Hold Your Horses - It's Almost Derby Time at South City Kitchen Vinings

Dressing up and sipping mint juleps for "The Run for the Roses" is a Southern tradition.  All that horsepower.  All of those juleps.  Oh-so-hospitable South City Kitchen Vinings is throwing a Kentucky Derby party from 5 - 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 7.  You won't miss a minute of the action as the restaurant will televise it, high volume, on its flat-screen TVs.  Out on the patio, saddle up with cocktail tastings of mint juleps, mojitos and Kentuckyritas and enjoy heavy hors d'oeuvre including smoked chicken wings, Kentucky sausage meatballs, grilled pimento cheese sandwiches and burgoo-a traditional Kentucky stew. 

Hold your horses -- there's more: bartenders will teach guests step-by-step how to stir and shake up these cocktails themselves -- you'll even get recipe cards to take home so it'll be perfect every time. Even if your horse loses the Derby, you'll still win because partygoers will receive 10 percent off dinner if they choose to stay for another lap.  Purchase Kentucky Derby party tickets online for only $25 per person plus tax and gratuity. 

It's Follow Friday; Meet Our Tweep of the Week @dloveatl

With the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival coming up May 19-22...and all of the preliminary events leading up to it, it’s not like Dominique Love is sitting around twiddling her forks and corks.    

Being the energetic entrepreneur that she is, the CEO and co-founder of the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival has plenty to tweet (@dloveatl) about and info-bites to share on Southern food, wine and spirits. 

Cocktails in the Garden and Piedmont Park's Green Market Start This Week

Even though it was a little chilly this morning, rest assured that it's Springtime in Atlanta and your favorite outdoor activities are back! Tonight kicks off the Atlanta Botanical Garden's Thursday night Cocktails in the Garden. Spice Market, in the W Atlanta-Midtown, will provide the yummy, complimentary appetizers for the season opener May 5 from 6-10 p.m. I love this event! Mingle around in the beautiful garden grounds, listen to the DJ, enjoy a cocktail and nosh on delicious nibbles. Free for garden members; guests are $18.95. Guest passes will be accepted. Join the Atlanta Botanical Garden's email list to receive Evites to future events.

Saturday, May 7 is the day for another Midtown staple to come back for the season - Piedmont Park Green Market, Enjoy checking out the fresh produce, catch up with your favorite vendors and then head over to the culinary demo area to watch RA Sushi General Manager Bryan Benavidez and a RA Sushi sushi chef demonstrate how to make one of RA's sensational sushi rolls so you can wow friends with your prowess.The roll-down takes place at 11 a.m. at the Piedmont Park Green Market chef demo area. It's opening day for the market's eighth year; hours are 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. every Saturday.

Grab Your Sombrero! It’s Time for Cinco de Mayo!

You’ve still got one day to plan your Cinco de Mayo celebration. Whether you want to hit the town or host your own fiesta, we’ve got some great options for this fun holiday!

Atkins Park Tavern in Virginia Highland will be celebrating all day long tomorrow. Stop by and indulge in the neighborhood eatery’s special Cinco de Mayo selection that includes everything from tasty tacos to tequila! (794 N Highland Ave; 404-876-7249).

The Original El Taco is opening earlier than usual on Cinco de Mayo. Eager señors and señoritas will be glad to know they can arrive at 3 p.m. for El Taco's frosty drink and beer specials and its menu of fresh Tex-Mex favorites. (1186 North Highland Avenue, NE; 404-873-4656)

Uncle Julio's Fine Mexican Food, with locations in Buckhead and Sandy Springs, is always ready to celebrate with potent, custom-made margaritas, ice-cold beer and all kinds of Tex-Mex specialties from shareable appetizers to sizzling fajitas and the Plato Gordo platter. The Buckhead location boasts a huge patio on Peachtree. Heads up in Sandy Springs where a balcony and patio double the fun. Both Uncle Julio's locations open at 11 a.m. for weekday lunch. If the fiesta is at your casa, call Uncle Julio's to handle to-go or full catering needs. (In Buckhead at 1860 Peachtree Road, NW; 404-350-6767. To-go line: 404-974-2991. In Sandy Springs at 1140 Hammond Drive, NE; 678-736-8260. To-go line: 678-736-8261.)

