Faced with the Smokebelly BBQ brunch menu, one can easily be a traitor to the usual morning meal of cereal or a protein bar on the go. Smoked Benny, a.k.a. eggs Benedict, Smokebelly-style, plops two poached farm-fresh eggs over two grilled biscuit halves with bacon and chipotle hollandaise and is served with brunch potatoes or creamy cheese grits ($13). Fashion an accomplice from Tito’s Bloody Mary Bar ($10) during Sunday brunch, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Save big with a steal of a deal on appetizers at Kaleidoscope Bistro & Pub in Brookhaven. The entire “First Impressions” appetizer menu is half price from 5-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday each week. One-hour pricing includes K-Pub’s special duck fat pub fries with bacon mayo ($2.50), Springer Mountain Farms wings ($5), ahi tuna tartare with avocado ($6), Indian curry chicken spring rolls ($3), Baja chicken tacos or Korean BBQ pork sliders ($3.50) and loads more. Full price kicks in again at 6 p.m.
A wake-up call of scratch-made biscuits, breads and artisan pizza dough, the sound of cracking eggs and the tantalizing aroma of sizzling fennel sausage draws sleepyheads out of bed and over to Sunday brunch at Rize Artisan Pizza + Salads in Poncey-Highland. Ease into the day sipping French press coffee, mimosas ($5 glass/$20 carafe) or handcrafted white or red sangria ($7 glass/$35 carafe). More challenging decisions involve choosing a frittata ($10) encompassing roasted vegetables or Peppadew and sausage rounded out with dressed greens and a biscuit; poached egg-topped breakfast pizzas ($10) topped with bacon, egg and cheese or carne brasata; or fried egg/kale/arugula plumped breakfast sandwiches ($6) like The Ponce, which adds fennel sausage, roasted red peppers and Asiago, or The Highland sporting roasted tomato, house-made maple bacon and onion jam. Indulge biscuit cravings with a small or large order of hot, fresh-baked biscuits served with fig butter and maple bacon jam ($3/$7). Brunch hours span 11 a.m.-2 p.m. so relax, you can still sleep in, work out, worship or tackle whatever awaits before or after “Rize”-ing. Plus, you can settle the tab from your phone using the Rize app and park for free in the 675 N. Highland parking garage.
Food 101, a Sandy Springs neighborhood staple and trailblazer in the metro area’s Southern restaurant scene, welcomes new senior operations director Jimmy Prince and executive chef Ryan Smith. Prince brings to the table 35 years of experience owning more than 20 restaurants and a passion for interacting with staff and diners as he focuses on revamping menus and making key hires to better serve the neighborhood gathering spot and bastion for comfort food. Executive chef Ryan Smith, formerly the chef de cuisine at 101 Steak, has developed his own culinary style over years at three different 101 Concepts restaurants (Food 101, Cibo e Beve and 101 Steak) as well as Watershed on Peachtree and Southbound in Chamblee. His penchant for clean-eating and Southern-inspired flavors freshens the menu in new dishes like pan-roasted Alaskan halibut with braised endive and ruby grapefruit ($36); grilled skirt steak with smashed potato, oyster mushroom and herb and garlic sauce ($28); smoked pulled pork enchilada ($19); sea scallop salad with avocado, grapefruit, sweet onion and citrus vinaigrette ($17); fried NC catfish and grits with green tomato chutney ($13); kale and mushroom farrotto with spring veggies, lemon and Parmigiano ($12); fried SMF chicken biscuit with garlic aioli and cheddar ($13); and house-cured and smoked salmon board served with bagel and traditional toppings ($14). Guests continue to enjoy the prominent bourbon program at the Barrel Bar, weekly Wine Down Wednesdays and weekday happy hour specials as well as counting on the restaurant’s private event capabilities. Food 101 serves lunch Monday through Saturday, dinner nightly and Sunday brunch.
Six words moms crave. Show your appreciation -- whether she’s your mom or the mother of your children -- by treating your gal to one of the bounteous brunches, buffets and spectacular specials planned in her honor on May 14. One last word: reservations. Head over to Atlanta Food News for the Mother’s Day scoop.
Best-in-class wings, best crafts on draft and the best sports viewing environment around are perks all coming to McDonough in one spirited and saucy package. Taco Mac opens its newest free-standing restaurant in the South Point Shopping Center on Monday, May 15. The restaurant’s first location in Henry County seamlessly blends family friendly dining and sports bar viewing with 120 taps and multiple viewing options. The McDonough location shows off a new state-of-the-art prototype for Taco Mac. Industrial-chic elements include an exterior wall made from beer kegs and reclaimed barn wood as well as an advanced audio-visual system featuring Harman Kardon speakers, 12” Sunfire subwoofers, 72 HDTVs and a video wall. The newest Taco Mac is planning Brewniversity specials, beer events with local brewery partners and special tappings to tie in with the opening. Founded in Atlanta in 1979, the Southeast’s original Buffalo wings restaurant has grown to 30 popular locations for sports viewing and food and beverage enjoyment in Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee.
Chef Kevin Gillespie always has new ideas up his sleeve (in addition to his famously colorful tats). Gillespie, of Gunshow, Revival, Communion Cantina, Terminus City and Gamechanger, opening soon at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, leads the 10 a.m. chef demo at the Saturday, May 13 Peachtree Road Farmers Market. His culinary excitement will set mouths watering for more cooking tips to go. No ‘cue quandary here. Buy one of his cookbooks that morning and snag a signature and maybe a splash of barbecue sauce to mark the page. Shop from 8:30 a.m.-noon and enjoy live music by Bailey Diamond.
