Murphy's, Wired & Fired Help Project Open Hand

Virginia-Highland mainstay Murphy’s is joining the effort to raise hunger awareness by partnering with Wired & Fired for the Empty Bowl Project. Through Nov. 17, guests can visit Wired & Fired to add their artistic touch to a soup bowl at the paint-your-own-pottery studio. Then on Nov. 20, Atlantans will have the opportunity to purchase one of these bowls at a luncheon hosted by Murphy’s. Purchased bowls will be filled from a special menu prepared by Executive Chef Gregg McCarthy which will include choices of soups, pastas, salads and more. At the end of the meal, all bowls will be washed and returned to the guests as a memento.
 
All proceeds from the Empty Bowl Project will benefit Open Hand, an organization that helps people prevent or better manage chronic disease through comprehensive nutrition care, which combines home-delivered meals and nutrition education as a means to reinforce the connection between informed food choices and improved quality of life.
 
Wired & Fired will provide customers with bowls, colors, stamps and stencils for $10. The Nov. 20 luncheon at Murphys will offer the bowls for purchase for $20. Some of the bowls will be autographed by local celebrities, and these unique treasures will be featured in a silent auction. The symbolism of these bowls will serve as a visual reminder of the millions of people throughout the world who go hungry each day.
 
To decorate and donate a bowl for the Empty Bowl Project, visit Wired & Fired at 994 Virginia Ave., across the street from Murphy’s. Wired & Fired is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, call Wired & Fired at (404) 885-1024 or visit www.wiredfired.com. For reservations and more information, call (404) 872-0904 or visit www.murphysvh.com or www.projectopenhand.org.

El Taco Takes Over Former Sala Space

The owners of Fifth Group Restaurants have joined forces with Executive Chef Shaun Doty, owner of Shaun’s, to create The Original El Taco in the former Sala space in Virginia-Highland. The new restaurant will open in mid-October. Doty is developing recipes for creative Mexican fare like tacos, tortas and salsas, and the Fifth Group Restaurants team is working with William Peace, Peace Design, to change the look and feel of the restaurant.

“The Original El Taco will be lively, bright, open, and - most of all - fun,” said Robby Kukler, co-owner of Fifth Group Restaurants. “We have known Shaun for years and when we found out he had been thinking about doing Mexican too, we knew it was a great partnership.”

“I love Mexican food and have wanted to do a restaurant like this for a while,” said Doty. “To have this opportunity to work with the pros at Fifth Group Restaurants is great.”

“We are going to create an easy, approachable destination for great Mexican food,” added Kukler.

Doty will work with a chef de cuisine at El Taco when the restaurant opens, while remaining executive chef at Shaun’s. The Original El Taco is located at 1186 North Highland Avenue N.E. (formerly Sala) and will be open for dinner nightly. Fifth Group Restaurants sold Sala in mid-2007 and reacquired it in July 2008.

For more information, call (678) 302-3251 or visit www.fifthgroup.com.

Slider Special @ Atkins Park

Atkins Park Tavern in Virginia Highland knows what your dad loves, burgers and beer. From Friday, June 13 to Sunday, June 15, Chef Andrew Smith will feature a Slider Special that your dad won’t be able to resist. Guests can enjoy a Slider Plate with three sliders (Grilled Lamb Burger with Vidalia onion relish & goat cheese on foccacia bread, Boneless BBQ Baby Back Ribs with fried pickle slices on a potato roll, Seared Ahi Tuna Burger with teriyaki mayonnaise and avocado on a sesame bun), parmesan steak fries and paired with a Sierra Nevada Summerfest Beer for $14. Atkins Park is at 794 North Highland Ave. For more information, call (404) 876.7249 or www.atkinspark.com.

Help VINE Create Cupcake, Wine Evening

VINE in Virginia-Highland will host a Cupcake and Wine pairing event on Wednesday, June 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. To create this event a researcher is needed to assist VINE's sommelier, Chris, in the pairing process. Have a passion for wine, dessert, and fun? Let VINE know by emailing chris@vinerestaurant.com. VINE is 1190 North Highland, Suite B. www.vinerestaurant.com.