RA Sushi in Midtown is launching a ‘New Year, New You’ menu featuring three new skinny cocktails at $7 each -- the Cucumber Slenderita, the tart Cosmo-teeny and the Thin Mint Mojito that’s a spin on the Cuban highball. Look for these low-cal kickers through January 31. Combined with fruit juices, TY KU Soju and sugar-free triple sec, these cocktails pack a punch while keeping calories down. RA Sushi is located at 1080 Peachtree Street in the 1010 Midtown building; 404-267-0114... The Market at PARISH on N. Highland Avenue is now offering whole roasted chickens and 3 sides for $20. All items are sold hot and will give guests an opportunity to grab a complete dinner to-go. The chickens are local, Springer Mountain Farm, and average about 4 pounds. Sides are offered as pints, and include your choice of collards, Logan Turnpike grits, braised cabbage, potato salad or coleslaw. Also offered daily in the Market, PARISH now offers $5 & $10 meal combos. For $5, enjoy one of their half sandwich options including turkey, tuna melt or egg salad along with your choice of a side salad or soup. Feeling the urge to splurge? Try the $10 meal combo which includes your choice of a main salad or sandwich with a side of soup or salad and a cookie. PARISH Market is located at 240 N. Highland Avenue, Atlanta and opens at 8 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday. For more info, visit parishatl.com or call 404.681.4434.... Every Wednesday, Atkins Park Tavern in Smyrna selects a collection of distinctive wines for guests to enjoy by the bottle for half off the regular price. The new ‘Wine Down Wednesday’ special is a way to discover new favorites while stretching your dining-out dollars. Wines and special prices include: Apothic Red ($19) that tastes like chocolate-covered cherries in a glass; Bridlewood Pinot Noir ($20) promotes dark fruit flavors with a hint of vanilla and a smooth, lingering finish; Lamarca Prosecco ($20) sparkles with fresh citrus and honey on the nose; Maso Canali Pinot Grigio ($25) plays up lemon and fresh apple notes with a long, clean finish; and William Hill Chardonnay ($19) hints of vanilla and toasted oak with a well-balanced flavor and a concentrated finish. Atkins Park Tavern is located at 2840 Atlanta Road in the Market Village, Smyrna, 770.435.1887... The comforting, regional cuisine offered nightly at owner Daniel Morrison’s Sprig Restaurant is now offered daily in Oak Grove/Decatur’s newest eatery. The restaurant has begun serving lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Sprig is located at 2860 Lavista Road and complete menus and more information can be found at www.sprigrestaurant.com... Coffee has taken to the streets and is the latest to join Atlanta’s new ‘food truck’ trend. Rattletrap, a non-descript van (‘82 VW Westfalia), dispenses the brew in a back parking lot at 1593 N. Decatur Road behind Emory Village. The owners (former Octane Baristas) are waiting for their newest venture, Steady Hand Pour House, to open in the former Octane Coffee at the same location, and until then, will be plying their wares from the VW. Call to get their ‘tweet’ account and keep up with their hours, 404.201.0383.
Happenings...
Atlantans can enjoy Buckhead’s best cuisine at exceptional prices during the upcoming Buckhead Restaurant Week beginning Saturday, February 26 and running through Sunday, March 6, 2011. The nine-day promotion will showcase the cuisine of the area’s best restaurants. Each will offer a prix-fixe, three-course menu consisting of an appetizer, main course and dessert for $25 per person (excluding alcohol, tax and gratuity). The second annual event will fuse international and local flavors, ingredients and cooking styles into one event as the neighborhood’s best chefs create menus that highlight their unique culinary styles. A complete list of participating restaurants and their menus will soon be available online at www.brwatlanta.com... Donate a winter coat or fleece and receive a one-time $10 voucher credit at Meehan’s Public House Downtown. This offer has been extended through January 31st. So, grab your friends, bring a coat or a blanket (or both) and join in by giving back to those most in need. (Vouchers can be used on a return visit and only one good per table.) Meehan’s Public House Downtown is located at 180 Peachtree Street. For more information, visit www.101concepts.com... The 57th Fighter Group Restaurant, the World War II aviation-themed eatery located at the south runway of the DeKalb Peachtree Airport, first opened its doors in 1981. After being closed for a short while and reopening in late ‘09, 57th is now celebrating a 30th anniversary throughout the month of January. To commemorate the occasion, the restaurant is offering an array of anniversary-themed menu specials, as well as hosting events. Executive Chef Gregg Herndon is kicking off the celebration with special menu offerings available from Tuesday, January 11 through the end of the month. To commemorate its first year of business, the restaurant is offering a special entrée and glass of house wine combo for $19.81. The dish will change daily. To celebrate the restaurant’s historic theme, the bar menu will include a variety of classic 1940’s cocktails including Manhattans, Sidecars, Hurricanes and many more. The restaurant is also offering a selection of ‘blast from the past’ items from the original menu including crab-stuffed mushrooms, chicken Jack Daniels, onion straws, creamed corn and farmhouse chicken. 