What’s New on Pinterest: Peanut Butter Lovers

Peanut Butter Lovers rejoice, it’s National Peanut Month and we’re spreading the love for this nutty legume. Jam as many PBJs into March as you can, giving thanks it’s one of those 31-day months. Arise to healthy vegan PB granola, a PB banana breakfast smoothie or an eye-opening espresso smoothie. Prep a stash of four-ingredient PB protein bars, three-ingredient no-bake PB oatmeal bars or PB muffins for afternoon snacking. Thai PB chicken punched with salsa, garlic, ginger and lime rivals restaurant fare, earning bonus points for dual oven or Crock-Pot creation. The crème de la crème could be chocolate PB pie jars or three-ingredient flourless PB mug cakes, noting that for good or bad, mini-Mason jars and mugs can enforce portion control.

Appetizing Aperture: Milton's Sweet Potato Shrimp Fritters

Two coastal South staples come together in a harmonious blend of farm and sea in sweet potato shrimp fritters ($8) at Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails. Red chili syrup and basil oil add a bit of worldliness to these exquisite bites, which you’ll find in the “Nibble” section of the Crabapple restaurant’s menu. 

Savor the Best as American Cut Hosts Newton Vineyard Wine Dinner March 21

In just a little over a year’s time, American Cut has become Buckhead’s destination steakhouse, and the upcoming Newton Vineyard wine dinner adds yet another reason to experience the restaurant’s impeccable service and stellar culinary reputation. Save the night of Wednesday, March 21 to indulge in an evening of remarkable wines and cuisine at The Shops Buckhead Atlanta multilevel steakhouse. Sip and reflect on the highly rated wines of Newton Vineyard paired with a four-course menu created by American Cut Buckhead executive chef John Adamson. The top-flight evening is priced at $200 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. in the restaurant’s Morrison private dining room. Napa Valley’s Newton Vineyard winery follows sustainable practices and is guided by a “Nature by Design” philosophy allowing minimal handling of the fruit and processes to preserve the natural fruit essence of the vineyards, yielding complexity in remarkable wines. To reserve your seat, please call the restaurant at 770-415-9766 and ask for Mark Hoeffer or Christa White.

Peachtree Pint Provides Tap Happiness for Lenox Square Shoppers and Food Court Diners

Lenox Square shoppers immersed in retail therapy can now enjoy hops between shops while they grab a quick lunch or dinner -- thanks to the opening of Peachtree Pint in the Fashion Café Food Court and a new policy designating the food court as an open-container area. The walk-up draft beer dispensary kiosk pulls 40 taps highlighting the best brews from around Georgia and the Southeast, including Creature Comforts, SweetWater Brewery, Monday Night Brewing, Scofflaw Brewing Co., Three Taverns Craft Brewery, Orpheus Brewing, Terrapin Beer Co., Cherry Street Brewing and Jekyll Brewing, plus standards including Guinness, Budweiser, Heineken and Michelob Ultra. Peachtree Pint showcases Georgia’s burgeoning microbreweries, a boon for out-of-towners eager to sip a “new” Southern brew and please locals with hometown craft brew sweethearts. The carryout bar, which offers 35 beers, one cider and four wine selections on tap, faces an array of tables, chairs and televised sports on flat screens leading some to sit and sip a spell while their other half shops for “just one more thing.” Longtime Lenox Square retailer Farshad Arshid, a Peachtree Pint owner along with Ruel Chambers and Kaan Ergun, explains, “We’re always trying to anticipate the changing needs of our shoppers…we want to further enhance the Lenox Square shopping experience.” A testimony to the mission to please, Peachtree Pint offers the extremely popular yet elusive Tropicalia IPA from Athens-based Creature Comforts brewery. Sweet tea, meet your match. Open Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday hours vary.

Marlow’s Tavern and Southern Proper Hospitality- 2018 GA Restaurant Neighbor Award Winners

Chances are there’s a Marlow’s Tavern or Southern Proper Hospitality (SPH) restaurant in your Atlanta-area neighborhood, making these two restaurant families your neighbors as well. The kind of neighbors that always welcome you to “Come on in and make yourself at home” and are always looking for a way to help others in the community. That’s why it’s no surprise the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation is recognizing Marlow’s Tavern and Southern Proper Hospitality as 2018 Georgia Restaurant Neighbor Award winners. The award honors restaurants that go above and beyond in community service and philanthropy and aims to inspire other restaurateurs to get or stay involved in their local communities. What’s next? Vying with other state-level winners for one of three national Restaurant Neighbor Awards that will send $10,000 to help support favorite charities or community projects.

