Article 14 Monthly Cheese Dinner Presents Nature’s Harmony Farm Handmade Cheeses June 10

Article 14 spreads the word on Georgia cheesemaker Nature’s Harmony Farm at this month’s cheese dinner on Wednesday, June 10. Using Old World techniques, the farm handcrafts cheeses that earn global recognition here in the home state and as far away as England and South Africa on championship circuits. The Elberton farm first forayed into artisanal cheesemaking in 2010. Taking time to hand stir and hand hoop the raw milk cheeses and letting them age slowly and develop natural rinds turns out the distinctive cheeses guests will savor during Article 14 executive chef Chris Blobaum’s four-course dinner with wine pairings. An American Cheese Society certified cheese expert will be at the dinner to answer questions. $45 per person (tax and gratuity not included). Reservations: 404-443-8432.

Bantam + Biddy Ansley Give Back Night Helps Lost-n-Found Youth June 8

Monday’s coming around again, and those leftovers aren’t going anywhere fast. Clean out the fridge another night. Instead, wing it to Bantam + Biddy Ansley Mall on Monday, June 8 where Lost-n-Found Youth will receive 10 percent of Bantam + Biddy proceeds for orders placed after 5 p.m. Lost-n-Found Youth is Atlanta’s only non-profit organization dedicated to providing safety and shelter to homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth ages 13-25. For this tasty multitasking meal, pick your poultry -- rotisserie chicken, fried chicken tenders with wasabi honey, fried chicken and cheddar waffles or rotisserie chicken on powerful salads. Go for meatloaf made from White Oak Pastures’ grass-fed beef, or if you maintain a meatless Monday tradition, choose a fresh vegetable plate or penne pasta with San Marzano tomatoes, veggies and basil. Solo, duo, family -- there’s a place for everyone here. 

Ride On! Annual Warren Bruno Summerfest Celebration Ride is the Wheel Thing on June 7

Did you heed the call? A couple of weeks ago, we mapped out the details for the annual Warren Bruno Summerfest Celebration Ride coming up this Sunday, June 7. Time for the rubber to hit the road to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and to remember Warren Bruno, owner of the flagship Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Bruno’s beloved “VA-HI” and Ormsby’s founder. Consider the family friendly cruise a warm up for the day’s Virginia-Highland Summerfest activities. Get a handle on all the info on our Atlanta Dish blog. 

Dave Berry of Bellina Alimentari among WonderFarm Dinner Chefs at Ponce City Market June 6

In a twist on the farm-to-market theme, WonderFarm highlights the kinship of Atlanta’s local farm, food, art and community at Ponce City Market on Saturday, June 6 from 7-11 p.m. The benefit for WonderRoot and Community Farmers Markets affords guests a sneak preview of the extensively renovated and not-yet-open-to-the-public Midtown landmark. WonderFarm appeals to all five senses. Delicious aromas and mouthwatering bites greet guests at the cocktail reception and seated dinner, courtesy of Bellina Alimentari executive chef Dave Berry and a slew of top culinary and mixology talent. Interactive demonstrations, performances and art installations complete the picture, punctuated by live and silent auctions. Event tickets are $250 per person or $3,500 for a table of 10. Ponce City Market is home turf for Bellina Alimentari, which opens late summer in the market’s Central Food Hall. With a market, eatery, wine bar and culinary club, Bellina Alimentari will be the place to find Italian provisions, sip Italian wines and savor healthy, Tuscan-inspired dishes created from fresh, locally sourced ingredients (such as those from White Oak Pastures, Brasstown Beef and Many Fold Farms). Catch glimpses of this Italian beauty and follow the progress on Facebook. 

Smokebelly BBQ Rocks the Cure at SweetWater Brewery June 6

Smokebelly BBQ had so much fun doling out a whole hog’s worth of roasted meat at its first birthday celebration last week that the Buckhead barbecue joint is rolling its succulent smoked meats and American eats into another good-time event -- Rock the Cure at SweetWater Brewery on Saturday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m. The annual brews and blues event overflows with a continuous pour of local brews, mouthwatering eats, live music and ooh- and aah-generating raffle prizes, all to benefit the Georgia Chapter of JDRF. Rock the Cure has raised more than $400,000 for type 1 diabetes (T1D) research since holding its first event at SweetWater in 2007. Eighty-five percent of those with T1D are adults, prompting the non-profit research organization to shorten “Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation” to JDRF to better reflect its “all ages, all stages” commitment to curing T1D. Buy tickets online; general admission $50, VIP $75. Prior commitment that night? Rock those donations online anytime.

