Give Winter the Cold Shoulder, Slurp Soup

When it’s raw outside, nothing thaws hands and mellows the soul like a bowl of steaming hot soup. Join us as we lift lids and peek into stockpots to see what’s simmering at, stewing around metro Atlanta.

Blow off downtown’s wind chill by ducking into JP Atlanta and savoring a bowl of onion soup “1967” served au gratin ($12) -- a starter on the All-Day Dining menu.

Looking for a rosy glow in Midtown? It’s found in Article 14’s lycopene-rich tomato bisque with whipped crème fraîche and basil ($7).

Zucca, may rhyme with Bazooka, but the golden butternut squash soup with winter pesto and mascarpone ($5) at Bellina Alimentari in Ponce City Market is oh so much more satisfying and good for you.

Brace yourself with homestyle chili dolloped with sour cream and cheddar ($5) at Chick-a-Biddy before total immersion in an adrenaline-pumping movie or shopping at Atlantic Station.

Expect a heated debate over which Vietnamese soup is best when slurping with friends at Le Fat in Midtown. Three top competitors: Le Fat Pho (beef noodle, $12), Pho Ga (chicken noodle, $10) or Bún Bo Hue (spicy beef, $12).

A cup or bowl of tomato bisque ($4.95/$6.95) at HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern hits home after a brisk walk or jog around Piedmont Park. Even better, order the grilled cheese and tomato bisque combo ($11.95) sporting a sandwich oozing havarti, Parmesan and fontina cheeses for dunking.

Pining for that something smoky in a bowl, not on a bun? Get stoked for vegetarian smoked tomato bisque at 10th & Piedmont ($4/$6) with buttermilk biscuit croutons, Parmesan cheese and fried basil. A gluten-free option is available.

At Saltwood Charcuterie & Bar in Midtown, enjoy a bowl of butternut squash soup with chicharrones (pork rinds), lemon and cilantro ($6) before sharing a board laden with locally made cheese or charcuterie.

In Virginia-Highland, Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar OKs “playing with your food,” i.e., toying around with the crisp garlic croutons floating atop their creamy tomato basil soup ($3/$5).

Like everything about Aria in Buckhead, creamless celery root soup with Umbrian black truffles and Parmigiano-Reggiano reflects pure elegance in every detail ($12).

True Southerners chowing down at Smokebelly BBQ in Buckhead can’t pass up a meaty bowl of Brunswick stew with house-made crackers for crumbling or dipping ($4.50).

When you’re craving a bit of soothing FlexMex mojo, stop by the closest Tin Lizzy’s Cantina for a cup of chicken tortilla soup, seasoned tomato broth dancing with chicken breast, corn, jack cheese, tortilla strips, avocado and chopped cilantro ($2.69).

Scuba-doobie-do dive into Caribbean lobster bisque at The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill in Buckhead or Roswell. Each cup or bowl of this slightly sweet and island-spicy bisque swims with lobster and blue crab in a tomato sea ($4.95/$6.95).

Heady roast chicken and vegetable stew, available at all Bantam + Biddy locations, sustains souls for the long haul with fresh herbs, tender potatoes and a cheery cheddar biscuit topper ($12.50).

Even if “Burrito” is your middle name, tortilla soup calls out at Willy's Mexicana Grill locations. A favorite by the bowl ($4.75) or as an entrée add-on ($2.95).

Sushi may be on your mind at Roswell’s Aqua blue but don’t overlook the miso soup rich with fresh vegetables, tofu and mushrooms for $5. Hearty soup du jour choices alternate between loaded baked potato soup and clam chowder ($5).

Spoon into a cup or bowl of seafood gumbo with white rice ($7/$9) at Ray’s on the River and watch the Chattahoochee carry your cares away.

Across the river in East Cobb, Seed Kitchen & Bar spikes its nourishing roasted butternut squash soup with maple cream and sprinkles on toasted pumpkin seeds for a crunchy contrast ($7.95).  

Resolve to Eat Mindfully for a Healthier New Year

Holiday excesses propel desires for new year successes. Perhaps that involves de-cluttering closets and desktops, hitting the gym, unrolling the yoga mat -- and cleaning up your plate. Atlanta restaurant menus prove mindful eating doesn’t mean monastic. Break from those push-ups and take a look at these healthier choices.

