ABOUT THE DISH
Looking for the latest restaurant openings, weekly wine tastings and drink specials or other culinary happenings? Whatever makes your mouth water, Melissa Libby & Associates will point you in the right direction.
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up-to-date on new and ongoing restaurant events around Atlanta!
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Goodbye To Our Good Friend Warren Bruno
With heavy hearts but many fond memories, we say goodbye to our friend Warren Bruno, founder of Atkins Park and Ormsby's, who passed away last week. Warren was a trailblazer who helped shape Atlanta's restaurant and nightlife scene. We are thankful to have worked with him for so many years and will miss his energy and fun-loving nature. If you would like to make a donation in Warren's memory, please support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
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Aria Wine Dinner Features Wines From Neil Ellis Winery in South Africa
Four decades have gone by since Neil Ellis entered the South African wine world, first learning alongside winemakers before pursuing his own vineyard dreams. Now Neil, his son Warren and a team of dedicated growers and young winemakers work with four distinctly different kinds of terroir to produce their luscious wines.
On Wednesday, May 23 beginning at 7 p.m., Aria will host a Neil Ellis Wine Dinner featuring wines from the South African districts of Stellenbosch and Elgin paired with Gerry Klaskala's five-course menu. A reception opens the night with Groenkloof, Sauvignon Blanc 2010. Dinner begins with Georgia white shrimp and Georgia peach and Vidalia onion salad with white balsamic vinaigrette paired with Elgin, Chardonnay 2009. The flow continues with pan-roasted Carolina quail, foie gras and brioche with Stellenbosch, Pinotage 2008; garganelli with ragu of wild boar and mushrooms with Reggiano Parmigiano paired with Elgin, Shiraz 2008; and porcini-crusted loin of spring lamb with creamy leeks and fava beans paired with Stellenbosch, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008. Blueberry crème fraîche cake with lemon custard buttermilk ice cream closes out the evening on a light, fruity note. $100 per person, includes tax and gratuity. For reservations, please call 404-233-7673.
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Aqua blue Saturday Patio Opening Anchors Your Weekend
Weekend plans in limbo? Perfect. Limbo dancing, live reggae music, drink specials to swizzle and a $10 patio buffet are all in the lineup as Aqua blue opens its patio for the season with a Caribbean theme. The Roswell restaurant's fourth annual Patio Kick-Off Party catches the 4 p.m. tide on Saturday, May 26 and rolls until close. Be jammin' to live reggae by Isaac Epps from 7 - 10 p.m. Slather on some coconut-scented sunscreen, slip on the flip-flops, and in your mind, you're a little closer to the tropics. More details on the Facebook event page.
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RA Sushi Hosts 8th Annual Nicky's Week For St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Each Memorial Day, we remember the selfless military men and women who perished while serving for our nation. For the past eight years during Memorial Day week, RA Sushi has honored the memory of a child who lost his battle against cancer but whose spirited determination lives on in the hearts of many. This year's 8th Annual Nicky's Week fundraiser stretches from Sunday, May 27 through Saturday, June 2 at all 25 RA Sushi restaurants nationwide. As always, 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of a variety of menu and drink items benefits St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. This year's special selections include edamame, Tootsy Maki, shrimp nigiri, pork gyoza, chicken yakitori, garlic citrus yellowtail tapas, plus a variety of beverages. St. Jude patient Nicholas "Nicky" Mailliard, a nephew of one of RA Sushi's founders, lost his long fight against brain cancer in 2005 at age 13. RA Sushi established the annual fundraiser that year and has since raised more than $943,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - all to ensure no child will be turned away from treatment due to inability to pay. St. Jude is one of the world's premier centers for research and treatment of pediatric cancer, sickle cell disease and pediatric HIV. With your help, RA Sushi can surpass its $1 million donation goal this year.
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Sam Adams Pong Wars Fire Away At Atkins Park Tavern - Virginia Highland Starting May 30
Paddle faster. We hear the beats of Atkins Park Tavern - Virginia Highland setting Pong War balls in motion. Pong Wars single elimination rounds start up at 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 30. Sam Adams sponsors the fast-paced event that leads to a Sam Adams tailgate grill and awesome cooler (each valued at $150) for first- and second-place winners. Be there early to get a seat and get in the lineup. This could be just the "ping" to liven up hump night in your household.
