That Loving Feeling – Knowing You Have Valentine’s Day Restaurant Reservations

Cards, so cute. Chocolates, so sweet. If you really want hugs, whisk your Val out to eat.  Make reservations early for hearty Valentine’s Day and weekend specials at Atlanta’s loveliest restaurants. Our blog’s your main squeeze for menu info. Menu prices do not reflect tax or gratuity.

Atlanta Falcons Rise Up for Super Bowl Action Feb. 5. Strategize Take-Away and Game-Day Viewing Options Now

Super Bowl LI is only a few days away. With the Atlanta Falcons taking the field, fans will want to catch every great gridiron moment. What’s your game plan, as far as fan fare and viewing? Take the weight off of home or clubhouse party planning by ordering take-away wings, barbecue, sides and other nourishing noshes. And if the crew wants 50-yard line seats that are a lot closer to the bar, big screens and real food, well Atlanta restaurants soar with scores of game-day specials. Land a first down on our blog for details.

Put Us In, Coach! Atlanta Restaurants Tackle Suppers and Sippers for Super Bowl LI Feb. 5

Put Us In, Coach! Atlanta Restaurants Tackle Suppers and Sippers for Super Bowl LI Feb. 5

The Atlanta Falcons are Super Bowl bound! (Falcons) Super Bowl fans are so excited they can hardly stay seated, let alone focus on what could be one of the most important plays of the season -- what to serve to those couch coaches, quarterbacks and cheerleaders screaming for their team at home viewing parties. Huddle up now. Atlanta restaurants have playbooks full of carry-out packages and dine-in specials destined for your end zone.

Take-Away Specials

An advantage to not being in the stadium is scoring tremendously tasty takeout courtesy of the slightly football-shaped Big Green Egg at Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland. Intercept two full slabs of BGE pork spare ribs with tomato barbecue sauce for $35. Call a coin toss on whether to get two dozen BGE smoked or confit wings with your choice of sweet chili, spicy BBQ or Atkins Park classic wing sauce, including veggies and ranch and blue cheese dressings for $30. Pick up 12 bacon cheeseburger sliders for $30 and an order of house-made guac, salsa and tortilla chips for $25. Place orders by Friday, Feb. 3 for pickup Sunday, Feb. 5.

Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails packs a walloping count of 50 smoked wings plus 15 s’mores Moon Pies into each “Super Bowl To-Go” package for $50 plus tax. Choose traditional medium, sweet garlic-honey chili or lemonyaki wings; carrot or celery sticks; and blue cheese or buttermilk ranch dressing. Place orders online by 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3 and pick up Sunday, Feb. 5 between 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Questions? Call 770-817-0161.

Smokebelly BBQ predicts epic Super Bowl LI parties for barbecue fanatics ordering the Buckhead eatery’s carry-out bowl game specials. Smoked wings, priced at $50 for 50 or $100 for 100, come packed in re-heatable aluminum half pans accompanied by your choice of sauces, fresh-cut celery, carrots and blue cheese and ranch dressings. Want it all, ‘cue or wings to tableware? Party pack options serve 8-10 people and include disposable party platters and serving utensils, plastic plates, utensils and napkins. Porky Pig ‘Pigskin’ Pack ($99) brings smoked pulled pork, three signature sauces, fresh baked brioche buns and two sides. “Proper Southern Guest” package ($59) touches down on a chipotle-spiced pimento cheese platter with house-made pita crackers, pork rinds and a vegetable crudité platter of fresh-cut carrots, celery, blue cheese and ranch dressings and Peppadew sweet peppers. The Tailgate Party Platter ($125) backs the “Proper Southern Guest” with a smoked wings platter, three sauces and a choice of two sides. Nashville Hot Chicken package ($89) offers a 10-piece sliced Nashville hot chicken breast platter with Texas toast, pork rinds and BBQ ranch dipping sauce plus a choice of two sides. What about those sides? Choose from mac and cheese, coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad, “kale’rd” greens, baby kale salad and succotash. Additional sides, including Brunswick stew and bourbon baked sweet potato soufflé, sauces, buns and Hawaiian rolls may be purchased à la carte. Order online by 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2; pick up Saturday, Feb. 4 from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. or Sunday, Feb. 5 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Who says game-day grub is only for wings and ‘cue? Cheer on your team the FlexMex-style and order tacos and quesadillas to-go from Tin Lizzy’s Cantina. Score 20% off your catering order of $100 or more by Wednesday. Feb. 1.

