Atlantans have a chance to vote for their favorite international fare – and raise funds for charity – in the 8 Great Plates competition provided by Tasting Table. Through July 31, foodies can vote for their favorite international dish among eight local restaurant contenders that serve up cuisines seen on the new Bravo culinary series “Around the World in 80 Plates,” which is hosted by Cat Cora and Curtis Stone and follows 12 chefs in a race across 10 countries in 40 days.

For every online vote, $1 will be donated to Feeding America, up to $100,000 nationwide. Feeding America will distribute up to $10,000 to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. The “8 Great Plates” competition will be held in 10 cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Miami, Dallas, Boston, Houston and Atlanta.

In Atlanta, the eight restaurant contenders and their featured plates are:

· English – Fish and Chips at The Brick Store Pub
· French – French Onion Soup at Atmosphere
· Spanish – Paella at Noche
· Moroccan – Cornish Hen Tagine at Imperial Fez
· Italian – Tagliatele ai Funghi at Sotto Sotto
· Thai – Shrimp Massaman Curry at Tamarind Seed Bistro
· Cantonese – Dim Sum at Canton House
· Argentinian – Empanadas at Pampas Steak House

After votes are tallied in early August, Chase Sapphire will announce the top-voted plates in each city and total charity donation. Vote for the 8 Great Plates here.

Admission beginning at 4 p.m. is free for all guests. However, access to the Gardens is $18 per adult and $9 per child. The Special Event fees of $25 per adult and $12.50 per child apply on May 25, August 31 and October 5. Children 5 and younger are admitted for free on all dates.

Callaway Gardens’ Annual Passholders and military (active and retired) with proper identification receive free admission for themselves and up to five guests in the same vehicle on general admission days and half-price on Special Event days.

The Gardens’ attractions are open until 6 p.m. and the Gardens remain open until 8 p.m. through Labor Day. Both close at 5 p.m. after Labor Day.

Callaway Gardens’ Farmers Market Participants

(Vendors change throughout the season)

Annie’s Baking
Blue Donkey Iced Coffee
Brown’s Brownies
Bulger Creek Farms
Castle Rock Honey
Daddy’s Home Bread
Dip & Dap Krafts
Double Hill Farms
Earths Essential
Joe Jones Stained Glass
Little Yellow Yarrow
Lone Oak Farms
My Spice Stop
Nathan’s Kettle Corn
OakLeaf at Belmont
Pappardelle’s Pasta
Rachel Wolff’s Baked Goods
Scentfuls
Sunnyside Farm
Sweet Mama’s Fresh Squeezed Lemonade
The Bakery & Café at Rose Cottage
Trivet Tastic & Boiled Peanuts

RED is open before, during and after games and shows at Philips Arena. Since I was attending the Hawks game that evening, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to visit RED. Arriving about an hour before start time, the restaurant was just starting to fill up. With the bar and kitchen in the center of the restaurant, the seating is all around these two focal points.

Besides pricey steaks, the menu features burgers, pizzas, and a mixture of starters and sides. I sampled one of the signature cocktails, however, I was a bigger fan of the beers and switched to that after my cocktail. We began our meal with a berry salad with balsamic dressing, crab cakes and the “Pow Pow” rock shrimp. All were good, but the shrimp was by far the best item we sampled all evening. It was crispy, flavorful and a large portion for sharing.

Staff was very quick to bring out our starters, but I believe they got pretty backed up when we ordered our steak (we shared as it was large and >$40). The manager came around to explain they were working out the kinks. By this time, the game was well underway. And, although we could have sat there with a terrific view, we chose to go to our suite to watch the game.

Overall, I think RED is a good concept. It is a pain in the ass to get to a restaurant and wolf down a meal then drive to Philips Arena for a game starting at 7:30, especially on a weekday. And, let’s face it, they do have upscale food kiosks at Philips Arena, but I don’t exactly enjoy getting my fancy Italian dish from Veni Vidi Vici and trying to enjoy it while cramped in my small seat eating it out of a paper container.

RED solves this by offering a nice environment to enjoy a fancy meal without the pressure of wondering if you make it to your destination on time. I just think they need a bit of time to work out issues with the kitchen and polish the staff a bit more. In the meantime, stick to beer and the starters and you’ll have a tasty and fun evening!

