Help "86" Hunger With A Delicious Meal

Aria and several other local restaurants are uniting to do away with or “86” hunger over a three-night dining fest appropriately dubbed “The 86 Project.”  For every guest that dines with them Tuesday, November 16 – Thursday, November 18, participating restaurants will donate $0.86 to the Atlanta Community Food Bank to help with the upcoming holiday food demand.  Follow this project on Facebook!

Football and Bourbon Make Me Happy

When I think of football, I also think of bourbon. I don't think that means I have a drinking problem, but that's a whole different topic. On Saturday, November 13, come out to Deadwood Saloon and cheer on your favorite team at our "dipping" party! From 12 p.m. to 9 p.m., the folks from Maker's Mark will be giving away 500 signature wax-dipped shot glasses in your favorite college team colors.

You can choose from an array of options including University of Georgia, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Clemson, Auburn, The University of Tennessee, Louisiana State and The University of Alabama!

In addition to team-themed shot glasses, some of the ultimate Maker's Mark football fans will win specialty wax-dipped pigskins. And of course, we'll also be serving up everyone's favorite food and drinks while you pull for their favorite team!

Deadwood Saloon: 66 12th Street in Midtown; 404-671-4290

The Perfect Mid-Week Treat

Celebrate your Wednesdays with wine, every week at Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse located in Phipps Plaza. Come in for four pours plus complimentary appetizers and parking, all for $25 per person or $40 per couple (not including tax or gratuity).

On the menu this week are fruity Italian wines: The La Marca Prosecco balances baked apple, sour lemon and grapefruit; rich and spicy Provenza, Lugana, Lombardy hints of peach, honey and cedar; Sangervasio Rosso, Tuscany wafts raspberry and violet in Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon; and Il vino dei Padri, Bonarda, Piedmont has influences of oak, spice, wild berry and currants.

And coming up on November 17, there’s the Donnafugata Bianco, Sicilia airing lemongrass and tropical fruit; the Demarie, Arneis, Roero, Piedmont is a lively, fun white; the Tormaresca, Primitivo, Puglia has aromas of sweet plums and hints of fresh herbs of vanilla; and last but certainly not least, Monte Faliesi, Aglianico, Campania has rich plum, berry and chocolaty oak characteristics. Come try them all; you won’t be disappointed!

Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse: Phipps Plaza, 3500 Peachtree Road, NE; 404-844-4810.

Pacci Ristorante Hosts “Home for the Holidays” This Saturday

If you’re looking for a pup to take home or just want mingle with adorable dogs this weekend, then Pacci Ristorante has the event for you. On Saturday, November 13, the Midtown restaurant is hosting "Home for the Holidays," an event held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to help the Atlanta Humane Society (AHS). On this special day, the AHS adoption bus (holding several loveable, furry friends in need of a new home) will be curbed in front of Pacci giving you the chance to interact with the cuddly canines on the bus and upstairs at AltoRex Rooftop Lounge. Executive Chef Keira Moritz will be grilling burgers at AltoRex and serving them with chips and a can of soda or bottled water for $5. Lunch proceeds go straight to AHS. Hot chocolate, coffee and apple cider are available for the people, while water and Chef Moritz's famous, homemade "Pacci Pups" dog biscuits are available for the pooches.

Pacci Ristorante and AltoRex Rooftop Lounge: 866 West Peachtree Street, NW, adjacent to the Hotel Palomar; 678-412-2402

Don't Miss the Last "Farm to Table and Back" Guest Chef Dinner of 2010 at JCT. Kitchen & Bar!

If you haven't already checked out a "Farm to Table and Back" dinner at JCT. Kitchen & Bar, now is the time! Regional cooking using locally sourced ingredients is the focus for Executive Chef Ford Fry's Westside restaurant, and these quarterly guest chef dinners are the icing on the cake. Top chefs around the Southeast, such as Hugh Acheson of Atlanta's Empire State South and Five and Ten in Athens and Chris Hastings of Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, have been joining forces with JCT each quarter to prepare a special menu offered for one evening only to benefit Georgia Organics. Mike Lata of FIG in Charleston will be the guest chef at the last dinner of the 2010 series on Thursday, December 9. The cost of his special four-course, prix fixe menu is $75 per person and includes wine pairings. As with all of the "Farm to Table and Back" dinners, Georgia Organics will receive 100 percent of the night's proceeds! December 9 will be here before you know it, so go ahead and reserve a spot by calling 404-355-2252 and mentioning you want the special "Farm to Table and Back" menu for everyone at your table. JCT. Kitchen & Bar is located in Atlanta's Westside Urban Market at 1198 Howell Mill Road, Suite 18; 404-355-2252.

