Bess de Keyzer of 5Church is Little Trouble Bunday Chef Mar. 27

Bess de Keyzer of 5Church pushes up her sleeves and sets to work crafting a fun bun-filled Monday “Bunday” at Little Trouble on Mar. 27. Stop into the Westside restaurant-lounge from 8 p.m. to midnight to pinch her buns and savor the steamy little bundles holding her personally crafted filling. Go-withs include drink specials and Little Trouble’s regular menu.

Top Kitchen Talents Throw Two Fundraisers -- KUDU Garden Barbecue and Potluck Dinner -- to Help Cancer-Battling Chef Mar. 26

Jason Fisher, 29-year-old sous chef at No. 246, is battling a rare form of cancer for the second time in two years. The industry veteran’s associates, a list loaded with lauded Atlanta chefs, are supporting Fisher by doing what they do best -- cooking and KUDU barbecuing on Sunday, Mar. 26. The fundraising Sunday opens with Eat the Wild, a 2-6 p.m. garden barbecue at Kimball House. Fisher’s friends are firing up the South African-inspired KUDU Safari Braai for open-flame, outdoor cooking: splay-roasted lamb al asador, vegetable-stuffed suckling pigs, fire-roasted whole chickens, grilled oysters and grilled sausages and vegetables. Food is paired with Three Taverns Craft Brewery beer and Kimball cocktails. Tickets are $40 and are available at the door.

How about a second helping of helping out? Sunday evening, Gerry Klaskala of Aria is among the more than 20 chefs contributing to a potluck fundraiser dinner for Fisher and The Giving Kitchen at No. 246 in Decatur. Come on over to the 5-8 p.m. backyard affair and enjoy Ping-Pong, the Packway Handle band, chow and beverages from Heaven Hill Distilleries and Terrapin Beer Company. A discretionary $40 donation per person is suggested and may be made online on Fisher’s up-and-rolling GoFundMe page.

Six Picks Celebrate Rize Artisan Pizza + Salads Sandy Springs Grand Opening through Mar. 26

Picture a pizza inviting you to try a wonderfully different topping on each slice. Such is grand opening week at the new Rize Artisan Pizza + Salads at 6050 Roswell Road in Sandy Springs. Through Sunday, Mar. 26, each day deals a mouthwatering special. Tuesday Family Day scores a free kids meal for junior with the purchase of an adult entrée (pizza, full salad or pasta); kids 10 & under, one kids meal per one adult entrée. Fly in for Wings Wednesday and pluck a free order of wings with any pizza purchase. Thursday Girls Night Out features $5 small plates and $5 sangria from 4 p.m. until close with an added incentive for early birds -- first 50 gals receive complimentary goodie bags. Be sure to register to win a free Spa Sydell massage. A date night opp courts Friday night, offering a free small plate with the purchase of sangria, beer or wine after 5 p.m.; one per person. Snap and share your night’s pic tagged #rizedatenight on Instagram for a chance to win a $100 Rize gift card. Saturday game or practice? Sport your youth or school team apparel on Saturday to receive a free pizza with any purchase. Relax with friends on Sangria Sunday while sipping sangria, $5 a glass or $25 for a carafe, and enjoying $5 small plates from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. By the way, Rize started the week off honoring “Hometown Heroes” by offering a free pizza with any purchase to ID-carrying law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs, nurses, doctors, teachers and active and veteran military personnel. A portion of grand opening celebration sales will go to Create Your Dreams, a long-term program providing youth enrichment to nurture the talents and dreams of students living in underserved areas of Atlanta.

“Si!” You for Live Music and Specials at Jefe’s Patio Party Mar. 25

Spring has sprung the garage door open at Jefe’s Tacos & Tequila, perfecting the festivities flow from indoor eating and imbibing to all-out patio partying and people-watching. Check the vibe on Saturday, Mar. 25 when the Town Brookhaven cantina raises the roof by raising the doors to a Party on the Patio rocking live music and great specials from 5 p.m. until midnight. Trailer on Fire, So Cal, Redneck and Bravocado aren’t on the playlist but they are on Jefe’s taco menu ($3-$4 each), along with specialties like Jefe’s burrito, green chile pork or red chile chicken enchiladas and smoked pork sope ranchera. Guac, queso blanco, Nacho Daddy, charred cauliflower, Brussels and green beans, and crispy smoked wings invite sharing alongside $15 buckets of cold beer and $5 margaritas.

