A Group Dinner at Pizza Fusion

The team headed out on a chilly, Atlanta night to try the new Pizza Fusion restaurant in the Aramore on Peachtree. First things first - free, self-parking in the garage! From there, just allow the smell to lead you to the restaurant.

Clean, sleek interior

When you walk in you immediately notice the clean, sleek atmosphere. This is Atlanta’s first LEED Certified restaurant meaning everything from the light fixtures to the delivery vehicles is energy efficient. We sat down with the owner Jeff Melnick and got the whole schpeel . They use over 75% organic ingredients in the menu, tables are made from recycled wood, toilets are low-flow and customers who return their pizza boxes get a special discount. I love the concept of this place just as much as I love the food!

Owner Jeff Melnick

Energy efficient delivery car

We had a deliciously organic meal that started with wine and bread sticks. The mutli-grain and organic white sticks came with tomato marinara sauce and we added a side of olive tapenade. The combination of olives, garlic and red peppers made for a perfect dip.

Multi-grain and organic white bread sticks with marinara and olive tapenade.

We wanted to get a good taste of the pizzas so we ordered four of the Specialty Pies – Founder’s Pie, Greek, goat cheese & sundried tomato and the Seattle. All specialty pies are served large, which is 18” x 9”, and on a wooden plank. You have the choice of multi-grain, organic white or gluten-free crusts and we decided to test out each one.

Greek on gluten-free

goat cheese and sundried tomato on white

Seattle on white

The chalk wall boasts great lunch specials ($9.99 for a personal pizza, soda, side salad) and the build your own pizza option is enticing. In addition to organic beer and wine they also serve Boylan sodas that use natural sugar and my favorite, Honest Tea.

We had such a great time at Pizza Fusion. It’s unique in that the restaurant can host a group of ten or a couple on a date and everyone feels comfortable. The pizza is great and I love supporting a restaurant that uses organic ingredients and energy efficient appliances.

Find more of our pictures from the night on our flickr page, here. Pizza Fusion: 2233 Peachtree Road, Suite M; 404-351-9934.

Dine-out For a Safer Atlanta

In light of the current economy, restaurants as well as Atlanta, have seen the crime level rise. On January 6, John Henderson became a victim to senseless crime when he was robbed and shot after hours at The Standard on Memorial Drive.

Local restaurants in the area are banding together to stop crime and keep their communities safe. So if you dine-out on January 28th, participating restaurants are donating 20% of all their proceeds to Atlanta Police Foundation, and Atlanta Crime Stoppers John Henderson Reward Fund.

So far the list of participating restaurants includes the following:

Agave
Atkins Park
Dakota Blue
Food 101
Little Azios- East Atlanta
Ria's Bluebird
Six Feet Under (both locations)
Taco Mac
The Standard
Vickery's Glenwood
HomeGrown Restaurants
Doc Chey's Noodle House
Osteria 832 Pasta & Pizza
Stella Trattoria
U Restaurant Group
Beleza
Cuerno
Fritti
Sotto Sotto

Band together for the city you love, and the restaurants you frequent. Come out on January 28th and support Dine-Out for a Safer Atlanta.

Time for Wine

The Atlanta area has some great wine events this month. Whether you want to learn more, eat a perfectly paired meal or just try new kinds of wine, we have it all covered.


Share your dinner with eight "Pinots from Burgundy" at Woodfire Grill's first wine tasting of 2009 on Wednesday, January 21. During regular dinner hours (6 - 10 p.m.), guests can sample eight Pinots from different communes and vintages, poured blind, for $15. Nothing to hide with a blind pour, it happens to be the best way to learn how to assess body, flavor and aroma. Sample wines at your own pace, at your table or at the bar. Reservations recommended.


There's a plethora of wines out there from Australia and New Zealand or so it seems to us in the southern part of the Northern Hemisphere. Mates, we're hopping to Toulouse Bistro at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 25 to sample a variety of wines from Down Under and to find out what the Toulouse Wine Guy has to say. The price of $30 per person is a pittance, considering we'll taste 15 wines and freshen our palates with light bites in between. Toulouse Bistro: 2293 Peachtree Road, NE; 404-351-9533.


