Chef Ford Fry Names New Restaurant St. Cecilia

Music-loving Ford Fry has serious guitar skills and plays with local chef band Five Bone Rack, so it’s fitting that he’s named his new seafood-heavy Mediterranean restaurant after St. Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians. Opening this fall in Buckhead’s former Bluepointe Space, Ford describes St. Cecilia as a combination of No. 246 and The Optimist, his popular Italian restaurant in Decatur and his acclaimed West Midtown sustainable seafood restaurant. St. Cecilia's menu will feature locally sourced ingredients and grilled seafood cooked in a wood-burning oven. The restaurant will also have a dramatic “crudo” bar. This is music to our ears!

"My Big Fat Greek Wedding" Comes to Milton's Fork & Screen on the Green Series on July 17

Food, laughter and the great outdoors are three of our favorite things in life, and Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails is bringing them all together on Wednesday, July 17th with a sunset screening of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" for their Fork & Screen on the Green series. The hit PG-13 movie became the highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time and spurred oft-repeated lines such as Maria Portokalos' Bundt cake revelation of "There's a hole in this cake!" Pack up your comfy lawn chairs or blankets and leave the rest to Milton's: a boxed chef dinner for $25 per person and a cash bar with Vixen Vodka cocktails and FIJI Water sure beat the overpriced concessions and stale popcorn at the local theater. (Sorry, no outside food or drinks permitted.) Movie begins at dusk; no advance reservations needed. Planning for a group of eight or more? Contact Heather Testerman at 678-431-8753. Follow Milton's on Twitter and Facebook for updates. Call 770-817-0161 for more information.

Pinterest: Party in Your Garden

Check out our Pinterest board for fun DIY home projects and refreshing summer dishes. Turn a simple mason jar into a hanging decoration, a citronella oil bug repellent or a pretty drink holder. Learn how to turn apothecary bottles into an elegant centerpiece and how to make an exquisite flower pot for the home with a bucket and pebbles. Show your guests the true meaning of summer hospitality with inspirational ideas for outdoor gatherings and crowd-pleasing recipes. Use ripe avocados to whip up a creamy dip, to top a summer pizza or with some crispy egg rolls. Add flavor to your greens by tossing them in a zesty southwest style salad or wrap them up in a tortilla for veggies in a blanket. Summer evenings are perfect for enjoying a Raspberry Beer Cocktail or champagne with raspberries. Our Party in Your Garden board will give you plenty to do this summer with cooking, entertaining and home decorating. 

The Mill Kitchen & Bar joins Rockin' Roswell for a Terrapin Beer and BBQ Dinner

The The Mill Kitchen & Bar is joining the third annual Rockin' Roswell for a CURE and is hosting a "Light the Night" Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) fundraiser on Thursday, June 11. Terrapin beer, Vixen Vodka cocktails and a "Picnic BBQ" dinner made by the Mill's executive chef Benjamin Castro is sure to keep the night bright while raising money for blood cancer research. There will be plenty of variety to keep things exciting with four terrapin beers and a three-course meal. Twenty percent of all sales and 100 percent of all Vixen Vodka sales will benefit LLS, so party on while giving to charity. Clear Channel Broadcasting will be on the patio to keep the night rockin'!

Appetizing Aperture: Bhojanic's Eggplant Dip

A season of sunshine and rain means an abundance of fresh veggies popping up in Southern gardens. Bhojanic, one of Atlanta's authentic Indian restaurants, isn't letting any ripened eggplant go to waste. The purple beauties are hitting the grill for a savory dip that can either be made at home or enjoyed at one of Bhojanic's locations in Decatur and Buckhead's Shops Around Lenox. 

Roasted Eggplant Dip with Naan Toasts

2 fancy eggplants

2.5 pounds plain nonfat yogurt

1 ounce salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds

20 curry leaves

5 whole dry red chilies

1 cup milk

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 ounce oil

2 green chilis, chopped

1 pinch asafetida

Cilantro to garnish

Grill the eggplants, whole, until each is soft and falls flat. Clean and mash the eggplants into a paste. Beat the yogurt and milk together until smooth. Combine the eggplant and the yogurt mixture. Add the diced bell pepper, sugar and salt and mix well. Heat the oil and add the asafetida, mustard seeds, curry leaves and the red and green chills. Combine the hot topping and the eggplant mixture. Garnish with cilantro. Toast store-bought naan with butter and serve with the dip.

OPA! View "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" at Milton's Fork & Screen on the Green Plus More in this Week's Dish

There’s nothing that can slow Atlanta down, especially a little rain, and the city’s top restaurants and bars are continuing with the outdoor fun. Milton’s is going Greek in the grass and is inviting movie addicts and food lovers alike to join in on their Fork & Screen on the Green on Wednesday, July 17. Eat up a boxed chef dinner and sip Vixen Vodka cocktails while “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” plays on Milton’s outdoor big screen. Find out what else Atlanta has ready for city-goers in this week’s Dish!

Chick-a-Biddy Opening this Week in Atlanta Station

 

What fun for Atlantic Station-goers looking for farm-fresh chicken served up in an energetic modern diner! Shaun Doty and Lance Gummere, co-owners of Bantam + Biddy in Ansley Mall, open Chick-a-Biddy on Thursday, July 11 in the space that formerly housed The Grape. The healthy menu is full of chicken dishes, simple sides and cocktails to cackle about. And this just scratches the surface. Read more about it on our Chick-a-Biddy Atlanta Dish blog post.