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Happy 2012! We’re closed 1/1 thru 1/18
Lunacy Black Market Closed Post-Holiday Season… for a Holiday!
Now, where are you going to eat?
From Sunday, Jan. 1 through Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, Lunacy Black Market will be closed for business to take a holiday. We will resume service to the public on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, during our regular business service hours: 6 – 10 pm.
A lot of people ask us where Cynthia and I eat, when we are not eating at our own little place on Mitchell Street. We thought we would share five of our suggestions (in no particular order) for having a nice dinner in Atlanta:
Photo by BeckyStein.com
- La Grotta, Buckhead – The service is warm and wonderful, the food is delightfully consistent, the wine list is well-varied and sure to meet all flavor profiles. Pricier than Lunacy, it’s still worth every cent—especially, if it’s a date night—but they do have a “Stimulus Menu” that allows you to pick some great starters and main courses at under $25 (price includes a glass of wine).
- Elliott Street Deli & Pub, Downtown – In contrast, you can head to a downtown neighborhood pub that’s a little tricky to find. The vibe, occasional live music and other events are all totally worth curling through some of Castleberry Hill’s one-way streets to get there. Don’t miss the “Graceland” sign and mermaid hanging above the entrance!
- Cakes & Ale, Decatur – We had dinner here about a month ago and really enjoyed the clean preparation of all the dishes! We think the culinary techniques are similar to Lunacy’s (we are somewhat partial to the use of olive oils and vinegars, over rich sugars and butters) and lend themselves well towards our preference for simple yet subtly sophisticated dinner fare.
- Taqueria del Sol, Atlanta – Either the Howell Mill or Cheshire Bridge location will take care of your need for good food at a wallet-friendly price. We both order just about the same thing every time we visit: turnip greens, rice, the Memphis, Carnita, and/or Fried Chicken tacos. Of course, you can’t eat at the Taqueria without chips, guac, salsa and a Margarita!
- Hong Kong Harbour, Cheshire Bridge – We also end up ordering the same two things just about every single time we eat here late at night: spring rolls and steamed pork spare ribs with black bean sauce. Sometimes, we’ll go nuts and order something green, like sautéed snow pea leaves (with their ginger sauce or whole garlic—both ways are good) or string beans with brown sauce. Other times, during the day, we’ll get down and bacchanal with their dim sum. (So many small plates, it’s lunacy!)
Bonus!
- Café Jonah – Not a dinner establishment, but a great escape for lunch with a nice variety of good, fresh foods, such as salads, sandwiches, psychic readings… Even when it’s grey and rainy outside, Jenny (of Souper Jenny down the street and around the corner) has managed to sprinkle a magic dusting of sunrays that bounce off the paint in the walls. The menu and atmosphere are positively loaded with feel-good.
Please note, this was an off-the-cuff run-down of the five (okay, six) restaurants we tend to visit with some frequency, because—we admit it—Cynthia and I are creatures of habit.
Here’s wishing you peace, prosperity and an epicurean 2012!
FAQ: New Year’s Eve… Just like any other night–except it’s NYE, and it’s Saturday!
… We’ve been getting quite a few calls about New Year’s Eve. (Saturday night!! (Can you believe it? Another year, already?)) Here’s a quick FAQ, for your information:
What’s on your menu for New Year’s Eve?
We will not be doing anything different from what we’ve done all year round. We’re offering the same small plates fare that we’ve been offering to everybody throughout 2010/2011. The experience here at Lunacy Black Market asks folks to allow themselves to relax.
Can I make a reservation?
We do not accept reservations. Please wait to be seated. We will seat complete parties only.
What if we’re a large group and we want to guarantee seating for everybody?
Our venue is small, and we serve our customers on a first-come, first-served basis, so we cannot guarantee seating. Please note that parties of six or more automatically receive a chef’s choice of food, priced at $27.60 pp and are also automatically charged a 20% gratuity. Read the rest of this page »
Holiday Hours: Xmas Eve & Xmas Day
Photo by BeckyStein.com
Our hours will remain unchanged for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Here’s the rundown:
– Saturday, Dec. 24: 6 – 10 pm
– Sunday, Dec. 25: 2 – 9 pm
Please note: We will be offering our regular small plates menu on Sunday, Dec. 25 (not our chef’s choice of all-you-can-eat Pasta/Risotto fare).
Need to give the perfect gift? How about a Lunacy Black Market Gift Certificate?
Also, it’s never too late to get a gift certificates! View the link for more information, or call us at 404.736.6164 to purchase over the phone and arrange a pick-up.
Happy Holidays!
Happy Hanukkah!
Consider Lunacy for Xmas!
Happy Holidays!
Alert: Third Party Promo with American Express and 4square a scam [Edited 12/8]
Edited on Thurs., Dec. 8: New comments and updates in [brackets] and in purple.