Reap the benefits of a bountiful winter harvest, wine included, by dining at Aqua blue's Winter Harvest Wine Dinner on Wednesday, January 28 at 6:30 p.m. The night's line-up of four courses with wine pairings is only $45 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Start with the sun-kissed, tropical flavors of maki served with mango, kiwi and Mandarin oranges; ease into Muscovy duck breast served with pan-seared winter greens and sweet roasted pecans followed by a hearty beef roulade stuffed with sun- dried tomatoes. Dessert melds together antioxidant rich plums and dark chocolate in a plum and decadence bombe served with a dark chocolate mousse. Specially selected wines include Adami Prosecco, Colberldo, Italia NV; Bouchaine, Pinot Noir, Carneros 2006; Edge, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa 2006; and Michael David's Zinfandel, 7 Deadly Zins, Lodi 2006. Reservations required. Aqua blue: 1564 Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell; 770-643-8886.

Eat Like You Work Here: South City Kitchen Makes Mouths and Wallets Happy

With your nose glued to the grindstone, you’re beginning to feel like a dull Jack or Jane. You know, all work and no play? Turn the tables to relish the play without the work when you take advantage of Fifth Group Restaurants’ “Eat Like You Work Here” patron appreciation special on Tuesday, January 20 at South City Kitchen Midtown and Vinings. That night, you’ll save 25 percent off your meal tab, same as the employees! You can tell the wait staff and culinary crew genuinely love to work at these bustling sister restaurants - and who could blame them?! Chef Chip Ulbrich's sophisticated Southern cuisine keeps the masses coming back for favorites like buttermilk fried chicken and the seasonal vegetable plate or new additions such as Fudge Farms pork ribs and grilled Meyer beef meatloaf. Share their joy and eat up (and don't worry, they won't make you wash dishes)!

South City Kitchen Midtown: 1144 Crescent Avenue; 404-873-7358.
South City Kitchen Vinings: 1675 Cumberland Parkway; 770-435-0700.

Checking Out The Counter Burger

There's a new burger place in town. No, not THAT one. Flip your car around and head up to Roswell for a delicious made-to-order burger and some insanely crispy and addicting sweet potato fries. The Counter Burger is refreshingly friendly while still hip and cool. The staff is amazing and even though they were busy, there was no wait.

The deal here is that you can custom build your burger the way you like it. They have little pieces of paper for you to check off your choices starting with beef, turkey, veggie or chicken. Of course I went with the beef. It's humanely raised, all-natural. Perfectly prepared, so juicy. Then you can pick toppings, type of bun, sauces - the combinations must be endless. Being a bit of a burger purist, I went with Tillamook Cheddar, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles and then, getting a little crazy, I ordered the caramelized onion marmalade on the side. YUM. They also have a nice selection (8 or so) of their own burger creations. My friend got the Taco Turkey burger and that's about all I can say about it, cuz she didn't even give me a bite! Guess it was good.

They have lots of shakes and malts. We decided we just had "to taste" the featured Birthday Cake shake which our server told us tasted like cookie dough. Um, yep, it sure did. And we barely left a drop. So much for the "taste!"

I like this place. I learned later that they are based in California and have a bunch of locations. It didn't feel like a chain at all. I'm not up in Roswell that often but it was a short drive from the office and it's quicker than a trip to a congested intown area where you might have to wait an hour. Just saying.

Thrillist Launched Today in Atlanta!!!

Gentlemen, start your thrilling! That’s right, Thrillist, a daily newsletter which gives guys the inside track on what’s new, has just launched in our very own Peach State. With a well established presence in Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Miami and San Francisco, Thrillist is to guys what Daily Candy is to us girls – a lifeline!

On a personal note, I signed my hubby up for Thrillist the other day (shhh… don’t tell him!!). I’m so excited that now he won’t have to spend hours trying to identify where new hot spot is – the info will come right to his Blackberry. Plus, I don’t have to be the personal concierge to all my (and his) guy friends anymore. (SCORE!)

Check out today's hot tip about The Bureau Bar here. Fellas, be sure to sign up and start getting your thrill of the day!