Restaurant In-House Viewing Specials
American Cut in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta calls guests to #RISEUP at the ultimate Super Bowl big-screen viewing party on Sunday, Feb. 5. Cheer the Falcons on to victory while tailgating on American Cut’s game-day bar snacks like “chili lobster” chicken wings and wagyu sliders in the first floor bar and lounge, and feast on a prime rib buffet in the main dining room. Buffet remains in play through the end of the third quarter. An open bar on the first two floors pours from kickoff until final buzzer. Buffet and bar are included in the $85 ticket price; buy tickets online. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. #RISEUP to the Regent Cocktail Club for celebratory craft cocktails and Champagne after the game. American Cut has served numerous NFL athletes, including Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, making it the place to be on Super Bowl Sunday.

Halftime shows off a “limited open bar” in support of home team Atlanta Falcons at Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland. Going for the extra points, the spirited viewing spot is raffling off a Yeti cooler during halftime. Customers receive a Yeti raffle ticket with each Bud Light pitcher purchase.

Super Bowlers preferring to hunker down and watch the game at Smokebelly BBQ will be able to purchase $3 Bud Light drafts and $10 pitchers, $15 buckets of Bud/Bud Light and $5 Tito’s cocktails. As predicted, packages and drink specials mean win-win, at Smokebelly’s house or yours.

We can already hear fans cheering for HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern Super Bowl Sunday specials. During the game, this Midtown viewing spot will pull SweetWater 420 pints for $2.50 each and pour free shots for every fumble. Kinda takes the hurt out if your team drops the ball. Wings, priced at 50 cents each, are sure to fly off the grid.

Dollar beer (si, $1 a draft) for those sporting Atlanta Falcons gear, team-themed food specials and mucho TVs with sound turn Jefe’s Tacos & Tequila into Brookhaven’s fiesta end zone for watching Super Bowl LI.

Boogie your way into the end zone at Johnny's Hideaway. Catch the big game where Atlanta Falcons footballers Matt Ryan, DJ Tialavea and Levine Toilolo once partied in Buckhead. 

Falcons fans, Rise (Up) and shine on Wednesday, Feb. 1 doting your beloved game-day attire. If you’re one of the first 200 fans dressed in Falcons gear, Sublime Doughnuts has your breakfast covered with a free doughnut. Promo only offered at the North Druid Hills location.

ATL Falcons doughnuts from Sublime Doughnuts will fly off your game day table. And, when the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots go toe to toe on Super Bowl Sunday, Sublime Doughnuts and Boston doughnut shop Kane’s Donuts will go dough to dough, wagering a dozen of their home team-themed doughnuts to the outcome of the NFL Championship game. During the post-game week, the losing team must snap a photo of their staff wearing the opposing team’s jerseys while making doughnuts. Sublime Doughnuts is also giving away a dozen doughnuts to the Facebook and Instagram follower who most closely guess the game’s final score.

Taco Mac Super Bowl Week Playbook Tags Wings To Go, Brewniversity Specials, Big Game Philips Arena Event and 680 The Fan Live Broadcasts

Saturday wing pick up to ease Super Bowl Sunday party planning and Wings are for Winners are just two of the ways Taco Mac locations are helping couch wingbacks, quarterbacks and fans prep for Super Bowl LI. Receive a Wings are for Winners special-edition certificate with all to-go orders. Calling up wings couldn’t be easier, just use the online ordering link.

