Omnivore Atlanta

Aspen Signature Steak, Brunch buffet. $18.95 adult, $9.95 children. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 3625 Dallas Hwy. 770-419-1744. www.sedgwickrestaurantgroup.com.

Bistro VG, A three course dinner. $29, or $40 with wine pairings. 5 p.m-9 p.m. 70 West Crossville Road. 770-993-1156. www.sedgwickrestaurantgroup.com.

Fire of Brazil, Dinner menu enhanced with exotic meats (ostrich, kangaroo, alligator, etc.). $41.50 adults, $13.25 children. 4 p.m.-9:30 p.m. 118 Perimeter Center West. 770-551-9652. www.fireofbrazil.com.

Food 101, Special Father’s Day menu. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 1397 North Highland Avenue. 404-347-9747. www.101concepts.com.

Luciano’s, Brunch buffet. $19.95 adults, 9.95 children 6-12, under 6 free. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 10990 State Bridge Rd. and 6555 Sugarloaf Parkway. 678-242-1890 and 770-225-1727. www.lucianositaly.com

Morton’s The Steakhouse, A four-course dinner. $65. 5 p.m.-10 p.m. 3379 Peachtree Rd. 404-816-6535. www.mortons.com.

NEO at The Mansion on Peachtree, A four-course dinner. $60 or $75 with beer pairings. 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. 3376 Peachtree Rd. 404-995-7545. www.mansiononpeachtree.com.

Oceanaire Seafood Room, Special Father’s Day menu. 5 p.m.-10 p.m. 1100 Peachtree St. 404-475-2277.www.theoceanaire.com.

Pampas Steakhouse, Special brunch features and menu features. 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. 10970-A State Bridge Rd. 678-339-0029. www.pampassteakhouse.com.

Park 75 Restaurant at Four Seasons Atlanta, A five-course tasting menu. $42. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 75 Fourteenth St. 404-253-3858. www.fourseasons.com/atlanta.

Parks Edge, Special $3 bloody marys, mimosas, and bellini’s. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 913 Bemina Ave. 404-584-7275. www.parksedgeatl.com.

The Pecan, Buffet. $55 adult, $45 senior, $25 children, unlimited mimosas for $10. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 3725 Main St. 404-762-8444. www.thepecanrestaurant.com.

Ray’s in the City, Brunch buffet. $23.95. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 240 Peachtree St. 404-524-9224. www.raysrestaurants.com.

Ray’s Killer Creek, Brunch buffet. $23.95. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 1700 Mansell Rd. 770-649-0064. www.raysrestaurants.com.

Ray’s on the River, Brunch buffet. $23.95 adult, $11.95 children, 4 and under free. 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. 6700 Powers Ferry Rd. 770-955-1187. www.raysrestaurants.com.

Real Men Cook For Charity Atlanta, A festival where more than 100 men cook for nearly 3,000 guests. $20 adults, $10 children. 3 p.m.-6 p.m. 65 MLK Jr. Drive. 404-344-8496. www.realmencook.com.

South City Kitchen, Special brunch menu. 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. 1144 Crescent Ave. 404-873-7358. www.southcitykitchen.com.

Spice Market, A three course dinner. $30. 5 p.m.-9 p.m. 188 14th St. 404-549-5450. www.spicemarketatlanta.com.

STATS, Dads eat free with the purchase of one entrée of equal or greater value. 11 a.m.-12 a.m. 300 Marietta St. 404-885-1472. www.statsatl.com.

The Sun Dial Restaurant, A three course brunch and manly activities on the view level including a putting green and Sweetwater Beer tasting. $40. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. 210 Peachtree St. 404-589-7506. www.sundialrestaurant.com.

Straits, Brunch on the newly designed patio. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 793 Juniper St. 404-877-1283. www.straitsrestaurants.com.

Village Tavern, Brunch buffet. $19.95 adults, $10.95 children. 9 a.m-3 p.m. 11555 Rainwater Dr. 770-777-6490. www.villagetavern.com.

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As a project for his non-profit organization, the Ludacris Foundation, Ludacris is providing Thanksgiving dinner to 500 families in the Atlanta area.

What a sweetheart.

The altruistic rap star can be seen on Atlanta’s north and south ends over the next two days handing out turkeys and desserts to registered families.

The events are private and meals will only be given to families that were selected by their communities affiliated with the Ludacris Foundation.

Shout out to Sam’s Club and GM for hauling in the chow!

(Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

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Parish, the latest member of the Concentrics Restaurants group has opened at 240 N. Highland Ave. (404-681-4434). The New Orleans-style restaurant opens for dinner daily at 5 p.m. and also serves brunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. There’s also a to-go shop that opens at 7 a.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. weekends.. And there’s Parish Market, open daily at 7 a.m. until restaurant closing.

Chef of the new restaurant is Timothy Magee, who has worked for Lobby at Twelve, another Concentrics restaurant, since 2006. He earlier worked for restaurants owned by Buckhead Life and The Fifth Group and has also worked for several well known New Orleans chefs.

Executive pastry chef is Jonathan St. Hilaire, a title he holds with other Concentrics restaurants. Now, though, he is expanding his repertoire to include organic breads, pastries and desserts at Parish Market.

You can check out the restaurant’s menus on its website here.

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Nick’s Food To Go (240 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, 404-521-2220, www.nicksfood.com) is the quintessential hole in the wall you’ve probably passed by a hundred times but never entered. The tiny Greek gem is a complete family affair with Nick Poulous working the front and his wife, Helen, and their daughters, Evie and Angela, in the kitchen. Although there is no dining area — don’t even try to eat inside or you’ll get a fatherly scolding from Nick — the comforting food travels well and is always made to order.

Continue reading Cheap Eats.

(Text and photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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The New York Times has a fascinating article this week about how much planning, market research and financial risk are involved when a restaurant chain adds a new dish to its menu.

In an anecdote that doesn’t speak well for the sophistication of local diners, the story describes how the folks who run a hometown chain decided that Atlanta wasn’t adventurous enough to handle goat cheese:

Goat cheese, for instance, failed to impress customers when it landed in a salad last year on the menu at the Atlanta Bread Company chain of bakery restaurants, based in their namesake city. That surprised Chris Campagna, the vice president for marketing, who said his customers like to take risks. Those who tried the salad liked it, he said, but there were not enough orders to keep it on the menu.

“It was a little too early for goat cheese,” Mr. Campagna said. But, he vowed, “we’ll try it again a few years down the road.”

While goat cheese bombed, a sandwich of Cuban roast pork loin with cheese, mustard and roast pickled onions is being served at all 160 of the company’s locations in 24 states, even as far north of Cuba as Beloit, Wis. Modeled after the classic Cuban version, the Atlanta Bread sandwich sells well in areas both with and without sizable Hispanic populations, Mr. Campagna said.

For the most part, however, the company has focused less on ethnic dishes and more on sauces and spreads that can make a sandwich seem more sophisticated. For example, it puts a sun-dried tomato topping on its turkey sandwich, served on ciabatta. “They still want their chicken salad, they still want their turkey, but they want sun-dried-tomato spread and pesto,” Mr. Campagna said.

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