Go al fresco by grilling or stirring up fajitas from New York Butcher Shoppe for Cinco de Mayo. Pick up CAB flank steak ($8.99/lb.), CAB skirt steak ($9.99/lb.) or locally raised all-natural chicken marinated in homemade carne asada marinade ($5.49/lb.). Their fajita kit makes it a meal, adding sliced onions and green peppers, shredded pepper Jack cheese, eight tortillas, homemade black bean salsa, NYBS queso dip and a big bag of tortilla chips for only $11.99! (Dunwoody at 2458 Mt. Vernon Road; 770-399-6328. Sandy Springs at 4969 Roswell Road; 404-303-0704. Alpharetta at 5354 McGinnis Ferry Road; 678-624-0047.)

Mom's Favorite Restaurants Know Best

On Mother's Day, May 8, it's mom's turn to ask you "What's for dinner?" Or brunch. Or lunch. Lucky for you, quite a few Atlanta restaurants are ready to help you without any hesitation! We recommend making Mother's Day meal reservations for your chosen restaurant.

Aqua blue has planned a brunch buffet for all to enjoy. Brunch is offered from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. $29.95 per person, $9.95 ages 4-14 and free for the under-four set. Or, let Mom sleep in and come for dinner's expanded à la carte dinner menu and extended hours of 5:30 - 10 p.m. (1564 Holcomb Bridge Road; 770-643-8886)

Whisk mom from metro to mountains to sample some of the Southeast's best wines at BlackStock Vineyards & Winery. With acoustic harp music in the background and sweeping Blue Ridge Mountain views in the foreground, mom can totally relax with her wine or lunch from the patio of the Corkscrew Café. Wine tastings and lunch available after 12:30 p.m. on Mother's Day. (5400 Town Creek Road, Dahlonega, GA; 706-219-2789)

Fun awaits at the Renaissance Atlanta Midtown Hotel with a "Mother's Day Pancake Play Date" in the Briza kitchen! Children can don chef hats, grab whisks, add a few healthy or indulgent toss ins and turn out custom buttermilk or red velvet heart-shaped griddle cakes for mom. The three-course brunch, including kitchen activities, will be offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is priced at $45 for adults and $25 for children ages 13 and under. (866 West Peachtree Street, NW; 678-412-2402)

At Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, a special 99-calorie "Tickled Pink" cocktail ($6.95) and three-course Mother's Day brunch menu are all about mom between 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Brunch is priced at $32.95 per adult and $15.95 per child ages 12 and under,plus tax and gratuity. Moms who celebrate at Fleming's on Mother's Day will receive a $25 gift card. (4501 Olde Perimeter Way; 770-698-8112)

JCT. Kitchen & Bar's Sunday Supper has mom's name written all over it. Begin with a selection of warm biscuits, house-made jams, deviled eggs and country ham. Next comes JCT's "farm stand" salad followed by the "meat & three" decisions mom gets to make as she selects from an array of meat options and savory sides. A slice of JCT.'s GA strawberry cake signals the finale. $36 per person; served from 5-9 p.m. on Mother's Day. (1198 Howell Mill Road, Suite 18; 404-355-2252)

New York Butcher Shoppe locations in Alpharetta, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs have easy ways to surprise mom with breakfast in bed or a morning spread. Buy any homemade quiche, breakfast casserole or Millie Ray's breakfast rolls and receive a second one for half price. All three Atlanta locations have delicious meats, family sides, wines and desserts. Food 101 customers who come in for Mother's Day brunch get 15 percent off all purchases at the Sandy Springs location of New York Butcher Shoppe if they bring in a receipt from their brunch until May 15. (Dunwoody at 2458 Mt. Vernon Road; 770-399-6328. Sandy Springs at 4969 Roswell Road; 404-303-0704. Alpharetta at 5354 McGinnis Ferry Road; 678-624-0047.)

