Omnivore Atlanta

5 Seasons Brewing Company, March 17. In addition to hosting the Leprechaun Open Golf Tournament — during which grown men play with kids’ clubs — the Great O’Bronzini will be playing live music from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Guests are invited to spin the “Wheel of Craic” to win prizes. 5 Seasons will pour McNerney’s Irish Red and No Blarney Stout. 5600 Roswell Road. 404-255-5911.

Engine 11, March 17. St. Patty’s Day party with live music all night. Part of Creative Loafing’s Drink Week. 30 North Ave. 6 p.m. 404-873-3473.

Fado, March 17. They will be having an outdoor festival. The pub opens at 6 a.m. Bagpipers and Irish dancers will start at 12:30 p.m. After that there will be live music all day and a DJ at night. Arrive before noon to beat the $15 cover charge for adults. Kids enter at no cost. You must be 21 or over to be in the event area after 4 p.m. Tickets available on Fado’s website. 273 Buckhead Ave. 404-841-0066.

Johnnie MacCracken’s, March 17. Opens early at 10 a.m. Bagpipes and flutes play throughout the day. Guests can buy an Irish dinner plate and T-shirt for $15. 15 Atlanta St. 678-290-6641.

Kozmo Gastropub, March 14- 17. Offers a three-course, prix fixe menu for $25. Starting at 8 p.m. on the 17th, DJ Franchize will host a karaoke and dance party. Reservations accepted for parties of six or more. 11890 Douglas Road, Alpharetta. 678.526.6094.

Mac Magee’s, March 13 and 17. Featuring live music on both days, the pub opens at 9 a.m. and the Irish dancers start at noon. No cover. 11 Sycamore St., Decatur. 404-377-8050.

Max Lager’s Wood-Fired Grill and Bakery. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade begins outside the doors at noon; the pub opens at 11:30 a.m. On the kick-off party March 13th, try the Imperial Oatmeal Mocha Stout or Chef Timothy’s version of Irish fare. Menu available throughout the week, concluding with a fish and chips special on the 20th. 320 Peachtree St. 404-525-4400.

Meehan’s, March 17. Half-priced Irish breakfast until 11:30 a.m. Live music starts at 4 p.m.  There is no cover until 2 p.m., when $10 will get you in. 227 Sandy Springs Place. 404-843-8059. (more…)

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The Oxford American’s 2010 food issue hit newsstands last week. The issue was guest edited by John T. Edge, and there’s a lot of Atlanta in these pages.

The AJC’s John Kessler has a story about the lack of prominent black chefs in Atlanta.

Mamie Morgan writes a quiet, heartfelt essay about waiting tables — a thinking-woman’s reasons for falling into, and loving, the profession. Her essay is also part love letter to Kevin Gillespie — her piece opens with a pilgrimage to the Woodfire Grill, and her obsession with the chef is a theme throughout.

And perhaps strangest of all, D.C. restaurant critic Todd Kliman writes about his obsession with chef Peter Chang, who, as some of you may remember, graced Marietta with his presence for a short period of time in 2006 at Tasty China. It’s strange only because the New Yorker also published a story last week about Peter Chang (by Calvin Trillin), and apart from the vastly more personal nature of Kliman’s story, the fundamentals are exactly the same: Why is this brilliant chef so elusive? Regardless, I loved Kliman’s story, especially the descriptions of Chang’s cooking and the drug-addict effect it has on certain among us. I do take issue with one part of the essay though, where he speaks about the reviews Chang received at Tasty China:

I read the reviews over and over again, devouring the words, as if reading were akin to eating, as if the more I read, the more the descriptions would satisfy my desire for the real thing. There was something about these reviews that bothered me, though, and it only occurred to me after a fourth reading. What bothered me was that they were not as approving as my reviews had been, not nearly as comprehensive, not nearly as obsessive in nature, and the thought came to me that he was in the wrong place, that Atlantans did not love him enough, or understand him enough.

He must not have read my Tasty China review, in which I proclaimed myself “just a silly girl in love.” Or the Atlanta Cuisine message board raves for that matter. Humph.

Anyway, this is a tiny taste of what the issue has to offer. The magazine is holding a number of events in Atlanta to celebrate the issue — go to food.oxfordamerican.org/atlanta for more info or see the flier below.

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DRINK WEEK – n. – a week of drunken debauchery at Atlanta’s favorite bars, complete with ticket giveaways, drink specials, and discounted cab rides courtesy of Checker Cab. Show up to each night to get your insert stamped to be registered to win Lakewood season tickets!