57th is also hosting an anniversary party on Sunday, January 16 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The evening includes classic big band live entertainment as well as classic cocktails for $5. 57th is asking party attendees to help build its 30th anniversary scrapbook by bringing a picture of themselves from a previous visit. Each will receive a free dessert. To keep the good times rolling, 57th will also host a swing dance contest on Saturday, January 22 and award prizes to the first, second and third place winners. There will be professional swing dance instructors onsite to give lessons. Guests will also have a chance to win a complimentary plane ride in a P-40 Warhawk plane ($950 value) courtesy of 57th Fighter’s owner, Pat Epps. Epps is an award-winning pilot who is being inducted into the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame in April of 2011. He also owns Epps Aviation. The 57th Fighter Group Restaurant is located at 3829 Clairmont Road. For more info, call 770.234.0057 or visit www.the57threstaurant.com.... Although doors opened in mid-December at Marlow’s Tavern in East Cobb, they have waited until after the holiday crush to throw a weeklong opening celebration from Monday, January 10 through Sunday, January 16. There’s a different special for each day of the week such as $2 Tavern Burger Tuesday -- the burger is just $2 and hourly table-number drawings fill the day with guests at each winning table getting their meal for free. Wednesday night belongs to the ladies with $5 appetizers and drink specials from 5 p.m. until close while 790 The Zone runs a live remote. During Friday happy hour, guests can munch on free appetizers from 5 - 7 p.m. and stay on for live music beginning at 9 p.m. And, Sunday punctuates the week with the brunch buffet for $7 along with $7 BLT Bloody Marys, bottomless mimosas and a Marlow’s money booth for seven seconds of prize grabbing. Marlow’s Tavern’s newest East Cobb unit is at 1311 Johnson Ferry Road in Marietta, 770.977.7747.
Peoplespotter...
Ryan Reynolds, Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker and former Mayor Bill Campbell all dined at TWO urban licks on the same night. Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds are both in town filming the movie Change Up. Bateman and his wife enjoyed the bistro steak, scallops and the tuna entrée while Reynolds indulged in the tuna tartar, calamari appetizer and TWO’s wine on tap. While chatting and hanging out, they all took pictures with the staff... Martha Stewart also made it to town, lunching at Canoe in Vinings, ordering the smoked salmon appetizer, oysters and a Cobb salad... Local Atlanta-native rapper/actor Lucacris hosted his annual ‘Ludachristmas’ event at Opera Nightclub on Crescent Avenue in Midtown. Ludacris has won the Screen Actors Guild, Critic’s Choice, MTV, and Grammy Awards during his career.... Decatur-native and R & B recording artist/songwriter, Keri Hilson, also held her latest album release party at the Gold Room on Piedmont Road.
News to chew on...
What do football and cookies have in common? Kent Hill, born and raised in Americus, Ga., Hill spent his boyhood in the kitchen with his mother and grandmother baking chocolate-chip cookies. He went on to have a successful pro-football career, but once retired from the NFL, Kent exchanged his #72 jersey for an apron and began perfecting the baking tradition with Ken’t Country Cookies. Originally operating online, Kent’s cookies are now available in seven Whole Foods stores throughout greater Metro Atlanta. Hill uses natural ingredients and the finest Southern Georgia pecans possible and offers five gourmet flavors ~ Chocolate Chip; Chocolate-Chocolate Chip; Pecan Chocolate Chip; Walnut Chocolate Chip; and Almond Chocolate-Chocolate Chip. Kent claims that it was his ‘Mama’s’ cookies that fueled his All Pro career with the Los Angeles Rams, as well as his five-time selection to the Pro Bowl. He played with the Houston Oilers for two seasons before retiring from the NFL in 1987. He was selected in the first round of the 1979 NFL draft out of Georgia Tech, was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2001, and into the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame in 2006. Kent’s Country Cookies also supports corporate fundraisers benefitting non-profit organizations, find out how at www.kentscountrycookies.com... For 30 years Murphy’s restaurant has anchored the epicenter of the intown Virginia-Highland neighborhood with a storied background that has followed it from its humble beginnings as a basement deli to its home at the corner of N. Highland and Virginia Avenues. Embedded in its history are tales of couples who got engaged and renowned chefs beginning successful careers. Owner Tom Murphy, along with Jan Butsch Schroder, have presented a history of the eatery with a commemorative cookbook, ‘Murphy’s, 30 Years Of Recipes And Memories.’ The book contains more than 50 recipes from chefs that worked at or with Murphy’s, including Nick Oltarsh, Shaun Doty, Hector Santiago, Gerry Klaskala and many others. Originally published in 2005, this edition includes a new section and several new recipes covering the past five years. The book is available for $25 at amazon.com... Beef jerky lovers, White Oak Pastures now has their own beef jerky for you to chew on -- made from the farm’s own grass-fed beef. Kevin Outz of The Spotted Trotter, an Atlanta-based boutique charcuterie, is producing the jerky for the farm. Each half-pound jerky-filled jar sells for $15 at White Oak Pastures’ online store. To order and for more information, visit www.whiteoakpastures.com.
