AAA's Four Diamonds, 'Top 100
Nightclubs' and St. Patrick's
Thirteen local restaurants have been given the ‘Four Diamond Award’ by AAA (American Automobile Association) for 2012. The ratings are AAA’s highest designations and recipients include: Aria, Altanta Grill, Bacchanalia, BLT Steak, Canoe, La Grotta Ravinia Ristorante Italiano, La Grotta Ristorante Italiano, Nan Thai Fine Dining, Paces 88, Park 75, Restaurant Eugene and Nikolai’s Roof... Nightclub & Bar online magazine has released it’s ‘Top 100’ nightclubs and bars from across the U. S. for 2012 and Atlanta hotspots Opera on Peacthree Street in Midtown and Havana Club on Piedmont Road in Buckhead both made the cut bringing in a reported $10 - $15 million each last year.
St. Pat’s Day...
Meehan’s Public House is offering all kinds of festivities for St. Patrick’s Day at each of its locations in Downtown, Sandy Springs and Vinings. Visit 101concepts.com for complete details.
•On March 10, Meehan’s is bringing you St. Patrick’s Day one week early for the fourth annual ‘Shamrock & Roll’ St. Patrick’s Day celebration. From noon until midnight the parking lot in Sandy Springs will be transformed into a rockin’ lucky wonderland. There will be various beer stations, food vendors (with traditional Irish fare) and live music (starting at 1:30 p.m.) under huge tents. Buy your tickets before the event for $10 at http://www.ticketalternative.com/Events/17503.aspx or in Meehan’s pubs. Tickets at the door will be $20. The event will kick off with the St. Baldrick’s fundraiser to raise money for childhood cancer research. Every year volunteers called ‘Shavees’ pledge to shave their heads in solidarity with children who typically lose their hair during cancer treatment, while receiving donations from their friends and family. Last year 69 heads of women and men were shaved, raising over $50,000. This year the goal has been raised to $100,000. •On March 17, Meehan’s is teaming up with Atlantic Station in Midtown to throw the first-ever St. Patrick’s Day bash — ShamRock the Station. Starting at noon, families can enjoy Irish dancing, games, face painting, balloon art and bagpipers. Children are invited to dress up in their finest green threads to show off their Irish spirit. There will be premium and craft beer stations with drinking games also beginning at noon. Live music will begin at 5 p.m. and the night will be capped off with a fireworks display. Adult admission is $10; tickets can be purchased in advance at the Atlantic Station Concierge or at the door. There is no admission fee before 2 p.m. for children under 12.
•Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant on Buckhead Avenue is hosting the city’s largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration. On March 17, Fadó will open at 7 a.m., and rugby fans will enjoy non-stop live action including Ireland vs. England in the final match of the RBS 6 Nations Rugby tournament. There will be a $10 cover charge starting at 8 a.m. which grants fans access to a viewing area. The rest of Fadó is open with no cover charge for guests until noon. At noon, the Buckhead pub will open its doors to the street festival that includes beer tents, bagpipers and Irish dancers along with live music throughout the day and night til 3 a.m. Pre-sale tickets are available for $10 online, and $15 at the door. Call 404.841.0066 or visit www.fadoirishpub.com for details. •Also, visit atlantastpatricksday.com for events from around the Metro area. Participants include McCray’s Taverns in Lawrenceville & Smyrna; The Dunwoody Restaurant Group’s six local pubs; Tavern 99 in Buckhead; The 2nd Annual Green Mile Pub Crawl in Midtown; Atlanta’s 130th St. Patrick’s Day Parade through Downtown; Churchills British Pub in Buckhead; Park Tavern in Midtown; Cloverfest 2012 at the Masquerade Music Park on North Avenue; Padriac’s on Cumberland Parkway in Vinings; and Deadwood Saloon in Midtown.
Happenings...
•The 3rd Annual Buckhead Restaurant Week began Saturday, February 25 and runs through Sunday, March 4, 2012. Buckhead Restaurant Week features special three-course, prix fixe dinner menus for $25 or $35 per person at participating restaurants in the Buckhead neighborhood
(prices do not include alcohol, tax/gratuity). Visit
www.brwatlanta.com for participating restaurants and more details.
•On Tuesday, March 13,
Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant and afternoon radio host
Rich Sullivan of 92.9 davefm are hosting a whiskey tasting beginning at 7 p.m. For $39.95 per person, guests will enjoy a tasting of five whiskeys
(Bushmills Black Bush, Bushmills 10, Bushmills Honey, Bushmills 1608 and the Pickleback) and six dishes
(salmon bites, lamb & bleu cheees sliders, hot brie, Irish cheddar stuffed mushrooms and mini cheesecakes). Seating is limited to 75 people, and the event will be held on the rooftop level of Fadó. Twenty percent of the proceeds from the evening will be donated to local Atlanta chapter and long time partners St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Fadó will also be hosting the 11th annual
St. Baldrick’s charity event three days after the whiskey tasting on March 16 in order to support childhood cancer research. The restaurant sets up barber chairs and encourages 'shavees' to commit to having their heads shaved that day. Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant is located at 273 Buckhead Avenue; 404.841.0066.
www.fadoirishpub.com.
