What's new on Pinterest: Relishing Romance

(Photo from Little Cake Bakery)

Relishing Romance is the topic du jour with Valentine's Day right around the corner! Looking for sweet treats for your honey or a Valentine's Day Party? We've got you covered with all sorts of sinfully delicious recipes! Find the perfect recipe from our heart-felt inspirations on our Pinterest board. 

Appetizing Aperture: Aria's Valentine's Day Dessert

Looking for the perfect way to end the night after a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner with your special someone? Aria Pastry Chef Kathryn King has you covered with this dreamy chocolate dessert. If this photo is enough to give you butterflies, just image what sharing the real thing could do for your love life. Embrace more Valentine’s Day dining options here on the Atlanta Dish.

Lure Hosts Atlanta Community Food Bank Supper Club on February 19

Head to Lure Tuesday, February 19 to be a part of The Atlanta Community Food Bank Supper Club which will reel in 20 percent of the day's sales at Lure in Midtown. Join them for lunch or dinner -- the more you eat, the more they give. Easy enough, considering Lure's menu is loaded with grilled fresh seafood and meats in shareable or sizeable portions, plus a whole menu section of "Raw, chilled and really fresh" selections. And then there's dessert. Reserve your place online or call 404-817-3650 and be sure to say "I'm dining out for ACFB."

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!

Dine at JCT. Kitchen & Bar, No. 246 or The Optimist on February 9 to Benefit Team Hidi

Make a difference with your weekend plans! Join JCT. Kitchen & Bar, No. 246 and The Optimist Saturday night, February 9, to help Ryan Hidinger fight stage 4 gallbladder cancer. The restaurants are teaming up to host a Ryan Hidinger Benefit and donating 5 percent of dinner service profits to Team Hidi to help cover medical expenses. Bring your friends and eat delicious food for a great cause!

RA Sushi Lets Loose with "Mardi RA" Fat Tuesday Party

  

On Tuesday, February 12, RA Sushi Bar Restaurant is celebrating Fat Tuesday with "Mardi RA", giving Atlantans a much shorter trip from home and more money for food and drink specials to go along with the festivities and DJ entertainment. Go all out by spending some of your short-trip savings on Mardi Gras beads and attire. "Mardi RA" Big Easy specials heat up the party. Sriracha amps up noodle-laden spicy chicken and shishito green necklace ($7) and the chili shrimp roll ($8) while three beef kushiyaki skewers with teriyaki sauce ($9) appease mild-mannered souls. "Mardi RA" cocktails speak the NOLA language, translating to a Southern Julep with Southern Comfort and Maker's Mark ($8) and the HurRAcane storming with Southern Comfort and fresh fruit juices ($8). 

Atkins Park Smyrna Mardi Gras/Oyster Festing Begins This Friday

 

Oyster fans, get ready to head to Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Smyrna as they roll out their 2^nd Annual Oyster/Mardi Gras Fest this Friday, February 8 through Tuesday, February 12!  The fun starts on Friday night when live music from Dixie Duncan band starts up beginning at 11 p.m. Buy tickets online for Saturday's tented band fest and Sunday events, $5 in advance and $10 day of event at the door. There's a heap more hoopla at Monday's family friendly Lundi Gras and Tuesday's Mardi Gras mask party with band Andrew Black & Friends!

Peachtree-Pine Street Homeless Shelter Rooftop Garden Needs Your Seed Money to Grow

  

Help the Peachtree-Pine Street Homeless Shelter Rooftop Garden raise $2,500 to get off the ground and grow. The organic garden is part of the 100 Urban Gardens goal to build 100 urban gardens across 100 cities in the U.S. Partners PACT. Whole Foods Foundation and Indiegogo are behind the drive, pointing out that only 2 percent of our children eat enough fruits and veggies! The Peachtree-Pine space can accommodate a minimum of 40 rectangular beds plus vertical beds growing almost as many benefits as veggies. Learn about urban food production, sustainable technologies and all the benefits they bring. Don't forget to donate here!

