Spoonfed (Atlanta)

Congratulations to Ann Lang for participating and winning!!!!!!!

Stay tuned for more posts and giveaways coming soon in 2010

The Prize:

1 Gift Card for 4th & Swift worth $100.00.  (see post on 4th & Swift here)

How to enter?

You get two chances to win!

1st: Between the dates of December 21st, 2009 and December 31st, 2009 subscribe to the Spoonfed (Atlanta) email list by signing up in the box located top right of this page.  (By joining you will be entered in this holiday giveaway, and will also receive updates and news from Spoonfed (Atlanta).  If you are already on my ‘Mark Petko Photography’ email list you must still join this list to enter into this specific giveaway, you can opt out of either list after the prize has been awarded).

(This list will only be used by Spoonfed Atlanta and never be given or sold to any other party for any other purposes)

and/or,

2nd: Follow me on twitter (here) and ‘Retweet’ my ‘holiday giveaway’ tweet to your followers. (making sure @markpetko is in the retweet so I can track it).  Only 1 entry per Retweet per follower.

Doing either one of these will enter you once, doing both of these will enter you twice!  2 chances to win!  But only 2.

Winning:

On Friday, January 1st, 2010 a winner will be randomly selected and notified thru email or direct message on twitter and has seven (7) days to confirm/verify.  If winner is not reached and verified by Friday, January 8th then a new winner will be randomly selected.  Gift card will be sent registered mail with signature confirmation to verify receipt.

Good Luck and Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!!!

The Original El Taco

1186 N. Highland Ave. NE

Atlanta, GA 30306

404.873.4656

www.eltaco-atlanta.com

Take one part vibrant atmosphere, one part Mexican edibles, and two parts liquor, shake, serve.  Throw in some friends or family and you have the making of an enjoyable evening courtesy of The Original El Taco.  One of The Fifth Group restaurants, located in Virginia Highlands, El Taco provides a festive atmosphere consisting of a brightly colored mural, created by students of SCAD, joined with tons of red color, star shaped lighting fixtures, thick log-based bar stools and other brick-a-brack, leading the patron to a sense of real, true and authentic… ‘Americameximazation’  (?look it up if you dare).  The food on the menu, conceptualized by in-town heavy weight Shaun Doty and executed by Chefs Craig Sauls and Micah Willix consist of a ‘mex’ture (sorry) of dishes from tacos, fajitas and enchiladas to Mexican pizzas, closely resembling Oaxaca’s street food, tlayudas.  The bar provides standard bevys, weighted with many tequilas and also boasts a list of suitable margaritas to accompany their fare.  While being family friendly, with spinning wheels of giveaway sthick, El Taco also transforms to a locals type watering hole and is a suitable spot for any group on a mirthful quest.  Go in without your tie and let you hair down, relax and enjoy.

If you haven’t made your plans yet then consider their New Year’s Eve specials: $2.00 Miller High Life (champagne in beer form) and $5.00 Champagnaritas.  Reservations can be made by calling 404.873.4656

Spicy Shrimp Ceviche, jicama, orange and cilantro

Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas w/corn and Jack cheese

Wood-Grilled Chicken Mexican "Pizza"

Fried Chicken Taco, Mexico City grilled corn in lime mayo, crumbled Mexican cheese

2 Pork Carnitas Tacos and 1 Mexican Chorizo Taco w/ yuca, raja, Fresno arbol salsa

Stop in for some and tell’em… alimentado con una cuchara.

All images and words ©2009 Mark Petko Photography

Nacho: Chancho. When you are a man, sometimes you wear stretchy pants in your room. It’s for fun.

(Nacho Libre 2006)

Taverna Fiorentina

3324 Cobb Parkway

Riverview Village in Vinings

Atlanta, GA 30339

770.272.9825

www.tavernafiorentina.com (link)

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.  When in Florence, do as the Tuscans do.  When in Atlanta, do as the Cobb Parkwayions do.  Just inside the perimeter (for all you ITP elitists) is where you may consider traveling to, if you desire the taste of  ’fresh, simple and flavorful’ Tuscan dishes.  Discreetly snuggled into a standard plaza facade (Atlanta shopping plaza, not Italian piazza) and currently playing ‘backwoods’ to a Christmas Tree sales lot is Taverna Fiorentina.  Co-owned by executive chef Paolo Tondo and sommelier Jasmin Reyes Scott, Taverna Fiorentina’s cozy dining room, decorated with a wine cellar wall and authentic accents such as a butcher block table, a classic old world hutch, alongside Italian imported, custom made, fold out tables lends itself to endorse the feeling of Tuscan authentication.  Mild in manner, Paolo Tondo traded in his electro/mechanical engineering degree and restaurant equipment sales job to bring his beloved Italian dishes to Atlanta.  Serving “authentic Florentine dishes that stand alongside contemporary classics” Tondo’s presentation and delivery have gained many positive reviews.  Taverna Fiorentina also offers a private dining room available for events and parties.

