Upcoming food events: an afternoon in the country and chili galore
0 comments Published by The Blissful Glutton on November 6, 2009 at 7:22 AM
More details HERE.
The 8th annual Afternoon in the Country at Serenbe
Sunday, November 9th from 1 to 4 PM
More than 35 chefs from Atlanta’s best restaurants and select retailers will be set up in a tasting format alongside 15 fine wine and premium micro-brews under festive big-top tents. 2008 chef and restaurant participants include Aria, Canoe, City Grill & Dailey's, CRAFT, Ecco, Five Seasons Brewing, Flying Biscuit, Food 101, Fourth & Swift, Muss & Turners, One. Midtown Kitchen, Parish, Kevin Rathbun Steak/Rathbun's/Krog Bar, Repast, and retailers Bella Cucina Artful Food and Via Elisa Fresh Pasta and many more. (A current list is available at www.ldeiatlanta.org.) Guests will also enjoy getting to meet some of Georgia’s dedicated organic growers and purchase from their bountiful harvest.
Other highlights of the Sunday event include: live music, a one-of-a-kind cake raffle featuring sweets from Atlanta’s best pastry chefs, hayrides, unique wares from artisan and select retailers and an expanded silent auction offering exclusive dining and travel packages, collectible wines, food and wine merchandise and original art by some of the Southeast’s most prominent artists.
Tickets for Afternoon in the Country are $95 per person. Children 12 to 20 are $35 each. Children under 12 may attend free of charge. Proceeds will once again benefit the Atlanta Chapter's successful scholarship fund and Georgia’s organic farming community. Tickets will be available for purchase securely online at www.LDEIAtlanta.org.
Numerous sponsorship opportunities are still available for both events. Sponsors for the first annual Evening in the City include The Mansion on Peachtree, A Rosewood Hotel & Residence. Sponsors for the 8th annual Afternoon in the Country include for the third year, Presenting Sponsor Serenbe and for the fourth year, Whole Foods Market.
Castleberry Hill Chili Cook-off
Saturday, November 14th, 2-5pm
It’s getting CHILI out there…Join us at the Castleberry Point Lofts courtyard for another great Chili Cookoff! The event is from 2-5pm with the judging beginning at 3pm. Cost to enter is $20, to taste is $5 and beverages will be available. Proceeds will be donated to Atlanta Fire Dept #1, who also judges the chili! You don’t have to be a Castleberry Hill resident so come join in the fun! Best of all…bragging rights for another year! Please let us know if you can help sponsor this event as well and we’ll help get the word out about you and how much we appreciate whatever it is you do! Thank you to our current sponsors: No Mas, Carl M. Williams Funeral Directors, Castleberry Point, Vitesse eXchange, Ikea, Sweetwater, Whynatte, Elliott Street Deli & Pub and Water for Life!!!
Get more details HERE.
Cheap Eats: Grindhouse Killer Burgers
1 comments Published by The Blissful Glutton on November 4, 2009 at 11:29 AM
To most people, a burger is just a burger — a timeless American treat worth the occasional caloric splurge. Playful flavor combinations and fancy deconstructions are exciting, but there’s something to be said about a spot, such as Grindhouse Killer Burgers (209 Edgewood Ave., 404-522-3444, www.grindhouseburgers.com), that skips the pretense and gets straight to the beef.
Owner Alex Brounstein (a real estate developer and attorney) chose the Sweet Auburn Curb Market as the restaurant's location for many reasons. The market already has a captive audience of shoppers with food on the mind, and the overhead is much cheaper than a traditional bricks and mortar space. What's more, the restaurant’s presence helps revitalize a historic Atlanta food-centric landmark.
Amid the hustle and bustle of the market, tucked away in a corner, sits a curving counter surrounded by stools. The seating faces a semi-open kitchen and a makeshift movie theater where kooky action movies such as Kung Fu Hustle are projected on the wall. Click here to read the rest...
Big trouble in little Havana: Will the real phoenix please stand up?
7 comments Published by The Blissful Glutton on October 30, 2009 at 9:38 AM
There have been conflicting reports of where and when Havana will resurface. Apparently, two restaurants named Havana are slated to open on Buford Highway in the near future. And two different people—Debbie Benedit and William Benedit—claim they are resurrecting the original "Havana."
Mrs. Benedit (pictured above in the black shirt) has given me her side of the story. However, I have been unable to reach Mr. Benedit for a comment at this time.
Stay tuned as I gather additional facts and get to the bottom of this.