Time To Gobble Gobble with White Oak Pastures

Turkey time is almost upon us… the cranberry sauce, the stuffing, the pumpkin pie await hungry, happy families across the land.  But what about the turkey?  This year, White Oak Pastures is offering their Free Range Bronze turkeys for the first time!  These birds are raised following the same open pasture lifestyle as White Pastures' cattle:  roaming in a natural setting and living naturally without antibiotics or added hormones.  They actually work on the farm, contributing in their own special way to pasture management. 

White Oak Pastures practices the Serengeti Model, which means large ruminant (cows) followed by small ruminant (sheep) followed by bird (chickens and turkeys), so pastures are grazed and fertilized in three different ways.  We digress.  Bottom line on these birds is that you need to order your turkey now for your holiday table.  The last day to order is Friday, November 12, so head to the website and get to gobbling!

It's Follow Friday: Meet Our Tweep of the Week FIG Chef @MikeLata

It's always nice to know a little bit about who you're having dinner with... and since FIG Chef Mike Lata is coming for JCT. Kitchen & Bar's "Farm To Table And Back" dinner on December 9, we thought we'd give you some background reads and point you toward his blog and tweets.  

Lata keeps it simple at unpretentious FIG, passionately working with Lowcountry farmers, growers and purveyors to capture the essence of the region and season.  His staff is well educated in food and wine culture and well versed in the art of hospitality.  

New England-native Lata is a self-taught chef who sharpened his restaurant focus on farm-to-table philosophies and European-style cooking using the highest quality seasonal ingredients while he honed his culinary skills in Boston, Martha's Vineyard, New Orleans, Atlanta and France before heading to Charleston.  The 2009 James Beard Award winner for "Best Chef in the Southeast" helps with several Charleston organizations, is an active member of the Southern Foodways Alliance and co-found the local Charleston convivium of Slow Food in 2004.  All that, and he cooks and tweets, too!

Fries + Flute = Scrumdiddlyumptious

Pacci Ristorante is celebrating the launch of Kimpton Hotels' first custom sparkling wine, the Gloria Ferrer Kimpton Cuvée Blanc de Noirs and we all get to get a piece of the action too! Pacci is offering a “Fries and a Flute” promotion from Monday, November 1 – Tuesday, November 30, 2010. During that time, guests can enjoy a pairing of Chef Keira Moritz’s truffle fries with a glass of Kimpton Cuvée for $16.

Once you're done treating yourself, don't forget about your four-legged friends. If you post a picture of your dogs on Pacci's Facebook page and then show it to the restaurant, you'll get a free order of Pacci Pups.

A treat for you and your pups to enjoy!

Pacci Ristorante: 866 West Peachtree Street NW, adjacent to Hotel Palomar in Midtown

Worthwhile Wine Company Turns Wine to Water

Sip for a good cause this Thursday, November 11 from 6-8 p.m. at Isabella’s Café in Decatur at Isipho’s annual “Wine To Water” South African wine tasting event.  Isipho (ih-SEE-poh) is a nonprofit organization co-founded by Miranda Lynch and her dad, Worthwhile Wine's Tom Lynch, to improve the lives of the villagers of iNzinga, South Africa.

At Thursday’s event, you’ll try four Worthwhile wines along with three appetizers/desserts perfectly paired by Isabella’s Café, and all funds raised will go toward drilling a well for school vegetable gardens in iNzinga.  Sustainable vegetable gardens can help overcome the three main causes of chronic poverty:  malnutrition, disease (exacerbated by malnutrition) and poor education (excess vegetables can be sold for school materials). So come out and help Isipho use great wine to get even better water!  Tickets are $30 per person in advance and on the website, then $40 at the door.