An invigorating stroll through Virginia-Highland leads to a savory square meal at Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar. Focus on every tender morsel of the herb-roasted Springer Mountain Farms chicken, dried cranberry and Brussels leaf salad, and creamed corn mashed potatoes ($16).

In Poncey-Highland, Café Highlands does a makeover on that faithful friend, falafel on warm pita. Their recipe uses black-eyed peas instead of garbanzos and adds a fried green tomato, cucumber and za'atar-yogurt dressing. Served with fries; we won’t tell if you sneak a few ($9).
 
Ormsby’s on Atlanta’s Westside plates an heirloom beet salad guaranteed to reboot your resolve to eat more veggies with its vibrant palette of arugula, Brussels sprouts, hearts of palm and tangy citrus vinaigrette ($9).

At FLIP burger boutique in Buckhead and West Midtown (as well as Birmingham and Nashville) simply request lettuce wrapping a favorite burger to “leaf” the bun carbs behind. More power packers: the turkey burger with Monterey Jack cheese, crushed avocado, pomegranate ketchup, tomato and alfalfa sprouts ($8); raw tuna tartare patty with Asian pear, pine nuts, compressed veggies, mango sphere and avocado purée ($14); and the seared chicken-topped, veggie-loaded FLIP salad with pickled cukes, cauliflower and red onion ($10).

Pasta has its place on Italian tables, equally so, the fresh, crisp insalata di bietola at Bellina Alimentari in Midtown’s Ponce City Market. The colorful salad of roasted beets, escarole hearts and ricotta salata is punctuated by red wine vinegar dressing ($8).

Follow a power walk through Piedmont Park with the Mother Nature Salad at HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern in Midtown. Grains and veggie gains are yours in this mix of quinoa, cucumber, edamame, avocado, garbanzos, tomatoes, pickled onions, cranberries, candied pecans and HOBNOB basil vinaigrette ($11.50).

Tipping toward tapas in Midtown? 10th & Piedmont’s coconut scallop ceviche kicks blah days to the curb and jazzes taste buds with coconut, cilantro, spicy pepper, avocado and tortilla chips ($7.50).

Pulling up to Guy Wong’s Le Fat in West Midtown for a Vietnamese fix won’t weigh you down. Opt for Goi Cuon/summer rolls ($6), Goi Du Du/papaya salad ($10), Cai Xoan/kale salad with mango chickpea dressing ($7) or Bún/chilled vermicelli bowl with herb salad, cucumber, pickled daikon and carrot, crushed peanut and crispy spring roll and choice of sliced pork, chicken, shrimp or lemongrass beef ($16).

At Midtown’s Saltwood Charcuterie & Bar, choose a healthy Moroccan couscous with Israeli pearls and squash in harissa broth ($14) -- or achieve that goal of trying more locally sourced charcuterie meats and cheeses.

Check off the salad and seafood boxes on the “eat more” list at The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill in Buckhead and Roswell. The Mediterranean quinoa bowl with Meyer lemon vinaigrette and the tropical salad with toasted macadamia nuts, tropical fruit salsa and Key lime mango dressing are consummate salad choices, and guests can opt in on healthier blackened or grilled cooking methods for salmon, mahi-mahi, grouper and ahi tuna.

Lighter side tapas at Smokebelly BBQ in Buckhead won’t derail your diet plans. Try piquillo pepper hummus with carrots, celery and house-made crackers ($6.50), gluten-free and vegan jalapeño-cornbread cakes ($7.50) or chilled farro and green bean salad ($4.95). Smokebelly’s “skinny fixin’s” menu has even more options.

In The Shops Buckhead Atlanta, Gypsy Kitchen power plays tapas and snacks to eat solo or share including pickled beets ($6), marinated octopus salad with citrus and fennel ($8), roasted cauliflower and quinoa salad ($6) and grilled Spanish octopus ($15). Neighbor The Southern Gentleman knows there’s no sleeping on the job. Stay alert with lunch choices such as Boston bibb lettuce salad with pickled shrimp ($12) and roasted kabocha squash salad with Georgia pecans and onion vinaigrette ($10).

