Ditch the Diet at Chocolate! 2009

On a summer diet? Well forget all about it tomorrow night at the 9th Annual Chocolate! 2009 event, benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. This is the one event where it's perfectly acceptable to eat as much chocolate as humanly possible! Funds raised at this annual indulgence will go straight to cystic fibrosis research and treatment. More than 1,000 chocoholics are expected to attend the event at Villa Christina, which also features a full dinner buffet, two live bands and a silent auction. Chefs from Aqua blue, Bold American Events & Catering, Kozmo Gastro Pub and Pacci Ristorante, plus other top bakers, chefs, vintners and caterers will whip up a plethora of chocolate delicacies. Tickets for the 6 - 10 p.m. event are $65 in advance and $75 at the door and may be purchased online or by calling 404-325-6973.

Chocolate! 2009 hopes to raise $100,000 net profit for cystic fibrosis research. Since its start in 1955, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has worked to find a cure for the aggressive disease and to improve quality of life for those with CF. As a result, the median survival age for people with CF has doubled from 18 years to the early 30s.

Kozmo on the Cover

Kozmo Gastro Pub in Johns Creek has landed the June cover of Alpharetta magazine and they are celebrating! Tomorrow night, the new Alpharetta eatery is throwing a party to mark this exciting occasion and also launch their new Thursday ladies' night! There will be a live band from 7-10 p.m. and a DJ from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Kozmo's contemporary comfort foods, shi-shi Kozmo-politans and other classic cocktails make for a fulfilling girls' night out close to home!

Kozmo Gastro Pub: 11890 Douglas Road, Suite 105; 678-526-6094.

And The Winner Is...

Congratulations to Doug Hines!!! Doug won the Kenny Chesney prize pack from Kozmo Gastro Pub, which includes dinner for two, two tickets to the May 28 Kenny Chesney concert at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre and a VIP parking pass for the event. (Click here for original post.)

Keep checking back with us for more opportunities like this. Again, congrats to Doug, have fun watching Kenny!!

Mmmmmm Chocolate! 2009

In less than a month, Atlanta’s top bakers, chefs, vintners and caterers will come together and create chocolate delights for The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's ninth annual fundraiser.The sinful event will take place on Thursday, June 18 at Villa Christina.

Contributing restaurants this year include:

Aqua Blue

Bold American Events & Catering

Canoe

City Grill

Dailey’s

Dantanna’s

JD Rothschild & Co.

Jim ‘N Nick’s BBQ

Kheesekakes by Kelli

Kozmo Gastro Pub

Max Lager’s Wood-Fired Grille & Brewery

Pacci Ristorante

Rathbun’s

Silk Restaurant

The Capital Grille

The Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton-Buckhead

The Land of 1,000 Hills Coffee

The Melting Pot

Veni Vidi Vici

Villa Christina

Wildfire

The team at Melissa Libby and Associates is proud to support and attend this annual event. The exclusive evening features two live bands, a chocolate martini bar, a chocolate lager and a chocolate cappuccino tasting, full dinner buffet, silent auction and, of course, all-you-can-eat chocolate treats. To purchase tickets, visit http://www.chocolateforcf.org/.

~~ GIVEAWAY ALERT~~ Kozmo Gastro Pub Giving Away Kenny Chesney Tickets!!!

Country music fans, listen up: Kozmo Gastro Pub in Johns Creek has a special treat! Everyone who dines at the restaurant from Friday, May 22 and until Wednesday, May 27, 2009 will be entered to win a Kenny Chesney prize pack. The pack includes dinner for two at the restaurant on the day of the concert (May 28, 2009 at 8 p.m.), two tickets to the concert and a VIP parking pass at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre for the show.

The winner will be announced Wednesday, May 27 via phone and Facebook. Be sure to become a fan of Kozmo if you have not already! Send them a message on Facebook for more information.

Good Luck, and be sure to try the house poutine when you go!

Make Your Mom's Day!

Mother's Day is right around the corner, leaving many in a last-minute scramble to find the perfect gift. Well, have no fear! We have some great ideas to make the perfect Mother's Day memory. Check out the cool events and specials that some of Atlanta's hottest restaurants are offering in honor of this special holiday!