(photo from Debbie Benedit's website, www.havanarestaurantatlanta.com)
I fell in love with a burger (at Bocado)
10 comments Published by The Blissful Glutton on October 29, 2009 at 9:00 AMMy dearest readers,
By now, you are well aware of my burger obsession. I can't explain it, but I just love me some burgers. And there is little else--except fantabulous Chinese noodles--that can get me as hot and bothered as a good burger. I'm not big on filler (cheese and beef only please), which is why I got so giddy over Holeman's burger when they opened. I went to lunch with my good friend, neighbor and bon vivant, Jonathan Baker (the editor of Citysearch Atlanta among numerous other titles) at Bocado (887 Howell Mill Road, 30318. 404-815-1399. www.bocadoatlanta.com) the other day. Amidst the list of interesting sandwiches and sides on the menu, my eyes zeroed in on the "burger stack." So, I ordered one just to check it out. Sweet baby Jesus Christo. That burger. That burger. It is still haunting me days after. Yes, it was THAT GOOD.
As you can see the burger closely resembles the H&F burger--note the double patties, American cheese and homemade pickles. Bocado is even using the same bun, which H&F bakery sells to many restaurants around Atlanta. They butter it, toast it and top it with two freshly ground patties made from three cuts of beef. This thing is epic. Epic, people! And I love that you can get it at lunch or dinner.
Another thing I appreciated about the burger was the portion size. It wasn't some unmanageable monstrosity. Instead, it was just enough for my greedy little mouth to devour in mere seconds. I think I may have given Jonathan one bite before I inhaled the rest. I want one NOW, but my last dress fitting is next week (the wedding is next month) and my diet has to stay clean. Blargh.
More to come on Bocado at a later date. But my initial experience was incredibly positive and I've got a good feeling about this place. Dinner's next.
Havana Sandwich Shop reopens on November 3rd!
5 comments Published by The Blissful Glutton on October 28, 2009 at 10:17 PM
Despite conflicting reports on opening dates (and locations), I received confirmation today from Havana's co-founder, Debbie Benedit, that she'll reopen next week at 3979 Buford Highway in the Crossroads Village Shopping Center (Buford HIghway and Clairmont) 404-633-7549.
Debbie writes in her sweet note:
Debbie also writes that she has launched a new website for Havana. Congratulations to Debbie and her family. I know I'm looking forward to dining at the new digs of my old favorite next week.I am Debbie Benedit, one of the co-founders along with my late husband, Eddie and his dad, Guido that opened Havana Sandwich Shop in 1976. Right before the fire that destroyed the Buford Highway location, my son, Eddie, opened up in Canton. One month later, Atlanta burned down. For the past year, I have been trying to find a "new home" for my restaurant and my life of 32 years. On a wing and a prayer, and a WHOLE lot of help and support from my kids, friends and a wonderful general contractor, we have done just that. The "Original Havana Sandwich Shop/Restaurant" will be opening next week.Me, my son Eddie, the girls, that have been with Havana for 15-20 years are all coming back. We look forward to seeing you and all our friends from "the old yellow brick building."
There are two types of diners: Those who don’t mind brash service, long waits or odd locales as long as the food is good, and those who prefer a more polished dining experience to feel at ease. If you find yourself in the former group and also happen to love Thai cuisine, you’ve most likely braved the odd yet delicious Panita Thai Kitchen in Virginia-Highland. However, Panita isn’t as odd as you may think.
It’s not uncommon to find yourself standing in the doorway at Sawadee Restaurant (4920 Roswell Road, 404-303-1668) waiting for someone — anyone — to emerge from the dark end of the dining room. But the wait is a nice chance to gawk at the faded opulence of this quirky spot tucked away in the corner of the Fountain Oaks Shopping Center. Cindy, the owner/cook/server will inevitably burst out of the kitchen with a remarkably large presence for such a tiny lady. Cindy likes to chat and has the pleasant habit of lingering near your table as you eat. It was during one of these solo meals with my inadvertent dining companion that I discovered her surprising back-story. Cindy’s Thai name is Panita — the actual Panita after which her husband named his restaurant. Click here to read the rest...
Because there are so many fancy butters on the market, deciding which brand to splurge on is incredibly difficult — and costly.
I assembled five tasters, including myself, for a blind taste test. The butters were chosen randomly based on availability from local stores such as Publix, Fresh Market, Whole Foods and Star Provisions.
All butters were served at room temperature. We started with rolls, but eventually switched to our fingers since the bread got in the way.
Plugrá (Unsalted) $2.99/pound. This butter is a “European-style” butter made by Keller's Creamery in Texas. It had the creamiest mouthfeel of the bunch. One person remarked it tasted “like butter should taste.” It’s also one of the cheapest on our list and available at most grocery stores. www.kellerscreamery.com.
Meyenberg Goat Milk Butter $7.40/8 oz. The snow-white color of this butter had some of my tasters a bit wary. The goat milk butter — made in Turlock, Calif. — has won four first-place awards at the American Cheese Society’s annual cheese competition. While made with goat milk, the Meyenberg is clean rather than barnyardy. Our tasters called it “cheese-like” and “pleasantly fatty.” www.meyenberg.com. Click here to read the rest...
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