3/10 – Star Bar – CL’s SXSW send-off party for the Howlies plus Lloyd’s Rocksteady Review! 437 Moreland Ave. L5P 8 p.m.
3/11 – East Side Lounge – 485 Flat Shoals Ave. EAV 7 p.m.
3/12 – The Shelter – $1 Drink Fridays for $5 cover ’til midnight! – 2101 Tula St. Buckhead 9  p.m.
3/13 – Underground Atlanta – St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival featuring U2 cover band, Desire, at 2p.m. and Yacht Rock at 5 p.m. Sponsored by Kellan Irish Whiskey! noon-8 p.m.
3/14 – Tin Roof Cantina – Garreth Asher and Francisco Vidal Band. Sponsored by UV Vodka! 2591 Briarcliff Road @ N. Druid Hills 7 p.m.
3/15 – The Albert – 918 Austin Ave. Inman Park 7 p.m.
3/16 – Social – 12 West Peachtree Place, Downtown 7 p.m.
3/17 – Engine 11 – St. Patty’s Day Party with live music all night! Sponsored by Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey! 30 North Ave., Midtown 6 p.m.

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Holy Taco Tequila Tasting, March 4. The restaurant will offer a tasting trio paired with tapas at the bar or at individual tables from 6-9 p.m. every first Thursday of the month. The trio will be $20 a person. For more information call 404-230-6177 or visit  www.holy-taco.com.

Cellar 13’s Dinner at Bocado, March 4th. Jerome Quiot, proprietor of Chateau du Trignon in Gigondas and Domaine du Vieux Lazaret of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, will be on hand for a multicourse dinner featuring wines from his estates.  Chef Todd Ginsberg will create the menu. $95 per person. For more information call 404-816-4071.

Morton’s in Buckhead’s Adobe Road Wine Dinner, March 5. NASCAR driver Bobby LaBonte and Adobe Road Winery Owner and CEO of TRG Motorsports, Kevin Buckler, will be present at this four-course prix fixe dinner. Two garage passes to the NASCAR race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 7 will be given away. The reception begins at 7:30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 8 p.m. Tickets are $150. Reservations can be made by calling 404-816-6535.

Buckhead Restaurant Week, March 6-14. Several of the Buckhead’s restaurants will be offering a three-course prix fixe menu. Participating restaurants include Bistro Niko, the Atlanta Fish Market and Craftbar. For a full list of restaurants and more information, visit www.brwatlanta.com or call 404-888-9348.

The 4th Midtown International Annual Wine Crawl, March 6. Registration is from 1-6 p.m. at Livingston. The tours will be conducted from 1-7 p.m. A portion of all proceeds will go to the Red Cross Haiti Relief fund. Tickets cost $5 in advance and $10 at the door. For more information visit www.atlantabartours.com.

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Two Urban Licks’ Pig Roast, Feb. 21. Starting at 6:30 p.m., Chef Cameron will offer a full buffet highlighting pork. Price is $21 per person and includes all you can eat and drink. $15 for all you can eat. For more information call 404-522-4622.

Carlo Petrini and Researchers Speak, Feb. 22. The founder of Slow Food International will discuss food, pleasure, and the family meal in room 102 at the Emory University’s Center for Ethics located at 1531 Dickey Drive. The talk will begin at 4 p.m. with a book signing to follow. The event is free and open to everyone.

Grant Park Baseball Dine Out at Six Feet Under, Feb. 23. Starting at 4 p.m., a percentage of the proceeds will go to Grant Park Baseball. For more information call 404-523-6664.

Doc Chey’s Chinese New Year Party, Feb. 27. Two dollars from the sale of each Lucky New Year Sampler will be donated to Zoo Atlanta’s Sumatran Tiger exhibit renovation. Doc Chey’s Grant Park is located at 563 Memorial Drive, across from Oakland Cemetery in Grant Park. For more information, visit www.doccheys.com.

Wildfire’s Sweet Cooking Class, Feb. 27. This class for kids will teach them about what is inside a cookie and how to decorate them. Each child will receive snacks, juice and a goodie bag to take home. All proceeds go to the Make-A-Wish-Foundation. Tickets are $10 and include one adult and up to two children. The class starts at 11 a.m. For more information or to make a reservation call 770-730-9080.

