Chicken and the Egg Menu Is Loaded With Dishes And Drinks To Give Comfort and Joy

Put away the tropical beach brochures and browse the menu at Chicken and the Egg in Marietta to plan a cold weather escape route. Lunch, dinner and weekend brunch menus are loaded with one tummy-warming dish after another. Pimento cheese fritters, buttermilk fried oysters, calamari and rock shrimp fish fry or a cup of roasted tomato soup are must-try starters, and black-eyed pea "hummus" is said to bring good luck in the New Year ($4.50-$9). 

Daily lunch blue plates bring a meat and two veggies for $9 and include rib-sticking recipes for meatloaf with tomato gravy, fried chicken breast, chicken and dumplings, beef tips and rice, fried catfish and more -- plus veggie choices of mashed potatoes, green beans, black-eyed peas, baby carrots, braised greens and mac and cheese. The list of hefty sandwiches features the grilled cheese on brioche with tomato soup combo; the Farm House burger with cheddar, a fried egg and bacon; the FGT burger (fried green tomato); the veggie-piled "Plant;" the Georgia shrimp po' boy and a BLT with FGT ($9-$11). 

Dinnertime brings out a colorful beet salad with tart apples and candied walnuts; a pear and pecan salad with arugula, shaved fennel and blue cheese; and a Caesar with grilled Georgia shrimp ($5-$14). Southern supper entrées please with sweet Georgia shrimp and grits, country-fried ribeye, duck breast with roasted root vegetables and Gouda grits, trout, short ribs, portabella stroganoff, spicy bayou pasta and more ($14-$19). Sweet finales include "coffee & donuts" of beignets and café au lait crème brûlée, a peppermint ice cream sandwich, sticky toffee pudding and chocolate buttermilk cake with vanilla ice cream ($5-$6). Brunch has a filling combo of traditional morning dishes such as crab cake Benedict plus steak and eggs, as well as lunch and supper favorites ($4.50 - $14). These are just a few morsels -- more dishes, drinks and $5 "Peeps" menu for little ones 12 and under are on the website.

Our Appetizing Aperture of the Week

This week, we're loving these delicious after dinner drinks featuring Patron XO Café at Uncle Julio's Fine Mexican Food! A sweet way to finish any meal, for sure. 

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

We are in awe. Chris and Karen have three munchkins under age four, and they find time to write, snap pictures and even fix something good for dinner. They do all of that with such love and wry humor that they've turned it into a Twitter account (@thepeche) and blog phenomenon called The Pêche. Have fun with it. They do!  Karen has her own Twitter (@mrsdewinter). Just so you know!

Sail Away, Sail Away, Sail Away with Fine Food and Wine Cruise!

With the stress of the holidays upon us, we're guessing relaxation and checking out new restaurants haven't been at the top of your to-do list. That's why we recommend you check out the Fine Food and Wine Cruise set to sail away from May 20-28 2012 in partnership with the international gastronomic society Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. The Mediterranean Gala Cruise features a visit to Monte Carlo for the Monaco Grand Prix and culinary delights from Oprah's former personal chef Art Smith, executive chef of recently opened Southern Art, which we know you've probably been wanting to try out. Three hundred Chaîne members and their guests can fill an entire Windstar Wind Surf ship for an eight-night, private yacht experience featuring 4,000 incredible bottles of wine and special tasting dinners. You'll fly into Rome for the cruise that docks in Monaco for time trials and the race and makes ports of call with excursions at Portoferraio, Portofino, Cannes and St. Tropez before ending up at Nice, France for home-bound flights. The super-inclusive package includes gourmet meals with wine pairings, additional food and wine tastings, live entertainment, seminars, cocktail parties, water sports, airport transfers and more. With its casual atmosphere, adventures and educational lineup, the cruise is truly an instance of "pampering without pretense". Since only 146 cabins are available, interested cruisers are encouraged to register as soon as possible at www.finefoodandwinecruise.com. Cruise rates start at $3,950 per person. For more information, call 800-218-6031 or email info@foodandwinecruise.com. Cruise on over to check them out on Facebook, too!

