#foodgram

Love travel, love food, love to cook. Devour @foodrepublic. Think of this site as a photogenic hub jetting off to capture eats around the world yet equally comfortable in a humble home kitchen. One click and you're exploring Seoul food, another leads to something you can't pronounce frying in France. And then there's the home movie of a chicken subbing for turkey in a Thanksgiving fry-basting practice round.   

Lunch Punch Rewards at The Big Ketch

Five punches on The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill lunch rewards card moves a free lunch into your next lunch hour. Pick up a lunch rewards punch card the next time you're at the casual Buckhead dock spot for seafood, sandwiches, salads and libations. Present your rewards card when lunching at The Big Ketch Monday through Friday between 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and receive one punch for each full-priced sandwich, entrée salad or entrée purchased. Receive one punch per visit, except on Monday, which is a double-punch day! Rack up twice the points toward your free lunch by starting the week with a Monday lunch at The Big Ketch. Being carded has its privileges.

Appetizing Aperture

The Pig & The Pearl made Atlanta magazine's December 2014 "Best of" list for new barbecue places! The Atlantic Station restaurant throws a smokin' hot Saturday and Sunday brunch as well. Even on a cold morning, soul satisfying fried eggs and Yard Bird home fries with caramelized onion and yogurt sauce ($10) will keep your sunny side up. Sunday Funday brunch-y drink specials include $15 pitchers of mimosas, $24 pitchers of paloma and Dark and Stormy cocktails and $7 house bloody marys.  

Tin Lizzy's Opens Early at Mall of Georgia for Black Friday Shoppers

Photo Credit: Fratelli Studios

Tackle the stores then plop down and take on some tacos at the Tin Lizzy's Cantina Mall of Georgia location. The Buford cantina will open early at 10 a.m. on Black Friday, November 28. Along with quesadillas, Tin Lizzy's FlexMex menu boasts more than 25 different tacos filled with veggies, chicken, steak or seafood, plus dips and starters, nachos, soups, salads and sizzling skillets. A margarita or brew melts away mall mania, and the kid's menu keeps the youngsters happy. Closing the mall? This location stays open until 2 a.m. Saturday morning. 

Weeknight Happy Hours at 10th & Piedmont and G's Midtown

10th & Piedmont and G's Midtown are both offering a special happy hour menu Monday through Friday evenings from 5-7 p.m. Pay half the menu price for choice starters and shareable items such as Beets & Blue flatbread, grilled Belgian endive salad, Dynamite fish tacos, lamb sliders, forest mushroom crostini, smoked salmon mousse and roasted beet hummus. The menu extends to heartier fare as well, including jerk mahi mahi, chicken and mushroom ravioli, G's pimento bacon cheeseburger and the smoked turkey melt. So how does the half-price deal translate? During happy hour, menu prices of $7-$18 are chopped to $3.50-$9. Fill 'er up and roll the savings into your favorite liquid asset.

Retail Therapy at RA Sushi

How early are you heading out on the busiest shopping day of the year? Depending on your endurance level, you may be ready for a RA Sushi Bar Restaurant Retail Therapy break by midmorning or mid-afternoon! RA Sushi is onboard to revive weary shoppers, extending its popular happy hour from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Black Friday, November 28. Relax. The menu posts more than 25 sushi and appetizers priced from $3.39-$8.89, and there's no doorbuster pressure to nab prize morsels such as Viva Las Vegas and Rainbow rolls, "RA"ckin' shrimp, Tootsy maki, pineapple cheese wontons, chicken yakitori and California rolls. A creative cocktail such as the Lotus Blossom or Asian Flirtation along with beer and wine specials might be just the thing to soothe jangled bell jitters, and prices of $3-$7 go easy on the wallet. Guys ready to call it a day before the gals will be thrilled to know RA Sushi has screens in the bar for sports viewing. RA Sushi guests can obtain two hours of validated parking in the 1010 Midtown parking garage off Crescent Avenue.

Order Terminus City Family BBQ for Holiday Gobbling

Even the highly organized may find themselves in a bit of a time crunch over the next few weeks. A house full of family, a full schedule of activities and a kitchen full of turkey trotting recipes to prepare still doesn't quell that quake-causing question of "What's for supper?" Before crying "uncle," call Uncle Kevin Gillespie's Terminus City team. For a limited time, Terminus City Family BBQ Packs will be available for pick up at Gunshow in Glenwood Park. Each family pack is priced at $46 and feeds four to five hungry folk. First, pick your protein -- two pounds of pork or chicken. Sidekicks include a pint of slaw, a pint of potato salad and cookies. Posse landing at your house? Double up and order two packs, one pork and a chicken. Either way, you can add a quart of Brunswick stew for $18. Pick up is available Wednesday, November 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For availability, call 404-380-1886 or email TerminusCity@gunshowatl.com.