New Pier 213 Seafood Brings Gulf-to-Plate Goodness to Marietta

Chances are Gulf Coast vacationers have heard of Irvington Seafood in Mobile, Alabama - or enjoyed their premium seafood at Atlanta-area restaurants over the past eight years. Now, owners and Marietta residents Kevin and Kammie Sakprasit are bringing their experience and expertise to their own community with the opening of their own eatery, Pier 213 Seafood on Wednesday, February 13. Located just a few blocks from the historic Marietta Square at 35 S. Marietta Parkway, the new venue is a family friendly, fast-casual restaurant where the brother and sister team can share their passion for seafood with their own neighbors. Guests contemplate the variety of fried, grilled, and steamed plates, po’ boys, sandwiches and the signature crab cake dish ($6.99-$15.99) before ordering at the counter. Shareable appetizers, sides and homemade desserts round out the menu delivering five-star flavor without five-star prices.

Take Your Next Lunch Break to Try the New Menu at No. 246

By: Jaimie Goss

One of the perks of working in Decatur is the abundance of terrific lunch options at nearby restaurants. The new menu at No. 246 was designed for all the office workers out there who want to take a break from tacos or a footlong sub, enjoy a midday meal and still have time to make it back to their desk on time. 

Most of the new menu items are around $10, so no need to break out the company credit card. Get the meal started with fried calamari with lemon, garlic knots or some crispy cheese for the table ($5-$9). Sandwiches include the eggplant or chicken Parm, sausage and peppers (pictured above), porchetta and the No. 246 burger ($8-$11). And while you aren't running a race, you are climbing the corporate ladder, so fuel up with pasta selections like the spaghetti and shrimp, wood-baked ziti and meatballs, agnolotti, carbonara and manicotti ($9-$14). To show your co-workers you're a team player, order pizzas like the salami, mushroom, Margherita or fattoria-style to share ($10-$16). Chopped, flatbread or house salads can be made for meat lovers as well ($9-$12). Finally, don't forget to add side dishes, like ceci peas, roasted beets, fries, Brussels sprouts, braised greens, fried polenta and crispy onions. Happy lunching! 

Let the Good Times Roll at Atkins Park Smyrna & RA Sushi Mardi Gras Festivities and More in This Week's Dish!

This month is full of celebrations! Get steamed, grilled and fried with the Atkins Park Tavern Smyrna Mardi Gras/Oyster Fest on February 8-12. Celebrate Fat Tuesday in style at RA Sushi's "Mardi RA" party February 12 and enjoy great food and drink specials. February is a happening month so don't miss out on all the fun festivities in this week's Dish!

Bantam + Biddy Provides a Great Reason to Dine Out on Mondays

Not in the mood to cook dinner on Monday nights? Then add Bantam + Biddy's Monday charity nights to your dining rotation. Shaun Doty and Lance Gummere make Monday night dinners a meaningful time by passing on 10 percent of the restaurant's profits after 5 p.m. to area charities. On February 11, Piedmont Park Conservancy benefits from your meal out, and on February 18, Autism Speaks brings home the golden egg of donations.

Forget Chocolates – It’s a Meat Market This Valentine’s Day with White Oak Pastures’ Online Sale

What will it be – tacos, savory shepherd’s pie, butter herbed steak? Those are just a few of the ideas that we managed to cook up at home for meals together after the last awesome White Oak Pastures online sale!

Now just in time for Valentine’s Day, they’re back with some better-for-you grass-fed beef and pastured poultry specials that will perfect your Valentine’s Day menu! Hurry and order before the afternoon of February 6 to take advantage of these great prices. Who needs chocolate when a candle-lit home-cooked meal is waiting?