Ray's Restaurants are always a Mother's Day favorite. Downtown, Ray's in the City is offering a special brunch buffet from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. priced at $29.95 for adults, $14.95 for children ages 5 to 10 and free for children ages 4 and under. The regular dinner menu will be available from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. (240 Peachtree Street, NW; 404-524-9224)

Both locations of South City Kitchen are offering three-courses of Southern favorites to commemorate Mother's Day, priced at $25 for adults and $12.50 for children under the age of 12 (plus tax and gratuity). Serving hours are 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. (In Midtown at 1144 Crescent Avenue; 404-873-7358. In Vinings at 1675 Cumberland Parkway; 770-435-0700.)

Both Sugo locations will be open from 12 pm to 8 pm. Come enjoy amazing Greek and Italian food and pamper the Mom in your family. Spend this Mother's Day at Sugo and every mom will receive a gift certificate to our new restaurant concept, Double Zero Napoletana, that will be opening May 10. (John's Creek at 10305 Medlock Bridge Road; 770-817-8000. Historic Roswell at 408 S. Atlanta Street; 770-641-9131)

Uncle Julio's Fine Mexican Food has a mouthwatering Mother's Day dish special. The Plato de Madre ($27.95) floats a mesquite-grilled medallion of salmon over tequila lime sauce alongside crab-stuffed shrimp and Uncle Julio's homemade rice. (In Buckhead at 1860 Peachtree Road, NW; 404-350-6767. To-go line: 404-974-2991. In Sandy Springs at 1140 Hammond Drive, NE; 678-736-8260. To-go line: 678-736-8261.)

Spice Market Gives New Meaning to Spring Cleaning with "Going, Going, Gone"

I don't know about y'all, but I have been in a major spring cleaning mode the past few weeks. While it is definitely rewarding to haul a big bag of stuff to Goodwill and to have more closet space, I still want to relax and treat myself to a glass of wine afterwards. Luckily, Spice Market at the W Atlanta-Midtown is in spring cleaning mode this month, too. For guests, this means the restaurant is slashing prices on superior wine selections and passing along the savings. Beginning this week, two different wines will be featured each week at a steal of a price. One is a high-end wine at much cheaper bottle and glass rates, and the other wine can be ordered at a reduced bottle price or $5 per glass. The wines are available until they run out, and the cut-rate selection changes each week.

Check Spice Market's Facebook page each Monday morning to discover the weekly "Going, Going, Gone" deal. The specials this week are Far Niente Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California ($18/glass and $69/bottle - usually $138/bottle) and BV Merlot, Napa Valley, California ($5/glass and $20/bottle - usually $40/bottle). Restaurant guests will also receive complimentary valet parking for up to three hours. Self parking is offered after 6 p.m. in the Colony Square parking deck located west of the hotel entrance on the corner of 14th and Juniper streets.

Celiac Awareness Month

This month (May, already?!) is National Celiac Awareness Month and we are using it as the perfect excuse to try out some of the amazing restaurants offering gluten free options for those going gluten free as a result of celiac disease (CD), gluten sensitivities or testing the waters to see what gluten-free eating is all about.

Some of the options on our list to try include the wide array of choices at Fifth Group Restaurants and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar.

Read more about these dining options here and check out some of our favorite bloggers posting articles on going gluten free and menu choices in Atlanta: Betsy at Gluten Freedom Atlanta; Jennifer, the writer for Gluten Free in Atlanta on examiner.com; Lauren at Gluten Free and Southern; Dr. Ginger Carter Miller at Gluten Free in Georgia . . . Finally and Tiffany at Delight Gluten Free Magazine.

Happy May!

It's Follow Friday; Meet our Tweep of the Week @janelerner

Jane Lerner clears the air right away:  she is not the Jane Lerner who works as a suburban New York journalist nor is she the Jane Lerner who reclaimed her grandfather's art collection stolen in WWII.  She is an avid food writer who divides her passions between eating out and cooking in.  Ya gotta love her Twitter tagline, "A knife, a fork, a bottle and a cork, that's the way we spell New York."  Find Jane on Twitter (@janelerner) and on her Butter and Salt blog.

A Sweet Dream Comes True

The museum consultant countered, "Really, an onion museum?"  That was five years ago, before learning the "sweet" history behind the humble, mild-mannered Vidalia onion.  The Vidalia's intoxicating layers have been peeled back to uncover its growth from modest cash crop to inspiring a multitude of food products marketed worldwide -- and to being named Georgia's state veggie.  See it all when the Vidalia Onion Museum opens to the public at 3 p.m. today! 

