New Realm Brewing Company: Beer and Bites Perfectly Paired

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 2/9/20

Walking down the Beltline, it’s hard to miss New Realm Brewery and that beautiful rooftop bar. It’s the perfect place to stop in for a beer, but make sure you go hungry, because they will also rapidly become a food destination. Mark our words, where world-class beer making meets elevated southern fare is New Realm Brewing Company, a patchwork of meatballs and creamy grits, beer can chicken, newly added distilled spirits, and beer aficionados discussing the newest bourbon barrel release. Tasty pairings ahead.

Our first stop on our food adventure is with the Asian-Style Loaded Fries. From the crispy and piping hot mound of French fries to the tender and deep pork, topped with a savory garlic aioli and spicy sriracha, it was a complete and balanced bite. The creaminess of the aioli mixed with the sriracha goes from creamy to spicy and then mellows out with the pork. It paired well with the Hazy Like A Fox or Hoptropolis IPA because of the bitterness of the beer and the spicy and creaminess of the fries balance each other out. What a great appetizer and pairing.

Tackling Liz’s favorite bite next, the Spanish-Style Tomato Braised Pork Meatballs, were a bite of heaven. These gems were light pork meatball, perfectly tender and earthy, topped with tasty marinara and placed on top of creamy, rich grits. The mix of grits and marinara and the richness of the meat was so good that we ate the entire thing. If you could get one thing at New Realm, this is it. As far as pairing, it’s so heavy, we liked the United Lager with it. Something light and easy drinking.

Of the larger plates, we went for the Beer Can Smoked Chicken (featured image). With tender bone-in, skin-on tender, lightly smoky on top of summer succotash (corn), and garlic mashed potatoes, it was a staple southern dish elevated to southern classic. The chicken was tender with slightly smoky flavor throughout and went well with the succotash of corn and the creaminess and depth of the mashed potatoes. You need to take the chicken and mix it with everything else. What a great bite! Since this chicken has the Hazy Like a Fox glaze, of course it pairs well with the IPA, BUT could we suggest the Oaxaca Choca or Doomsday Hound Wooded Reserve (or any stout on their menu)? The chicken is smoky, which to us pairs well with something a little heavier and cuts through the smokiness of the chicken and balances it out! The Oaxaca Choca stout reminds you of Christmas with cinnamon forward nose, mellowing out on the end. What’s better than that and a hearty Christmas-like meal?

John’s favorite was the pizza. We got the Meat Head Pizza and it was crispy, hearty, and filled with all types of meat, it was savory. He ate on that pizza for a couple of days it was so large. It’s a good deal for what you get and make sure you bring a friend to help you finish it! Pro tip: Liz decided she wanted to pile some of the fries with sriracha on her piece of pizza and it was amazing that way. Added spice and creaminess and tons of crunch. As far as beer pairing, you can have anything with it. That’s not a cop-out that’s a testament to the elevated beer brewing skills at New Realm. Pizza and beer just go together from a lager, an IPA, to the Perun Pale Ale to that delicious Chocolate Sea Salt Imperial Ale that literally tasted like a King of Pop Popsicle.

Did you know that New Realm is going to start rolling out more Seltzers and even has started to distill their own liquor? You heard us, you can get a liquor drink or a seltzer right now at New Realm. They have vodka, gin, and bourbon and mixers like soda, cranberry, or even Bloody Mary and Red Bull. So, Next time we walk the beltline, we’re going to make sure to try something new on the New Realm provisions menu and find a new favorite beer. Maybe the Spicy Korean Pork Cheek Buns and another one of the Wooded Reserve Barrel Aged Series Beers? Maybe a Bloody Mary on the weekend? Yes, please. What are you doing next weekend?

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL AT BON TON AND TAPA TAPA MARDI GRAS POP-UPS 2020: MARDI-VAL ON MONROE AND MARDI GRAS MUSICAL!

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 2/7/19

No road-trip needed to experience the magic of Frenchmen Street during Mardi Gras this year. Big Citizen (behind Atlanta favorites The Lawrence, Bon Ton, Wonderkid, Miracle Bar Atlanta) is bringing carnival vibes a la Mardi Gras to Atlanta by hosting ‘Mardi Gras Musi-cal’ at Bon Ton in Midtown through Fat Tuesday. In addition, they’ll be joining forces with the team at Tapa Tapa with an exclusive “created by Bon Ton cocktail menu” only available at the pop-up. The event is aptly titled ‘Mardis-Val on Monroe – Parade of Cocktails’. Gather your krewe and get ready to celebrate carnival season!