Getting Ready for Taste of the Nation '09

For the second year in a row, I will be co-chairing the restaurant committee for Share Our Strength's annual Taste of the Nation event. Talk about fun volunteer work! This has always been one of my favorite events to attend - all the best restaurants are there, the Aquarium is a killer setting and they always have a fun honorary chef (last year was Tom Colicchio!).

Last night was the first planning meeting of the year. There are some great new restaurants attending the event for the first time this year and an honorary chef that I am excited to meet (stay tuned to find out who...)! So mark your calendars for Wednesday, May 6, 2009 at the Georgia Aquarium.

Next up for the restaurant committee - getting 40+ chefs to show up on the same day and time for a group photo. No easy feat I assure you!

Dogwood Weighs in With Ways to Keep Your Wallet Fit: $20 Buys Mussels and Wine

Dogwood invites you to hoist “all-you-can-eat mussels” at the bar for $20 and satisfy your thirst with a free glass of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, all day and night, Tuesday through Friday. Here’s the warm-up: Chef Shane Touhy's PEI mussels are sautéed in olive oil with garlic, white wine and house-smoked tomatoes then dressed with butter and fresh parsley. And you're sure to find a "workout buddy" while working on your mussels - the restaurant's bar is a lively and inviting space that's perfect for meeting new friends or chatting with the friendly bartenders. Dogwood is located at 565 Peachtree Street in The Reynolds condominium building; 404-835-1410.

Personalize Your Drink

Usually when you give someone alcohol as a gift, it means you completely forgot the occasion and stopped by the liquor store on the way over. But for those that do plan ahead, Knob Creek offers personalized labels to add to the bottle. And it's available through the Knob Creek website year-round. Just fill out the label with a personal message and submit. Discretion is advised and Knob Creek states on the site that they "reserve the right to refuse printing of any inappropriate material," so don't get too crazy.

I first read about this at Drive-Thru where Jill states that shipping could take 4-6 weeks. I guess that means you have to really plan ahead.

Cheers!

Dogs Can Be Foodies, Too

My puppy, Brett, loves food. She is especially gifted at picking out the good stuff. When I add yogurt to her breakfast, it is always the first thing to disappear from the bowl. She likes when it's organic just as much as I do. When I came across this blog post at Bay Area Foodie about frozen yogurt for dogs, I immediately found the closest retail shop with the stuff in stock.

Yöghund uses all ingredients that are certified organic by the US Department of Agriculture and all boxes are made from 100% recycled materials (just incase the dog eats the carton). That is something to wag your tail about little Brett. According to the website, the closest location to our office in Buckhead is The Pet Set on Briarcliff.

PS - This was my way of showing everyone the picture I took of Brett in front of my Christmas tree.

UGA Young Alum Take Over Harry Bissett's

Last night the UGA Young Alumni Council hosted a Back to Work party at Harry Bissett's in Atlanta as an excuse to party one more time before we officially say goodbye to the holidays. It was a great event! Nearly 100 young alumni showed up to eat, drink and boo the Gators.

Bissett's set up a nice buffet for the group - red beans and rice, a gumbo and some of the best wings I've ever had (I don't usually even like wings). There were actually several different events going on at the restaurant last night (everyone was watching the National Championship game) but Bissett's did a great job making sure each party had plenty of private space, attentive servers and lots of TVs.

Go Dawgs!

Happy Hour at Il Mulino

Yesterday evening I ventured downtown for the American Institute of Wine and Food Wonderful Wednesday event at Il Mulino. The Italian restaurant, originally out of Greenwich Village in New York City, recently opened in the 191 building on Peachtree. Il Mulino served us a tasty spread of ratatouille, lamb meat balls, bruschetta, melon with prosciutto and a selection of fresh breads. Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay for dinner but enjoyed the appetizers and glass of wine. Il Mulino will stay on my list of restaurants to try.
Il Mulino

191 Peachtree St
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 524-5777

http://www.ilmulino.com/

Redbook Loves Tsp Spices

Looks like we aren't the only ones who *love* tsp spices. Redbook Deputy Editor Melanie Mannarino talks here about the individually packaged, organic spices. Sage and marjoram are the stars of her segment, but there are several more to choose from on their website. A must have for any cook's kitchen.

