OpenTable Spotlight Launches in Atlanta

I'm a loyal OpenTable user. I use it so frequently that they tell me I'm a VIP. Other than getting occasional gift certificates, I'm not sure what this means, but I sure like the sound of it. I, in fact, find it quite dismaying when a restaurant doesn't use OpenTable. Because you see, I hate using the phone. I don't just dislike it, I loathe it. Why in this modern age of texting and tweeting would I want to pick up my phone and call a restaurant? I barely call people I like!

Now OpenTable is adding yet another valuable service - they're jumping aboard the discounted restaurant gift certificate train with their new OpenTable Spotlight, which launches in Atlanta tomorrow. Each week a deal, typically a $50 gift certificate for $25 will be available. The restaurant will initially start out as a secret with only a hint posted. Eventually they reveal the restaurant and the sale goes live. Like Groupon, the deal only becomes finalized once the maximum number of spots have been filled, and buyers are notified and sent the coupon to use.

Now if OpenTable could just get restaurants to stop making me return their confirmation calls...I mean the whole reason I use the site is so I don't have to talk to anybody other than my dinner companions!

The $50 for $25 at Craft goes live at midnight tonight...get it while you still can!

Empire State South Preview

Hugh Acheson
photo credit: Rinne Allen, designspongeonline.com 

Hugh Acheson's much anticipated Empire State South finally opens today. Mr. AT and I had the chance to check it out this weekend at a pre-opening party, and we're more excited than ever about exploring the full menu.

The restaurant's decor has a certain masculine hipness - a somewhat vintage big city style without trying to be flashy. I could envision a group of men happily dining there together and not feeling frou frou, but at the same time, it would be wholly date appropriate, too. The entry opens into an outdoor bocce court, the latest must-have restaurant accouterment. I love me some bocce, so this too is a welcome find.

I haven't sampled the restaurant's regular menu yet, but if their party appetizers were any indication, we're in for a treat. I've said before that I'm a wee tired of the whole Southern farm to table schtick, but at Empire State South, it feels authentic rather than trendy. Sure it's regionally influenced, and Acheson is well-known for his respect for local ingredients, but when a Food & Wine Best New Chef and multi-year James Beard nominee comes to town, I want to eat whatever he's serving up even if the trend is a bit ubiquitous for my taste.

Boiled peanuts served as bar snacks remind me of car trips to North Georgia as a child, and they're even more wonderfully salty and juicy than I remember. A lovely selection of cheese, pickles, spreads and breads was also excellent. Their pickles had the homemade freshness I sought in my own recent attempt, and a chicken liver spread lacked the metallic aftertaste I often find in others' versions.

Fried chicken with corn and tomato pepper jelly was so heavenly that Mr. AT and I had not one, not two, but yes, three servings of it. Yes, that makes us appetizer pigs, but they just kept being offered to us, and I simply do not have the willpower to pass up something so divine. The sweet and peppery jelly was a perfect accompaniment to the juicy boneless chicken. Sign me up for more of that anytime.

Always the intrepid eater, I found room for their cute little mini-desserts even after my chicken gluttony. Pecan pies and a German chocolate cupcake were a perfect cap to an evening of cocktailing and noshing. Not sure yet what desserts they'll be dishing up on their regular menu, but my hopes are high!

And that leads me to another pleasant surprise - the service. Of course, you'd expect the new staff to be on good behavior at opening time, but they truly were above and beyond. Time and time again, they attended to our every need with a smile on their faces. When a waiter had just one serving of salmon, Mr. AT gladly snatched it up since I don't like salmon. But not content to leave me even momentarily app-less, the waiter brought me yet another serving of fried chicken. Now that's service!

Everyone seemed genuinely excited to be working there, which speaks highly of Chefs Acheson and Nick Melvin. And has anyone noticed that Hugh Acheson bears an uncanny resemblance to Christian Bale? Thankfully it seems he's like the much, much nicer version!

On the menu posted online, they have a pimento cheese butter served with their ribeye, and I must admit that sounds like something I want to eat on EVERYTHING from now on. And you don't have to wait til dinner time. They're open for breakfast and lunch, too. Poached eggs over brunswick stew sounds right up my alley.

So get your butt over to Empire State South and check out what you've been missing out on in Athens!

Empire State South

999 Peachtree St.

Atlanta, GA 

News Roundup

It's Friday and there are enough food events this weekend to pop your buttons!

