Monthly Archives: May 2010

SOHO Finishes a Tour of France

25 Tuesday May 2010

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SOHO finishes a tour of French wines and flavors this week on flight night, Wednesday, May 26.

 

Chateauneuf_vineyard_%26_castle Vineyards in Chateaunefu-du-Pape

 

First, SOHO will pour a 2007 Domaine Tourmaline Musdacet de Sevre-et-Maine from Loire.  SOHO’s resident wine expert Lars Snavely notes the wine is crisp, with tastes of mineral and big flavors of lemon and lime. It will pair nicely with the oyster tapas created by Chef Joe, so if you’re dining with us this week, please consider trying both!

 

Next, SOHO will pour a 2008 Domaine Courtois La Source from Cotes du Rhone. This wine, a blend of 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah, offers tastes of fruit and soft tannins. Finally, SOHO will offer a 2005 Chateau Vaudieu from Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Produced from very old vines, the wine offers dark, complex flavors, good acid, and a long finish.

 

SOHO’s Chef Joe has prepared three new tapas plates to complement each French wine. The following will be available until Wednesday, June 2:

 

2007 Domaine Tourmaline Muscadet de Sevre-et-Maine,Loire, France

100% Muscadet

Oysters on the half shell and mignonette sauce

 

2008 Domaine Courtois La Source, Cotes du Rhone, France

85% Grenache, 15% Syrah

Chicken and duck liver pate with sliced baguette

 

2005 Chateau Vaudieu, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France

60% Grenache, 25% Syrah, and 15% Mourvedre

Braised beef bourguignon with herbed noodles

 

Sample each wine in a flight (three three-ounce glasses and a cheese plate) for $18. Or, pair a wine and tapas for $12. Of course, the wines and tapas are available individually as well ($9/glass and $6/tapas). See you soon!

Summer News Bites

25 Tuesday May 2010

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Tasty lunch dishes, rewards for guests, and summer fun in the neighborhood – here are a few news bites from SOHO.

 

Sunflowers

 

With the summer sun shining, it’s the ideal time to step away from the office for lunch or to catch up with friends mid-day. SOHO is open for lunch Monday-Friday, 11:30-2:30, and our menu offers something for everyone – from longtime guest favorites like the Salmon Thai or Blackened Mahi Tacos to a classic Angus cheeseburger. A recent menu addition is the Jerk Chicken Quesadilla, a traditional quesadilla stuffed with mozzarella and jerk-spiced chicken, topped with sour cream and a mango salsa. We hope to see you for lunch soon!

 

Last year, SOHO introduced our Dining Rewards program and our guests have been reaping the benefits ever since. The Dining Rewards program is our way to say ‘thank you’ to our guests. Every dollar spent in the restaurant earns points and those points add up to free food and drinks. Plus, members receive a free birthday meal and other benefits. There’s no cost to join and no loyalty card to keep track of. If you haven’t already signed up for Dining Rewards and would like to do so, please click here.

 

Atlanta is full of great events to enjoy during the summer months – including great concerts at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre (located only 1.2 miles from SOHO). A few upcoming performers at the Centre – Jewel, Melissa Etheridge, and Natalie Merchant. If you’re heading to a concert, we hope you’ll stop by SOHO for dinner, drinks, or dessert as part of your evening.

 

Happy Summer!

French Wines and Flavors at SOHO

18 Tuesday May 2010

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SOHO continues to explore the wines and flavors of France on flight night Wednesday, May 19.

 

Chablis-les-clos-102 The vineyards of the Joseph Drouhin winery

 

This week, SOHO will pour a 2007 Joseph Drouhin St. Veran from Burgundy. This wine is 100% Chardonnay and offers lots of fruit to the taste, as well as a good acid balance. SOHO will also pour a 2006 Domaine Sorin Cuvee Tradition from Cote de Provence, France. This wine is big and rich, offering flavors of dark fruit and a big finish.

 

Finally, SOHO will pour a 2005 Domaine de la Belle Cuvee Barrique from Cotes de Duras, France. Very similar to a Bordeaux Superior, this is a big wine with great complexity, according to SOHO wine expert Lars Snavely.