Recession Proof Drink Deals

Who doesn't love a good time, or a night out on the town? Lots of restaurants in the area are making it more affordable than ever to head out and enjoy one of your favorite cocktails or a glass of wine. Here are some of the great deals hitting the Atlanta area. This way, you won't have to skimp on your beverages, or a night out with the girls.

Good times at Eclipse di Luna - Miami Circle are affordably endless. Bottomless, you might say, when you consider the $10 bottomless glasses of sangria on Sundays followed by buy-one-get-one-free Monday Mojito Madness. Friends can easily find their way to Buckhead's congenial tapas restaurant and bar where laughter flows as readily as the sangria, and sharing specialty tapas is a cinch.

Midway through the week you may find yourself in need of some relaxation. What better way to enjoy a Wednesday night than with Aqua blue Restaurant's wine flight? The $14 wine flight will consist of 3 different types of wine paired with a delicious cheese plate. Each Wednesday, a different wine and cheese pairing will be offered so don't be afraid to go more than once!

Half-off wine can never go wrong in my book, that is why I am so glad I heard about Woodfire Grill's deal to offer their wine list at half price every Thursday night through March! This 50 percent discount will be taken off every wine, both by the glass and by the bottle. The diverse list changes weekly to stay current with the best new releases from all over the world as well as to complement Chef Kevin Gillespie's ever changing menu.

Eclipse di Luna - Miami Circle: 764 Miami Circle; 404-846-0449.
Aqua blue Restaurant: 1564 Holcomb Bridge Road; 770-643-8886.
Woodfire Grill: 1782 Cheshire Bridge Road; 404-347-9055.

Cocido at Ecco: Que Bueno!

My Spanish friends are always saying, "que bueeeeeeeeeno" whenever they think something is great. So last night when I tried the cocido at Ecco that was the first phrase that came to mind.

I must admit that I had forgotten Tuesdays were the special night for this hearty Spanish stew. Ecco does a deal where you get cocido and a glass of wine for $24. Only on Tuesdays. Because that's the traditional Tuesday dish in Spain.

It changes up each week but last night the meats were two types of sausage and two types of beef. The brisket was melt-in-your-mouth good. Que bueno! Then there were beans and potatoes too. It's served on a plate with the broth in a small bowl on the side. Eating instructions were not included so I spooned the broth onto the meats. YUM.

They were pretty busy so you'll probably want to make a rez, but it's not a must. See you there next week! Que bueeeeeeeno!

Shane Tuohy of Dogwood to Cook at the Famous James Beard House

The year 2009 is already off to a great start for one of our favorite local chefs. Shane Tuohy of Dogwood has been invited by the James Beard Foundation to be a guest chef at the prestigious James Beard House. The mission of the James Beard Foundation, a not-for-profit organization, is to celebrate, preserve, and nurture America's culinary heritage and diversity in order to elevate the appreciation of our culinary excellence. It is an honor to have Chef Tuohy representing Atlanta when he presents his unique Southern culinary perspective at the storied house.

The April 18 dinner will be a five-course affair, complete with wine and dessert. One can only hope Chef Tuohy finds a way to incorporate his famous grits bar into the menu! Congratulations to Dogwood and to Chef Tuohy.

CHEERS!!

DailyCandy Definition

The DailyCandy Lexicon affectionately dubs these chef idolizers “Kitchen Aids.” Clever, clever! Foodie fans that we are, where do we buy the tee-shirts?

Kitchen Aid n. a chef groupie.

Michael Tuohy's California Restaurant Gets 4 Stars!

Big woo hoo to Michael Tuohy and the great review of his new restaurant Grange in The Sacramento Bee! We were happy to see Michael's great talents so quickly recognized in his new city and more than a little proud that his Atlanta roots and Woodfire Grill also got a shout-out in the article!

Congrats, Michael! We miss you, but we're so happy for you!

BCS National Championship Match-Up at Marlow's

I'm back from a long holiday vacation of eating, traveling and watching football. While the traveling is over and the left-overs are long gone, I still have football.

You better believe that I am anxiously awaiting the The FedEx BCS National Championship this Thursday between Oklahoma and Florida. If you aren't going to be in Miami for the match-up, Marlow's Tavern will be broadcasting on multiple big screens. Kick off is at 8 p.m. - see you there!

