Hearth Pizza Tavern and Parma Tavern Have an App for "Yelp Has an App for That" Promo

Put that new iPhone 6 to good use and band together with fellow foodies in the "Yelp Has an App for That" promo. With this app, businesses extend offers to Yelpers to unlock, use and post comments using up to 140 characters. The main event is a fight of the apps among OTP restaurants offering special $5 appetizers from September 29 to October 3. The champion gets bragging rights for best appetizer. At Hearth Pizza Tavern, bite into chicken and mushroom spring rolls. Or, head over to Parma Tavern and sink your teeth into plump homemade meatball sliders. Both of these dishes are being offered up for $5 in this delicious duel. 

Marlow's Tavern and Ormsby's Flip for Yelp’s Burger Binge Week May 26-30

 

May is National Burger Month, and Yelp’s Burger Binge Week is closing out the meaty month over the dates of May 26-30. What's black and blue and read on the menu at Marlow’s Tavern locations? Marlow's black and blue burger -- a Yelp Burger Week must-eat at the tavern’s inside-the-perimeter locations of Sandy Springs, Emory Point, Midtown and Vinings (and yes, you can order one at other Marlow’s locations). A brioche bun cushions this burger boasting Gorgonzola cheese, applewood smoked bacon and shredded romaine, served with your choice of sides for $11. Ormsby's on Atlanta's Westside takes a different tactic, highlighting their six-ounce New Zealand lamb burger served on pita bread with pickled red onions, tzatziki sauce, hummus and feta cheese at $10. Bocce, backgammon, beer and a burger, anyone?

"Yelp Eats!" Menus at 13 Atlanta Restaurants Starts Monday

Even if you're not a Yelper, you'll want to chow down on these three-course prix fixe menus offered at 13 Atlanta restaurants for only $25 apiece during Yelp Eats! 2009. These special menus will only be offered from Monday, July 20 through Sunday, July 26. Ask for the “Yelp Eats” dinner menu for $25 per person, not including drinks, tax or gratuity. Our favorites on the list of participants Fifth Group Restaurants’ Ecco, La Tavola Trattoria, South City Kitchen Midtown and South City Kitchen Vinings as well as Dogwood, Toulouse and WaterHaven. Check out the complete list of restaurants, then wipe drool off face.

Aqua Blue Hosts Yelp Elite Group

Last night, the Yelp Elite group headed OTP to Aqua Blue in Roswell. The little treck outside the Perimeter seemed well worth it when I discovered it was also "Ladies Night" - $5 wine, mojitos and select apps at the bar. While I waited for Yelpers to arrive, I hung out with Elbie (bartender) who talked up all of the wonderful wines the restaurant had to offer.

Okay, so on to the event! Close to 90 people attended this outside event, so you can say the patio was packed! Aqua Blue offered Yelpers complimentary wine, beer and a Lake Lanier cocktail (quite tasty and refreshing). Two to three different types of freshly-made sushi was on the food table, along with fried calamari. Unfortunately, I was too full to stay for dinner, but I'll certainly make another trip up there sometime soon!

Yelp Holiday Party

Last night I had the chance to attend the fabulous Yelp Holiday Event at The Loft in midtown. The Loft was the perfect choice for this event because it provided ample room for the amount of attendees (including room to get your groove on) and provided a funky backdrop to highlight all of the generous sponsors of the party. I had only been to The Loft for a concert, but found that this was a perfect place for a party. The place was packed with holiday adorned yelpers, all ready to check out some of the great food that was provided, all from a wide variety of sponsors. I came prepared to sample as much as possible!

Some of my personal favorites were there, Legal Sea Foods, Marlow’s Tavern, Toulouse, Ecco, La Tavola Trattoria, the new Italian restaurant Il Mulino, as well as many others. Ask me how I ate all this food? Good question. To be honest, it was all so tasty I decided to stuff myself against my better judgment. Some of the restaurants served their classic dishes, like Marlow’s Tavern, who were serving shrimp and grits while others branched out and served less traditional dishes such as flavored popcorn. Toulouse was another one of the other favorites for the night, preparing perfectly paired butternut squash ravioli and duck. The party not only provided food but a chance to smoke hookah, receive a tarot card reading, and get a free massage, all while drinking a Yelptini, courtesy of 3am vodka. Needless to say there was something for everyone here at this event.

This was my first event that I had attended, and I can say for sure it definitely won’t be the last- I had a great time! It was fun to enjoy a night with people whose reviews I read periodically and put a face with the name, as well as a great kick-off to the holiday season!

Whipahol is Wacky!

