Appetizing Aperture

One can never go overboard on chocolate, especially during Valentine’s week. Nor can one single out the most seductive ingredient in Cherry Coke Seduction ($8) at Saltwood Charcuterie & Bar in Midtown. Chocolate brownie, drunken cherries, chocolate mousse, seasonal berries, chocolate drizzle...did we mention chocolate?

Dance to Cold Draft Beer and Other Bands Sunday Nights at Johnny's Hideaway

On Valentine’s Day night, February 14, hearts beat and feet follow when Band X pulls dance floor darlings and swinging solos out on the dance floor at Johnny’s Hideaway in Buckhead. Cold Draft Beer -- the band, not the beverage -- fills the stage and the dance floor on Sunday, February 21. The Stephen Lee Band closes out the month with rock and pop on February 28. Live music begins at 8:30 p.m. Sundays, and cover is only $5. Additionally, Sunday nights are “Hospitality Nights,” so those in the industry enjoy food and drink specials. Reservations accepted until 8:30 p.m.; call 404-233-8026.

Tin Lizzy's Surrounds National Margarita Day with Week of Super-Sized Drink Deals February 18-25

Total immersion. That’s how Tin Lizzy’s Cantina is celebrating National Margarita Day (Monday, February 22). All Tin Lizzy’s locations are immersing the “hola” day amid a whole week of super-sized specialty sippers well worth their salt and lime. From Thursday, February 18 through Thursday, February 25, the cantinas will offer commemorative 22-ounce cups filled with Big House margaritas (1800 tequila, Agavero and sour mix) for $10 each and Grandma’s House margaritas (1800 tequila, Agavero, sour mix and a hefty floater of Grand Marnier) for $12 each. Keep the cup to remember the occasion. Available at all 10 Georgia locations and at the newest restaurant in Columbia, South Carolina, while commemorative cup supplies last. While making Tin Lizzy’s your margarita headquarters, be sure to check out their fun, mouthwatering FlexMex cuisine including more than 25 types of soft tacos, quesadillas and specialty skillets. 

Doug Turbush Assembles Top-Shelf Team for Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar

When stocking soon-to-open Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar with talent, chef/restaurateur Doug Turbush had only to look around the family tree. Longtime team members Brendan Keenan, Jason Raymond and Jose Pereiro all previously contributed to the success of Turbush’s other Marietta restaurants, Seed Kitchen & Bar and Stem Wine Bar. Keenan has served as chef de cuisine, Raymond as general manager and sommelier and Pereiro as mixologist at the popular East Cobb restaurants. Although the three gents bring different hospitality backgrounds to the table, all three share Turbush’s passion for providing impeccable service and extending exciting new culinary experiences to guests. As executive chef, Keenan carries a well-honed knack for creating seasonal and spirited seafood dishes to the helm of Drift. A Culinary Institute of America - New York graduate, Keenan garnered years of experience out West in top kitchens of San Francisco, Salt Lake City and Crested Butte, Colorado before heading east to Atlanta’s The Sound Table, Woodfire Grill and Bluepointe -- where he met Turbush. Raymond, raised in a restaurant family and holding bachelor’s and master’s degrees in hotel management, will pour his years of dining, wine and beverage management experience into his role as director of operations and sommelier. Complementing Raymond’s passion for wine is beverage manager Jose Pereiro’s fervor for the art of mixology. This cocktail-crafting whiz and 2012, 2014 and 2015 winner of major cocktail competitions will shake up the East Cobb cocktail scene from behind the Drift bar. You won’t have to wait long to enjoy fresh, sustainable seafood at lively and casual Drift. The restaurant will open later this month in The Avenue East Cobb. Follow along on Facebook and Twitter for updates.s.

Find Heart-y Valentine's Day Eats and Sweets on The Dish Blog

Go ahead and whisper sweet nothings, but nothing says “you fill me up” like lavishing loved ones with a delectable Valentine’s meal at one of Atlanta’s beloved restaurants. When the conversation hearts turn to where to dine, follow Cupid’s lead and zing the heartstrings over to our blog for suggestions on where to dote on your darling as well as where to go if you’re solo and loving it.

