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Welcome to the Atlanta Global Project. This blog will sample the best in Atlanta ethnic cuisine and events. Come back often!

Mischa

Foodies News - September 1st

Events

Midtown Restaurant Week at Park 75 at Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta

Join Park 75 (among other participating restaurants) for the fifth annual Midtown Restaurant Week - Saturday, September 4 to Sunday, September 12. Enjoy a $25 Three Course Menu, with previews beginning August 31. More Participating Restaurants on Open Table

Whole Foods in Sandy Springs

My husband's country club uses White Oak Pastures beef for their burgers and chop steaks. You can buy this outstanding, local, grass-fed beef, too. Whole Foods is featuring White Oak Pastures for only a buck a burger, this Friday ONLY -- September 3rd! They are also grilling out that afternoon and selling cooked burgers for a $1! Yum!

There is a terrific video of Chef Kevin Gillespie on a recent visit to White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, GA on their website. The video, tons of recipes (Bahn Mi or apple cheddar burgers, anyone?) and cooking tips, plus the scoop on why grass-fed is so great, are all available here: Grass-fed Beef. And remember - please, don’t over-cook the beef!


Contests

Foodbuzz Buitoni Contest

Foodbuzz is a fun foodie site. Try it out with this contest. Good luck!

Suggest your own vegetable side dish recipe to pair with a Buitoni Riserva pasta or Buitoni Frozen meal and you could win a Calphalon 13-piece cookware set!
Buitoni Contest

The Great Food Truck Race Contest

With every vote you cast, get a chance to win a trip to Food Network’s Food and Wine Festival in New York City! Wow - That would be fun!
Food Trucks Contest

- Becca

Taste of Chamblee This Weekend! Aug. 21 11:30 AM - 8 PM

Taste of Chamblee is this weekend on Saturday, August 21st from 11:30 AM to 8 PM.

Admission is free, and the festival will include these events -

Over 30 restaurants will offer food samples for $1 - $4

Artwalk - More than 40 regional artists will offer photography, pottery, sculpture, and more

Live Music - Regional bands will play on the main stage

Kids Zone - Kids can play at the interactive zone with rock climbing, inflatables, and crafts

Beverage Garden and Wine Tasting - Buy beers in the Beer Garden, or buy a wine bracelet to taste wine samples




Sounds like fun!

- Becca

Peach Sale Tomorrow at Whole Foods Sandy Springs

Whole Foods Market in Sandy Springs is having a One Day Sale tomorrow from 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM on LOCAL peaches from Lane Southern Orchards – only 49¢/pound! It’s a wonderful way to promote a local vendor and celebrate a Georgia Summer favorite.

They will also be sampling out several delicious peach dishes like Peach Blackberry Cobbler and Grilled Peach and Vidalia Salad.

Here are some peach recipes you might enjoy:

Peach Blackberry Cobbler
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2237


Chilled Peach Soup
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2202


Rustic Peach Tart
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/916

- Becca

Help Atlanta's Hungry - Join the Supper Club!

ATLANTA (July 29, 2010) – Costanzo Astarita and Mario Maccarrone owners of Baraonda Caffe Italiano, located in the heart of Midtown, have once again brought innovative Italian “Vita” to Buckhead with Baroni Casual Italian in Brookwood Place. Both Baroni & Baraonda offer authentic Italian cuisine in a casual, relaxed environment.

Baraonda and Baroni’s executive Chef Costanzo Astarita has created a menu to please the palates of Atlanta’s most discerning patrons. Baraonda, open since 2000, has become a favorite of both Atlanta residents and visitors alike. Baraonda specializes in wood-fired brick oven pizzas, while also serving a variety of salads, pastas and other Italian specialties such as veal, lamb, chicken and fresh fish. Baroni is quickly becoming a neighborhood favorite for pizzas, pastas, paninis, veal Milanese while introducing Atlantans to the city’s first fresh Mozzarella bar. If you crave an authentic Italian experience, be sure to join us at either restaurant on Tuesday, August 17, 2010 as the two locations partner with the Atlanta Community Food Bank to host The Supper Club dining event.

Baraonda Caffe Italiano is located at 710 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Georgia, 30308. Hours of operation are Monday through Thursday 11:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.; Friday 11:00 a.m. - Midnight; Saturday 11:30 a.m. – Midnight and Sunday 11:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. For more information about Baraonda, call 404.879.9962 or visit www.baraondaatlanta.com.

Baroni Casual Italian is located 1745 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, Georgia, 30309. The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday 11:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.; Friday 11:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.; and Saturday 5:00 – 11:00 p.m. They are currently closed on Sundays, but will begin service soon. For more information about Baroni, call 404.724.9100 or visit www.baroniatl.com.