Taco Mac calls in special teams of Brewniversity double credits and Saturday wing order pick-ups for its Big Game Rush Week leading up to Super Bowl Sunday. Beginning Sunday, Jan. 29 and running through Feb. 5, all Brewniversity credits are worth double points. Full-size beers and pitchers are worth two credits and nooners are worth one credit. Daily credits max out at 12 (instead of the usual six credit daily max). Credits are still only worth double on Double Credit Monday. During the game, Taco Mac locations will offer even more Brewniversity credits tied to game action.

Taco Mac is throwing a Big Game Event at their Philips Arena location that’s sure to score touchdowns from fans wanting a bigger, say arena-sized setting, to root for and watch the hometown team. $35 per-person Big Game Package includes any two drinks from the Big Game day beverage menu, a 10-pack of wings and a side, unlimited chips and salsa and a guaranteed seat (closest seats to the home Dome). Buy tickets via Xorbia.

680 The Fan and Anheuser-Busch are teaming up with Taco Mac for a week of Super Bowl live broadcasts and promos. At each live appearance, 680 The Fan will register guests to win a pair of tickets to the Super Bowl plus a $1,000 check to aid travel, hotel, meals, etc. Chuck & Chernoff will broadcast from the Lindbergh Taco Mac on Tuesday, Jan. 31 from 3-7 p.m.; Chris Dimino will be at the Perimeter location on Wednesday, Feb. 1 from 6-8 p.m.; and The Buck & Kincade Show and Chuck & Chernoff will be at Taco Mac The Prado on Thursday, Feb. 2 for a special Bud Light Falcons Super Bowl Pep Rally from noon-7 p.m. On Super Bowl Sunday, enjoy live broadcasts of Atlanta’s Official NFL Pregame Show and 680 NFL GameDay from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Taco Mac’s Philips Arena location.

Taco Mac’s lineup of game-day drink specials returns for the biggest game of them all. With $11.95 pitchers, $4.75 20-oz. drafts and $13.95 mix-and-match beer buckets, there’s a special for the entire squad. Taco Mac is also teaming up with Lyft to make responsible drinking even easier with a 25% discount on rides to and from all Atlanta Taco Mac locations on Feb. 5.

Make a Play for “Rise Up ‘Ritas” and “Julio Jones Badass Butterscotch Brownies” from Mary Kay Andrews’ Cookbook

Guests will plow through beer-fortified margaritas and irresistibly sweet-salty brownies from “The Beach House Cookbook” by New York Times Bestselling author Mary Kay Andrews. To fuel home team fans for all that rising up, Andrews is Falcon-izing recipes including “Rise Up ‘Ritas” and “Julio Jones Badass Butterscotch Brownies” from her newest cookbook, which releases May 2. Bleachers or beach-ers, we’re game!

Rise Up ‘Ritas

• 2 (12-oz.) cans frozen limeade concentrate
• 2 (12-oz.) bottles light Mexican beer
• 2 (8-oz.) cans lemon-lime soda
• 1 ½ cups tequila
• Margarita salt
• Lime wedges for serving

Stir the limeade concentrate, beer, soda and tequila together in a pitcher. Pour into ice-filled glasses rimmed with margarita salt and serve with the lime wedges.

“Julio Jones Badass Butterscotch Brownies”

• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup salted butter, melted
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 ½ tsp. bourbon or vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• ¾ tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 cup butterscotch baking chips

      Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line an eight-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing two to three inches to extend over the sides of the pan.

Combine the brown sugar, melted butter, egg and bourbon in a large bowl. Stir in flour, salt and baking powder. Stir in the pecans and butterscotch chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes or until the center is set. Using the foil sides as handles, remove from the pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into squares and serve.

