Bar Hop for a Good Cause!

Looking for things to fill up your long weekend? At the very least, you can fill up your glass to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on Saturday, May 29, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Atlanta Classics Bar Tour. Guests can gallivant through Virginia-Highland's oldest bars -- Atkins Park Tavern (originally a 1922 deli; tavern in 1983), George's Restaurant and Bar (1961), Limerick Junction Irish Pub (1988), Manuel's Tavern (1956) and Moe's & Joe's Tavern (1947) -- to get discounted adult beverages and menu specials priced the same as they were back in the 1960s. Tickets are $10 per person in advance and $20 at the door and include admission, a Classic Bar Tour mug, t-shirt and drink refills at a discounted price at participating bars.

Morton’s The Steakhouse Wins Over Wine-Lovers With a New By-The-Glass Menu

Wine-lovers rejoice! Morton's The Steakhouse is now offering a new Wine by the Glass menu at both the Buckhead and downtown Atlanta locations. The menu pours it on with a selection of 27 wines that complement the existing award-winning variety of more than 200 bottles. Spring/Summer 2010 selections by the glass include: the 25th release of 2010 Vintner's Hall of Fame inductee Randall Grahm's Bonny Doon "Le Cigare Volant" (This California vintage is offered as a special label "Morton's Cuvee."); a single vineyard Pinot Noir from Tony Soter's Willamette estate; and a rich Chardonnay from Dan Goldfield at Dutton Goldfield (Russian River).

Morton's The Steakhouse - Buckhead: Peachtree Lenox Building, 3379 Peachtree Road, NE; 404-816-6535.

Morton's The Steakhouse - Downtown: SunTrust Plaza Building, 303 Peachtree Center Avenue; 404-577-4366.

Sara Moulton Wows Crowds at Cook’s Warehouse

The culinarian’s calendar is always full in this town. After hearing reports about Sara Moulton’s recent classes at Cook’s Warehouse, we’re slapping our wrists for missing the event!
Current Good Morning America Food Editor and former Gourmet magazine chef Sara taught a class in each of Cook’s Warehouse’s three stores featuring recipes from her great new cookbook Sara Moulton's Everyday Family Dinners. We hear reports that she was gracious and fun! If you missed the class, there’s still a limited supply of freshly autographed copies of her book available at Cook’s Warehouse.

It’s Follow Friday – meet our Tweep of the Week @pointsnorthedit

Monthly Points North magazine has kept stylish Atlanta Northsiders informed about what's happening on their side of town since 2000. Readers can now find much of that information elegantly presented on the Points North website.

Dining, entertainment, travel, recipes, styles and human interest stories are all fair game. No time to read it all? Sign up for shorter Twitter updates!

Farm to Table to Kid: Be a Participant

Saturday, Alton Brown of the Food Network, Yael Lehman of The Food Trust, and Anthony Geraci of the Baltimore City School Farm to School Program will tackle the topic of increasing access to healthy foods in schools and low-income communities and you can participate.

Georgia Organics has organized three ways for you to join the conversation:

1. There's a Viewing Party at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market this Saturday from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Pick up some information, tune in to the discussion and submit questions for the speakers LIVE on-site. More information here.

2. Tune in from your home and watch the webcast. Submit your questions online during the discussion. Watch the webcast live here.

3. Submit your questions now to be asked during the Q & A session on how we can truly fulfill Georgia Organics' goal of GOOD FOOD FOR ALL. Email webcast@georgiaorganics.org

A tour just for champagne?

Are you a lover of champagne? If the answer is yes, then tomorrow is your lucky day, because it's time for Tour de Champagne. The event will be taking place at 103 West on Friday, May 21 from 7 - 10 p.m. and will help get your weekend started out on a positive note.

Tour de Champagne will feature a selection of prestigious champagnes along with treats from some of Atlanta's most talented chefs. Chef Keira Mortiz of Pacci Ristorante will be among the chefs providing their delectable cuisines. For the champagne and truffle lovers, LW Chocolatier will be there to provide you with your chocolate fix.

In addition to the tasting tour, there will be a silent auction benefiting Angel Flight of Georgia -- a volunteer pilot organization that provides free air transportation for medical treatments that are not available locally and for other compassionate purposes for the benefit of the community. Tickets can be purchased online for $140 or at the door (if available) for $160.