Thank you to Paolo, Jasmin, and Deborah for allowing me to photograph.

Reserve your spot.

Connect with Facebook.

Caprese Salad

Ravioli Gnudi- spinach, ricotta dumplings in fresh cherry tomato sauce w/ parmigiana cheese

Calamari Fritti

Agnello Scottadito, Baby lamb chops w/ black olives, roasted potatoes and artichoke

Tiramisu

All images and word ©2009 Mark Petko Photography

Have a restaurant….Be a part of Spoonfed!!! (here)

repast

620 Glen Iris Drive NE

Atlanta, GA 30308

404.870.8707

www.repastrestaurant.com (link)

before/after: Chorizo crusted Berkshire Pork Chop, Sweet Potato Turnip Gratin, Sherry Vinegar Gastrique

What can one say about a man that holds his own when going tête-à-tête with Martha Stewart.  What limited experience I have watching Martha is enough to know that on her show…she rules the roost.  With an uncanny knack for cutting people short or ignoring shared screen commentary, Martha can sometimes push a guest to seem, to me, not entirely welcome, but just this side of ‘worthy enough’ to breathe the same air.  Maybe this is a defense mechanism learned during recess in the yards of incarceration or maybe it is a trait possessed by many successful corporate kingpins.  What is for sure is that when chef Joe Truex of repast restaurant was honored with a spot on Martha’s show, he seemed to stay just enough ahead of Martha as to not befall the same fate as those before and that many more to come will know.  Check the video. Oh, and Martha, please disregard this post if you happen to stumble across this blog looking to hire a photographer for some work…you’re the cat’s pajamas, f’shizzle. (even though I giggle when I imagine you getting a ‘tear drop’ prison-tattoo next to your eye).

After spending some hours shooting at repast it became obvious to me that there is a passionate force on which this restaurant is built.  There is pride behind the words when Truex talks about the in house made stock, the beauty of a cut of pork, the color in a sweet potato turnip gratin and also in his golf swing.  He is obviously content with the home that he and his chef wife Mihoko Obunai have made here in Atlanta.  It seems that a large part of chef Turex’s passionate exploitations revolves around his love of wine and his ability to stock the perfect compliments to his food.  To support this I asked that he recommend some pairings for the dishes photographed (his comments are displayed with the images).  repast is self described at “Asian influenced new American cuisine with metropolitan flair”.  In addition to their regular menu, repast chef Obunai has been certified in macrobiotic cuisine from Kushi Institute of Japan and can accommodate those following a macrobiotic diet at the restaurant or with private cooking services.   repast also offers a desirable private dining room that would be an excellent location for a corporate or personal function.

…on with the goods:

Japanese Octopus Carpaccio, Shaved Fennel & Onion Salad

Truex pairing:  ”Domaine de la Tourmaline, Muscadet Sevre et Maine” 2007…”Historic & quality producer of Muscadet from Robert Chadderdon.  This is Muscadet and seafood at it’s most sublime pairing”

Pork Belly "grattons", fortified mustard, local radish salad

Truex pairing:  ”Dios Baco, Olorosso Sherry”…”The nutty sweetness is a rich and interesting counterpoint to the crispy fatty quality of the belly”

Porcini Crusted Filet Mignon, Wild Mushroom Fricassee, Black Truffle Angolotti, Port Wine Foie Gras Mousse

Truex pairing:  ”Arceno, Prima Voce, Super Tuscan” 2005…”Lush, rich, sexy, delecious, all the way around.”

go try some of chef Truex’s pairings and tell him you got ’spoonfed’!

All images and word © 2009 Mark Petko Photography

Be a part of Spoonfed!!! (here)

WWMT (What would Martha think?)