Bowled Over by National Soup Month

Photo Credit: Stefan Zander Seems every January, there's a hotly contested battle as soup spoons and outdoor temperatures vie to see which will dip deeper and faster. Cool it, climate. Our bouillon's on spoons diving down into the depths of deep cups and bowls of soup at Atlanta-area restaurants. Let no drop be left behind. At Nikolai's Roof atop the Hilton Atlanta, Chef Stephanie Alderete's red beet and beef borscht consommé ($12) is simply unbeetable, paired with fennel pollen, crème fraîche and smoked duck. Spuds, bacon, scallions and cheddar cheese buddy up in Chef Todd Richard's loaded potato soup at The Shed at Glenwood. A gluten-free soul warmer at $8/cup. Lean, freshly ground bison is the key ingredient in Karen's "Flying-D" bison chili, a menu favorite at the 13 Ted's Montana Grill locations across metro Atlanta. Karen Averitt, Ted Turner's personal chef of 22 years, developed the recipe while home on the range at Turner's Flying D ranch in Montana. Savor her warm and filling tribute to the Great American West by the cup ($5) or bowl ($7). Let the equatorial sun shine into your January with a bowl of Caribbean lobster bisque at The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill in Buckhead. Dive into lobster, blue crab, tomato and island spices in a cup ($4.95) or bowl ($6.95). 10th and Piedmont ladles up a "souperior" bowl of tomato bisque ($6). Buttermilk biscuit croutons, Parmesan and fried basil backstroke on top. Race your friends to a bowl.

Restaurants to be Excited About in 2015

   

Our 2015 bucket list is filled with new dining destinations. We'll keep you in the know as openings draw near. Here's what we're thinking:

Atlas at the St. Regis Atlanta

Bellina-Alimentari at Ponce City Market

The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill Roswell

The Blind Pig: Parlour Bar

FLIP burger boutique Nashville

Marlow's Tavern Woodstock

Ray's Rio Bravo Sandy Springs

Tin Drum Asiacafé Akers Mill

Tin Lizzy's Cantina Duluth and Augusta

Terminus City BBQ

Highly anticipated new spot from the partners of Umi

The Mill Adds Southern Farmhouse Dinner Chic to Historic Roswell

  

The Mill Kitchen and Bar, opening February 18 by brothers Scott and Randy McCray with Chicken and the Egg owner Marc Taft, adds southern farmhouse dinner chic to Historic Roswell! Located at 590 Mimosa Boulevard, the quintessential Southern neighborhood spot wears easygoing farmhouse appeal. Taft gives a nod to modern tastes with culinary inspired cocktails, bourbons, wines and microbrews. There is truly a dish for everyone, so be sure to head their way this February!

10th and Piedmont Turns Sunday Into a Social Event with Bellini Brunch and Afternoon Tea Dance

10th and Piedmont may be the new folks in town, but they sure know how to draw in the crowds on a lazy Sunday. The new Midtown restaurant hosts a Bellini brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. followed by a tea dance until close. 

A traditional afternoon tea dance followed garden parties in the English countryside in the 1800s and has since carried over to the States in the 1920s (think the song "Tea for Two" in the Broadway musical "No, No Nanette.") Restaurant owners and brothers Sean and Gilbert Yeremyan have modernized this tradition by bringing in a live DJ for dance music. Just like those old garden parties, there is no cover charge. 

Bellinis are only available during brunch and the bubbly complements the menu of Chef Brett Ring. The multicultural and southern cuisine feature items such as "Hair of the Dog," toasted Cuban bread topped with smoked tomatoes, Asiago cheese, two poached eggs and vodka tomato gravy; a meaty breakfast with two eggs, link sausage, ham, toasted bread and butter, bacon and grilled tomatoes; chicken and waffles; grits with applewood smoked bacon, sweet corn and sorghum syrup; grilled cheese and tomato bisque; So-Co bagel and lox; buttermilk biscuits with vodka tomato gravy and choice of country ham sausage or bacon; as well as customary morning foods such as blueberry pancakes, oatmeal and more. 


FYI, the Yeremyan brothers also own and operate HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern and Gilbert's Café & Bar as part of their restaurant group, Communitas Hospitality.