Williams-Sonoma and Bellina Alimentari Pair Up for Valentine’s Dinner Demo February 9

She’s your little butternut. He’s the apple of your eye. Meet at the new Ponce City Market Williams-Sonoma store where Bellina Alimentari executive chef David Berry will show you how to whip up an amorous Valentine’s dinner for two that honors these admirable attributes. At this special pre-Valentine’s Day demo on Tuesday, February 9 from 6 to 8 p.m., Berry will prepare ravioli di zucca (butternut squash ravioli) and tortino di mele (apple tart with mascarpone and saba). Come learn and leave ready to fix it all from scratch -- pasta dough, butternut squash with ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese ravioli filling, a walnut and sage sauce, shortbread tart crust and filling. Could be part one of a two-part romantic Valentine’s date or an inroad to impressing your Valentine over a dinner personally cheffed by the award-winning...YOU.

Cacao Atlanta Chocolate Workshop at Bellina Alimentari February 9

Honestly, there’s a time and place to impulsively eat supermarket checkout line chocolate, but not this week. Instead, look for a deeper relationship with chocolate, appreciating each lovely characteristic. Your matchmakers and counselors? The Cacao Atlanta chocolate crafters will lead chocolate lovers through a guided tasting during a Chocolate Workshop at Bellina Alimentari on Tuesday, February 9 from 6 to 7 p.m. Sniffing, tasting and reflecting on each nuance...the engagement process is similar to that of a wine tasting but without the spit buckets. While you’re licking your fingers, Cacao Atlanta chocolatiers will share a little bit about ethical sourcing and the processes that go into creating their artisanal chocolates. After class, receive 10 percent off purchases in The Market at Bellina Alimentari -- and the market is chock full of chocolates. Valentine's gift hint here. Added bonus: Flashy supermarket displays will be less distracting because you’ve unwrapped the real thing. That’s love. Sign up online at Mercato di Bellina or call 404-330-9933.

Get Your Gumbo On for Mardi Gras Menus and Fat Tuesday Specials February 9

Carnival season is well underway in New Orleans where our Southern sister city parades and parties hard from January through Fat Tuesday on February 9. No wallflowers we. Atlanta eateries are living out loud and reveling in Mardi Gras weekend specials and Fat Tuesday merriment.

Beads, beers, gumbo, king cake, po’boys and jambalaya.Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland pours everything into one big Fat Tuesday celebration on February 9. NOLA’s own Abita Restoration pale ale is the righteous ale du jour. 10th & Piedmont is always primed to “laissez les bons temps rouler.” Mardi Gras favorites get rowdy on the dinner menu, including delicious gumbo -- which revelers can order by the cup or bowl ($5/$7). 10^th & Piedmont’s mixologists can give those Bourbon Street bartenders a run for their money! 

Ever wonder why purple, green and yellow rule the Mardi Gras color spectrum? Tradition has it that purple is for justice, green for faith, and yellow represents power.Sublime Doughnuts splashes all three bold hues over the vanilla icing on their justly, faithfully and powerfully delectable Mardi Gras king cake doughnuts available only on February 9. Plain beignets pale in comparison to these cinnamon-spiced yeast-raised sweeties. Pick up a box, and you’ll be an instant hit with the home or office krewe. 

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Touching down on the subject of game table strategies,Game Day Goodness goes out to all the DIY-ers out there. Score big with game day-inspired dishes like beer-candied bacon, game-day pep-corn, football pizza pockets, macho nachos and crescent jalapeño poppers. Dip into hot Buffalo chicken dip, creamy gluten-free baked double-cheese and onion dip and of course, the ultimate guac-salsa-queso football field surrounded by adoring tortilla chip fans. Game on!

Atlanta Restaurants Tackle Game Day Appetites at Your Stadium or Theirs

Super Bowl 50 kicks off in Santa Clara, California, at 3:25 p.m. PST this Sunday, February 7. That’s 6:25 p.m. and prime eating time back here on the East Coast. Atlanta restaurants command the field, regardless of what plays the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers throw down. Party fare to go and champion catering are best bets for home-viewing hosts expecting a “passing” game where guests pass the game table swooping first, second and third downs. Others may opt for a “run” strategy -- running to venues pumping multiple screens and food and drink specials. Ultimately, our blog is your end zone for a win-win game, no matter which team (or commercial) you’re rooting for that evening. 