The way to Mom's heart is with a hug...and a meal out to make her feel like a queen. Atlanta restaurants are here to help you thank your special gal! Aqua blue spreads a special brunch buffet from 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. for $29.95 per person, $9.95 for children under 14 and free for children under four. Carved strip steak and turkey, roasted pork tenderloin, omelettes-to-order, and decadent desserts and pastries will make her happy. A bottomless mimosa ($15 per person) will keep her in good cheer. If she prefers dinner out, bring her to Aqua blue for the regular dinner menu plus seasonal specials from 5:30 - 9 p.m. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 770-643-8886. 1564 Holcomb Bridge Road.

When she's a cosmopolitan gal at heart with roots in the suburbs, take her to Kozmo Gastro Pub in Johns Creek for a chic and subtly healthy meal. From noon until 8 p.m., enjoy a special prix fixe menu designated heart healthy by the Queen of Hearts Foundation for $19.95 per person. Choose a starter of roasted pepper gazpacho soup or Kozmo mixed green salad with lemon thyme vinaigrette; an entrée of organic free range roasted chicken served over sautéed green beans with garlic and shallots or pan roasted filet of salmon with white bean ragout and sautéed spinach with shallots; and end with seasonal berries with dark chocolate swirls or flourless dark chocolate cake. Mom gets a gift from Kozmo and the Queen of Hearts Foundation. Reservations not required. 11890 Douglas Road, 678-526-6094.

Visit a Marlow's Tavern location in Kennesaw, Midtown or Vinings for a Mother's Day Brunch that's both tasty and easy on the wallet. At only $14.95 plus tax and gratuity, Marlow's buffet includes an array of specialties including crab cake Benedict, made-to-order omelettes and French toast plus a selection of Marlow's Tavern favorites. And $15 bottomless mimosas are sure to keep a smile on mom's face all day long. Marlow's Tavern: Kennesaw at 745 Chastain Road, NW, 770-425-8777; Midtown at 950 West Peachtree Street, 404-815-0323; and Vinings at 2355 Cumberland Parkway, 770-432-2526.

To give mom that mountain-top experience, surprise her with a scenic drive to Wolf Mountain Vineyards & Winery for a getaway brunch. She can choose her favorite Wolf Mountain wine, priced separately by the glass or bottle. $30 per person (excluding wine, tax and gratuity). Reserve a seating time of 12:30 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. by calling 706-867-9862. 180 Wolf Mountain Trail in Dahlonega.

17th Annual Dining Out for Life

Maybe dining out is a big event for you or maybe it’s something you do several times a week without really thinking about it. Sometimes those who need nutritious food the most can’t get out to get it. That’s where you step in and step out into one of Atlanta’s numerous restaurants participating in the 17th Annual Dining Out for Life on Wednesday, April 22 to benefit Open Hand.

Partcipants include great restaurants such as Fifth Group Restaurants’ South City Kitchen Midtown and Vinings, Ecco, The Original El Taco and La Tavola Trattoria; Eclipse di Luna - Miami Circle and Park Place, Kozmo Gastro Pub, Aria and Portofino and Woodfire Grill.

Click here to make reservations and know that 20 percent of our tab is going straight to Open Hand’s work in our community. The organization helps people prevent or better manage chronic disease through Comprehensive Nutrition Care™, which combines home-delivered meals and nutrition education as a means to reinforce the connection between informed food choices and improved quality of life.

Where to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

If you aren't going to be in Savannah with me this St. Patrick's Day, then you better find green beer and shamrocks in Atlanta. Here are a few places around town that will be celebrating this Tuesday - Erin Go Bragh!


Kozmo Gastro Pub will feature a classic Irish comfort dish of corned beef hash with braised cabbage and grain mustard potatoes with beer bread. Green beer will be flowing along with the Keltic Kozmo, expertly hand crafted by house mixologist Jimmy Rudnick.

Marlow's Tavern - The Vinings location will offer Irish home-cooking with the likes of Guinness-marinated brats with homemade Irish cheddar Tater Tots at lunch, and shepherd's pie, fish 'n chips, bangers and mash, colcannon and corned beef and cabbage at dinner time. Evening appetizers such as Irish cheddar cheese dip and salmon boxty are terrific with the drink of the day -- Guinness, Guinness and more Guinness. For dessert? More Guinness, as in orange-chocolate Guinness cake. The leprechauns behind the bar will be mixing up plenty of feisty libations, and live entertainment by Under the Porch keeps toes tapping to New Orleans-style jazz and funk from 6:30 p.m. on. 2355 Cumberland Parkway, 770-432-2526.