Get Your Grill On with Ray’s at Killer Creek Big Green Egg Demo Mar. 25

All around Atlanta, Big Green Eggs are kicking off their covers and emerging from winter hibernation in preparation for their high season. Add new BGE tricks to your repertoire by attending Ray’s at Killer Creek’s Big Green Egg lunchtime grilling demonstration on Saturday, Mar. 25 from 1-3 p.m. Chargrilled artichokes with roasted garlic and herb aioli; Springer Mountain Farms chicken and dumplings slow-cooked in a Dutch oven; pepper-crusted short rib with fingerling potato salad and mortar and pestle salsa verde; and a baked caramel apple with fresh whipped cream are coming off the grill courtesy of executive chef Mike Fuller. Cost is $39 per person (plus tax and gratuity) and includes demo, tasting menu, iced tea, soda or coffee and a choice of a bloody mary, mimosa or 16-ounce draft beer. Reservations required with credit card to hold; call 770-649-0064. Heads up -- Fuller is hosting another BGE session at the Alpharetta restaurant on April 22.

95 Years and Going Strong – Join in Atkins Park Va-Hi Anniversary Celebration Mar. 22

Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland has been around since ’22 (makes them 95 to me and you). Numbering five years shy of a century and being Atlanta’s longest continuously operating tavern are worthy reasons for the neighborhood mainstay to celebrate on Wednesday, Mar. 22. Join the anniversary celebration for open bar and complimentary food from 6-7 p.m. Perhaps one of the limited commemorative t-shirts will find its way home with you.

Melissa Libby & Associates is Searching for Summer 2017 Interns!

Are you a student who is passionate about food/wine culture and public relations? We want to meet you! Melissa Libby & Associates is currently seeking interns for the summer 2017 semester. Interns who join the MLA team will work with and learn directly from all agency functions, including media communications, social media, special events and client services. Creativity, positive energy, great writing skills and a strong work ethic are important traits for this internship.

Internships require 15-22 office hours per week from June to August. Schedules are fairly flexible, although Monday mornings from 10:30-11:30 a.m. are required for our weekly team meeting. Local candidates only! The ideal candidate will also receive school credit for his or her experience with MLA. Interns will be paid a $500 stipend at the completion of the program. To find out more about Melissa Libby & Associates, please visit our website and our Facebook page. If you are interested, please send your resume, cover letter, writing samples and schedule availability to brandon@melissalibbypr.com. We're looking forward to hearing from you!

What’s New on Pinterest: Peanutty Perfection

Put down the spoon and the PB jar. Mar. 15 is National Peanut Lover’s Day, and we have visions of Peanutty Perfection vying for your attention. Raw super sprouts pad Thai with spicy peanut sauce, kale and sweet potato brown rice bowls with savory peanut sauce and protein PB shake ride the really good-for-you route. PB cheesecake cookie bars, “Better-Than-Anything” PB cake and PB chocolate mousse parfait toss diets to the wind -- so worth it. Easy four-ingredient perfect PB cookies for you, PB and pumpkin dog balls for Rover. Come on over.

#Foodgram: WanderEatRepeat

When wanderlust leads you to lust after a world of amazing dishes, embark on WanderEatRepeat with Danielle Walsh, senior editor at Afar. Photo clicks land on recipes and San Fran restaurants must-eats.

Meet on the Corner of Spring & Vine for Four Courses and South African Wines at Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails Wine Dinner Mar. 23

Wines from South Africa’s award-winning Bellingham and Boschendal wineries splash into glasses at Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails’ fourth annual Spring & Vine Wine Dinner set for Thursday, Mar. 23 at 7:30 p.m. Welcome springtime over a four-course dinner from executive chef Derek Dollar highlighting vibrant seasonal flavors expertly paired with unique selections including sparkling wine, lightly oaked chenin blanc, a fun take on pinotage (the signature varietal of South Africa), and a South African Rhône-style blend.  Wine expert Alister Glen, who hails from Cape Town but now calls Atlanta home, hosts and answers “wine geek” questions about South Africa’s exceptional wines. Buy tickets online; $90 per person plus tax (includes gratuity).

Ormsby’s Chef Nick Anderson Sticks to His Buns for Little Trouble Bunday Mar. 20

Bunday, Bunday, so good to be at Little Trouble for Monday Bunday on Mar. 20. Nick Anderson of neighboring Ormsby’s masters the bun-filling challenge as visiting chef at the weekly bun-derful evening. How many delicious buns can you hold? Find out from 8 p.m. until midnight. Drink specials abound to wash them down.

Appetizing Aperture

Love sushi. Love pizza. The Asian Caucasian solves the dilemma without the challenge of rolling sushi or stretching pizza dough. Asian cooking? Oooh, that’s so challenging for newbies, right? Not so when following the Asian Caucasian blog, a culinary journey where east meets west. This adorable sushi pizza recipe starts with a rice cooker and easy-to-find sushi-grade salmon or tuna. Aah, so simple, healthy and delish!