Marlow's Tavern Opens at Emory Point Community Today

Marlow's Tavern gives its patrons one more place to dine out in Atlanta with the newest location opening this Tuesday December 18. Located in the new Emory Point shopping district at 1627 Clifton Road, the restaurant's 160-seated dining room and covered patio are sure to draw in the Decatur community as it becomes a lively neighborhood hangout.
 The classic American tavern fare and hand-crafted cocktails are appealing and affordable.Another reason to dine out at the new Marlow's is the debut of the new winter menu that includes dishes such as stuffed turkey burgers and steak frites, classic shrimp and crab nachos and the Prestige Farms grilled chicken panini. The beverage menu showcases a variety of white and red wines, a simple yet pleasing beer menu and homemade cocktails mixed with fresh fruit, simple syrup and small batch liquors.

The first Marlow’s Tavern location opened in 2004 in Alpharetta. Over the past eight years, Marlow’s Tavern locations have sprung up in neighborhoods across the metro-Atlanta area. Marlow’s builds a sense of community through involvement with non-profit organizations such as Special Olympics Georgia and the Atlanta Community Food Bank, as well as by welcoming each guest with warm hospitality and world-class food and drinks.

Alpharetta Restaurant Ray's on the Creek Gets a Facelift

The Ray's restaurant in Alpharetta is undergoing an exciting transformation, changing both its name and atmosphere. The restaurant has been renamed Ray's on the Creek and is getting a new look to go along with it. 
The coastal-inspired decor and revamped bar are paired with a new menu to welcome guests for lunch, dinner and drinks. The new dinner menu features shareable dishes and options under $30 while the lunch menu highlights sandwiches and entrees under $20. The recipes are inspired from the chefs of all three Ray's restaurants. Guests will be happy to see several of their favorite entrees on the menu in addition to the new features.
Ray's Founder Raymond Schoenbaum says the restaurant's lively personality, congenial attitude and reasonably priced menus will keep Ray's on the Creek on the often-frequented "A" list for those in Alpharetta and beyond.

Rate Your Favorite Atlanta Restaurants

Let's give Atlanta restaurants a good name! When you get a chance this weekend, vote for your favorite local restaurants on Zagat Survey -- so folks visiting our city will know which ones are the best of the best! After you register on the Zagat, diners can click here to rate and review Atlanta restaurants they've checked out in 2009. Your votes need to be in by Sunday, November 22, when the survey concludes.

Once your votes are confirmed, you'll also be eligible to receive a free Zagat guide. Surveyors with the most witty comments will be awarded $100 Visa gift cards in the Witty Surveyor Contest. Not a bad reward for giving honest comments!

Give Your Man the Treat of Meat for Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day is getting closer by the minute and I have some great suggestions for women who are looking to put a huge smile on their man’s face. Red meat and wine are sure-fire ways to a man’s heart, so this year Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse, Morton’s the Steakhouse and Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Winery are at the top of my list for V-Day destinations with my hubby.

Valentine’s Day isn’t usually considered a man’s favorite holiday, but this year, Fogo de Chão’s 15 savory cuts of meat are giving men a new reason to look forward to the heart shaped boxes of chocolates and the inevitable red roses. The restaurant will be offering special Valentine’s Day hours, serving dinner from 3 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 14. Fogo de Chão: 3101 Piedmont Road; 404-266-9988.

Morton’s the Steakhouse joins together its signature steak and seafood dishes in a heavenly match that’s just $99.99 for two. Each person will savor a single-cut filet; their choice of seafood options including Morton’s jumbo lump crab cake, Shrimp Alexander or broiled sea scallops; choice of Caesar or Morton’s salad; and a choice of Morton’s legendary hot chocolate cake or Key lime pie for dessert. Call ahead for reservations. Morton’s The Steakhouse-Buckhead: Peachtree Lenox Building, 3379 Peachtree Road, NE; 404-816-6535. Morton’s The Steakhouse-Downtown: SunTrust Plaza Building, 303 Peachtree Center Avenue; 404-577-4366.