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Justin Balmes, Patric Bell And Four Other Chefs Shop, Chop, Vie For Iron Chef Title At Friday Night Peachtree Road Farmers Market
 
Even though Friday night lights aren't necessary due to Daylight Savings Time, fresh-from-the-field action will go down next Friday night, June 1, as six chefs vie to win the Iron Chef competition at a special 4 - 8 p.m. Peachtree Road Farmers Market. Atlanta's largest producer-only market will be open next Friday night for four happy hours (instead of Saturday morning) with the usual 70-plus vendors selling fruits, veggies and handmade goodies, plus live bluegrass by The Farmland Trio, dinner options from a fleet of food trucks, and an Iron Chef competition for edutainment. Chefs Justin Balmes and Patric Bell along with four other popular Atlanta chefs will hit the market with $45 each to buy ingredients that they'll turn into farm-fresh plates for 100 lucky ticket holders before time is up at 6 p.m. Ticket holders will sample the plates and choose a winner. Tickets are $5 and go on sale at 4 p.m. Show up Saturday morning and you'll miss it all. Repeat, no market Saturday. Vendors get to sleep in after a big Friday night in the city.
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Enter A Good-Enough-To-Eat Photo In The Vidalia Onion Facebook Photo Contest
Come on. We've seen you taking photos of your food. Take one of a Vidalia onion-inclusive dish you've prepared, upload your mouthwatering photo on the Vidalia Onion Facebook Photo Contest page and enter to win some sweet-as-Vidalias prizes such as an autographed CD or the grand prize Vidalia Sweet Onions on the Set: Country Music Video Trip. When friends, family and our Facebook fans vote for your photo, you may be one of the 20 winners of an autographed CD from Universal artists Vince Gill, Lee Ann Womack, Josh Turner and Easton Corbin. CD winners will then be entered for a chance to win the grand prize trip. Let the Vidalia onions star in your creative food photo, but don't show the onion packaging. Who eats that anyway? Submit your photo through 11 p.m. on Thursday, July 5. One entry per person.
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Take $5 To Ray's Restaurants For Wednesday Wine And Cheese
Stop living for the weekend. Ray's Restaurants is slicing out a wine and cheese party midweek, when perhaps you need a boost or break the most. Beginning this Wednesday from 3 - 7 p.m., Ray's on the River, Ray's in the City and Ray's at Killer Creek are all offering select wines at $5 per glass along with a complimentary cheese board. Look for the Wednesday wine and cheese special in the lounge at each Ray's Restaurant.
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Eat It And Tweep: Lucky Peach Grows On You
As we quickly found out, food and writing has everything to do with Lucky Peach, the quarterly journal created by David Chang, chef/owner of Momofuko, writer Peter Meehan, and Zero Point Zero Production, the producers of "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations." Follow them on Twitter (@LuckyPeach). To subscribe or to submit your own recipes, dirty jokes and tall tales, visit the website.
Sample Tweet: Preview of iss 4...the grossest pic we will have ever run?...can anybody other than Jonathan Benno tell what it is? http://pic.twitter.com/C6adnUDv
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MLA on the Town - Streaming Live At Ray's On The River Concerts
Erica and Melissa pulled some strings to get some down time last Saturday so they could relax at the Ken Ford Symphony "Strings on the River" lawn concert at Ray's on the River. The gals, and the other music lovers there, were thrilled to know ticket sales will pay the way for more music opportunities for Georgia youth through The Ken Ford Foundation. Perhaps you know some jazzy dads who would love an early Father's Day gift of tickets to the June 9 concert featuring jazz and blues by Jon Liebman, Scott Glazer, Joe Alterman and Darren Stanley and benefitting the Fragile Kids Foundation. The July 21 concert has top brass appeal -- renowned trumpeter Joey Sommerville will perform to support clean water efforts led by the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (UCR). Tickets for the 2 p.m. concerts are $35 each and can be purchased online.
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What's New On Pinterest
Everybody's workin' for the weekend... and in this case, we're pinning for it! Keep an eye on our Pinterest page for lots of tasty Memorial Day grilling ideas.
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