Wake Up Call: 10th & Piedmont and G’s Midtown Turn the Tables on Tuesdays, Serve Breakfast for Dinner

10th & Piedmont and G’s Midtown wake up Tuesday nights by offering Breakfast for Dinner -- especially nice for those who are flat out overcommitted on weekends. From 5-10 p.m. on Tuesday evenings, the entire brunch menu and $6 sangria are on at these two Midtown gathering spots. That means the Southwestern sunrise burrito, vegetable panini, Southern-style steak Benedict, 10P Salad, 10P signature chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, garden omelet, Morningside burger, the Feel Good Plate and the rest of the brunch bonanza is all “fare” game. For the record, the dinner menu is not an option during the Breakfast for Dinner special. Pajamas and fuzzy slippers? Wouldn’t go that far...but that’s your call. Information: 404-602-5510.

Twin Smokers BBQ Monthly Meat & Greet Welcomes Brasstown Beef and Gum Creek Farms on June 4

When was the last time you grilled a local cattle farmer? Asked questions about raising Berkshire pigs or Angus and Braunvieh beef cattle? Chased the conversation with meaty samples testifying to these extraordinary meats, raised nearby without added hormones or antibiotics? Twin Smokers BBQ comes through as your meaty mentor, hosting its monthly Meat & Greet night on Thursday, June 4. From 6:30-8:30 p.m., meet farmers from Gum Creek Farms, located southwest of Atlanta, and Brasstown Beef, a few hours north in Brasstown, North Carolina -- and savor morsels of their naturally raised meats. The Luckie Marietta District restaurant with a passion for regionally inspired meats and barbecue styles beefs up the evening even more with great specials. Carve out more information by calling 404-698-4707. 

T. Fable Jeon Shakes and Stirs as Director at New Himitsu Lounge

Parched on Peachtree? Relief is coming -- straight up. Atlanta cocktail artisan T. Fable Jeon takes the shaker as director of Himitsu, the upscale Japanese-inspired lounge from the team behind Umi in Buckhead. Jeon will oversee and execute creative director Shingo Gokan’s signature beverage program. Catch a glimpse of the pimento-stuffed-cocktail-olive-speared-with-a-plastic-cocktail-sword-pic tattoo on the forearm of this cocktail craftsman as he pours Japanese showmanship, Southern culture and classic American barkeeping into his shaker. His handiwork has already stimulated area cocktail culture at Sound Table, The Pinewood Tippling Room and Guy Wong’s Le Fat. Tattooed arm aside, it’s no wonder Beverage Media magazine name Jeon one of 10 Mixologists to Watch in 2011. 

The Carnitas Shreds FLIP burger-ito of the Month

FLIP burger boutique refuses to confine tender pork carnitas to tacos, tamales and burritos. Not even an option at the burger boutique where The Carnitas carries head-hauncho status as June’s “burger of the month” ($14). The specially seasoned pork patty sits atop cilantro-lime mayo, crowned with shredded pork carnitas and green tomato ketchup. Shredded cabbage, pickled red onions and cilantro sprigs are the three amigos alongside the bun-bound burger. 

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Cuisine from Around the World is a veritable passport on a plate. Venture north for Canadian poutine, south for Aussie party pies and Brazilian brigadeiro (chocolate truffles), east to Chinese cha siu bao (BBQ pork buns) then westward, ho, for an In-N-Out copycat burger. Ireland? Baileys Irish Cream pound cake. Greece? Easy chicken gyro and tzatziki sauce. India? Crock-Pot Indian lentils. Get the picture? Not a bad idea -- snapshots for a vacation victuals photo album before these culinary landmarks disappear. 

Appetizing Aperture

Lunch with Mark Twain. The Southern Gentleman is his usual Atlanta lunch spot -- his larger-than-life portrait watches over the lunch crowd at the gastropub on Buckhead Atlanta’s top floor. Bet he’s wishing he could jump out of the canvas for modern versions of Southern beloveds such as this Low Country shrimp boil with spiced andouille sausage, corn on the cob, sweet onions and fingerling potatoes ($16). He’s so jealous of y’all, sipping classic Southern cocktails by the seersucker-curtained windows and lunching there Monday through Sunday on pimento beer cheese and cracklings, field lettuces with crispy black-eyed peas and grilled peaches, lacquered Virginia duck breast or crispy fried shrimp and oysters on a baguette with house-made hot sauce. Fiction? No, siree. Delicious reality, every day.