 

Chef Joe has created three new tapas plates to pair with each French wine this week. The following will be available until May 26:

 

2007 Joseph Drouhin St. Veran, Burgundy, France

100% Chardonnay

Sauteed shrimp over a lentil ragout and a lemon caper beurre blanc

 

2006 Domaine Sorin Cuvee Tradition, Cote de Provence, France

40% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 15% Carignan, 5% Mouvedre

Salad Nicoise with seared tuna, chilled vegetables, anchovy and egg

 

2005 Domine de la Bella Cuvee Barrique, Cotes de Duras, France

Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec blend

Lamb and foie gras slider with pommes allumette

 

Sample each wine in a flight (three three-ounce glasses and a tapas plate) for $18. Or, pair a wine and tapas for $12. Of course, the wines and tapas are available individually as well ($9/glass and $6/tapas). See you soon!

SOHO Celebrates Great Beers

18 Tuesday May 2010

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American Craft Beer week is May 17 – 23, so I thought it would be fitting to shine the spotlight on SOHO’s beer list in this post.

 

One recent addition to SOHO’s beer list is Terrapin’s Hopsecutioner. Beer Advocate says of Hopescutioner, brewed in Athens, Georgia, “This is a balanced IPA for sure…The malt comes at you with different flavors ranging from grainy, to grassy, and also with a sharp kind of rye spice. Overall not an in your face IPA but definitely a well made and interesting blend of flavors.” One other Terrapin brew to try at SOHO is The Dark Side Stout. This Belgian Style Imperial Stout is loaded with subtle tastes of dark Belgian chocolate, roasted dark grains and just a hint of smokiness in the finish.

 

Hopsecutioner 

 

Beer lovers visiting SOHO may also want to consider trying Jolly Pumpkin’s Luciernaga. Brewed in Dexter, Michigan, this artisan pale ale earned a bronze medal at the 2008 Great American Beer Festival.

 

Luciernaga 

 

Another beer to consider sipping at SOHO this summer is the Full Sail Amber Ale. The Amber Ale, brewed in Hood River, Oregon, is sweet and malty, medium-bodied, and has a spicy, floral hop finish. The flagship of the Full Sail brewery, the Amber Ale has earned 12 gold medals at the World Beer Championships.

 

Finally, with French flavors and wines taking center stage at SOHO this month, we’ve added a French beer to our list – the Castelain Blond Biere de Garde. The Castelain offers a sweet palate and a great deal of finesse.  

 

We hope you’ll stop in at SOHO soon for a tall, cold glass of your favorite beer. If there’s a great beer you think we should add to our list, please let me know in the comments section!

SOHO Tours France

11 Tuesday May 2010

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This week, SOHO will continue highlight the wines and flavors of France on flight night, Wednesday, May 12.

 

IStock_000012421820_Eiffel

 

First, SOHO will pour a 2008 La Craie Vouvray from the Loire Valley. SOHO’s resident wine expert Lars Snavely notes that the wine is complex, with a floral bouquet and a touch of lime in the taste. Next, SOHO will pour a 2005 Chateau Feret-Lambert from Bordeaux. This wine is a Bourdeaux Superior and 90% Merlot. It offers good fruit and acid balance.

 

Finally, SOHO will pour a 2003 Le Signal from Corbieres, France. Unlike many wines from Corbieres, this one is not overly rustic according to Lars. It is a big, but balanced, wine offering lots of vanilla in the bouquet and taste.

 

To complement each French wine, Chef Joe has prepared three new tapas plates. The following will be available until Wednesday, May 19.

 

2008 La Craie Vouvray, Loire Valley, France

100% Chenin Blanc

Mussels provencal with olive oil crouton

 

2005 Chateau Feret-Lambert, Bordeaux, France

90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

Veal sausage stuffed mushroom caps with a cassis-laced jus

 

2003 Le Signal, Corbieres, France

80% Carignon, 10% Grenache, 5% Syrah, 5% Mouvedre

Duck rillettes with cornichons, Dijon mustard and sliced baguette

 

Sample each wine in a flight (three three-ounce glasses and a cheese plate) for $18. Or, pair a wine and tapas for $12. Of course, the wines and tapas are available individually as well ($9/glass and $6/tapas). See you soon!