103 West is located at 103 West Paces Ferry Road; 404-233-5993.

This Weather was Made for Chilling & Grilling

Atkins Park Tavern in Virginia-Highland is the perfect place to celebrate this beautiful sunny weather and get some good summertime grub prepared on the Big Green Egg. Every Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., the restaurant offers a Big Green Egg "Chill & Grill" patio cookout with a menu that changes weekly. Check out tonight's cookout and prepare to be dazzled by Sous Chef Justin Carr's seasonal selections. On the menu this evening: a BLT salad with crisp confit belly, local spring lettuce and tomato vinaigrette ($8); a spicy shrimp sandwich with charred cippoline onions and apples on crusty bread ($10); and tender BBQ chicken with corn on the cob ($12). Beer and wine pairings chosen for this evening include Brewery Ommegang Rare Vos, Full Sail Brewing Session Lager and Man Chardonnay.

Sneak a peek at the cookout fare each Monday when Atkins Park posts the week's Chill & Grill menu on their website and Facebook Fan Page. Atkins Park Tavern is located at 794 N. Highland Avenue; 404-876-7249.

Coffee Talk

LW Chocolatier, the boutique chocolate shop in Buckhead, is adding even more European style to its selection by offering assorted coffees, espressos, cappuccinos and lattes. With LW’s newly-added patio seating and beverage offerings, you can get a taste of Europe right in the heart of Buckhead. Add a few truffles to your espresso and some prime people-watching and you've got yourself an excellent afternoon break! Even better, all coffee drinks range $2 to $5 in price. Did I mention the chocolates? Do yourself a favor and try the dark chocolate Dulce de Leche; you won't regret it.

Don’t Forget About the First Ever Atlanta Beer Week

The exciting inaugural Atlanta Beer Week began yesterday and will run through Saturday, May 22. You don't want to miss more than 50 of Atlanta’s top beer spots -- bars, restaurants, brewpubs and breweries -- joining together to host about 100 beer-related events, tastings, dinners and special beer releases. We know two popular Atlanta Beer Week participants quite well, and we frequent them as often as possible: Shaun’s, the neighborly bistro in historic Inman Park, and Ormsby’s, a “good place to be” on Atlanta’s Westside.

Shaun Doty of Shaun’s has tipped The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he’s adding 30 American, Belgian, British, German and Japanese craft beers to his menu for the event. He’s planning a different seasonal three-course menu each night for $29 plus suggested beer pairings. Read more on the AJC’s Drink blog. Ormsby’s boasts a generous variety of craft beers, dedicating a page to the beer list on its website. During Atlanta Beer Week, the tavern will tap into a cask of Terrapin Monk’s Revenge at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 18 and a cask of SweetWater Four Drink Minimum with Breakfast (a BSP quad brewed with coffee) at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 20. Wednesday night, May 19, the Schmaltz Brewery traveling freak show starts at 8:30 p.m. -- watch their man swallow a sword and hammer nails into his face. Yikes! On Friday, May 21 Ormsby’s will tap the only remaining Atlanta keg of New Belgium’s La Folie. The Flemish sour ale will flow all day.

Sign up online to stay afloat with Atlanta Beer Week brew news via Facebook and Twitter.

Ormsby’s: 1170 Howell Mill Road, NW; 404-968-2033.
Shaun’s: 1029 Edgewood Avenue, NE; 404-577-4358.

Save Atlanta Farmers Markets!

We had intended this post to be an excited update about Chef Gerry Klaskala doing a chef demo (we do love those!) at the Piedmont Park Green Market tomorrow. My, how things change in a few days! Atlanta Dish received word yesterday that our farmers markets are in need of our help as the city evaluates their policies regarding the markets – specifically, there aren’t any currently. If current city event rules were applied to Atlanta farmers markets, it would create expenses that most markets cannot afford since most of them are a labor of love run by volunteers.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t and don’t want to imagine an Atlanta without our farmers markets. The Atlanta City Government is generally supportive of the markets which is much appreciated, but they do need to hear our voices against these extended policies that would financially cripple or close down the markets. To find out more about the policies involved and about how you can contact the mayor to let him know how important these farmers markets are, please visit the Facebook event page!

It's Follow Friday - Meet Our Tweep of the Week @intownfriends

It’s springtime and there are few things we’d rather be doing than spending time outside, Terrapin Beer in hand, along with great tastings from local restaurants like Atkins Park, Ecco, La Tavola Trattoria, South City Kitchen, The Original El Taco and at least 20 other Atlanta restaurants! Good thing that A Taste of the Highlands is here this weekend! The 8th annual event returns to John Howell Park tomorrow from 2 to 5 p.m. and it’s all for a great cause – Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Live music from Lexi Street Band and Blue Remedy will keep you happy and smiling while you sample the best the neighborhood has to offer! Follow them on Twitter to get the latest updates on the event, as well as the other fundraisers they do throughout the year. Bonus – if you buy your ticket online before noon today, you can save $10!

