It's Easy Being Green - Sokol Blosser Wine Dinner at Aria

There’s no rule that says you can’t enjoy a glass of excellent wine and be a good steward to the environment at the same time – Oregon’s Sokol Blosser Winery has been letting people do just that by making their winemaking program green, including farming organically and being the first winery in the country to earn the prestigious LEED certification!

Now Atlantans will have a great opportunity to enjoy the Sokol Blosser line of wines with an intimate wine dinner at Aria on February 18th. There will be six Sokol Blosser wines featured, along with six deliciously paired courses for $80 (excluding tax and gratuity). Perfect way to warm up a February week!

To El With Valentine's Day!!

They don’t call it Singles Awareness Day (S.A.D.) for no reason – Valentine’s Day can feel like a cold, grouchy day for Atlanta singletons. The drugstores are full of cheap chocolate and teddy bears and every restaurant around town is filled with disgustingly swoony couples. Every restaurant except Virginia Highlands’ The Original El Taco, who will be flipping the holiday on its head and declaring “To El With Valentine’s Day!”.

On both Saturday, February 13th and Sunday, February 14th , The Original El Taco will be hopelessly devoted to making the weekend awesome with $2 Miller High Lifes, $4 Hornitos Mischieve tequila shots, plus $5 champagne mojitos and house margaritas! Ladies will get a chance to spin the Wheel of Taco for fantastic prizes like Natural Body Spa and Helmet Salon gift cards. Who needs roses?!

Extra fun on Sunday: a photobooth will be ready to snap your picture with any “new friends” you might happen to make, and you can get a reading from a tarot card reader to see what’s in your cards!

It’s Follow Friday – Our Tweep of The Week @SeriousEats

You’d think with a name like @SeriousEats, their twitter feed and website would be down-to-business culinary industry news. But there’s nothing serious about this delightful celebration of food and cooking!
Between featuring restaurants to tickle any foodie’s fancy and recipes like these adorable homemade conversation hearts, it’s a site I could easily wile away WAY too much time on. Join the fun!

Chocolate & Champagne Tasting Recap

What I learned at LW Chocolatier's Truffle & Champagne tasting last night:

1. The owner is a 3rd generation chocolatier from Argentina. His father is still in charge of all the chocolate making for their stores (internationally and in the States).

2. LW Chocolatier's chocolates are made by them directly from the bean in Argentina and shipped to them every Thursday.

3. When they ask you what you want to try first, go straight for the dulce de leche chocolate. O.M.G.

Perhaps I'll see you at next month's tasting?

Mardi RA, Mardi RA, Mardi RA

Next Tuesday, RA Sushi is throwing the Mack Daddy of all Mardi Gras parties. Ahem, I mean Mardi RA parties! With a DJ, drink specials and a costume contest judged by Atlanta's favorite - Baton Bob, what is not to love about this party?! Party starts at 8 p.m. and the costume contest will go down between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.

I'm ready. Are you?

Aria Chef /Owner Gerry Klaskala Brings His Skills to Boca Raton

For all you food and wine lovers out there who are also in need of some warmer weather, the Eighth Annual Boca Bacchanal Winefest & Auction could be your ticket to an adult spring break. Atlanta's very own Aria Chef/Owner Gerry Klaskala will be participating in the Florida event from March 19-21 and will link up with Royal Palm Resort Chef Lee Hillson, a Phoenix phenom and "Iron Chef" standout performer, to create a multi-course menu for Friday night's vintner dinner series. Bill Cascio of Talbott Vineyards and Ignacio Arzuaga Navarro of Spain's Bodegas Arzuaga Navarro will work with the two award-winning chefs to select the ideal wine for each course. South Florida's premier food and wine event continues through the weekend with Saturday night's spirited bacchanal and auction and a lavish dinner at the Boca Raton Resort & Club and Sunday's alfresco grand tasting and wine seminar. The historic preservation and heritage education programs of the Boca Raton Historical Society will benefit from event proceeds. For more info and tickets, visit www.bocabacchanal.com. To get a taste of Klaskala's cuisine without leaving Atlanta, visit Aria at 490 East Paces Ferry Road;404-233-7673.

Saskatoon Brings Wild Game to Buckhead

We have been trying to keep this quiet so the restaurant could have a few days to get ready, but when people hear there's elk, wild boar, and ostrich being served in Buckhead, well, they just want to tell someone. We'll go on and make it official and let you know that Saskatoon is now open, serving up something a little different.

I've been to a couple of soft opening dinners and have had some great dishes. The wild boar sausage is outstanding. The elk is absolutely delicious. My friends are raving about the ostrich. Last week I ordered the cedar plank salmon and it came out flaming on the plank and perfectly cooked. So yummy! The portions are huge and I enjoyed salmon for lunch the next day too - bonus!

Saskatoon has a great bar. The restaurant is definitely upscale - like a steakhouse but with a lodge-like, less stuffy feel. Service is friendly and professional. The bar opens at 3:30 daily and dinner starts at 5. Valet is on the side street, clearly marked. Or you can self-park in the adjacent garage.

Hope you'll give it a try!

Saskatoon: 360 Pharr Road; 404-891-1911.

New Menu Specials at Ray's

Ray’s on the River and Ray’s Killer Creek are making winter weekdays a little more exciting with a reason to celebrate. Served from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., both restaurants are offering a selection of half price appetizers like shrimp cocktail ($7), crispy calamari ($5) and Ray’s “New Orleans” BBQ shrimp ($6). Drink specials include a variety of red and white value price wines ranging from $6 to $9 a glass and $17 to $27 a bottle. In addition to budget-savvy small plates and wine deals, the menu includes Ray’s famous $5 Absolut martinis and $3 draft beer. Ray's on the River: 6700 Powers Ferry Road; 770-955-1187. Ray's Killer Creek: 1700 Mansell Road, Alpharetta; 770-649-0064.