Goodbye Christmas Elves, Hello Baby New Year

Partiers, if you want to whoop it up with live entertainment, champagne toasts and kisses at midnight, we have options. Those of you who envision a peaceful fine dining experience, Atlanta restaurants can fulfill your wish. And, if you are working New Year's Eve or want to celebrate after you do that resolution run or polar bear jump, you, too, are covered. Happy New Year!

After achieving Elvis' "Blue Christmas" music overload, it's time to move on to a totally different tune in Aqua blue's Blue Year's Eve. The Roswell restaurant is planning a prix-fixe, three-course menu plus an à la carte menu available at three seatings -- 5:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. $49 per person; $69 with chef's wine pairing. Stay on for the DJ and party favors, and raise a champagne toast at midnight. For reservations, call 770-643-8886.

The tables are set for an elegant four-course dinner at Aria, one of Buckhead's finest restaurants. Executive Chef/Owner Gerry Klaskala has a first course in mind then lets you choose from several options for the remaining courses. At $85 per person, tax and gratuity not included, seats will go quickly. Reservations are strongly suggested; call 404-233-7673.

Holiday merry making continues on New Year's Eve at Atkins Park - Smyrna with a champagne toast at midnight and music from The Good People. Starting at 5 p.m., guests can sit down to a chef-prepared, four-course meal for $48.50 per person, tax and gratuity not included. Reservations: 770-435-1887.

Across town at Atkins Park - Virginia Highland, guests can sip Absolut Vodka drink specials while listening to music from Rare Form DJs. Complimentary champagne toast at midnight. Special menus will be available at 5 p.m. on New Year's Eve and at 11 a.m. on New Year's Day. Reservations: 404-876-7249.

No need to break any New Year's diet resolutions when guests indulge in the rich pre-resolution menu Briza is offering on New Year's Eve. On the last night of 2011, pamper your palate with dishes such as vanilla butter-poached lobster and Kurobuta pork belly "carbonara" and leave no morsel behind! $75 per person. Reservations: 678-412-2402.

Marietta favorite, Chicken and the Egg, is celebrating New Year's Eve with a three-course menu. After a lagniappe of Georgia shrimp and grit cake, choose tempting items like crispy pork belly, lobster and praline bread pudding to complete your meal. The cost is $35 per person, and sparkling wine will be available to purchase by the glass or bottle. For reservations, call 678-388-8813.

Usher in 2012 with three courses of southern Italian dishes on the prix-fixe menu at Double Zero Napoletana in Sandy Springs. Dinner will be served from 5 - 8 p.m. and costs $55 per person. Each guest receives a gift bag containing a split of Prosecco, champagne flutes and a special gift from the Castellucci Hospitality Group. Reservations: 404-991-3666.

Talk about being pumped up for 2012! Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in Dunwoody is giving guests three opportunities to celebrate New Year's Nights at Fleming's: Thursday, December 29 from 5 - 10 p.m., Friday, December 30 from 5 - 11 p.m. and Saturday, December 31 from 4 - 11 p.m. Moët and Chandon Impérial champagne will be served from magnum bottles all night, each night. A special New Year's celebration menu with three exceptional steak and seafood entrées, each priced at $69.95, will be available in addition to the regular menu. Reservations: 770-698-8112.

For an early taste of 2012, enjoy a "taste" and three courses of Chef Ford Fry's Southern favorites at JCT. Kitchen & Bar. The $65 four-course menu includes samples of hickory-roasted Berkshire pork tenderloin and "chicken stand" fried Georgia quail. Dinner will be served from 5 - 11 p.m. Reservations: 404-355-2252.

In Decatur, the New Year's Eve menu at No. 246 offers a great example of how to step out beyond the expected in 2012. Try something unexpected such as squid ink spaghetti with Dungeness crab and braised Brasstown beef cheeks -- two of the items on their special $55 per person New Year's Eve menu. Dinner is from 5 - 11 p.m. Reservations: 678-399-8246.