#Foodgram

Be your own seasonally driven chef, aided and abetted by Garnish & Gather. Pick a chef-created recipe from their weekly repertoire, and G & G gathers the ingredients, includes the 30-minutes-‘til-done recipe with cooking techniques and packages all for pick up at one of many designated Atlanta pick-up points or throw in some extra dough for home delivery. Garner a glimpse of their photos, and you’ll say, “Sign me up!”

Shout Out to Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails, TripAdvisor 2015 Certificate of Excellence Winner

Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails is a winner of a 2015 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence thanks to consistently great reviews form TripAdvisor travelers. Executive chef Derek Dollar and his staff have a shout out as well -- a heartfelt “THANKS” to everyone who has dined at Milton’s and shared how much they enjoyed their meal at the seed-to-table restaurant in historic Crabapple.

Stem Wine Bar Hosts Five-Course Wine Dinner Featuring New Zealand’s Esk Valley Estate June 11

Stem Wine Bar on the upside of the Perimeter in Marietta, showcases Esk Valley Estate, a boutique winery from down under in New Zealand at a five-course wine dinner with pairings on Thursday, June 11 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Esk Valley Estate senior winemaker Gordon Russell travels northward for the evening to discuss the wines paired with Stem chef/owner Doug Turbush’s sumptuous spring menu. Pairings include yellowtail hamachi with grapefruit, ginger, kaffir lime and toasted sticky rice served with 2013 Esk Valley sauvignon blanc; crispy stuffed squash blossoms filled with house-made ricotta, nasturtium and salsa verde paired with 2012 Esk Valley Hawkes Bay chardonnay; pan-roasted Carolina quail with Carolina Gold rice and Sea Island red pea griddle cake with pepper jelly alongside Villa Maria Taylors Pass pinot noir; Wagyu beef short rib romesco with pinot noir onions and chanterelles served with Reserve pinot noir; and dessert of chocolate ganache tarte with Bing cherries and pistachio ice cream enjoyed with 2012 Esk Valley Gimblett Gravels red blend. Reserve and purchase seats in advance, $119 per person (includes tax and gratuity). 

Willy’s Mexicana Grill Unwraps #SummerOfWillys $20K or 20 Days of Giving Anniversary Celebration

Gold for 50th, silver for 25th. Twenty-year anniversary? $20K of green. On June 1, Willy’s Mexicana Grill kicks off #SummerOfWillys, a season-long 20th anniversary celebration, by presenting a $5 Willy’s coupon to customers who donate to Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta. Through the $20K or 20 Days fundraiser, Willy Bitter, founder and namesake of Willy’s Mexicana Grill, flips the gifting to support the community that has kept Atlanta’s first burrito restaurant in the forefront for 20 years. The goal is to raise $20,000 for Positive Sprouts, the Boys & Girls Clubs’ healthy-eating initiative, in 20 days or less. When guests stop in for Willy’s fresh-made favorites like the popular new Baja burrito or Frito burrito, they can add a $5 donation to their tab. In return, they’ll receive a $5 cash coupon to use on their next visit. The fundraiser runs through June 20 at Atlanta- and Athens-area Willy’s locations. Coupon expires July 12, 2015 and is valid at all locations except Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. 

Bantam + Biddy Crescent Avenue Supports Georgia Conservancy through Giveback Night June 1

Since frying up its first chicken, Bantam + Biddy has drawn from local and regional sources for produce, products and all-natural, pastured poultry. The Crescent Avenue location of this community-oriented eatery is hatching a way to give back to a like-minded organization, the Georgia Conservancy. After 5 p.m. on Monday, June 1, 10 percent of restaurant proceeds will go to this foundation that strives to protect Georgia’s natural resources by advocating environmental policies, sustainable growth practice and common-ground solutions to environmental challenges. 