Spending the Afternoon In The Country

With the perfect fall weather lately, I can't think of a better time to get out of the city and enjoy the countryside. This weekend, I plan on doing just that at the 10th Annual Afternoon in the Country at Serenbe. The annual Sunday afternoon event -- on November 7 this year -- features some of Atlanta’s best chefs, area farmers, premium micro-brewers and select retailers. I'm looking forward to checking out JCT. Kitchen & Bar, The Cook’s Warehouse and Woodfire Grill among many others!

Even better, food and wine are just the tip of the iceberg at this outdoor party. Drivetrain plays bluegrass, and there’ll be a pastry chef- supplied cake raffle, hayrides, food and wine merchandise, original art by prominent artists and a silent auction where dining and travel packages are up for bidding. Proceeds from the afternoon event benefit Les Dames d'Escoffier International and the Atlanta Chapter’s scholarship fund as well as Georgia’s organic farming community. Purchase tickets now before the event sells out!

Get Your Seat at This Sunday’s Toulouse Wine Tasting

It’s time for another one of Toulouse's tempting wine tastings. With holiday wining and dining season fast approaching, you should reserve your spot for this Sunday’s tasting of Reserve wines soon! The Toulouse Wine Guy will direct your tasting spree of 15 wines interspersed with light appetizers starting at 6:30 p.m. $40 per person. Be sure to make your reservations by calling 404-351-9533.

Toulouse: 2293 Peachtree Road, NE, Suite B; 404-351-9533.

It's Follow Friday - Meet Our Tweeps Of The Week!

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is changing its menu of restaurant review offerings in print and on www.ajc.com.  John Kessler is back at the helm as chief dining critic.  He's joined by three bloggers who love good food!  

Gene Lee covers the international dining scene on his blog Eat, Drink, Man... A Food Journal and on Twitter (http://twitter.com/eatdrinkman).  For Southern and neighborhood fare, look to Jenny Turknett, the Twittering omnivore queen (http://twitter.com/jt3t) of the ATL's northern suburbs and her blog Going Low Carb.  Chowhound Jon Watson is good to go with both high-end restaurants and pub grub on Live To Feast and its Twitter twin (http://twitter.com/livetofeast).  

Congrats to all of y'all -- we can't wait to see what you eat and tweet about!

Get Your Meat On with Chef Anne Quatrano

Got a hankering for meat? Chef Anne Quatrano has got you covered. On Tuesday, November 2, she will be hosting a special "Local Meat Dinner" at the Floataway Cafe in honor of Deborah Krasner's book "Good Meat: The Complete Guide to Sourcing and Cooking Sustainable Meat." The cost is $105 per person and includes dinner, wine pairings and a signed copy of Krasner's book. Check out Quatrano's menu and all the event details here. Beat the crowd and RSVP now to 404-892-1414. Be sure to let them know you're reserving for the "Local Meat Dinner" at 7:30 p.m. in the private dining room. In addition to enjoying a delicious dinner, you will be supporting Slow Food Emory and Emory Dining Green Team, with a portion of the evening's proceeds benefitting these student organizations.

Floataway Cafe: 1123 Zonolite Rd NE Suite 15, Atlanta, GA 30306; 404-892-1414

Saturdays Are Demo-tastic at Atlanta Farmers Markets

Heading out for a Saturday morning stroll through your local farmers market is a local tradition these days, and it wouldn’t be a market morning without a talented local chef showing you the tricks of the trade for the very veggies in your basket.  This weekend, two of Atlanta’s top chefs will be teaching their trade!

JCT. Kitchen & Bar Executive Chef Ford Fry will lead the Morningside Farmers Market "Shop with a Chef" class at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 30.  Fry will work with produce from Woodland Gardens.  Shop the market for the freshest and finest organic produce, including hard-to-find herbs and unusual vegetables.  This is the place to find those Southern garden ingredients -- the kind Chef Fry loves to include in his JCT. Kitchen dishes! 

The Fall harvest brings a cornucopia of local produce to the Piedmont Park Green Market.  See what tricks Keira Moritz of Pacci Ristorante, a Kimpton Restaurant, has up her sleeve when she cooks at 11 a.m. Saturday, October 30 on the Community Center patio. Her Southern roots and Italian finesse will bring out the best in seasonal eating.

The fall is the perfect time to head to the market for a chef demo, so head into the sunshine and learn something new this weekend!

