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

Based in NOLA, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization SoFAB(@SouthernFood) revolves around the discovery, understanding and celebration of eating and drinking in the South. Follow for thought-provoking F&B topics, deals, gift ideas, recipes and more. Sit down with your favorite hot cup and mull over more at http://www.southernfood.org.

Sample Tweet: For the perfect bird, treat it well - and we mean, very well... http://fb.me/1HuAHRnJh

Appetizing Aperture: RA Sushi's Fall Pairing

Better rake in the tropical Fall Pairing at RA Sushi Bar Restaurant before the last autumn leaves fall -- the delicious duo disappears after November 30. The $18 special partners the kiwi scallops sashimi plate and Kiwi Kismet cocktail of muddled kiwi, Kai Lemongrass Vodka, sweet sparkling sake and fresh lime and pineapple juices. 

Happy Thanksgiving Pinning: Georgia Pecan Perfection

You may have prepped your pecan pies, but Pinterest makes the Georgia native nut more versatile than a sugary treat. So if you're abound with leftover pecans, find some inspiration!

Who's Thirsty? "Eater Atlanta Cocktail Week" Is Here

Tarocco Spice at Ammazza

Put down the fork and pick up the glass... Eater Atlanta started filling up virtual glasses with cocktail posts this week! Twist open your internet device and see which restaurants are shaking up special cocktails for the week. We're tapping into several ourselves. Ormsby's on Atlanta's Westside, The Pinewood in Decatur, Ammazza on Edgewood, Lure in Midtown and Alma Cocina in downtown's 191 Tower all have some potent mixers in mind. 

Sustenance for Shopping This Friday

Black Friday can make you hungry. And thirsty. Shop, then "drop" into Atlanta restaurants for some reviving libations and refueling bites. RA Sushi Bar Restaurant has a day of off-the-RAck retail therapy planned for browsers and spender friends on Friday, November 23. Choose from more than 35 sushi, appetizer and tapas selections, plus a wide variety of beer, wine and signature cocktails in the $2 to $7 market. Black Friday food specials start early at 11 a.m. (instead of the usual 3 p.m.) and roll until 7 p.m.; drink specials available all day. Or if your shopping takes you to the Westside, Ormsby's keeps the gents in mind with its "No honey, you can hold your own purse" beer lunch on Friday, November 23. Of course, girls can enjoy the beer lunch too!

Revive and Refuel with Black Friday Food and Drink Specials and More in This Week's Dish

Turkey day is just two days away, but there is plenty more to celebrate before and after we gobble up some delicious food! Party around town at one of the Thanksgiving Eve parties or take a Black Friday break with food and drink specials at Atlanta-area restaurants. There is plenty to be thankful for in this week's Dish.

‘Tis the Night Before Thanksgiving – Thank These Restaurants for Pre-Turkey Specials on November 21

Fill up on what's going on BEFORE the big eat day. Thanksgiving Eve parties will be in full swing (or wing) around town. Atkins Park Smyrna rocks more than Plymouth with The Joe Garner Band going on at 10:30 p.m. and playing on - with drink specials - until 4 a.m. Atkins Park Virginia Highland is partying pre-feast as well, starting at 9 p.m. DJ Lion spins the tunes as SweetWater beers are featured. On Atlanta's Westside, Ormsby's will be open until 3 a.m. the night before Thanksgiving. Hmm, maybe a dash to the all-night grocery then a stopover at Ormsby's for a high five on knocking out the dinner ingredient list and a toast to blessings big and small with one of their many craft brews or signature cocktails. 

What's New On Pinterest: Savory Soups

She-Crab Soup from South City Kitchen Midtown

Soup's on! Grab a hefty bowl and spoon because our tummy-warming Pinterest posts will bowl you over.

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

Catch snippets (@BerlyMC) of the Athens, Ga. 'steading life and knock that city pace down a notch!

Appetizing Aperture: Salmon Asparagus Roll at RA Sushi's 15th Anniversary Guest Appreciation Day & 90's Party

Scottsdale, Ariz. welcomed RA Sushi Bar Restaurant to its sushi scene back in 1997. Fifteen years and 25 RA Sushi locations later, they're still "RA-ckin." Celebrate at RA Sushi in Midtown during their customer appreciation party on Thursday, November 15. They'll skim 15 percent off your tab all day and donate 15 percent of profits to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. From 7 p.m. until close, take advantage of $3 beers, $5 90s-themed drink specials and specially priced 90s-inspired sushi!