Outsmart Pests After Attending White Oak Pastures’ Organic Pest Management Workshop May 30

Oh, bother. Seems those nasty pests love lazy summer days as much as you do. Learn the basics of integrated pest management at White Oak Pastures’ Organic Pest Management Workshop on Saturday, May 30. Identify nasty garden pests, discover how to prevent the voracious villains from establishing residency in your small veggie garden or larger farm, review commercial and homemade solutions and see how beneficial insects fit into the mix. Already bugged by pests? Bring insect damage examples from your home garden for identification and eradication suggestions. A farm tour opens the day at 10 a.m., and the workshop wraps up around 4:30 p.m. with lunch in the Pavilion filling the noon hour. Class size limited to 20 participants. $65 per person, includes lunch. Reserve a spot online or call 229-641-2081.

Smokebelly BBQ Barrels Past One-Year Mark with Anniversary Shindig May 30

A year has blown by faster than smoker clouds for Smokebelly BBQ, and the Buckhead barbecue joint is cueing up an anniversary party Saturday, May 30. They’re roasting a whole hog and divvying out portions for free from 3-4 p.m. (while grub lasts). Toss back drink specials such as $3 Curious Traveler Shandy and Angry Orchard drafts and $4 specialty cocktails throughout the afternoon and evening. Games, giveaways and live music continue the festivities until 12:30 a.m. On the patio, Anthony Crane strums out acoustic tunes from 5-7 p.m., and Bluegrass Flashmob Trio picks and grins from 7-9 p.m. Convoy takes the tunes inside for a full band stage experience from 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

MAX’s Wine Dive Serves Samples in AF&WF Tasting Tents and Restaurant Discount with Festival Ticket

Scout out MAX’s Wine Dive along the Southern and global “tasting trails” curated through Atlanta Food & Wine Festival Tasting Tents, Friday, May 29 - Sunday, May 31. Nosh samples from more than 100 restaurants, food, wine and libations exhibitors during the hours of 3-6 p.m. Friday (VIP entry 2:30 p.m.), 2-5 p.m. Saturday and 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday. Tasting Tent wristbands are a must-wear accessory to enter. Buy a wristband for your day of choice online, $100 a pop. VIP pass holders enjoy access to the exclusive Connoisseur Lounge for socializing, eating, drinking and relishing private food and beverage classes. MAX’s Wine Dive will be there, serving samples of popular dishes plus wine pairings. Hours are Friday, May 29 from 3-6 p.m. and Saturday, May 30 from 2:30-5:30 p.m.

Max out your Atlanta Food & Wine Festival experience by capping the day at MAX’s Wine Dive. Flash your AF&WF ticket or badge at the Midtown restaurant over the festival weekend and slice 10 percent off your food tab. Chef Patric Bell-Good loads the menu with large plates for the table and small plates for soloists or duos. Lunch is served until 4 p.m. Friday, then it’s on to dinner or weekend brunch. Dine in only; excludes alcohol.

Kevin Gillespie Presents Pork Awesomeness Sunday Class at Atlanta Food & Wine Festival on May 31

Admittedly, Kevin Gillespie -- Gunshow owner, chef and”Pure Pork Awesomeness” cookbook author -- is obsessed with all things pork. His quest to raise awareness about the versatile Southern staple continues during Pork Awesomeness, an Atlanta Food & Wine Festival Sunday Classslated for May 31 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the Loews Atlanta Hotel. Cuts, breeds, flavors, recipes and cooking techniques are all “fare” game in this class that’s stuffed tighter than a pig in a poke. For tickets and class registration information, click here.

Shaun Doty, John Currence Throw Big Bad Pop-Up at Bantam & Biddy During Atlanta Food & Wine Festival

“Big Bad Chef” John Currence of City Grocery Restaurant Group in Oxford, Mississippi is inbound for the May 28-31Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, and he’s spending the evening of Friday, May 29 with fellow chef and restaurateur Shaun Doty. The two chefs are throwing Big Bad Pop-Up dinners that night at Doty’s Bantam + Biddy on Crescent Avenue in Midtown. In high-energy and quick-serve fashion over the night’s four casual dinner seatings, Currence, Doty and visiting chefs Vishwesh Bhatt, Kelly English and Duane Nutter will delight guests with chef-inspired street food and cocktails with menu items ranging from $5-$15. Currence launched the Big Bad Pop-Up dinner series three years ago as a “rad” way for chefs and guests to meld and help out local charities such as The Giving Kitchen and The Piedmont School, beneficiaries of the Bantam + Biddy pop-up. $20 reservation fee holds a seat and will be credited to the night’s bill. Buy tickets online.

