What's cooking this week? 

BEARDED AND BURLY OR STOICALLY 'STACHED?  THINGS MAY GET HAIRY AS KEVIN GILLESPIE JUDGES BATTLE OF THE BEARDS ON DECEMBER 3

Whoever wins, it's sure to be a close shave among the competition for the first facial hair champion at Battle of the Beards on Saturday, December 3. Sporting a fiery red beard of his own, Woodfire Grill's Kevin Gillespie will be one of the celebrity judges plucking winners from the chin-coiffed pack. Open to ages 21 and older, the party at the Highland Inn Ballroom will have distractions galore:  festival merchandise, local artist vendors, live music and stand-up comedy, food trucks and a full bar. Be on the lookout for "Best Beard," "Best Stache," "Best Partial Beard," "Most Creative," "Best Grooming," "Overall Champion" and "BEST LADY BEARD"! A portion of the proceeds from the 7 - 10 p.m. event will go to Mustaches for Kids' fundraising efforts for CURE Childhood Cancer. For tickets, visit battleofthebeards.net.

FIFTH GROUP'S NEW ALMA COCINA BRINGS MORE THAN MEXICAN FOOD TO 191 PEACHTREE ON DECEMBER 6

Translate "alma" from Spanish to English and the answer is soul, spirit and heart. It's also the obvious name for Fifth Group Restaurants' newest restaurant, Alma Cocina, opening December 6 in downtown Atlanta's One Ninety One Peachtree Tower. Research, discussion, travels, eating and finding talented Chef Chad Clevenger brought Fifth Group head honchos to the realization that contemporary Mexican cuisine would be the heart and soul of Alma Cocina's menu, and Latin American flavors would infuse its spirit. Take a look at lunch and dinner menu offerings, and you'll see what we mean.

To start things off, there are two kinds of guacamole being offered. You can sample a classic version or have your avocadoes with butternut squash with chipotle and queso fresco; smoked pork ribs with tamarind BBQ sauce; and both duck confit tostadas and green chorizo tostadas. For salsa and chip die-hards, Alma Cocina produces a sampler of four kinds of salsa with chicharrones (fried pork rinds) plus plantain, malanga coco, yucca and corn chips. Go hot with chipotle-spiced tortilla soup or cool off with ceviche or one of their tempting salads. Choose taquitos (two small tacos) stuffed with carnitas, crispy cod, braised lamb, shrimp or fired avocados. Huaraches bring on crisp corn tortillas topped with braised goat, mushroom and butternut squash or rock shrimp with orange, charred avocado and smoked tomatoes. "Platos Mayor" are filling options of grilled flatiron steak; whole roasted poblano chile pepper with winter squash, raisins, apples, cranberries, walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds; roasted chicken mole Oaxaca or red snapper mole Amarillo with Swiss chard. Alma Cocina doesn't stop there. In fact, you may want to come purely for the dessert list:  flourless chocolate-ancho cake with orange-red pepper salpicon, High Road Craft grapefruit-mint sorbet with rum-marinated pineapple, Mexican Coca-Cola panna cotta and "Churros & 3 Sauces." Gluten-free and kids' menus are available upon request.

Warming up those concrete city blocks, Alma Cocina provides a spicy Latin break for lunch, dinner or catering needs downtown. The restaurant's design keeps business entertaining and leisure dining preferences in mind, providing traditional dining room seating for 200 guests, two bar areas with booths and communal tables. Go ahead and plan on a pre-holiday lunch, dinner or office fiesta, or contact Autumn Woods at 678-302-3264 to arrange group or private dining.

Alma Cocina:  One Ninety One Peachtree Tower, 191 Peachtree Street, NE; 404-968-9662.

WATCH OUT FOR THE BEARDED BIKER IN RED -- ATKINS PARK TAVERN'S 5TH ANNUAL SANTA RIDE WHEELS OUT WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7

For the past five years, Atkins Park Tavern in Virginia Highland has pedaled in the Christmas season with an annual 15- to 20-mile Santa Ride. This year's ride takes place on Wednesday, December 7, setting out from the tavern in Virginia Highland at 6 p.m. and braking several times en route for holiday cheer. 