Get your pig on (for free!) at Cypress Street's annual pig roast, hit the Corks & Forks in Grant Park, imbibe Munich style at the German Bierfest or stroll over to the Morningside Block Party. Alas it's not open to the public, but I'll be checking out the opening of Hugh Acheson's much anticipated Empire State South. So excited!

In other news...

Nothing says refreshment like Deep Fried Lemonade.

Once again it is confirmed that Germans can be awfully freaky.

I need me some of this ice cream. Right. Now.

Crave a naked dog from Varsity Jr.? Tough.

Have a great weekend!

Recipe: Refrigerator Pickles

When I was little I used to eat dill pickles straight from the jar - and not just a few, I'm talking about a lot of pickles here. There's just something addictive about their pungent aroma and pucker inducing sourness that you just don't find in other foods. So when I saw pickling cucumbers at the farmer's market, I thought it was about time I tried my hand at making them.

But it turns out that canning things has all sorts of steps intended to keep the food safe for long periods of time, and I was not feeling such a long, involved process. Fortunately it turns out there's such a thing as refrigerator pickles (aren't all delicious, crisp pickles kept in the fridge?) These cukes get all the yummy sweet and sour pickle flavor, and even last quite a while without involving the post-jar filling sterilization.

These didn't taste exactly like the dill pickles I preferred as a kid. They're somewhere in between that and a bread and butter pickle. Still, they were very flavorful and crisp and made a killer topping for my home ground brisket burgers.Yum!

Refrigerator Pickles 
pickyourown.org
Makes 3 pints
 

Ingredients:

• 9-12 pickling cucumbers per jar
• 1/2-cup (packed) fresh dill (I forgot this and used a little less dried dill)
• 2 cups thinly sliced onions
• 1-1/2 cups sugar, honey or Splenda (I used a little less than this and they turned out plenty sweet!)
• 1-1/2 cups white vinegar (5%)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (canning or kosher is best, but not vital)
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Preperation

1. Sanitize your jars and lids. The sanitize setting on your dishwasher will work or you can boil them for 10 minutes.
2. Slice cucumbers into preferred shape
3. Mix everything but the cucumbers in a non-metal pot or a coated metal pot and bring to near boil.
4. Pack the cucumbers in the jars and fill with simmering vinegar mix to a 1/4 inch from top.
5. Let cool for 2 hours and refrigerate.
6. Wait 24 hours to 1 week to eat for flavors to full soak in. 

Can be refrigerator for up to 2 months.

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Sunday night fried chicken at Restaurant Eugene

Travel & Leisure has called out Restaurant Eugene for having some of the best fried chicken in America. This is a revelation to me as I didn't even know they were serving up fried chicken and I do love me some crispy, salty poultry perfection!

Finding the exact details of Sunday Supper took some sleuthing (why so coy, Linton?), but it appears it will set you back $29.50 for 3-courses. Consider Restaurant Eugene is not cheap, that sounds like a great deal to me!

Here's what T&L had to say:

Restaurant Eugene, Atlanta

Atlanta chef Linton Hopkins is a believer in the secret menu. When the clock strikes 10 each night at his classic public house, Holeman & Finch, 24 double-patty burgers hit the grill—and sell out in minutes. Even more difficult to order is Hopkins’s ode to fried chicken at Restaurant Eugene, a sophisticated farm-to-table establishment in Atlanta’s trendy Buckhead quarter. “We serve it only on Sunday nights,” Hopkins says, “and with whatever is in season. Today: a chopped tomato salad with a dollop of mayonnaise. Maybe creamed corn.” Unearthing an 1824 recipe for his Sabbath supper, Hopkins goes the extra mile in tribute to cooks from a Jeffersonian era. “We brine our chicken 24 hours in salt water, pat them dry, then do a light flour dusting before an entire deep-fry bath,” he says. His main fried chicken law is simplicity. “A lot of times when chefs cook an icon,” Hopkins says, “they keep wanting to do something to it. And that’s when you end up with disasters like pineapple in your coleslaw.”

Shooting Food: The Other Half of Food Blogging

Since April, freelance photographer Andrew Scrivani has been sharing his food photography tips in The New York Times’ Diner’s Journal blog.  This excellent series got me thinking about this blog and my varied attempts at capturing just the right picture of each meal.

I don’t have any illusions about my photos.  If I’m lucky, the combination of good lighting, beautifully prepared food and the all important white dishware on a white or weathered wood table conspire to overcome my otherwise middling photography skills. While I like to think that I’m getting better, little by little, I am humbled when I look at Andrew Scrivani’s work or the beautiful and ethereal photos on La Tartine Gourmande. 

