New Year's Eve at ARIA

Our NYE menu is ready and we are busy preparing for a great evening.
We look forward to seeing everyone!

For reservations, call us at 404-233-7673

Early December brought two wonderful events to Aria:

Contributor: Aidan Mirisola-Sullivan
Photography from George Sanchez

On December 2nd, there were two phenomenal chefs in the Aria kitchen - our own Gerry Klaskala, of course, and the talented Chris Hastings, executive chef of The Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, AL. Together, the two cooked inspired Southern fare from Chef Hastings's new cookbook “THE HOT and HOT FISH CLUB COOKBOOK: A Celebration of Food, Family and Tradition”. Combined with Andres Loaiza's masterful wine pairings from the Vineyard Brands portfolio, the evening was a resounding success. Thanks, Chef Hastings, for bringing your creativity and passion to Aria, even if it was for just one night.

Pan-Seared Flounder with Shaved Fennel Salad
Picholine Olives and Satsuma Oranges
Hamilton Russell, Chardonnay, Hemel-En-Aarde, South Africa 07

Fudge Farms Pork and Beans with Braised Greens
Cracklin’ Cornbread and Chow Chow
Perrin et Fils, Vinsobres, Rhone 07

Chocolate Pot de Crème with Chocolate-Cardamom Cookie
Candied Peanuts
Domaine du Mas Blanc, Banyuls 07

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Having the opportunity to cook with another chef is a lot like having the chance to cook with a unique ingredient. Both can inspire, lead to new preparations, or add that extra something to a traditional dish. The day after Chef Hastings left our kitchen, a new visitor arrived: fresh black truffles. Working with this luxurious and coveted ingredient, Chef Klaskala created a sumptuous five course menu. In looking to pair wine with this menu, Andrés sought out Avant Partir's Nick Montigelli. With their combined knowledge and palettes, the black truffles had perhaps the only thing that could make them any more delicious: good wine.

A special thanks to Nick and Avant Partir for helping to make the Truffle Dinner on December 3rd such a fantastic evening.

Truffled Farm Egg
Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve NV


Lobster with Celery Root, Fine Herbs and Truffled Lobster Jus
Peter Dipoli, Voglar, Sauvignon Blanc, Alto Adige 04


Breast of Pheasant, Haricot Vert, Arugula and Truffle Xeres Vinaigrette
Rocche dei Manzoni "Sorito Masconi" Barbera d’Alba 98


Chocolate Truffle with Caramelized Honey Cognac Ice Cream
Fortetto della Luja Moscato Passito, Loazzolo 03

Celebrate New Year’s Eve

Join us to ring-in the New Year and celebrate 2010 at Aria. We’ll be serving a four-course prix fixe menu for $85 per person and wine pairings will also be available. When our menu is available, we will be post it here.

For reservations, call us at 404-233-7673.

Christmas Eve Dinner

On Christmas Eve, leave the cooking to us and enjoy a relaxing night out celebrating the holidays. Dinner will be served from 6 to 10 p.m. We look forward to spending the evening with you!

Holiday Gift Cards

Whether it’s for family members, friends, clients or co-workers, an Aria gift card makes the perfect holiday gift. A gift card allows your loved ones to enjoy their favorite menu items off of Executive Chef Gerry Klaskala’s sophisticated menu. Please visit the restaurant, our website or call 404-233-7673 to purchase a gift card.

TRUFFLES AND CHADDERDON

Wednesday, December 2 at 7 p.m.

What better way to salute the winter than with a five-course, all truffle menu paired with wines imported by the esteemed Robert Chadderdon? Join us at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 2, for an intimate dinner of lavish dishes carefully prepared and complemented by our favorite wines from Chadderdon’s portfolio.

Featured wines will include: Billecart-Salmon Brut; Peter Dipoli Sauvignon Blanc; Rocche dei Manzoni "Sorrito Masconi" Barbera; Bovio "Vigna Gattera" Barolo ; Rocche dei Manzoni "Quatr Nas"; and Fortetto della Luja Moscato Passito.
The cost is $125.00 per person, excluding tax and gratuity.

Seats are limited; Please Email Andres or call us at 404-233-7673 to make reservations

DINNER WITH CHRIS HASTINGS OF BIRMINGHAM’S THE HOT AND HOT FISH CLUB AT ARIA

Tuesday, December 1 at 7 p.m.

Start the holiday season with dinner with Chris Hastings, author of "The Hot and Hot Fish Club Cookbook, A Celebration of Food, Family and Traditions" and Chef/Owner of The Hot and Hot Fish Club, Birmingham, Alabama’s fine dining “hot” spot. Hastings’ passion for Southern cuisine and local, seasonal ingredients is contagious!