Supper Club provides diners the pleasure of enjoying a meal at some of Atlanta’s hottest restaurants while supporting hunger relief. Each month a different restaurant serves as host, and 20 percent of the evening’s proceeds benefits Atlanta’s Table, the prepared food rescue project of the Food Bank.

Supper Club was created in the late 1990s to celebrate the partnership between Atlanta’s Table and Atlanta’s hospitality community. Atlanta’s Table, a project of the Food Bank, provides approximately 40,000 pounds of prepared food for Atlanta’s hungry each month. With sponsorship from CBS Atlanta, Ethic Inc., Jezebel magazine, and 92.9 davefm, Atlanta’s Table Supper Club generates funds to ensure continued operations of the project. For more information about Supper Club, visit www.ACFB.org, or contact Daphne Hill at 678.553.5996 or daphne.hill@ACFB.org.

Bone's Restaurant in Buckhead

Bone’s Restaurant
3130 Piedmont Rd. NE
Atlanta, GA 30305















My mom, Pattie, and I dined at Bone's recently in Buckhead. Here is my review.

What did you order? How was your food?

We had Shrimp Cocktail and Crab Cakes to start, also a Steak Carpaccio; and our entrees were Filet Mignon and Grilled Swordfish. Everything at Bone’s is top-notch and very fresh. It’s no wonder Zagat rates it the best steakhouse in Atlanta, and the business crowd comes here for power lunches and dinners. They have a huge selection of wine. For dessert, I had an excellent Dark Chocolate Torte, and mom had a Creme Brûlée with fresh fruit, which she loved.


Describe your impressions of the service. Was anything exceptionally good (or bad) about the quality of service you received?

Service was perfect. We felt very well-taken care of by the staff.


What do you think of the décor and atmosphere?

Bone’s is a classy, old-school steakhouse. There are caricatures on the walls, and it has a timeless, big-city feel to it. Great for business meals. Most patrons were wearing suits or dresses.


Do you consider this a good value for the money you spent? If no, why not?

Yes. This is an upscale steakhouse, but you get what you pay for.


On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best), how would you rate this restaurant compared to the other restaurants you visit on a regular basis.

10 for a high-quality, can’t miss, upscale steakhouse.


This restaurant is best for (Choose all that apply)

• Good Food • Quick Bite • Family-Friendly
• Outdoor • Romantic •
Special Occasion • Business Lunch/Dinner

PAIZANOS

Paizanos
7 Jones St.
Historic Norcross, GA 30071
(right at the railroad tracks)
770-300-0250
http://www.paizanos.com/

Linda went to Paizanos for dinner on Saturday, May 8th, 2010, with her son and his girlfriend. Paizanos is an Italian Bistro located in Downtown Historic Norcross.




What did you order? How was your food?

We ordered the Chelsea Pier specialty pizza. It smelled delicious. The Chelsea Pier is topped with “jumbo shrimp, calamari, and baby clams sautéed in garlic and oil on a mozzarella and tomato pie.” We all enjoyed our pizza. A medium pizza was big enough for each person to have two slices. We drank iced tea.

Describe your impressions of the service. Was anything exceptionally good (or bad) about the quality of service you received?

Service was good.


What do you think of the décor and atmosphere?

It was a nice, casual neighborhood bistro. The Historic Norcross area is very quaint, and the 45 South Café is right down the street.


Do you consider this a good value for the money you spent? If no, why not?

Yes. It cost less than $30 for three people. You can eat there inexpensively, but there are more expensive items on the menu. Salads are $3.25 each.


On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best), how would you rate this restaurant compared to the other restaurants you visit on a regular basis.

8 for a neighborhood pizzeria.


This restaurant is best for (Choose all that apply)

• Good Food • Quick Bite • Family-Friendly

• Outdoor • Romantic • Special Occasion

Mother's Day at Serpas!

Here's the latest news from acclaimed Atlanta restaurant Serpas -

Crawfish Boils!

Chef Scott Serpas is bringing New Orleans to the Old Fourth Ward as he hosts his second season of Crawfish Boils this Saturday, May 8 and Saturday, June 5. For $28 per adult and $14 for children age 10 and under, guests will enjoy all-you-can-eat Louisiana favorites from the restaurant owner's hometown.

Available from 12 until 4 p.m., the menu will feature live crawfish boiled with corn, red bliss potatoes and sausage. A medley of Creole fixings, including jambalaya, red beans and bread pudding, complete the authentic dining experience. Drink specials will include $4 draught Abita, $3 bottles of Louisiana signature Dixie Beer and $6 "Moon's Back Porch Lemonade," a signature cocktail mixture named after Serpas' father.