The 1,300-square-foot space is stuffed with an interactive array of educational exhibits highlighting the sweet onion's economic, cultural and culinary significance.  Exhibits trace the vegetable's history, why it's so sweet, the fight to protect name and fame, the year-round job of producing the prized onions, "Onion Town" and the economic impact of the Vidalia onion on the state, pop culture, marketing, menus, a "Sweet World for Kids," and the living exhibit of the smallest registered Vidalia onion field right there on the premises.

Adding more spunk to the mix, the Vidalia Onion Festival also takes place this weekend with festivities, pageants, parades, concerts, car shows, onion-eating contests and arts and crafts.  Since these are Vidalia onions we're talking about, it's a given that you can play all day without shedding a tear -- unless they are tears of Vidalia joy and appreciation!  After its 3 p.m. opening today, the museum's regular operating hours will be Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with Saturday hours available for tours.  For more information, visit www.vidaliaonion.org or the museum's Facebook page. 

Ladies 80s. 'Nuf said!

Everything 80s is excellent - the music, the fashion, the cocktails - and happily Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant is helping us get our 80s on with Ladies 80s night this Saturday! Starting at 10 p.m. the DJ will be spinning 80s favorites (there are so many I can't choose just one to mention here...) and tossing out awesome 80s paraphernalia like slap bracelets, glow necklaces and candy necklaces. Prizes for the best outfits will handed out so don't be shy about breaking out that crimping iron you've been holding onto for all these years. $6 cocktails resurrected from the 80s -- Blue Hawaiians, Long Island Iced Teas and Mai Tais -- are on special all night. Come on Eileen, I'll see you at Fadó Irish Pub on Saturday!

I See Your One Zero And Raise You Double Zero!

We teased you a few weeks ago about the upcoming opening of the new Double Zero Napoletana in Sandy Springs. An opening date of May 10 has been set, and the restaurant owners are fired up to report that installation of their handcrafted Ferrara ovens was completed two months ago! So what's the big deal about Ferrara ovens? The Ferrara family has been building these ovens in Naples, Italy for three generations. The ovens are made with only the highest quality materials to assure heat retention up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

With the opening of Double Zero, you can look forward to a full menu of traditional Neapolitan pizza made according to the laws stipulated by the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana, which regulates the production of Neapolitan pizza. Only products from the Campania region of Italy can be used in pizza production along with only Double Zero flour - hence the restaurant's name.

In addition to pizza, Double Zero also will serve upscale Southern Italian cuisine from the Campania region including cured meats and cheeses, appetizers, salads, hand-made pastas, main entrées and desserts. Looks like there's a whole lot more than ovens to get fired up about at Double Zero!

Double Zero: 5825 Roswell Road; 770-817-8000.

Spice Route Supper Club joins Our Libatious Nature to pair Poultry Dishes from Kerala, India with Specialty Cocktails

The South isn’t the only region known for crazing over chicken … along the spice-rich coastline of Kerala in southern India, they are just as obsessed! On April 30 at 8 p.m., Asha Gomez, the Kerala and India native who prepares Spice Route Supper Club meals, has planned a luscious dinner around Kerala's poultry specialties. Nicky and Katruska of Our Libatious Nature, a blog dedicated to exploring and enjoying handcrafted cocktails, are partnering with Asha to incorporate specialty cocktails with the same spices used for centuries in Kerala cuisine.

The threesome have planned a five-course meal with cocktail pairings that includes: Asha's signature chicken stew with silky coconut broth and savory vattayappam steamed cake served with Pineapple Sour made with bourbon, almond syrup, Triple Sec, lemon juice, muddled pineapple, egg and a pinch of saffron; braised quail curry with classic Kerala flavors of red chiles, coconut oil, curry leaves and mustard seeds served with coconut rice and Cucumber Lassi made of gin, Thatcher's cucumber liqueur, milk, cilantro syrup, muddled cucumbers; Kerala fried squab served with freshly made griddle bread and Mad Mango made with muddled fresh mango, vanilla bean, ghost pepper-infused dark rum, light coconut milk, orange bitters and orange juice; Tellicherry pepper-crusted duck with guava chutney and kale thoren paired with Smoked Figs created with Old Monk rum, ghost pepper-infused vodka, Licor 43 vanilla liqueur, homemade fig preserves and star anise. The meal concludes with dessert of vanilla bean custard with mango and Asha's chai.