Signing up for Marlow’s e-blast newsletter will earn you $10 to go toward a purchase of $30 or more at any Marlow’s location around Atlanta. Simply visit Marlow’s website, click on “Join our Email List,” type in your e-mail address and voila, a $10 gift certificate is sent to your inbox. Print it out before the big game this Thursday!

Marlow’s Tavern locations: Alpharetta at 3719 Old Alabama Road, 770-475-1800; Kennesaw at 745 Chastain Road, NW, 770-425-8777; Midtown at 950 West Peachtree Street, 404-815-0323; Vinings at 2355 Cumberland Parkway, 770-432-2526; Northlake at 4156 LaVista Road; 678-987-1197; and coming in January to Duluth at 1950 Satellite Boulevard.

Riding Dirty Rates the Best Wine and Food Pairings in Atlanta

Eight weeks ago one of our favorite Atlanta bloggers Dirty South Wine, began a quest to get some of Atlanta’s top restaurants to compete in a wine pairing contest; this challenge became known as “Riding Dirty”. Dirty and two of his friends began Riding Dirty by setting some ground rules. They wanted to find the best demonstration of wine and food working together, but at an affordable price. Therefore, all the entries had to be paired with the glass of wine totaling under $25. Each pairing was documented by photos, videos and each restaurant had a chance to tell their story behind the wine and dish. At the end of the contest, Dirty selected the best wines and pairings from the restaurants. Here are some of our favorite picks by Dirty!

Best Traditional Pairing: Dogwood Restaurant
Dogwood paired a Rutz Maison Grand Cru Chardonnay with Lobster Grits.

Best Dish: Woodfire Grill
Pan roasted diver scallops, braised leeks and fennel, Bouillabaisse sauce, and herb salad.

Best Value: Toulouse

Best Belly Pairing: La Tavola

I think it is fair to say I have lots of new food and wine to try in 2009! With Dirty’s advice I know to expect nothing but the best!

Put a Little Mexican Food Into Your Resolutions

I'm an everything-in-moderation type of girl. Life's too short to pass on the pork belly in favor of a plate of lettuce with dressing on the side. But this is the time of year when we all evaluate our lives, especially our health, and make resolutions to do better. The thought of eliminating Mexican food from my life is enough to ruin my day so how happy was I to learn about Uncle Julio's "heart healthy" selections? Think mesquite grilled salmon filet, ensalada especial or grilled vegetable platter. The salmon comes with sautéed veggies and fresh pineapple pico de gallo. The ensalada boasts mixed field greens with grape tomatoes, jicama, cucumber, red onions and red cabbage plus a cap of grilled salmon or portobello mushrooms and citrus vinaigrette dressing. Loading up on veggies is no problemo with the scrumptious grilled veggie platter piled with zucchini, yellow squash, portobello mushrooms, red potatoes, red and yellow onions, roasted red and poblano peppers and a side of pineapple pico de gallo. Back in Uncle Julio’s hometown of Dallas, the restaurant’s chefs collaborated with medical and nutrition experts at Medical City Heart of Medical City Hospital to develop these tantalizingly good-for-you dishes.

Just think, if you get one of these dishes you can have an extra margarita! Just saying.

DailyCandy Definition

Lest you think it's all about outward appearances, let us expand on that comment. The DailyCandy Lexicon recognizes that some of us may be a little squeamish over eating certain foods. "Tripe-Idation" politely describes this foodie phobia.

Tripe-Idation n. Fear of innards and other scary foods. (the bone marrow gave me serious tripe-idation.)

Suggested usage: Paul ordered the pork belly tapas as nonchalantly as if asking for a Varsity hot dog. Tina quaked in tripe-idation anticipating what would soon appear at their table.

From My Kitchen To Yours

If you are in need of a comforting breakfast food or afternoon snack, try making my easy homemade granola.

Granola Goodness:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together in the bottom of a very large mixing bowl:

¾ cup veggie oil
½ cup honey

Mix in and coat with sweetened oil mixture the following:

4 Cups oatmeal (not quick cooking)
2 Cups sweetened shredded coconut
2 Cups nuts (suggestion 1 cup slivered almonds, 1 cup walnuts)

Spread the raw granola on a large baking sheet (line with parchment paper if available).