Chef Pamela Sheldon Johns’ Cooking Class, Feb. 27. The class will be held at the Cook’s Warehouse, 1095 Zonolite Road, Suite 104, from  3:30-6 pm. The class will focus on Tuscan antipasti. To register or for more information call 404-492-9015.

Flag Day at the Bone Garden Cantina, Feb 27. This day-long celebration of Mexico’s Independence Day will feature live music and food and drink specials. For more information call 404-418-9072.

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After a not-so-good meal at Cantina Taqueria on Sunday night, I was happy to stop by Taqueria del Sol on Cheshire Bridge for dinner Monday. I ordered the week’s special — a tostada topped with carnitas — but also got to sample this off-the-menu dish by Eddie Hernandez. It’s a (large) tamale stuffed with chihuahua cheese, fresh corn and strips of roasted poblanos.

George Trusler, manager of the restaurant, told me that it will soon be the 10th anniversary of the first Taqueria del Sol (on the Westside). At the time, the Cheshire Bridge location was Sundown Cafe and featured a much more complex menu of dishes by Hernandez. It later converted to a taqueria itself, and, along with the Sundown name, the owners had to ditch the more complicated dishes — like this tamale.

To celebrate the anniversary, the owners plan to open a different TDS for a few hours each Sunday in April. Diners will get a chance to order some more complicated dishes. “We hate that we can’t do certain dishes now,” Trusler said, “but they take too long with the high-speed pace of the taquerias.”

Get on the TDS mailing list to be sure you’re notified about the anniversary celebration.

(Photo by Cliff Bostock)

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Snow Jam 2010 at the 5 Seasons Brewing Company, tonight! All beers are half priced all day. For more information visit www.5seasonsbrewing.com. Call 404-875-3232 to speak to their Westside location or 770-521-5551 to get in touch with the Northern location.

Chocolate Tour from Atlanta Trolley Tour Line, Feb 13-28. The weekend trolley tour will make four stops around the city. At each location riders will be able to sample different chocolates. Tickets are $80 a person and must be purchased in advance.  For more information visit www.atlantachocolatetour.com.

Valentines Day, Feb 14. For more information on where to dine with your sweetheart or where to find a new one, check out our Valentine’s Day events post.

Allison Hooper, cheesemaker, at Star Provisions, Feb. 14. Allison will be holding a cheese tasting from 3-6 p.m. For more information call 404- 365-0410 or visit www.starprovisions.com.

Marlow’s Tavern’s Mardi Gras Celebration, Feb. 16- March 29. All six locations will  be having a “Bayou ‘n Bourbon” special. In addition to their normal menu, diners will have the option of New Orleans dishes. For more information visit www.marlowstavern.com.

Sokol Blosser Wine Dinner at Aria, Feb. 18. The dinner features six courses paired with six different wines. Alex Sokol Blosser will be in attendance. His family’s winery has pioneered environmentally friendly production and is the first in the country to receive LEED certification. Call 404-233-7673 for reservations.

Georgia Organics Conference, Feb. 19-20.  Celebrating organic agriculture in Athens. For more information see our post or www.georgiaorganics.org.

Doc Chey’s Chinese New Year, Feb. 20. By wearing red, guests will receive a special good luck surprise. The annual lion dance is at 5:30 p.m. Two dollars from the sale of each Lucky New Year Sampler will be donated to Zoo Atlanta’s Sumatran Tiger exhibit renovation. 1556 N. Decatur Road. 404-378-8188.

Parish’s Mardi Gras Celebration, Feb. 20. There will be live music and all-you-can-eat New Orleans staples, including a whole roasted pig, red beans and rice, Abita beer, and crawfish. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tickets are $40 dollars. Book in advance and receive five dollars off the price. For more information call 404-681-4434 or visit www.parishatl.com.

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Show your server some love the usual way: money. Not by tipping them more (although that’s always welcome), but by supporting them as they ask for a raise in the minimum wage, which has been $2.19 for the past 19 years.

Sound unfair? Support the Wages Act HR 2570, sponsored by Rep Donna Edwards. The bill would raise the tipped minimum way to $3.75 initially, then $5.00 in 2011 and $5.50 by July 2012.

Join like-minded Atlantans at Noni’s Deli on Sat., Feb. 13 at 2 p.m., and learn more about both the bill and the Fair Eats Campaign, which seeks to highlight and celebrate local restaurants that are committed to treating their workers with dignity.

Check out the Fair Eats campaign’s website for more information.