Atlanta Chefs Help Celebrate Macy's Lenox Grand Re-Opening on Nov. 17

Celebrate the Macy's at Lenox grand re-opening with a full day of food and fun events on Saturday, November 17. Atlanta chefs will be there throughout the day with samples of their signature recipes for shoppers to taste. Be sure to stop by from 2-4 p.m. to try the fare from Seven Lamps, Chef Drew Van Leuvan's newest restaurant opening in December. While you're rolling out the welcome mat, you can snack on the buttered lobster on brioche and freshly made creamsicle soda.  Buckhead Barbeque Co. will offer pulled pork sliders with hickory honey BBQ sauce and smoked chicken tacos, and RA Sushi Bar Restaurant will serve its famed Tootsy Maki rolls and sweet onion salmon sashimi made with fresh salmon in a Japanese dressing with marinated onions and microgreens. After all these delicious bites, might be wise to use an extra napkin before hitting the racks! 

Don't Miss Out - Shop the Peachtree Road Farmers Market Through December 15

20120421 EJ Hodgkinson from Peachtree Road Farmers Market on Vimeo.

A warm fall means farmers still have plenty of garden-fresh produce for sale at Buckhead's big Peachtree Road Farmers Market. Consumable gifts alleviate post-holiday clutter in a delicious fashion. Stop by Saturday mornings from 9 a.m.-noon through December 15. Among the items to put on your list: tomatoes, arugula, kale, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, garlic and pumpkins. Non-veggies include: cheese, yogurt, pork, lamb, beef, grits, honey, breads, jams, pickles, and doggie treats. Purchase unique, handmade gifts from local artists while you're there.

The Pinewood Makes Supper Easy on Sundays

Go ahead and tie a napkin around your neck right now. For $27 per couple on Sundays, The Pinewood serves an irresistible family style dinner featuring comfort food entrées of cornmeal fried catfish, Pinewood turkey meatloaf and crunchy buttermilk chicken and sides of pesto mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy and Georgia green beans. The Pinewood's scratch-made angel biscuits and bread pudding round out this square meal deal. While you're there, take advantage of their Sunday half-price special on bottles of wine.

Thanksgiving Offerings are Abundant in The Dish Newsletter

Get ready for the season of giving! Our restaurants have planned a variety of ways to keep your holiday entertaining fresh. Check out the Atlanta Dish, whether you’re looking for Pinterest inspiration or details on the perfect bird to roast straight from the pastures – we’ve got you covered. If you’re ready to take a year off from cooking, let one of our restaurants help you out; several are serving their own unique menus on Thanksgiving day. Reservations are required at most of these restaurants.
 
So you want to stay in but don’t want to cook? Ray’s at Killer Creek is taking Thanksgiving feast to-go orders through Friday, November 18th. The fare includes a boneless roasted turkey breast, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy, vegetables, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls and pumpkin and apple pies. The price is $125 and serves four to six people. What are you waiting for? Place your order by calling 770-649-0064.

Wrap Up Holiday Party and Gift Plans at ATL Restaurants and More in this Week's Dish

As Thanksgiving plans become set in stone, the hustle and bustle of holiday planning begins. Book a private party room at one of Atlanta's finest dining establishments, or pick up a gift card as a holiday treat for your friends. Find out all about holiday happenings in Atlanta and more in this week's Dish.

Making Merry or a Gift for Mary -- Atlanta Restaurants are Ready to Wrap Up Your Holiday Details

The holiday jingle jangle is dashing in. Time is short and holiday lists are long. Thank goodness Atlanta restaurants are ready to provide party places, gathering tables and present-perfect gift card promotions.

On Atlanta's northwest side, Atkins Park Tavern in Smyrna can accommodate 35 guests in a private dining room, a sit-down dinner for up to 75 people on the climate-controlled patio or even cater events for up to 500 guests at a nearby venue. Buffet, multi-course dinner, libations and specialty cocktails are easily doable. Sibling Atkins Park Tavern in Virginia Highland combines a spirited atmosphere and a bit of history into a unique setting with an upstairs area where 30 guests can partake in a sit-down dinner or 50 guests can sip cocktails.

