SCH'WHEAT!  FLEMING'S OPENS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND WITH A SWEETWATER BEER DINNER ON THE PATIO 

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar welcomes the Memorial Day weekend with a beer and fare adventure priced less than a tank of gas! The topside Perimeter restaurant is hosting a special SweetWater beer dinner on Friday, May 27 at 6 p.m. outdoors on its newly renovated patio.  A SweetWater Brewing Company brewmaster will be there passing on insights to the night's beer pairings, starting with a round of SweetWater Sch'Wheat.  The three-course dinner includes an appetizer of sweet chili calamari paired with SweetWater Blue; entrée choice of Fleming's Prime Burger or marinated chicken burger teamed up with SweetWater 420 and SweetWater IPA; and dessert of walnut turtle brownies alongside SweetWater Georgia Brown.  Dinner includes cucumber and tomato salad, coleslaw, potato salad and sweet corn on the cob served family style.  Dinner and pairings are priced at $50 per person (plus tax and gratuity).  Reserve your spot now by calling 770-698-8112.

HOW DOES A REAL SPICE GAL DO IT?  ASHA GOMEZ OF SPICE ROUTE SUPPER CLUB DEMOS AT WILLIAMS-SONOMA LENOX ON MAY 28

There's a certain mystique to preparing those exotic Indian dishes.  Which spices do I combine?  What is that funky shaped plant?  How many kinds of rice, tikkas, masalas and curries are out there?  Thankfully, Asha Gomez, the kitchen guru behind the monthly Spice Route Supper Club dinners, will filter through the exotica to simplify things for us laymen at Williams-Sonoma in Lenox Square from 1 - 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 28.  Spending the afternoon with Gomez could lead to a tastefully memorable Memorial Day weekend and many meals to come.

JERSEYS ON, UEFA FANS!  FADÓ IRISH PUB & RESTAURANT TUNES ALL 20 SCREENS TO UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINALS ON MAY 28

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League Finals is the most-watched sporting event worldwide, drawing more than 100 million television viewers!  Barcelona and Manchester United fans will pack Wembley Stadium for the 2:45 p.m. (EST) game this Saturday, May 28.  No nosebleed seats for ATL fans as they can flock to Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant on Peachtree Street in Buckhead for champion viewing live on all 20 of the HD TVs in the spirited pub.  That includes the TV on the rooftop patio!  Fadó opens Saturday mornings at 10 a.m., and fans are encouraged to come early.  History projects the pub will reach capacity (500 guests) by kickoff.  Feed the team with hearty pub fare and appetizers including the shareable Dublin Sampler that fills the table with full orders of cheese dip, chicken tenders and chicken boxty quesadillas at a value price.  Count on Fadó bartenders to pull perfect pints of European draughts including Guinness, Boddingtons Pub Ale, Harp, Smithwick's and Hoegaarden.  Another big score: the pub will stay open until 3 a.m. for cheers and congrats...or comfort and compassion. 

NICKY'S WEEK FOR ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL STARTS MAY 29 AT RA SUSHI

The annual Nicky's Week Fundraiser for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at RA Sushi starts this Sunday, May 29 and runs through Saturday, June 4.  Thanks to caring donors and fundraisers like RA Sushi's nationwide Nicky's Week event, St. Jude never turns away children battling cancer or other catastrophic diseases whose families are unable to afford medical treatment.  Nicky Mailliard, a 13-year-old Scottsdale, Ariz. teen and the nephew of one of RA Sushi's founders, lost his battle against brain cancer in 2005.  Restaurant staff, fond of the teen and deeply touched by his struggle and spirit, started the annual RA Sushi tradition in his honor.  During the weeklong fundraiser, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will receive 100 percent of the proceeds from RA Sushi Nicky's Week menu items such as edamame, Tootsy Maki, shrimp nigiri, pork gyoza, tuna tataki, chicken yakitori and select beverages.  Nicky's Week sponsors include FIJI, The Republic of Tea and Shirakiku.

RA Sushi:  1080 Peachtree Street at 1010 Midtown; 404-267-0114.

NEW YORK BUTCHER SHOPPE "STEAKS" CLAIM TO YOUR GRILL FOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND GET TOGETHERS   

There's no mystery to meat selection when the New York Butcher Shoppe experts help you choose the right cuts for a mouthwatering Memorial Day weekend cookout.  The three-day holiday weekend honoring those who died while serving our country in the military has unofficially come to mark the start of the summer grilling season.  The professionals at the three New York Butcher Shoppe locations -- Alpharetta, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs -- are ready with fresh-cut Premium Angus aged steaks, high-quality ground beef, tender chops, chicken, veal, lamb and homemade sausages.  Take advantage of the stores' new "Weekend Getaway" packages available just in time the holiday weekend.  Whether you're looking for the perfect combination of savory steaks or a heaping helpin' of hotdogs and hamburgers, the New York Butcher Shoppe has everything you need.  Both packages also include an assortment of breakfast rolls, deli meats, chips, pimento cheese dip and choice of side dish options, so you won't have to pick up the extras on the way!  The stores also are offering a "Just the Meat" package option that includes an assortment of baby back ribs, burgers, hot dogs, chicken breasts and wings and a bag of charcoal.  Packages are priced from $64.99 to $94.99.