And, if escaping the city is part of your quest for the ultimate love potion, venture to Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Winery in Dahlonega for the winery’s third annual Valentine Gourmet Dinner on Saturday, February 14 at 7 p.m. The six-course dinner with wine pairings costs $80 per person. Sunday, February 15 brings another option, Wolf Mountain’s Valentine Brunch for $30 per person at either the 12:30 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. seating. Reservations are a must for these events; call 706-867-9862. Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Winery: 180 Wolf Mountain Trail in Dahlonega.

Check Out Dogwood's Youtube Channel For Dinner Music and a Movie

We've put together the videos of the newly opened Dogwood so that you can see the space at 565 Peachtree Street from day one of construction to the Grand Opening. Be sure and stop in to enjoy the restaurant's attentive service and welcoming Southern hospitality (we couldn't fit that part in the video). Dogwood serves lunch weekdays and dinner Monday through Saturday. Closed Sunday.

Dogwood: 565 Peachtree Street, Reynolds condominium building; 404-835-1410.

Eating Out Sound Better Than Cooking Out? Check Out These Spots!

The year is steadily flying by and I have given up all hopes of trying figure out where all the time has gone. This weekend marks the unofficial end of summer, and, for a change, my husband and I have decided that we are not cooking out for Labor Day this year. It was an executive decision driven by the dread shopping for a grand feast, sweating over the grill (or in the kitchen) picking up half full bottles (of whatever), all the while playing the happy hostess. I think I’ll save all that for Thanksgiving, which at this rate, won’t be long. So, just in case you may be thinking the same thing, here are a few places that will welcome us all with open arms (and bars) on Labor Day:

La Tavola Trattoria: 992 Virginia Avenue, NE; 404-873-5430.

VITA: 2110 Peachtree Road; 404-367-8482.

Marlow’s Tavern, all 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; and Northlake at 4156 LaVista Road; 678-987-1197.

Ecco: 40 7th Street; 404-347-9555.

I Heart Allmenus.Com

Since I usually get pretty excited about food, it tracks that I get excited about food related websites. My new fav is Allmenus.com. This is the site to fuel up when you’re trying to fill those what-do-we-want-to-eat cravings. Giving you online access to almost 250,000 browse-able menus in 8,000 cities across the U.S. with a swoosh of the mouse, Allmenus.com alleviates the “gas” pains that can accompany the restaurant search drive-around. Now it’s easier to find some place different to try and keep track of favorites. The new info-central site from the creators of campusfood.com and part of Dotmenu, Inc., keeps local menus, lists, reviews, restaurant and menu item photos close at hand. The Allmenus.com customer service line is open from 7 a.m. until 3 a.m. to answer questions and provide assistance. Order online from more than 2,500 restaurants over the easy-to-use interface where there’s never a busy signal or an “oops” hang up. And that oh-so-good- but-where-did-I-order-that-last-month problem is no more. Allmenus.com keeps an online record of your order history and favorite dishes – a super benefit for hungry families starved for time or business people wanting to get in a quick lunch order.

Dining Out Family-Style at VITA

It's hard to find a restaurant in Atlanta where you can get the whole group together and still enjoy a good meal. No worries, VITA has you covered. They now offer special two-, three- and four-course family-style menus for groups of six or more. Now it's easy for friends, families or office groups to gather 'round the table for delicious Italian food.

For $16 per person there is a choice of two courses - two appetizers, two salads or two pastas. If there is a bigger crowd, $20 per person will cover three courses with two appetizers, two salads, and two pastas. If the group is hungry the four-course option includes two appetizers, two salads, two pastas and three entrees for $30 per person. No more worrying about how to split the check!

Options for each course come from VITA's menu of Italian favorites, including:

• Appetizers of tomato and basil brushetta, calamari fritti, grilled portabella mushroom, fresh mussels “VITA style” in your choice of sauce, olive or white bean tapenade, or caponata.
  