In Roswell, Aqua blue Restaurant & Bar offers fabulous global cuisine in a relaxed, yet upscale setting with flexible spaces for groups large and small. A semi-private back room seats up to 60 guests, and up to 200 guests are comfortable in the main bar area. Book for lunch or dinner any day of the week and let Aqua blue chefs personalize your menu.

Southern cuisine takes a modern farmstead spin at Marietta’s Chicken and the Egg. Up to 28 diners can sit down to dinner, and more can get together for cocktails in the restaurant's private dining room. The restaurant also offers gift certificates for holiday giving. For private event information, contact Elizabeth Taft at 678-388-8813.

Atlantans love Fifth Group Restaurants’ options for private and group dining in a variety of settings. For contemporary Mexican cuisine downtown, Alma Cocina has private dining configurations for 20 to 90 guests or a complete restaurant buyout for 200. In the heart of Midtown, Ecco's chic private dining room seats up to 58 guests and the patio welcomes up to 75. Fresh seafood haven Lure offers three different rooms to accommodate parties ranging from 15 to 50 guests. South City Kitchen Midtown has private dining options for parties of 16 people up to 180 people. La Tavola Trattoria in Virginia Highland offers a private patio as well as indoor seating accommodating between 30 to 120 people. Another Virginia Highland restaurant, The Original El Taco, rents out both the patio area and restaurant, seating 75 to 100 guests inside. South City Kitchen Vinings offers private dining for parties ranging between 30 and 230 people. Bold American and Studio 887 provide off- and on-premise upscale catering for other event options. More scoop on the company's private dining page.

Lunch, dinner, private dining room options and rewards are all part of the event menu at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in Dunwoody. Rooms seat from 24 guests on up to 70 guests for cocktails with no room rental fee, only food and beverage minimums. Book by November 30 and receive a $50 dining certificate for each $500 spent. Fleming’s also offers a $20 bonus gift card with every $100 spent. Enter to win a trip for two to Napa by purchasing customizable gift cards online in November and December. (Redeem bonus cards from January 1-February 10, 2013.) Solidify plans and contact Jenny Whyte-Albers at 404-782-1236 or pdatlanta@flemingssteakhouse.com.

Forgo figgy pudding and fill up on pizza at Hearth Pizza Tavern in Sandy Springs. A heated patio seats 45 guests and can host more for cocktails. Save dough on holiday shopping by snagging $100 gift cards for $75.

A 2,000-square-foot skyline terrace at JCT. Kitchen & Bar in Atlanta's Westside Urban Market provides a historic neighborhood view for up to 200 guests, while up to 165 guests can dine in the interior main dining room. Discuss your event options with Valerie Mosley, 678-536-6506.

Think outside the lunch hour for a holiday gathering at Buckhead’s Market Street Café and reserve the café for your post-4 p.m. weekday or anytime weekend event. Indoors, there’s space for up to 125 seated guests or almost 250 for a cocktails and hors' oeuvre function, and the outdoor patio holds an additional 75 seated guests or 100 for cocktails. Rent the entire place if you need more space.

There's a nice $20 bonus card for you with every $100 in gift card purchases at No. 246 in Decatur. Treat a friend to this tasty gift or stock up for your own use. Bonus gift cards cannot be redeemed the same day as purchased.

Located in West Midtown’s White Provision complex, Ormsby’s has space and games for your holiday gathering. The private lounge room accommodates parties of up to 40 guests, and the private bocce room can hold up to 125 with access to one bocce court, skee ball and a shuffleboard table. Both rooms come with a shelf full of board games. Add a bartender for themed specialty drinks. Rooms are secured by a food and beverage minimum purchase agreement, and rentals start no later than 7 p.m. All guests in the party must be 21 and over for events starting after 6 p.m.

For Southern comfort and cheer, gather at The Pinewood in Decatur. Plan a private cocktail party for up to 100 guests (150 guests with tables removed) or a seated dinner for up to 60 guests.

"RA-ck" around the holiday clock at RA Sushi Bar Restaurant in Midtown. Choose semi-private dining for 10 guests or rent the upstairs space for up to 100 guests. Simplify holiday shopping with RA Sushi's gift card promotion. For every $50 in gift cards purchased through Monday, December, 31, buyers will receive a complimentary $10 bonus card, valid January 2-March 31, 2013.