Marlow’s Tavern, Tin Lizzy’s Cantina, Rize Artisan Pizza + Salads Vie for “Chompionship” in Atlanta Eats Elite Eats 2017

There’s more than one set of brackets being filled in this town – the one for hoops and Atlanta Eat’s Elite Eats 2017 for top scoops, i.e., 64 of the most mouthwatering dishes in Atlanta. The Smoked Trout Dip at Marlow’s Tavern holds an Elite Eats bracket spot in the “Bar Bites” division. Chicken nachos from Tin Lizzy’s Cantina line up in the “Around the World” division. Asian BBQ chicken pizza from Rize Artisan Pizza + Salads slices into the “Insane Italian” division. Winners from each of these divisions will eventually face off with the winner of the fourth division, “The South Rules.” As with the basketball brackets we so painstakingly fill, restaurants progress through similar rounds until there is only one dish left as “Chompion.” Vote for your favorites in each division here; number of votes determines advancement. First round of voting closes at 4 p.m. on Mar. 19, and the winners will be announced the next day. The process continues with round voting closing Mar. 26, 28 and 30 then April 1 and 3 until the “Chompion” is announced April 4. During each round, one person will win dinner for two at one of the spots they vote for.

Tin Lizzy’s New Beverage Menu Tickles Spring Senses with Tequilas, ‘Ritas, Craft Cocktails and “Mix Your Six” Craft Beer Coolers

Springtime signals Cinco de Mayo is almost here. But why put off until tomorrow what you can “drinko” today from the new beverage menu at Tin Lizzy’s Cantina? Look for a cool option to mix your own craft cooler of any six brews for $25. Original margaritas -- Maestro, Texas, TLC, Grand Patron and 100 Proof -- are always crowd pleasers, priced by the glass or pitcher. Share some silver by ordering The Giving Goza margarita of Goza Silver, Agavero Orange liqueur and sour mix that portions off a bit of the proceeds to a local charity ($6.75/$26). Tin Lizzy’s expands the “Thin Lizzies” list with hugely flavorful hits such as the Old Fashionable with its hand-selected barrel-aged Avion Reposado, crushed orange and agave nectar; the Tanteo Jalapeño tequila-spiked Hot and Skinny; a Detox Margarita clarifier of Dulce Vida Grapefruit tequila, muddled lemons, limes and agave; The Ginny, dolling up Hendrick’s gin with muddled lemons, basil, agave and soda water, and more. Let mixologists craft cocktails to please your springtime cravings, whether for a coconut-ty Beach Bum, Ginger Margarita, Chipotle Pineapple, Thai Basil, Chile Mule, T el Tea or Smokey Mule. Spring has sprung. May your only ice-filled days involve cocktail and craft coolers at your nearby Tin Lizzy’s Cantina.

Taco Mac Honors SweetWater Brewing Company’s 20th Year with March Beer of the Month Status

Taco Mac wishes “hoppy birthday month!” to fellow hometown suds bud SweetWater Brewing Company, designating four SweetWater brews as March Beers of the Month. Four goldens from SweetWater Brewing Company sail into the BOTM spotlight: Grass Monkey (hoppy wheat with lemongrass, 5.4% ABV), 420 (extra pale ale, 5.7% ABV), Goin’ Coastal (IPA with pineapple, 6.1% ABV) and Hatchery: Mosaic (single hop IPA, 6.4% ABV). On Thursday’s Pint Night beginning at 5 p.m., enjoy a pint of the evening’s featured beer and take home a different glass each week. Still thirsty? Ask for the month’s special SweetWater Super Vessel sporting a colorful 20^th-anniversary logo. It’s filled with 23 ounces of beer bliss of any featured BOTM for only $14.95, while supplies last. Taco Mac taps a special 20^th Anniversary ale on Mar. 14, one more reason they’re known as having the most craft drafts around. Taco Mac and SweetWater have eyes on sending some lucky winners to the SweetWater 420 Fest taking place April 21-23 at Centennial Olympic Park. Each Thursday, guests who pick up the weekly SweetWater glassware during Pint Night can snap a photo of their new glass and post it on Taco Mac’s Facebook page to enter. The person whose photo garners the most votes each week wins a free pair of tickets to the hottest music fest in the ATL. Two VIP wristbands are up for grabs to the dedicated Pint Night fan who collects all five unique SweetWater glasses and snaps the most creative photo incorporating their new glass menagerie by Sunday, April 2.

Daily Reasons to Visit Papi’s Cuban & Caribbean Grill Emory Point Grand Opening, Going on through Mar. 17

Papi’s Cuban & Caribbean Grill, Atlanta’s longtime destination for the home-style cuisine and vibrant culture of Cuba, recently opened its newest location in the Emory Point mixed-use development. Stop by and get to know Papi’s by eating up their daily specials through St. Patrick’s Day, Mar. 17.