  
• Salads such as the chef’s spinach salad, mozzarella and tomato, VITA house salad or Caesar salad.
  
  
• Pasta piles plates with linguine in simple sauces or with sausage, meatballs, sausage and peppers; fusilli con broccoli, penne with escarole e fagiole or penne con carciofi; rigatoni ala melanzane (with eggplant) or rigatoni ala vodka; and pappardelle e fungi or Bolognese.
  
  
• Entrées feature traditionally prepared chicken, seafood, veal, steaks and chops. Long on options, the list includes chicken Marsala, veal piccata or Genovese, linguine with red or white clam sauce, fruitti di mare, salmon Romanesco, filet of beef saltimbocca, and Tony’s filet of beef or veal chop.
  
  
• Desserts are an additional $5 per person and include an assortment of all of VITA’S house-made desserts, including fresh seasonal fruit, house cheesecake, cannoli, and berries zabaglione.

Located at 2110 Peachtree Road and Bennett Street; 404-367-8482.

Vita Begins Tuesday Wine Tastings TODAY

The April showers have passed (for the most part) and now it's time to enjoy this great weather we're having. The new VITA in Buckhead is celebrating the lovely weather with Tuesday Wine Tastings beginning today. It’s just too darn gorgeous outside to keep those wines holed up in the cellar! From 5 to 7 p.m. each Tuesday evening, VITA guests can try 5-6 wines and hors d’oeuvres for $15. Since I was out of town this past weekend, I'll be catching up with the girls on the patio after work. Hope to see you there!

This month, VITA brings Australian wines up from down under for your taste trip in a glass. 2110 Peachtree Road; 404-367-8482.

Spring + Italian Food = New Treats at La Tavola

Virginia-Highlands' Italian darling, La Tavola Trattoria, has just introduced its new spring menu, and it looks so good I'm considering banning the other three seasons from my calendar!

New antipasti delights include beet salad with shaved fennel, Bartlett pears, ricotta salata and pistachios; mozzarella burrata with tomato conserva and crostini; beef tagliata of charred rare filet, lemon, shaved baby artichokes, parsley and Grana Padano cheese; seared sea scallops with polenta, sautéed spinach and tomato-onion compote; and grilled calamari with garlic-roasted cauliflower, organic cannellini beans and Agrumato oil.

What I'm ordering: the beef tagliata

Primi pasta dishes include fregola and clams with Calabrian chilies, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes; agnolotti ravioli of braised beef and veal, thyme butter sauce and a red wine reduction; spinach and smoked ricotta ravioli with lemon zest, sage, pine nuts and butter; and orecchiette with house-made sausage and broccoli rabe, garlic, chili flakes and Pecorino Romano cheese.

What I'm ordering: orecchiette with house-made sausage

Secondi covers land and sea: Cacciucco fish stew of mussels, clams, prawns, calamari, fish, spicy tomato-herb brodetto served over grilled bread; seared trout with roasted fennel, fingerling potatoes, grilled red onion and lemon-oregano vinaigrette; grilled tuna with smashed organic cannellini beans, escarole, taggiasca olives and orange-olive oil; roasted monkfish with Castelluccio lentils, carrots, celery, salsa verde and toasted almonds; roasted chicken, rubbed with myrtle and bay leaf, broccoli rabe and lemon; grilled lamb Scottaditi with braised spring vegetables, prosciutto, mint and lemon; pork saltimbocca scallopine with prosciutto, sage, white wine, roasted fingerling potatoes and braised Swiss chard; grilled, dry-rubbed Meyer beef rib-eye steak with fingerling potatoes, broccoli rabe and Chianti Classico olive oil; and veal scallopine with capers, sage, lemon, roasted fingerling potatoes and spinach.

What I'm ordering: cacciucco fish stew

By the way, as at all Fifth Group Restaurants, the kitchen and menu are 100% trans-fat free, but I think I'll skip dessert all the same! Three courses is more than enough for this girl!