Bake for a total of about 22 minutes.
Stir the mixture after 10 minutes and then again after another 8 minutes.
*Every oven is different and you may need to adjust the mixing and cooking times as the granola burns easily!

At this point your home will smell of sweet, irresistible granola, but you’re not finished.

Cool the granola in the sheet pan. If you prefer the oats to cluster together, do not disturb until completely cooled.

Mix a few handfuls of your favorite dried fruit. I like to use dates, golden raisins and cranberries, but feel free to get creative… my friend Annie adds white chocolate chips!

Store your Granola Goodness in the refrigerator if you plan to eat within a few weeks. I keep large batches in the freezer.

Enjoy on top of vanilla yogurt or ice cream! Caryn, Tanai and Lindsay pass on the yogurt and eat the Granola Goodness alone.

Moms-Before You Slip into Your New Year's Eve Party Dress, Dash Over to the New Year's Eve Morning " Good Life Jam Session" at Whole Foods Market

I know my mom had to have been in pretty good shape to chase around my brothers and I for the past 27 years. From our first steps to our first job, she has been there for it all. I am sure she would have loved to get some great tips and talk with other moms about parenting throughout some of the more "trying" years. Now, Whole Foods Market in Buckhead is offering

an awesome event, perfect for moms vowing to stay healthy and sane in the new year.

Boost your energy level for New Year’s Eve night and jump start your 2009 commitment to good health by joining Whole Foods Market Lifestyle Consultant Candice Hood from 9 – 10:30 a.m. this Wednesday morning at the Whole Foods Market Buckhead “Fit & Fabulous Mommy Club.” Each week focuses on a different topic and always includes a workout session with a top Buckhead trainer, a cooking demonstration and an empowerment session. Leave the frou-frou frock at home and dress in warm athletic wear. Reserve your spot for this free event at fitandfabulousmommyclub@gmail.com or at Customer Service.

Whole Foods Market Buckhead: 77 West Paces Ferry Road, NW; 404-324-4100.

Chef Party at El Taco Sunday

Feeling a little let down now that all the holiday parties are over? Don't despair! There's a great party on Sunday night at El Taco - and you're invited. A while back, Kirsten Ott from The Sunday Paper named her top 25 chefs in the city and Shaun Doty has invited them all to come celebrate with him. And you know there's nothing more fun than partying with a bunch of chefs!

Sunday night, Dec. 28, starting at 9 p.m. El Taco will be serving $1 tacos and $2 beer. No deals on the FroMos though - boo! Nevertheless, it will be tons of fun. All the chefs have been invited and we know for sure that Joe Truex/Repast, Craig Richards/La Tavola Trattoria, Micah Willix/Ecco, Shane Touhy/Dogwood, Riccardo Ullio/Beleza, Cuerno, Sotto Sotto and Fritti and of course Shaun will be there.

I can't wait!

Marlow's Tavern in Northlake Opens its Doors on Christmas Day!!

There’s nothing like family. Since we all live so far apart, it’s always a treat to have everyone in one place. I find though, that no matter how much we chat and visit throughout the year, for some reason, when we all get together, everyone reverts back to their role; just like when we were growing up. The youngest becomes the baby (even though she is 25 years old!), the oldest becomes the boss of everyone and the men always get together to do something that will ultimately crown the manliest among them. Sometimes it’s funny to sit back watch the whole thing play out; other times, it’s exhausting and I need a moment to get away!

So, if you’re anything like me, you’ll be grateful to know that Atlanta’s favorite neighborhood spot, Marlow's Tavern Northlake, is providing refuge on Christmas Day by opening the doors from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For those of us needing a moment of solitude before sitting down to dinner with our favorite aunt and least favorite cousin, this is exciting news!

Enjoy your holidays and meet me at Marlow’s tomorrow!

Marlow's Tavern Northlake: 4156 La Vista Road, 678- 987-1197.

