International Woodworking Fair Attendees -- Carve Out Time to Eat at These Atlanta Faves

We know that woodworking can drill into mealtime and leave your stomach feeling empty, but don’t worry, we have the perfect places to cure those hunger pains. Only minutes away from International Woodworking Fair (IWF) at the Georgia World Congress Center are some of Atlanta’s favorite spots for delicious food. In the mood for burgers and beer? STATS in downtown’s Luckie Marietta District has you covered offering juicy double-stack cheeseburgers for $11, $14 5-bottle beer buckets and ice-cold 100-ounce beer tubes for $18. Spots like Chick-a-Biddy in Atlantic Station and  Bantam + Biddy in Ansley Mall or Crescent Avenue in Midtown are offering a sweet deal to IWF tradeshow attendees with a free dessert with the purchase on an entrée. 

An Evening At Aria

Yesterday evening I joined the American Institute of Food and Wine for their monthly meet up at Aria. The vibe in the lounge was relaxed yet cool and my glass of Schwarzbock, a white wine from Austria, was fabulous. We nibbled on toasted brioche topped with capers and hard boiled egg and bite sized open-face BLTs. Gerry Klaskala also treated us to short rib on focaccia buns and spring rolls with laughing bird shrimp and vegetables. Aria's menu is especially tempting now that they give guests in the bar 20% off their entire food bill. This generous offer is available Monday through Saturday from open until close.

Aria is located at 490 East Paces Ferry Road in Buckhead. Operating hours are 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and valet parking is available. For reservations and additional information, call
404-233-7673 or visit www.aria-atl.com.

Does it get any better than wine and pizza?

Well, yes, if it's organic wine and organic pizza.

Last night the Atlanta Chapter of the American Institute of Wine and Food (AIWF) had their monthly "Wonderful Wednesday" at Pizza Fusion in Buckhead. Steve Hinternhoff from Quality Wine & Spirits brought Kristin Freund of Terre Rouge Wines. The group was able to taste five wines from their portfolio while sampling delicious pizza and mingling with fellow foodies. The verdict: the wines were awesome and they all went well with pizza!

My personal favorite was 2005 TERRE ROUGE Roussanne - Sierra Foothills. A Rhone Ranger, of course. I think I might stop by after work to see if there's any left ...

(My apologies to Kristin for making her look like she has a huge green bow on her head.)

Serpas, True Food

I had the pleasure of joining the American Institute of Wine and Food (AIWF) at Serpas last night for drinks and appetizers. The tastefully rustic space and large bar area was a perfect meeting spot for the group. The friendly and approachable staff served eggplant hush puppies with blue cheese and red gravy, Texas crab toast with chipotle aioli, flash fried oysters and wild mushroom tostadas with chicken and brie. I enjoyed the samplings so much that I would love to return for supper soon.

Serpas: Located at Studioplex, 659 Auburn Ave.