Join us and Chef Hastings for dinner at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, December 1, at Aria as Owner/Executive Chef Gerry Klaskala prepares a four-course menu using recipes from the book and wine pairings provided by renowned wine importer Vineyard Brands. Cost is $125 per person, including a signed copy of Hastings’ cookbook, or $100 for dinner only (both prices include tax and gratuity).

Please call 404.233.7673 or email andres@aria-atl.com for reservation; we look forward to seeing you.

Hors d’Oeuvres
•Seared Foie Gras on Brioche with Persimmon Jam
•Oyster Shooters
•Bloody Orange Martinis
•Roasted Chestnuts with Red Mountain Honey
Mohua, Pinot Gris, Central Otago, New Zealand

Amuse
•Smoked and Grilled Quail with Roasted Vegetables and White BBQ Sauce (breast half only)

First Course
•Hearts of Palm Salad with Pink Grapefruit, Avocado and Herb Vinaigrette
Domaine Vincent Delaporte, Sancerre

Second Course
•Pan-Seared Flounder with Shaved Fennel Salad, Picholine Olives, and Satsuma Oranges
Hamilton Russell, Chardonnay, Hemel-En-Aarde , South Africa

Third Course
•Fudge Farms Pork and Beans with Braised Greens, Cracklin’ Cornbread and Chow Chow
Perrin et Fils, Vinsobres, Rhone

Fourth Course
•Chocolate Pot de Crème with Chocolate-Cardamom Cookie and Candied Peanuts
Domaine du Mas Blanc, Banyuls

Miner Family Vineyards SB @ ARIA

It's been a month now since Andrés returned from his California trip and we're starting to see some of those contacts pay off here at ARIA. Our newest addition to the by-the-glass list is a wine that can't be found at any store in Atlanta, let alone any store in the US. It's Miner Family Vineyards' Sauvignon Blanc, a wine normally only sold in their tasting room in Napa. Andrés, a long time Miner fan, tasted this juice, and insisted we get some for ARIA. A few weeks later and blam, here it is:

Miner Family Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Napa Valley, all from their Oakville property. Bright citrus nose with a little dried herb, fresh, clean, and zippy in the mouth, a simple but classic SB style. Please come in and try this great wine, especially while we are still serving Roast Halibut from Maine (sushi grade stuff) with poblanos.

Contributor: George Kientzy III

Robert Sinskey Wine Dinner

Join us Thursday, September 17, for an intimate dinner with great wines from Robert Sinskey Vineyards. The reception begins at 7 p.m. and dinner is served at 7:30 p.m.

We have selected some of our favorite wines to be paired with an inspired seasonal menu. All Robert Sinskey wines are organically grown and most of them are farmed under biodynamic practices.

Featured wines include:

Abraxas, Vin de Terroir, Los Carneros 07
Pinot Blanc, Los Carneros 08
Pinot Noir, Three Amigos Vineyard,
Los Carneros, Napa Valley 04
Merlot, Los Carneros, Napa Valley 05
Point of View, Napa Valley 05
Pinot Gris Late, A Late Harvest Gris,
Los Carneros 06


Dinner is $85 per person, plus tax and gratuity. For reservations call 404.233.7673.

We look forward to seeing you!

Peter Michael on ARIA's wine list

We are excited to be one of the lucky few to have added two wines from the legendary Peter Michael Winery to our Cellar list.
As one of the best run wineries in the world, Sir Peter Michael employs Nicolas Morlet as winemaker and Javier Avina as vineyard manager, both famous for their meticulous work.

'Les Pavots' 2006 is Peter Michael's flagship Bordeaux blend known for a very Pomerol-like mouth feel, very lush, full bodied and opulent.
'Belle Cote' 2007, a single vineyard estate Chardonnay famous for being ultrarich and concentrated, but still graceful with a crisp natural acidity.

For those of us who love great Napa Valley wines, this is an exciting time to be part of Atlanta's burgeoning wine scene as wines of the caliber of Peter Michael become more readily available.
Please come visit us at ARIA and celebrate these wines along with a terrific meal

Contributor: George Kientzy III

Schug Wine Maker Dinner

On Monday, August 31 at 7 p.m., enjoy with us the wines of esteemed Schug Winery from Carneros in Sonoma. Axel Schug, son of winemaker Walter Schug, will join us for a five-course menu of Gerry's delicious seasonal cooking.
The dinner is $85 per person (plus tax and gratuity).

Featured wines include:

2008 Sonoma Coast Sauvignon Blanc

2007 Carneros Chardonnay

2007 Carneros Pinot Noir

2005 Sonoma Coast Merlot

2005 Heritage Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Seats are limited. Email Andres or call us at 404-233-7673 to make advance reservations.

Attack of the Killer Tomato Fest!