Southern Proper Hospitality owns and operates The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill, Smokebelly BBQ, The Blind Pig Parlour Bar, Gypsy Kitchen, The Southern Gentleman, Beni’s Cubano, Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails and Tin Lizzy’s Cantina and is a huge proponent of supporting nonprofits such as the American Red Cross, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, New Story Charity, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and No Kid Hungry Campaign, as well as local schools. SPH hosted multiple fundraisers and participated in events to help end childhood hunger in Georgia, and SPH co-founder/partner Chris Hadermann was a part of the inaugural class of the No Kid Hungry Society that raised more than $40,000 in 2017. The efforts of staff and customers helped the restaurant group donate more than $32,000 to these causes and others in 2017.

Sterling Hospitality and Marlow’s Tavern have raised more than $900k for Special Olympics Georgia since partnering in 1999. Last year’s golf tournament alone raised $130,000. Marlow's Tavern participated in The Giving Kitchen's inaugural Dining with Gratitude event and donated $7,000 to the organization. John C. Metz, executive chef, CEO and co-founder of Marlow’s Tavern, is a big supporter of No Kid Hungry. Through in-store fundraisers and participation in Taste of the Nation, the Marlow’s Tavern team has helped raise thousands of dollars for the organization.

Congratulations to these swell neighbors and thanks for your contributions to our communities and hospitality.

Still Getting Its Kicks at 96, Atkins Park Va-Hi Celebrates 96th Anniversary March 14

Atkins Park Delicatessen in Virginia-Highland first opened its doors to welcome friends in 1922 (see a photo here). Almost a century later, Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar is still cruising the longevity highway, and the city’s oldest continuously licensed tavern merges into year 96 with love, levity and a number of cold beers and signature eats. Join the anniversary celebration on Wednesday, March 14. Say “Cheers!” to many more years and enjoy a limited open bar and tasting station, SweetWater beer and complimentary anniversary T-shirts (while supplies last). Hang out on the patio, linger over upscale comfort foods and Big Green Egg specialties and keep talking over drinks into the wee hours. There are 364 more days until #97.

Chido + Padre’s Chef Jonathan Mercado Baja-Style Party, Opening March 13

Southern Proper Hospitality says “Hola,” to Jonathan Mercado as executive chef for Chido + Padre’s, the company’s newest concept, which will bring bold Baja-style Mexican food, tequila and fiesta to 128 East Andrews Drive in Buckhead starting March 13. Take a look at some of the authentically Baja-Mex fresh, coastal cuisine he’ll turn out from a mesquite wood-burning grill for guests to enjoy: campechana with mango, avocado, rock shrimp, chilies and tomato-clam broth; Baja-style fish of the day with coconut rice, tomatillo-avocado sauce and pomegranate seeds; chicken mole with Baja cabbage slaw, black beans and sesame seeds; and cochinita pibil tacos with banana leaf pork shoulder, sour orange, achiote and chicharrones. Well versed in Mexican cuisine, Mercado honed his skills making handcrafted tacos and made-from-scratch Mexican fare as executive chef at Bartaco and Rosa Mexicano. The graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Academy is passionate about eco-friendly, self-sustainable cuisine and having fun in the kitchen. The chef and his family often host their own Iron Chef-style competitions at home. Chido + Padre’s will initially serve lunch and dinner and add weekend brunch at a later date. Free on-site self-parking.

Bounce into March Madness Viewing Mode at Atlanta Restaurants

By now you’ve finished agonizing over which team to put where in those all-important brackets. W’hoop it up and follow NCAA March Madness action with fellow hoopsters over thirst-slaking bevvies and game munchies, be they shareable snacks or something more substantial. Atlanta restaurants are all over the court with brews, views and fan-worthy fare that banish stadium popcorn and peanuts to the cheap seats.

Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland courts basketball fans with craft beers by draft, bottle or can, cocktails, wine for day or night drinking along with an Always Available menu of favorite appetizers, salads, burgers and sandwiches. Fast action and cold brews hanker for Guinness-dipped pretzels, pimento cheese and stout mustard, Big Green Egg smoked wings, Atkins Park confit wings and Atkins Park nachos and Southern “Totchos” ($7-$12). While players sink baskets, sink teeth into a Bruno burger or Big Green Egg pulled pork on a jalapeño bun and affirm the full-court press over a pressed Cuban sandwich or grilled chicken panini ($10-$11). Plenty of screens for almost-courtside viewing.

