Memorial Day Openings and Closings

Gearing up for a nice "staycation" this upcoming Memorial Day weekend, but don't feel like spending time in the kitchen on your day off? Here's a list of restaurants that will be open and ready to take care of the cooking on Monday.

• Alon's Bakery & Market (Open from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.) 
• Alpine Bakery and Trattoria 
• Atkins Park Tavern (Smyrna & Virginia Highland) 
• Double Zero Napoletana 
• Ecco 
• The Original El Taco 
• Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar 
• La Tavola Trattoria 
• Marlow's Tavern (All locations) 
• Ormsby's (Opens at 5 p.m.) 
• RA Sushi 
• Ray's Restaurants (Open from 12:00 p.m. - 9 p.m.) 
• Ray's in the City and Ray's at Killer Creek will have "Buy One, Get One" entrees during dinner. 
• Ray's on the River will feature half price wine during dinner.
• Spice Market
• Uncle Julio's (Buckhead & Sandy Springs)

Restaurants that will be closed Monday: 

• Alma Cocina 
• Aqua Blue Restaurant & Bar 
• Aria 
• Chicken and the Egg 
• JCT Kitchen & Bar 
• Kaleidoscope Bistro and Pub 
• Market Street Cafe 
• No. 246 
• South City Kitchen (Midtown & Vinings) 
• The Optimist & Oyster Bar at The Optimist 
• Woodfire Grill

Whatever your plans may be, have a safe and relaxing holiday!

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

Food and writing has everything to do with Lucky Peach, the quarterly journal created by David Chang, chef/owner of Momofuko, writer Peter Meehan, and Zero Point Zero Production, the producers of "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations."  Follow them on Twitter (@LuckyPeach). To subscribe or to submit your own recipes, dirty jokes and tall tales, visit the website.

RA Sushi Hosts 8th Annual Nicky’s Week for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

In 2005, at the young age of 13, Nicholas “Nicky” Malliard lost his long battle with brain cancer. A nephew of one of RA Sushi’s founders, for the past eight years during Memorial Day weekend RA Sushi has celebrated and honored Nicky’s memory.  This year the 8^th Annual Nicky’s Week stretches from Sunday May 27 to Saturday June 2.  In honor of the treatment Nicky received at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital during his battle with brain cancer, 100% of the proceeds from a variety of menu and drink items will benefit St. Jude’s. This year’s special selections include edamame, Tootsy Maki, shrimp nigiri, pork gyoza, chicken yakitori, garlic citrus yellowtail tapas and a variety of beverages. Since RA first established Nicky’s Week fundraiser in 2005, it has raised more than $943,000 for St. Jude’s, all to ensure that no child is turned away from treatment due to the inability to pay. Come out to RA Sushi this Memorial Day weekend and you can help surpass the $1 million in donations!

MLA on the Town - Streaming Live At Ray's On The River Concerts

Erica and Melissa pulled some strings to get some down time last Saturday so they could relax at the Ken Ford Symphony "Strings on the River" lawn concert at Ray's on the River. The gals, and the other music lovers there, were thrilled to know ticket sales will pay the way for more music opportunities for Georgia youth through The Ken Ford Foundation. 


Perhaps you know some jazzy dads who would love an early Father's Day gift of tickets to the June 9 concert featuring jazz and blues by Jon Liebman, Scott Glazer, Joe Alterman and Darren Stanley and benefitting the Fragile Kids Foundation. 


The July 21 concert has top brass appeal -- renowned trumpeter Joey Sommerville will perform to support clean water efforts led by the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (UCR). Tickets for the 2 p.m. concerts are $35 each and can be purchased online.  

Caruso Minini Sicilian Wine Dinner Is Set To Impress at Double Zero Napoletana

Are you a wine connoisseur or just a novice looking to learn more about wine? Double Zero is hosting a Caruso Minini Sicilian Wine Dinner this Thursday, May 24^th. The dinner is $59 per person and includes a four course meal with four Caruso Minini Wine pairings. Patricia Mejia from the Caruso & Minini estate will be featuring two white grape varietals, Inzolia and Grillo, as well as Nero D’Avola and their prized red wine, Perricone.