Race Across America Sunday

Warren Bruno makes everything fun! This year he is the co-crew chief for the Georgia Chain Gang - a group of cyclists raising money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. This Sunday the group cycles from Atkins Park in the Highlands to Atkins Park in Smyrna and back. Oh yeah, and they'll stop by Ormsby's too. Trust me when I say this ride will be fun, and delicious.

The ride starts at 8:30 on May 16 and costs $30 per person. A great event for a great cause!

Reserve your spot at Toulouse's monthly wine tasting

Fellow wine lovers I have good news, great news actually. Toulouse Restaurant is having their monthly wine tasting on Sunday, May 16. I have been to a previous wine tasting and it was time well spent. I recommend it to all.

The bistro will be featuring reserve wines and you'll be able to learn the subtle nuances that make it special. There will be 15 reserve wines, as well as light appetizers for the 6:30 p.m. tasting. The cost of the wine tasting is $40 per person. If you have any reservations about going then I recommend you reconsider and reserve your spot for this months reserve wine tasting. Reservations are encouraged so reserve your spot now at 404.351.9533.

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

How To Throw A Party Morton's-Style

Thinking of throwing a party over Memorial Day Weekend? Morton's The Steakhouse in Buckhead is hosting the perfect event for you! On Thursday, May 13, from 6 - 7:30 p.m., Morton's is hosting a Summer Soiree How-To complete with cocktail making demonstrations and recipes for summertime appetizers.

Learn how to make breezy cocktails like the Cool as a Cucumber cocktail, Guava Caipirissima and Port Sangria. Complementary appetizers such as tuna tartar canapes, mini crab cakes and sirloin rolls will also be demonstrated. And, of course, complimentary bites and sips of everything will be available throughout the demonstration. After all, you can't serve something at a party that you've never tried, right?

The event is $45 per person and seats are limited so be sure to make a reservation to attend!

Pacci Ristorante Loves Pooches!

This month marks the one-year anniversary of Pacci Ristorante, an Italian steakhouse in Midtown that opened last May and was named one of Esquire magazine's "Best New Restaurants of 2009," and the restaurant is celebrating by partnering with the Atlanta Humane Society (AHS). Throughout May, Pacci will donate $1 to AHS for each signature carpaccio (Kobe beef or tuna) or new spring cocktail ordered. Many of the restaurant's guests and staff members are dog lovers, including Pacci's Chef Keira Moritz who has a border collie, and hold AHS close to their hearts. The restaurant is also collecting items on the AHS Wish List to donate to the organization. In honor of this partnership, AHS is naming a puppy that is currently up for adoption (pictured above) Pacci.

For guests who dine at Pacci and have dogs waiting at home, Chef Keira creates homemade Pacci Pups (a bag of gourmet dog biscuits for only $2) to go!

Pacci Ristorante: 866 West Peachtree Street, NW, adjacent to the Hotel Palomar; 678-412-2402.

It’s Follow Friday: Meet our Tweep of the Week @PtreeFarmersMkt

Early birds are on to something more than earthworms and rich dirt. They tweet about snatching up farm-fresh veggies, fruits and food products gracing the tables of the Peachtree Road Farmers Market located at the beautiful Cathedral of St. Phillip. Besides an eye-popping array of produce, market vendors offer meat, eggs, cheese, bread, prepared goodies, art, beautiful and useful goods made from recycled items, and even healthy dog biscuits. Make sure you follow the market on twitter to get the latest word on what's new at the market!

This Saturday brings a demo that those early birds won’t want to miss – Chef Shaun Doty of Shaun’s will be leading the cooking demo this weekend! The market is open for the season from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. every Saturday morning through December 18 at 2744 Peachtree Road, NW.

Satisfy your hunger AND help feed children

Nearly 17 million children in the U.S. will face hunger sometime this year. That's one in four children. Please help Share Our Strength provide them with good nutrition and food so they can concentrate on learning at school and growing into healthy adults. Be a part of the solution by attending Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation fundraiser on Wednesday, May 12 at the Georgia Aquarium.

Sample specialties from more than 50 of Atlanta's star restaurants! It's one stop for trying out the cream of the crop restaurants you've been hankering to visit, including Aqua blue, Aria, Ecco, JCT. Kitchen & Bar, Marlow's Tavern, Pacci Ristorante, Spice Market and Woodfire Grill. Wine tastings, three auctions -- silent, live and wine -- and live entertainment by Charley Marshall and Joe Gransden will keep you busy between bites. Mind if we drop some names? Jane Fonda is the Honorary Chairperson, and Dean Fearing of The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas serves as Honorary Chef for the evening. Guests attend from 6:30-10 p.m. with $350 VIP tickets; guests purchasing $250 general admission tickets enjoy the event from 7:30-10 p.m.