Tuesday, Mar. 14 – Family NightBuy one adult entrée after 5 p.m. and get one free kids mealfor children 10 and under.
Enjoy a $3 mini version of Papi’s popular chicken and pork wraps after 3 p.m.
Partake in $5 mojitos and $5 empanada samplers as well as goodie bags for the first 50 ladies.
Chomp into a $5 Reuben Cuban special, offered all day, and try the special Bacardi “Lucky Charm” drink on St. Papi’s, err, St. Paddy’s Day. Live music starts at 6 p.m. with Atlanta's freshest and most dynamic salsa band, Clave y Son. 

Wednesday, Mar. 15 - $3 Wrap Wednesday

Thursday, Mar. 16 – Ladies Night

Friday, Mar. 17 – St. Patrick’s Day

Leap through a Week of St. Pat’s Fun and Frolics

Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland hosts a free, shamrockin’ St. Pat’s family cookie decorating party from 5-9 p.m. on Wednesday, Mar. 15. Bedazzle shamrock-shaped sugar cookies with a variety of candies (and save for Thursday’s lunchbox if the young leprechaun’s tuck-in time is approaching).

Even luckier are Irish eyes smiling over Atkins Park‘s special St. Pat’s menu, offered all day Mar. 17, for they’ll gleam over dishes of corned beef and cabbage glazed with stout mustard, new potatoes, roasted carrots and Irish soda bread ($14); bangers and mash featuring Guinness-braised sausage, mashed potatoes, caramelized onions and stout mustard ($12); braised lamb shank with mashed potatoes and vegetables topped with brown gravy ($16); and decadent bread pudding with white and dark chocolate Baileys crème anglaise ($5).

Save some of that pot o’ gold by partaking in complimentary corned beef and cabbage along with Irish shooters at Johnny’s Hideaway on Thursday, Mar. 16. Tis a night for wearing o’ the dancing slippers -- downing a few shooters will loosen up those dance floor jigs. 

On Mar. 17, follow the rainbow to plenty o’ $5 green beer and $16 corned beef and cabbage specials for hungry leprechauns at HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern. Tap toes to live and lively music by James Patrick Morgan from 9 p.m. until midnight. The really big shindig, HOBNOB’s St. Patrick’s Day party, hops to at 10 p.m. offering all-you-can-drink beer and all-you-can-eat pizza. Fork over $39 per person in advance or dig up $59 at the door.

Come celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in style at Ormsby’s. You don’t want to miss out on Chef Nick Anderson’s St. Paddy’s specials including Shepherd’s Pie and corned beef & cabbage with a Guinness mustard jus. Sip on their signature Irish car bomb or keep it classic with a Jameson, a Glendalaugh Whiskey or an Ormsby’s favorite, Paddy’s Irish Whiskey. Come for the food but stay for the games. Voted as Atlanta’s “Best Bar with Games,” what better place to celebrate with some friendly competition. 

What’s New on Pinterest:Sensational Sushi

Friday fish fries are a Lenten tradition, but what about choosing sushi for a change? Or, tossing sushi into the meal rotation on another day of the week? Sounds like a Sensational Sushi plan. Try rolling your own cucumber wrapped sushi, spicy tuna hand rolls or rainbow sushi rolls. Assemble healthy tuna or salmon sashimi rice bowls or collard greens sushi. Vegans can roll umami-rich smoky portobello rolls. Lure kids toward the healthy bites by making spring kazari maki zushi decoration sushi rolls or (gasp) PB&J roll-ups that resemble what mom and dad are eating. And, those who overindulged over Mardi Gras can rein it in with guidance from “the best and worst sushi for weight loss.”

#Foodgram

By Jove, those British GPB dramas and documentaries based in England have us scanning the isle’s idyllic countryside for traditional tea-worthy nibbles like rosewater and cardamom biscuits and globally inspired dishes of today’s Great Britain, Persian lamb and fregola, for example. Our fingers landed on LindsaysFeast, an album royally loaded with food stories and photos from a cook and writer living the English country life. Cheerio!

Appetizing Aperture

Girl Scout cookies are here! The Sublime Doughnut team immediately ripped into the Sublime stash of Thin Mints and set to work crafting their immensely popular Thin Mint doughnut ($3) to delight Girl Scout cookie fans at both store locations. Wearing bright green icing and roughly crumbled Thin Mint cookies, the seasonal favorite is right in step with St. Patrick’s Day color schemes. And, like those leprechauns, if you want to catch one, you’ll have to move fast because when the Thin Mints are gone, so are these doughnuts.