Saturday, January 10, 2015

#Foodgram


Julia Kramer is the associate restaurant editor at Bon Appetit magazine. As if she's not poking enough irons in the fire with that job, she stirs things up on Instagram @juliakramer and tweets during her spare time.

Vote Your Favorites into Jezebel Magazine's 2015 Best of Atlanta


Food, fashion, Fido, fitness, fun. The list goes on with lots more letters. Are there some new faves on your tally going into 2015? Are your stalwart go-tos still pulling rank? Share your thoughts in Jezebel magazine's 2015 Best of Atlanta, casting votes for as many or as few categories as your heart desires. 

Friday, January 9, 2015

Waist Not with Healthy Choices at Tin Drum Asiacafé


Lighten up on calories while keeping all of that modern Asian umami-rich flavor you love at Tin Drum Asiacafé locations. Through Sunday, February 1, all 12 Atlanta restaurants are featuring two signature dishes full of simple, fresh ingredients to help resolution-minded guests "lighten up" their new year. Pad thai noodle (sweet Thai citrus sauce, stir-fry noodles, scallions, bean sprouts, carrots, lime, crushed peanuts, egg and sautéed chicken) and mango stir-fry (sweet-chili sauce, fresh mango, basil, onions, bell peppers, jalapeños, crispy chicken and steamed white rice) are Asian comfort foods that help you stay light on your feet. As another healthy option, calorie-conscious guests can substitute sautéed chicken for crispy chicken or fresh spinach for rice in their selections through February 1. Trying to slow down and pause between bites? Tackling chopsticks works for us.

Register Now and Save $15 on White Oak Pastures' Hooves & Horns Ruff Run March 14


Time to hit the turf on that New Year's resolution and start training for the White Oak Pastures Hooves & Horns Ruff Run canvassing the Bluffton, Georgia farm on Saturday, March 14. Your first step to overcoming the obstacles strewn throughout the course is to register for either a competitive or more leisurely heat. After that, only 3.1 miles of terrain on Georgia's largest organic farm and 10-12 fun, albeit challenging, obstacles come between you and the finish line. Early birds who register and pay the $60 entry fee before January 16 will receive a White Oak Pastures' Ruff Run T-shirt, a free beer at the end of the race (one per entrant age 21 and over) and a special lunch at the farm's own Pavilion restaurant. After January 16, registration fee jumps to $75. All paid entries receive goodies, and everyone will enjoy the day's live entertainment. Register before the 5 p.m. Friday, February 27 deadline or you're out to pasture on this year's run. Kick up more details here or call 229-641-2081.

The Pig & The Pearl Debuts Third Thursday Beer Dinner with Orpheus Brewing


The Pig & The Pearl catapults third Thursdays into a monthly high point with the debut of its Third Thursday Beer Dinner series on January 15. The Atlantic Station restaurant known for succulent smoked meats and raw, smoked and steamed seafood is casting Atlanta's artisanal Orpheus Brewing in the opening brew mastery role. Orpheus' two year-round signature brews are first up, chased by two seasonal crafts. Atalanta, a tart plum saison 5.25%, teams with tuna tartare with ponzu gelée and shiso, smoked oyster toast with celery root slaw and trout tartare with crème fraiche and smoked trout roe. Next, Szechuan pork belly with charred broccoli stem and fried rice plays well with Lyric Ale 6.5%. Sykophantes, an earthy fig sour 7.5%, escorts smoked short beef ribs with white bean ragout, and Wandering Blues, a blueberry sour 6%, complements huckleberry pound cake with sea salt ice cream. $50 per person (tax and gratuity not included). Call 404-541-0930 to save a seat.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

The Shed at Glenwood Hosts Winemaker Dinner January 14

Contemplate tectonics, climate and volcanic eruptions with every sip of Davis Bynum wines when The Shed at Glenwood hosts the Russian River Valley winery for a winemaker dinner on Wednesday, January 14 at 7 p.m. Millions of years of geologic and meteorologic activity have built the soil nourishing the vines of Davis Bynum, which specializes in sustainably raised, handcrafted, single-vineyard wines. The 40-year-old winery recently joined the Rodney Strong family, and Rick Sayre, head winemaker for both wineries, will be at the dinner. Chef Todd Richards knows exactly what to serve to complement each varietal, beginning with reception fare of smoked clams, salmon tartare and crab and celery root spring roll with kung pao sauce teamed up with chardonnay RRV 2011. Next, a salad of grilled squid and Swiss chard with fried chicken croutons and pomegranate vinaigrette plus pine nut and Muenster cheese crepes join Jane's Vineyard RRV pinot noir 2012. Venison osso buco with fig relish, olive stew with sun-dried tomato, mint and white anchovy, and grilled Logan Turnpike grit cakes with whipped goat cheese accentuate Clone 667 RRV pinot noir 2012. The night ends with a flourless chocolate cake with red wine chocolate sauce and Auntie Florence's rice pudding with bacon brittle and caramelized apple paired with Clone 115 pinot noir 2012. $65 per person plus tax and gratuity. Space is limited; call 404-835-4363 to book your seat.

Ray's on the River Hosts Rodney Strong Wine Dinner on January 13


Savor Sonoma County sunshine by the glass when Ray's on the River hosts a Rodney Strong wine dinner on Tuesday, January 13. Over the past 50 years, Rodney Strong Vineyards of Healdsburg, California has earned a reputation for standout releases and best-in-class Sonoma wines. This night promises a special menu complemented by fine wines and the insights of Rick Sayre, Rodney Strong head winemaker. On the Strong team since 1979, Sayre knows his grapevine scoop. A 6:30 p.m. reception opens the event with scallop mousse crostini and Charlotte's Home sauvignon blanc 2013. Dinner follows at 7 p.m., flowing through four courses: butternut squash fritters with Chalk Hill chardonnay 2013; smoked duck cassoulet with pinot noir reduction, arugula, sausage, mirepoix and white beans paired with Russian River pinot noir 2012; cocoa nib-crusted short rib and roasted root micro vegetables with Brother's Vineyard cabernet sauvignon 2011; and dessert of mascarpone spice cake with salted caramel, candied orange peel and micro mint complemented by Knotty Vines zinfandel 2012. $85 per person plus tax and gratuity. Reservations required; call 770-955-1187.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Award-Winning Author Adrian Miller Attends Bantam + Biddy Anniversary Dinner on January 11


Bantam + Biddy Crescent Avenue has been sharing the love for Southern food with Midtown for a year now. Apropos that James Beard Foundation winner, award-winning author and Southern food lover Adrian Miller is the special guest at the restaurant's especially soulful first anniversary dinner on Sunday, January 11. The evening features dishes from "Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time," the 2014 James Beard Foundation Book Award for Reference and Scholarship winner, which Miller calls a "love letter to African-American cooks." Mingle and munch with Miller over passed bites of mac 'n' cheese, sweet potato greens spoon bread and Buffalo fish ribs at the 6 p.m. reception then dine on catfish curry, cornflake fried chicken with cheddar waffles and banana pudding. $60 per person with an autographed copy of the cookbook or $45 for dinner only. Alcohol is not included. Excludes tax and gratuity. Limited seating; call 404-835-6450 for reservations.