Georgia Aquarium: 225 Baker Street, NW; 404-581-4000.

Tails are Wagging for Wine Down Wednesdays at Thirsty Dog Tavern

Thirsty Dog Tavern, the newly-opened pet friendly eatery in Buckhead, will get you over the work week hump with Wine Down Wednesdays. Every Wednesday, the restaurant serves up a $20 tasting of five wines accompanied by light appetizers from 5:30 p.m. to 7:40 p.m. Additionally, Thirsty Dog offers half off the price of all featured bottles of wines on Wednesdays. The restaurant also has 15 flat screens tuned in to sports, plus a separate cigar and smoking lounge. And don’t forget to bring your dog along for Milk Bones, kibble and water on the lower patio.

Thirsty Dog Tavern: 2110 Peachtree Road, NW; 404-367-8482.

Mother's Day Dining Dilemma Solved

Flowers? Check. Cheesy but sweet card? Check. Delicious chocolates? Check! Reservations? Uh-oh... Still haven't made reservations to take your mom out for a Mother's Day celebration? Well, just a friendly reminder that Mother's Day is THIS WEEKEND and now is probably the time to finalize those plans...

Whether picking an old favorite or a new hot spot, click here to check out the special happenings, unique menus and celebrations just for mom at some of Atlanta's favorite restaurants.

Reservations? Check!

Don’t Forget to Make Your Cinco de Mayo Party Plans

You have two days to decide what you’re doing for Cinco de Mayo. Luckily, we here at Atlanta Dish have a plethora of places for you to visit. From tasty taco bars to mouthwatering margaritas, there’s something for everyone.

AltoRex is celebrating with delicious dishes like tamale poppers and taquitos, and drinks including mouthwatering margaritas and Mexican beers. Those of you who visit AltoRex before Wednesday, May 5, can get a special margarita glass to take home. Bring it back on Cinco de Mayo and get your first fill-up for free! AltoRex Rooftop Lounge is located atop Pacci Ristorante at 866 West Peachtree Street NW; 678-412-2402.

In addition to their weekly Chill and Grill patio cookout event, Atkins Park in Virginia Highland will be serving up special Cinco de Mayo dishes like scallop ceviche with cucumber noodles; and jalapenos and crispy pork taquitos with house-smoked pork, tomato and spicy cheese. The Chill and Grill menu (served from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. each Wednesday) also gets into the Cinco de Mayo spirit with items like tender grilled chicken legs with white bean salsa and garden herbs; and traditional elote with cotija cheese and spices. Atkins Park Tavern: 794 N. Highland Avenue; 404-876-7249.

The Original El Taco is celebrating Cinco de Mayo with some sweet drink specials including $18 buckets of Dos Equis Amber or Lager, $6 margaritas, $4 pineapple-infused tequila shots and $3 Tecates. The Virginia-Highland eatery is also serving up some Cinco de Mayo menu items like smoked trout with a spicy masa cake and salsa borracho ($6.50); shredded savory pork tostadas with lettuce and guacamole ($7.50); and grilled chicken with poblano chile-cream over steamed morisqueta ($11.50). El Taco is located at 1186 N. Highland Avenue. For more information or to make reservations for a group of seven or more, call 404-873-4656.

Thirsty Dog Tavern, the newly-opened pet-friendly eatery, is getting in on the Cinco de Mayo celebration by offering a tasty taco bar from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and drink deals like $5 margaritas, $14 pitchers of sangria and $3 Coronas all day long. The Buckhead restaurant will also get the party going with a DJ spinning tunes at 7 p.m. Thirsty Dog Tavern is located at 2110 Peachtree Road NW in the Peachtree Hills neighborhood of Buckhead; 404-367-8482.

Uncle Julio’s Fine Mexican Food is giving Atlantans a great place to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year. Diners can dig into Uncle Julio’s delicious dishes like smoky grilled fajitas, sizzling shrimp brochettes and marinated grilled quail. For those looking to sip the night away, guests can take a seat at the beautiful bar and quench their thirst with Uncle Julio’s signature Swirl (frozen margarita swirled with frozen sangria) or choose from more than 15 different tequila options to create their own Cinco de Mayo margarita. The restaurant also offers an array of imported Mexican beers, the perfect accompaniment to all of the menu’s savory selections. As always, guests can choose to enjoy their Mexican holiday meal alfresco by sitting on Uncle Julio’s lively patio. The restaurant has two locations in the Atlanta area: 1860 Peachtree Road NW; 404-350-6767 and 1140 Hammond Drive NE; 678-736-8260.