Appetizing Aperture

   

This week, Decatur's own No. 246 is providing a visual slice of the new weekend brunch menu tempters ($4-$15). Not pictured (too much stimuli): ricotta pancake with orange blossom syrup and toasted pistachios, blue cheese cheesecake and toasted brioche, the daily quiche and greens, the house-made granola with yogurt, balsamic and honeyed fruit or the layered torte. The Decatur restaurant launches its new lunch menu this week as well ($4-$16). Lunch includes items for sharing, pastas, sandwiches, pizzas and salads such as: garlic knots, wood-baked ziti and meatballs, Italian hero, margherita pizza and house salad. Are you craving Italian now?

What's new on Pinterest: Better Breakfasts

   

Better Breakfasts help you "rise up" and seize the day. Our Pinterest board  is full of grab-n-go breakfast recipes for those mornings you're on the run, or tasty brunch recipes for those lazy weekend mornings. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and with these delicious recipes you sure won't want to skip it!

Eat It and Tweep: Atlanta Tastemaker Tweets Food, Fashion and More

 

 

Andrea Janise (@ATLfoodwriter), lifestyle editor for digital Atlanta Tastemaker magazine, loves food. She stays up on what's in, on and happening in the ATL food scene. Jump over to her Twitter side to follow her passions for craft beer, food and people.

Sample Tweet: "@ATLBeerWeek: Looks like your Hopslam fix arrives this week Atlanta...." Word!

The Other Big Game: Rugby at Fadó

  

Yeah, yeah, there's a big game this weekend. But for rugby fanatics, it's also the start of the Six Nations Championship. England, France, Italy, Scotland, Wales and Ireland all have stakes in this northern hemisphere rugby union. Watch the games at Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant in Buckhead, February 2-March 16. Find a fellowship of fans at the bar downing ales and stouts or fortifying themselves with traditional pub fare, all the while cheering the awesome views on multiple screens. Check out the tournament schedule online. Not into rugby? Maybe it's time to check it out!

Give Atlanta Restaurants a Ring for the Perfect Valentine’s Day Engagement

Preparing to pop the question? Atlanta restaurants are always engaging whether it be "Will you be mine?" or "Where would you love to eat?" Look for prix fixe Valentine's Day menus and plenty of parties and minglers for singles.

Color Valentine's Day Aqua blue in Roswell, where guests will enjoy a three-course prix fixe menu with items such as New England-style clam chowder, "stuffed" twin lobster tails and classic crème brûlée for dessert. $50 per person, not including tax or gratuity. Reservations: 770-643-8886.

Buckhead's Aria is a chic spot to get in the mood with a special Valentine’s Day four-course prix fixe menu for $90 per person. Beverage, tax and gratuity are not included. Reservations: 404-233-7673.

Celebrate Valentine's Day in Midtown at Communitas Hospitality restaurants Gilbert's Café & Bar and 10th & Piedmont. At Gilbert's, dinner begins with an appetizer taste of braised lamb shank rillettes followed by a soup or salad choice of smoked trout and sunchoke chowder or red apple and baby arugula salad. Entrée options are collette steak skewer, diver scallops or wild mushroom purses. Pink champagne cake is offered for dessert. 10th & Piedmont starts with a trio of small bites including beef tartar, zucchini ribbon roll and butter-poached lobster followed by soup or salad of smoked trout and sunchoke chowder and red apple and baby arugula salad. Entrées include house-made lobster rolls, beef medallions and wild mushroom purses, and ending with mini pink champagne cupcakes. 10th & Piedmont seatings are at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. $75 for two people, either restaurant. Credit card is required to hold reservation. For more information and to make a reservation at Gilbert's, call 404-872-8012, and for 10th & Piedmont, call 404-602-5510.

Swoon over The Valentine's Day menu at Ecco in Midtown. The regular menu will be joined by decadent specials: calamari ala plancha with pears, harissa and basil ($9); roasted quail with chorizo, farro verde and radish green salsa verde ($15); crispy black cod with young collards, hazelnuts, brown butter, capers and lemon ($27); and milk chocolate torte with blood orange coulis and spiced pecans ($9). Reservations: 404-347-9555.
 