The winery is located in the center of Marsala. The owners, Mario Minini and Stefano Caruso, built the winery together. Together, Caruso & Minini set out to achieve their common objective: produce wines that can charm and surprise the palate for their originality, character and elegance.

A few of the items featured on the menu are Insalata de mare of fresh scallops, calamari and seasonal seafood with red and yellow pepper aioli and crispy parsnip flakes paired with Caruso & Manini Inzolia ’09. The main course will be a Grilled beef hanger steak, gorgonzola-panzanella and salsa Toscano paired with Caruso & Minini Perricone ’07. For dessert you can enjoy Strawberry Napoleon puff pastry, fresh strawberries, lemon crème and strawberry basil compote. Is your mouth watering yet?

For a full menu and more information you can visit: www.facebook.com/events/404107149629873/

We Be Jammin', Mon! Aqua blue Hosts Caribbean Themed Patio Party This Saturday

If your dreaming of escaping to the Caribbean, Aqua blue might be your closest bet. The Roswell restaurant is opening its patio for the season and hosting a Patio Kick-Off Party with a Caribbean theme this Saturday, May 26. The festivities start at 4 p.m. and include a limbo contest, live reggae music from Isaac Epps from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., drink specials and a $10 patio buffet. Slather on some coconut-scented sunscreen and grab your flip flops, so you'll feel a little closer to the tropics. For more details, visit the Facebook event page.

Make your Vidalias say “Cheese!” for a Facebook Photo Contest

Make mouths water and win Vidalia-sweet prizes when you submit a photo of a dish you’ve prepared using Vidalia onions to the Vidalia Onion Facebook Photo Contest page. Not only will the public get to see your Vidalia creation, but you could also be one of the 20 contestants to walk away with an autographed CD from Universal artists Vince Gill, Lee Ann Womack, Josh Turner and Easton Corbin. CD winners will automatically be entered to win the grand prize Vidalia Sweet Onions on the Set: Country Music Video Trip. Submit photos through 11 p.m. on Thursday, July 5, and make sure not to include the onion packaging in your photo. One entry per person.

Dine out for St. Jude at RA Sushi's Nicky's Week fundraiser - and more - in this week's Dish

As always, The Dish has your full serving of culinary news for this week here in Atlanta. If you're not receiving the Dish every Tuesday morning in your inbox, you can sign up either here on our blog or on our Facebook page.

Aria Transports Guests to South Africa At Their Neil Ellis Wine Dinner

On Wednesday, May 23, Aria invites guests to discover and tastes Neil Ellis Wines from the South African districts of Stellenbosch and Elgin paired with Gerry Klaskala’s five-course menu. Just like Aria, Neil Ellis Wines are known for their high quality standards and dedication that leads to their luscious wines. Believe it or not, it’s been four decades since Neil Ellis entered the South African wine world. Now Ellis, his son Warren and a team of growers and winemakers work with four distinctly different kinds of terroir to produce wines that have earned accolades and are in great demand. The five-course dinner is preceded by a reception at 7 p.m. featuring a Groenkloof, Sauvignon Blanc 2010. Dinner begins with Georgia white shrimp and Georgia peach and Vidalia onion salad with white balsamic vinaigrette paired with Elgin, Chardonnay 2009. Patrons continue their journey with pan-roasted Carolina quail, foie gras and brioche with Stellenbosch, Pinotage 2008; garganelli with ragu of wild boar and mushrooms with Reggiano Parmigiano paired with Elgin, Shiraz 2008; and porcini-crusted loin of spring lamb with creamy leeks and fava beans paired with Stellenbosch, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008. Blueberry crème fraîche cake with lemon custard buttermilk ice cream perfectly ends the evening on a light, fruity note. The cost is $100 per person; tax and gratuity are included. For reservations, please call 404-233-7673.