Eric Simpkins, co-owner of Big Citizen, is excited to bring experience from Bon Ton’s past Mardi Gras celebrations to Tapa Tapa. “Mardi Gras has always been a favorite at Bon Ton, and we’re thrilled to make it bigger and better than ever this year, with not only a unique cocktail menu only available at Bon Ton, but another exclusive menu offered only at Tapa Tapa. These events not only offer Atlanta options to enjoy Mardi Gras, but also showcase the spirit of the holiday, drawing inspiration from music and celebrations all over the world.”

MARDI GRAS MUSICAL @ BON TON (674 Myrtle St NE | Regular restaurant hours)
Starting today, and running through Fat Tuesday, February 25, Bon Ton, Midtown’s eclectic Viet-Cajun restaurant and bar, will be offering their unique libations inspired by classic NOLA music, such as George Lewis’ “Down by the Riverside,” Rebirth Brass Band’s “Do Whatcha Wanna” + “I Feel Like Funkin’ It Up,” and The Dixie Cups’ “Iko Iko” and more. Each Bon Ton bartender contributed to the limited-run cocktail menu with modern takes on timeless Southern cocktails such as the Hurricane and Pimm’s Cup. Reservations for Bon Ton can be made on Open Table.

MARDI GRAS IN MIDTOWN FEATURING BON TON’S MARDI-VAL ON MONROE: PARADE OF COCKTAILS @ Tapa Tapa (931 Monroe Drive NE | Tuesday-Saturday 5pm-12am)
For the third year in a row, beginning today, Tuesday, February 4, and running through Fat Tuesday, February 25, Tapa Tapa will transform into a Mardi Gras celebration. This year’s pop-up is not only inspired by the New Orleans Mardi Gras celebration, but five other world-renowned carnivals around the globe happening now – Rio de Janerio in Brazil, Venice in Italy, Mazatlan in Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago in Port of Spain, and Cadiz in Spain.

On the heels of the success of the holiday collaboration Miracle on Monroe, they will be teaming up with Big Citizen’s Bon Ton, who will provide an exclusive Mardi-Val on Monroe: Parade of Cocktails, eight unique drinks for the pop-up experience. Bar manager Nick Chaivarlis (ink+elm, 8arm, The Lawrence, and Miracle Bar Atlanta) will also have a hand in the pop-up cocktail menu. Each drink name draws inspiration from the Mardi Gras Krewes that march in the famous New Orleans parade. Traditional New Orleans food will also be served to complete the Mardi Gras experience.

Andy Alibaksh, owner of Diem Restaurant Group, is thrilled to collaborate with the Big Citizen team for another pop-up at Tapa Tapa. “Our location has been the home to Miracle on Monroe for Big Citizen the past four years and so it felt only fitting to have the Bon Ton team craft a menu of specialty cocktails to compliment the Mardi Gras décor and Carnival party vibe of the pop-up.” The pop-up is free entry and first-come, first-served – no reservations are being accepted at this time. Should there be a wait, guests can also enjoy Apres Diem, next door to the pop-up and part of Diem Restaurant Group, which offers relaxed-European style dining and cocktails.

RED SKY FAT TUESDAY PARTY 2020

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 2/7/20

Tuesday, February 25th at Red Sky in Marietta, GA

Put on your Mardi Gras mask and head over to Red Sky for Fat Tuesday on February 25th with live New Orleans music from PR3 Project from 6:30 pm to 9 pm. Plus, guest chef Eric Nelson will partner with Red Sky chef Brian Kennington for an evening of New Orleans style tapas.

New Orleans Style Tapas Menu:
Lobster & Roasted Corn Dip
jalapeños, onions, red peppers
$11
Crawfish Hush Puppies
Sriracha mayo
$7
Gumbo by Special Guest Chef Eric Nelson
shirmp, chicken, andouille, okra
$8
Shrimp & Filet Medallions
filet medallions, shrimp red pepper sauce
$11
Bacon Wrapped Scallops
jumbo sea scallops, bacon, orange-creole glaze
$11
Cajun Shrimp & Grits
jumbo shrimp, parmesan grits, tomatoes, jalapeños,
roasted red peppers, cilantro
$9
Crawfish Pasta New Orleans by Special Guest Chef Eric Nelson
blackened shrimp, alfredo, andouille
$10
Bourbon Pecan Pie
served warm with vanilla ice cream
$7

You can also get Mardi Gras cocktails, like Hand Grenade, Hurricane, Vieux Carre Cocktail, Sazerac all for $12 each.

Reservations are strongly recommended.

