Ray's in the City Gets a Fresh New Look

Downtown Atlanta is getting ready to undergo $577 million in public and private investment. Ray's in the City has already gotten a face-lift and the newly renovated exterior calls out a visual "come on in." They haven't forgotten the interior! Brightly hued and tightly rolled sushi rolls, are bite-sized powerhouses of protein - ideal for a stay-alert lunch or after-hours pick-me-up, especially when accompanied by an icy libation. 

Post by Ray's in the City.

It's Fall Y'all...Finally!

Say farewell to summer and suntans. You know It's Fall Y'all when the scent of cinnamon brooms greets you just inside the grocery store and team flags cheer you on from front doors. Freshly baked apple pie invites you for an after dinner treat and hot chocolate keeps you warm on a cool November night. Autumnal dishes are falling like leaves on our Pinterest board, from sweet homemade pecan pumpkin butter and slow cooker apple dapple pudding to chowders, sliders and buffet spread ideas. Start raking them in!

#foodgram of the week: @ArianneBar

Every week we focus on an Instagrammer who we love to follow. If you like whiskey, cocktails, parties and pups then we're sure you'll agree with this week's pick: Arianne Fielder (@ariannebar). She's head mixologist at Article 14 and leads that fun-filled life you dream about. Not only is the proof in the cocktails, it's evident in her snapshots!

Bring Your Appetite for Vinings Restaurant Week, October 5-13

Treat your palate to more delicious eats. Our fall food tour of metro-Atlanta restaurant weeks continues as we look forward to the Second Annual Vinings Restaurant Week, October 5-13. Two Southern-flavored destinations on our list are the historically charming Old Vinings Inn on Paces Mill Road in the heart of Vinings and the "Smynings" sophistication of South City Kitchen Vinings off Cumberland Parkway. Look for more details on their prix fixe menus from $15, $25 and $30. Bring friends, family and most importantly, your appetite.   

Join Seven Lamps & Kristine Lassor for a Special Wine Dinner on Sept. 24

Join Seven Lamps executive chef Drew Van Leuvan and Kristine Lassor, Republic National Distributing Company level three national sommelier, on Tuesday, September 24 at 7 p.m. for a special five-course dinner with wine pairings. Enjoy dishes from Van Leuvan such as, smoked Bramlett Farms trout mousse and wood-roasted duck breast with read wine risotto and Black Misson figs. Expect Lassor to relay experiences from her recent trip to Italy as dinners enjoy glasses of Gianni Gagliardo Fallegro Favorita and Travaglini Gattinara Nebbiolo, to name a couple. $75 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Limited seating. Reservations required; call 404-467-8950.

Five Courses Plus Five French Wines at The Mill Kitchen & Bar on September 25

Take a tour of France without ever leaving Roswell with the five-course menu with wine pairings at The Mill Kitchen & Bar on Wednesday, September 25. Chef Ben Castro is teaming up with professional wine writer and certified sommelier Joe Herrig and manager and certified sommelier Ryan Bayliss to organize this special event featuring wines from all of the major French wine regions. $60 a person or $100 per couple. Call 770-817-9345 to make reservations.

Last BBQ & Blues Sunday of the Season Hits Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails on September 22

BBQ and blues are natural partners; both are full of soul and flavor, and both take time and experience to master. Luckily for us, Chef Derek Dollar of Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails understands what it takes to make some of the best BBQ in town, and he's sharing his passion with us all at the last BBQ & Blues Sunday shindig of 2013. The party kicks off in historic Crabapple on September 22. Speak up now and they'll hold plates ($18-$21) for you and your friends. Miss out on this one, and you'll be left singing the blues all winter long.

JCT. Kitchen & Bar Brings Farm, Field, Sea Fare and Wine to the Table September 23

    
Start your work week off with celebration just because you can. Farm, field, sea fare and wine are in the works at JCT. Kitchen & Bar on Monday, September 23 at 6 p.m. Who doesn't love delectable eats paired with divine drinks? Chef E. J. Hodgkinson reigns all these good Southern things into an extravaganza of five courses paired with wines from Germany, France and Oregon. Need we say more? The menu features olive oil-poached tomatoes, Bavarian sweet corn, shaved celery, radish and Chioggia beets served with 2003 Schloss Schӧnborn Pfaffenberg Riesling Kabinett, Rheingau; poached royal red shrimp paired with 2012 Rousseau Frères Touraine Noble Joué Rose, Loire Valley; grilled mackerel with compressed watermelon, Castelvetrano olives, arugula purée and sweet lemon wine accompanied by NV Ulysse Collin Champagne; squab with charred okra, chanterelles, brown butter, apple cider emulsion, squab and foie gras sausage and grit tuile paired with 2010 Aberrant Cellars Confero Pinot Noir; and an end note of preserved summer berries, lavender semifreddo and ginger snaps paired with Pitaud Pineau des Charentes. How many days until Monday? Menu and wines are subject to change. $95 per person, including tax and gratuity. Communal table has room for 24 guests; reserve your seat by calling 404-355-2252. 

Tap the Keg During Oktoberfest at Der Biergarten Plus More in this Week's Dish

Rake in the season with homemade sweet pecan-pumpkin butter, cinnamon scents and college football allegiances proudly displayed swaying in the autumn breeze. Our Pinterest board is filled with scrumptious dishes just waiting to be created. If you’d rather “leaf” it to the pro’s though, take a fall food tour at Vinings Restaurant Week, October 5-13. Sample the season’s upcoming happenings and more in this week’s Dish!

Celebrate Oktoberfest at Der Biergarten Beginning September 21

Sip a stein starting Saturday, September 21 to celebrate Oktoberfest at Der Biergarten. Join the authentic German eatery on Marietta Street in downtown Atlanta as they officially kickoff the brew-ha-ha with the tapping of the keg, pilsners on the patio, giant pretzels and live music. The autumnal party continues every weekend through October 5. Along with pilsners come perks: “Munich on Marietta Street” guests enjoy three hours of validated parking at the Hilton Garden Inn garage across the street. 

Fifth Group Restaurants: Atlanta Hospitality Hall of Fame Member of the Year Finalist

Fried green tomatoes with goat cheese and red pepper coulis at South City Kitchen Midtown has spoken to Southern heritage and big city sophistication since the restaurant first welcomed guests in 1993. Just visualizing it can make your mouth water. In 1996, Bold American Events opened on the other side of downtown Atlanta in a 100-year-old renovated Westside factory…before trendy became a Westside adjective. Over the years, Fifth Group Restaurants has added more in-town dining destinations: La Tavola Trattoria, Ecco, South City Kitchen Vinings, The Original El Taco, Alma Cocina and Lure. The different cuisines offer something appealing to every type of Atlantan. With such draw, no wonder that the restaurant group is an Atlanta Hospitality Hall of Fame Member of the Year finalist. The 15^th annual Hospitality Hall of Fame celebration will take place on November 12 at The Foundry at Puritan Mill. In addition to honoring Atlanta’s hospitality industry greats, this year’s event will mark the year end celebration of the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau’s (ACVB) 100^th anniversary! Join in a night of celebration and remembrance. The ACVB, Atlanta Business Chronicle and the Georgia World Congress Center trio back this prestigious event. Fill a table with 10 guests for $1,250 or purchase individual tickets for $125 each by emailing Ellie Westman Chin at ewestmanchin@atlanta.net.