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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Eat, Drink and Be Scary during the
Most Boo-tiful Week of the Year
Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland eases into Halloween mode by projecting episodes of "The Simpson's - Treehouse of Horror" on their big screen on Tuesday, October 28 at 8 p.m. Come back if you dare for Wednesday night's 9 p.m. pumpkin carving contest and watch dark comedy "Army of Darkness" on the big screen while downing Terrapin Beer specials. House cash and Terrapin gear go to pumpkin carving champs. On Halloween night, Friday, October 31, dress to impress for Atkins Park's annual Halloween costume contest. No trick, more than $500 in cash and prizes leave with the guests in the best individual and group costumes. DJ Lion mashes monstrous amounts of music beginning at 10 p.m. Look for Jack Daniel's drink specials each night.
Fly your stick to the Mall of Georgia neighborhood in Buford for Parma's Halloween party and costume contest on Thursday, October 30. Sexiest costume wins $50 house cash, and best costume scores $25 in house cash. Dance a spell while the DJ spins tunes until 2 a.m. Dry bones? Liquid goodies include $5 Fireball shots and $7 Angry Balls shots. The Fireball Girls give away freebie treats from 11 p.m.-1 a.m.
A frightfully fun Halloween weekend spans family friendly Georgia "A-Scary-Um" at the Georgia Aquarium plus fast-paced game action and scary-good eats at Game-X (an "A-Scary-Um" sponsor) on Friday and Saturday, October 31 and November 1. Scuba Doo Crew, longfin "bat" fish, crafts, spooky storytelling and photo stations fill the day, and there's trick-or-treating from 2-7 p.m. on Halloween and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday. Free aquarium entrance for kids under 12 in costume with a paying adult or pass holder. Keep one eye on the traffic to zombie-walk across the street where neighbor Game-X casts its spell of games, fast-casual food and devilishly good potions (a.k.a. cocktails, beer, wine, sodas, etc.). Try your hand at howl-iday perfect games such as Fear Fright, Operation Ghost and Dark Escape 4D. Open from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. After 9 p.m., Game-X is reserved for ages 21 and up.
Mummies, don't let your babies dress up to be cowboys for all three nights of 10th & Piedmont's happening Halloween weekend. Midtown's Halloween party headquarters is the stylin' place to be for costume contests and entertainment, October 31-November 2. Each night, costume contest winners are treated to $300 cash for first place, $150 cash for second place and $50 cash for third place. Midnight strikes the witching hour for costume contest winners on Friday and Saturday; Sunday moves crowning time to 9 p.m. Friday is Swank Ladies Night hosted by DJ Audioprism. Spin Cycle cranks on Saturday from 10 p.m. until close with DJ Dave Chait running the dance party and Princess Charles calling the costume contest. Sunday unleashes the Sex Kitten Cabaret from 8 p.m. until close with hostess Angelica D'Paige and DJ Shane Vaughn. Double, double, it's no trouble to sip away on Terrapin Pumpkinfest beer for $6.50, $8 zombie punch, Chatoe Rogue Pumpkin Patch ale (2/$19) and $4 well drinks.
Hey ghoul friend, all three Communitas Hospitality restaurants bubble over with Halloween w"eek"end drink specials and a spooktacular entrée. HOBNOB, G's Midtown and 10th & Piedmont are pouring $8 zombie punch, pulling Terrapin Pumpkinfest drafts for $6.50 each and rousting up bottles of Chatoe Rogue Pumpkin Patch ale, two for $19. Yum's the word for the special Halloween weekend entrée: sliced sirloin with bloody Bordeaux reduction, mashed pumpkin purée and sautéed Brussels sprouts with cranberries ($22.95).
When sushi and sashimi roll cravings haunt you, bat-wing it over to RA Sushi Bar Restaurant in Midtown where Boo Bash promises a menu of Boo Bites and Potent Potions, wicked Halloween décor and mood-setting, haunting music beginning at 11 a.m. Sweet RA Sushi gift certificate prizes entice guests to doll up for the costume contest -- prizes will be awarded hourly from 8 p.m. until close. Eye of newt has nothing on the spicy salmon Zombie roll ($8) topped with avocado and Sriracha, the Black Widow ($10) with soft-shell crab and kani kama crab mix or Wicked Shrimp ($8.99) resting on a bed of mixed greens with a creamy ginger-teriyaki dipping sauce. As for potions, favor a Witches Brew (single $9/double $18) with its bubbling blend of Southern Comfort, Disaronno amaretto, cold sake, liqueurs and tropical juices; the spine-tingling Frozen Black Lagoon ($7) mix of sparkling white wines, Bacardi rum, yuzu and peach and strawberry purées; or Geisha's Spell ($7), an enticing concoction of cold lemonade, Skyy Raspberry vodka, Chambord, fresh lemon sour and a splash of soda.