The dinner with drinks is $85 per person plus gratuity. Sign up and find out the exact northwest Atlanta location of this supper club. To receive invites to future Spice Route Supper Club events, send an email to spiceroutesupperclub@gmail.com.

Don’t Forget Administrative Professionals Day Tomorrow

It’s time to celebrate those special employees that do so much for the office. From organizing and coordinating to answering every call that comes in, they seem to do it all. Book an hour or two on their calendar tomorrow for Administrative Professionals Day, and take them to one of Atlanta's delicious lunch spots. There are seven Marlow's Tavern locations scattered around town, and one is sure to be near your office. Likewise, Ray's Restaurants has three locations: Ray's in the City in downtown, Ray's on the River on the top end and Ray's at Killer Creek in Alpharetta. Buckhead options include Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse at Phipps Plaza and Uncle Julio's Fine Mexican Food. Westsiders are close to JCT. Kitchen & Bar and Ormsby's. RA Sushi, South City Kitchen Midtown and new Briza, adjacent to the Renaissance Atlanta Midtown Hotel, accommodate Midtowners with ease. Dash over to Uncle Julio's Fine Mexican Food in Sandy Springs for a lively change of scenery (and maybe a margarita). Good-bye brown bag; hello luscious lunch!

Your Email Could Win Mom Brunch

The Easter Bunny has come and gone, so now it’s time to think about Dear Old Mom!  Mother’s Day is coming up on Sunday, May 8.  

Want to impress your mom with your thoughtfulness and get to enjoy brunch with her at Marlow’s Tavern?  Forget the messy pancake mix and bacon you usually drag out for Mom’s breakfast in bed and email marlowstavernatlanta@gmail.com with why you think your Mom deserves brunch – it can be a video, essay, poem, photo or whatever it takes to express your love for Mom!  Make sure to mention your nearest/ favorite location in your entry. (Please note: Marlow’s Alpharetta location does not serve brunch, so is not included.)   
 

One winner from each location will receive a complimentary brunch for four and the winning entries will be posted on Facebook. Won’t your Mom be so proud of you?

Say Hello to Spring with "Beer Meats Grill" at Ecco This Thursday

Ecco is giving spring a proper welcome by grilling in the great outdoors with "Beer Meats Grill" on Thursday, April 28 at 6:30 p.m. Guests can enjoy Executive Chef Micah Willix’s homemade sausages grilled-to-order beneath the warm glow of Midtown lights and a tasting of ice-cold domestic and European beers to wash it all down. These aren't your ordinary cookout hot dogs. Exotic combinations include merguez North African lamb sausage; Calabrese pork sausage with red chilies and oregano; noisette pork sausage with hazelnuts and red wine; and mushroom, rabbit and pork sausage with shiitake and porcini mushrooms. Condiments include grainy and Dijon mustards, caramelized onions, cilantro and spring onion chermoula, house-made hot sauce, salted cabbage salad, warm potato salad with tarragon vinegar and lentil salad with dates and spring onions. Tickets cost $25 per person (plus tax and gratuity) and may be purchased online.

Ecco: 40 7th Street, NE; 404-347-9555.

Pumped for the Patio Party

This time of year, it’s hard to pry myself from all the glorious patios with our perfect (well, pollen excluded) spring weather.  Celebrate your love of fine patio partying at Aqua blue on April 30!  Open the season with patio drink and dining deals and live music from the American Flyers, whose 7–10 p.m. concert simply can’t be contained indoors. 

From 4 p.m. until close, $5 buys a glass of wine or patio-perfect drinks such as Aqua blue Icy Hard Tea, Mojotini, Beam Rye-Ade and Avion Summer.  Imported beer runs $3.  Patio fresh air works up appetites that are easily appeased by the regular menu or the special $10 buffet featuring jumbo lump crab cake sliders, Maker’s Mark-glazed barbecue ribs, wild shrimp and scallop lime ceviche and slathered corn on the cob.   Hello spring evenings on Aqua blue’s gorgeous blue and white dressed patio!