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UPDATE: This event has been moved to Tuesday, Feb. 16.

I was sorry to learn that Our Way Cafe burned last week. I urge readers to join a fundraising benefit by eating and getting totally bombed 5:15 p.m.-midnight next Tues., Feb. 9, at the James Joyce Irish Pub (22 N. Avondale Road) in Avondale Estates.

The owners of Our Way write on a Facebook page for the event:

James Joyce is hosting a fundraiser for Our Way Cafe, which was burned badly by a fire last week. To help Our Way Cafe get back on our feet and open again soon, James Joyce will be donating 20% of their evenings earnings to the Our Way Cafe Fire Recovery Fund. Please stop by for a pint or dinner on Tuesday, February 9, to help out a business and need and to show your support for our local Avondale and Decatur businesses. The fundraiser will be held from 5pm til closing. Thanks to James Joyce for their wonderful support of Our Way Cafe and thank you to all our loyal customers. Your support will get us open much faster. See you all at the fundraiser.
With love, Jody & Eva, co-owners, Our Way Cafe

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McCray’s Tavern’s, Cook’s Warehouse, Feb. 2. Chef Jim Holycross will teach a class on how to make game day treats. The class will start at 7 p.m and last two hours at the Cook’s Warehouse Midtown location. Tickets are $45. For more information visit www.mccraystavern.com/smyrna or call 678-370-9122. To register visit www.cookswarehouse.com.

Southeastern Flower Show, Feb 4-6. The “Cooking from the Garden Series” will feature various chefs throughout the weekend. On Thurs., Feb. 4,  at 2:30 p.m., Canoe’s Chef Carvel Grant Gould will appear. Chef Todd Richards of One Flew South and Chef Holycross of McCray’s Tavern will demonstrate at 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively, on Sat., Feb. 6. The show takes place at the Cobb Galleria Centre. Tickets can be purchased online at www.sehort.org.

Rosebud’s Mardi Gras Party, Feb 6. Brunch will begin at noon and will feature a set menu including turtle soup, crawfish, and andouille sausage crepes. Tickets are $29. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 404-347-9747. For more information visit www.rosebudatlanta.com.

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Woodfire Grill and Georgia Shakespeare have teamed up to host the “Fools for Love Wine Dinner and Cabaret.” “Top Chef” finalist Kevin Gillespie will prepare a four-course meal while the co-owner of Woodfire Grill and director of the “Wine Spectator Award of Excellence” wine program, Nick Quinones, hand selects the wine pairings. Between courses, Georgia Shakespeare’s artists including Courtney Patterson, Hudson Adams, Eugene H. Russell IV, and Naima Carter Russell will sing love songs based on the Shakespearian tradition.

Woodfire Grill will host the event in its dining room on Feb. 8 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $150 and since all proceeds will benefit Georgia Shakespeare’s education programs, a portion of each ticket is tax-deductible. For more information and to buy a ticket call 404-264-0020 or order online at gashakespeare.org/wine_dinners.

(Photo courtesy gashakespeare.org)

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There are 16 cities with chapters participating in this year’s Meat Week, an eight-day celebration of “BBQ (and only BBQ).” Originating in Tampa, Fla., the organization uses a naval ranking system, which seems to sort members by their time and relative importance in the organization. The original admirals have now moved to L.A. where they earn their keep by creating sitcoms, or so a rather scattered and bulleted press release (of sorts) claims. Their current professions help explain why the event is so quirky.

This year’s 8th annual Meat Week starts the last Sunday of January and ends Super Bowl Sunday. Each night participants will gather at barbecue restaurants around the city. The “flagship BBQ ‘joynt,’” will be, as it always has been, Daddy D’z where the week will both begin and end. The week before is hype week during which the website meatweekisreal.com will attempt to rouse excitement among the participants (sailors?) and warn others that, “Meat Week cometh.”

Regardless of whether or not someone needs help getting excited for the event, it is worth a visit to the site for the newcomers guide alone. There is a full schedule of events, photos and a countdown. Surprisingly, the photos indicate participants do not dress up like a ship’s crew.

This year’s co-captains ask any interested participants to please RSVP on their online forum.