Marlow's Tavern Duluth taps into green beer for $2 a mug, pints of Guinness for $4 and Irish car bombs for $5. Round out the menu with a plate of corned beef and cabbage! 1950 Satellite Boulevard, 770-622-2033.


Marlow's Tavern Northlake will be celebrating on the rooftop patio. There they will have rollicking Irish drinking songs, Irish snacks, and beer specials of green beer for $3, $4 pints of Guinness and $5 Irish car bombs will keep those Irish eyes a smilin'. 4156 LaVista Road, 678-987-1197.


Whole Foods Market in Sandy Springs will host a Shamrock Scavenger Hunt. Stop by Customer Service for an entry form and then explore the store for the shamrock hidden in each department. Record the location of each one you find on your form, and when you've picked them, turn in your form. The one adult and one child winners will receive a bag filled with Whole Foods Market products. Whole Foods Market Sandy Springs: 5930 Roswell Road; 404-236-0810.

Comfort Food Outing at Kozmo

When your night starts with white velvet mac and cheese and ends with chocolate chip cookies and ice cream, well, you know it's a good evening. I had a wonderful time catching up with two of my favorite OTP friends last night at the new Kozmo Gastropub. After a celebratory Kozmorita we settled in to some serious comfort food dining. Loved their version of poutine - no cheese curd so it didn't seem as heavy - just braised beef brisket, gravy and pecorino cheese over french fries! And the aforementioned mac and cheese - oh my! It has parmesan, mozzarella, white cheddar and blue cheese. You can get a "big bowl" or a side. We got a side. Twice. For dinner we tried the beef short rib pappardelle and the Kozmo cheeseburger with a side of slaw. All was wonderful. And then came the cookies and cream. Ahhhh. We were so happy when we left!

America’s Next Top Chef?

With the recent cheflebrity of local Top Chef finalist and new Creative Loafing columnist, Richard Blais, several local chefs have decided to get in on the action. This Sunday, chefs from all over the state will line up to show casting directors that they’re packing more than their knives at the casting call for an upcoming season of Bravo’s hit series. With all the culinary talent Atlanta has packed into this city, many great chefs are not going to make the cut. And, since we all know that how one does on camera is just as important (maybe even more so) as how they do in the kitchen, many creative chefs who are the strong, silent type are going to appear to be side dishes next to natural performers.

Nevertheless, I'm excited at the prospect of having the chef of one of my favorite local eateries being showcased on the show! Atlanta has a lifetime supply of chefs who are at the top of their game and I hope Bravo recognizes it. Good luck to all the brave chefs who make it out to the audition and let’s all hope that the next Top Chef is one we Atlantans are proud to call our own and are fortunate enough to share with the rest of the world. Here is a brief list of chefs that I know are trying out. *(Feel free to add to the list if you know more!)

• Ben McPherson at Eclipse di Luna


• Craig Richard at La Tavola Trattoria


• Kevin Gillespie at Woodfire Grill


• Hector Santiago at Pure Vida


• Travis Collum at (the newly opened) Kozmo Gastro Pub

Bonne chance!

Kozmo Opens Tomorrow

Kozmo Gastro Pub is opening tomorrow and bringing some fresh excitement to the suburbs! We visited the soon-to-be hot spot in Johns Creek on Saturday night for their preview party. It was so great seeing the space go from construction chaos over the last few months to see how fabulous is looked over the weekend. It felt very comfortable and minimal in a modern way.We got to sample their signature house cocktail the "Kozmo" which was incredibly good. Both tart and sweet, they will be a delight for post-work happy hours. They will have a full menu of unique twists on the original Cosmo as part of their bar offerings.We also got to taste a sampling from the kitchen. Everything was great, but I really enjoyed the mini-burgers and hummus. As of today the final menu for the restaurant is still being tweaked so I'm looking forward to seeing what the options are when I show up for dinner!