Oh Me, Oh My, Ribs & Whiskey Is About To Go Goodbye!

They say all good things must come to an end...but not before I try to eat everything first. November 1st is the last day to dig into the Marlow's Tavern "Ribs & Whiskey" specials over lunch or dinner. That means November 2nd will be a sad day for all the ribs & whiskey lovers. I'm sure I'll still be in a Marlow's food coma, because I’ve tried to eat all of my favorites before it goes away.

If you haven't tried the "Ribs & Whiskey" special menu then you, my friend, are missing out at a taste of glory. I recommend you start out with the slow-cooked St. Louis-style Maker's Mark-glazed ribs. You honestly can't go wrong with anything on the menu, but head to Marlow's and be the judge for yourself.

Marlow's Tavern: 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 Duluth at 1950 Satellite Boulevard, 770-622-2033.

Cheers to helping a great cause!

“I believe the children are our future…” Clearly, Whitney Houston knew what she was singing about and Woodfire Grill agrees with the sentiment!  Their upcoming Evening of Wine To Support Junior Achievement of Georgia on Monday, November 1 at 6:30 p.m. is a wonderful way to support a great cause while enjoying some great wines and a four course dinner. 

The evening will help support Junior Achievement of Georgia, a wonderful program that helps get kids ready for the real world through volunteer programs and hands-on experiences in the business world.  Tickets ($150 per person or $250 per couple) are available online at www.georgia.ja.org or call 404.257.1932, ext. 2116.

Roasting, Tweeting and More - Oh My!

No doubt you've already heard about the Legends of Atlanta Hospitality Roast on Monday night - Chef Gerry Klaskala joining Anne Quatrano and Kevin Rathbun in the honoree chairs for this memorable evening benefiting the Atlanta Community Food Bank. BUT, have you already heard about the fantastic Twitter contest the ACFB is hosting in conjunction with this fun event?

The ACFB is having a giveaway on Twitter this Thursday (yes, tomorrow). At 2 p.m., a Tweet will be sent out with a video that has a question to answer. Respond within 30 minutes on Twitter with your answer and the hashtag #ACFBRoast, and you could win a really sweet prize courtesy of one of these amazing chefs or The Cook's Warehouse. Details and rules are on ACFB's Roast page. Start following ACFB on Twitter today to win!

Open House for the Holidays

Planning a holiday party this year?  Come to Morton’s Open House this Thursday, October 28th from 4pm - 6pm and you’re bound to get some festive inspiration!  This exclusive preview of Morton’s private dining rooms, perfect for receptions, luncheons, dinners or corporate events, is complimentary and open to anyone who RSVPs.  The rooms have been decked out for the holidays by some of Atlanta’s most reputable event vendors, so sip on sparking wine, nibble some of Morton’s signature hors d’oeuvres, and get in the holiday spirit as you tour all the different settings Morton’s has to offer.  Email or call Sarah Foss at (404) 816–6535 to reserve your spot!

Peachtree Lenox Building
3379 Peachtree Rd. N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30326

Bird is the Word: Local Food Expert Julia Leroy Shares Chicken Rillette Recipe

Check out this week's issue of The Sunday Paper to get tips from Chef Julia LeRoy on preparing chicken...her recipe for chicken rillette with pickled vegetable salad has been a dinner party hit and is sure to come in handy with the holidays approaching. Julia prefers humanely raised and locally procured birds, especially those from White Oak Pastures, and suggests readers use the same for their chicken dishes. You can also find other culinary tidbits from Julia on Facebook.

It’s “Take Your Feet to Eat” Walk and Dine Out Week

Photo by Sara Hannah

Today kicks off Buckhead’s first “Take Your Feet to Eat” Walk Week. Today through Friday, October 29, Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse and other Buckhead restaurants have special offers for mealtime walkers. The Buckhead Area Transportation Management Association (BATMA) touts several foot feats of the week -- since 25 percent of all auto trips are less than a mile, the event will reduce greenhouse emissions and congestion and walking is a healthy alternative to driving. Davio’s is offering a special three-course menu for just $15 for “Take Your Feet to Eat” Walk Week. You can view the menu on BATMA’s website. Find out more and sign the pledge on Facebook.

Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse: Phipps Plaza, 3500 Peachtree Road, NE; 404-844-4810