Fun for the unattached awaits at the Nuts and Bolts Valentine's Party at Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant on Saturday, February 9 beginning at 10 p.m. Gender dictates nut or bolt upon arrival at the Buckhead pub. Talk and twist with others to find your match -- all the while sipping on a pint from the pub's wide beer and ale selection. The Irish prix fixe menu is a hearty way to share February 14. From 5-10 p.m., $34.95 per person buys a shareable appetizer of cheese puffs or smoked salmon bites, a shareable dessert of either chocolate-dipped profiteroles or harvest bread pudding, and two of the following dishes: farmhouse salad, fish and chips or Gaelic steak boxty. Toast with the accompanying glass of prosecco, included. Reservations: 404-841-0066.

Passionate about pizza? Hearth Pizza Tavern is, and the Sandy Springs restaurant has some lovely pizza specials in mind for Friday, February 1 through Thursday, February 14. The "Stupid Cupid Pizza" loads up on white clam, artichoke, marinated tomato, red onion, lemon, Parmesan and toasted almonds; "Hot Lips" kisses up to mildly spicy fra diavolo sauce, hot Italian sausage, capicola, roasted peppers, onion, pickled chilies and Parmesan; a steak lover's pizza welcomes a meat lover's embrace. Dine in or take back to your love nest: 404-252-5378.

HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern preludes with a pre-Valentine chocolate and beer tasting February 6 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Executive Chef Brett Ring designs four courses of specially prepared chocolate food for tasting with four complementary beers: chocolate-dipped oranges with sea salt and Founder's Centennial IPA; chicken mole over crispy rice cakes with chocolate-dipped bacon paired with Stone Smoked Porter; white chocolate pudding with chocolate graham crackers and cherry compote with Boon Kriek "Cherry" Lambic beer; and ending with a flourless chocolate espresso torte with Bailey's whipped cream and fresh raspberries with Redd's Apple Ale. Space is limited, reservations required. 404-968-2288.

If bellies are love tanks, JCT. Kitchen & Bar in west Midtown is your Valentine's Day filling station, offering a four-course prix fixe menu on Thursday, February 14 for $60 per person. Start with a taste of house-cured lox followed by a starter of roasted local golden and red ace beets, crispy poached farm egg or pan-seared diver scallops. Mains include wood-grilled Muscovy duck breast, "chicken stand" fried young chicken and butter-poached Maine lobster. Share chocolate "PB" pie, white chocolate ice cream or champagne truffles for dessert. Guests may bring in a special wine of their own; $10 corkage fee per bottle. A 20 percent gratuity is applied to parties of six or more. Reservations: 404-355-2252.

Brookhaven-ites can stay close to home with someone special and enjoy the three-course Valentine's Day menu, $35 per person, at Kaleidoscope Bistro & Pub. Not wanting to break any hearts, Kaleidoscope also is offering the regular menu. Reservations accepted, 404-474-9600.

In the heart of Virginia Highland, La Tavola Trattoria is preparing a three-course prix fixe Valentine's Day dinner for love birds. For $49 per person, guests choose from a variety of antipasti including braised rabbit crespelle, grilled calamari or beet and farro salad. Entrées include items such as braised lamb ragu, chestnut gnocchi, grilled swordfish and saltimbocca alla romana. Dreamy desserts include Meyer lemon-olive oil cake, chocolate cake and honey mascarpone cheesecake. Tax and gratuity are not included. Reservations: 404-873-5430.

Share the love with a box of cupcakes from Buckhead's Little Cake Bakery. Special holiday flavors include lemon lavender, passion fruit vanilla, chocolate-dipped strawberry and French kiss. To order cupcakes for that special someone or to treat yourself, call 404-841-8856.

For $55 per person, No. 246 in Decatur is offering a four-course prix fixe menu this Valentine's Day. Examples of entrée options include wood-oven-baked red snapper in cartuccio, butter-poached Maine lobster and braised Wagyu beef cheeks. Tax and gratuity are not included. Credit card required to hold a reservation; call 678-399-8246.