We were recently approached by a customer who found an American Express Small Business promo on Four square. Unfortunately, we cannot honor this promotion as we never agreed to take part in this effort. We are currently in contact with American Express to learn the source of this false advertisement. [We contacted Amex and they informed us that there is nothing for the merchant to honor. The customer need only "check-in" on Foursquare when they make their American Express purchase with the establishment promoted and the Amex customer will receive a credit to their Amex statement. Foursquare has confirmed this for us. But this is all we know.] If you’d like to read on, please click “read the rest of this page” Read the rest of this page »
New (& Some Fancy) Wines – For Happy Holiday Enjoyment…
Cynthia talks wines!
I have been having a lot of fun tasting wines for you to enjoy. My focus for this holiday season was something that would lift you into a sense of celebration, but that could remain affordable, so you won’t head into 2012 with a sense of dread. So, even though these wines are a little fancier than my everyday quaffs, I’ve stayed true to my commitment to freeze my profit margin between $15 and $25 per bottle.
You can catch a quick run-down of some of my favorite Fancy Wines as well as some other great everyday drinking red and white wines here on the site.
I’m going to rattle off some notes on each of them to help you make your decision when you join us. (Please excuse me for failing to include vintages and other details for some!)
Happy quaffing!
Cynthia
P.S. Don’t force yourself to down the last glass or two of wine—take it home with you! I’ve learned that some of my customers had no idea that bagging an open bottle of wine is totally okay. In fact, we would prefer that you enjoy the wine at your pace.
Some Newbies
(Photos coming soon!)
2006 Bodega Riglos, Gran Corte – Argentina (Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc blend) – The first thing you’ll notice about this wine is the sheer heft of the bottle. Next, each bottle comes wrapped in its own sheet of tissue paper. The winemakers in Tupungato, Mendoza, want you to know that this wine is right up there with the most delicate and valuable article you have in your possession. You can’t miss the beauty of its black liquid in the pour; and if you do, you’ll taste it. The blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes has been combined to their ultimate velvety potential. More importantly, you will taste that these grapes are blended based on the vicissitudes of the year, the harvest, the grape, the weather. No two years will taste alike. Only 10,000 bottles of this wine were produced, so enjoy it.
2010 Santa Julia Organica – Argentina (Cabernet Sauvignon) – An all-organic wine, also from Mendoza, Argentina, this wine presents a dark ruby, almost garnet, pour. Definitely has the black cherry and plum flavors expected in a Cab, but it also has some unexpected floral qualities to it. I enjoy this wine because it brings a little something more for Cab lovers. Could it be a hint of chocolate? This is a balanced wine. I shared some with friends while eating pasta. I’ll definitely be coming back to this one!
L’Arco Valpolicella Classico Superiore – Veneto, Italy (Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara and Croatina) – The brown label is every unassuming, but don’t let that fool you. Made from traditional Valpolicella grapes, it’s aged in Slovenian oak for about two years. Here’s the trick with this wine—open it for a couple hours before you start to eat. I love wines like this, you just need to prepare for it, take a sip and see how it opens up. Maybe it’s the season, but I also seem to be digging wines that have elements of tobacco and dried flowers. That air of cinnamon might have you thinking there’s sweetness to this wine – but it’s a little trompe gueule, it’s a beautiful balanced dry wine. It may have you dreaming of Venice (and maybe Tuscany too) in autumn.
In Fine, Rose – Cotes du Ventoux, France (Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault) – Rose can be a tough sell. I’ve never been a fan of the color pink, in general, and I think this has a little something to do with why I’m not drawn to roses when I select a wine to drink. However, when I surrender to the possibilities, I’m often pleasantly surprised. In Fine from Cotes du Ventoux was no exception. What body! I immediately turned the bottle around in my hand, it looks like it should taste like strawberries—and it does—but there’s something more. More… wine like. Well, I’m noticing something about my wine tendencies: I like Grenache grapes. This wine’s got it. Yum!
Zestos, Blanco – Madrid, Spain (Malvar) – One-hundred percent Malvar, this is an easy-to-drink white wine. It tastes a little like a cross between Sauvignon Blanc and an unoaked Chardonnay. Not only does this taste good, but you can also rest assured that it feels good to drink because it’s organically grown.
*Gobble, Gobble!*
… And in case you didn’t know, that’s turkey talk for “Thank you, Lunacy!”
Closed: Thurs. Oct. 27, 2011
We’ll be closed to the general public on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011 to accommodate the filming of a production on Mitchell Street. We will resume regular business hours on Friday, Oct. 28. ~Thank you!
Thank you…
We are really proud. Thank you, Atlanta. And, thank you, Creative Loafing. We’re also really humbled.
