View Pastry Inspiration as the Louvre gallery of the most beautiful, and edible, pastry art from around the world. Browsing inspires thinking outside the box (of brownie mix) and studying the online pastry school of videos and recipes at pastryinspirationschool.com.
Alabama boy Marc Taft grew up loving the Atlanta Braves on TV and grandma’s juicy fried chicken. Braves fans, drumstick drumroll, please. Taft, chef and restaurateur behind Marietta’s popular Chicken and the Egg, is bringing his signature dish, some Southern sides and a full bar to The Battery Atlanta, the new live-work-play development adjacent to SunTrust Park. FEED – Fried Chicken & Such will debut in March 2017, a month before the Braves’ first pitch in their new park. Buckets of chicken, fried chicken tenders and Nashville hot chicken are on the roster, along with other made-from-scratch Southern favorites like North Carolina catfish, Texas-style country fried steak, meatloaf, braised greens, macaroni and cheese, green beans and fried green tomatoes. Grilled chicken and salads drive home lighter options. Soft serve ice cream, milk shakes, pies and fresh-baked treats are out of the ballpark as desserts. FEED will offer fast counter service on game days as well as a more relaxed dining area for lunch and dinner the rest of the year. Bar beverages can be taken outside restaurant walls thanks to The Battery Atlanta’s open-container policy. FEED, at 900 Battery Avenue, SE, is sure to become a favorite roost on game days and any other day Southern food cravings call.
Storico Fresco Alimentari e Ristorante tortelloni ($19) tucks ricotta, walnut, spinach and mushroom filling under its cute pasta folds. Sit down and savor these tender pillows in the restaurant or buy some in the alimentari (market) to take home. Italian foods are adored and devoured gifts. Storico Fresco owners Mike Patrick and Pietro Gianni recommend picking out items for gift baskets, giving one of the 15 different varieties of olive oil or a bottle of aged balsamic vinegar, gift cards, and of course, fresh pasta and sauces.
Superlative Italian coffee. Super speedy Italian cars. Rev up for both (with no fears of getting a speeding ticket) on Saturday, Dec. 17 when Corso Coffee in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta and The Ferrari Club of Atlanta present “Cappuccinos and Ferraris.” From 10 a.m.-1 p.m., view an exclusive selection of Ferraris on display throughout The Shops Buckhead Atlanta while sipping a delicious Corso cappuccino. Sorry, no test drives, caffeinated or decaffeinated. A guy or gal can wish.
Reading tea leaves? Nope. We’re going straight to those in the know, Atlanta’s trendsetting chefs, for insider predictions on the culinary keen for 2017.
- Red Beard Restaurants chef/owner Kevin Gillespie sees chefs zeroing in on the thing they do exceptionally well, scaling restaurants down in size, serving one thing or offering a very limited menu.
- Executive chef Matthew Ridgway of Gypsy Kitchen agrees, predicting smaller restaurants “focused on a simpler ‘bistronomy’ style of cooking that puts the emphasis on the food and flavor.”
- Doug Turbush (Seed Kitchen & Bar, Stem Wine Bar, Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar), like many in the industry, is keeping an eye on skyrocketing meat prices and sees chefs moo-ving toward alternative cuts and “the creative use of vegetables.”
- Southern Fried Hospitality’s Marc Taft also is looking at alternatives to protein, “maybe mixing mushrooms with beef for burgers” and also predicts “vegetables will take center stage.”
- Dolce Italian chef Paolo Dorigato sees a sprouting love affair with fresh vegetables and less reliance on meat leading toward more seasonal vegetables and fewer proteins to create something good, accessible and reasonably priced.
- The emphasis on locally sourced veggies will tighten bonds between farmers, chefs and diners. Ormsby’s chef Nick Anderson believes “farmers markets are going to blow up, becoming even more popular as farmers come to markets to supply demand.”
- Bellina Alimentari creative director Alice Fabi agrees. “The relationship between the chef and the farmer is becoming crucial, with both parties working creatively and efficiently together. Chefs become storytellers, going to the source of ingredients and interpreting what is in season directly from farm to table.”
- Revival chef Andreas Müller sees restaurants sourcing products from their own farms and smaller local farms growing greens and vegetables for one restaurant only.
- Takeout windows and home delivery are booming as weeknight options for time-starved hungry diners. Gypsy Kitchen’s Ridgway predicts more chefs plow into this growing consumer need “using really good ingredients alongside an increasing mix of ethnic ingredients.”
- As food delivery grows, Southern Fried Hospitality’s Taft says chefs “need to create food that travels well and be able to capture the art of presentation in the foods that are delivered.”
- Jamie Lynch of 5Church thinks chef-inspired meal kits are going to take off. “People can put together some of their favorite chefs’ dishes at home. There are a couple of kits I’d like to grab for myself, just to see how they do it!”
- HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern director of operations Mark Nelson foresees growth in walk-up ordering and delivery as well as a return to more casual restaurant environments and a more technologically wired customer who may order drinks or food through smartphone technology.
- Johnny’s Hideaway owner Chris Dauria also predicts an uptick in mobile device ordering “but not at the Hideaway!”