Marlow's Tavern Alpharetta Celebrates 10 Years

A decade has gone by since Marlow's Tavern Alpharetta opened its doors in 2004. The tavern will celebrate its 10th anniversary on November 26 with food and drink specials from 6 p.m. until closing, giveaways and live music from Ben Wade. Stop in and enjoy specials like the slider plate, including the turkey burger with goat cheese and Smokehouse burger, a burrata cheese appetizer and complimentary sweet treats. Select libations are $5 each. Score giveaways galore from 7-10 p.m. Complimentary champagne toasts all around when Marlow's announces the lucky guest winning the big prize, a complimentary dinner of up to $35 each week for a year!

Free Lunch at The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill, Terminus City Family BBQ Packs and More in This Week's Dish!

We're big fans of classic lunch punch cards, especially when a free meal from The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill is up for grabs. Five punches on your lunch card means you'll be reeling in a free lunch on your next visit. Meanwhile, the Terminus City team is offering family BBQ packs full of two pounds of pork or chicken along with a pint of slaw, a pint of potato salad and cookies for the holidays. Call 404-380-1886 to place your order, then pick up your packs at Gunshow in Glenwood Park on Wednesday, November 26. All that and more in this week's Dish!

Happy Anniversary to Moxie Kitchen + Cocktails

If you're on your way to Jacksonville, Florida today, or have friends who live there, venture over to Moxie Kitchen + Cocktails where they're celebrating their one-year anniversary. Tuesday, November 25 officially marks one year of pleasing Jacksonville residents and visitors with Moxie's "handcrafted happiness" and that calls for several one-day-only party favors. Those who lunch at Moxie today will receive a special anniversary treat on the house. Come after 5 p.m. and receive a complimentary glass of sparkling wine to celebrate! Guests under age 21 can raise a glass of Moxie soda over ice.

Deal Alert: Half-Price Wine at Ray's Restaurants

Go after those Black Friday one-day deals, and then go for the red and white ones. All three Ray's Restaurants are uncorking half-price bottles of wine during their weekly "Wine" Down promotions. Downtown, Ray's in the City offers a selection of more than 30 wines at half the regular price every Saturday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday from 12:30-9 p.m. Ray's on the River honors "Wine" Down hours every Sunday from 5-9 p.m. with half-price savings on more than 50 wines. Ray's at Killer Creek has moved their "Wine" Down day from Friday to Sunday and pours more than 20 wine selections at half price from 12:30-9 p.m. All three locations follow the same fine print: "Wine" Down promotions are not valid on major holidays, with private events or with any other discounts. Plan your shopping strategy to scour the stores Friday and Saturday then relax and review your triumphs over a bottle of wine at your favorite Ray's location...and use that nifty calendar feature to carry this event forward each weekend.

Appetizing Aperture

You think it's cold here? 10th & Piedmont knows some Mainers who brave Maine-stream ocean depths and colder weather than Georgia will ever know to provide sweet, succulent Maine lobster tails for the Midtown restaurant's new winter menu. Chef Javier Viera treats the shellfish to some Southern heat, enhancing the tender meat and bringing color to its cheeks, err, tails. Four 2.5-ounce tails touch base on a plate along with a duo of saffron and clarified butter. Squeeze on lemon for a sunny pop of citrus and vitamin C. Visit 10th & Piedmont soon to meet and eat these guys and their warm-you-up compadres. 

What's New on Pinterest: Thanksgiving Favorites

Gratitude is an attitude. One of our writers is thankful for this week's Thanksgiving Favorites board because she's planning her whole menu from it. You'll see her cruising the grocery aisles, iPad in hand, gathering ingredients for fall corn pudding with white cheddar and thyme, farro pilaf with wild mushrooms, spiced roasted root vegetables with apples and walnuts, Brussels sprout salad with avocado and pumpkin seeds, cranberry chutney and pumpkin crisp. The hubs will thrill over a bird to grill, and that will keep both bird and grillmaster out of kitchen congestion. 

#Foodgram

Trisha, a mom of four and food photographer, found herself yearning for healthy foods her kids would love to make and eat and a simple, minimalist style beyond yoga pants. Goeatyourbeets comes through, "getting families back to their roots." Dig deep on her blog for recipes kids devour, advice and activities to help readers make peace with crazy days. 