1 Phillips Dr
Atlanta, GA 30303

I have always been a fan of the restaurants in Roswell. If you’ve not been they’ve got a lovely downtown area that are lined with wonderful, cozy restaurants. On this particular the day, the weather was perfect and many Roswellites were soaking up the sun in many of the patios that line the streets of the downtown Roswell area.

On the ACT’s Roswell tour, we visited five restaurants.

Rice – This cute little Thai spot in a renovated house was the first and the favorite of all our stops. I loved learning how Chef and Owner, Kris, bought the house on a whim and decided to open a restaurant with no formal training. The Thai shrimp and sticky rice pudding we sampled were divine. Can’t wait to go back and have a proper meal. Fact: The artwork that adorns the walls in the restaurant was done by Chef Kris and his wife. He even has a painting hanging in the High Museum.

Table & Main – This was the restaurant I most anticipated visiting. I thought the meatball we sampled was forgettable. With the glowing reviews the restaurant has received, I just didn’t feel this menu item lived up to my expectations.  General Manager, Ryan Pernice told us about how they incorporated some of the original wood and other decor pieces found around the house in the design of the restaurant. It is a very pretty space and has a inviting patio. Table & Main takes reservations for only a set number of tables each night leaving a good portion of the restaurant open for walk-ins. If you have to wait for a table, you can always play a game of corn hole, while you wait!

Artisan Foods Bakery and Cafe - Beignets! Seems like I’ve had plenty of these lately. I’m not complaining, though. These were warm and fresh, and so soft on the inside. We had a sample of coffee with a sugar rimmed glass that went perfectly with the beignets.

Oli & Ve – Amazing to find out that this place has 48 different kinds of oils and vinegars. While we could only sample a handful, we did identify some favorites: Harissa, Blood Orange and Espresso. We were even treated to some ice cream topped with Blueberry Balsamic Vinegar – Yum! Some in the group were smart to grab some of the oils and vinegars as gifts.

Fickle Pickle – Proprietor Andy Badgett greeted us and treated us to some of his favorite items from his long-standing Roswell restaurant. Of course, we had to start off with their famous Cajun Fried Pickles. I enjoyed them, but I enjoyed the Fried Green Tomato Sandwich even more. Made with a tomato jam that is mixed with onions and garlic and topped with Arugula and cheese, even the small sample was quite filling.

In addition to the Roswell Tour ($32), Atlanta Culinary Tours takes you to some of the highlights of the Inman Park / Old Fourth Ward restaurants ($39) on that tour and even tours Atlanta’s Chinatown ($28) in yet another tour. I attended complimentary as this was a tour for media. Most tours visit five to six eateries and last about three hours. Looking for something different for a date other than the typical dinner and a movie? This is terrific option. I highly suggest you take a tour with Atlanta Culinary Tours, but book quickly as tours fill up fast.

The recipe for Joe’s hummus and Baba Ganoush is a family recipe kept under wraps. We, of course, sampled that and the stuffed pepper and lamb ribs recommended by him as well. I usually enjoy hummus more than Baba Ganoush, but there was a unique smokey flavor to the Baba Ganoush that made it irresistible. And the stuffed pepper was so tasty, I was a bit bothered I had to share it with Mr. ARB. The lamb ribs, meaty and juicy were served up with a side of cilantro lime slaw that shouldn’t be missed.

We also sampled the mushroom flatbread and the artichoke. Both of these were just exquisite, the mushroom flatbread being one of the highlights of our meal. I only wish I had ordered a glass of white wine to enjoy with them. The wine list is carefully chosen to pair with food, however we were too busy enjoying our cocktails to swap to wine.

Mixologist Shawn dazzles guests with unique drinks like the Jalapeno Margarita, and Cucumber and Basil martini. There’s even a dessert drink: Andes Candies (see the video below for how to make it). He is also skilled at wine pairing recs, turning us onto a Malbec to compliment our veal and lamb dishes. And only $28 a bottle was extremely reasonable for this Malbec.

Lamb is really the star of the show here. Veal is good, but the lamb chops were the better of the two. I wasn’t crazy about the risotto served with the lamb chops, but the house made grits are to die for. Love ‘em. Get yourself over to Basil’s patio pronto before it gets too hot to really enjoy it. And don’t forget to get an Andies Candies from Shawn for dessert.

Basil’s Website
2985 Grandview Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30305