•Atkins Park Tavern in Virginia-Highland is turning 90 years old next month and in honor of its anniversary, the restaurant will host a
Prohibition Party on Thursday, March 8. “The restaurant industry and the neighborhood have changed so much since I first took ownership of Atkins Park Tavern, and I really just want this to be a fun celebration of how long we’ve been a part of the Atlanta neighborhood scene,” says owner
Warren Bruno. The Party will begin at 6 p.m. A special prohibition menu from chef
Andrew Smith will include items such as Scotch eggs, oysters Rockefeller, stuffed broiled lobster and suckling pig porchetta and will range in price from $5 to $24. Live music will be provided by
Blair Crimmins & The Hookers from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. A costume contest will take place at 10:30 p.m., and all guests are encouraged to wear 1920s attire. The staff will be dressed in Prohibition-era attire as well. Atkins Park will also show old 1920s movies and Boardwalk Empire episodes throughout the restaurant, and a Photobooth will be set up with 1920s props. The Photobooth will be sponsored by the
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), and each $5 photo donation will be donated to the 2012 Georgia Chain Gang and the team’s endurance Race Across America for LLS. Atkins Park Tavern is located at 749 N. Highland Avenue. For more information, call 404.876.7249 or visit
www.atkinspark.com.
•Bacon lovers, rejoice!
BaconFest, the popular annual event benefiting
Dad’s Garage, (a nonprofit theatre that engages, cultivates and inspires artists and audiences alike by producing innovative, scripted and improvised works that are recognized locally, nationally and internationally for being undeniably awesome) is scheduled to descend upon the theatre’s home turf in Inman Park on Saturday, March 31, 2012 from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. Attracting more and more bacon, beer and music lovers every year, BaconFesters are invited to enjoy copious amounts of bacon compliments of
Vortex Bar & Grill and cooked by the local grill masters at
DBA Barbeque, cold beer, nonstop entertainment and an expansive silent auction. Tickets start at $25 and are on sale now for ages 21 and up at
www.dadsgarage.com.
•American Idiot Live Band Rock & Roll Karaoke launches at Rí Rá in Midtown starting Thursday, March 12th at 9 p.m. Every Thursday for 7 weeks you will get the chance whether you are a true Karaoke pro or just like to sing in the shower to feel like a real Rock Star and sing on stage backed by a real band with real sound & lights to boot. Come sing like a superstar with North America’s #1 Variety Band, Scott Moody and the Attitude Adjusters. Celebrity judges and fan votes will determine weekly winners with a final show on Thursday, May 3rd. For more info visit www.rira.com/rira/atlanta.html.
•Walk like an Etruscan down to
Cibo e Beve on Thursday, March 8th for a meal that transports guests to the land of Tuscany. Cibo's executive chef
Linda Harrell has created a multi-course wine pairing dinner to pay homage to the traditions. Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to the Italian region of Tuscany. Accordingly, chef Harrell, has named this Cibo’s
“Walk Like an Etruscan” Wine Dinner. Co-Hosted by Frescobaldi’s United States director,
Alessandro Lunardi, the dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m. with Cocktails and Stuzzichini
(snacks) as well as Frescobaldi Brut sparkling. The cost is $70, excluding tax and gratuity. Seating is limited, reservations can be made by phoning Cibo at 404.250.8988 or visit their website,
www.ciboatlanta.com.
New deals, menus, etc...
•This year’s Bayou ‘N Bourbon menu at Marlow’s Tavern brings flavors to your table. These dishes are Louisiana through and through for you and your ‘crewe’ through March 26. ‘Mo’ Betta Specials’ feature chicken and shrimp gumbo; fiery crawfish fondue (pictured); bayou flatbread topped with andouille sausage, fresh spinach, chopped peppers, Swiss cheese and Creole rémoulade; a N’awlins-style po’ boy; the bayou burger jazzed with andouille sausage, craw daddies, cheddar cheese and Creole mustard; and the sweet Bourbon St. ribeye ($7-$26). Returning favorites are Marlow’s ‘deconstructed’ jambalaya joining grilled chicken and andouille sausage with house-made dirty rice and crawfish Creole sauce ($14) and the honey bourbon bread pudding splashed with Jack Daniel’s honey ($7). Hold on as you toast a few ‘Mo’ Better Drinks’: ‘Pat’s’ Marlow’s hurricane, Ramos gin fizz, Bourbon St. lemonade, Cajun cosmo and Abita Jockamo ($5-$9). Regular menu is also available.
•Southern Art on Peachtree Road in Buckhead invites Atlantans to savor regionally inspired flavors with executive chef Anthony Gray’s ‘Three for $30’ prix fixe dinner menu (selections of appetizers, entrees and desserts) offered daily from 5:30 to 7 p.m. beginning Monday, March 5. Southern Art is the Atlanta debut of acclaimed chef, restaurateur and cookbook author Art Smith and combines a hip, urban eatery with classic Southern charm, offering Southern-inspired cuisine and cocktails in a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere. The menu showcases the following special dishes: Smoked sausage and shrimp gumbo; Prosciutto-wrapped rabbit loin; or pan roasted salmon; and black-bottom pie; or pineapple upside-down cake with salted caramel and marcona almonds. For more information or to make a reservation, call 404.946.9070 or visit www.southernart.com.