Coming Soon-Marlow's Duluth

I drove to Duluth on Monday to check out the newest Marlow’s Tavern location. The new space looks fabulous! The walls are adorned with flat screen TV’s and framed black and white photographs. The booths and tables are installed and ready for the first diners. The open kitchen sparkles in the back of the space, and the lengthy bar is ready for its first patrons. So get ready for Tuesday January 20th when the new Marlow’s opens its doors!
Marlow's Duluth:
1950 Satellite Blvd, Duluth, GA 30097
www.marlowstavern.com

We've Lots Up Our Sleeves For a Fun New Year's Eve!

Raise a glass of bubbly and say "So long!" to 2008. Here's to Atlanta's fabulous restaurants for offering plenty of ways to wine and dine while ushering in 2009! Make your way to one of these dining destinations for a fabulous New Year's Eve celebration!

Aqua blue at 1564 Holcomb Bridge Road; 770-643-8886

Dogwood in the Reynolds Condominium Building at 565 Peachtree Street, NE; 404-835-1410.

Eclipse di Luna Miami Circle at 764 Miami Circle;
404-846-0449.

South City Kitchen Midtown and Vinings: Visit the Midtown location at 1144 Crescent Avenue; make reservations at 404-873-7358 or the Vinings location at 1675 Cumberland Parkway. Make reservations at 770-435-0700.

La Tavola at 992 Virginia Avenue, NE. Make reservations at 404-873-5430.

Marlow's Tavern: There are five locations in the Atlanta area: Alpharetta at 3719 Old Alabama Road, 770-475-1800; Kennesaw at 745 Chastain Road, NW, 770-425-8777; Midtown at 950 West Peachtree Street, 404-815-0323; Vinings at 2355 Cumberland Parkway, 770-432-2526; and Northlake at 4156 LaVista Road; 678-987-1197

Morton's Steakhouse - There are two locations in the Atlanta area: Morton's in Buckhead is located in the Peachtree Lenox Building at 3379 Peachtree Road, NE,
404-816-6535 and downtown in the SunTrust Plaza Building at 303 Peachtree Center Avenue,404-577-4366.

Toulouse at 2293 Peachtree Road, NE; 404-351-9533.

Woodfire Grill at 1782 Cheshire Bridge Road, NE;
404-347-9055.

DailyCandy Definition

The Tasty De-Lie perches precariously on the scale of justice, between the common little white and the sink-your-teeth-into whopper. One more bite and the scale will tilt, and not in your favor! You can’t hide a calorie from The DailyCandy Lexicon.

Tasty De-Lie: n. The false belief that Tasti D-Lite is healthy.

All I Want for Christmas is an Urban Composter

So, I set out to buy my master gardener mother some goodies for her Christmas stocking and I end up adding an urban composter to my own Santa list. That's what a trip to Farmer D's brand new store will do for you. It's like when you go to Michael's and you start imagining yourself as an artist and get all inspired to create some beautiful things. At Farmer D's you'll get excited about gardening, creating a sustainable environment in your own little world.

The store is located on North Druid Hills at Briarcliff, sharing a door with Avril's car wash. When I walked up, Farmer D was there proudly showing a lady a large barrel of worms squirming around in some very rich, dark brown soil. She seemed duly impressed so I oohed and aahed too. Inside is a beautiful store with tons of merchandise - all organic. You can stock up on Farmer D's own brand of biodynamic fertilizer, buy gardening tools, browse the book section, and check out cool products that you never knew existed - like an urban composter. This thing is small for us city dwellers and pretty much does the work for you - automatically churning your waste every four hours and providing you with beautiful soil every 2 weeks! Did I mention I want one of these???

I got my mom a cool wire bird feeder and some suet for inside it, seeds for some hearty lettuces, a homemade reusable produce bag, and a book on composting (hee hee!). Farmer D's store is open every day. I recommend checking it out. And if you get that composter, call me so I can come over and see it work!