- Ormsby’s Anderson says “Asian restaurants are going to start doing American takeovers, like Korean barbecue doing Southern barbecue ribs.”
- American Cut executive chef John Adamson is excited about “an emergence of ultra-regionalized ethnic food.”
- On the cocktail front, Marlow’s Tavern’s Rick Blumberg sees more wine and cocktails on tap in our imbibing futures, plus cocktails enhanced with fortified wine. “I think we will continue to see more sherry, Madeira and port cocktails.”
- Ben Yabrow of Himitsu says guests are moving toward more refreshing drinks rather than the boozy and stirred variety. He says, “It’s exciting to see more people putting their faith in the bartender's judgment.”
- Sublime Doughnuts founder Kamal Grant predicts a growing hunger for spicy and savory/sweet combinations, saying “Thanks to the popularity of Sriracha, Americans’ tolerance for heat has increased, and they want more.” Here’s where lasagna cupcakes and doughnuts filled with salad, vegetables or meat enter the scene in traditional sweets made in a savory style.
Holiday time, and the giving is easy. But what about the other 10 or 11 months of the year? You probably know someone who lives life helping others year round. Nominate that someone as a Marlow’s Tavern 2016 Golden Giver, and he or she could win a $100 gift certificate from Marlow’s Tavern. And if your person wins, you’ll be eligible for a $100 gift card, too. Go ahead and toot your nominee’s horn on the entry form. Briefly mention why that person is deserving and upload a picture, too. You also can enter on Twitter or Instagram by tagging your entry with #goldengiver. Contest runs through Dec. 21, 2016.
Indoor spin class can’t compare to cruising 10 miles through in-town Atlanta neighborhoods amid a jingle-belling bicycling herd of Santas, elves and some tacky holiday sweaters. The more the merrier in this Santa Ride annual fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Be at Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland at 5 p.m. and ready to roll out at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15. Party with biker buddies at Atkins Park after the ride. Prize for the best costume. Brake for details on our blog.
Apply to be in the No Kid Hungry Atlanta Society Class of 2017! No Kid Hungry Atlanta Society members work to help raise funds with support and coaching from Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry representatives. It’s not all work though, as the group comes together to enjoy curated culinary events such as cooking classes with top chefs, networking events at popular bars and lunch with community and professional leaders. Prospective members will learn more about the hidden epidemic of hunger in America and how Share Our Strength and No Kid Hungry are working to end hunger. Learn more and apply online by Dec. 15. This year’s class will be celebrated at Atlanta’s 29th Annual Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry in April 2017.
Add bourbon appreciation to your skill set by participating in Wednesday night’s Bourbon Tasting at Midtown’s HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern. Experts will introduce guests to 10-15 bourbons – by nose, taste and flavorful backgrounds. After the 6:30-8 p.m. tasting, you’ll be the best of bourbon buddies. Buy tickets online for the Dec. 14 event, $39 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. Our blog spills the details, including the tip about taster guests saving 10 percent on dinner tabs that night.
Marlow’s Tavern throws open its doors to Brookhaven today, Dec. 13. Inside vibe features the same mix of hospitality, chef-driven American favorites and creative cocktails that have made Marlow’s Atlanta’s favorite neighborhood tavern – along with a spacious outdoor patio, contemporary bar design and comfy dining room. The new location, in the mixed-use community of Brookleigh Marketplace at 3575 Durden Drive, is open for lunch and dinner daily. Stop in for seasonal tavern favorites such as Scallion-Crusted Salmon, Porterhouse Pork Chop, Grilled Chicken Pappardelle and the Naked Chicken Burger, in addition to Marlow’s popular salads, sandwiches, burgers and other dishes. Fresh ingredients all the way!
Wear one of those blinky red Rudolph noses, strap elf ears on your bike helmet and don some festive apparel before setting off on this social cycling cruise through the Highlands, Inman Park, downtown Atlanta, Midtown, Ansley Park and Piedmont Park. On Thursday, Dec. 15, the 11th annual Santa Ride in honor of the late Warren Bruno wheels out from the avid cyclist’s beloved Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland and spins through 10 miles of Bruno’s favorite neighborhoods. Costume contest and cups o’ cheer are all part of this holiday season tradition. Best costume (voted on by Santa Ride participants) will be crowned with the coveted Warren Bruno holiday bike. Congregate at Atkins Park at 5 p.m. and set out to “sleigh” the streets at 6 p.m. Relax and be jolly – this is not a race – but it is a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Consider donating at least $25; 100 percent of proceeds go toward efforts to fight and cure the cancer that eventually took the life of cheer-champ Warren Bruno.
Whisk away to HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern on Wednesday, Dec. 14 for an exclusive and edifying evening of Bourbon Tasting from 6:30-8 p.m. Sniff, swirl and savor 10-15 local bourbons while absorbing barrels of information from straight shooting bourbon experts about the types, crafting and pairing of these Southern spirits. Heady stuff, especially when considering complimentary appetizers and cool swag giveaways share the evening protocol. Hang around for dinner and receive a 10 percent discount on your dinner tab. This opportunity is open to a limited number of guests. Buy tickets online, $39 per person, excluding tax and gratuity.