Holy Smoke and BBQ! The HOBNOB Patio is “Smoke’n” Mondays and Thursdays Starting May 28

The mouthwatering smell of grilled meats and those all-telling smoke signals hovering over the corner of Monroe Drive and Piedmont across from Piedmont Park speak the truth, barbecue time is here. HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern is stoking its grills and going “Smoke’n on the Patio” Monday and Thursday evenings beginning Thursday, May 28. They’ll start slicing and serving a variety of smoked meats and Southern sides from 5 p.m. while the supply holds. Guests can dine inside, on the patio or grab take out -- and they’re welcome to order off HOBNOB’s regular menu of popular dishes. Call 404-968-2288 for more information.

Ray’s in the City Hosts Duckhorn Wine Reception May 28

The duck’s handsome, the wine winsome as all get out.Duckhorn Vineyards, founded by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn 40 years ago, has established itself as one of North America’s premium Napa Valley wine producers. Ray’s in the City validates the winery’s reputation at a Duckhorn wine and hors d’oeuvre reception on Thursday, May 28 from 5-7 p.m. Savor fine Duckhorn varietals along with hickory bacon-wrapped oysters with pepper cheese, braised short rib and crab Wellington and pan-roasted sea scallop with Parma ham and melon. $35 per person (excludes tax and gratuity). Call 404-524-9224 for reservations. 

Sail into Tin Lizzy’s Parrothead Patio Parties May 28 for Chances to Win Tickets to the Jimmy Buffett Sold-Out Concert

“If life gives you limes, make margaritas,” advises Jimmy Buffett. Change your latitude and attitude to match his outlook on life at Tin Lizzy’s Cantina’s Parrothead patio parties on Thursday, May 28. “It’s Five O’clock Somewhere,” and these patio parties cruise from 5-8 p.m. at Tin Lizzy’s Emory Point, Perimeter and Buckhead locations. Tin Lizzy’s offers a house full of margaritas including Top of the House, Fall Off the House, Beach House, Skinny House, Desert Pear, Chipotle Pineapple, Thai and a whole grove of fruity ‘ritas including grapefruit, pomegranate, strawberry, raspberry, mango and sangria. Don’t spill your ‘rita of choice as you sway away to live music and jump on chances to win prizes and tickets to the sold-out Jimmy Buffett concert on June 2 at Gwinnett Arena. Parrothead attire is encouraged. “Come Monday,” you’ll be glad you went and besides, you must be present to win.  

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We’re enthused about infusions -- infused beverages to quench summer cravings. Become Infusingly Inspired and master infusing vodka and other liquors with jalapeños to pack a wallop in summer’s Moscow Mules and bloody marys, fruit for adults-only popsicles or herbs that take classic cocktails for a spin. Non-tipsy infusions include rosemary-infused cucumber lemonade, Earl Grey infusion with ginger ale and lemon iced tea, peach green tea and pitchers of hydrating infused water recipes.

Appetizing Aperture

That Pie Place doesn’t believe in pressing the heck out of a Cuban sandwich. Their tender pocket pie version folds slow-roasted pulled pork, sliced ham, Swiss cheese, dill pickle and a touch of yellow mustard into a flaky crust ($5.49). Swoop your sandwich into the pool of mojo dipping sauce before each bite.

#Foodgram

“H” stands in the gap between “wine” and “whine.” For Evan Mah, food editor at Atlanta magazine, the “h” must represent happiness because he “wines a lot.” Self-admission. From the looks of his Instagram posts, wine, pizza and charcuterie also pave his path to bliss. 