While I’d love to back up Lindsey’s writing with top-notch shots, it’s clear that there’s a lot more going into top notch food shots than merely hovering over the plate and snapping away. For instance, in this blog entry about planning a food photo shoot, Scrivani mentions that after checking the weather, “I draw storyboards that include the shape and size of the props I envision when I read the recipe,  and how I would like to orient the image — horizontal or vertical.”  Storyboards?  I would be done eating before I even found a pencil. 

Shooting in restaurants isn’t particularly convenient either.  I often groan when Lindsey reminds me to bring the camera out to dinner with us.  I often feel like a tourist (or just a plain old d-bag) sitting at the table and snapping away while my food gets cold.  Though I try to minimize the disruption by not using the flash whenever possible, I occasionally catch perplexed or disapproving looks from nearby diners. 

Despite the inconvenience, I recognize that photos are the difference between a blog and reading the white pages.  The well-worn phrase “a picture is worth 1,000 words” is an understatement.  There is often is no substitute for a photograph when it comes to accurately describing something, whether it be a meal or an event.  Thus, while I may never have the skill or the patience to be the Ansel Adams of food photography, I’ll keep toting the camera to dinner with hopes that the photos will bring you a little closer to the food you’re reading about.

News Roundup

Get some inspiration for Friday night cocktails.


Tres delicieux and the pictures are beyond gorgeous


Turns out there's a science behind beer goggles.


Get your pizza burger on at NY's new BK Whopper Bar.


Put it in your calendar now...Tuesdays at the new Intown Farmer's Market.


I'm off for some Ethiopian at Queen of Sheba tonight. Love me some injera!

Food Entrepreneurs: Chay J's New Orleans Candies

 J

The lovely Chay of Chay J's New Orleans Candies was kind of enough to drop by some of her delectable treats the other day. This New Orleans native got her sweet tooth from her father, a former candy store owner. After she lost her job, she took the opportunity to pursue her sugar plum dreams and launched her own business, even using some of her dad's original recipes.

Her Creole Pretzels are a super sweet combo of caramel, pecans and pretzels, which reminded me a praline with a nice balance from the salt. Her N'awlins Style Popcorn brings the same buttery caramel sweetness to popcorn.

Both snacks were imminently craveable and munchable and were a major hit in my office and at home. Mr. AT even went so far as to exclaim, "OMG, I could eat a whole pound of these." That's a ringing endorsement if I ever heard one!

Recently featured on the Monique show, Chay J's on her way to blowing up! Get some sweet treats for yourself here.

How Customer Service Can Turn You From One- Time Customer to Passionate Advocate Part 2

Once upon a time, I wrote about how Shed at Glenwood won me over with great service. Now I can say the same for La Tavola. Since it's in my hood, I've been there many a time and I've always been pleased by the great food and service. But they officially won me over when I visited, hubby and in-laws in tow last week.

We ordered a bottle of wine to share. Mr. AT sniffed it and thought it may be a bit off, but gave it the benefit of the doubt and thought it might just need to open up. But eventually the entire table agreed, this wine was corked, meaning the cork had the taint (yes it's really called that!) and had ruined the wine. Quelle horreur!

Unlike our previous experience with a super snarky sommelier at Miller Union, our waiter and the manager at La Tavola got it just right. They didn't argue us or imply that we couldn't possibly identify wine that was bad. Instead, they apologized and quickly replaced the bottle. And  in fact after sniffing it themselves, they agreed with us. They also didn't try to make us feel guilty, and they didn't glare at us as we sampled the new bottle (I'm giving a mental stink eye to you snooty Miller Union guy). In short, they were charming, efficient and helpful.

It's a well known fact that unhappy customers tell far more people than happy ones do. So customer service is about not only generating positive word of mouth but also staving off the very loud haters (that's me when it comes to Miller Union). Glad to see a restaurant getting it right!

And it goes without saying that the experience was made all the better due to the stellar veal saltimbocca, divine grilled calamari, and ooey gooey burrata.

La Tavola
992 Virginia Avenue Northeast
Atlanta, GA 30306

Livingston Millionaire Mondays

If you're like me, Monday night is a tough night to motivate for home cooking. The week's just started, and I just want dinner to be easy. So I love that Livingston is giving me one more incentive to eat out. Every Monday, enjoy full lobster or filet with soup or salad and one side for just $16. Not too shabby!