West Midtown's "oceanfront" restaurant, The Optimist, is offering a four-course prix fixe menu on February 14. Begin with a taste for the table of she-crab soup, followed by starter options such as east and west coast oysters, hearts of palm and beet salad or Spanish octopus. Entrée options include items such as white steelhead salmon, Georges Bank scallops or grilled duck breast. Three dessert options anchor the meal. $65 per person, not including tax or gratuity. Credit card required to hold a Valentine's Day reservation: 404-477-6260.

Bless their hearts with a Southern-style, three-course prix fixe Valentine's Day dinner for two at South City Kitchen Midtown and South City Kitchen Vinings for $42 per person. Get started with pimento cheese, fried green tomatoes or fried gulf oysters then move on to a choice of buttermilk fried chicken, braised short rib or vegetable plate. Choose velvet Elvis cake, caramel apple toffee pudding or buttermilk chess pie for the finale. Tax and gratuity are not included. Midtown reservations: 404-873-7358; Vinings reservations: 770-435-0700.

Why wait? Woodfire Grill and Georgia Shakespeare embrace Cupid's day on Monday, February 11 by hosting a "Fools for Love" wine dinner. Beginning at 7 p.m., new Executive Chef Tyler Williams is offering a four-course dinner with premium wine pairings selected by owner and sommelier Nicolas Quinones. Georgia Shakespeare's Associate Artists will provide the entertainment, performing jazz standards and love songs throughout the evening. Tickets are priced at $150 per person ($90 is tax deductible) and can be purchased online or by calling Georgia Shakespeare at 404-504-3405. On Valentine's Day, the restaurant is offering a five-course vegetarian menu for $85 per person and a five-course pescatarian menu or five-course chef's tasting menu for $100 per person. Wine pairings also are available for $12 per glass or $20 per glass for premium wines. Reservations required: 404-347-9055.

Bundle up at Ecco's Roasted & Toasted Event on February 5

Although Georgia weather is unpredictable, this forecast is for sure. Celebrate the wintry season by bundling up on the patio at Ecco for Roasted & Toasted on Tuesday, February 5. From 7:30-9:30 p.m., Ecco's patio becomes a fireside chat room for Swiss misses and lederhosen lads, complete with a cozy fire, warm mulled wine, brandied hot cider, spiked hot cocoa and house-made s'mores. Only $25 per person, Ecco will also extend a 15 percent discount on dinner to guests who dine there before or after. So, put on your parka, gloves, and boots, as this winter event is so cool it may bring snow flurries! Seating is limited so call 404-347-9555 to book your reservation today.  

Dine at JCT. Kitchen & Bar, No. 246 or The Optimist on Feb.9 to Benefit Team Hidi

On Saturday, February 9, JCT. Kitchen & Bar, No. 246 and The Optimist are hosting a Ryan Hidinger Benefit. That night, 5 percent of dinner service profits will be donated to Team Hidi to help cover medical expenses. 

The restaurants are unified in their quest to help one of Atlanta's own chefs, Ryan Hidinger, fight stage 4 gallbladder cancer. Ryan and wife Jen, both of Staplehouse, are grateful for the support they've received from all across the country. 

Read more about Team Hidi here.

Atkins Park in Virginia-Highland Offers Special Monday Night Brewing Pairings This Thursday

  

To welcome Atlanta's newest brewery Monday Night Brewing to the local beer scene, Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland is offering a special menu pairing on Thursday, January 31. Chef Andrew Smith has created dishes to perfectly complement the craft beers. Dishes and recommended pairings include:

• Caramelized onion risotto with blue cheese and onion jam ($8), Eye Patch Ale ($5.50)
• Roasted lobster roll served on a brioche bun with ginger aioli and root vegetable chips ($14), Fu Manbrew Belgian-Style Wit ($5.50)
• Cherry wood smoked venison loin with a chocolate demi-glace served with creamy Yukon Gold potatoes and garlic green beans ($22), Drafty Kilt Scotch Ale ($5.50)

From 5:30 - 11 p.m., feel free to order a la carte or enjoy all three dishes for $40 per person, plus beer selection. Already have dinner plans? The restaurant is also offering flights of 5-ounce pours of the Eye Patch Ale, Fu Manbrew Belgian-Style Wit and Drafty Kilt Scotch Ale for $6. Cheers to that!