Warm Weather Quick Picks at Atlanta Eateries

Good riddance outerwear, hello tank tops and Top-Siders. Atlanta restaurants hear your roar, and they’re ready with tall cocktails and summery fare. Here’s a punch list of some newbies:
  Article 14 in Midtown has an invigorating melon cooler featuring Double Cross vodka, watermelon, lime and a red pepper flake ($12).
  The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill offers beach-house seafood favorites such as lobster egg rolls with mango sweet chili sauce; a house-made, quarter-pound crab and shrimp burger; Coca-Cola BBQ grilled salmon topped with house-made barbecue sauce; and a Buffalo fried shrimp po’boy ($9.95-$20.95).
  FLIP burger boutique adds a shrimp po-boyger, a fried shrimp patty served with shredded lettuce, tomato, pickleback slaw and spicy rémoulade ($12.50). (Not available at Poncey-Highlands.)
  Marlow’s Tavern boasts a tasty trifecta -- a warm Brie fondue starter consisting of melting Brie, Swiss, mascarpone, Chardonnay and buttery ciabatta ($8) and a grilled turkey burger featuring Golden Legacy Farms turkey ($9.50) or crisp red snapper with udon noodles, Thai basil and miso soy broth ($17.50) as entrées.
  Ray’s Restaurants (Ray’s in the City, Ray’s on the River and Ray’s at Killer Creek) are places to lunch on lobster, as in the luscious lobster cobb salad or the lobster roll featuring Maine lobster salad ($19 each).
  SkyLounge atop the Glenn Hotel serves an intoxicating duo of a skyline view and their basil lemon margarita made with tequila, agave syrup, fresh basil leaves, lemon and salt ($8).
Umi in Buckhead adds another reason to claim status as Atlanta’s best sushi restaurant with madai carpaccio -- Japanese red snapper carpaccio, sea salt, lemon, olive oil and yuzu kosho ($15).

Catch German Meatballs and Paprikaschnitzel at Der Biergarten Before May Rolls into June

Atlanta Braves baseball grabs sports page headlines, but in our books, classic German meatballs at Der Biergarten deserve some of the home-plate glory. One of May’s menu specials, the beefy orbs served with mushroom dill sauce over mashed potatoes ($7) are especially “wunderbar” joined by beer-of-the-month Konig Ludwig Dunkel ($9/liter). Schnitzel-of-the-month paprikaschnitzel is another May special to snatch while you can. The lightly breaded pork wears a blanket of cooling sour cream sauce made with Hungarian paprika and bell peppers ($23). House-made pickles at a dollar a pop are a crisp May munchie.

Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails Throws a Farmyard Chowdown on June 7

Oysters, fried chicken, Low Country boil, garden-fresh veggies and all the accoutrements befitting a Farmyard Chowdown are in store for dinner guests at Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails on Sunday, June 7 from 5-8 p.m. The “farm” is a lot closer to town than you’d think. Executive chef Derek Dollar gleans his goodies right off Milton’s Acre in the backyard of the historic Crabapple restaurant. Live music and lawn games entertain farm hands of all ages. There’ll be no “cussin’,” but finger licking is allowed! $35 per person (excluding tax, gratuity and alcoholic beverages); buy tickets online. Those beach bound and out of town on June 7 can look ahead to upcoming Farmyard Chowdowns on August 16 and September 13. More info: 770-817-0161.

"Soul Train" Stops at MAX’s Wine Dive for Saturday Brunches in May

There’s a seat for you in the dining car with the likes of fried chicken and champagne when a “Soul Train”-themed brunch chugs through MAX’s Wine Dive in Midtown on Saturdays in May. The show “Soul Train” ran from 1971 through 2006, giving MAX’s Wine Dive plenty of footage to roll along with executive chef Patric Bell-Good’s themed brunch menu of comfort foods, plus $5 Bellinis and $3 mimosas, served by the glass. Wanna jump on? Pull in Saturdays from 11 a.m. -
4 p.m. In months with five Saturdays, the last Saturday (#5) pulls a well-planned wild card theme (e.g., a New Orleans Big Easy brunch). Menus, specials and prices vary weekly. MAX’s traditional brunch menu will be available, and the regular brunch menu also is available on Sundays from
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Call 404-249-0445 for information and reservations or make reservations online. Themes to come: The Breakfast Club in June and Tex-MAX in July. 

Join RA Sushi for 11th Annual Nicky’s Week Fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, May 25-31

Thanks to community support and fundraisers like Nicky’s Week at RA Sushi Bar Restaurant, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is able to help children live -- without billing their families. During RA Sushi’s largest annual fundraiser, 100 percent of Nicky’s Week menu profits go to St. Jude. The math adds up: since inception and counting all 26 locations nationwide, more than $1.5 million has gone toward the hospital’s lifesaving mission. This year, the Midtown restaurant will offer the Nicky’s Week menu Monday, May 25 through Sunday, May 31. Order favorites such as edamame, Tootsy maki, shrimp nigiri, pork gyoza, sesame garlic chicken, garlic citrus yellowtail, plus a variety of select beverages. Nicholas “Nicky” Mailliard, St. Jude patient and nephew of one of RA Sushi’s founders, lost a long battle with brain cancer in 2005 at age 13. His courage and spirit won the hearts of RA Sushi associates and led to the Nicky’s Week legacy, a big “RAh” for aiding children battling cancer and other life-threatening diseases at St. Jude.