Now that John Kessler has broken the news in his article in today's AJC, it's safe for me to admit that I was at the Whipahol tasting a week or so ago at Eclipse di Luna on Miami Circle. It's like Reddi Whip with alcohol. Whipalicious? Well, not sure I'd go that far. Potent enough to whip you into a drunken stupor after a few? Without a doubt.

A small group of Yelpers were carefully selected (by me) based on their adventurous spirit and fondness for cocktails. We tasted all four flavors: amaretto, cinnamon, orange and macadamia. The bar staff at Eclipse di Luna were Whipahol wizards, blending concoctions like vanilla vodka and orange Whipahol (no thanks) and Frangelico with amaretto (yes!).

This product isn't legal in Georgia yet but I'm sure it will be a hit when it is. I might be able to score a sample if anyone wants to try!

Sheryl Crow Bag at Whole Foods

I got my Yelp bag, my Sackaroos bags, and now I'm gonna get my Sheryl Crow bag too. Cuz a girl can never have too many reusable grocery bags, right? Kinda like shoes. And admirers.

Starting this week, stylish Whole Foods Market® shoppers can tote a new reusable bag designed by Sheryl Crow. Her exclusive design supports The Natural Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC) Simple Steps program by reminding shoppers that simple lifestyle changes have big results in helping the environment. You can buy the earth-toned bag with a charcoal sketch of a tree for 99 cents (large) or 79 cents (small). They are made from 80 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles (about four 20-ounce bottles for each bag).

These will make cute holiday gifts filled with some "green" goodies.

Food Studio® Spring Fling Menu Will Have You Flinging Sweaters, Flaunting Sandals

Well, looks like Mother Nature has stopped playing with our emotions and spring has finally sprung! I love this time of year because the trees are always fresh shades of green, brightly colored wardrobes begin to emerge and eating lunch outside is no longer wishful thinking. Spring is also a great time to love food! Restaurants begin to feature dishes with succulent fruit, crisp salads and creative sandwiches. So, when I found out Food Studio is going to salute the season with a special menu, I couldn't wait to make reservations.

Officially, the April 24 – May 3 menu is titled “Spring Harvest,” as its focus is spring’s seasonal bounty. Off the record, we, and the folks at Yelp! , have dubbed it “Spring Fling.” Reason being, Executive Chef Mark Alba’s crisp, fresh flavors will have you flinging those fleeces far and wide while simultaneously wriggling those toes free under the table. And, like the daffodils, tulips and azaleas, these riotous flavors will pass with the season. Eat now, or be doomed to don that sweater until next year! Go prix fixe and choose one selection from each course below for $39 per person or pick and choose à la carte.

First Course

Yellowfin tuna tataki, marinated mushrooms, crispy shallots and oak-aged soy ($12)Grilled hanger steak, avocado puree, pickled peppers and cilantro ($9)White and green asparagus, morels, fried quail egg, truffle vinaigrette and pecorino ($9)Sweet corn agnolotti, grilled Vidalia onions, country ham, smoked tomato cream and pea shoots ($9 / $16)

Second Course

Atlantic salmon and rye panzanella salad, watercress and horseradish cream ($20)Maine diver sea scallops, crispy gold potatoes, chorizo and saffron-mussel sauce ($26)Roasted leg of lamb, potato puree, spring squash, gremolata and lamb jus ($23)Herb-roasted young chicken, Vidalia onion risotto, Swiss chard and chicken jus ($21)

Dessert

Peach almond tart with late harvest Riesling ice cream ($8)Milk chocolate mousse with spiced bananas and miniature malted milk balls ($8)

Food Studio, a Fifth Group Restaurant®, is located at 887 W. Marietta Street; 404-815-6677. http://www.fifthgroup.com/

Yelpin' It Up At Marlow's Midtown

Monday night, Marlow's Tavern in Midtown hosted a very cool group of Atlantans... Yelpers! I give Yelp the cool stamp not just because I'm a member, but because it really is a great group of people. If you don't already know what I'm talking about, definitely go to the website and find out. If I had to describe the world of yelp, I would say it's a mix of citysearch, facebook and awesomeness.

Monday night was a happy hour meet up for all yelpers in the Atlanta area and Marlow's was a great venue for us socialites. There was free parking (big plus in Midtown), specialty drinks, complimentary appetizers and plenty of room for the almost 200 people that came out. Pictured above are a few friends I met at the event; Deanna J., Aanal P., Tavis N. and Sean M. I'm not one to just go to an event alone and chat with strangers, but yelp is different. I felt like I already knew everyone after reading their reviews the past few months. It was such a diverse crowd, too. I met a pre-law student, a CNN producer, an actress, a computer IT worker at Emory and a couple that just moved here from Orlando. Thanks to Marlow's for accommodating us all and to Deanna J. for setting the whole thing up. Now sign up for Yelp, Atlantans!

Check out all these people you could meet ------->