Soups on...
January is National Soup Month. So, warm your tummy with some steaming hot soup, chili and gumbo. Here are a few suggestions in Atlanta’s vast soup wasteland: Take a soup break at Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse in Phipps Plaza with a bowl of roasted tomato soup and a goat cheese-chive crostini ($6). A cup ($4) or bowl ($6) of stick-to-your-ribs El Dorado chili at Deadwood Saloon in Midtown or be cheesy with the cheddar-based queso ($5) at all Marlow’s Tavern locations. In the Italian tradition, Pacci Ristorante keeps bubbling with the Tuscan white bean with pancetta, pecorino cheese, crostini and rosemary oil ($7). Midtown’s RA Sushi has several soups to warm without weighing you down: Miso Hot! soup spices up the broth and adds shiitake mushrooms, bok choy and shrimp ($6.75); and Nabeyaki udon brings on tempura shrimp, kani kama crab and scallops in a seafood broth ($13.75). Umaido (an authentic Japanee noodle bar) in Suwanee, warms with huge bowls of tonkatsu ramen in spicy variations of hearty broth, a boiled egg, pork or seafood and veggies. How ‘bout seafood gumbo at Ray’s on the River or Ray’s in the City ($7) while Ray’s Killer Creek offers classic French onion ($7). Cross the globe to the W Atlanta Midtown for a trip through Spice Market’s chicken and coconut milk soup ($7) and butternut squash soup with ginger and pumpkin seeds ($7.50). Perimeter’s Uncle Julio’s Fine Mexican Food has a hot tortilla soup of diced chicken fajita paired with fresh vegetables and tortilla strips. There are also five other soups-of-the-day including Mexican corn chowder; poblano beef fajita; thick black bean; poblano cream; and shrimp and lobster. All of Uncle’s soups are $5.95 a bowl. How ‘bout soup in a burger joint? There’s Shaun’s red chili ($2.99/cup) at YEAH! Burger. And lastly, do-it-yourselfers can thank cookbook Author Gena Knox for a simmering pot of sweet corn chowder with crumbled bacon. The recipe is on page 15 of the January 2011 Issue and also in her recently released cookbook, “Southern My Way.”
Menu updates...
Six Feet Under Pub & Fish House on Memorial Drive in Grant Park has announced its new menu items adding: The Filthy Vox Martini (chilled Vox Vodka, extra dirty, a splash of vermouth & bleu cheese stuffed olives) for $9.50; Six Feet Under baked oysters topped with Cajun white wine sauce, ground Andouille sausage, diced red peppers and Parmesan & fried leeks ($10.50); as well as fried scallop or fried oyster chowder served New England-style with new potatoes & leeks, topped with your choice of the scallops or oysters (cup/bowl $4/$6)... Aqua Blue on Holcomb Bridge in Roswell has rolled out a new Winter menu as well featuring such starters as salmon & tuna tartar ($10), Main lobster risotto ($14), crispy shrimp spring rolls ($12) and a jumbo lump crab cake ($15). Two salads are featured, including a tomato & mozzarella tart ($9) as well as a butter lettuce wedge ($8). Main plates added include grilled beef tenderloin ($25), wild shrimp & scallop grits ($24), seared ahi tuna ($19), crispy trout meuniere ($18), lollipop lamb chop ($28) and mahi mahi ($23). Sushi selections now include a vegetable tempura roll ($8), seared salmon ($10) and a fiesta roll ($11). Aqua blue is located at 1564 Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell; 770.643.8886. Visit www.aquablueatl.com for details... Cafe di Sol chef Andy Long has set up a Belgian-style street fries stand outside his eatery at N. Highland and serves the eats every Saturday and Sunday beginning at 12:30 p.m. Nearby Pura Vida’s chef, Hector Santiago, also operates a stand, the Burro Pollo Burrito Stand, in the parking lot across from his N. Highland restaurant on Saturdays and Sundays as well from noon until the-chicken-runs-out.
Traveling with Kevin...
Food enthusiasts hungry for a new travel adventure have the opportunity to experience a taste of Austria. Chef Kevin Gillespie, owner/chef at Woodfire Grill on Cheshire Bridge will explore culinary Vienna, its neighboring wine regions and Budapest from March 24 to March 31, 2011. Travelers will have an array of dining experiences from Michelin-starred establishments to Vienna’s most authentic and traditional restaurants. The trip also includes a hands-on cooking class in the Schoenbrunn Palace, visits to private wineries and a full day in Budapest. “I have always been impressed with Austrian wines and want to share what I think is one of the world’s most brilliant wine regions. There is so much to see and experience – from the tradition of the Heuriger to the authentic coffee house culture to the traditional culinary artisans.” For more info, call 404.347.9055 or visit www.woodfiregrill.com.