Look to Ray’s Restaurants for three different private dining atmospheres and a variety of customizable menus. Ray’s on the River, Atlanta’s premier riverfront restaurant, can accommodate up to 200 guests in semi-private banquet facilities in addition to their permanent tent that holds up to 200 people. For more intimate gatherings in town, Ray’s in the City has both private and semi-private dining rooms available that accommodate up to 45 people. In Alpharetta, Ray’s at Killer Creek has room options for parties up to 300 people. Book a room by Wednesday, November 21 at Ray’s at Killer Creek and receive an additional $100 gift card. Patrons can purchase gift cards online or in restaurants. The “Cyber Monday” promotion on November 26 enables patrons to pay $75 online for a $100 gift card. All locations will be giving out scratch-off gift cards in restaurants during the holidays. Offers will include 15 percent or 25 percent off of a meal, valid in January and February 2013.

For a farm-to-table party in the city, check out Woodfire Grill, which offers options for almost any size party. "The Mezzanine" can be divided into three private rooms or one large space that can seat up to 50 guests. For smaller, cozier get-togethers, “The Loft" is privately located in the upstairs area and seats up to 22 people. Head out to the covered patio for a standing cocktail party for up to 75 or a private, seated affair for 30.

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

When Melissa Crane (@MelissaHCrane) plunges into a story, she doesn't hold back. When the scuba diver dries off, she picks up her camera and tackles food and lifestyle projects, branding, some blogging and tweeting - and a glass or two of sangria. 

Peek into her other work on her namesake website (visual storytelling for brands), Dash of East website (food and travel culture) and her branding and marketing agency dotdot Interactive. 

What's New on Pinterest: Thanksgiving Traditions

Atlanta has more Thanksgiving traditions and options that a cornucopia has nuts and squash. We're thankful for Pinterest. You?

Updated: Gobble Up All that Atlanta is Offering this Thanksgiving

Retailers are busily jingling bells and making malls merry for December's holiday rush. Atlanta chefs know that Thanksgiving comes first, stuffed with long-standing menu traditions and future traditions in the making to be gratefully shared with friends and family. Stop rushing. Live in the moment and savor Thanksgiving at these Atlanta gathering spots, or retreat after a Black Friday shopping spree. Of course, you might want to make reservations first.

Thankful for their communities, Atkins Park Tavern in Virginia Highland and Atkins Park Tavern in Smyrna are both planning Thanksgiving Day meals to pass that feeling of contentment on to their guests. Starting at 5 p.m. on November 22, the Virginia-Highland location offers meals at $22 for adults, $15 for young adults and $10 for children 10 and under (tax and gratuity not included). The restaurant offers a choice of entrée between Big Green Egg smoked turkey breast or braised pork shoulder with sides of green bean casserole, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry Gran Marnier compote and sweet potato biscuits. Dessert includes pumpkin cheesecake or southern pecan pie. The Smyrna location serves the Thanksgiving feast at 4 p.m. and is feeding adults for $20, $15 for youth and $8 for children 10 and under (tax and gratuity not included). Reservations are recommended for both locations. Call Atkins Park in Virginia Highland at 404-876-7249 and Atkins Park in Smyrna at 770-435-1887. 

Atlantans who want to host Thanksgiving dinner at their home without the hassle of cooking it all can place orders with Buckhead Barbecue Co.  Offering  selections for any size party, the restaurant is cooking  classic, take-home  entrees such as hickory honey and cracked pepper smoked turkey, apple-brandy and brown sugar smoked ham and all-natural, Black Angus brisket.  Sides feed between 12 to 15 people and include squash casserole, cornbread dressing, sweet potato soufflé and macaroni and cheese. Pies and cobblers finish the holiday meal, like the Buckhead cobbler (peach, apple, blueberry, blackberry and chocolate) or a traditional pumpkin pie, also all feeding 12-15 people. Buckhead Barbecue Co. is currently taking orders for the holiday meal until 12 p.m. on Tuesday, November 20. Customers can stop in or call 404-792-9388 to place orders. 

Chicken and the Egg is spreading the Thanksgiving spirit this holiday by serving up a traditional Southern meal. From 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., the Marietta restaurant is offering a menu for guests to choose an entrée, three sides and a dessert. Choices of entrée include either roasted turkey with cornbread dressing or glazed ham. A few side items being offered are mashed potatoes, mac and cheese and green bean casserole. For dessert, choices are pecan pie, pumpkin pie or apple cobbler. Included with the meal are rolls with butter, cranberry relish, soft drinks, iced tea or coffee. The meal is $24.99 for adults, $11.99 for children 6 to 12 and free for children 5 and under (tax and gratuity not included). Reservations are recommended; call 678-388-8813.