Atkins Park Tavern - Virginia Highland:  794 North Highland; 404-876-7249.

NEW YORK BUTCHER SHOPPE IN SANDY SPRINGS NOW SELLS WINE ON SUNDAYS

On November 20, retail alcohol sales become legal on Sundays in Sandy Springs, meaning Sunday suppers do not have to be "dry" anymore because someone forgot to buy the wine. Now meal planners will be able to pick up wine along with their selection of hand-cut meats and chef-prepared sides at the Sandy Springs New York Butcher Shoppe (NYBS). Sunday hours are 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., and wine may be purchased after 12:30 p.m. For other NYBS locations, click here or visit Facebook.

New York Butcher Shoppe - Sandy Springs: 4969 Roswell Road; 404-303-0704.

WE'RE "LIKING" THIS FACEBOOK PROMO FOR DOUBLE ZERO NAPOLETANA, THE IBERIAN PIG AND SUGO

There's already a lot to "like" about the food, drinks and ambiance at Double Zero Napoletana, The Iberian Pig and Sugo, and now we have one more reason to love them! When new fans "like" the Facebook pages of Double Zero Napoletana, The Iberian Pig or Sugo, they will receive a $10 gift certificate to use toward their next bill at any one of these Castellucci Hospitality Group (CHG) restaurants.

If you're already a CHG fan, hit the "Special Fan Offer" tab to claim your gift. Certificates expire on December 31 so go ahead and plan on connecting with friends for small plates and drinks or enjoying a post-holiday shopping dinner out.

YELPER HITS THE HIGH ROAD FOR PINTS OF BOURBON BURNT SUGAR ICE CREAM

Kennesaw State student and Yelper Tk B. has an addiction problem, and Tk is taking the first step, admitting a pint-a-week High Road Craft Ice Cream & Sorbet habit. Second step in the 12-step process, revealing that boozy Bourbon Burnt Sugar ice cream is the ultimate. As far as the next 10 steps go, well, we're sure there are at least that many more flavors coming up at Whole Foods and area restaurants. Why fight it? (Editor's note:  Alma Cocina has High Road Craft Ice Cream & Sorbet on its dessert menu. We predict downtowners will soon pick up Tk B.'s addiction.)

As a Kennesaw State student, I like to support KSU graduates and the surrounding community. So when I read that Keith and Hunter were starting an ice cream venture, I knew it was going to be something amazing. I was right. My local Whole Foods (or Cobb Harry's) carries pints of High Road and all of their ice cream is stellar.

Bourbon Burnt Sugar is my absolute favorite, it's not too boozy, just the right hint of bourbon, and it's very light and airy, not too sticky not too sweet and absolutely delicious.

I grab a pint a week (as I'm not a huge fan of sweets, but for High Road I'll make an exception) sit down, watch t.v., and put half of the pint back in the freezer so that I can enjoy it the next day as well. They have something good going. I always make sure that I have errands to run on Saturdays near Perimeter Park Dr., so that I can stop by and sample more and more flavors. I have yet to be disappointed. Do yourself a favor and pick up some. You won't regret it.

High Road Craft Ice Cream & Sorbet:  2241 Perimeter Park Drive; 678-701-7623.

EAT IT AND TWEEP:  ALLI ROYCE SOBLE SHOOTS, TWEETS AND ACHIEVES

"Badass" La Tavola Trattoria Barkeep Alli Royce is artsy in so many ways. Libation creations at the bar. Eat-it-up food and party photography. Serious documentary pix. Abstracts involving paint and canvas. Even though she's a "badass," this Atlanta native is an all-around nice gal, as anyone can see by her tweets (@roycetakespics). For those good-enough-to-lick photos, check out her website. 

Sample Tweet:  Bravo La Tavola for being one of the Top Restaurants in Atlanta for BEST SERVICE. @FifthGrouper thank you @cl_atlanta for the love.