National Nacho Day Reigns Supreme!

Now you have an official reason to enjoy a big plate of supremely satisfying nachos –today is National Nacho Day! For a fun Friday treat, make up a plate at home or check out some of our favorite options around Atlanta:

• At Uncle Julio’s Fine Mexican Food in Buckhead, you can get them buried under refried beans and a blend of cheeses or order them up “Especial” to pile on mesquite-grilled chicken or beef fajitas. For little ones, Uncle Julio’s Niño Nachos come two ways and include a cup of fruit.

• All six Marlow’s Tavern locations have Atlanta covered with a fabulous shrimp and crab nacho plate. No matter where you are, there is sure to be a Marlow’s Tavern nearby.

• For a unique twist on nachos, head to The Nook on Piedmont Park for their Totchos™, which are tater tots smothered with a variety of toppings. Options range from the Redneck variety (mesquite smoked pork, barbecue sauce, jalapeno and cheese sauce) to Creole Totchos (shrimp, andouille sausage, onions, peppers, Creole seasoning and cheese sauce). These are a great way to satisfy midnight munchies since The Nook is open until 2:30 a.m. tonight!

Changing it up at RA Sushi with new menu items

The season has changed, the weather has changed, now RA Sushi is bringing in some delicious changes of their own with some new menu items! Executive Chef Tai Obata is not afraid to venture out of the realms of the traditional sushi world, and is constantly introducing new categories, dishes, and cocktails to the normal favorites on the menu. He’s even added a new Latin-influenced tapas section!

There are lots of new ways to get your night started off right at RA Sushi with new appetizers like grilled Kalbi beef short ribs ($7.50) and Japanese Kaisen ceviche with shrimp, scallops and squid ($9.50).


"RA"llipop sushi roll

The “What’s New” portion of the menu includes some delicious additions like the “RA”llipop sushi roll with tuna, salmon, yellowtail, spicy tuna mix, lettuce, asparagus and cucumber wrapped lobok (Asian radish), skewered and served with garlic ponzu sauce ($15); “Hot Mess,” crispy rice balls topped with a spicy king crab mix, baked and finished with jalapeño and cilantro ($14); spicy rice crispy treats of crispy rice balls filled with spicy tuna mix, cucumber, avocado, lettuce and sautéed nuts, served with a soy chili sauce ($7.25); and RA chips and salsa of spicy tuna tartare mixed with cucumber, avocado and fresh salsa, served with wonton chips ($8.50).


tapas time!

If you’re a tapas fan, try one of the “RA Tapas”, which feature small plates of thinly sliced sashimi -- sweet onion salmon, sesame lemon whitefish, garlic citrus yellowtail, crispy onion albacore or seared tuna -- served with organic micro greens ($7.50). As guests move on to selecting entrées in the “Getting Busy” section, they’ll find pork katsu with wasabi mashed potatoes ($13.75).

Those stopping in for lunch will be intrigued by the pork katsu bento box with miso soup, uchi no salad, rice, a pork gyoza and a vegetable spring roll ($8.50); and the chicken or beef teriyaki bowl ($8.25-$8.75). Adding a sushi touch to dessert is the decadent banana split maki: fried banana maki topped with whipped cream, strawberries, kiwi fruit and mandarin oranges, sliced like sushi and drizzled with chocolate and raspberry sauces ($6.75).


Cheers to the Bangin' Blueberry Mojito!

The Flying Fish Lounge adds some sexy new cocktails to its offerings including the Shiso Naughty martini, the Bangin’ Blueberry mojito, Strawberry Soju Sunrise and a Strawberry Gingerita ($7.50-$8.50). There’s also white and red wine to choose from, along with sake varietals of Hakutsuru Sayuri “Little Lily” Junmai Nigori and Tozai “Living Jewel” Junmai have been added to the wine list.

RA Sushi is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, with a late night menu available until midnight for those craving late night snacks. The Flying Fish Lounge is open until 1 a.m. or later Monday through Saturday and until midnight on Sunday. Find RA Sushi on Facebook, Twitter and in the 1010 Midtown building.

RA Sushi: 1080 Peachtree Street at 1010 Midtown; 404-267-0114.

My Fave Food Event

Atlanta has tons of great food events and I enjoy attending them all. I must say that my personal favorite, year after year, is the Les Dames d'Escoffier* "Afternoon in the Country" at Serenbe. The chefs are top-notch and they really bring out their best dishes. There's lots of wine. Micro-brew beer. Great music. Beautiful setting. And the ticket price ($95) supports culinary scholarships and organic farmers. Some of our clients will be there: Aria, Ecco, JCT Kitchen, La Tavola and Woodfire Grill. This year's event is Sunday, Nov. 8. They appear to still be selling tickets so you might want to nab one now.

*I'm a member of Les Dames.

Join the Club

Pacci Ristorante is hosting this month’s Atlanta Community Food Bank Supper Club on Tuesday, November 10, and the only skill you’ll need to join this club is eating. On this night, 20 percent of your dining tab at Pacci goes directly to Atlanta’s Table, a project of the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Through Atlanta’s Table, more than 40,000 pounds of perishable food is collected from the local hospitality industry each month and delivered to more than 40 nonprofit aid agencies for people in need. Pacci was recently named one of the “Top 20 Best New Restaurants in America” by Esquire magazine, so seats at this upscale Italian steakhouse will go fast. Make your reservation today by calling 678-412-2402.

Pacci Ristorante is located at 866 West Peachtree Street, NW. Complimentary valet parking is available in front of the restaurant.

Do You Deserve a Girls' Night Out?

Do you deserve a night out with your friends? Tell us about it on Aqua blue’s Facebook page. Now through November 8, speak up about why you and up to 20 of your friends deserve a Girls’ Night Out at Aqua blue. A winner will be randomly selected on November 9. Blue no more, the lucky gal and her friends will party for two hours on Wednesday, November 18, enjoying unlimited appetizers from the Girls’ Night Out menu and $5 drink specials.

It's Easy Being Green

We all know that we have to do our part to make Atlanta a greener city, but there’s no reason we can’t have a party while doing it! Join non-profit organization Green Plate for a great event Eat Green/ Drink Local tonight at SweetWater Brewing Company.
Sponsored by Whole Foods Market, Georgia Organics and quite a few well-loved Atlanta restaurants, the night will feature great bands, door prizes, and of course delicious food and drinks to sample – all in the name of encouraging and educating restaurants and consumers to use greener alternatives when it comes to everything from plastic to composting.
It all starts at 4 pm with a special party for foodservice industry employees only, then opens to the public from 6 to 9 pm. Tickets can be found online at www.greenplate.org/eatgreen.