Guests can enjoy the special menu inside the restaurant's updated, industrial space or soak up summertime and live music on the open patio.



Chef Scott Serpas
Honors Mothers

Sunday, May 9, treat your Mother to Serpas with approachable brunch or dinner dishes with an edge. Serpas will serve its popular brunch menu of comfort favorites straight from Mom's kitchen, including Short Ribs Eggs Benedict and Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with special highlights such as Jumbo Lump Crab Cake with lemon chive butter and buttermilk whipped potatoes.

Sample the special dishes on Serpas' patio for an al fresco experience and complete the relaxation with a Mimosa or Hibiscus - a Champagne cocktail with cranberry, orange and pineapple juices.

Serpas will also serve its dinner menu of updated comfort cuisine from 5 to 9 p.m. with items like Braised Pork Shoulder with smoked cheddar grits and chile creamed spinach and Jumbo Sea Scallops with spaghetti squash and panang curry.

For reservations please call 404.688.0040.

100th Post! Worst Cooks in America - Atlanta Open Casting Call

Are you or anyone you know a terrible cook? No longer is it something to be ashamed of. Now, it just may be the talent that wins you a spot on Food Network!

Who: We are asking people to nominate themselves or someone they know who is a hopeless home cook. We are seeking people with a genuine inability to cook, but a need and desire to improve.

What: Worst Cooks In America is the high stakes elimination series where the “recruits” (worst cooks) will be put through culinary boot camp to learn one of the most important life skills - how to cook!

When: Saturday, May 1st, 10am to 3pm

Where: The W Atlanta Midtown, 188 14th St. NE Atlanta, GA 30361

Why: There are truly are a lot of people out there who don’t know how to cook, and are dying to learn. You will love this great opportunity to work with the best chefs in the country, and to learn to cook like professionals.

To Apply: Those interested in attending the casting call can e-mail us at worstcooksatlanta@gmail.com. Tell us why you (or the person you are nominating) are the most disastrous cook in the country. Include name, age, hometown, occupation, contact phone number, and a recent photo of the hopeless cook.

Good luck!!

April Fun - Dogwood Festival and Taste of Marietta!

The Atlanta Dogwood Festival
April 16, 17, 18, 2010 in Piedmont Park
Festival Hours
Friday 12:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sunday 12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m

Spring is just around the corner and that can only mean one thing in Atlanta: the Atlanta Dogwood Festival is back! The Dogwoods will be in full bloom, and hundreds of artists from around the country will set up their tents for the 74th Annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival.

An Atlanta staple for more than 70 years, there is something for everyone at the Atlanta Dogwood Festival. Virtually every kind of art imaginable is represented at the festival, with a nationally renowned-juried Fine Artist Market that includes sculpture, paintings, pottery, jewelry, photography and much more.

Music has become an essential feature of the weekend’s festivities, and this year will be no different! A wide array of diverse musical offerings will fill the springtime air throughout the weekend! The full schedule of music and entertainment will be announced later. And when you get hungry, follow the delicious smells, of funnel cakes, gyros, crab cakes, onion rings, kettle corn and many more food offerings!




17th Annual Taste of Marietta
April 25, 2010
11am-7pm
Historic Marietta Square!
FREE ADMISSION
Rain or Shine!

Tastes ranging from $0.50 to $4.00 dollars
Make plans to attend Cobb County's largest food festival!
With 70 restaurants and caterers selling their tastiest tastes and all day entertainment, everyone is sure to have a great time!

~Four stages with live music!~
~Fun and games at Kid's Alley and Sports Corner!~
~Celebrity Chefs and gourmet samples at the SCANA Energy Cooking Stage~
~A sunset concert featuring Banks and Shane~

Bugaboo Creek Review

Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse
Duluth Location
3505 Satellite Blvd.
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 476-1500
http://www.bugaboocreek.com/

My husband, Dan, and I recently went to Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse in Duluth. We had been to the one in Kennesaw before, and enjoyed it just as much. Here is our review.

What did you order? How was your food?

We ordered Wedge Salads with blue cheese dressing. The salads and bread were great. I ordered a Seafood Combo with Fried Shrimp and Crab Cakes, and Dan ordered the Parmesan and Garlic Crusted Prime Rib. We really enjoyed our meals. I especially like the Crab Cakes – they had a very nice texture.

Bugaboo always has reliably delicious food. We always go here whenever we can, especially for the Moose Juice. Moose Juice is Bugaboo’s specialty drink – Homemade Pineapple Infused Vodka is mixed with other ingredients to create an excellent pineapple cocktail.