Set Sail to Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar, Now Open in The Avenue East Cobb

Diners seeking upscale seafood in a casual setting can prepare to drop anchor at Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar, the third dining destination from chef/restaurateur Doug Turbush. A port-side view reveals a chef-driven showcase of sustainable seafood and the high level of service guests have come to expect from Turbush and his other popular Marietta establishments Seed Kitchen & Bar and Stem Wine Bar. Drift executive chef Brendan Keenan and Turbush collaborated on menu offerings, netting an appealing mix of shareable plates, raw bar favorites, enticing entrées and traditional seafood staples. Oyster platters, oven-roasted clams, wood-grilled whole fish and rib-eyes and seaside delights such as seafood po'boys and lobster rolls will appeal to everyone at the table. Drift director of operations Jason Raymond and bar manager Jose Pereiro have respectively developed a wine list to complement the seafood menu and a program of craft cocktails built around top-notch spirits. A beach theme prevails from the "Oar Room" where approximately 100 oars dangle from the ceiling to the handsome bar area, the oyster bar backing up to a wood-burning oven, and an ample, partially covered outdoor patio. Custom-built furniture and sculptures from local artisans are complemented by a collection of antique oyster cans. Drift serves dinner nightly with lunch and brunch service to follow at a later date. Find Drift in The Avenue East Cobb, 4475 Roswell Road in Marietta. Call 770-635-7641 for reservations. 

Love Flows at Ray’s on the River Wedding Receptions, Dinners and Parties

Perhaps “ringing in the New Year” involved an engagement ring, or maybe someone’s hinting about something round and sparkly mixed in with the chocolates and bubbly on Valentine’s Day. Wedding bells are coming and towing a joyful boatload of details along for the ride. Ray’s on the River in Sandy Springs is one of the most picturesque venues around for engagement parties, rehearsal dinners, wedding receptions and anniversary parties, too. Atlanta’s premier riverfront restaurant offers private room options accommodating up to 120 guests. And, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Picturesque Chattahoochee River views, fresh seafood, fine meat and an acclaimed wine list create a memorable experience. Ray’s team of award-winning chefs, highly trained service staff and a dedicated events manager provide invaluable assistance to couples trying to stay afloat amid all the wedding planning details. The best place for a wedding party is in your own riverside backyard, whether you’re marrying the girl next door or the boy from a couple states over. For more information, call 770-955-1187 or visit the website, and take a moment to look at event photos here. 

Culinary Classes -- Chocolate, Bread, Valentine’s and More -- Feed a Love for Learning at Bellina Alimentari throughout February

Sign up for Bellina Alimentari Culinary Club classes to increase your knowledge about Italian foods and cull cooking skills and pointers for preparing authentic Italian dishes at home. Participants enjoy 10 percent off any market purchase after class. Who’s luckier? You, toting your new skill set or friends accepting post-class invitations to come on over and devour your handiwork? Unless otherwise noted, all classes begin at 6 p.m. and prices are per person, not including sales tax.

• Taste all three cocktails bar manager Corey Phillips covers during the Winter Cocktails class, Tuesday, February 2 ($48).
• For pasta fiends, Pasta Making is hands-on action, offers hands-down delicious sampling of class creations and sends homemade pasta home with students on Wednesday, February 3 ($45). Bring your best gal or guy to Pasta Date Night on Thursday, February 11, ($80 per couple). Hungry for more? Return on Wednesday, February 17 for Filled Pasta Making, tastings and take homes included ($45).
• Chocolate Workshop is chock full of info and tastes from Cacao Atlanta, Tuesday, February 9 ($30).
• Impress your sweetheart by skillfully preparing a romantic three-course dinner for two and a signature cocktail after completing the Valentine’s Chef class on Wednesday, February 10 ($48).
• Take a guided “tour” through Italy’s finest products with tips on how to use them during an Olive Oil & Balsamic Workshop, Tuesday, February 16 ($25).
• Bread Making is easier than you think. Make, bake, taste and take home creations and sample spreads from the market, Tuesday, February 23 ($40)
• Fill an Italian Lunch Box with quick-and-easy recipes during this demo by Bellina Alimentari owner and mom Tal Baum, 10-11:30 a.m. on February 24 ($42).
   