Thanksgiving Dinner at Atlanta Restaurants

This Thanksgiving, our gratitude jar overflows with grace notes. Among them, the names of restaurants and stores where chefs and their teams are cooking up Thanksgiving Day dinners abounding with good eats. Which leads us to add notes to our jar for free time enjoying friends and family and no dishpan hands. 10th & Piedmont and G's Midtown are both hosting Thanksgiving buffets boasting traditional favorites from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Scope out the carving station with herb and butter roasted turkey breast and prime rib; hot items such as dressing, roasted jalapeño mac and cheese, creamy Parmesan mashed potatoes, garlic green beans and roasted sweet potato; and cold sides including cranberry sauce, Southern-style potato salad and a selection of fresh fruit and cheeses. A pilgrimage to the dessert buffet finds cheesecake bites, chocolate lava cake, pumpkin pie, pecan pie and more. $34.95 per adult and $13.95 for children 10 years old and younger. Details here. Call the respective restaurant to make reservations. Join Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, November 27, served from 5-11 p.m. Choose Big Green Egg-smoked turkey breast or braised pork shoulder with sides of green bean casserole, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry Grand Marnier compote and sweet potato biscuits. Dessert options include pumpkin cheesecake or Southern pecan pie. $28 for adults, $18 for ages 11-16 and $10 for children 10 and under (tax and gratuity not included). Reservations recommended, 404-876-7249. Call on Bantam + Biddy to cater your Thanksgiving dinner (Crescent location only) and feed 10-12 people for $180.Meal includes one 12-15 lb. roasted Amish turkey, classic mashed potatoes, braised collard greens, cornbread, sage and wild rice stuffing, homemade giblet gravy, a quart of spicy cranberry sauce and a North Georgia apple pie. Place orders by 9 p.m. on Tuesday, November 25 and pick up food Wednesday, November 26 from 5 p.m. to close. Phone 404-835-6450 or email wecater@bantamandbiddy.com.  In historic Crabapple, Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails is fixing Thanksgiving turkeys and a boatload of sides to-go. Pre-order a brined, smoked turkey weighing between 12-14 lbs. and priced at $75. Each turkey serves 6-8 guests and comes with sage-corn spoon bread. Additional side items are available for pre-order purchase. Order turkeys here by Friday, November 21 for pick-up on Tuesday, November 25 and Wednesday, November 26 at the restaurant. Hosting dinner is a cinch thanks to The Pig & the Pearl in Atlantic Station and its full Thanksgiving feast to-go. À la carte ordering lists everything from the 12-14 lb. fresh, whole smoked turkey with gravy for $65 each to additional sides such as cheddar mac and cheese, smoked sweet potatoes, sweet potato pie and a cranberry-apple streusel pie. Each side item is portioned to feed four to six people. Orders must be placed by November 24. Gather details and pre-order your dinner here. Go over the river, by the woods or downtown to partake ofRay's Restaurants' Thanksgiving buffets abundant with Turkey Day and signature recipes. Phone individual restaurants for preferred seating. Ray's on the River will serve dinner from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. priced at $42.95 per adult and $21.95 per child ages 5-10; 770-955-1187. Feast atRay's at Killer Creek between 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. for $34.95 per adult and $17.95 per child ages 5-10; 770-649-0064. Ray's in the City's Thanksgiving buffet will be offered from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. priced at $34.95 per adult and $17.95 per child; regular dinner menu offered at 5 p.m. with à la carte pricing and extra Thanksgiving specials; 404-524-9224. Head to The Shed at Glenwood for a Thanksgiving buffetresplendent with savory meats including Gum Creek Farms ham, salmon croquettes and fried Springer Mountain chicken plus sides of sweet potato soufflé, mac and cheese gratin, B.L.T. sliders, beet salad and zucchini and squash casseroles. Dessert table joy: decadent oatmeal and cranberry whoopie pies, red velvet cupcakes, bourbon-roasted banana pudding, chocolate mousse tart and more. $50 per adult, $20 for children ages 4-10. Served from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Reserve your table online. Be the host with the most free time for family and friends. Let Whole Foods Market handle the menu with fresh pre-order/pick-up offerings prepared especially for Thanksgiving. Be it for a large or small gathering, shop Whole Foods Market for Turkey Dinner Packages stuffed with a pre-cooked turkey rubbed with savory herbs plus side options of green bean casserole, cranberry-orange relish and homestyle mashed potatoes, à la carte shrimp, cheese platters, oysters and more. This is your "dessert island" destination for gorgeous and decadent classic, vegan and gluten-free baked goods. Whole Foods offers a convenient online ordering formand timesaving Instacart delivery service. Gobble Turkey Day menu details here. Just want to talk turkey? Buy White Oak Pastures free-roaming turkeys at Whole Foods Markets. These birds live the life, going from pasture to slaughter without leaving the farm. Taste the difference by choosing these over traditional grocery store birds. Select a Broad Breasted Bronze, Auburn or Black turkey breed in small, medium and large varieties. $5.99 per pound at all Atlanta-area Whole Foods Markets. Supplies are limited.