Ormsby’s, located in Atlanta’s West Midtown neighborhood, is celebrating turkey day early on Wednesday, November 21 until 3 a.m. Guests seeking relief from the day after Thanksgiving shopping craze can take advantage of special deals offered at the restaurant on Black Friday. Ormsby’s is located at 1170 Howell Mill Road. For more information, guests can call 404-968-2033 or visit www.ormsbysatlanta.com.  

On the busiest shopping day of the year, RA Sushi Bar Restaurant is giving weary deal hunters a reason to take a break and relax. Escape the hustle and bustle of the crowds for some “RA Retail Therapy,” and enjoy all day happy hour at RA on Friday, November 23. Celebrate Black Friday at RA by ordering from more than 35 sushi, appetizer, and tapas selections, plus a wide variety of beer, wine and signature cocktails ranging from $2 to $7. Popular dishes include Tootsy Maki, Viva Las Vegas Roll, “RA”ckin’ Shrimp, Spicy Sesame Chicken Wings and creative cocktails such as the Saketini, Red Lotus or Shiso Naughty. RA Sushi’s food specials are typically available from 3 to 7 p.m., but on November 23, food specials will be extended from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. with drink specials available all day. Stop in to RA Sushi for some Retail Therapy at 1080 Peachtree St., Suite 8. For more information, call 404-267-0114 or visit www.RAsushi.com.

Southern hospitality by the plateful is yours as you focus on friends and family on Thanksgiving Day at South City Kitchen Midtown and South City Kitchen Vinings. Each person at your table can build their own three-course meal by selecting an appetizer, entrée and dessert from a feast-worthy menu. Dine from 12-8 p.m. at the Midtown location and from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Vinings location. Cost is $42 for adults and $21 for children 12 and under (tax and gratuity not included). Start with choices such as fried green tomatoes with goat cheese and sweet red pepper coulis or house-made pimento cheese with toasted corn crackers, butter pickles and celery hearts. Main courses include roasted turkey breast with giblet gravy, cornbread dressing, collard greens, whipped potatoes and orange cranberry sauce or buttermilk fried chicken, garlic sautéed collards, smashed bliss potatoes and honey-thyme jus. Save room for desserts such as caramel pumpkin cheese tart and Southern chocolate pecan pie. Reservations are recommended at both locations. Call South City Kitchen Midtown at 404-873-7358 and South City Kitchen Vinings at 770-435-0700.

If you want to celebrate turkey day in the comfort of your own home without the fuss of cooking, Ray’s at Killer Creek is taking Thanksgiving feast to-go orders through Friday, November 18th. The fare includes a boneless roasted turkey breast, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy, vegetables, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls and pumpkin and apple pies. The price is $125 and serves four to six people. What are you waiting for? Place your order by calling 770-649-0064.

The First Dinner Series for Alma Cocina: “Secrets of a Mexican Pantry” Showcases the Edible Fungus Huitlacoche

 

Baby steps. First pronounce it, then eat it: huitlacoche sounds like wheat-la-co-chay. What is it? It's actually an edible truffle-like fungus that grows on corn. Subtly sweet and smoky in taste, this delicacy is one of those mysterious ingredients that makes Mexican food so intriguing. Join Chef Chad Clevenger for part one of Alma Cocina's "Secrets of a Mexican Pantry" dinner series that begins on November 10 at 7 p.m. He has created a five-course menu showcasing huitlacoche in traditional Mexican dishes.

Dinner starts off with roasted cauliflower and red pepper salad, incorporating huitlacoche kernels, sauce and paper, avocado and fried epazote. Next, try huitlacoche tamale followed by huitlacoche masa "fettuccine" with roasted butternut squash, mushrooms, huitlacoche cream sauce, cotija, cilantro and boiled Marcona almonds; and confit pork cheeks with arroz con crema, huitlacoche brown butter and grilled sweet potato greens. Sweet corn atole with huitlacoche cream, dried corn and sweet potato churro ends the evening on a "huit" note. If you’re interested, get in fast because seating is limited to 40 guests at $40 each (plus tax and gratuity). To make reservations, call 404-968-9662.