Embrace ATL Restaurants for Valentine's Day Menus and Events

This weekend marks America's favorite Sunday, Super Bowl Sunday! Atlanta restaurants are right there with 50-yard-line views and menus packing winning fare to eat in their bowl or yours. After the Super Bowl, feel the love in Atlanta and make your plans for Valentine's Day. Whether you're spending Valentine's Day with a loved one, friends or you're looking to mingle, Atlanta has got your covered. Don't miss the Atlanta happenings in this week's Dish! 

Appetizing Aperture: Dulce de Leche French Toast at Lure

Weekends in Midtown just got even tastier now that Lure is serving brunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Chef David Bradley's delicious creations will help shake those weekend sleepies off, including the Hangtown fry, Carolina gold rice porridge with buttered shrimp and grilled pork belly, dulce de leche French toast (pictured), lobster Benedict, French horn mushrooms a la plancha (soft polenta) plus the Riverview Farms burger, the fried oyster slider trio and a fried North Carolina catfish biscuit. Toast to the weekend with prosecco or share a punch bowl with friends!

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

 

We know everyone loves a good laugh, and what’s better than hilarious bloopers and blunders… on cakes? Jen Yates (@CakeWrecks) finds them so hilarious that she dedicated a blog to "Cake Wrecks - when professional cakes go horribly wrong." From misspellings to cake decorating gone awry, Jen Yates has found some of the greatest bakery disasters. As a home baker, it's kind of comforting to see that everyone makes mistakes, and they're just as delicious anyway.

Sample Tweet: Is this way off, or just another potty-training cake? YOU DECIDE. http://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2013/1/17/ooooohso-close.html ... pic.twitter.com/Efe5YCX5

Find Super Specials For The Super Bowl At Atlanta Restaurants

The Falcons ran a super season. Now the pressure’s off, and Atlantans can kick back and watch those other two teams duke it out and take in the illustrious commercials on Sunday, February 3. Atlanta restaurants are right there with 50-yard-line views and menus packing winning fare to eat in their bowl or yours!

Shareable meals and a plethora of beverage choices headline at 10th & Piedmont in Midtown. Fans glued to the numerous screens in the bar or the dining room big screen projector can chomp into queso fondido ($7) and blackened fish tacos ($9), along with $3 Miller Light Drafts. 404-602-5510.

Atlanta’s oldest, continuously licensed tavern, Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar, has been scoring with fans longer than the Super Bowl itself. Let these pros tackle your Super Bowl Sunday party platters: 50 Big Green Egg smoked wings with spicy BBQ sauce or 50 Atkins Park confit wings with either sweet-chili garlic sauce or Atkins Park wing sauce and veggies, blue cheese and buttermilk ranch ($40); 20 grass-fed beef cheeseburger sliders ($40); 20 Big Green Egg smoked pork sliders with tomato BBQ sauce ($40); and a nacho platter with tortilla chips, black beans, jalapeños, shredded lettuce, sour cream, salsa and queso ($35). Virginia Highland info: 404-876-7249. Smyrna info: 770-435-1887.  

Futbol is really American Football on Super Bowl Sunday at one of Buckhead’s most well-known viewing spots, Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant. Numerous screens will be tuned in to the game, and guests will relish the wide selection of draught beers and hearty Irish pub fare. 404-841-0066.

A few downs away in Virginia Highland, The Original El Taco adds heat to the action with a variety of Mexican dishes sporting Tex-Mex flair. Dig into game-day classics like guacamole and queso dip and hydrate with cocktails such as margaritas, sangria and mojitos. Score a win on the prize wheel loaded with valuable prizes. 404-873-4656.

