photographer Chia Chong hails from Malaysia and resides in Savannah, where she earned her B.F.A. in Photography at Savannah College of Art and Design. Each day brings "food-inspired living" for these two as they notice and expand on one item at a time. Get the gist on Twitter (@SaltedandStyled). There are more words and photos to devour on the Salted & Styled blog!

Uncle Julio’s Fine Mexican Food Helps You Drink the Heat Away

This spring might be one of the warmest we've had in Atlanta, but luckily Uncle Julio’s Fine Mexican Food is offering a remedy to beat the heat. We already know how wonderful the Swirls are but now the restaurant has added five new non-alcoholic teas and lemonades. Each one is handcrafted and made with fresh fruit, and only $3.75 apiece with $1 refills. Check out the flavors: 

• Mango Passion Lemonade - lemonade and Uncle Julio’s fresh mango passion fruit
• Strawberry Guava Lemonade - hand-shaken blend of real strawberries, guava nectar and lemonade 
• Cherry Limeade - sweet cherry with a tart lime flavor
• Raspberry Iced Tea - freshly brewed tea with raspberries 
• Raspberry Palmer - a refreshing blend of lemonade, freshly brewed tea and real raspberries 

Leave a comment below and tell us which one sounds best to you!

Gifts for Dads, Grads and YOU at Fleming's

The graduation announcements are starting to fill up the mailbox and it can be so hard to decide what to give! Most of the graduates in my life prefer cash to, say, a monogrammed beach towel or coffee table book of life wisdom. But I want to give them something more memorable than a Georgia Power payment or a tank of gas. Thanks to the folks at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar I can give a gift card for a fabulous dinner and get myself a little treat too! The Dunwoody restaurant is throwing in a $20 promotional bonus card with each $100 gift card purchased between April 1 and June 7. This will make a great Father's Day gift too! Gift cards can be used in the restaurant, bar or for a special event at any Fleming's location; bonus cards are for dining room use only. And since there are Fleming's in other cities, you can buy these for out of town grads and dads. Here's the link!

Plan Your Easter Feaster with Some of Atlanta's Hottest Restaurants

Peeps, chocolate eggs and jelly beans are a great start to Easter morning, but that sugar crash can lead to midday meltdowns. To really celebrate the day, fill tummies with yummies at some of the egg-straordinary Easter brunch and dinner options around Atlanta. The Dish basket was full of ideas last week - click here to take another look. South City Kitchen - Vinings and South City Kitchen -Midtown have finalized the three-course prix fixe menu to be offered at both locations from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Easter Sunday. See the complete big-as-the-South menu on Facebook -- a beauty for only $29 per adult and $14.50 for kids under 12 (plus tax and gratuity). South City Kitchen - Midtown reservations:  404-873-7358 or OpenTable; South City Kitchen - Vinings reservations:770-435-0700 or OpenTable. Marlow's Tavern in Duluth, Kennesaw, Midtown, East Cobb, Northlake and Vinings will be serving Easter brunch as well. Hours and specials vary by location. For more information, visit www.marlowstavern.com. 

A Few of Our Favorites From the AJC "Top 50" List

As you have probably already read, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Chief Dining Critic John Kessler recently wrote about a list of his "Top 50" restaurants, which he hasn't compiled since 2004. He notes that the passing years have brought a rewarding variety of foods and atmospheres to Atlanta, and we definitely agree. Some of our longtime favorites were included in the list: Aria (pictured right), Ecco and Woodfire Grill. And two more of our top picks were noted on John Kessler's blog as coming oh-so-close to making the list: JCT. Kitchen & Bar and La Tavola Trattoria. Visit the links above to sample John's thoughts, and be sure to play with the interactive map to locate these winning spots for your next dinner outing. You won't be disappointed!

Olé! Smashburger Introduces the Fresh Mex Burger for a Limited Time!

To top the new Smashburger Fresh Mex Burger, one really needs a sombrero. Smashburger, who's always building a better burger, employs a cushy Mexican roll. It excels in absorbing the juicy runoff from a 100 percent Certified Angus Beef burger dressed with a juxtaposition of cool avocado, chopped cilantro, onions, lettuce, tomato and sour cream against pepper jack cheese and spicy chipotle mayo, and served with a wedge of lime. A marinated chicken sandwich has equal olé with the same toppings. The choice beef and chicken chomper comes to the ATL from the sleepy California border town of San Diego, where it was created for locals who love their regional Fresh Mex combinations. Hold your siesta until after you partake in this flavorful fiesta because the visiting dynamic duo heads out of town on April 29. Maybe the peachy Atlanta Smashburger will pay an exchange visit to San Diego. We'll have to wait and see.

The Dish Hops In With This Week's Culinary Adventures

The Easter Bunny's bringing more than just chocolate treats this week. Find out what culinary adventures are in store for you in this week's Atlanta Dish! If you're not receiving the Dish every Tuesday morning in your inbox, you can sign up either here on our blog or on our Facebook page.

Embark on a Fine Food and Wine Cruise with Kevin Gillespie, If “The Price is Right”

From being a contestant on “Top Chef” to serving as the executive chef at Woodfire Grill, Celebrity Chef Kevin Gillespie has many accomplishments under his belt. On Wednesday, April 4, be sure to watch “The Price is Right,” because up for grabs is an exotic Fine Food and Wine Cruise sailing away to French Polynesia, September 29 – October 6, with a ‘Wine, Dine and Jazz at Sea” party on board. So how does this wonderful prize involve Woodfire Grill’s executive chef? Aboard the intimate cruise ship, Gillespie will bring the “dine” element, with assistance of Washington winery DeLille Cellars on wines, and a Grammy-nominated jazz ensemble from Cjazz performs for guests’ to make this trip an unforgettable experience.  Gillespie, who also serves as a Celebrity Chef Ambassador for the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, will be attending to the preparation of special culinary events during the cruise. Furthermore, he will be hosting a variety of cooking demonstrations and classes. Although, you may not be a contestant on “The Price is Right,” you can still register for the super-inclusive package at www.finefoodandwinecruise.com. As if there weren't enough reasons for you to book this fantastic eight-day cruise, Gillespie will also be celebrating his 30^th birthday during this trip. Wonder if you can eat his cake, too? Early booking rates start at $3,700 per person. For more information, call 800-218-6031 or email info@foodandwinecruise.com.