Taste of Atlanta is this weekend. The long-awaited annual food fest is Oct. 23-24 in Atlantic Station. More than 70 restaurants will offer tastes of their best dishes. Chefs will be on hand to lead cooking demonstrations, and those over 21 can enjoy beer and wine samples.
The festival offers everything from tapas and barbecue to seafood and Greek fare. Bakeries will showcase their most gourmet and delicious pastries, while burger joints will highlight both traditional and creative concoctions.
At the event, guests purchase tickets which are then exchanged for desired tastes. A ticket pack includes 15 food coupons and costs $25 in advance and $30 at the door. VIP admission costs $75 and includes 20 food coupons, plus access to the Wine + Beer + Cocktail Experience and educational seminars. For more information, visit www.tasteofatlanta.com.
Laid-back brunch: Leisurely Sunday brunches are ideal for fall, but sometimes you just end up waiting in line for a seat at one of Atlanta’s many delectable sit-down brunch spots. Mix up your brunch routine by heading to a fast-casual restaurant for brunch instead.
Alon’s Bakery & Market in Perimeter is the perfect place for this. Offering everything from caramel-banana French toast to the steak and eggs, Alon’s serves a great brunch. You can order at the counter in back, then sit on the patio and wait as your food comes to you. Likewise, Fresh 2 Order Midtown offers a way to enjoy brunch without a long wait. Expect waffles, omelets and more.
Alon’s is located at 4505 Ashford Dunwoody Road. For more information, call 678-397-1781 or visit www.alons.com. Fresh 2 Order Midtown is located at 860 Peachtree Rd. in the Spire building. For more information, call 404-593-2333 or visit www.fresh2order.com.
10 flavors, one meal: Spice Market has a new special that's a great fit for foodies with a short-attention span. The five-course meal features small plates, with each comprised of two different items. Thus, diners enjoy 10 different flavors by the end of the meal.
The tasting menu changes frequently, but may include the likes of avocado and radish with Chinese mustard and tempura onions, black pepper shrimp with sun-dried pineapple, spiced chicken samosa with cilantro yogurt, chili-rubbed beef skewer with Thai basil dipping sauce and cod with Malaysian chili sauce and Thai basil. Other tastes may include wok-fried asparagus with lotus root and lily bulb, chargrilled chicken with kumquat-lemongrass dressing, ginger fried rice, Ovaltine Kulfi with caramelized banana and spiced milk chocolate sauce and Thai jewels with crushed coconut ice.
Spice Market is located in the W Atlanta-Midtown Hotel at 188 14th St. For more information, call 404-724-2550 or visit www.spicemarketatlanta.com.
Food truck partnership: The Cafe at Pharr, the cozy restaurant best known for its chicken salad sandwiches, has teamed up with Yumbii, the Korean-Southern-Mexican-fusion food truck, in an unlikely partnership. The folks behind the Cafe strongly believe in mobile food and have taken an interest in Yumbii’s success.
The Cafe is working with Yumbii to create multiple Yumbii food trucks that will eventually sell the Cafe's renowned chicken salad, along with the eclectic food Yumbii is known for. The Cafe plans to have its own food truck in the future, but for now, it is focused on opening of its newest location in Buckhead at 3145 Peachtree Road. That location is scheduled to open Nov. 1.
For more information on Yumbii visit http://yumbii.com. For more information on The Cafe at Pharr or to find locations, visit www.cafeatpharr.com.