Jogging by one of the 27 Willy’s Mexicana Grill locations in Atlanta (or Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport)? The Southwest chicken salad recharges the weary with crisp greens, chargrilled chicken, black beans, pico de gallo, corn salsa, Jack cheese, homemade guacamole and tortilla strips ($7.75).

Atlanta Restaurants Handle the Details with Dine-in, Takeaway and Catering Ideas for the Holidays

During the next two hectic weeks, even elves need elves (or Jedi) to assist with the open-ended questions and those pesky details like what to feed family and friends on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We have the answers wise, yet time-strapped, men and women seek: a well-honed list of Atlanta restaurants with holiday menus and catering and takeaway ideas to light the way through Christmas on toward 2016. We suggest moving dining reservations to the top of your list and using the phone numbers listed. Find more catering and takeaway solutions on our blog. 

Hams, pies and cakes from Revival sure come in handy when everyone’s eating at your place Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Hickory-smoked Heritage Farms Cheshire pork hams weigh in at around 10 pounds each and serve 20-25 people. Priced at $10 per pound, hams come sliced through to the bone for easy serving. Santa’s not the only one with a sweet tooth. Visions of Revival’s famous nine-inch lemon icebox pie ($45) and awesome chocolate cake ($55) will dance in Christmas memories (because there won’t be any leftovers). Order hams by December 20 for December 23 pickup. Desserts require 48-hour notice and may be picked up any time before December 23. Call 470-225-6770 to place orders, credit card required.

Christmas Eve

10th & Piedmont presents a special Christmas Eve menu from 5-10 p.m. including lobster bisque; cranberry and Camembert salad; an entrée of seared coffee-dusted duck breast with Chambord demi-glace or almond pesto-crusted Scottish salmon; and red velvet cake. $29.95 per person. Beverages, tax and gratuity not included; call 404-602-5510.

For a peaceful evening amid twinkling candlelight and crystal, reserve seats for a Christmas Eve dinner at Aria, Gerry Klaskala’s Buckhead destination for creative American cuisine. Dinner service begins at 5 p.m.; call 404-233-7673for reservations.

Open on Christmas Eve, Article 14 shines as the place to go for drinks or dinner before or after being dazzled by the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Garden Lights Holiday Nights, which also is open Christmas Eve. The Midtown restaurant pours festive Holiday Cheer cocktails including The Key to the Holidays old fashioned ($12; see Appetizing Aperture for details) and Portside at Six featuring Michter’s American whiskey, Carpano Antica Formula vermouth, Fonseca port, Bitter End Memphis BBQ bitters and Boker’s bitters ($12). Call 404-443-8432.

"Twelve Days of Biddy" ends on December 24 at Bantam + Biddy and Chick-a-Biddy with $3 sliders available until closing (2 p.m. at Bantam + Biddy Crescent; 3 p.m. at Bantam + Biddy Ansley; or 6 p.m. at Chick-a-Biddy and Bantam + Biddy Avalon and Lenox Square).

Honor Santa’s trusty team by enjoying the December burger of the month at both Atlanta FLIP burger boutique locations, open until 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve. “The Rudolph" is a deer burger (venison steak and game seasoning) with blackberry ketchup, baby kale, pickled grape tomatoes, red onion-juniper jam and tomme cheese snow. Comes with gingerbread-spiced potato twigs -- shoestring potatoes with brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and clove. Chase it down with December’s featured shake, "Deer Tracks" -- chocolate ice cream, liquid nitrogen whoppers, salted caramel, balsamic reduction and vanilla whipped cream.

Kevin Gillespie’s Gunshow will be open and seating its last reservations for the evening at 8:30 p.m. Customary table-side rotation of chefs’ selections carries a holiday-themed menu with items such as roast beast, Peking duck and ham along with premium wines and cocktails to mark the occasion. Reservations: 404-380-1886.

Stop by Le Fat, Guy Wong's West Midtown Vietnamese brasserie, on Christmas Eve for the addictive garlic chili prawns or a bowl of comfort food like thit kho, brimming with caramelized pork belly, pickled mustard greens, braised egg and grilled scallions. Call 404-439-9850.