Gridiron grill enthusiasts can strengthen their core menu with red oak burger grilling planks from Fire & Flavor. The 100 percent natural wood planks used in this traditional Native American cooking method transform an ordinary burger into the MVP of game-day snacks. Get on board -- at retailers in 50 states and Canada or order online. 1-866-728-8332.

Hotter than a locker room sauna, the 600-degree hearth ovens at Hearth Pizza Tavern in Sandy Springs will turn out themed pizzas honoring the teams in the championship game on Super Bowl Sunday. Touchdown, to-go plan. 404-252-5378.

Half-priced wings on Super Bowl Sunday flag HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern as an ideal Midtown spot to pull up a chair and cheer. Alcoholic milkshakes are colder and more substantial than a Gatorade cooler bath. 404-968-2288.

Fans on both sides can come together at the long granite bar and central communal table at Kaleidoscope Bistro & Pub. Melting rivalries is the mutual approval of the award-winning Kaleidoscope burger, steak frites, Springer Mountain chicken wings, locally grown food and a few brews from a great selection of beer. 404-474-9600.

Classic American tavern fare at locations in neighborhoods all over town makes Marlow’s Tavern a winning game-day-viewing pick. The firecracker shrimp with cracklin’ spicy sauce will hit you like a linebacker on third down; the grilled turkey meatloaf and hot and sweet wings are equally powerful.

Turn your home into a sports pub with Ormsby’s game-day fare to go, such as Guinness-braised bratwurst, hand-dipped corn dogs, hot boiled peanuts and Guinness-dipped pretzels with stout mustard. Sounds like a good call. 404-968-2033.

“Tuna-in” and roll with to-go sushi platters from RA Sushi Bar Restaurant. The lineup includes salmon, yellowtail, tuna and shrimp nigiri as well as a wide range of sushi rolls and a fan-favorite vegetarian platter. Customized platters are available; all platters come with wasabi, soy sauce, ginger and chopsticks. 404-267-0114.

Having folks over? Uncle Julio’s Fine Mexican Food has your back with their to-go Party Packs serving 3-20 people. Fajitas, enchiladas or tacos are available in chicken, beef or combinations packs. Appetizer Party Pack brings opposing teams together with chips, salsa, chile con queso and guacamole. 404-350-6767.

Bring two sustainable traditions together on February 3: White Oak Pastures grass-fed, hormone-free ground beef for your grill and those big, beefy Super Bowl football players. Okay, so maybe White Oak Pastures is kinder and gentler. Buy at Publix, Whole Foods Market and other local markets or online. 

Eat Great Late at Gilbert's and 10th & Piedmont

Photo by Tim Hobby

No need to settle for fast food or those convenience store nibbles when you're hungry after 11 pm. Gilbert's Café & Bar and 10^th & Piedmont in Midtown both offer some great eats at easy-to-sleep-on prices. As with the restaurants' regular menus, there's a Mediterranean bent. Pita pizzas ($6.95) come topped with chicken and caramelized onions, pepperoni with marinara or Margherita style. Artisan Pita Delights ($7.95), served with fries or grilled veggie couscous, include lemon garlic chicken pita pockets, TMB panini (tomato, fresh mozzarella, basil pesto and roasted pepper) or gyro. The BYO burger (build your own, $8) and Gilbert's famous lamb burger ($12.95) are hearty options. Share or go solo on the hummus or baba ghanouj ($6-$7) served with artisan pita bread. You can enjoy this menu until  2 a.m. Monday through Saturday nights. 