Come Out of Your Shell for $1 Oysters at Aqua blue

Leave the shuckin’ to Aqua blue. The Roswell restaurant known for its global cuisine, deliciously prepared seafood and sushi is sliding an oyster promotion onto the menu.  Through May 31, diners can purchase raw oysters for just $1 each – all day, every day.  Shell out for the oysters and stay on for lunch Monday through Friday and dinner beginning at 4 p.m. seven nights a week. 

New Dishes and Cocktails, Half-Priced Appetizers are Drawing Attention at 10th & Piedmont and G’s Midtown

Mama would admonish us for talking with our mouths full, so here’s the short version on specials and what’s new menu- and mixology-wise in Midtown at 10^th & Piedmont and G’s Midtown.

Friends are pulling chairs to tables at 10^th & Piedmont for executive chef Javier Viera’s new shareables such as Galician octopus with creamy mashed potatoes ($15) or shrimp cocktail featuring Gulf white shrimp and sweet and tangy homemade peach cocktail sauce ($18). Javi’s fried oysters with avocado mousse and micro greens ($13), Sunday supper chicken ($16) and Cajun crawfish and andouille sausage on grit cakes ($17) opt in as new entrées. Of course, Viera’s celebrity status chicken and waffles are among returning favorites! At G’s Midtown, enjoy seasonal swaps such as house-smoked salmon flatbread ($11), Caribbean shark tacos ($9) and kale succotash salad ($9).

Select appetizer prices dive to half price on the G’s Midtown “Happy Hour” menu available Monday through Friday from 5-7 p.m. For example, pimento chicken flatbread is $5 instead of $10. Bottom-line price on a few more options: 10P salad, Caribbean shark tacos, seasonal phyllo bites or smoked turkey melt are $4.50 each; G’s pimento bacon cheeseburger with fried jalapeños is $5.50; lamb sliders are $6.50; summer squash ravioli comes in at $7.50; and jerk mahi mahi will set you back $9.

Craft cocktails and martinis at 10th & Piedmont are as precocious as their names suggest: Shootin’ the Hooch, Peach Blossom, Man’s Man, Off to the Races, The Goddess, Midtown Garden, Southern Belle, Driven’ Ms. Daisy, Effin’ Avocado and the Metro Manhattan ($10-$11). Want Mo’? Mojitos hint of raspberries, mango, pineapple, coconut, guava or the classic regular ($8). Stargazers will light up over the 12 zodiac cocktails, $10 each, at G’s Midtown. 

FLIP burger boutique and Red Brick Brewing Launch FL-IPA Beer on May 22

FLIP out over FL-IPA, the new house beer brewed for FLIP burger boutique by Red Brick Brewing Company. FLIP burger and the Atlanta craft brewery are buddying up to launch the easy drinking IPA on Friday, May 22 from 5-7 p.m. at the FLIP burger Howell Mill Road location. Come on over and order the special $12 pairing of a pint of the namesake beer and a signature FLIP burger decked out with bibb lettuce, pickled onions, sliced tomato, FL-IPA ketchup, FLIP sauce, B+B pickles and FL-IPA battered onion straws. Guests ordering a pint of FL-IPA will receive a Red Brick pint glass as a souvenir, and those completing an entry form will have the chance to win the grand prize of a Red Brick Brewery tour and dinner for two at FLIP. Red Brick Brewing reps will be on hand with giveaways (supplies limited). FL-IPA, a Session IPA (4.5% ABV) loaded with juicy tropical hop flavors, will be available at all FLIP burger locations.

Atlanta Restaurants Honor Memorial Day Weekend with Star-Spangled Specials May 22-25

Travels, festivals, memorial celebrations -- Atlanta restaurants post hours to accommodate your Memorial Day weekend plans.

Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland stays open late on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend (past midnight) and will serve lunch and dinner during regular hours on Monday.

All Bantam + Biddy locations will be open over the holiday weekend with all-natural poultry and regional fare -- can’t get more American than this!

Casual Chick-a-Biddy in Atlantic Station will be open as usual for weekend brunch plus lunch and dinner on all three days of the holiday weekend.

HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern will open at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, doing their duty to serve their regular lunch menu and tossing in a few brunchy items to boot.