Boo-ritos anyone? Escort your little ghost or goblin to the nearest Willy's Mexicana Grill Friday, October 31 through Sunday, November 2 and they'll receive a free Kid Combo meal when you buy an adult entrée. Elsa or Anna from "Frozen," super heroes, princesses, Darth Vader and the likes count as well. Freebie rules are simple: children must be 12 and under and in costume to qualify; one Kid Combo with fountain drink per adult entrée purchase. By the way, if you're anticipating friends howling for food at your house on Halloween or any other event, turn to Willy's Mexicana Grill. They'll cater for any size crowd of Burrito Heads.
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Whole Foods Market Cooks Up Four Days of Activities for Avalon Opening,
October 30 - November 2
Avalon opens in a grand way with four days of events and fanfare as October exits and November unfurls, Thursday, October 30 through Sunday, November 2. Alpharetta's newest Whole Foods Market has a full menu as well. Scope out these edible adventures and slide some into your weekend. On Thursday, October 30, stop by the Whole Foods Market Local Supplier Fair, taking place from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m., for a meet and eat with samples from local purveyors. Outside, chef Samantha Enzmann of Salud! Cooking School will prepare one of her favorite fall recipes on the plaza at 5 p.m. On Friday, October 31, cart the wee ones over for Mommies and Strollers Candy Hopping with candy and kids crafts from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. After work, it's Trick or Drink! Devilishly delightful drinks and small bites are calling your name at The Vintage from 5-7 p.m.
On Saturday, November 1, the Avalon Fall Festival takes it to the streets. Stop by the Whole Foods Market booth on the plaza from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for a sweet treat and a good look at gorgeous cakes from the bakery. Be on the lookout for the green-shirted Instacart Street Team meandering through the festival. The first 100 folks to sign up will receive a $10 credit on their first order. Chef Samantha Enzmann returns to demonstrate another fall recipe at 5 p.m. Dawgs and Gators can gather at The Main to watch the game on the big screen from 3-6 p.m. On Sunday, November 2, the Whole Foods Market mobile kitchen food truck will serve succulent samples from a whole hog roast from noon-4 p.m. At 5 p.m. on the plaza, executive chef Trent Bissel will prepare some of the tapas available at The Vintage. That's a whole lot of info, and we know you'll eat it up!
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October 31 is the Last Day to Vote
for Jezebel's 100 Best Restaurants
Jezebel magazine wants the names of your favorite "restos" for the annual Jezebel 100 Best Restaurants issue. The last day to vote in your faves is this Friday, October 31. Each voter can name up to 20 restaurants. If freeze brain has you drawing blanks or causing indecision, perhaps our list will inspire you and set those nominating juices flowing.
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Take the Bison Quiz and Join Ted's Montana Grill in Celebrating National Bison Day on November 1
In September 2014, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution designating the first Saturday in November as National Bison Day. Join Ted's Montana Grill and the 53-member Vote Bison Coalition in celebrating the day and supporting the National Bison Legacy Act, which proposes Congress make the American bison the national mammal of the U.S. Since the first Ted's Montana Grill opened in 2002, founders Ted Turner and George W. McKerrow have been on a quest to return this naturally lean, tender and protein- and nutrient-dense meat to America's tables. This largest of American land mammals is found in all 50 states, and the species is a natural part of our North American ecosystem. Think you're a bison brainiac? Test your bison knowledge on Ted's Bison Trivia Quiz. And, eat a bison burger while you're at it. Roam through more than 15 varieties on the Ted's Montana Grill menu.