Bantam + Biddy Hatches New Weekend Blue Plate Specials

Photo By Angie Mosier

You've worked hard this week, and now it's time to reward yourself. Instead of blowing your paycheck on a flashy meal with less-than-satisfying portions, check out Bantam + Biddy's new weekend blue plate specials. Chefs Shaun Doty and Lance Gummere are known for their high-quality, pastured poultry, Niman Ranch pork and grass-fed beef and draw upon local, seasonal produce for sides at the Ansley Mall eatery. On Friday, Bantam + Biddy is serving up Mississippi catfish with tartar sauce and fennel slaw ($12), while Saturday's blue plate features a bistro steak with frites (fries) and salad ($15). Where's the chicken you ask? Bantam + Biddy would never leave you feeling peckish - the restaurant offers a fried chicken plate with your choice of two sides ($14) on Sunday. Blue plate specials are available from 11:30 a.m. to close. And don't forget to use that money you saved to order a beer, wine or cocktail. It is the weekend after all. 

Vote for the ATL in Southern Living's Tastiest Town Contest

It’s that time of the year again, and it’s time to vote in Southern Living magazine’s annual The South's Tastiest Town contest. The South is full of tasty eats, but we don’t think anyone does it better than Atlanta! You can cover the culinary world from locally grown to global tables. And the best part? You don’t have to look far to go from farm fresh to down home cooking.

Atlanta is up against some pretty tasty competition, and we can't sit by passively waiting for our soup to come in. Pin the voting link to your start-up page and vote through midnight, February 28. One entry email address per day. 

Daily Temptations for Your Taste Buds with Marlow's Tavern Lunch Specials

The new weekday lunch temptations at Marlow’s Tavern pose two strategies to consider. Make your favorite dish your new weekly ritual, or spice up your lunch by trying all five of these reasonably priced specials. A blackened tilapia wrap kicks off the week on Mondays by folding a toasted flour tortilla around grilled tilapia, fresh spinach, red onion, tomato and ranch dressing with fresh fruit on the side ($11). Tuesdays, choose simple and seasoned or grilled chicken on marbled rye for your Marlow’s Melt that comes dressed with caramelized onions and provolone plus hand-cut Tavern fries ($9.50). Wednesday’s hot “open faced” turkey sandwich will get you through hump day with thinly sliced roast turkey topped with warm white cheddar sauce and roma tomato on toasted focaccia with a side of hand-cut Tavern fries ($11). Your brain will thank you for the omega-3 boost when you order Thursday’s grilled salmon and baby spinach salad, dotted with oven-dried tomato, red onion and warm bacon vinaigrette ($14). End your week on a high note with Friday’s grilled chicken penne, with grilled chicken breast based with basil pesto, fresh spinach and oven-dried tomato sauce ($12). Not too heavy, not too light, daily fresh variety - lunching at Marlow’s Tavern, just right.

Tempt Your Taste Buds with New Marlow's Tavern Weekday Lunch Specials Plus More in this Week's Dish

Mardi Gras is right around the corner and Atkins Park Tavern in Smyrna is celebrating with an oyster fest. Steak more your thing? Join Fleming's for a three-course prime rib dinner for just $29.95. There's a ton of delicious things happening in ATL and more in this week's Dish. 

Atkins Park Tavern Smyrna Celebrates Five Days of Mardi Gras Oyster Festing

 

Atkins Park Tavern Smyrna celebrates Mardi Gras and seafood with their 2^nd Annual Oyster/Mardi Gras Fest, Friday, February 8 through Tuesday, February 12. The Dixie Duncan band hits the stage at 11 p.m. Friday night. Guests can purchase tickets online for Saturday and Sunday events, $5 in advance and $10 day of at the door. On Saturday, doors open at 11 a.m. with music on the outdoor stage (inside a heated tent) beginning at 1 p.m. The last band for the day, takes to the indoor stage at 10:30 p.m. 

On Sunday, boogie in for day-long live music and a "cure-all" New Orleans-style hangover brunch. Monday Lundi Gras provides family-friendly entertainment for all ages with the band GrassRoots at 5:30 p.m., plus face painting, mask decorating and a menu of NOLA favorites. Cover up for Tuesday's Mardi Gras mask party featuring the band Andrew Black & Friends at 9:30 p.m. Bring your own mask, but don't fret if you don't have one! Buy one at the door for $5. Proceeds go to Mustard Seed Communities. See you there!