Livingston
659 Peachtree Street Northeast
Atlanta, GA 30308-1928 
3 hour complimentary valet

Morningside Summer Block Party - August 28

On August 28, head over to Morningside for the first ever Morningside Summer Block Party from 12:30-9PM.

The parking lot behind D.B.A. will be transformed into a party filled with hot food from D.B.A., El Taco and Mali Thai; cold cocktails and Abita beer; live music from blues bands, and a children's activity area (open from 1-6pm).

• Mudcat performs live from 1-2:30pm
• East Ponce Soul Faction performs live from 2:45-4:15pm
• The Hollidays perform live from 4:30-6:30pm
• The Oliver Wood & Joe McGuinness Band performs live from 6:45-9pm

Tickets are $5 in advance at here or $10 at the door. Children 14 and under are free!

D.B.A., El Taco and Mali will all be open for business as usual on the day of the party. For more information visit them online at www.dbabarbecue.com; www.eltaco-atlanta.com and www.malirestaurant.com.

One of many reasons I love Mr. AT

Sometimes it smacks against my feminist ways, but I am in fact the primary cook in my home. Mr. AT can cook perfectly wel, but like some sort of 50's throwback, he tends the lawn and takes out the trash while I whip up dinner or bake brownies. Fortunately for mwe, there's the grill - that oh so manly domain that Mr. AT can feel good about ruling over, which means I get an occasional reprieve from cooking.

It is worth noting that whatever his kitchen shortfalls may be, my husband is the kind of man who will grill our steaks in a furious thunderstorm. It's the modern day kitchen equivalent of throwing his jacket over a puddle only with more chance of electrocution. I was well-fed with nary a drop of rain dampening my skin. What a guy! And for the record, that is my rather girlie umbrella. He of course would have chosen something in sensible navy blue or black if he had the choice.

More from the Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival

Just about finally recovered from my lycopene overdose on Sunday! Attack of the Killer Tomatoes will definitely be ranked as one of my fave dining events of the year. Nearly every Atlanta restaurant worth caring about was represented, and they didn't just send out the B-team - well-known chefs were out in full force. Everyone dished up tomato inspired dishes, ranging from ice cream to cocktails to more traditional tart and sandwich preparations.

Pacci's Keira Moritz serving up tomato and basil ice creams. Yum!

Mr. AT and weaved in and out of the sweaty crowd to make sure we tried just about everything there. That resulted in me being food drunk by the end of the day  (you know that feeling when you eat so much that it mirrors actual drunkenness? No? You must not be a glutton then!). The highlights for me were Pacci's Keira Moritz and her heavenly tomato and basil ice cream cones which confirmed what a versatile fruit tomatoes are, Holeman & Finch's utterly addictive heirloom tomato corn dogs with brandywine ketchup, and Aria's deceptively simple grilled cheese with roof top dried tomatoes, bacon and chipotle dipping sauce.

Rathbun's shrimp tomato soup dumplings with tomato ponzu

The party wouldn't be complete with tomato cocktails, right? Turns out there's more to tomato drunkeness than just bloody mary's!  Sound Table's "La Mancha" was personal fave of the day and won the day's top cocktail prize.

Sound Table's Paul Calvert

Leon's Miles Macquerrie making a Golden Ticket cocktail. Is this guy a throwback or what?

Other scoop from the day: I saw Top Chef's Eli who said the rumors of him taking over the old Repast space are premature. Apparently he's one of many people considering the lease right now. No word on what style of cuisine he'd prepare. 

With this many chefs there, I'm so glad we got our tickets right before they sold out. $50 well spent and we supported Georgia Organics while we were stuffing ourselves silly. Definitely an amazing, albeit steaming hot, celebration of summer's bounty!

Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival

More details to come but for now, here are some pics from yesterday's totally amazing Attack of the Killer Tomatoes Festival. It was a truly epic event with nearly all of Atlanta's hottest restaurants and chefs represented.

The event was sold out, so this event was packed. But the food was so great that it was totally worth battling it out with the sweaty masses for a taste!









One of my fave dishes of the day, from City Grocery in Oxford, MS, Bacon rillette sandwiches on tomato biscuits.

James Beard nominated Chef Hugh Acheson. Word is his long awaited Atlanta debut, Empire State South opens at the end of the month. Can't wait! Another interesting fact - the chef will be Nick Melvin, formerly of Parish, pictured next to him.





A rare misfire, Bacchanalia's shaved ice was actually one of my least favorite dishes of the day. Sounds much better than it tastes!

Top Chef favorite Kevin Gillespie was serving up divine tomatoey ice cream sandwiches.