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Chef/Innovator Kevin Gillespie is
a GRACE Award Finalist
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Credit: Angie Mosier
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He's always been an innovator in culinary and restaurant circles and now it's official. Chef Kevin Gillespie is a finalist for the Innovator Award in the Georgia Restaurant Association's 2014 GRACE Awards recognition. Criteria include displaying exemplary talent and promise and being a visionary leader in a designated hospitality-related field. No question, check these boxes for Gillespie: chef/owner of Gunshow in Glenwood Park, "Top Chef" finalist and co-author of cookbooks "Fire in My Belly" and the soon-to-be-released "Pure Pork Awesomeness." Winners will be announced at the 8th Annual GRACE Awards dinner to be held at The Foundry at Puritan Mill on Sunday, November 2.
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Catch The Big Ketch, Craft Brews, Music and More at the Atlanta Lobster Festival on November 2
Although lobster's the top claw at the Atlanta Lobster Festival, host locale Candler Park will be a sea of activity for seafood lovers of all ages on Sunday, November 2 from 1-6 p.m. The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill is one of the numerous Atlanta restaurants shelling out samplings of their seafood dishes alongside craft brews, arts and crafts, games and live music. Bands include Bitterroots, Cadillac Jones, Donna Hopkins Band and Ruby Velle & the Soulphonics. Buy tickets online. Through November 1, general admission is $25 and VIP admission is $85. Prices rise $10 on November 2. General admission includes entry plus 10 food and drink coupons; VIP adds on exclusive beverage samplings and stage viewing areas plus air-conditioned bathrooms. Open to all ages. You'll need to buy a ticket to sample food and participate in games, and you must be 21 years of age or older to purchase alcoholic beverages. If you just want to bask in the park and savor the music on a Sunday afternoon, tickets are not required. When the music fades, keep the good times rolling by sailing over to The Big Ketch in Buckhead for dinner and drinks on the deck.
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EatOutAtlanta Launches Insider Dining Program
EatOutAtlanta is launching its elite Insider Dining program that offers members exclusive dining experiences at Atlanta's most notable restaurants. The chef-driven, food-centric, members-only supper "club" allows restaurants and guests to connect and adds value to the total dining experience. Not a discount program, EatOutAtlanta enables foodies to unlock perks at Atlanta's celebrated restaurants, such as access to a special off-menu entrée, wine pairings, chef tastings or priority seating. Members peruse the EatOutAtlanta app or website to find exclusive chef specials under four categories: "Eat," "Imbibe," "Amuse" or "Chef's Table." Additionally, the EatOutAtlanta app performs restaurant search and discovery, including social media feeds, upcoming events, menus, photos and other scoop, then lets members share feedback directly with the restaurant and social web after their dining experiences. Pre-register and eat up a $72 promotional one-year membership fee until December 1, 2014. Memberships will cost $97 starting December 2, 2014. Check out the app in your mobile app store.
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#Foodgram
How does Gerry Klaskala do it? The Aria executive chef/owner, Canoe founder and consulting chef for Atlas (opening this winter in The St. Regis Atlanta) cherishes his kitchen time and pictures the thrills of pork bellies tucking in for a slow-roasted night, plated Blue Ridge Mountain trout, glistening roasted butternut squash and pumpkins arriving, destined for soup. As his Aria mantra reads, "Our house, our home, our family. Service with a heart, a kitchen with a soul." Nab some of that soul: instagram.com/gerryklaskala
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Appetizing Aperture
Light up your autumnal evening by imbibing in a Jack-O'-Lantern cocktail at Nikolai's Roof or Trader Vic's Atlanta in the Hilton Atlanta. Jack Daniel's whiskey provides the powerful kicker in a colorful glass of orange and mint essences, sweetened and soured a bit then finished with a dash of Chambord. Whether you sip it high in Nikolai's Roof atop the Hilton Atlanta or sip it low in Trader Vic's on the hotel's ground floor, after a sip or two you'll be grinning like a jack-o'-lantern.
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What's New on Pinterest
Some of the things we devour are downright frightening yet eerily delicious. Our Spooky Snacking ideas -- both cute and creepy -- fit that bill well. Ghost pancakes and puff pastry mummies taunt "ghoul" morning. Twenty-one gross recipes, pretzel spider webs, homemade candy corn and monster eyeballs liven up the break room. Hey, did a witch land in that cupcake? If you need a drink, a pumpkin pie martini is just what the witch doctor ordered.
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