This Sunday, August 9, Gerry will join several of Atlanta’s well-known chefs at JCT. Kitchen & Bar's Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival. Chefs will be teaming up with local farmers making creative tomato dishes to benefit Georgia Organics. Gerry will be making “Tomatoes on the Half Shell”:
Ice cold, freshly shucked middleneck clams with an heirloom
tomato bloody mary mignonette, featuring tomatoes, freshly
picked by Charlotte & Wes of Riverview Farms.

Killer Tomatoes on the Loose

Guests of the event will get to sample dishes with cocktails crafted by featured mixologists. High-profile judges including Restaurant Editor Andrew Knowlton of Bon Appetit, Restaurant Editor Kate Krader of Food + Wine, Senior Food Writer Donna Florio of Southern Living and Danny Bonvissuto, freelance food writer for Food + Wine, will be choosing the best dish and best beverage, and an award will also be given to the chef with the best table decorations. For more information click here.

Pahlmeyer Wine Maker Dinner Recap

Special thanks, again, to Paige Pahlmeyer! What a pleasure and honor it was to have you with us last Wednesday night. Thanks also to everyone that joined us for dinner; I have a feeling you had as much fun as we did.



*All photos courtesy of Mike and Nancy Ellsworth.

Amuse: seared yellow fin tuna, avocado

Roasted Wild Sockeye Salmon
zipper peas, golden oak mushrooms, applewood bacon
Pinot Noir, Jayson, Sonoma Coast 06

Australian Winter Truffle Risotto
carnaroli and reggiano parmigiano
Merlot, Pahlmeyer, Napa Valley 05

Gerry shaving truffles table-side

American Bison Ribeye
silver queen corn, heirloom red peppers, fingerlings
Proprietary Red, Pahlmeyer, Napa Valley 05

Black Plum Tart
ginger brown butter and vanilla bean ice cream

Kudos to Kathryn

In the current issue of The Atlantan, you will find our very own Kathryn King sharing the lastest trends in desserts. Along with Kirk Parks of Rathbun's and Jonathan St. Hilaire of Concentrics Restaurants, she shares her favorite dessert trend, guilty sugar pleasures and the most unusual dessert she's ever made. You can see the whole article by clicking here.

Pahlmeyer Wine Maker Dinner

On Wednesday July 29th at 7 p.m. we will welcome Paige Pahlmeyer and a fantastic line up of highly allocated wines to ARIA for a night of great food, wine and conversation.



Our Chef Gerry Klaskala will prepare a five-course menu to pair with these wines and highlight their extraordinary “power, personality and finesse.”

Featured wines include:

- Chardonnay, Jayson, Napa Valley 06
- Chardonnay, Pahlmeyer, Napa Valley 06
- Pinot Noir, Jayson, Sonoma Coast 06
- Merlot, Pahlmeyer, Napa Valley 05
- Proprietary Red, Pahlmeyer, Napa Valley 05

Please join us to share in this rare opportunity to taste and toast to the great Pahlmeyer wines.

Reception beings at 7 p.m., dinner starts at 7:30 p.m.

$120 per person (plus tax and gratuity)
Reservations are required and seats are limited

We look forward to seeing you!

See Dinner Menu

Neil Ellis' “The Left Bank” & other wines by the glass

Our wine list is updated nightly just like our dinner menu, and you are sure to find something you enjoy with 17 wines served by the glass that are constantly changing. Here are two recent additions:

The Left Bank, Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz blend
This great little red comes from Western Cape in South Africa. Made by renowned wine maker Neil Ellis from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, the wine carries flavors of plum, blackberry and a touch of cedar; smoky and spicy with gentle soft tannins.

Kurt Angerer, Kies, Grüner Veltliner
The Angerer family has made wine in the Kamptal region of Austria since the 1800s and this wine is a very good example of the classic style of the house. Mid body with citrus tones, underlying minerality and a little peppery edge; great for drinking this time of the year.

Aria's wines by the glass
Champagne, Louis Roederer, Brut Premier, Reims
Sparkling, Schramsberg Brut Rosé, Mirabelle, North Coast NV
Prosecco di Conegliano, Collalto, Brut, Veneto NV

Riesling Kabinett, Gysler, Rheinhessen, Germany 07
Alsatian Blend, Albert Boxler, Edelzwicker, Alsace, France 06
Grüner Veltliner, Kurt Angerer, Kies, Kamptal, Austria 08
Sauvignon Blanc, Vincent Delaporte, Sancerre, France 06
Chardonnay, Saintsbury, Unfiltered, Carneros, Sonoma 07
Chardonnay, Scarbolo, Friuli, Italy 06
Rosé of Grenache, Domaine Ott, Les Domaniers, Provence, France 07