Rockin' RA Sushi looks out for those who work on New Year's Eve by throwing a New Year's Eve Remix party -- on New Year's Day! From 8 p.m. to close on Sunday, January 1, guests at the Midtown restaurant and bar can nosh on Sunday Night's Flying Fish Lounge specials with select sushi, appetizers and tapas priced from $2-$7 and drink specials starting at $3. For more information or to RSVP, visit Facebook.

Pick your party at Ray's Restaurants. Ray's at Killer Creek in Alpharetta is offering a special appetizer menu and three different prix-fixe menus from 5 - 8 p.m. on New Year's Eve. Reservations: 770-649-0064. Downtown, city dwellers can head to Ray's in the City's to celebrate over one of three prix-fixe menus. Reservations: call 404-524-9224. Ray's on the River is hosting a classic night of dinner and dancing at the restaurant's riverside pavilion. Ring in the new year enjoying the special menu, five-piece band, champagne toast, party favors and a balloon drop. Festivities start at 8 p.m. with dinner service at 8:45 p.m. Tickets are $95 per person, or purchase a table for 10 guests for $850. Tax and gratuity are not included in pricing. More information and reservations: 770-955-1187.

Toast first! At Spice Market in the W Atlanta-Midtown, the bar and lounge bubbles with specials on champagne from 4 - 9 p.m. on New Year's Eve. The restaurant itself will serve a New Year's Eve five-course menu for $68 per person, not including tax and gratuity. Reservations: 404-724-2550.

Everyone knows that the pre-party is just as important as the main event on New Year's Eve. That's why Truffles Grill in Buckhead is getting the night off to a tasty start from 6 - 9 p.m. with complimentary heavy hors d'oeuvres. Need a drink to practice your midnight toast? Try one of the restaurant's $5 Absolut specialty martinis. Reservations: 404-364-9050.

Carnivores, vegetarians and pescatarians will all find dinners to please among Woodfire Grill's three special five-course menus on New Year's Eve. The regular and pescatarian menus are priced at $115 per person, and the vegetarian menu is priced at $105. Wine pairings also are available for $6 per course for a half glass or $12 for a full glass. Reservations are required: 404-347-9055.

Of course, we didn't forget about Christmas. Read here for all the fun festivities going on this weekend!

Travel Back in Time to 1985 at Atkins Park Tavern

We remember it like it was yesterday: staring at the presents under the tree and hoping for the original Nintendo game system that would soon have us addicted to Super Mario Bros, Duck Hunt and Mike Tyson's Punch-Out. Are you experiencing Nintendo nostalgia yet? The folks at Atkins Park Tavern in Smyrna are and they've created a new Tuesday game night to feed the need for classic Nintendo. Starting today, the restaurant is bringing back old Nintendo favorites like Dig Dug, Football, Mario Kart and Punch-Out every Tuesday night through January 31. Guests can get their old school game on, and house cash prizes will be given out each week to the winners. An even bigger prize - a VIP tour of the Red Hare Brewery for the Nintendo master and ten guests and a $150 gift card - will be given to the overall winner at the end of the seven-week game night series. Now go do some thumb exercises.

Get Into the Holiday Spirit with Double Zero's Whiskey Tasting on December 21

Who needs hot chocolate?  Double Zero Napoletana has something even better to help you warm up on these cold winter nights!  On Wednesday, December 21^st at 7:00 p.m. you’re invited to sample an impressive lineup of hand-selected scotches and rums, including Brugal 1888, Macallan 12 year, Macallan 17 year Fine Oak and the exclusive Highland Park 25 Year.  In addition, guests can enter a drawing for a unique Famous Grouse grill!  Cost is $39 per person for the entire evening of whiskeys and light antipasti. Call (404) 991-3666 to make your reservations for this exciting event!

This event can also be found on Facebook.