King salmon is on the run, and Ray’s Restaurants marks the finish line for this prized flavorful, omega-3 rich fish. The chefs showcase this limited-time catch in location-specific special dishes at Ray’s in the City, Ray’s on the River and Ray’s at Killer Creek. Additionally, the chefs have an in on seasonal soft shell crabs. Savor their succulence, claws and all. Time is of the essence with delicacies such as these. Swim fast or risk missing the boat.
Hojeij Branded Foods (HBF) takes flight with Delta Air Lines as the official food and beverage partner for Wednesday’s annual Delta Day of Hope supporting the American Cancer Society. When flying into or out of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday, May 10, visit any of the HBF restaurants to donate to the cause. Donating is fast and simple, unlike fighting cancer, and every dollar helps. Look for HBF employees wearing special Day of Hope shirts. Dip your credit card into the donation jar at checkout at these quick food options to donate $1 to the cause: Arby’s, Boar’s Head/Piece of Cake, Chick-fil-A, E Piano Bar, Freshens Yogurt, Goldberg’s, Great Wraps, LowCountry, Nathan’s, Qdoba Grill and Villa Pizza. HBF restaurants that are donating a percentage at Hartsfield include Atlanta Hawk’s Bar & Grill, Cat Cora’s Kitchen, Gordon Biersch, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, TAP and Varasano’s Pizzeria. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will be the site of a Relay for Life event this year -- although not on the runways!
High five to $5 burritos at Willy’s Mexicana Grill Midtown Place on Wednesday, May 10 -- five days after Cinco de Mayo. The Midtown location is celebrating five years of pleasing burrito aficionados with fresh, made-to-order specialties by offering burritos for $5 all day long. Willy’s generosity extends beyond its hefty burritos and bowls, right back into the neighborhood. A portion of the day’s proceeds will jump over to the Grady High School athletics booster club.
Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails is going hog wild planning its annual Memorial Day Whole Hog BBQ Hootenanny, heralding the unofficial start of summer. Barbecue lovers, here’s your “cue” to reserve spots for the 12-2 p.m. shindig on Monday, May 29. Prepare to pig out on an all-you-care-to-eat pig roast, pulled pork, ribs, smoked chicken, yummy sides and sweet treats. Hootenanny will hog the entire front lawn and patio for an abundance of food, a cash bar, live music and games -- all guaranteeing squeals of delight and big fun for ‘cue cruisers of all ages. Tickets for adults are $35 (plus $2.92 service fee) and include your fill of BBQ and gratuity. Drinks are not included and will be available for purchase. Tickets for kids 12 and under are $17.50 (+$1.95 service fee). Out of town over the holiday? Lose the “sow-r” look and mark your calendar for the Labor Day Whole Hog BBQ Hootenanny on Monday, September 4.
Stem Wine Bar and Stonestreet Estate Vineyards unite for a delectable wine and dine experience on Thursday, May 11 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Chefs Doug Turbush and John Flagello create an incredible Stonestreet Wine Dinner five-course menu complementing Stonestreet wine selections chosen by Stem general manager/sommelier Chris McNeill. Pairing menu highlights include jumbo sea scallop escabeche with Estate sauvignon blanc; pan-seared Alaskan halibut, Vidalia onion purée, roasted mushrooms and pickled ramp vinaigrette with Estate chardonnay; hickory-smoked duck breast, buttered brioche, peach marmalade, micro basil and saba with Upper Barn chardonnay; veal cheek, sweet corn purée, spring onion, fava bean and baby fennel with Estate cabernet; and chocolate cremeux with salted caramel ganache paired with Rockfall cabernet (menu subject to change based upon availability). Dinner guests will learn more about these wonderful wines from guest speaker Sue Campbell. Advance ticket sales only, $119 per person including tax and gratuity. Reserve your space online today.
Chelsea, the baker/blogger/picture-taker putting The Whole Bite in the Instagram oven can turn about anything into a baked good. Repurposing leftover Easter candy into a malted milk Easter egg cake, greening a matcha tea swirl Bundt cake or shamelessly creating a copycat version of Starbucks’ cookie butter bar. Don’t count on leftovers.
Ormsby’s executive chef Nick Anderson has his own kind of spring cleaning -- giving some cold weather craves time off and ushering spring’s seasonal flavors onto the menu. Pork belly bites with General Tso’s sauce, green onion and cilantro ($7) are new “Snacks & Starters,” and a cornmeal-crusted Georgia trout with roasted spaghetti squash, seasonal beans, pecans, arugula, basil and saba ($18) is a fine new entrée catch. Sandwich devotees chomp into several newbies: a Philly sandwich true to its namesake with house-made “cheese whiz” on a pretzel hoagie ($13); the roast beef sandwich with horseradish cream, arugula and onion on rye ($12); and the veggie ciabatta plump with grilled portobello mushroom, mozzarella, tomato, arugula and saba ($10). Crispy s’more sandwich with house-made whipped cream ($4) camps out in the dessert section. Lots of go-with options in the craft beer and cocktail department! Westsiders note, several Ormsby’s favorites have Cinco de Mayo potential – guac and warm tortilla chips ($7), crispy shrimp tacos ($13) and the black bean burger with tortilla chips, guac and aged cheddar ($10).