To sign up for a class, click here. For more information, call 404-330-9933 or email events@bellina-alimentari.com.

Leap with Aria to Bonne Santé Culinary Showcase for National Kidney Foundation on February 28

Thanks to 2016 having leap-year status, there’s more time to squeeze in worthwhile activities such as the inaugural Bonne Santé, a culinary showcase and fundraising event taking place on Sunday, February 28 and benefitting National Kidney Foundation efforts in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. (Granted, February’s extra day is Monday, February 29, but close enough.) Chef Gerry Klaskala of Aria will be among the Georgia chefs preparing and serving their signature dishes in the open setting of Magnolia Barn at Pine Knoll Farms in Appling, Georgia near Augusta. Fine wines, spirits, local produce, prizes, inspirational stories and a silent auction round out the extravaganza. Event begins at 2 p.m. Buy tickets online ($100 individual, $350 family, $700 VIP group of eight). Donations are always welcome.

Don’t Ruminate. Germinate. White Oak Pastures’ Seed Starting Workshop Spreads the Dirt February 20

Are you going to miss out on another growing season because you can’t seem to dig yourself out of the seed catalog stage and start germinating seeds? Not this year. Sign up for the White Oak Pastures hands-on Seed Starting Workshop taking place Saturday, February 20, at the Bluffton, Georgia farm -- and come ready to get dirty. Cover seed-starting basics to put toward year-round gardening, learn greenhouse and outdoor planting tricks of the trade and how to optimize conditions to encourage vigorous, healthy growth. Pick up harsh-weather coping skills to engage when Mother Nature throws a curve ball. $50 per person for the 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. day that includes an optional farm tour and a delicious lunch in The Pavilion. Limited to 15 participants. Reserve your space online and choose “On-Farm pickup” to avoid shipping charge. Sit a spell, even when you’re on the go, and keep abreast of what’s new on the farm and other useful information by signing up to receive the White Oak Pastures e-newsletter.

Georgia Wings, NC Trout, Scottish Salmon, Tuscan Kale Come Together Downtown on New Menus at Glenn’s Kitchen

Glenn’s Kitchen is introducing new lunch and dinner menus, generating a mouthwatering excuse to leave the office for lunch, dine downtown with clients or connect for pre-theater or sporting event appetizers and drinks. Table-pleasing appetizers cover a range of desires from savories like artisan pepperoni flatbread, artisan soft pretzels and a charcuterie board with artisan cheese and meat to spicier calamari and dry-rubbed GA chicken wings with buttermilk dressing. Can’t omit that beloved Southerner -- pimento cheese with smoked bacon jam. Tucked among soup and salad options, Tuscan kale salad wears blue cheese, Georgia apples, pecans, bacon and buttermilk dressing; add chicken, shrimp or grilled salmon for an additional cost. Specialties focus on the finest of land and sea including cornmeal-crusted North Carolina trout, 14-ounce Delmonico rib-eye and grilled Scottish salmon. A wide selection of wine and hand-crafted cocktails complement the new menus. At 110 Marietta Street, Glenn’s Kitchen is a stone’s throw from Centennial Olympic Park, Philips Arena, the Georgia World Congress Center and other downtown attractions.

Appetizing Aperture

These Fish in Chips are the “reel” crispy, crunchy, tender deal because The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill really does roll beer-battered fresh fish in kettle-cooked potato chips before frying each piece until golden brown. Comes with tartar sauce for dunking and any two sides ($13.95). Land some at The Big Ketch in Buckhead or Roswell. 

#Foodgram

Lego my cheese? Tim the Cheeseman Tim Gaddis directs operations at Many Fold Farm. The Certified Cheese Professional is a member of International Guilde Des Fromagers. From the looks of it, when he lets go of the cheese, he grabs hold of LEGO blocks. 

Delicious Maneuvers Tackle Game Day Appetites February 7

Watching the year’s biggest game, even sideline QBs, linemen and cheerleaders work up stadium-sized appetites. Atlanta restaurants conquer those cravings with food and drink specials, catering packages and pigskin parties that will put points on your scoreboard during the NFL championship on Sunday, February 7.
 
Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland fields an MVP carry-out menu lining up two dozen jumbo chicken wings, confit or smoked in a Big Green Egg, with your choice of sweet chili, spicy BBQ or Atkins Park’s classic wing sauce (ranch, blue cheese and veggies included) for $30. Other winning plays include 12 pulled pork sliders; house-made guacamole, salsa and tortilla chips; and a vegetable crudité platter with ranch dressing, each $25. Call 404-876-7249.
 
FLIP burger boutique has drawn up a special to-go menu so you can order your favorite sliders ($37.50 for 10), including the classic stack, turkey or the rBQ with angus beef, pulled brisket and coleslaw. Don’t forget appetizing starters and sides like baked beans ($25 feeds four to six fans), braised brisket empanadas, FLIP chips and kale slaw ($20 for four to six). Call and order ahead of time to guarantee availability. FLIP will close at 5 p.m. on Sunday, February 7, so pick up orders before 4:30 p.m.
 
HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern posts a slate of “Super Sunday” specials for dine-in, to-go or delivery (viaGrubhub.com). Order 50 chicken wings for $49 and get 25 pretzels and beer cheese dip free. An order of 24 chicken tenders merits 12 free pretzels for $69, and HOBNOB’s party-size chili, which feeds 12 people for $79, also comes with 12 free pretzels. Place to-go orders at least 24 hours in advance, 404-968-2288.

Victory dance? Johnny’s Hideaway will broadcast the game in full house sound. A DJ spins Johnny’s signature mix of classics and contemporary dance hits immediately afterward.

If wings is your thing, Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails has the perfect to-go option to watch the big game at home. They're offering 50 smoked wings and white chocolate chip brownie bites for $50 plus tax. Flavors include traditional medium, espresso rubbed with pomegranate molasses or Kentuckyaki with sesame seeds. Order by February 5 at 5 p.m. Available for pick up on February 7 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. miltonscuisine.com 

Snap up Smokebelly BBQ game-day specials. Hosting at home? Through February 7, order two pounds of pulled pork, a one-quart side, one pint of sauce and a package of slider buns to feed four of your hungriest friends for $40 or field a platter of 25 wings with celery, carrots and sauce for $20 per platter. Smokebelly game viewing opens the door to specials such as 25 wings and a bucket of five beers for $35, $3 draft specials and $5 well drinks. Also through February 7, dine-in customers can register to win a 50” TV courtesy of American Born Moonshine. The winner will be announced during the third quarter of the big game and must be present to score the prize. Call 404-848-9100.
 
STATS offers the ultimate viewing party with more than 70 TVs. Watch with up to five of your friends (six people total) in the main dining area for $250 or enjoy delicious draft beer right at your fingertips at one of the restaurant’s tap tables (seats six to eight) for $500. For a VIP experience, kick back in one of four semi-private suites ($500 for up to 10 people) or super suites ($750 for up to 15). Ticket purchase includes reservation and food and beverage minimum for your desired section. To reserve a spot today, click here or call 404-885-1472.

Flex muscles, FlexMex. Tin Lizzy’s Cantina catering options include the taco bar ($9 per person), the stacked taco bar ($11 per person), chicken tender platters ($4 per person) and Tin Lizzy’s FlexMex salad ($2.50 per person). Order at least 24 hours in advance. Free delivery within a 10-mile radius; $100 minimum order for delivery. Email catering@tinlizzys.com for all catering inquiries.
 
Twin Smokers BBQ has a smokin’ hot package for February 7 that includes a choice of three meats (one pound each), three one-quart sides, cornbread, BBQ sauces and sweet tea or lemonade for $75. Drop-off catering for parties of 25 or more with 48-hour advance notice (delivery fee may apply). Call 404-698-4707. 

Foodgram: FoodDeco

When winter’s gray days need a pep talk, click on FoodDeco for a huge dose of brightly hued edibles. Collette’s “Superfood Garden” rivals rainbows. Fuchsia-hued watermelon radish and edamame salad ousts winter blues. And if the day’s too serious, have fun tossing bacony popcorn on a bowl of bright orange sweet potato-cheddar soup.