Parker's on Ponce Brings White Oak Pastures Beef To the Table

Downtown Decatur is DeKalb county’s favorite location for unique shops and locally owned restaurants. Independently owned steakhouse, Parker’s On Ponce, is one of our favorites. Parker’s On Ponce is known for serving a traditional steakhouse menu in modern environs. In their effort towards supporting local food, the steakhouse uses grass-fed beef of Georgia’s own White Oak Pastures. The dinner menu sizzles with steaks ($15-$52) ranging from flat iron, filet mignon, New York strip, Kansas City strip, ribeye, and a “Porterhouse Steak for Two.” A wide variety of non-steak entrees ($14-$19), appetizers ($7-$14), and soups and salads ($6-$15) round out the offerings. An extensive wine list, custom cocktail menu and microbrew list pour on plenty of holiday cheer for sipping and toasting by the stacked-stone fireplace! Open for lunch and dinner.

Parker’s on Ponce : 116 East Ponce de Leon Avenue (between Church Street and Clairmont Road on the Decatur Square); 404-924-2230.

Eat Drink Learn at Woodfire Grill

Monday night Citysearch hosted an incredible Eat Drink Learn event at Woodfire Grill. Chef Kevin Gillespie paired five amazing appetizers with five wines that were perfect for dishing up at home for your own New Year's Eve party.

We enjoyed crab salad profiteroles with Georgia caviar, beet salad with fried goat cheese, grilled Vietnamese beef, potato leek shooters, apple bacon grilled cheese bites and chocolate fudge. Everything was delicious but the resounding favorite was the grilled cheese. We couldn't get enough!

After the event, Citysearch Editor Jonathan Baker shared his thoughts on the event -
"This was my personal favorite of all the events we've done so far this year. People could not stop talking to me about how good the food was, and a few of our guests ended up ordering dinner because of that, which wasn't surprising. The food presentation was perfect-- the silver spoons that held the Vietnamese beef to the toss-em-back crab and caviar puff pastries...it was exactly what we were hoping for. And I think I personally turned a few fellow Malbec drinkers into big Barbera fans thanks to that sampling. The crowd was bigger than expected and was a colorful range of folks from nicely dressed young professionals, to established media personas, and hiply-bearded musicians. The staff did an incredible job handling an unusually high amount of people for that space. It far exceeded expectations."

At the end of the evening, Whole Foods donated gift bags for five lucky winners that included chocolate truffles, holiday lip balms and scented travel candles. The vanilla peppermint candle smelled so good I decided to pick up a few for last minute holiday gifts.

If you missed this event, don't despair. Woodfire Grill is hosting a blind wine tasting tonight that is sure to be a fun time. Held during regular dinner hours (5:30 - 10 p.m.), guest can blind taste eight red wines for $15.

Happy Holidays Atlanta!

Photographed above: Caryn, Lindsay, Meryl, Marissa, Tanai, McCall, Hollie, Melissa, Sheena and MacKenzie

Happy Holidays everyone! The ladies of Atlanta Dish got together last night for a holiday dinner at Allegro. There was so much great Italian food we were rolling to our cars after dinner. We started off with champagne to celebrate a wonderful year at MLA and then came the wine, Nebbiolo to be exact. It was hard to choose since Allegro’s wine list features several wines from different regions in Italy, but Melissa did a good job.

Lindsay liked it!

We tried a little bit of everything from the menu including…

Caprese di Allegro

Sapori Italiani

Risotto Pescatore

We wish you all a happy holiday and a great new year. Thanks for reading!

Allegro is located at 560 Dutch Valley Road, 404-888-1890.

DailyCandy Definition

When the food on your plate is too pretty to eat, it's just darn foodilicious, according to The DailyCandy Lexicon. So, what's a diner to do? Ooh, aah, capture the moment with your camera phone then eat up... it won't stay hot forever!

Foodilicious: adj. a term describing really attractive food.The holiday party buffet was so foodilicious no one wanted to be the first one to disturb the teriyaki tree or fondue and fruit bouquet.

Hungry for Holiday Food

I went to the first of several holiday parties this weekend and man, the food was good. One of the reasons I love this time of year is the party food. Seeing family is good and presents are great, but holiday party food is by far the best.

I wish someone had made these cinnamon-bun ebelskivers that the Bay Area Foodie writes about. The pictures alone make my tummy rumble.

The guys at Hedonia solve the ugly cheese ball dilemmia every host faces (Mom, I hope you're reading) by using all white cheeses and rolling pecans into the mix - yum. Great idea and I know guests would be asking for the recipe.

I have another party on Wednesday of this week. Can't wait to see what they serve!