2nd Annual Doughnut Dollies Hard Cider and Doughnut Flight Event

Date: Saturday, February 8th and Sunday, February 9th

Time: 12:30 pm

About: It’s BACK! Doughnut Dollies returns to UrbanTree Cidery on February 8 and 9 for a collaborative doughnut + cider pairing event! From 12:30-6:30 pm each day, guests can enjoy a flight of four gourmet Doughnut Dollies doughnuts (Blueberry Hibiscus, Almond Rose, Peach Cobbler and Rum Caramel Apple) with the purchase of a cider flight. The specially-paired flight ($18) will feature SoGa Blue, Rosè, Peach Gobbler and Rum Barrel-Aged ciders.%MCEPASTEBIN%

More Information:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1560431340762363/

Chiringa Alpharetta National Kite Day 2020

Date: Saturday, February 8th

Time: 12 pm

About: On Saturday, February 8, 2020, revelers and kite flyers alike are invited to celebrate National Kite Day to the fullest at CHIRINGA from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Located in downtown Alpharetta by the Town Green Fountain, guests can sway along to special live music performances by Melissa Bret and Josh Jeffords while sipping on frosty Full Sail Blood Orange Wheat Ales and half-priced specialty cocktails. Hungry diners can dive into surfside-inspired grain bowls, dips, salads, sandwiches, tacos and plantains, available with fresh fish and clean proteins. Guests with the gaming spirit are welcome to enjoy games galore, courtesy of Cornhole ATL, including cornhole, Jenga, Connect 4 and ladder ball. A communal hangout for all ages, families and their little ones are also invited to create DIY kites and participate in other arts and crafts activities. Free to attend, this event will be rain or shine and dogs are welcome.

More Information:

https://www.facebook.com/events/524230955163664/

Ocean Wave: Mind Blowing Sushi

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 2/3/20

Down in the middle of the Virginia Highlands, Ocean Wave has got to be one of THE sushi destinations in all of Atlanta. From the moment you enter the building, twinkle lights greet you and the sound of drinks being shaken behind the bar. They have top-shelf cocktails, delicious sushi, tons of fried rice and entrees, as well as a good selection of appetizers, so let’s dive into some of those Yummi dishes and cocktails. Full steam food adventure ahead!

We’re not monkeying around about the superior cocktails at Ocean Wave! We sipped and loved the Monkey Business Martini that combined vodka, coconut rum, pineapple and cranberry. We declared it’s a tiki party in your mouth, boozy up front, then smoothing out into a frothy, sweet tiki drink on the backend. It was a great balance of flavors that’s easy to drink any time of year, but we can imagine sitting on the beach under the shadow of an umbrella, drink in hand. A light breeze through our hair, can you feel it?

We will get to the sushi in a moment, but we sampled a few other good dishes that included the Satay Chicken, KA Proud Lamb, and something we’ve NEVER tried before, Spicy Spaghetti. First, the Satay Chicken was very tender, and the peanut sauce and cucumber salad were a great pairing, especially the salad. It was sweet and went well with the savory of the chicken. A good bite! From there we tried the Spicy Spaghetti, which mimics a traditional spaghetti with a Thai flare. We’ve never had anything like it! Spicy, savory, and deep from the spice of the Thai chili sauce, tender chicken, and super juicy tomatoes. Maybe more of spaghetti on steroids? Yeah, that sounds about right. Super good!

The best of the entrees was the Ka Proud Lamb. The sauce was DELECTIBLE with a slight spice up front and rich deep flavor on the back that went perfect with the mushrooms and vegetables in the sauce. The lamb was tender and smoky with a delicate char. The fried rice was perfect with the sauce and lamb. What a great bite when all combined! Plus, we had a little fun with our food. We put the sauce from the lamb on the Spicy Spaghetti. Pretty tasty, we must say.

We tried two different rolls, the Dancing Dragon and the Yummi Yummi. Dancing Dragon was a good balance of sweet and spicy with tempura on the inside and eel and avocado on the outside. The variation between the eel, which was sweet, and the creamy avocado, were a great one-two punch of flavor. Add wasabi and soy sauce, it brings out the flavor of both! Even though this roll was super good, nothing could compare to the Yummi Yummi. A Trio of fresh yellow tail, tuna, salmon stuffed with cream cheese and flash fried in a moat of delicious soy-based sauce. From the creaminess of the cream cheese mixed with the salty and freshness of the fish to the crunch of the fried rice, it was one dynamic bite. What made it even better? Wababi and soy sauce. Mouth dropped to the floor, was that really possible? WOW! Yummi is definitely one way to describe it. Mind blowing is another.

A special shout-out to our waitress who was a gracious hand-model, menu master, and willing food carrier to better light. She was top-notch! That’s the kind of service you’ll get at Ocean Wave. As you leave, the twinkling of the lights follows you down the street and you’ll dream about sushi for a few nights after.