Stop by Kabob Land for pita and hummus, tabouli salad or wraps and plates bearing slow-roasted lamb, shawarma (gyro) and charbroiled meat, chicken, veggie or salmon kabobs. Dine in or order and go to be a holiday picnic hero. The Buckhead eatery honors regular hours across the weekend.

Ormsby’s on Atlanta’s Westside keeps Sunday’s party rolling past the usual midnight hour until 3 a.m. Monday morning, then stays opens as usual on Monday from 11:30 a.m.-3 a.m.

RA Sushi Bar Restaurant in Midtown fires up its Nicky’s Week fundraiser on Memorial Day Monday and keeps the special menu rolling through May 31. Regular hours prevail throughout the weekend.

On Memorial Day, all three Ray’s Restaurants -- Ray’s in the City, Ray’s on the River and Ray’s at Killer Creek -- will be open from noon until 9 p.m. and will offer double points for all Dining Club members. Additionally, active duty military and veterans -- and one guest -- will receive a 20 percent discount at all three Ray’s Restaurants on Monday, May 25.

Brunch spreads over all three days of the holiday weekend at 10th & Piedmont. The Midtown restaurant will extend its Saturday-Sunday brunch menu to Memorial Day and will open early at 10 a.m. to welcome Monday brunchers.

Willy’s Mexicana Grill locations will be open over the weekend with the exception of Willy’s in Peachtree Center, AT&T Center, AT&T Lindbergh and at Georgia State. Take Willy’s wrapped-to-order burritos along on your weekend adventures.

Fun Indian Street Food and a Mumbai Mule Await at Masti

Ricky Walia, chef/owner of new Masti in Toco Hills Promenade, ate his way through the streets of Mumbai, New Delhi, Punjab and Nepal, all in the name of research, of course. The result is Masti, Hindi for “fun.” The casual spot for South Indian street food and favorites like butter chicken tacos, Nepalese momo steamed dumplings, paneer bhurji in toasted hot dog buns, a.k.a. “Paneer Dogs,” fish wraps in roti, spiced keema burgers of beef and veal with Masti sauce and fries, and Masti masala pasta topped with rogan josh, tikka masala or Alfredo korma sauce ($8.99-$12.99). Order a traditional, family style thali to taste a variety of Indian dishes, available for lunch ($9.99) and dinner ($14.99). Eliciting grins: cocktails such as the Masti Girl, Mumbai Mule and Ghandi Gimlet as well as craft beer and wines; and sharing Masti Queen, spiced chai and other hookah flavors with friends in the patio hookah bar ($19). Lunch and dinner, seven days a week. Keen korma karma, found. Information: 470-236-2784.

What’s New on Pinterest? Bacon!

Is bacon your beacon? Follow our smoked and cured link to Pass the Bacon, where the crispy strips work their way into every meal. Wrapped cheddar egg bites and maple bourbon bacon jam (smear on your favorite biscuits) squeal “Good morning!” Bacon Parmesan gougeres (cheese puffs) and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus disappear from the appetizer tray. Bacon Brussels sprouts, bacon and potato “roses” and bacon-brown sugar pork tenderloin hog the dinner plate. Addictive personalities, whip up candied bacon chocolate chip cookies and maple caramel bacon crack for dessert -- if you dare. The bacon fat candle is good to the last dripping.

Appetizing Aperture

When your appetite is as big as all outdoors, ride herd toward the closest FLIP burger boutique and fold your hands around the Big Bison Burger. FLIP’s May burger-of-the-month hoists a half-pound bison patty on an ample bun and blankets it with lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, crispy bacon, a fried egg and FLIP’s signature sauce. Fries squeeze onto the plate to dip into smoked mayo and ketchup. May’s burger with fries, $17. Available at all FLIP locations through May 31.

Wines Come in All the Right Shades for Summer at Max’s Wine Dive May 20

Checked your weather app today? Hotter days are on the horizon. Sunshine feels spectacular after a cold winter, but then there’s that wine quandary. Chilled white? Cool rosé? Reds that work overtime in the summer without leaving your tongue feeling sunburned? The Summer Wine Tasting at Max’s Wine Dive in Midtown answers these questions and more over tastings of five summer-friendly wines paired with chef Patric Bell’s light bites and featured appetizers. Slide over to your calendar app and set the date: May 20 from 7-9 p.m. $30 per person (excluding tax and gratuity). Reservations are required for this congenial event with family style seating; call 404-249-0445.