(Photo courtesy meatweekisreal.com)

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30 Tables serves a four-course dinner Feb. 12-14. $55 per person. 110 Marietta St. 404.469.0700. 30tables.com

Amuse! offers a four-course prix-fixe menu for $48 per person. 560 Dutch Valley Road. 404.888.1890. www.amuseatlanta.com

Anis Café and Bistro serves a four-course prix fixe menu for $60 per person. Includes one complimentary glass of Champagne and a rose. 2974 Grandview Ave. 404-233-9889. www.anisbistro.com

Aqua blue serves a three-course prix-fixe menu for $50, in addition to their a la carte and sushi menus, Feb. 12-14. Champagne toast and rose available for an additional $15. Kristin Tinsley will be performing live music on Feb. 12 at 8 p.m.  1564 Holcomb Bridge Road. 770-643-8886. www.aquablueatl.com.

Aria is offering a four-course menu for $85 per person on Valentine’s Day with wine pairings available at an additional cost.  490 E. Paces Ferry Road. 404-233-7673. www.aria-atl.com (more…)

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Featherfest, Jan. 22-28, To celebrate the International Poultry Expo and the International Feed Expo at the Georgia World Congress Center, 40 local restaurants, including Canoe and Café Circa, have entered a competition to see whose dishes make the best use of chicken or eggs. Winners will be announced on the last day of the show. To vote or for more information on participants visit www.atlanta.net/featherfest.

The Sycamore Grill presents dinner with its Executive Chef Paula, Jan. 23. The meal will feature the Michael David Family of wines. Prices are $35 per person or $65 per couple. Call 770-465-6789 to make reservations or for more information.

W Atlanta Downtown’s First Anniversary, Jan. 25-31, BLT steak is offering its 10 oz hanger steak for $20.09. Drinkshop will have $5 dollar drink specials, and at the Living Room, a glass of champagne will be $5 all week.

7 Stages Theatre’s 30^th Anniversary at Shaun’s Restaurant, Jan. 26, Festivities start at 7 p.m., and dinner will be served at 8 p.m. Tickets are $77. RSVP by phone at 404-522-0891 or e-mail Catherine@7stages.org.

Rosebud’s Tribute Dinner, Jan. 27, Chef Ron Eyster’s will host his first tribute dinner of 2010. Billy Joel’s “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” inspired the menu. For more information or to make reservations call 404.347.9747.

5 Seasons’ Wild Winter Beer Dinners, Jan. 27 and 28, There will be two different dinners. One will be on the 27th at 5 North and the other on the 28th at 5 Westside. The 10 different courses will have a focus on wild game. Each course will be paired with a different beer. The meal is $65 per person. To make reservations for the 27th contact events.5seasonsnorth@gmail.com or call 770-521-5551, for the 28th contact 5seasonswestside@gmail.com or call 404-875-3232.

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The 13th annual Georgia Organics conference, “Reclaiming Agriculture,” will take place in Athens on Feb. 19-20. The University of Georgia will be the backdrop for this event and the plan is to take full advantage of being on the campus of a world-renowned agricultural school. Each day will have educational seminars that focus on various aspects of organic farming such as beekeeping and cheese making. Friday there will be tours of the farms surrounding Athens and on Saturday there will be special children’s programming, including an investigation of the State Botanical Garden’s carnivorous plants.

The conference will conclude with a Farmers Feast and keynote speaker on Saturday night. 2009 James Beard Award winner Hugh Acheson of Five and Ten and the National Restaurants will lead a team of chefs to create a meal focusing on the bounty of the land. Local vineyards will provide wines to compliment the meal.

Carlo Petrini, founder of the international slow food movement, will give his keynote address during the meal. Petrini is best known for helping to launch a campaign throughout Italy against McDonald’s. In 2004, he was named one of Time magazine’s “Heroes” in recognition for his efforts to protect agricultural biodiversity and traditional foods.

Conference packages for members are $215. If purchased by Feb. 5, nonmember packages are $250. If purchased separately, the Saturday Farmers Feast and keynote is $100 for member and $135 for nonmembers. For more information and to register visit www.georgiaorganics.org.

(Photo courtesy www.georgiaorganics.org)

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This New Year’s Eve in Atlanta, there are plenty of restaurants with special meals planned. Here’s a list to guide you:

30 Tables, a four-course meal of oysters, scallops, choice of steak, lobster scampi, or duck, and dessert all with a complimentary champagne toast for $55. 110 Marietta St. 404-469-0700. www.30tables.com.

Amuse!, Offering a three-course prix-fixe menu at $48 per person. French-inspired cuisine. 560 Dutch Valley Road. 404-888-1890. www.amuseatlanta.com.

