Appetizing Aperture: Chris Watkins Rolls Sensational Sushi

You still have time to taste the scrumptious sushi created by eat.drink.repeat. blogger Chris Watkins, who won RA Sushi Bar Restaurant's Foodies Show Heart contest with his "This is the Way we Roll." Clever, huh? Guess what, it's just as delicious. The colorful dish is prepared with red beet tempura bits and drizzled with sweet eel sauce and green wasabi mayo. Through November 30, $4 from the sale of the $8 dish will go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Watkins' charity of choice. So, what're you waiting for? Roll on to Midtown!

Small Business Saturday Pairs Great Eats with Local Company on November 30

The annual post-Thanksgiving shopping traditions are within our grasp. As the city gears up for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, local shops and restaurants are celebrating their originality with Small Business Saturday on November 30. Instead of spending all of your savings at the mall and chain restaurants, support the local men and women of Atlanta and their unique products and fare offered. American Express has a special "Shop Small" promotion for those who register their cards and use them at select businesses on Saturday. It's a way to say, "thank you," to your neighbors and friends who work relentlessly to keep the city new and interesting.  Plenty of our favorite restaurants are dishing out delightful choices to indulge in. Vinings residents can explore Southern warmth and fare at Old Vinings Inn for brunch or dinner on Saturday, while Midtown crowds enjoy Communitas Hospitality restaurants HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern and 10th & Piedmont for lunch, brunch or dinner. Late night drinks and noshes are also a must for these fun hangouts. Ray's Restaurants has the city covered by serving mouthwatering cravings in Alpharetta (Ray's on the Creek), on the top-end (Ray's on the River) or Downtown (Ray's in the City). Need something different for the palate? Tin Lizzy's Cantina locations provide fun FlexMex options with tantalizing margaritas and brews. End your small-town tour with sweets and treats at Sweet Dee's Bakeshop in Tucker, where cupcakes, ice cream, baked goods and more please the sweet tooth in us all. If you'd rather start the morning on the sweet side, they'll be open early at 8 a.m. and serving the night owls until 9 p.m. Small-town life isn't that bad, especially when you're in great company.

Marlow's Stays Impartial on UGA-GT Rivalry

Here at MLA we have a couple of Auburn folks, a Florida girl, a Tennessee fan and several UGA boosters (Go Dawgs!) but nary a Georgia Tech alum. (We do call one when we need IT help though!) This Saturday, Nov. 30 is, of course, the big rivalry game between the Georgia teams and Marlow's Tavern in Midtown is throwing down an epic tailgate party starting at noon. Jackets and Dawgs alike can enjoy an outside mobile bar, four big-screen HDTVs, grill-fired foods, drink promos, giveaways and beer truck touchdowns by Athens' Terrapin Beer and Atlanta's SweetWater Brewery. The party continues with a DJ and tunes after the clock runs out. Score!

Fifth Group Restaurants Celebrates the Holidays with 20 Percent Added to $100 Gift Cards

What's better than a gift card or personalized e-gift card to use at one of your favorite Fifth Group Restaurants? Getting 20 percent more to indulge with. During its holiday gift card promotion, Fifth Group Restaurants is adding 20 percent to the value of each purchase of a gift card of $100 or more. That's an extra appetizer, a couple cocktails or desserts for the table. Savvy shoppers, that's $120 of dining for $100, $150 for $125, $240 for $200, etc. Are you dreaming of your ideal dish to dive into? Choose from Alma Cocina, Ecco, Lure, La Tavola Trattoria, The Original El Taco, South City Kitchen Midtown and South City Kitchen Vinings. Between carving the turkey and holiday shopping, we know you're busy this season. If you can't use up the card before 2013, have no fear, Fifth Group Restaurants will still be here in 2014. Your cards don't expire or lose value, so plan that special night out during the new year! E-gift cards are available in denominations of $25 to $250 and can be personalized with your own design and message. Send them out immediately or choose a future email date. Classic gift cards come in any denomination. While you're out spreading holiday cheer to others, reward yourself for being on the nice list this year and purchase a few for yourself. You have to eat too, you know. 

OpenTable Names Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails as Top 100 American Fare Restaurants

The Atlanta area is known for some of the best restaurants in the country. It's no surprise, then, that when the world's leading provider of online restaurant reservations -- OpenTable -- recently announced its 2013 Diners' Choice Award winners for the Top 100 American Fare Restaurants in the United States, Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails represented Georgia proudly. What's even sweeter? The historic Crabapple eatery was one of only two restaurants in the state to make this year's list. Milton's popular seed-to-fork trend has won over plenty of guests and placed the restaurant on the Top 50 and Top 100 for three years in a row now. To further elaborate on what a big deal this is, OpenTable culled the list from more than five million restaurant reviews between November 1, 2012 and October 31, 2013. Yes, you read that correctly. Five million reviews. It seems Milton's is doing something right. Cheers to all!