French Inspiration

11 Tuesday May 2010

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As SOHO explores the wines of France this month, as well as French flavors in the tapas plates created each week by executive chef Joe Ahn, we’re also adding a few other French-inspired items to the menu.

 

780px-Satellite_image_of_France_in_August_2002 Satellite image of France

 

First, an addition to our cocktail list – the French Martini. May I recommend sipping the concoction while enjoying the sunshine on SOHO’s patio? For those interested in mixing up the drink at home, here’s the recipe SOHO’s bartenders are using:

 

1 1/2 oz vodka

1/ 2 oz Chambord raspberry liqueur

1/ 2 oz fresh pineapple juice

Champagne

1 lemon twist (garnish)

 

Combine the vodka, Chambord, and pineapple juice with ice in a cocktail shaker, and shake briskly. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Top off with Champagne, and garnish with a lemon peel.

 

Next, we’ve also added two French cheeses to our Artisan Cheese Board. One is P’tit Basque, a semi-soft cheese made from sheep’s milk, from Pyreneese, France. This cheese offers an earthy, nutty flavor. Chaumes is SOHO’s other addition to the cheese board. Chaumes, a soft cheese from Perigord, France, is rich and creamy, with a mellow, nutty taste. Whether as an appetizer or dessert, the cheese board is a popular choice with our guests. And, SOHO’s staff is always happy to help select the perfect wine to pair with the weekly cheese offerings.

 

We hope to see you soon for a taste of France!

France Takes Center Stage at SOHO in May

04 Tuesday May 2010

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This May, SOHO will highlight the wines and flavors of France. The French tour begins on flight night, Wednesday, May 5.

 

Syrah grapes Syrah grapes

 

First, SOHO will pour a 2008 Verget Bourgogne "Terroirs de Cote d'Or" from Cote d'Or Villages, France. The wine offers flavors of melon and citrus on the palate, as well as a bright, clean finish.

 

Next, SOHO will pour a 2008 Puydeval from Languedoc, France. Lars Snavely, SOHO’s wine expert, notes that this is a big and rich wine, but not overly complex.  Finally, SOHO will pour a 2008 Andezon La Granacha Old Vines from the Cote du Rhone villages. This wine, produced from vines over eighty years old, is very big, with flavors of black fruit.

 

Chef Joe has created three new tapas plates to pair with each French wine. The following will be available until Wednesday, May 12.

 

2008 Verget Bourgogne "Terroirs de Cote d'Or", Cote d'Or Villages, France

100% Chardonnay

Sauteed baby shrimp over orzo with dill buerre blanc

 

2008 Puydeval, Languedoc, France

60% Cabernet Franc, 28% Syrah, 12% Merlot

Grilled tarte flambé with pancetta, eggplant and crème fraiche

 

2008 Andezon La Granacha Old Vines, Cote du Rhone Villages, France

100% Grenache

Burgundy braised lamb stew with an herbed puffed pastry

 

Sample each wine in a flight (three three-ounce glasses and a cheese plate) for $18. Or, pair a wine and tapas for $12. Of course, the wines and tapas are available individually as well ($9/glass and $6/tapas). See you soon!

SOHO at the Zoo

04 Tuesday May 2010

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This month SOHO is participating in another great charity event! SOHO will take part in the 2010 Beastly Feast at Zoo Atlanta on Saturday, May 15. The event benefits Zoo Atlanta and the Zoo’s critical conservation and education efforts.

 

This year’s Beastly Feast will celebrate Silverback Gorillas and Ford Motor Company’s 25th year as the event’s presenting sponsor. Atlanta Zoo’s Ford African Rain Forest houses 22 western lowland gorillas, the largest collection among North American zoos. The habitat houses three silverback gorillas leading family troops and two living in a “bachelor” group.

 

Western Gorilla Western gorilla

 

The Zoo hopes to raise over $1 million at Beastly Feast for the 13th consecutive year. The event begins at 6:30, when guests will stroll through the zoo enjoying cocktails and hors d’oeuvres from Atlanta’s finest restaurants (including SOHO!). A seated dinner and dancing will follow. Live and silent auctions will complete the evening. Please contact Amy Walton at 404.624.5836 for information about event tickets. We hope to see you at the zoo!