A nice adult beverage, like the Holiday Spice martini at Marlow’s Tavern, does wonders after a hectic day of last-minute shopping. The merry martini mixes vanilla vodka, rye whiskey, RumChata and St. Elizabeth allspice dram, served on the rocks or frozen, and is garnished with fresh grated nutmeg. Good tidings -- all Atlanta-area locations of Marlow's are open normal hours on Christmas Eve.

Saltwood Charcuterie & Bar unwraps a special Saltwood Christmas prix fixe menu for family style Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dining. View the complete menu here. Served from 5:30-10 p.m. $65 per person. Complimentary valet parking. Call 404-745-5745.

Christmas Day

Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland offers a classic Christmas dinner with a prix fixe menu featuring Big Green Egg-smoked turkey breast with caramelized apple and sage stuffing in a cider gravy; braised pork shoulder with roasted root vegetable in a bourbon glaze; green bean casserole with crispy onions and roasted mushrooms; roasted garlic mashed potatoes and sweet potato biscuits. Since Santa ate your cookies, you can enjoy Southern pecan pie or peppermint cheesecake for dessert. $28 for adults, $18 for young adults and $10 for children under 10. Doors open at 6 p.m. Highly recommend making reservations; call 404-876-7249.

HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern  in Midtown will be open for regular hours on Christmas Day offering up their unique selection of cocktails, including the Knock Knock Who Is There: rye, balsamic, basil and ginger ($10). 

Dance for joy, it’s Christmas! Johnny’s Hideaway, the legendary Buckhead nightspot, opens at 7 p.m. on Christmas Day and is serving up its popular menu of appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, entrées and more.  

Guy Wong Reveals Personal Interpretations of Vietnamese Flavors on New Le Fat Fall Menu

At West Midtown Vietnamese brasserie Le Fat, Guy Wong’s new fall menu diverges from the classic traditional dishes inspired by his mother’s cooking to reflect Wong’s personal interpretation of Vietnamese food. Chili garlic prawns, anew entrée, features local Georgia prawns stir-fried with roasted garlic, onions and chili oil. Thit kho bowl brims with caramelized pork belly, pickled mustard greens, braised egg and grilled scallions. Wong’s take on drunken noodles, one of his childhood favorites, brings in Angus beef flank steak and fresh noodles from a mom-and-pop shop in Philadelphia’s Chinatown neighborhood. From 5-7 p.m. nightly, diners can snatch the banh mi bao appetizer filled with pork belly, carrot and daikon accented with cilantro and jalapeño, a dish Wong initially created while at Miso Izakaya, his Old Fourth Ward Japanese tapas and sushi spot. Traditionalists, take comfort. Wong is keeping the ones you love, including clay pot chicken, bo luc lac “shaking beef,” the fabulous pho noodles and his famous rotisserie half chicken with lemongrass, ginger scallion oil and jasmine rice. Makes mom proud -- and diners extremely satisfied. Dinner nightly, lunch weekdays; 404-439-9850. Photo credit Andrew Thomas Lee.

T. Fable Jeon Shakes and Stirs as Director at New Himitsu Lounge

Parched on Peachtree? Relief is coming -- straight up. Atlanta cocktail artisan T. Fable Jeon takes the shaker as director of Himitsu, the upscale Japanese-inspired lounge from the team behind Umi in Buckhead. Jeon will oversee and execute creative director Shingo Gokan’s signature beverage program. Catch a glimpse of the pimento-stuffed-cocktail-olive-speared-with-a-plastic-cocktail-sword-pic tattoo on the forearm of this cocktail craftsman as he pours Japanese showmanship, Southern culture and classic American barkeeping into his shaker. His handiwork has already stimulated area cocktail culture at Sound Table, The Pinewood Tippling Room and Guy Wong’s Le Fat. Tattooed arm aside, it’s no wonder Beverage Media magazine name Jeon one of 10 Mixologists to Watch in 2011. 

Coming Soon!

We are thrilled about these restaurants opening in the next few weeks. Bring your appetite and stay tuned for more details.

July 7: Tin Drum Asiacafe (North Druid Hills)
July 8: Willy’s (North Druid Hills)
July 17: Makan (Decatur)
July 21: Le Fat (Westside)
July 22: The Pig & The Pearl (Atlantic Station)
Aug. 15: Tin Lizzy’s (Kennesaw)
Aug. 26: Willy’s (Sandy Springs)