Reel In Free Appetizer with Wine Bottle Purchase During The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill's Ketch a Cork Tuesdays

Get together with your favorite fishing buddies and reel in a culinary catch worth bragging about. During Ketch a Cork Tuesdays, buy a bottle of wine and get a free appetizer (excluding oysters) at The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill in Buckhead. The restaurant offers a treasure trove of tempting appetizer options that pair well with whichever bottle of red, white or rose wine you choose, all day long. Appetizers include calamari fries with smoked tomato dipping sauce, lump crab cake, basil Blue Moon mussels, sweet and spicy shrimp with mango sweet chili sauce, crispy fish bites and more. Share an appetizer, share a bottle and share your greatest fishing tale with friends on Tuesdays at The Big Ketch.

Fill Big Appetites on Small Business Saturday, November 30 Plus More in this Week's Dish

                          

Turkey week is upon us with lots of exciting news, events and eats to gobble up. Are you still unsure if bird is the word in your house on Thursday? Check out the “Terrific Turkeys” Pinterest board for great ideas to mix up traditional, seasonal fare.  For those of you heading out for a Black Friday shopping spree, fight the urge and participate in Small Business Saturday on November 30 to help the local economy. If shopping isn’t your thing, maybe football is? Marlow’s Tavern in Midtown will be hosting an epic tailgate for the state’s biggest rivalry game between UGA and Georgia Tech. See, we told you this week was stuffed! For more things to do around town, check out this week’s Dish. 

10th & Piedmont and HOBNOB Light Up the Holidays with Atlanta Botanical Gardens

Photo from http://atlantabotanicalgarden.org The city starts to dazzle as the sun goes down, and a million energy-efficient LED lights turn on the throughout the Atlanta Botanical Garden in what has become the South's brightest holiday tradition, Garden Lights Holiday Nights. The event runs nightly from 5-10 p.m. through January 4. Midtown neighbors HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern and 10th & Piedmont offer up some suggestions for a spectacular evening: pick your night, buy tickets online, bundle up and wear your walking shoes. Guests can redeem their 2013 season Garden Lights tickets for 50 percent off their tab at either restaurant through January 4 (up to $15 off; one ticket or promotional offer per table). For those who want to keep their glow on, 10th & Piedmont offers a late-night bar menu Tuesday-Saturday until 2 a.m., and HOBNOB offers late-night food until 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Lunch, dinner and weekend brunch are all options as the offer is good any day through January 4, not just on the day of your Garden Lights visit. Both restaurants offer free parking or complimentary valet parking to guests.

Turkey Day Alternatives Gobble Up Pinterest

Between work potlucks and "friends-giving" celebrations, you might be short on time to prepare your own Thanksgiving feast for Thursday. Have no fear, though, MLA is here! We're serving up delicious alternatives for traditional turkey day on our Terrific Turkeys Pinterest board that are both easy and delicious. No need to fry the whole bird; try turkey enchiladas, hash and more. Plus, the bird makes the best leftover meals for days of satisfaction. It's a win-win situation, so gobble it up! 

MLA Team Shares Thankful Thoughts for the Season

It's Thanksgiving week, and here at Melissa Libby & Associates we are sharing what we're feeling grateful for. Food themed, of course. Would you expect anything less? Have some culinary favorites that you're feeling all warm and fuzzy inside about? We'd love to hear 'em! 

Melissa: People who love to cook: my mom, several MLA team members, many dear friends and of course the wonderful chefs in Atlanta. Because of them, I can eat well without knowing how to boil water!

Mandy: My Baby Bullet mini-food processor and Fresh Baby ice cube trays! Making my little guy's food from scratch has been fun, easy and most importantly, very healthy with these two time-savers.

Chelsea: My grandmother for teaching me to make deviled eggs and fueling my unnatural obsession with them, butterbean hummus’ ability to always be delicious, Aria’s scallops and risotto, the luxury of living in a city where fabulous food isn’t hard to come by and Shock Top on draft served with an orange slice.

Gretchen: Access to a wide variety of wholesome foods and the wonderful adventures of gardening and cooking with my family.

Amy: My crockpot, which allows me to cook easy, yummy meals in between my hectic schedule.

Emily: Family recipes. Making a dish that has been passed down generations just tastes better! I can’t wait to be home to enjoy family favorites like squash casserole and apple pie with my loved ones.

Suong: That my mom is such an amazing cook who can pretty much cook anything. I love that our Thanksgiving spread will have eggrolls right next to the mashed potatoes and that we’ll start with wonton soup before carving up the turkey.

Brandon: My brother, for sharing his passion for cooking and eating with me. Without him, I would never have learned to be so handy in a kitchen or so dangerous at an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Brooks: For being a Southerner - we love and appreciate a good casserole!

Tuan: For the great chefs and bartenders in Atlanta who give me a reason to eat and drink with friends more often!

Nicole: Restaurants like Marlow's Tavern and Noche that bring a little bit of fun, "intown" dining out to the 'burbs. 

Linda:  For Atlanta restaurants, because my family isn’t cooking this Thanksgiving!

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday spent with great food and even better company!