Melissa Libby & Associates is Searching for Spring 2015 Interns!

Are you a student who is passionate about food/wine culture and public relations? Melissa Libby & Associates is currently seeking an intern for spring 2015. Interns who join the MLA team will work with and learn directly from all agency functions, including media communications, social media, special events and client services. Creativity, positive energy, a strong work ethic and great writing skills are important traits for this internship.

The ideal candidate will also receive school credit for his or her experience with MLA. Internships are 15-22 hours per week from January to May. Interns will be paid a $500 stipend at the completion of the program. Schedules are fairly flexible, although Monday mornings are required. Local candidates only! To find out more about Melissa Libby & Associates, please visit our website and our Facebook page. If you are interested, please send your resume and availability to InternshipMLA@gmail.com. We're looking forward to hearing from you!

RA Sushi's #ThankfulThursday Contest

Shorter days mean you can take off those dark shades. RA Sushi Bar Restaurant encourages replacing them with rose-colored ones then taking a fresh look around. RA ha! See -- there's so much to be thankful for and not take for granted. Traffic tribulations morph into automobile appreciation. Scorching supper is a good excuse to chillax at RA Sushi in Midtown. Living in gratitude for every little thing can be transforming. Spread thanksgiving around this month through RA Sushi's #ThankfulThursday promotion. Tap out those thankful thoughts on your keyboard, phone or tablet (being thankful for any of those options) using "#rasushi" and "#ThankfulThursday." RA Sushi will select a #ThankfulThursday entry each week during November to receive $50 in RA Bucks! 

Moxie Kitchen & Cocktails Throws a Brunch for Dinner Anniversary on November 21

When it's your party, eat and drink what you want, when you want. Moxie Kitchen & Cocktails and Intuition Ale Works in Jacksonville, Florida multiply that notion by two, linking up to celebrate their November anniversaries over Brunch for Dinner on Friday, November 21 from 8-11 p.m. Moxie marks year one, and Intuition hits four this month. Their Brunch for Dinner party embraces a happy union of Intuition Ale Works beers with Moxie chef Tom Gray's brunchy small plates. Several brunch-themed beers are being brewed specifically for this occasion. On the menu: mini Duuuvaaal pancakes with Shotgun Shack pastrami and chive crème fraîche; beer growler chicken saison; jalapeño-cheddar breakfast biscuit with a farm egg and American cheese; Moxie sliders of a beef-pork-bacon blend with comeback sauce; mini chicken and waffles of fried chicken and waffle pudding, maple mousse, pepper jelly and quail egg; bourbon-spiked mini Mississippi mud pie malts; and a mini bag o'doughnuts. $55 per person; over 21 crowd only. Buy tickets online.

Fall for the New Menu at Marlow's Tavern

Craving the intense, rich flavors that roasting and searing develop? Marlow's Tavern is right with you, rolling out a new fall and winter menu to appease cool weather appetites. A quick peek points to wild mushroom toast bearing seared oyster, shiitake and button mushrooms with roast thyme brandy cream; lump crabcake with baby arugula, grapefruit, fresh avocado and jalapeño; Asian ahi tuna on mixed greens with miso-soy vinaigrette and crispy wonton; pan-seared snapper; BBQ blazed lamb; crispy short rib with jalapeño and corn grits, sautéed kale and red wine demi reduction; and perfectly seasoned, grilled "center cut" filet with roasted fingerling potato, seared butternut squash and a red wine shallot reduction. Bird lovers the crispy chicken stack of grilled Prestige Farms chicken, Parmesan barley risotto, caramelized mirepoix, seared wild mushroom, sautéed spinach and roasted thyme gravy. There's a Marlow's Tavern location near you, and this is the perfect excuse to visit the newest one at Avalon in Alpharetta.

Alliance Theatre "A Christmas Carol" Ticket and Chick-a-Biddy Dinner for $50

Scrooge spooned gruel on that fateful night of spiritual theatrics. Guess he didn't know about the $50 package for dinner and a ticket to see "A Christmas Carol," dreamed up by the Alliance Theatre and Chick-a-Biddy for select Friday and Sunday nights during the production's November 21-December 24 run. The Atlantic Station restaurant is a stone's throw across the expressway from the Alliance, making it an ideal stopover for dinner and chat before the show. The special chef's menu includes an appetizer choice of plantain chips or fried chicken tenders; entrée choice of either a quarter of piri piri chicken with two sides, chicken and waffles or the vegetable plate; any dessert from Chick-a-Biddy's daily selection and one cocktail, glass of wine, soda or tea. Show times are 8:00 p.m. Check out package details and dates online. Use promo code BIDDY50 to purchase at alliancetheatre.org/christmas or call 404-733-5000 for reservations.