Aqua Blue, three-course prix-fixe menu for $59 per person. Seating is available at 5:30, 7 and 9:30 p.m. A DJ will begin the festivities at 9 p.m. and there will be a complementary champagne toast at midnight. 1564 Holcomb Bridge Road. 770-643-8886. www.aquablueatl.com.

Aquaknox, Four-course prix-fixe meal, live entertainment, hats and noisemakers to ring in the New Year. $75 per person. 3280 Peachtree Road. 404-477-5600. www.aquaknox.net.

Aria, Offering a four-course prix-fixe menu for $85 per person. 490 East Paces Ferry Road. 404-233-7673. www.aria-atl.com.

Atlanta Grill, Offering a four-course prix-fixe dinner at $70 or $120 with wine pairings. There will be two sets of seating, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and 9 to 9:30 p.m. 181 Peachtree St. 404-221-6550. www.ritzcarlton.com.

Atmosphere Bistro, A prixe-fixe, four-course menu at $65 per person. 1620 Piedmont Ave. 678-702-1620. www.atmospherebistro.com.

Bistro Niko, Offering a four-course meal for $59 with wine pairings for an additional $25. 3344 Peachtree Road. 404-261-6456. www.buckheadrestaurants.com.

Blackstone, Four-course menu that includes Blackstone’s signature items, a champagne toast, party favors, and live music at $55 per person. 4686 S. Atlanta Road. 404-794-6100. www.blackstoneatlanta.com.

BLT Steak Atlanta, Offering two menus; a four-course $65 menu between 5:30-6:30 p.m. and a $95 five-course menu between 8-9 p.m. 45 Allen Ivan Jr. Blvd. 404-577-7601. www.bltsteak.com.

Bluepointe, A four-course meal for $85 per person. $30 for wine pairings. 3455 Peachtree Road. 404-237-9070. www.buckheadrestaurants.com/bp.html.

The Cafe at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead, A special three-course, prix-fixe menu for $75 per person with a live jazz band and dancing to bring in the New Year. 3434 Peachtree Road. 404-240-7035. www.ritzcarlton.com.

Cafe Circa, Complimentary cocktail and noisemaker with $50 three-course prix-fixe menu and band after 11 p.m. 464 Edgewood Ave. 404-477-0008. www.cafecircaatl.com.

Dogwood, A four-course menu for $60. 565 Peachtree St. 404-835-1410. www.dogwoodrestaurant.com. (more…)

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Eat at Waterhaven and support a good cause — fundraising for a new gay newspaper in Atlanta. As has been widely reported, Atlanta’s two principal gay publications, Southern Voice and David, have ceased publication because their parent company was forced into bankruptcy by the Small Business Administration.

Now, former employees of the publications are organizing to begin a newspaper named GA Voice.

Check out the link above or the fundraiser’s Facebook page, from which this is excerpted:

WaterHaven, located at 75 5th St. in Atlanta, will host a fundraising dinner for the GA Voice this Saturday, Dec. 19.

The restaurant will donate 50 percent of food sales during Saturday’s dinner hours to support start-up costs for our efforts to create a new LGBT news outlet for Atlanta and the rest of Georgia.

WaterHaven is known for using local ingredients in a menu featuring creative takes on familiar favorites, like fried green tomatoes with goat cheese and pumpkin seed pesto.

With dinner hours from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., you can spend the evening or stop by for a great dinner before heading out to holiday parties.

Reservations are requested and can be made by calling the restaurant at (404) 214-6740 or on their website at www.waterhavenatl.com

Please help us spread the word and raise money for the launch of the GA Voice! You can also donate directly to support our efforts by visiting www.savesovo.com and clicking “join our cause.”

This is a good group of people. Leading the charge is Chris Cash, the original publisher of Southern Voice, along with Laura Douglas-Brown, the former editor of SoVo and one of the city’s finest journalists.

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The Big Gay Supper Club convenes tonight, Tuesday, at Waterhaven. Cocktails are at 7 p.m. and dinner, $35, follows at 8 p.m. See the club’s website for details. …

Taste (416 Church St., 404-370-1863) in Decatur will host a tea tasting party Wed., Dec. 16 at 6-8 p.m. You can get details and a half-off coupon on Half Off Green’s website. …

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So, I got a press release yesterday about Prohibition, a new bar opening tomorrow. The press release would have me believe that the people behind the new bar would like to have some customers. Except that … there’s no sign and the only way to get in is to get some secret code and dial it from a telephone booth across the way.