The Spazmatics blasted my eardrums out with music that would have been awesome to dance to had I not been a) melting b) stuffed silly.

Sound Table's Paul Calvert mixes up one of the day's winning cocktails.

Top Chef's Hector serves up sandwiches from his new shop Super Pan. Also among my least favorite dishes - more bread than filling and a bit too spicy. That said, I'm still dying to try his regular menu!



I got a chance to chat up competition judge, Bon Appetit food editor, and Atlantan Andrew Knowlton. What a great gig this guy has, right?

Miles Macquerrie, Leon's bartender and winner of best cocktail presentation, shakes it like he means it. Meanwhile, 5 Seasons helped cool festival-goers down with several varieties of beer, including a unique watermelon brew.

The 5 Seasons Firetruck

Where to Eat Next: Super Pan

Due to my eternal quest to save money and eat healthier, I've been cutting back on dining out. But I don't want to let that keep me from sharing the scoop on the latest and greatest in the Atlanta dining scene. So today I'l start the first of my running list of restaurants I'm dying to check out!

Top Chef alum Hector Santiago has opened up a sandwich shop - Super Pan - beneath his Poncey Highlands tapas joint, Pura Vida. It's only open weekday lunchtimes - Tues-Fri, 11:30 - 2, so if you don't work nearby I guess you won't get to enjoy such succulent treats as pork belly buns with berkshire pork belly, cabbage, and tamarind on a steamed coconut bun or the coca de jamon queso with serrano, manchego and date marcona almond butter. Can you say yum???

Super Pan is much closer to my home than office, so now that my benevolent employer is allowing for Work at Home Wednesdays, I may just get to try this for myself!

Super Pan

1057 Blue Ridge Avenue

Atlanta, GA 30306

Chicken Curry with Cashews

I had a hankering for Indian food the other day, so I decided to whip up Chicken Curry with Cashews. Indian food requires quite a few different spices, but I've found that once you stock up, you're good to go for nearly any dish. This dish takes a while but is relatively easy to prepare. As I made it, this dish had a lot of head. I might tone it down next time, but if you have a teflon mouth like Mr. AT, go for it!

The dish had layers of flavor and a serious kick. It also made for very tasty cold leftovers the following day. The only draw back is your house will smell like Indian food for at least 24 hours, but for food this tasty, it's worth it!


Chicken Curry with Cashews
Adapted from Gourmet, January 2005

Yield: Makes 4-6 servings
Active Time: 45 min
Total Time: 1 1/2 hr

ingredients
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
3 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup cashews (1/4 pound)
3/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

Accompaniment: cooked brown basmati rice
Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro

preparation

Heat butter in a 5- to 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderately low heat until foam subsides, then cook onions, garlic, and ginger, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add curry powder, salt, cumin, and cayenne and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring to coat, 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, including juice, and cilantro and bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes. (If making ahead, see note below.)

Just before serving, pulse cashews in a food processor or electric coffee/spice grinder until very finely ground, then add to curry along with yogurt and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

Making Ahead:
Curry, without yogurt and cashews, can be made 5 days ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Reheat over low heat before stirring in yogurt and ground cashews.

Free cheese 101 Class August 6

NY's famous cheesemonger - Murray's Cheese - is coming to Atlanta. Since 1940, Murray's Cheese has been offering a wide selection of artisanal cheese, cured meat, antipasto, olives and more. Test out Murray's wares on Monday, August 6 at 6:30 PM at a Cheese 101 class at the Kroger at 227 Sandy Springs Place, Sandy Springs, GA 30328.

Wanna get your gouda on? RSVP here.

When you sign up, can choose from one of two free cheese-related books:

THE MURRAY'S CHEESE HANDBOOK by Rob Kaufelt and Liz Thorpe is the only cheese book you'll ever need! An alphabetical guide to more than 300 cheeses of the world, entirely cross referenced by milk type, country, style, pasteurization and rennet means that if you like one cheese you can find dozens more that share flavor, aroma and texture profile. Each cheese comes with a one paragraph description including beverage pairing!

THE CHEESE CHRONICLES BY LIZ THORPE - Liz Thorpe is the go-to person for the lowdown on American cheese. Long the stepsister to its European cousins, our cheese has finally come into its own, and Thorpe has criss-crossed the country to taste, talk, study, and celebrate it in all its milky guises. Just as awareness of American wine increased over twenty years ago, Thorpe’s travels and studies are contributing to a growing understanding of and appreciation for cheese in America, and she shares this journey in her new book.