Describe your impressions of the service. Was anything exceptionally good (or bad) about the quality of service you received?

Our server was a very polite and friendly gentleman. He checked on us often to refill our drinks, and ask if he could get us anything. Great service!

What do you think of the décor and atmosphere?

Bugaboo’s décor is very cute. It is decorated with a wilderness camping lodge theme, and there are “stuffed” animals here and there – some of which actually talk! In fact, we were seated under their main character, a Moose! The animals make it a great place to bring kids, too!

Do you consider this a good value for the money you spent? If no, why not?

Yes, it is a good value for the money. If you want a nice steakhouse dinner, the prices are very reasonable. Prices are mid-range – about $9 for a burger, up to $19 for their specialty steaks.

Any other thoughts or comments?

Bugaboo is one of my favorite restaurants. It is a chain, but it has great quality and character.

On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best), how would you rate this restaurant compared to the other restaurants you visit on a regular basis.

10 for a great neighborhood steakhouse.

This restaurant is best for (Choose all that apply)

• Good food • Family-friendly • Special occasion (Birthdays)

Swapna

Swapna Indian Cuisine
2655 Cobb Parkway
Atlanta, GA 30339
(770) 956-7589
















Adam and Savannah went to Swapna on 2/26/2010. Here is their review -


What did you order? How was your food?

The table shared orders of Spinach Pakora, Lamb Masala, Ginger Lamb Curry, Dal Curry, Vegetable Curry, and Mango Khulfi. Rice, Nan, and Raita sauce were also provided for the table. The Spinach Pakora wasn’t what I was expecting, but I would have no problem ordering these spinach fritters again. The Lamb Masala was extremely flavorful, and was just rich enough compliment the Raita sauce. It was one of the best Lamb Masalas I’ve ever tasted! The Ginger Lamb Curry wasn’t for the faint of tongue. The curry was still very good; however, was just a little too spicy for our taste. All the other traditional sides were very good.

Describe your impressions of the service. Was anything exceptionally good (or bad) about the quality of service you received?

At first I thought the service was going to be terrible simply because the line was out the door with very little room to sit while waiting. But in the end the service was excellent. Our food got to the table with perfect timing, beverages were kept full, and our check was processed in very good timing. The only thing that bothered me was that it took a little while for someone to take our drink order once we were seated. But from that point on the service was great.

What do you think of the décor and atmosphere?

Like most Indian restaurants, the décor consists of gold and brown textures with some eastern art. I have to admit that this style isn’t very appetizing in my mind. But the rich smell alone made me ignore that as soon as I walked in the door.

Do you consider this a good value for the money you spent? If no, why not?

This is a great value for the money.

Any other thoughts or comments?

If you’re going for dinner on a weekend, plan on waiting.

On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best), how would you rate this restaurant compared to the other restaurants you visit on a regular basis.

8

This restaurant is best for (Choose all that apply)

• Good food • Family-friendly • Romantic • Special occasion

Artesa Wines

This January I went to a wine tasting at Bone’s which featured Artesa wines. It was a fantastic evening, and all of the wines were delicious!

Here are some details –

Artesa is a gorgeous winery in Napa Valley known as the Jewel of Carneros, which focuses on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Artesa is owned by the Raventós family of Spain, veterans of the winemaking business for 15 generations. The Artesa vineyards and winery were designed by a renowned Spanish architect to balance harmoniously with nature, and it features beautiful avant-garde buildings. There is also an artist in residence that creates artwork for the winery.

We tried the Artesa Chardonnay and loved it. It is delightful and very easy to drink. The color is a bright yellow, and the flavor offers a tropical fruitiness with hints of caramel and vanilla. The Artesa Reserve Chardonnay was just as delicious, but more full-bodied. We also tried the Cab and the Pinot Noir, and both were very enjoyable. The Pinot Noir has aromas of cherry and chocolate, and the Cab is a complex and elegant blend with berry flavors as well as cedar, clove, nutmeg, dark chocolate and vanilla.




Artesa has always been known for offering exceptional wines for a great value, and last year the winery gained a wonderful new asset when Mark Beringer joined their team as Vice President of Production and Winemaking. Beringer is the great, great grandson of Jacob Beringer, a co-founder of Beringer Winery. Mark built a solid reputation in artisanal winemaking at Duckhorn Vineyards, winning two Winery of the Year titles. Mark attended the wine tasting, and we found him to be extremely knowledgeable and charming. With internet prices ranging from about $13 to $35, Artesa wines are an excellent value, and they are definitely going on my favorite wines list!