The stores also carry White Oak Pastures sustainably raised, Certified Organic grass-fed beef in cuts such as tenderloin, ribeye, flat iron, petite tenders and ground grass-fed beef that is ground fresh daily.  New York Butcher Shoppe will custom cut, season and/or marinate your selections, offer cooking and grilling tips and round out your menu with sides, desserts and wines.  New York Butcher Shoppe is all about high-quality meat and service.   For more information on events and promotions, visit New York Butcher Shoppe's Facebook page.

New York Butcher Shoppe: Dunwoody at 2458 Mt. Vernon Road; 770-399-6328. Sandy Springs at 4969 Roswell Road; 404-303-0704. Alpharetta at 5354 McGinnis Ferry Road; 678-624-0047.

SPECIAL DISHES, SPECIAL NIGHT:  RAY'S RESTAURANTS CORPORATE EXECUTIVE CHEF TOM MCEACHERN COMPETES ON "CHOPPED" MAY 31   

Chop, chop!  Not only will Ray's Restaurants Corporate Executive Chef Tom McEachern star on The Food Network's popular chef competition show "Chopped" on Tuesday, May 31, he's planned a special night at Ray's on the River.  The show airs at 10 p.m. and pits four chefs against each other in a challenge to turn assorted everyday ingredients into an extraordinary three-course meal.  One contestant is "chopped" after each course until only one is left standing in the kitchen.  Will it be Chef Tom?  He's bringing the fun to Ray's on the River that night, offering dishes that contain the ingredients he used on the show.  One night only -- after that, these items are "chopped" from the menu!

Ray's on the River:  6700 Powers Ferry Road; 770-955-1187.

PONZI WINE DINNER NO SCHEME; IT'S FOR REAL!  SUSTAINABLE VITICULTURALIST COMES TO ARIA ON JUNE 1   

Ponzi schemes are one thing.  Yuck.  Ponzi dreams are the total opposite -- when one dreams of Oregon's lush Willamette Valley vineyards and winemakers entrenched in creating excellent wines through sustainable methods.  Yum.  Even yummier, Aria is bringing Maria Ponzi Fogelstrom and Ponzi Vineyards wines to town for a Ponzi Vineyards Wine Dinner on Wednesday, June 1 at 7 p.m.  The Ponzi family's Pino Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, White Riesling and others have earned international recognition as some of the world's best.  Founded in 1970, all 120 acres at Ponzi Vineyards are LIVE Certified Sustainable, the highest standard for sustainable viticulture. Dinner will be $100, including tax and gratuity.  Call 404-233-7673 to make dinner reservations.

MARLOW'S TAVERN OPENS IN THE AVENUE FORSYTH THIS SUMMER   

Marlow's Tavern is coming to Cumming in July!   Sterling Hospitality will open its eighth and newest Marlow's Tavern in The Avenue Forsyth, an open-air shopping destination loaded with premier national retailers, select local merchants and specialty restaurants. The shopping hub is situated just east of Georgia 400 at Peachtree Parkway/Highway 141 in one of the metro region's fastest-growing areas.  Marlow's upscale American tavern fare, wide variety of cold libations and friendly attitude are sure to win raves among those shopping 'til they drop, commuters meeting for cheer and Forsyth neighbors wanting a night out, but not far out.  We'll keep you posted! 

TASSA ROTI SHOP IS A HOMECOMING EXPERIENCE FOR YELPERS LOOKING FOR SPICE, NOT SPIFF

Visit the Tassa Roti Shop Yelp page, click on the photos and see for yourself -- the little restaurant Yelper Stephanie F. finds so fabulous and homey.  Hey, these are the best finds...unobtrusive, tucked away and tremendously delish!

Tassa Roti is a fabulous little restaurant with great food.  As others have mentioned, the buffet is small but packed full of goodies.  I loved the yucca, curry chicken, corn coo coo, rice, and curry potatoes just to name a few.  The hot sauces are also very tasty but I'll be the first to admit that I'm a spice wuss though my tolerance has improved greatly over the past few months.  I could only handle it in small doses.  The flavors were fabulous.  I especially loved the green apple hot sauce.  My husband, on the other hand, has a very low tolerance and found all of the dishes to be spicy which made him a bit uncomfortable.  

The Jamaican cream soda was nice.  It has a much more subtle taste than the cream soda that you find in the grocery store.  I don't normally like cream soda but I enjoyed it.

I also tried the sugar cake (not included in the buffet).  It's hard and more candy like than cake like.  At first the flavors seem like just pure sugar but the coconut flavor comes through nicely as the sugar dissipates finishing with a nice after taste  

We went around 5 PM on a Sunday which turned out to be a great decision.  There were only 3 or so groups of customers.  I could see how this place could become packed.  The parking lot entrance only fits one car which would make things "interesting" if customers were trying to arrive and exit at the same time.  

We'll be back again!

Tassa Roti Shop:  224 Powers Ferry Road, Marietta; 770-977-3163.

EAT IT AND TWEEP:  FOLLOW TWEETS ON LIFE IN BUCKHEAD

Simply Buckhead is exactly that... a lifestyle magazine and guide that sheds light on Buckhead's hidden gems.  The guide and its tweeting counterpart share finds that sometimes (and perhaps thankfully, crowd- and hype-wise) slip through the cracks at other media outlets.  View the upscale magazine online, or if you're as mobile as we are, keep up the smart phone way on Twitter (@SimplyBuckhead).

Sample Tweet:  Follow us on Twitter! If you see this car in Buckhead, take a pic and send it to us and we have a surprise for you! http://ow.ly/i/bEe8