Glued to the games over the weekend? Gather to toast and rehash the win (or drown sorrows) over specially priced drinks and half-priced appetizers at Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse in Buckhead. On Mondays and Tuesdays, the conveniently located steakhouse tosses out prices of $4.50 for draft beer, $8 house wines, $8 house caipirinhas and $8 for house martinis. Snap up half-priced appetizers Monday through Friday from 4:30-7 p.m. Stave hunger over a dozen marinated and grilled Chama wings ($7.50), shrimp or steak nachos ($6), charcuterie and aged cheeses ($8), or grilled delicacies of picanha ($5.75), shrimp ($5.50), chicken breast and filet mignon wrapped in bacon ($6) or two Australian lamb chops ($8). Game days, follow the action on two screens in the bar area while enjoying drinks, appetizers, lunch or dinner. Break away and enjoy some downtime outdoors over a relaxing patio meal of grilled picanha, filet mignon, rib-eye, Australian lamb chops, chicken breast or shrimp ($24-$38), as well as appetizers, soup and salads. Another way to celebrate a win and score points with your teammate? Take advantage of the restaurant’s March Malbec wine-and-dine special: a bottle of Catena Alta malbec and weekday lunch for two is $110; $130 for Sunday brunch for two or $150 for a bottle with dinner for two.
 

Bracket followers in Brookhaven and Midtown can watch their teams progress on big screens at both HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern locations. Sip bourbon from the comprehensive list, go with craft brews or signature cocktails or toast wins with wine while enjoying mouthwatering tavern fare prepared with Southern flair. During the NCAA March Madness Final Four, March 31-April 2, adults wearing team gear from any of the Final Four teams can score a free shot during the game at HOBNOB Midtown or Town Brookhaven.

Taco Mac slam dunks it as a sports-watching venue with the most craft beers on draft, award-winning wings and multitudes of screens. Throughout March, specials on Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra and Shock Top beers prevail including 60-ounce pitchers ($11.95), 20-ounce drafts ($4.75) and mix-and-match buckets filled with four beers ($13.99). Taco Mac’s annual Bracket Showdown is already underway. The guest with the best bracket at each location receives a $100 Taco Mac gift card; guests who correctly predict 60+ games take home $5,000; and those who predict a perfect 63-game bracket win $10,000 cash. One Overall Bracket Champion will ride home on a brand-new Harley-Davidson XG500 Street.

Think high-spirited rim shots, as in shots of tequila or salty-rimmed signature margaritas, at Tin Lizzy’s Cantina or choose cool bottled, draft or pitchers of beer to quench hoop-induced thirsts. Tin Lizzy’s multiplies game-viewing ops with multiple cantina locations, lots of screens tuned into the games and a star-studded roster of tacos, quesadillas, skillets, nachos and more. Staying on the home court? Let Tin Lizzy’s cater your home or office viewing party. 

What’s New on Pinterest: Loaded Nachos

Here’s the scoop on Loaded Nachos, incredibly quick ways to feed a bunch of hungry basketball-viewing fans this month. Think Hawaiian pulled pork or loaded BBQ chicken nachos instead of plopping saucy meat on buns or pizza nachos that favor crisp chips over doughy crusts. For something different, top nachos with shrimp, chorizo and fresh pico de gallo, lobster, an Irish-y Reuben topping or veer off chips onto Cuban nachos tatchos. S’mores and apple-caramel are “nacho” usual dessert…had to throw that pun in somewhere.

gusto! Commissions Local Artist to Paint “ATL Avo Angel” Outdoor Mural

Holy guacamole, gusto! founder Nate Hybl has taken your fruitful mainstay outside. Hybl partnered with local artist Lee Arnett to create an ATL Avo Angel mural depicting slices of the creamy green superfood as angel wings. Murals grace the exterior walls of his two gusto! restaurants in Buckhead (1935 Peachtree Road, NE) and Midtown - Ponce (782 Ponce de Leon Ave., NE) to remind guests to “fly high with that good fat” as they eat fresh, healthy and flavorful food, all while supporting community creativity. “Avocados are a huge part of our menu. The idea for the mural evolved from the positive health association of avocados, as something angelic for the body,” says Hybl. “The ATL Avo Angel symbolizes good energy and parallels who we are as a company and what our product represents.” He and Hybl are hoping guests will take photos (#ATLAvoAngel) to share and spread positive energy because, as Hybl puts it, “Having fun and spreading good energy, both emotionally and nutritionally, is at the heart of everything we do at gusto!” Avocado enthusiasts who snap a photo with the #ATLAvoAngel at either location have the chance to win two three-day passes to the Shaky Knees Music Festival May 4-6. To enter, follow @whatsyourgusto and post a photo to Instagram using the hashtag #ATLAvoAngel. A winner will be announced on April 20, 2018. Must be 18+ to enter with a public Instagram profile. Follow the restaurant on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for additional updates.

#Foodgram: Work Week Lunch

Flexitarian Talia Koren is on a mission to obliterate lackluster, not-so-healthy lunch box fillers. Stock up on ways to prep your good-for-you Work Week Lunch and be the envy of your open office. Officemates will think you spent hours fixing lunch…unless you share how you pulled everything together in a flash thanks to applying these appetizing organizational skills.