Gamay, Potel-Aviron, Beaujolais Villages, France 07
Pinot Noir, Belle Glos, Meiomi, Sonoma Coast 07
Cabernet Franc, Lang & Reed, North Coast, CA 07
Sangiovese/Cabernet/Merlot, Querciabella, Mongrana, Tuscany 07
Zinfandel Blend, Ridge Vineyards, Lytton Springs, California 06
Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz, Neil Ellis, Left Bank, South Africa 07
Cabernet Sauvignon, Lariat, Napa Valley 05

A new seasonal dish on ARIA's menu

Fresh hazelnut crusted Blue Ridge Mountain Trout with crab smashed potatoes, slow roasted tomatoes, fresh artichokes and English peas.
A seasonal dish from our Chef Gerry Klaskala

Cellar 13 Wine Dinner Recap

Thanks again to John Passman at Cellar13 for a great selection of wines; they were the perfect starting point for Gerry and Kat to deliver a delicious menu. Some photos follow:

Tour of France wine dinner menu

Featured Wines

Roasted rack and braised shoulder of Colorado lamb with

eggplant & fennel ragout, tarragon shallot sauce

Fuji apple tart with
ginger brown butter and caramel ice cream

Strawberries have arrived!

Photography by George Sanchez

Fat, shiny, local and delicious strawberries, a light biscuit, creamy lemon ice cream.
A new dessert from Kathryn King with strawberries from River View Farm in Ranger, GA

Check out our newsletter this coming week for a recipe using strawberries from Kathryn.

Cellar 13 Wine Dinner

We are looking forward to Wednesday May 27 when John Passman from Cellar 13 will join us for a Grand Tour of France wine dinner.
Gerry has prepared a multi-course menu to pair with wines John has picked from the great selection at his shop. These wines represent some of the finest examples from major regions of France.

Champagne reception starts at 7pm.
$175/per person inclusive
Please RSVP with Cellar 13 at 404.816.4071 or jpassman@cellar13.com

Here is the menu:

Reception
Champagne Deutz 2002 Brut Rosé

First Course
Roasted sea scallops with black truffle and Serrano ham
Marc Colin 2004 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru “Les Champs Gains”

Second Course
Foie gras stuffed Guinea hen with English peas and herbs
Domaine Harmand-Geoffroy 2006 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru “La Perrière”

Third Course
Crespelle of duck confit with soy duck jus, crème fraîche and crisp parsley
Château Magdelaine 1998 Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

Fourth Course
Roasted rack and braised shoulder of Colorado lamb with eggplant and fennel ragout and tarragon shallot sauce
Domaine Marc Sorrel 2005 Hermitage “Le Gréal”

Dessert
Fuji apple tart with ginger brown butter and Ccramel ice cream
Domaine des Baumard 2004 Quarts de Chaume

- - - - - - - - - -

Unfamiliar with Cellar13 Wine Merchant?
Check them out at 3765 Roswell Rd in Buckhead,
next door to Johnny's Hideaway.

Ridge Vineyards Wine Dinner Recap

Thanks to everyone that attended our wine dinner; special thanks go to David Gates and Michael Torino from Ridge Vineyards for joining us and making the evening even more fun.

Here is the complete menu and a few photos of the delicious dishes. I am sorry Kathryn, I promise I'll take a photo of dessert next time!

Pan roasted bison eye of the ribeye steak with basquaise red pepper, sweet onion and tomato piperade

Tenderloin of Naturally Raised Veal with prosciutto, fava beans, young carrots and peas

Spinach Gnocchi with savory duck and mushroom ragout

Wine Dinner Series - Log

Starting with our upcoming Ridge Vineyards dinner on April 23, we will post food photos and comments from our guests. For now, here is a log of our most recent wine dinners and other details. We hope to see you at the restaurant soon

Cheers !


Fiddlehead Cellars - 03.25.09
Kathy Joseph winemaker.owner - PDF Menu - Sold Out

Tres Sabores Winery - 02.11.09
Julie Johnson winemaker.owner - PDF Menu - Sold Out

Freeman Winery - 01.21.09
Ken Freeman owner - PDF Menu - Sold Out

Chappellet Winery - 10.29.08
Cyril and Blakesley Chappellet owners - PDF Menu - Sold Out

Hawkes Winery - 09.11.08
Jake Hawkes winemaker.owner - PDF Menu - Sold Out

Patz & Hall - 03.27.08
Donald Patz owner - PDF Menu - Sold Out

$39 in '09!

Join us for a truly creative culinary experience in 2009 with Aria’s new $39 Three-Course Chef’s Tasting Menu. Chef Gerry Klaskala’s seasonal tasting menu will feature two versions including a three-course menu of classic Aria dishes for guests to indulge in and the lighter three-course menu filled with healthful palate-pleasing dishes. Aria Restaurant’s $39 menu will give patrons a taste of Klaskala’s inventive cuisine for an approachable price. This spring, join Chef Klaskala and the staff at Aria for a this very special menu, served in conjunction with the regular dinner menu.