OK, I get it, Prohibition. It’s trying to mimic the 1920’s and all that. And this type of gimmickry has worked in NYC and beyond. Still, the pretension quotient is dangerously high. Press release after the jump: (more…)

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Canoe Restaurant, located on the edge of the Chattahoochee River, will be opening its doors again on Mon., Nov. 23. The restaurant went through significant damages due to the September flooding. After embarking on a 10-week renovation process, the restaurant is ready to go for the holiday season. Chef Carvel Grant Gould will be offering a revamped menu, and the edible vegetable garden will be re-planted as well. During the first week Canoe will be open for dinner only and will offer a three-course prix-fixe menu at $55 per person on Thanksgiving Day.

Paces Ferry Road. 770-437-2663. 4199. www.canoe-atl.com.

(Photo courtesy of Canoe)

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Lambert Bridge Winery dinner at the Shed at Glenwood, Nov. 17, The winery will bring a five-course meal and wine pairings to the Shed at Glenwood. The main course will include wild boar ragout, winter vegetables and yukon gold potatoes. Cost $85 per person. 475 Bill Kennedy Way. 404-835-4363. www.theshedatglenwood.com.

Slow Food Atlanta presents a “slow taste of Tuscany,” Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 7 p.m. at Valenza and La Pietra Cucina. A celebration taking place across America of slow food and Douglas Gayeton’s new book Slow: Life in a Tuscan Town. $120 all-inclusive.

Atlanta Wine School’s For Beginners Only, Nov. 19, For the wine novice who is looking to expand their knowledge. The course is meant to expand wine vocabulary, learning what goes best with what foods and what to choose at a restaurant. You will also learn about tasting as you sample several wines. The class cost $50 per person and begins at 7 pm. 1570 Holcomb Bridge Road. 770-668-0435. www.atlantawineschool.com.

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Those wacky Chinese Southern Belles are doing a series of 20-minute, free cooking demos at Buford Highway Farmers Market (5600 Buford Hwy., Doraville, just outside I-285), starting this Saturday. You can see them at 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m. Here’s the topic lineup for the first four demos:

Nov. 14  – Express Sushi (veggie only or with fish)
Nov. 21 – Eggrolls ‘n’ Springrolls
Dec. 5 – Asian Noodle Crazy
Dec. 12 – Fusion Favorites

Check out their website for more details.

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If you’re looking forward to all the splendor of a traditional Thanksgiving meal this year, but want to opt-out of the part that includes slaving over a hot stove, look after the jump for restaurants that’ll be open on Thanksgiving Day in Atlanta with a Thanksgiving meal, traditional or not. (more…)

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Love at the Pub tells the story of the Brick Store

I am so glad Rocktober is over, because that means that it is Novembeer. Although I don’t expect Gov. Purdue to declare it officially, I am herewith designating this as the unofficial silly pun name for this month. Novembeer is when we all get together with our loved ones and give thanks for beer. It is also that time of the year when the breweries release their winter seasonals and holiday beers. It is a good month.

There is a lot to look forward to this Novembeer if you are a beer lover, including a new Taco Mac, the release of Love at the Pub, the story of the Brick Store Pub, a host of beer dinners and tastings, and a slew of new beer releases, both local and from beyond Georgia. Here are a few of the highlights of just the next two weeks!

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Here are some events coming up for Halloween and through next week:

Treat Before You Trick at the Melting Pot, Oct. 31. For Halloween, the Melting Pot’s Midtown, Duluth, Kennesaw and Roswell locations will offer a special menu price starting at 1 p.m. You can eat a three-course meal that includes cheese, salad and an entree for $25, which, compared to their normal menu pricing, is quite a deal. If you come dressed in costume you’ll receive a chocolate course for $5 per person. 404-389-0099.

RA Sushi’s Boo Bash 2009, Oct. 31. Starting at 7 p.m. RA Sushi is celebrating Halloween with food and drink specials for the night. The “Boo Bites” specials, the $6 Creepy Cali Roll, $7 Voodoo Roll and $7 Spider Roll, can be paired with some $7 “Potent Potions,” which include Vampire’s Kiss, Bloody Brain and Skullini. DJ Scott will entertain guests with a mix of horror movie theme songs and top 40s hits. There is no cover charge and the kitchen will remain open until 1 a.m. 1080 Peachtree St. 404-267-0114.

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